This evening’s bore draw at the Emirates will benefit Manchester City more than Arsenal but the overall winners tonight were United. Arsenal started well and posed City problems in the initial stages but lacked any real cutting edge throughout. The biggest disappointment of the evening was the lack of attacking intent shown by City; they didn’t even manage one shot on goal!
It will however be considered a good point for City after capitulating in Manchester a few months ago. The main problem remains linking the midfield and the attack. Carlos Tevez remains a frustrated lone front man who has to create everything himself. Whilst City employed similar tactics to those used by Chelsea and United they lack the cutting edge when counter attacking; Adam Johnson was introduced late on but they really missed David Silva. If City are to progress to the next level this is something that has to be address in the summer, if not in January.
Whilst Arsenal did not play badly they lacked the cutting edge in the final third (although had the woodwork not figured so heavily in the first half things could have been different). At the start of the game the commentator mentioned that Van Persie needed one more goal to reach 50 in the league for Arsenal; I realise he has suffered more than his fair share of injuries but that is a poor return! Arsenal would have posed City more problems if Chamakh had started tonight, he attacks crosses whereas Van Persie looks to hang around the penalty spot. They appeared to look solid at the back although they weren’t tested, the midfield looked neat and tidy but the final ball just did not materialise.
Overall the game was rather dull, had Arsenal taken advantage of their early dominance it would have been very different. City will head up north the happier; especially with the imminent arrival of Edin Dzeko.
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