Manchester City vs Arsenal, 3-0: Full time thoughts, analysis and player ratings
The Game
It’s a harsh scoreline.
I understand our defenders should have done better to prevent the goals, but all in all I believe we didn’t deserve to lose like that. The problem tonight, in my opinion, was that Carlos Vela was again left up there alone without any type of support and also that Emmanuel Eboue and Tomas Rosicky, two who were supposed to bring experience in the side, failed miserably.
Match Video Highlights
Match video highlights are available in the Videos section of our website. If not there yet, rest assured they will be up in a matter of hours.
Player Ratings
Fabianski: 6 – Can’t really blame him for the goals, the first two in the top corner and the third, well, game was lost already.
Silvestre: 5 – It’s a harsh vote for what we’ve seen in the first half but as an overall performance, it’s not. The way he was booked, not knowing where the ball is, was very embarrassing to watch.
Song: 6 – I think he had a good game Alex, also providing support to the midfield. Can’t ask more of him, really.
Traore: 3 – Enough already, please. He’s not yet ready to fill the gap when Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs are missing, he’s not even good for the Carling Cup team.
Eboue: 3 – What the heck was he thinking out there? Zero effort, very poor game.
Rosicky: 4 – Awful display. Had a good first half, quiet game but doing dirty work well, but in the second, he completely lost it.
Ramsey: 3 – It hurts to rate Aaron so low, it hurts very much, but he had a shocking game. For someone who is branded as the new Cesc Fabregas, you would expect quicker thinking and better passing.
Eastmond: 3 – Too nervous, he should have been replaced way before.
Merida: 5 – Kept the ball way too much and failed to find a proper position in midfield.
Wilshere: 6,5 – Like Vela, he produced a fine display, but those around him let him down.
Vela: 6,5 – You can clearly see why he can be good for the regular side. He twice played give and go with Ramsey and if it was Fabregas and not Aaron in midfield, it would have worked out nicely. But unfortunately, he was too quick for his own team mates. Also turned provider in a number of occasions.
(Subs)
Watt: 5 – Tried to impress rather than keeping it simply.
![[Video] Blackburn vs Arsenal highlights: Big win as we go second in the table!](http://www.thegunninghawk.com/wp-content/themes/arthemia-premium/scripts/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/video.jpg&w=80&h=80&zc=1)
Chris, you are a bit wrong, it is no coincidence we have lost 3-0 twice in a week, you ALWAYS get what you deserve in football, and the way we defended, we deserved it. We never had any shots, so how were we supposed to win? Why didn’t we have any senior players there too?
Wenger is starting to lose my faith, a manager is there win games and trophies, we now only have the FA Cup and Champions League left, and I have little faith in the latter trophy.
Eboue-Rosicky-Silvestre should not expect to play on Saturday, why is Rosicky so unfit? Get him fit, what is he doing in training? We have really turned a superstar into a rubbish out of form player, well done Wenger.
As for Vela, made runs but never made the most of it, has no right foot and no shots off. If the ball isn’t coming, he should go get it.
Hate it when I am right that we will lose games, Wenger must change his ways, we need trophies.
I didn’t say we deserved to win, just that the scoreline was harsh, as harsh is your comment on Carlos mate, he did drop deep to get the ball and play one-two but the team mate he played it with was not as quick as he was. Twice Ramsey, others as well.
The result was deserved, we never made any chances, and yet again, we showed we don’t know how to defend. it was so easy for Man City, losses like this hurt players more than it helps them I think. Wenger should send the youngsters on loan, they don’t improve by just training.
I think you match ratings are too high, some players no matter how they play will always get 6’s and be among the highest, yet others are given low ones. Fabianksi let in 3 goals, that is not good, Song allowed in 3 goals, that isn’t good, Wilshere created nothing, Toure had Vela in his pocket.
I think we are all mossing the point that Chelsea went out aswell. To Blackburn who were playing a weaker team then the one we faced, Chelsea themselves playing a stronger team then us.
