It’s been a long time since Arsenal had that feeling – 145 days, to be precise, if we’re talking about losing on the road to another English side – and they probably know what’s coming next.
Does this count as a psychological hit? What impact will this have on the title race? Should Arsenal just accept that Manchester City are brilliant and relentless and, frankly, a bit terrifying and that sooner or later Pep Guardiola’s side of serial champions and stars will rise to their rightful place at the top of the Premier League? League?
OK, the latter might have received a bit of top-spin. You get the idea, though. Arsenal were always likely to find that kind of narrative twisted if their FA Cup fourth round tie at the Etihad went in favor of the Premier League champions.
The reality for Arsenal, however, is that they shouldn’t be overly concerned about what their 1-0 defeat means in the context of the title chase. Too much can be read in a single result. Last time anyone checked, Arsenal were still enjoying the view from the top of the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s side still had 50 points halfway through their season. They still had the unmistakable look of champions in waiting. There is nothing this season to suggest that they will lose their cool following a loss in which there was almost nothing between the two teams.
On the contrary, Arteta might feel slightly encouraged once the disappointment starts to wear off and he reflects on the experimental man-marking tactics that have kept Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland from being as effective as usual.
Here too there was the hard evidence to demonstrate what Aaron Ramsdale meant when the Arsenal goalkeeper – one of the regulars who was left out of their starting XI – was quizzed earlier in the week on Leandro Trossard, the £27m signing from Brighton & Hove Albion.
“Trossard is coming to take someone’s place,” Ramsdale said. “It might look like he’s coming to be part of the team. But basically, like I was with (Bernd) Leno, he comes to take one of the top three spots.
Trossard was Arsenal’s brightest striker in the first half at the Etihad (Photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
It was unusual to hear someone in football speak so openly about dressing room dynamics, but it made perfect sense. Trossard wants to impose himself in the team, he intends to bring out one of his new teammates in stride. Gabriel Martinelli, to give him his name.
The problem for Trossard is that Martinelli is having the best season of his career and agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with the club on Friday. Ramsdale’s verdict was that someone might end up feeling discouraged – “One of those top three might say, ‘Wait a minute'” – and that was probably true. But since when is that a bad thing for a club that aspires to win a league title?
The spirit goes back to Manchester United’s years of dominance and Sir Alex Ferguson signing fellow left-winger Jesper Blomqvist to challenge Ryan Giggs for his place. Some of the players started winding up Giggs, joking that this was the beginning of the end. Giggs took it in good spirits. But there came a point when he turned to Gary Neville, looked him in the eye, and said matter-of-factly, “He better be good.”
Trossard better be good too. And Martinelli better be good. Better than good, actually. Neither can falter as a left side attacker in a front three. Martinelli cannot allow any form of complacency to stop his upward trajectory. Trossard must know that it may take a little patience.
He started this game hastily, however, and John Stones in particular found him a tough opponent before a chase ended with the England international with a damaged hamstring.
Stones, according to Guardiola, was “not ready” and had been that way since the first whistle. The City manager seemed irritated and dissatisfied with his player. When you’re not ready, Guardiola explained, it can lead to injuries. A more sympathetic view was that Stones had been pissed off by Trossard’s desire to drift off the wing and run against one of the league’s most accomplished defenders.
The Belgian striker was the most dangerous player on the pitch in the first half and no one should be too surprised given his performance for Brighton this season, seven goals in 17 appearances, and the overwhelming feeling that he is considers a good fit at the highest level.
He was taken off shortly after Nathan Ake scored the decisive goal and, with Arsenal continuing the game, Martinelli was bright and sharp for the rest of the game. Did the replacement have a point to prove? Maybe, to some extent. Yet the happy reality for Arsenal is that Martinelli has played with that incisiveness all season.
Arsenal substitute Martinelli makes his frustration clear after watching a late chance slip away at Manchester City (Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
So yes, Arsenal must not feel too deprived of their elimination from a competition they have won more times than any other club.
Arsene Wenger, alone, ended his managerial career in 2018 with more FA Cups than City have managed in their entire history. Wenger’s seven equaled Chelsea and Liverpool’s totals at this stage. Arsenal have 14, two more than Manchester United and six more than any of their other rivals. It’s a phenomenal record.
But Arsenal have different priorities this season and this defeat will hardly be a footnote if it ends in red and white ribbons on the Championship trophy.
Yes, it stings to lose against the team against which you want to measure yourself. And, yes, it’s a reminder of City’s stamina before the two sets of players reconnected on February 15 and April 26 in the games that matter most.
The bottom line, however, is that if Arteta intended to cause real psychological damage to City, he would have played his first-choice XI. Instead, he decided to make half a dozen changes and the league leaders still managed to hold their own against what was about to be full-strength City.
The questions will come, no matter. There will always be scrutiny after such a defeat. But does it stack? Guardiola, for the record, shook his head when asked if it would make a difference to City’s chances of catching and overhauling Arsenal in the title race. “I don’t think so,” he said.
(Top photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
