Arsenal are the last team to beat Manchester City. Same same on Sunday

By Baba Grumpy

Arsenal were at the end of a poor run when we met Manchester City at The Emirates in April 2017.  We had back-to-back losses to Watford and Chelsea in The Premier League. Two heavy losses to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and a further Premier League back to back loss against Liverpool and West Brom.

The only good news we had in that period were our wins against Hull in The Premier League and the 2 FA Cup wins against Sutton & Lincoln.

Just like we fear the City clash tomorrow, I feared for the worst in April. Leroy Sane scoring within 5 minutes of the start further compounded my fears. We got a well-deserved draw. There was nothing in our run of matches before and after that game that suggested we could withstand their firepower but we did. Much to the bellyache of the dotard pundits and naysayers masquerading as Arsenal fans.

Three weeks later, we met them at our ‘home’ ground otherwise known as Wembley. Not only did we match them man – o – man –o, we bundled them out of The FA Cup ending Guardiola’s hope of winning ANY SILVERWARE at all. I hope forever.

Don’t forget that earlier in the season, they needed a dodgy goal (two dodgy goals even) to defeat us at The Emptyhad.

Nobody, not the WOBs, Pundits, negative Arsenal fans gave us a prayer in all of our matches against Guardiola’s side now and in the past. But we have done him dirty in all the clubs he has managed in his coaching career. Arsene Wenger is the only one who has inflicted this type pain of him.

They are good side no doubt. We all expect them to be good after investments approaching £2b in a short space of time. But looking at this team, how does he differ to previous Man City teams, especially from last season.

I guess we will be playing against Gabriel Jesus for the first time. Compared with the last City side we played, Clichy, Kolarov, Jesus Navas, Fenando & Ihenacho all gone. It is unlikely Toure, Kompany & Bravo will feature on Sunday.

Using City’s last game v West Brom & Napoli as a guide, we are likely to face Ederson in goal, a back four of Stones, Otamendi, Walker & Delph. A midfield of Fernandino, De Bruyne & Silva and a front three of the other Silva, Sane & Jesus. Sterling and Aguero will most likely feature at some point.

I hasten to add that apart from Bernado Silva, the Arsenal boys know all of these players intimately. They have played against them and defeated them times and times again.

Of course, the combinations are different, the weak links have been taken out of the Man City squad, they look good and have the results to match but we are not exactly playing against the globetrotters of football.

They are beatable and if Arsenal don’t do it on Sunday, someone else will do it very soon in the Premier League. As long as it is not a Mourinho team, I am very fine with that outcome.

By the way, I will be pleased with any 11 Wenger lines up against City. I don’t care  what any newspaper hack or pretty face on TV says or even the Twitter warriors. When you manage a team of players’ week in week out, then come back and criticize Wenger’s selections.

I disagree with the praise heaped on the current evolution of the Man City squad. Yes, Pep has stayed true to his philosophy of ‘If you don’t have the ball you can’t hurt us”. Fair play to him. It is this philosophy that is making many froth at the mouth about the improvement of Stones and Otamendi. They have not improved in my opinion, they have only been protected by the attacking play in from of them. Otamendi will forever be Giroud’s bitch in my book. The sight of Giroud melts his brain. Not sure but Oli’s good looks have that effect on people.

One good thing for Arsenal is that to a large extent, City will allow the Arsenal players play and rotational fouling will be at a minimum. All I expect is for the Arsenal players to convince us the fans that they have left everything on the pitch on Sunday. Nobody has the right to ask for more than that. There will never be a wrong word said about a team defeated by better opponents in my book if they have put in their absolute best.

Results are impacted by too many issues – error strewn refereeing, dodgy referees, luck etc. to give a few examples.

At the end of the day, win or lose it is only 3 points at stake. Trophies are never handed out for 11 matches. Seasons are not defined by the same number of matches either.

Three months ago, Arsenal were shit with not a prayer of getting into The Top 4. Everton was going to beat Arsenal to 6^th place otherwise known as Manchester United’s new birthright. 10 matches later, we are level with Chelsea in 4th place after 2 losses due to Stevie Wonder referees. So guys, results of Sunday’s match don’t matter in the grand scheme of 38 matches.

If you insist on moaning about the Arsenal, Wenger or anything connected to Arsenal Football Club. GET IN THE BIN and roll around with the murk in there.

All I want is for the Arsenal boys to give a thoroughly good account of themselves.

Come On You Gunners.

Baba Grumpy works in financial services in the United Kingdom. He blogs mostly about football at http://babagrumpy.blogspot.co.uk. His Twitter handle is @BabaGrumpy