Arsenal looked flat in attack at the Emirates, and tactical calls from Mikel Arteta only added to their problems against Man City.
Arteta experiment fails to click against Man City
The PL clash between Arsenal and Man City was expected to be a fiery battle. But, the game quickly showed where the Gunners were lacking.
Martin Odegaard missed the game due to injury and both Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze were on the bench. Head coach Mikel Arteta decided to go with Mikel Merino as the No.10. That raised doubts from the fans but the the Gunners boss was confident.
Merino has been a solid midfielder since his arrival. But, he is not a natural playmaker. Against City, that clearly stood out. By half-time, Arteta had seen enough. He took Merino off after a first half where the Gunners looked short of ideas in the final third.
Attacking threats return too late
The change after the break was hard to ignore. With Saka and Eze coming off the bench, Arsenal finally carried some bite going forward. The tempo increased, City’s backline was under more pressure, and the fans found their voice again.
Although, the damage had been done. The North London side had significant possession but, in the key moments, were chasing shadows.
Injuries happen in sports, but the substitution exhibited the difficulty of replacing a creative leader such as Odegaard. Arsenal is ready to be in the fight with City for the long season. For that, they need to make sure their best creators remain fit. If not, they need to find someone else to truly control the game.
Author’s Opinion:
Arteta’s decision to use Merino as a playmaker was always a risk, and it backfired. Arsenal looked a different side once Saka and Eze came on. That says everything about where the creativity really lies.
