Arsenal v Manchester City – December 15th, 2019
Founded in 1880 as St. Mark’s (West Gorton), it became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894. The club’s home ground is the City of Manchester Stadium in east Manchester, to which it moved in 2003, having played at Maine Road since 1923.
Manchester City entered the Football League in 1899, and won their first major honour with the FA Cup in 1904. It had its first major period of success in the late 1960s, winning the League, FA Cup and League Cup under the management of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final, the club went through a period of decline, which eventually saw them relegated as far down as third tier of English football by the end of the 1997–98 season. They since regained promotion to the top tier in 2001–02 and have remained a fixture in the Premier League since 2002–03. In 2008, Manchester City was purchased by Abu Dhabi United Group for £210 million and received considerable financial investment.
Our overall home record against City has been very positive – until the oil money began to flow. As it stands we have only beaten them at home on one occasion (December 21st, 2015) since April 12th, 2012.
| Arsenal v Man C EPL Home Results | ||||||
| W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
| 1 | 28-Sep-92 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 16-Oct-93 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 3 | 20-Aug-94 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 4 | 05-Mar-96 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 5 | 28-Oct-00 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 6 | 10-Sep-02 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 7 | 01-Feb-04 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 8 | 04-Jan-05 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 9 | 22-Oct-05 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 10 | 17-Apr-07 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 11 | 25-Aug-07 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 12 | 04-Apr-09 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 13 | 24-Apr-10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 14 | 05-Jan-11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 15 | 08-Apr-12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 16 | 13-Jan-13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 17 | 29-Mar-14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 18 | 13-Sep-14 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 19 | 21-Dec-15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 20 | 02-Apr-17 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 21 | 01-Mar-18 | 1 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 22 | 12-Aug-18 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||
| Total | 12 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 18 | |
| Arsenal v Man C – All Home Results | |||||
| W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| Division Two | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Division One | 38 | 14 | 10 | 123 | 60 |
| Premier | 12 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 18 |
| Total | 53 | 22 | 16 | 164 | 86 |
Manchester City League history
1892–1899 Division 2
1899–1902 Division 1
1902–1903 Division 2
1903–1909 Division 1
1909–1910 Division 2
1910–1926 Division 1
1926–1928 Division 2
1928–1938 Division 1
1938–1947 Division 2
1947–1950 Division 1
1950–1951 Division 2
1951–1963 Division 1
1963–1966 Division 2
1966–1983 Division 1
1983–1985 Division 2
1985–1987 Division 1
1987–1989 Division 2
1989–1992 Division 1
1992–1996 Premier League
1996–1998 Division 1
1998–1999 Division 2
1999–2000 Division 1
2000–2001 Premier League
2001–2002 Division 1
2002– Premier League
As you can see Manchester City has bounced around the leagues, in fact they have been up and down on twenty five different occasions until they slid on the oil money into the Premier League.
Freddie Ljungberg certainly has his work cut out for him, our defence is ravaged by injuries and he may not know who is fit to play until game day. Unusually City is in 3rd place 14 points behind Liverpool with only 16 games played, they are beatable – but can the current Arsenal beat them?
GunnerN5
TA’s team to beat the Blue Mancs:
Bergkampesque 
Great historical research, GN5. Yes we are due a home win against the Blue Oilers but it is indeed unlikely to happen tomorrow. The game comes too early for Freddie and they are a top team of course. But you never know how it will go and if we can play compact and disciplined we may get something from it.
Remember this one by Guardiola’s current right hand man?
Interesting reading – gives an insight into what is happening.
https://www.football365.com/news/ljungberg-cant-do-anything-about-arsenal-coaching-staff
N5 … Up and down 25 times! The past can so easily be swept away. Citech now look, think and feel like the royalty of British football.
TA .. That’s a good team against most other pl teams but against City who’ll have us defending close to 60% of the game I’d be tempted to bring a more balanced player in place of Pepe.
We seem to have a top management that is lily livered or incompetent. They are in the football world and ordinarily should have a dossier on coaches (as well as on player) all of the time. Dossiers that are continuously updated. If the need arises they should already have a good idea of whom they want. The dossiers would have given a definite opinion on say Freddie who aught to have been given a better defined time frame and corresponding support.
The in-form player at the moment, PE…
I agree PE the management group appear to be in disarray. However secrecy and avoiding leaks has always been the Arsenal way – so like always we have to sit and wait.
The younger group are among the best I can remember at Arsenal and bode well for our future, but the established players seem to be drifting.
Nuno Nuno Nuno Nuno Nuno
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/50794834
If it was spelt out to Freddie at the onset that he was only a temp, I feel he should show a bit more restraint in airing his expectations (and the hierarchy’s failings) so blatantly. As an interim manager, you only get ad hoc back-up, mostly from within, and cannot expect anything so elaborate in the dugout; that’s what makes it exciting and how his CV gets boosted as it will be all down to him. I am sure he will be allowed to solicit and get technical support from any level of the club, if he asks f9r it. And we do have all manner of backroom staff who will be glad to do their bit to steady our ship.
I am not saying Freddie shouldn’t get the support he needs if he is to be retained beyond short term, but if it was clear to all parties what his appointment was about, best to enjoy the ride and quit moaning.