Who cares about Chelsea.It’s Arsenal that matters.
You’re pesimist, Chris is realistic. And you’re missing the PL,we’re 8 pts. behind Chelsea (We obiously have to beat Bolton), and if Chelsea lose against Wigan, they can lose against anybody.
correction mate, we are 11 points behind chelski. Get your stats right
He meant we are 8 points behind chelsea once we get that match we are missing, that’s why in () he mentioned beating bolton.
(Subs)
Rosicky: 6 – Did well, the best of the substitutes.
?????????????????
Wow, that was fast mate
I was still editing from last Sunday’s game.
jajjajaja i really thought that we have two rosickys, by the way i’m shocked about our performance, i agree that fabregas should have played to play give and go with vela
Wilshere was sub-par.
Lost the ball a lot and his temper….3
…was Ramsey on the pitch?
i think your too harsh your acting like this was gonna be an easy game chris, how can u give eboue a 3 thats a disgrace, i think he played ok running up an down, ok defensively he could’ve been better but most of the attacks came from traores side, a 5 would’ve been average, i agree with you about rosicky he had a bad game but i think wenger missed 1 or 2 more players with experience the team against liverpool was the right experience in my opinion nasri should’ve started as he came off early against chelsea but yes the scores were harsh and the midfield could’ve been better, vela and wilshere played well merida could’ve been better, looking back at the goals you can only blame rosicky for the first, silvestre for the second and song and wilshere for the third but you have to ask eboue where was he too because wilshere was in the box and eboue was way far outside of the box. As for mark hughes’s comments his a very cocky guy and i seriously hate his attitude, hope united give them a serious beating at old trafford.
I would be unfair if I rate players based on the expectations mate.
What did that rubbish said? I also can’t stand him. I didn’t read any post-match interviews yet.
It has been quite plane to see that even the reserves are lightweight as are the first 11 and my god if i have said shoot less than 100 times in the last 3 games i will be suprised.
This i am afraid has been comming for a long time Wenger simply does not replace players we need a big strong centre forward,we need a big strong Midfielder
Wenger must buy in January there are no more excuses and january the 1st not wait to the last minute of the transfer window to save a million or two
We are fast becoming a joke and people are now begining to loose faith 270 hours of football and no goals
To Wenger and followers -
In the world of professional football the men spank the kids. Learn it, know it.
Sack wenger dis man has lost its plot see united without most of dier first team they won spud
One striker up front is not working for Arsenal.
Even though I felt we played much better than Man city in the second half…. they scored and we didn’t. I don’t think they would have dreamed of a 3 – 0.
Silvestre almost gave me a few heart-attacks today
Fabregas should have played.
It would work if we had the right personnel.Only Van Persie and possibly Bendtner can play there.Vela should understudy for Ashavin.As usual the balance of the squad is wrong for the system were playing.
Surprise surprise – I disagree on Vela. Thought HE was dreadful and not Rosicky. He’s a few weight classes away from cutting it with the big boys in the PL.
Aaron was downright pathetic. Couldn’t keep the ball for more than a few second and his days as a youth rugby player seem preciously long gone as he was constantly muscled off possession.
Merida disappointed me badly. I expected a lot more from him and he was frustratingly off beat.
Song was once again MOTM, playing out of position even. Maybe put in his tackle a bit early just before Bellamy’s goal, but that’s probably due to lack of positional experience rather than an error of judgment.
Overall I was very sorry to see the kids having to apply the exact same strategy to the game as the ’seniors’ against Chelsea: a lot of possession and passes in midfield but ultimately f.ckall in terms of finishes, shots or other kinds of attempts.
Wenger really needs to revise his system of play and customize it to match the specific, varying opponent rather than just going out with the exact same strategy for every game – with every constellation of players. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the only manager around who doesn’t seem to do that.
I’ve been reading other ratings, plenty rated Vela “7″, it’s easier to admit you don’t like a player regardless of what he does on the pitch mate
Agreed, Vela was pretty much rated 7 across the board here
Can’t argue with everyone when your clearly wrong
Trust me, I’m trying to see the best in him. I’d love nothing more than experiencing a epiphany of his true abilities and prodigious talent. But that’s just not what I see.
