Arsenal: Match postponement may just be Arteta’s saving grace
By Kian Long
I’m not saying the coronavirus is a saving grace, obviously. However, Arsenal shouldn’t feel too defeated that their match with Manchester City has been postponed.
Chances are, you’ve heard of it by now. It’s rare that a global phenomenon affects our little bubble of football, or soccer, whatever you want to call it. However, the coronavirus has. It’s caused many matches to be played in secluded conditions and has even forced Manchester City vs Arsenal to be cancelled.
The good news is that no Arsenal players or staff will be tested, despite the postponement (as per the BBC). Instead, the match has been cancelled for precautionary measures, which is understandable given the global scare going on right now.
The truth is, this is a match which no Arsenal fan was really looking forward to or had any high hopes for. Manchester City are the champions of England and Arsenal have been questionable this season.
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Don’t get me wrong, they have improved tenfold under Mikel Arteta but they have not faced many tests with the Spaniard at the helm. That said, he would have been put under the spotlight against his old club.
Having worked for many seasons at City under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, Arteta will have been excited to return to Etihad Stadium. However, he will be thankful that he has more time to prepare for the match and that the safety of his players is assured.
After all, Manchester City are one of the more difficult teams in England to decipher. Who knows what XI they will field or even, how they will play? I’m convinced not even Guardiola does until the day, he has that level of genius.
Arsenal would have needed to play a patient match but also be in the faces of City, which is not natural in their club DNA. They are used to dominating possession but this is simply not possible against a Pep Guardiola side.
With that being said, it’s good that Arteta has the additional to prep his players. While the front-footed ones such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka could match
City’s high intensity, others such as Mesut Ozil and Granit Xhaka, who have been excellent in their own right, may have needed a bit extra time to establish a boost.
After all, it’s not like the Gunners are falling any further behind since this would have been their game in hand anyway.
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What is your score prediction for when this game finally goes ahead?