Though GN5?
This management group have no connection to those past. This group? If I had to guess? Is terrified to make their next choice(s). Sanllehi did this. He thought Emery was a safe, conservative choice (maybe, for a mid-table La Liga club). But Unai Emery had little experience hands-on in re-tooling a big club. PSG? Just a transient figure that hustled his way in– and bungled his way out. Raul was simply consolidating his newly-obtained personal power with this hire.
Matter of fact? We have no one currently capable of laying the foundation required– in the entire organization. Say what you will of the Wenger-Gazidis axis? They didn’t allow the functional core of the club to rot. On Sanllehi’s watch– he allowed a manager to so change the playing style and gut the midfield– that Emery might just as well have salted the turf at the Emirates. Only then did Raul own up to the magnitude of his mistake– in that ‘conservative choice’ of managers.
The next manager is likely to be marginal at best. Because he’ll be tasked with simply making the club stable again. Raul will not be allowed to outspend to cover his errors here at Arsenal– the way he was at Barca.
So yeah. Raul is terrified.
One more mistake of this type?
There won’t be many clubs come calling for a DoF reliant on costly Rolodex-transfer strategies.
jw1
To the game tomorrow (later today, for some), I am a believer we can get something from it by just being compact and hitting them on the break with quick fire counter attacks when we regain possession…. pretty much Ljungberg’s specialty with Henry, Pires and Dennis tearing teams apart (ah! Those were the days).
City are not in a good place and must be wondering when Liverpool will start to drop points to give them some (any) hope of catching them in this race; that has made them to play with much less patience than we are used to seeing with Pep’s side, so they hurry their actions and make mistakes. Arsenal aren’t in a good place either, but we have the additional element of being underdogs at home and needing to improve fast. A big scalp like City will boost confidence no end and this is what Freddie should be telling the lads.
I would like to see Chambers paired with big Sok, for this one, rather than Luiz, though. I feel AMN will come in at right back, instead of Mustafi, because Freddie seems to like some wing play starting with the full backs. Is Xhaka suspended or injured, to warrant the inclusion of Willock in your predicted line up? If not, I expect it to be Torreira and Xhaka with Ozil at No. 10. The rest of the line up, I like. So, for me, it will be: Leno, AMN, Chambers, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Xhaka, Ozil, Pepe, Martinelli and Auba to start. Laca, Guendouzi and Saka/ESR to show late on in the game.
A draw, is my predicted result (and that’s only because we won’t be able to keep them out).
Okay. Just read Xhaka is being treated in line with concussion protocols. That’s such a blow and weakens our team, so maybe David Luiz as DM, Torreira b2b and Ozil as 10.; if we make the Luiz in midfield tweak, maybe we shall require the energy of Willock and Pepe goes to the bench for the first half.
Eris–
Did you watch last week– how United countered City into ‘playing D first’?
I’m not sure we can play the way United did– but little harm in trying.
There was an extensive, in-depth article at The Athletic– but that’s behind a paywall. Best I could locate gratis– was here:
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-man-city-attack-17386866
Apparently City’s MF Rodri– was making runs into the box early leaving Rashford, Martial and Lingard free to counter quickly and freely through the middle of the pitch. By one count United had 9 effective counter attacks– scoring twice (albeit once on a resulting PEN). Probably should have tallied 3 or more in the first half.
You’d think that City would have to be licking their collective lips to go up against our defense. Then again? That was the idea versus United too.
Who’s to say what Pep might cook up for tomorrow (today). But Freddie and the attackers certainly have a very recent blueprint to follow– if City comes at us as they did ManU.
jw1
Sorry. I am. But must remind that #20 has not even made the bench– in the 3 matches following his Brighton fustercluck. Not even for the near-dead rubber match versus Standard Liege.
Might need to buy a ticket going forward.
jw1
Fine comments last night, gents.
JW, he was suspended for Thursday’s game (confirmation bias?! 😀 )
both physiorooms are packed; i think pep has no other choice but picking:
ederson
walker-fernandinho-otamendi-mendy
rodri-gündogan
de bruyne-bsilva-sterling
jesus
as for us; with pépé out, i think freddie has no other option but:
leno
mniles-chamber-sokratis-kola
torreira-luiz
auba-mesut-marti
laca
i’m not sure we’re ready yet; they’re such a well-oiled machine, and of course we have to face them at the worst possible time – after a derby defeat
i just hope the boys will put up a real fight, auba-laca-gabe can hurt their back four, and bernd might just confirm he’s the best keeper in the league at the moment
i have to say i feel bitter about the way freddie’s being treated; he’s one of us, he deserves better than being dealt with as though he were a paper towel, and i don’t like – at all – the idea of buying a coach out of a rival club right in the middle of a season: i don’t think those are the values arsène wanted us to preserve after he left
anyway, the odds are against us, we can only be pleasantly surprised tonight
COYG
The fact that Freddie has not been afforded a coaching crew should mean a new coach is eminent. Very possible Arteta would be announced after the City game with Per as his assistance.
It still haunts me what Per said a while ago ….. that he’d like to work with Arteta again. … that they had worked well before. Kroenke might have made a call to Wenger seeking his opinion.
dreams can come true 😀
New Post New Post 🙂