No need to suggest any vendettas.
And please don’t make it personal. That’s not the style of this blog. It’s about argument, discussion reasoning rather than wrong and right.
Because it’s funny to believe you didn’t appreciate his runs and give and gos with Ramsey, with Aaron clearly not quick enough to give the go back.
As a lone striker against City’s regular back four, he did all he could do. And then I repeat, that’s not Carlos’ position, no wonder he came often on the left wing meaning no-one was in the middle of attack because he had to be there.
Play him on the left, supporting the strikers, and he can deliver even more.
Don’t disagree with ye on that, Chris. And to be fair, I never said I think he doesn’t give his best. But granted this is his best, I’m not quite satisfied : )
As for his unaccustomed position, we should take into consideration the total number of players who’re deployed out of position by Wenger. It’s terrifying! So his conditions for cutting it are no different from many of the other players’, I’d say.
i said that city will be in good form from the victory over arsenal
i am pretty glad now
Nice webßite m8 is this all yours or just this section?
Guys, prediction’s for the game against stoke?
Anybody here getting a bit worried about the anfield game because i surely am!
Sad and frustrated to loose again, and out of the Carling Cup. The only light in a dark and obscure tunnel, were the Carlos Vela and Wilshere’s expectative for the near future.
We have the position compare to man. city but there are no finishing.
AW please do something with the formation.
Man city is to too strong for the arsenal youth player.
great game by arsenal youth player
didnt get a good stream on the match after the first goal i lost the stream and kept tabs on yahoo
but to what i saw was great we healed the game beautifully it was a good training match and i hope the boys will watch it and analyse it
there was no pressure on the Manchester runs why don’t they run with them and push them to run out to the side lines must admit we had no attack too we need an attacker with guts sorry but teves goal i liked i would strongly recommend we get some good physical attacker from south America
there was some good passes and good runs but fruitless most unfortunate song made some amazing passes and so did rosicky they tried but we defently need a central figure in attack someone through the centre as we know we can score from all direction but we lack in central attack we have a committed team we need to enforce it with convection we should now be able to build a really good team we now know our weakness aint to bad we at least know and iam sure mr arsen wanger has something there come on mr vanger
Let’s get on with it people. We’ve got a more important game against Stoke on Saturday. Honestly I don’t care if we win the Carling cup or not. If at the end of a season we loose everything and win the Carling cup, I’d not consider it an achievement.
So let’s move on and hope City can do us a favor against Chelski this weekend and that we can beat Stoke. I’m just worried about who’ll score the goals for us. At the beginning of the season, we were scoring freely and have drawn blanks in 3 consecutive games. It’s very disturbing.
BTW, I was impressed with Adebayor’s attitude today. I’ll give it to him.
Adebayor was cool today… I’m just worried about him visiting the Emirates….
Well,To be expected…
I just hope that none of you are surprised…
Again there is no point of rating Vela, because he is playing out of position… He is not a target man or centre forward !!! Personally I thought he was rubbish,but showed some good things after Watt went up front and he was moved to the wing.
Concerning Ramsey,I think he had his head in his arse… Totally disgraceful and that’s the worse I have seen him play…
I don’t know if we watch the same game, but Eboue was quite good as well as Sylvestre…
Merida was invisible !!!
Wilshere lost his sparkle ( I am not surprised)!!
Traore was just not there,the game and speed was just too much for him…
I was shocked by Rosicky attitude,he was lazy and not up for a challenge… That kind of behaviour from a professional is just inacceptable…!!!
I don’t really care about the players at this moment,they deserved what they got… At 45.000 a week (as an average) that is a pity full and disgraceful showing…
I feel sorry for the 5000 Arsenal fans who pay good money and went to watch this ridiculous spectacle…
WHAT DO WE DO FROM HERE?
