Arsenal: Wenger was wrong, CIty outplayed the Gunners

Following Arsenal’s humbling by Manchester City at the Etihad, manager Arsene Wenger elected to, once again, point the finger at the referees and ignore his own failings and those of his team.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Arsenal FC look a force to be contended with at the start of the season. Their players, the best, are running riot through other clubs and putting together cricket score tallies of goals scored. The fans, previously unabashed in their criticism of the clubs summer transfer successes, or lack thereof, fall into line with talk of “it’s our year” and “we don’t need any new players”.

The manager, Arsene of course, starts dropping references to “making history” in his post-match/victory interviews. Everything seems to be going perfect. Then December happens.

Doing an Arsenal, it’s often known as. That agonizingly predictable point in time when, having climbed so close to the heights of perfection, a single slip-up causes an almighty fall into the dark abyss below. Year after year. It’s the footballing equivalent of Old Faithful, you could even set your watch by it.

Then it all changes. The goals keep coming but for the opposing teams. The fans revert to summer form and cry out for something, anything, to change the script. The manager drops talk of making history and instead goes back to his own historical scapegoat for poor performances – the referees. Every year, like clockwork.

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Now I’m speaking directly after Arsenal lost their second league game on the trot, this time 2-1 against a vastly undermanned Manchester City side, in December, but, it could be any year honestly. Nothing seems to ever change for a club that are always the bridesmaid and never the bride. That much, however, is covered ad nauseam by the Arsenal press in far more in-depth, and often less eloquent, analysis. When it comes to the City game, however, a new line was crossed.

Now, you could argue that in games with paper-thin margins between the two sides, a single bad refereeing decision can cause one team to walk away with a result that was scarcely deserved. I can see why Wenger would moan about that, you know? Ah his team are still a good team, so the result doesn’t necessarily reflect on their form and is more a one-off. Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and say their capitulation, in much the same way as against Manchester City, against Everton previously was this.

What about, however, a situation where your team were literally bossed from start to finish? I think, personally, it’s shameful of Wenger to come out and wring hands about the referees and fail to acknowledge that his team were outclassed, that he was outclassed. In fact, it’s more than shameful, it’s disrespectful to everyone involved with Arsenal. Keep blaming the referees and you’ll never learn, never grow, never find a way around Pep Guardiola to whom you have never beaten in 6 meetings. Who doesn’t feel this gets to the very core of the Groundhogs Day feeling of Wenger’s 20 year reign?

City weren’t just good in spells, they were a class above the entire game. They held 61% of the possession, made over 200 more passes yet still maintained a vastly higher pass accuracy rate (85%-73%) and had some 5 shots on target to Arsenal’s 1 and only. Throw in any statistic you like (aerials won, successful tackles won, successful dribbles, corners, touches etc) and City bested their rivals in them handily. The Blues may have been missing Aguero, Fernandinho, Gundogan and Kompany, with Arsenal only seemingly missing Mesut Ozil, but they looked a cut above.

Why not come out and admit you were bested by a better side? Or how about accepting that trying to defend an early goal, and thus inviting a high pressing team to press high, was a tactical dropped ball that could easily have made the difference in the end?

But no, Wenger goes for the referees again. Two goals for City, both were supposed to be offside. No need to change then, Gooners. We actually should have won the game, much like the Everton one, so despite not having the points we’ll just do our thing again next game and it’ll all work out. The definition of insanity.

News flash for Mr Wenger though: both City’s goals stood and the referee got it right. Leroy Sane’s goal was potentially a whisker offside, but it’s so tight you wouldn’t be able to even see without replay and in that situation the referee has to give the benefit to the striker. For Raheem Sterling’s goal, David Silva was not obstructing Petr Cech’s view and, honestly, I’d imagine greater concern should be shown for Cech being so easily beaten at his near post.

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But that’s it, isn’t it? It’s all smoke and mirrors. An attempt to detract from both City’s superiority and Arsenal’s failures. Those who actually watched the game though, know better. For City fans, seeing Pep Guardiola’s team flash brilliance with his style of play gives renewed confidence and excitement. For Arsenal fans, it’s just same old same. Will this be another year of “doing an Arsenal”? Who knows, but it certainly seems like we’ll have another year of lame excuses regardless.

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Sorry Wenger, Arsenal were outplayed by Manchester City

By Stephen Little | Dec 19, 2016

Following Arsenal’s humbling by Manchester City at the Etihad, manager Arsene Wenger elected to, once again, point the finger at the referees and ignore his own failings and those of his team.