TOMORROW WE GO TO WAR! | Manchester City v Arsenal Preview

The time for talking is finished. March the 31st sees us return to Premier League action, travelling to the Empty Head, sorry Etihad, and playing Manchester City. And it means war, people. They do say in life, keep your friends close and your enemies close. Of course Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta are definitely not enemies, but few could have probably predicted that he would be leading a title charge after being part of the coaching staff at Manchester City. He's returned home. I know he's previously been at Everton and a bunch of other clubs, but you get the point. He's become an Arsenal man. Either way, it's fair to say he has transformed this football club. We all remember how it went down at Wembley and at the Emirates Stadium. We have two wins in two against Manchester City. So we should have every reason to be optimistic. We've had their number, as I've said. Can we really do it? Can we get our first double over Manchester City since 2007-08? Now I know I'm dreaming. It's a ground we struggle at. It's a team we struggle against typically. It's Pep Guardiola, arguably the best manager in football in history up against Mikel Arteta. But we've got every reason to be optimistic. Now, I don't think you can be overconfident or dare I say arrogant against a team of Manchester City's quality, but if we are to be title winners slash contenders, it's about believing in ourselves. It's about mitigating against the issues that City could present to us and the problems that they could make us face. But also we can cause them issues. I mean, again, our record against City is terrible. But in the last recent games, we've equipped ourselves well. Even recently, when we've lost games, it's not really been batterings. They've been decided by fine margins. We've shown we can compete. We're up there near enough identical with Manchester City, where you look at XG created and conceded. So I expect to see us going down fighting. We've got the best record in the league when it comes to XG, to be honest with you. Our pressing metrics are very good. Our turnover metrics are very good. Our intensity metrics are very good. Of course, we're unbeaten in eight games. We've got one of the best records this season against teams in the traditional top six, where if you look at Manchester City and it just shows their pedigree and how much the league is a marathon versus a sprint, they've only beaten Manchester United where, you know, not to get at Man United, but is that really even beating a top six side now? The only team that, you know, makes a Man United victory look good is if you beat Chelsea. So there's plenty of reasons to be optimistic. I can't even lie to you lot of people. Their home form, sorry, is amazing. They've won, sorry, they're unbeaten in 38 home games, winning 33 and drawing five. In fact, the last time they lost at home was versus Brentford in November of 2022. So we've got it all to do, but this is the realm we wanted our football club to be in. Now, rightly so, many people expect Manchester City against Arsenal to be a chess match. Both teams can go long with Edison and Raya. Both teams can pick you apart in two to three passes. Both managers are very intricate in the positions they want their players to take up off the ball. Watching Arsenal City on the ball is one thing. Watching them off it is another thing. And that's actually the discussion. They're just, for me anyways, you would have seen in the first screenshot or screen recording, I just mentioned that because I remember Kevin De Bruyne a few years ago saying when Arsenal's centre midfielders press, they will take advantage of the space. And we all know there's going to be elements of us just holding our shape and both teams actually just vacating positions and leaving men free. But to a degree, it will to a degree be man for man. Naturally, you think it's a day for fullbacks of both teams and wide men of both teams to have to stand up to be counted. You're going to need Gabriel and Saliba to deal with Harlan. Benjamin White, it remains to be seen whether he'll be being a traditional kind of inverted right back or if he'll be a bit more adventurous. It will be very interesting if I'm completely honest. But there's many ways of going about this. It'll be interesting to see if we even go with Partey and Jorginho. Typically, you know, we kind of press in a 4-4-2. And again, as we press, we're going to have to pick our moments wisely because again, they're just going to go pick us apart a bit like with us. Now, when you look at Manchester City, as I said, they're very patient. They're very repetitive, much like us. They won't give much space if I'm completely honest with you in that regard. So it's going to be a game where we're going to have to micromanage and try to cut out the passing lanes, which will be very interesting. You know, if you go back to the Porto game, for example, Trossart was almost acting like a left back out of the ball in the defensive phase and that was allowing Kyrgios to become another centre half. I wonder if that's something Mikel Arteta will look to do. We're a very good team where you look at winning our first and second balls. I'm more impressed with winning the second balls because that's what makes things. You know, naturally Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta are going to have admiration for each other. They're going to hate each other for 90 minutes. Of course, they're going to want to win for either respective sides. But it's testament to Pep Guardiola, in my opinion, to see, you know, someone that he kind of tutored becoming a challenger. Arsenal fans, we're going to have to pray. There's reasons to be nervous and optimistic, but this is where we wanted to be. Mikel Arteta has raised the floor and the standards of this football club. Again, the title race is far from being decided. We're allegedly top on goal difference. We could be third. And where you look at