I think buying some players is a solution, but more urgently an attitude check is needed…
And for God sake we need some physical presence in our game,not only we were beaten, stomped physically and pushed around like we were not even there…
Arsene PLEASE,get your head out of your arse and go back to the basis.
Totally agree, it is hard to defend this team anymore.
I think we are being a bit harsh on Arsenal here. This is a youth team plus rosicky who realy is still recovering, Eboue not played a lot, Silvestre who realy has only played in the carling cup. We were away from home against a full strength Manchester City. I don’t like Manchester City but they did play quite well. They looked comfortable defensively, they closed us down quickly. Realy they did have a lot more experience. They scored three wonderful goals.
Rosicky wasn’t amazing tonight and he realy needed games. If anything I was impressed by the attitude of the players if anything. They fought hard and did us proud tonight. Losing away to a team in top four contention playing possibly their best eleven. Don’t be harsh this is all about learning. I belive it needed to be something special tonight because frankly Arsenal had no right to go to Manchester City with a makeshift centre back, some teenagers and the odd unfit twenty nine plus year old.
Damn it i’m proud of them and there is no shame going out like this. We are now the rested ones for the weekend not Manchester City.
Arsenal style of play is ball control, emphasizing control passing and player movement.
Our style of play requires great understanding between players to be effective. If you’re playing a 4-3-3 and two of the midfielders can’t carry their weight, don’t expect the third midfielder to have a great match.
So if you have Eastmond and Ramsey having an off night, poor passes, losing possession, not defending effectively – the back four will be under duress ALL evening, not to mention the front players not receiving balls timely. What is expected of the 3rd midfielder?
Injuries have been the major problem for the 1st team (diluted chemistry). Nasri, Vela, Theo, & Denilson have all been out most of this fall. Eduardo and Rosicky have not seen much playing time. Bendtner, Clichy, Gibbs, Diaby – all have missed the past month.
Our attack is all about movement without the ball and making the accurate pass at the right moment. ESPECIALLY BEHIND THE BACK LINE.
For Arsenal to play on all cylinders, players need to stay healthy long enough to regain
teammate understanding.
@ Arsesession
i think u ve got a point there m8!
it is true tht arsenal style of play requires a lot of understanding between the players.
its no use blaming wenger for not jumpin in2 the transfer market or not puttin up more xperience in the squad..
@ others who think it was wenger’s fault
wat the fuck guys!
its after all a game!
its the same 11 on both the sides.
n the 11 v have r not shit!
they have quality n thts y they r at arsenal.
if it was their day, they would torn apart manc’s arse.
its just that they were lackin the enthusiasm.
they shud have played without botherin manc as a big team.
some of the negatives accordin 2 me,
the players needed more spirit. wenger was jus tellin he just wanted 2 give chance 2 d youth.. its like 4 the sake of it rather than with a belief in them.. its like he knew they were gonna lose.
players out of position like song…
he could played senderos instead. i m not blamin song here.
fixing vela a position wer he plays the best.
lack of support from senior players.
rosicky needs 2 give effort on the pitch equivalent 2 how he spoke 2 d press.
eboue.. i hate 2 talk bout dat guy…..
Rosicky realy needs time, he was out for 18 months! Let him get fit and start a few games before me criticise him so much.
Chris, usually I agree with you for the most part on ratings, but I think you continually rate Vela way too high. I have nothing against him, but he (like so many others tonight) is just not ready physically to play in the EPL on a regular basis. He is one of the weakest players I have seen and is continually brushed off of the ball with the slightest contact. You don’t see that with players of the similar age and build as him. He also does not work hard defensively and to me is just like Eboue always flap Silvestre was dreadful, can’t see him getting a 5. Just glad Wenger hasn’t played him in a CL or league game yet and dread the day he does.
Overall we were far too weak physically and constantly pushed around. It was comical seeing what we had in the box on corner kicks (Song and Silvestre vs Adebayor, Toure, Barry, Richards, Lescott, etc). We were sloppy and had little movement off of the ball and little effort defensively. I know for many they were overmatched with this being their first experience in a setting like that with the lineup that Man City had, but still was very disappointing.
