I am proud of that performance! | Man City 0-0 Arsenal Reaction

Ah, never in doubt, people. I know we didn't get the three points, but at no point was I nervous. We kept a clean sheet against Manchester City. We've taken four points off our fellow title contenders, just like Liverpool. Now, on a serious note, I do think, you know, every Arsenal fan, our emotions were everywhere, really, across those 90 minutes. And in many ways, a lot of what we saw was expected. And I do think it's a game you kind of have to look at with balance. I get it. Some fans are going to probably be over-optimistic and find positives where there's none. Some are probably going to find negatives where there's none. And it's a mixed one, really, and truly. I think, you know, when you look at how we performed there last season, in fact, first thing, of course, gone to the Etihad, it's another year. We have not got three points, similar to Anfield. If we want to be title contenders, you need to get over the line in games like this. But when you consider in 2021, in the All or Nothing, how we performed at the Etihad, how it ended last year, I think we competed, man. And I think it was expected, let's be honest. You know, it's another thing where if Pep Guardiola versus Mikel Arteta was, you know, a movie, the trailer is more exciting than the actual game, per se. Because, you know, Arteta, exciting manager, doing great things at Arsenal, you know, on paper this year, one of the highest goalscorers, which is probably why we're disappointed that we didn't score today. Manchester City are the big, bad bullies. They're etched in history. It all speaks for itself. You know, going into the game, especially off the back of the recent Premier League games you've seen since the international break's been done, everybody probably thought, you know what, last Premier League game of the weekend, Easter Sunday madness, it could be crazy against the people that have done it, against the team that aspires to kind of do it. So I get it. But if you look at the game at Wembley, the game at the Emirates, you know, it's defined and decided by the goals and whatnot. But both managers and both teams, they've cancelled each other out. Like, the 90-minute games are quite boring, per se, you know. Arteta, whatever he's trying to do to mitigate against what he knows Pep's Manchester City do and how he is as a person, and vice versa with obviously Pep Guardiola, they cancel each other out. Now, today, I don't know what it is. It felt like both sets of teams were a bit flat. Us more than City, but it felt like it was a bit flat. I don't know if it's because of the momentum of the international break. Some people have obviously carried on and played with their country and may be tired. Other players haven't played really and truly. And I do think it was a bit of an emotional kind of game because I wouldn't say we were nervous or we were scared, but at times it didn't look like we knew whether to stick or twist. In the second half, we gambled a lot better, really. Obviously, we score a lot of goals, but it is games like this. You would like to see a player or a striker with a bit of stardust that can create something of their own and go and bag for us, which wasn't the case. We did have half chances, obviously, Trossart in the 86th minute. Gabriel Jesus had a couple of them. But for a while, it felt like Benjamin White would be the one to make something happen for us, if I'm completely honest. I think if you can't win, don't lose. While I would have loved to have won, obviously, the only winners in the title race this week are Liverpool because they've beaten Brighton and the points are shared at the Emirates and at the Etihad. So, it's two points drop for both teams. I think there's positives, man. I think Saliba and Gabriel, it's another game against a top-attacking team and top-attacking talent in, obviously, Haaland, and then indirectly, the Fuldens, who's in great form. You know, Doc, who came off the bench and looked good, and all the collective qualities. So, to know that my centre-backs and also Benjamin White, and actually, Ryer, in terms of game management and generally what he was asked upon, as I said, it was a low-key affair, they stood up to be counted. Kiryu, there were some moments he looked a bit nervous, but generally, his reputation is intact and it hasn't dropped. So, my defenders stood tall, man, and all the game plan kind of worked. Of course, in the final third, you would have liked to have seen the minimal half chances we had taken. Obviously, I feel Odegaard was decent, but a lot of the time his final ball was very hit and miss, if I'm honest with you. And I was more happy with the second half because it looked like there was, occasionally, across in the second half, there was times where we looked like we could get something. We're pressing together, they're giving the ball away and we're making things happen, but it didn't look like we always committed to that. It looked like we didn't know whether to stick or twist, and I'm not saying that's the right thing, because if we went all gung-ho, City cut you open, they go and score. And I think a lot will be said, obviously, because City had the majority of the ball, but both teams, who are great attacking managers, great attackers, they were blunt, really, and truly, like neither team, really. It felt like the energy levels weren't quite there from both sets of teams, if I'm completely honest with you. First 20 minutes, I feel there was nothing. I feel there was a couple of nervy passes. I think Saliba had a great game, but I think his passing was a bit off and was Ryers. Off the ball, our shape was quality throughout, and that's obviously what's helped us frustrate them. At one point in the first 20 minutes, we only had five passes in the final third against City. It doesn't matter who you're playing, where you're playing. Goals win games, you want to see that. But we did know there was going to be large periods where we weren't going to have the ball, where they were going to be in our own half. And I would say they started a lot better than us in that regard. And for a large period, the only time I was really... Don't get twisted. I was scared any time City were in and around our area. But the only time my heart actually dropped is when Ake didn't connect with that corner. I thought we was done. And apart from that, I felt it was a bit flat. There were some sloppy passes. But other than that, I felt our shape was good. I think individually, everyone was willing to muck in. And yeah, it looks ugly. There's no on-the-ball highlights or