I hope so. Feeling you’re chasing rather than being chased is sometimes easier

I hope MA goes for it a bit more. This is a great chance to build pressure, but based on this season I think he will be focused on cautious to make sure it gets pushed to the last day

Yes that’s the big one. Maybe I’m too hopeful but maybe there’s a bit of relief from the pressure? And saka might be back… but 4-5 GD build up would mean city can’t afford to win by 1

Play twice before City’s next game. Two home games, and can be 6 points up before City go away to Everton. With a decent goal difference built up, the pressure will be on City

The only player looking he could generate a serious upside for BlueCo as well… don’t feel sorry for them!

Agree! This squad has been sold on a project to challenge for big trophies, but this is entirely financial project (which also seems to be failing at that)

Not sure if they will ever get their credibility back if they sack Rosenior 6 months into a 6 year contract. Can’t take their word for anything

They should stick with him like Arsenal did with Arteta 😆

Football's a game of very fine margins. If Havertz had put that header 6 inches lower. Or if Man City hadn't breached the rules 115 times without being sanctioned. So exciting. What a sport.

The rotation aspect is interesting: is it worth basically introducing more variance in performances week to week but over the season you believe you turn more dropped points into wins than the other way around…

Could the 4 draws in Jan/Feb have been 2 wins and 2 losses?

That being said, the only times Pep hasn’t won the league is when it’s been over in Jan/Feb, so there is a case to be made for “run your best players into the ground and hope you have an insurmountable lead if/when they drop off”

All with the benefit of hindsight but there are several games this season where the result wouldn’t have been worse if certain key players were rested and other kept fresh with minutes

You can’t know which games those are but it’s accepting that overall you are better off with a bit more rotation

It’s infuriating how it gets ignored. I assume they have been bombarded with cease & desist letters to the point they keep quiet and over time, forget altogether

I get it somewhat (a lecture on liable law with Jason Cundy anyone?) but other outlets have certainly shirked their journalistic duty

After seeing Eze on the left I believe that’s the plan. I do think we need another option, most of a direct sprinter/dribbler/get-in-behind-merchant that is at the Eze/Saka level. I hope we convert Martinelli & Trossard into one ceiling raiser. Let’s see if anyone becomes available

I think you’ll find that many Arsenal fans supported Liverpool. Not only were City and soulless corrupt entity but Liverpool provided the blueprint

That’s why this animosity now is a bit strange but I guess explicable since Arsenal are competitive, and maybe even in a stronger position

Agree. Look at Firmino with Salah +
Mane

I would assume the combined xG of those two should imply a goal for a top striker. I hate to over-index on one moment in one game, but he does have priors

😂

Although I think our squad is/was mix stronger to begin with, esp given the age cliff on Salah and VVD

We will never know and injures have a huge component of luck and it’s hard to predict. This summer won’t make things easier with the World Cup either

In theory I agree, but in practice MA has a tendency to not make the sub on 60 mins, esp if it’s just a goal in the game, and I think it’s likely we would’ve seen a lot more of Saka than we wanted even if he was fit

Not sure about that, have seen these misses in the past - he’s a good finisher but isn’t elite.

Those players are available, but they look en up looking like very expansive gambles. Just look at Liverpool’s signings until they found Salah, Firmino and Mane. You have to roll the dice

Yep it’s very weird. And I wonder i saka had been fit we would be saying the same thing about Noni

Rotation / managing minutes is something Arteta needs to be improve I think so the squad can peak now, not in November

Sesko doesn’t look the part either to be honest, and although he has room to develop the club has been guilty of sticking to development players too long in the past. It’s time for win now players, and I think attacking signings just come with more risk generally

We just don’t have a high enough level of attackers across the board, I think. Too many utility men in the front too

I should’ve said played less than 15 mins, but fully agree Kai makes us play well but he doesn’t score enough goals.

He had two massive chances and you need your CF to bag one (at least) - that is the level we need. It’s frustrating but this has been the case since he joined

Unfortunately I don’t think it will be possible to move him on without taking a big loss so we need to find that. He HAS had good games and it will probably be about finding those, limited as they are

This is maybe why moving Kai is the only workable solution given we need a LW more than a 3rd CF

I think there’s still a role for Gyokeres in this team, but it relies on improvements elsewhere if Kai can’t stay fit I’d rather move on from and upgrade on him

Time to move on from Trossard and Martinelli in the summer as well I think and bring in a top player (if available)

Havertz is a better footballer no doubt but his finishing cost us the game yesterday. Gyokeres didn’t even play so not sure why the need to bash him today

I think it’s looking more like the answer might be Neither, especially if Havertz can’t stay fit

I’d go more like 6-7/10 - whatever would be considered “par” - for now. Let’s see how the next few weeks play out

Agree that Eze should’ve been more involved earlier and I wish arteta would lean more towards risk taking with attacking players. It’s likely going to come down to too many draws again

He only objectively good attacking signing has been Trossard, and he’s more of a utility man in attack than anything

For next season 1-2 ceiling raisers needed, someone that win a game with a moment of magic