I would like to pose this question to the Professor : Why is Silvestre still in Arsenal ?
Why is this geriatric, sell-by-date, Man U cast-away defender still playing for Arsenal Team B and a reserve for Arsenal Team A ?
It’s time for you to go, Wenger. Let new blood with new ideas come in.
silvestre awful..really suck…poor games
CAN SOMEONE GET GRAHAM TO COME SORT OUT THAT DEFENSE PLEASE?
oh… while i’m thinking of it, the talk about experience is certainly an interesting one in our ranks. apparently employing a mercenary (can you really even give him the honor of that title?) as our “experience” in the back is how we tighten things up.
can someone get a 25-27 year old englishman on the field in an arsenal shirt?
It´s amazing how many different opínions there are when it comes to the merits of individual players. For me Silvestre was better than I´ve seen him, Traore was better than I expected. I thought Rosicky played well and always offered a possibility. On the other hand I never felt Vela was going to score. He is quick and elusive but is easily knocked of the ball when he then tries to play the referee. Like Eduardo he is almost totally one footed and therefore predictable for defenders. I don´t think either can effectively fill in until Bendter is back. Any suggestions, anyone? Walcott, Jay Simpson? ???
CANT WAIT TO SEE THE NEW, QUICK, PROMISING, INJURY-PRONE WINGER WE GET IN JANUARY!
show of hands, who vomited?
To tell you the truth I am tired of Wenger philosophy…
It’s been 4 years and by using injury prone players,small,weak,skilled (yes,may be),he still hopes to change the countryside of English football…
This not the Ervedisie,nor the French league,nor the Portuguese league…!!! The premier league is the most physical in the world… So it goes with logic that if you have MIDGETS and “GIRLS” as players you are bounded for failure…
Arsenal makes me think about Ajax,soon we are going to be regarded as a formation club…
There is no secret,you need powerful individuals in your squad…
Some people here still think that we are too harsh… I think it is the same attitude Wenger is showing to his players… I don’t believe he is the kind of coach screaming or shouting in the dressing room (may be he should)… Wake up people,because if we loose facing Stoke we will have a serious problem in our hands…
The recruitment of a striker in January will not fix the situation we are in (growth hormones and time in the gym would !!)… Remember that we are loosing Song in January (suspended for Stoke) and please don’t tell me that Denilson or Diaby can do the job! You will be lying to yourself and look stupid…
Again, Vela is not fit or strong enough (or even fast enough) to play as a lone striker!!! Wenger is not doing him a favour…
Ramsey showed his limits…. Rubbish!!
Wilshere showed us why he is not ready… Poor kid!
Merida should get his loan to some low value team in Spain because the boy mind was somewhere else… Ridiculously bad!!
Traore will never reach the international level people were predicted,no way… Pity full with no speed and tactical discipline !!!
Rosicky! how long does he need to recover! and he is hoping for a new contract…
He should have give Walcott a game (get those 12 millions worth-overpriced) since he has been on vacations for so long (over rated ! another one)…
Edouardo also should have get a game (where are those goals? we are not in Croatia anymore-Can’t believe he just got a new contract)…
IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP WENGER… SO SAD…!!!
I miss Diaby
sob sob!! he might not play too well but he has some physical presence
HONESTLY GOOD PEOPLE I’M WORRIED ABOUT OUR GAME WITH STOKE!! The players have lost confidence after 3 straight losses in two competitions! correct me if I’m wrong didnt Stoke beat us last season too?
Some sobering thoughts: zero goals in three games, three shut outs, with few scoring opportunities in any of them. Rosisky looks out of sorts, even playing with the second stringers. Alone Song, Arsenal’s most versatile defensive player, is the only bright spot who can play anywhere in the back unit.
