Five Things Learnt from Arsenal’s win over Man City
Gunners beat title-rivals 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium
Arsenal took advantage over Manchester City in the title-race last night thanks to a 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium, and it’s now time for SillySeason to dissect what they saw on show.
Goals from Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott gave Arsenal all three points despite Yaya Toure‘s late consolation, and it was a win that puts Arsene Wenger‘s men just two points behind Leicester City.
It was a thrilling match in North London last night, and here are Five Things SillySeason learnt after watching the top-of-the-table encounter.
5) Manchester City Need Vincent Kompany
The stats prove it and last night’s performance certainly proves it.
Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala proved last night that they cannot work together as a pairing. They may be talented individuals, but as a partnership, they are woeful.
Mangala was all over the place in the 90-minutes and was guilty for Olivier Giroud‘s goal right on half-time.
Another game without Vincent Kompany and another game without a clean-sheet. That is now eight games without the Belgian that they’ve failed to keep a clean-sheet.
If City want to win the title, they need the centre-back fit.
4) Yaya Toure Turned Up Too Late
Sadly for Manchester City, it took Yaya Toure 75-minutes to turn up last night.
Invisible for the first-half, but unreal for the final 15 minutes or so. Toure hasn’t been in his best form in the past two seasons, but he proved at the end of last night that he can still put in brilliant displays.
His goal was phenomenal but it was all too late for City as they had thrown the game away in the first-half.
Toure is not the same player he was, but the little cameo at the end may give City fans hope about him for the remainder of the season.
3) Mesut Ozil Is Proving Everyone Wrong
‘A flop’, ‘Stealing a living’ and ‘The Invisible Man’.
Nicknames handed to Mesut Ozil during his debut season at Arsenal. How embarrassing for those people now.
17 games and 15 assists already, Ozil is proving every single doubter wrong and is now doing it consistently for Arsenal.
Just five away from Thierry Henry‘s record already, Ozil is cementing his place in Premier League history and is certainly one of the best players in England right now.
His vision, his team ethic and his ability to find a team-mate is second to none.
Alright his assists last night weren’t spectacular, but they all count, and that’s all that matters.
2) Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud Can Play Together
Theo Walcott or Olivier Giroud. That’s how it was portrayed.
However, that is now not the case. Walcott played on the left last night and Giroud was used as the main-man through the middle.
Yes Walcott is only there because of Alexis Sanchez‘s injury, but last night they proved that they can play in the same team together and it’s not about one or the other.
A goal apiece for the two forwards shows a job well done for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.
Two really neat finishes as well.
Why not try Alexis, Giroud and Walcott as a front-three?
1) Arsenal’s Year?
If they don’t win it this year, when will they?!
This is a massive chance for Arsenal and they must take advantage of it!
Chelsea are out of the picture, Manchester United are falling behind and the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool don’t look like legit contenders.
That leaves three. Arsenal, Manchester City and the surprise package of Leicester City.
Will Leicester fade away? That’s what people are saying, and if they do, Arsenal MUST take advantage of it and must go on and win the title this year.
It’s their best chance for years and they have to make the most of it.
Will they?
So there are our Five Things Learnt.
What about you?
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt