They were winning 0-2 at Anfield and cruising and ended up barely hanging on for a point, and amazingly they repeated the exact same experience against West Ham on Sunday. 2 points from a possible 6. Two 0-2 leads thrown away. They were always going to have a wobble, now they are having one. Will they get out of it, or will the wheels come right off, like last season's push for the Champions League?
Next Friday they host Southampton at the Emirates, which affords them the best possible chance to rescue this wobble. Victory over the bottom club will put them 7 points clear of City as City play the FA cup semi against Sheff U. That would mean they go into the game at the Etihad next Wednesday in the best possible position. I have no doubt they will beat Southampton but I do think that the manner of the victory will be important. In the West Ham game they started doing things that we haven't seen all season: easy passes going astray, panic in the back line, midfielders losing composure, and two quiet games in a row for young Saka. There is no doubt they miss Saliba, Holding is a liability, and they missed Zinchenko against the Hammers. Zinchenko should be fit for the Friday but Saliba is still a doubt for the City game. They need to beat the Saints emphatically and regain the confidence that got them to the top of the pile and kept them there. Then they can think about City.
Talking of City. The look imperious. Pep was talking at his presser about how much he loves the run in; games every 4 days in different competitions. The team seems to get on a roll, and we have seen in previous run-ins that when they are on a roll they rarely drop points. Against Munich last Tuesday, City looked vulnerable to the counter-attack. The teams that do well against City, especially Liverpool, have extremely quick counter-attacks and I feared for us against Munich, but Rodri curled in a lovely opener. And after the break City turned the screw and came away from a difficult game with a 3-0 lead to take to Germany. They play Munich on Wednesday, Sheff U on Saturday and the Arsenal next Wednesday. If they win all three then the treble will be on.
Next Friday they host Southampton at the Emirates, which affords them the best possible chance to rescue this wobble. Victory over the bottom club will put them 7 points clear of City as City play the FA cup semi against Sheff U. That would mean they go into the game at the Etihad next Wednesday in the best possible position. I have no doubt they will beat Southampton but I do think that the manner of the victory will be important. In the West Ham game they started doing things that we haven't seen all season: easy passes going astray, panic in the back line, midfielders losing composure, and two quiet games in a row for young Saka. There is no doubt they miss Saliba, Holding is a liability, and they missed Zinchenko against the Hammers. Zinchenko should be fit for the Friday but Saliba is still a doubt for the City game. They need to beat the Saints emphatically and regain the confidence that got them to the top of the pile and kept them there. Then they can think about City.
Talking of City. The look imperious. Pep was talking at his presser about how much he loves the run in; games every 4 days in different competitions. The team seems to get on a roll, and we have seen in previous run-ins that when they are on a roll they rarely drop points. Against Munich last Tuesday, City looked vulnerable to the counter-attack. The teams that do well against City, especially Liverpool, have extremely quick counter-attacks and I feared for us against Munich, but Rodri curled in a lovely opener. And after the break City turned the screw and came away from a difficult game with a 3-0 lead to take to Germany. They play Munich on Wednesday, Sheff U on Saturday and the Arsenal next Wednesday. If they win all three then the treble will be on.
For Arsenal, they have no cup commitments which means a full week between games. Yet against West Ham they looked leggy in the final 20 minutes. Maybe they have too long to ruminate over the run-in whereas City just go game-to-game competition-to-competition, maintaining rhythm. Arsenal will have to dig deep and find a way to stop the City juggernaut
The City v Arsenal game has 'title decider' written all over it and personally I can't wait.
The City v Arsenal game has 'title decider' written all over it and personally I can't wait.
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| Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports |
When it came to " squeaky bum time " , Arsenal went " commando " ! Good win for the Reds @ Leeds , wouldn't mind seeing their worst defence in the division join Forest & Saints dropping into the Championship .Watching City win another treble will be as painful as Man U doing it in '99 . With five titles out of the last 6 , the Prem is as predictable as Celtic & Bayern winning their respective titles . How do you compete with a consistent 95 point team ? Sell your soul to a sheikh .
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see Leeds stay up. This current Arsenal side don't have the mettle to take the title. It is over now. They blew it.
DeleteIf we continue to defend like we did last night or on Easter Sunday against Palace, I fear we will drop through the trap door. Our Premiership existence is currently dependent on Everton's and Forest 's losing streak which, by the law of averages, will not continue. Once we fall below the dotted line we are doomed. I am not throwing myself on the tender mercies of hope.
ReplyDeleteI have been rooting for Arsenal all season to win the title. If they dispatch the Saints on Friday night and get a point at the Etihad it is still theirs to win. Well done Liverpool last night. I am not hiding behind the VAR non-decision on their first goal to excuse what happened to us. Oh well at least we are not financed by dirty, off-shore money from Putin's placemen or Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds.
I agree with Anthony and as I'm loathed to say it, that other Manchester team look likely to take the league. European Cup also a possibility, in fact our fucking treble could be up for grabs. It may be in Uniteds hands, Man United that is, to stop them. That is unless The Blades pull off a surprise.
ReplyDeleteCaoimhin O'Muraile