It seems as if Arsenal’s first team as well as youth academy are an academic, business school exercise to Arsene Wenger. A business plan that creates a low investment farm system of young talent designed to deliver first team players. The model, premised in Arsenal’s network of scouts, particularly of young French players, along with Wenger’s nous of recognizing talent and re-tooling players, has produced first team talent and finished players later sold at considerable profit (more than Euro 100 million). So far, so good…
The business model’s self-sustaining financial and sporting synergies are obvious. Between money earned from the sales of players, a virtual salary cap on players’ salaries, and limited free agent spending, will make Emirates’ stadium and the Highbury real estate profitable ventures once the debt is retired. Indeed, other than Bayern Munich, only Arsenal will enjoy such similar profitability. Of those two, Bayern Munich are way bigger spenders in the free agent market, primarily because it lacks Arsenal’s youth academy and scouting network. Ironically, both teams are also made in the image of their two leading men: Wenger and Hoeness.
Equally ironic, both teams have nearly identical problems. Bayern Munich never replaced the loss of Hargreaves and Ballack, their holding and creative midfield players. Even with Ribery and Robben, when healthy, a rarity, Bayern are a mess. Similarly Arsenal never replaced the loss of Viera and to a lesser degree, Flamini. But if Bayern overspend without the achieving the desired player results, Arsenal are guilty of the opposite – not spending enough.
If nothing else, with Viera in the rearguard there were few defensive breakdowns. The defensive midfield was his terrain and he was sovereign. The midfield tandem of Fabregas/Flamini had intuitive understanding and chemistry.
It is at this point that Professor Wenger’s business school model football experiment fails. Some types of players can’t be nurtured in the academy. Height, weight, and speed, desire, power and pace, these things can’t be taught. You either got them, or you ain’t got them. Lose one piece of puzzle, even with the best scouting department in football, and the self-sustaining business model football team collapses. In order to make money, so the adage goes, you have to spend money. Wenger seems allergic to the notion that, in order to win trophies, you have to regularly spend on free agents to shore up team deficiencies. Short of Song, there don’t seem any defensive gems in the youth academy’s ranks.
Both business and sports are bottom line, zero sum activities. In business, you never want your bottom line to be zero. Same in sport. Whoever has zero usually loses. Instead of delivering annual profit of Euro 50-60 million Wenger, without altogether abandoning his business school model’s principles, should regularly splash some cash, replenish the depleted ranks and grow profits by winning trophies. What with the branding, the Arsenalization already underway, that success would bring, profits would only increase and the current debt retired that much sooner, particularly with sustained success on the field, and making Wenger’s ultimate vision of Arsenal’s economic autonomy and his business model football team a reality that much sooner.
Once Gallas leaves at the end of the season, move Song to right central defender, get a free agent to replace Song as defensive midfielder, and make a move for Dzeko or Grafitte or similar power central striker. Investment in these to players will pay dividends, which is the purpose of all business plans; even football teams.
.
Chris are there any players back from injury as yet, who will be available for the stoke game ?
Sagna is back for Stoke after Chelsea’s injurie. Bendter, Clichy and Siaby are still out. And Song is suspended. That is what the boss said.
Guys , Guys and guys all relax..
This is a dissapointing result if arsenal did secure a win then they probally would not win this cup anyway just yet – with other teams fielding there strongest teams,(This was a good experience for the young guns to expierence the fast tempo game,)
Arsenal have a chance to be 5 pts behind chelsea they are playing city next week
it is a good thing they beat us getting there confidence back and have a chance of take more than a pt from chelsea!(see the gd side) also game in hand 5 pts not bad.!
Let’s hope we get a gd result against stoke and liverpoool and were on the roads.
Great post mate … As supporters we must stop complaning and do our job which is to SUPPORT. Getting sick of some of the comments.
i know what you mean m8
..
Predictions for the stoke city game?
Any gooner fearing the anfield game i surely am!
They have a decent record against arsenal isn’t it?
I just know that they won last seson 1-0.
No they didn’t! We drew 1-1 with them at Emirates and then 4-4 at Anfield. We drew with pool twice last year.