last season, hopefully the wounds are still fresh and we remember that pain. But it's looking good for the neutrals in relation to this title challenge and how it's going to go. Hopefully Mikel Arteta has a plan that ensures we get victory. Personally, folks, when it comes to Manchester City against Arsenal, Arsenal against Manchester City, I'm nervous. I'm scared. I'm excited. And I'm everything in between. That's what football's about. For Arsenal, this is new territory. It's not new in the sense of last season. You know, we were fighting for the league title and whatnot, but it's relative new territory since Mikel Arteta has walked in. I pray for the day. Take nothing away from City. Take nothing away from Arsenal. I personally pray for the day where whether we win, lose or draw to City, it comes with the territory because we're still, not that we're shocked, because as I said, Manchester City throughout the video, nine times out of ten, Manchester City have had our number. They've pulled our pants down. They've battered us. In the last couple of recent games prior to us beating them at Wembley and obviously beating them at the Emirates, it's been more of a close affair and they've ultimately won. Now we've obviously shown that we can do it at Wembley. We've shown we can do it at the Emirates. We need to end this hoodoo at the Etihad. The last time we beat Manchester City two games in a season or let alone leave the Etihad with even a point or anything is unacceptable. Now, I don't think where Man City are concerned, Arsenal are concerned, Liverpool are concerned, I don't think this game makes or breaks the title race per se. In many ways, I disagree with what I just said because I think City will give them a wind in their sails. For us, I don't think our confidence will be dented but it is a kick in the teeth really and again, we're top on goal difference. You start to make things difficult. Even if we win, there's no point beating City, for example, and then going and losing to Luton. We've got a lot of football where a lot of people want to spoil our day. Pep Guardiola, as I said, we've been beating them the last couple of games. He's not going to want that to be a third time. Obviously, I'm reading ahead but you've got to go to Old Trafford. United fans don't want us to celebrate anything. Liverpool are probably hoping Spurs can do them a favour and there's a lot of games in between. So, I would say relish it. This is what we worked so hard for. Last season, I hope the wounds of last season, as I said in the video, are still fresh so that they can use that to drive. We need to take games one game at a time. I would love to win. I want to win. I want us to compete. If we lose, then let it be that but don't let it be that we've got batted. Let it be competitive. If Arlen, Kevin De Bruyne or Rodri, they actually missed Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne at the Emirates. We were missing players as well. If they do something great, then fair enough. But don't let it be mistakes. Make sure we start the games well. Make sure we end the games well. I wonder how emotional the game will be as well because Pep is kind of gassing up the City fans to make the empty hat apologies a great atmosphere and whatnot. There will be a lot of psychological factors. Now, Manchester City have been here, several of their players and the manager. Us were new kids on the block. Now it's time for me to move into that scenario of not just playing well, but where the Manchester City are concerned, getting results done. Our top six record gives me a lot of confidence because City have struggled in the big games. We haven't. Not that it's been plain sailing. So that should give us some confidence. And I'm not saying confidence to beat Man City. Confidence that we can compete, that we can match them. Obviously, there's golfing talent all over the field, but we're here for a reason. We can compete for a reason. They bleed just like us. We've got a great manager, just as they do. And we've got some great players. Relish it because, you know, whether you're as young as, you know, Bakayo Saka or Yohji Ojii, these footballers, they're going to blink and their career is done. You want to compete for trophies. And at some point, it's a thing where we've been great in the last two years. I would say three because the season we bottled forth was actually progressing. But now I feel I want us to get something etched in history to mark this great season, like last year. Last season was great for the large part without talking about where it went wrong, but we didn't get it done. We didn't get it over the line. There's nothing to look at 20 years from now and say it is what it is. We know we're still building, but it'd be nice if we can make that transition now with not just playing well, getting three points, you know, not just competing for trophies, getting it over the line. Now I know it's a process, et cetera, et cetera. And it'll be interesting to see the battles all over the field. You know, again, I know a lot of talk with the game at the Emirates was about Rodri, but they miss Kevin De Bruyne. And I think that indirectly harmed them with Harlan. Big up Gabriel and Saliba are going to need you again. I don't know if Arteta will bet on someone like Tomiyasu who played against QPR, but hasn't had a run of games. Obviously, Kyrie Orr, he does deserve to start up against Phil Foden. That's an interesting battle. Whoever's up against Benjamin White, that's an interesting battle, just like with our wingers. And it'll be interesting because I do think we're getting to that period where, let me just say first, in fact, obviously the team is picking itself. We've got eight wins in a row. We're doing what we need to do. The players are doing their thing. Players that are returning from injuries don't necessarily just walk back in the team. I love that. But with the amount of games we've got with Arteta's home admission saying we've got the Finnish squad, you know, we've