anything. But I think collectively, that was that. The mindset to know that we can try and throw punches, which we could have done a lot more, but we can absorb a lot of pressure and take a lot of punches and not succumb to that pressure of the Etihad hype, what the game means, Pep Guardiola, Manchester City, the big bad bullies that have had our numbers. I really liked that in that regards. But it was a low-key affair. You know, the first half, they had 72% of the ball. We had 28%, which for a team that is shown that we can stifle City. And while we don't have the individual quality, we're good on the ball as well. We would have liked to have seen that closer. But fortunately, that was the only place that City dwarfed us. You know, 28% of the ball for us in the first half to their 72. They had three shots. We had four. Both teams had one shot on target. And there was four corners at that point with two apiece. By the end of the game, you could say on the balance of things, City, if they were to win 1-0, we maybe couldn't have any complaints. You know, to be honest with you, the game could have panned out this way. We could have nicked it with a couple of half chances and they could have. And I don't think there could be any complaints. But very rarely is life fair in football the same. And I think a point is a fair result for both teams. Whether, you know, both managers will agree with that, who knows. But it's shown we can shut up. We kept a clean sheet against, two clean sheets against Manchester City. That's ridiculous. They had 12 shots. We had six. We had two shots on target. They had one. We had 27% of the ball come the end of the game. They had 73%. We only played 269 passes to their 690. And I'm maybe overreaching a bit, but people say Mikel Arteta don't have a plan B, Arsenal. We've kind of shown that we can do that today, if I'm honest with you. So, yeah. And I think it was interesting from a City perspective, like Kovacic kind of acting like a third centre-half, you know, the beginning of the first half, like we was, that Guardiola guy was looking like, you know, a Croatian Roberto Carlos. He was having far too much joy. And I think a bit of that was Kovacic. Rodri's positioning as well, but Kovacic almost acting like a left-sided centre-back in terms of the build-up play. Of course, a couple of times, Bernardo Silva cooked Kyrgios. Trossart got a bit of revenge for that. But yeah, man, you know, to sit here and we've got a point, it's not amazing, but we need to count our blessings. And it really does show how far we've come as a team that we're very, I wouldn't say I'm very disappointed, but I'm disappointed to not get three points and beat City and overcome that hurdle. I'm disappointed we're not creating chances because it's a bit of a, we don't have clinical players per se, but when you look at the goals we score, had we have created a bit more, you never know. On another day, we could make it. As I said, sometimes you win games you don't deserve to, you lose when you don't deserve to. Some very rarely is football fair. And I think, you know, on the balance of things, I don't think Pep Guardiola's team or Arteta's team and both sets of fan bases and all connecting parties, I don't think anyone can complain with a draw really. And truly, I think a draw is a fair result. It just makes the remaining fixtures that much more exciting. And I do think we're getting to that stage now where Mikel Arteta is probably going to have to make some changes. Obviously, you know, I think it was, I don't think anyone was terrible. I don't think anyone was amazing. I don't think Gabriel Jesus had a performance to think, yo, my starting place is back. I don't think it was as bad as some people make out. I think Kyrgios did all right. I think if any, if I had to highlight anybody, it would be Gabriel Saliba and two-degree Benjamin White. Shout out, right? I think Saka was quiet and he looked injured before he came off. I hope that's not, that's nothing to be concerned about, you know? And to be fair, I would say some positives away from that is there was talk of big Gabriel, centre-half, not even being part of the game. So it's nice to see he played and came through it. Benjamin White, you could see his thigh was strapped up. He came through it. Don't know if it's a truss up, but he had, you know, his fingers were strapped. A couple baggy touches from Tom Iasi, but on the grand basis of things he did all right, Tom has partied the same. They both look like players with a lack of minutes, but it's nice to see them two, along with Martinelli, all three of them were able to play some part. We need to keep our players fit. Next week's a big week for us. You know, you've got Brighton away on Saturday and then you've got Luton and, you know, it shows how weird football is and how much of a marathon I personally believe football is because City's record against the top six is terrible. Ours is quite fantastic. And that's the problem, I guess, in that, you know, we've shot ourselves in the foot. You know, it's a case of what if today against City? It's a case of what if certain things against Spurs and also Chelsea away? But it's the smaller games we've messed up. We've messed up with the greatest of respect to anyone else we're playing. You know, if we don't win this league title, yes, you can look at, you know, maybe not winning at Anfield, maybe not getting a goal today. Spurs and Chelsea, as I said, and a lot of people will look at other games, but the Newcastles, the Villas, but then you look at West Ham where we should have taken three points. The two games against Fulham were, well, to be fair, Fulham away was horrible. And again, I'm not asking us to win every point, but if we're making this transition into being a Premier League title winning side, that's where we need to go. But I think it's not one to reach for the stars and things like that, but there is some confidence that can be taken in that, at our worst, we leave with something in a game like this, if I'm completely honest. So we work hard, man. I would have loved to have, I genuinely think we would have won if it was before the international break, but that's neither here nor there, I don't know, people. Again, smash the like button, let me know your thoughts, comment your match thoughts, your player ratings, your men of the match, your man of the match and all your fallout talking points, people. Appreciative of you lot listening. Make sure your notification bells are on. We live to fight another day. Let's move on to a midweek clash against Luton and then Brighton and see where we're at, folks. Peace.