got 12 cup finals at the time of making this video, two against Bayern Munich, and we hope it's more in the Champions League and 10 on paper in the Premier League, including on Sunday when the league recommences. So yeah, the team is picking itself. But I believe now it's about being cute and clever, rotating where you can. I'm not saying rotation for rotation's sake. And as much as I'm saying that, we're all hypocrites. Mikel Arteta can make no changes against Man City, which we all would probably pick the same team, give or take, if everyone's fit. Come the end of the game, we might say what's going on there. So I think we're getting to that period. And I must admit, on one hand, I would love to draw for Tomiyasu at left back, but he hasn't got that form and all that stuff that Kyrgios has, as much as I rate him. Martinelli, I hope he's fit because, you know, I don't know about... I personally think Pep's lying. I do expect to see Walker or Stones, if not both. But it would be interesting to see who comes in. And there's almost an element of unknown there, really and truly, with what he'd want to do in that regard. So I must admit, or even you could say Zinchenko with our left back points, I must admit, I'd bet on Gabriel Jesus, you know. I'm saying Kai Havertz up front, Gabriel Jesus on the left, obviously Saka who didn't play in the game at the Emirates on the right. I think these are games for Havertz because we all know the midfield, but football is decided in both ends. It's played in the middle and they've got Rodri, they've got Kevin De Bruyne and they've got the inverted Bernardo's and Foden's. Wherever they're stationed on the football field, they're going to be in the pockets and stuff like that. This is why I would probably lean towards, you know, Kai Havertz, because he'll drop into midfield, he's a bit of a shithouser, he'll make fouls, he'll try to disrupt their rhythm, obviously provides us an aerial threat, typically does well against Manchester City going back to his Chelsea days. And obviously his form is good. Gabriel Jesus, again, this is if Martinelli's not fit, I would lean towards him on the left-hand side. Saka didn't play against City, we need the star boy. And football's crazy because when you look at it, yeah, obviously it depends what you would define as results of the season or performance of the season, because there's been games which have been really one-way traffic, more so since the turn of the year and we've just been blitzing teams. But for me personally, I would say Liverpool at the Emirates and Manchester City at the Emirates. When you look at the game, City at the Emirates, did we go out there with our strongest team? Eddie Nketi was up front, Gabriel Jesus was out wide and there might have even been some more changes. So this tells you people need to stand up to be counted. You know, you look at us statistically, we score a lot of goals in the opening stages of football matches. Manchester City score a lot of late goals as well. So the first 10, 20 minutes for me are crucial, but also the last. You look at the Emirates, we got a late winner, courtesy of Martinelli, but it was a result of, I believe, Thomas Partey, Tommy Yasu and Kai Havertz. They all came off the bench and led to that Martinelli goal, which again, that's going to have to be something we're going to have to lean into. I want us to be fearless. Nine times out of ten, whether City have come to our place or we've gone to theirs, we've been battered and bruised really. You know, I do think the age-old saying, if you can't win, don't lose. I would take a point. Make no mistake, I want to win. I want to compete and do all of these things. But I would take a point and live to fight another day. In relation to City, I expect them to be aggressive. I expect them to try and disrupt our rhythm. I expect them to try and intimidate us. I expect them to kind of make us suffer in moments because that was at the Emirates. You know, we didn't even start. Really, we didn't start the game at the Emirates particularly well watching it again. So it'll be an interesting one. It'll be a Pep Guardiola versus the experienced but inexperienced Mikel Arteta in comparison to them. And I want my players to believe they can compete. Believe you belong in title challenges at these points of the season. Believe you should be in the latter stages of the champ. I'm not saying we've got better players than them collectively because we don't. But if you're Saka, believe you can stand out on a pitch versus their little attacking talent. If you're one of the defenders, think that you can step into that. Because I want my players to be a bit jealous. Them have won trebles. They've done all these crazy things. People have said a lot about City, but they've fallen off. They're not as good as last year, which I think elements of that are true. I think they can be got at this year versus last year. But it's like them being up here was really the trouble. They're here. And I think without form, I still think they're a class above everybody. So they bleed just like us. Let's get at them. You know, they do play that offside trap, but they can be good at the counterattack. They do look vulnerable defensively. And again, as much as it's about tactics, for me, it's about genuine belief. If I had to go with a prediction, with my heart, I'm saying 2-1 Arsenal. With my brain, I'm saying 1-1. But yeah, let me know your thoughts in relation to the game. Let me know your predictions. You start in 11. Would you make any changes? Would you bring in a Thomas Partey? Or would you persist with Jorginho and Rice? Would you play Tomi Asu or Zinchenko ahead of Kyrgios? If Martinelli is fit, that's one talking point. But if he isn't, who would you lean to on the left-hand side? And who do you think decides the game? But yeah, that's all I've got to say. Appreciative to all of you lot listening to this preview and the many other falling out talking points. 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