Tactics Corner : Can a new-look Arsenal side hold off Manchester City?

Let us have a look at the last two meetings between the clubs last season.

December 14,2013. Machester City vs Arsenal (6-3).

Goals galore at the Etihad. A treat for the Blues fans’ and neutrals and some heartbreak for the gunner’s fans. Having stayed on top of the Premier League for a better part of 3 months now,the Gunners fan’s started believing this might be it,this might just be the one season that makes the turnaround of trophy drought at the Emirates. Humiliation,that's all what there was in store for them. As the cameras panned towards Arsene Wenger the familiar expression of disbelief was all over his face.

March 19,2014. Arsenal vs Manchester City (1-1).

Honours even. The last outing with the blues made the gunners think tank rethink their approach towards them. A grittier Arsenal look like they were able to mount a challenge to the Blues. Though it wasn't a goal feast like the previous one, this was a superb game yet again.

Arsenal

Arsenal have made a few purchases this summer. Debuchy filling in for Sagna (Can he?), Alexis Sanchez, fresh on his heels from Barcelona,and surprisingly, the now ex-Manchester United prodigy Danny Welbeck all look to turn around things at Emirates. Arsenal have stuck with a 4-2-3-1 for the majority of their season. With Giroud gone, Arsenal can’t afford to have the mis-firing Sanogo as the lone striker, so this might just be Welbeck’s debut as a Gunner.

I have loathed seeing Ozil being played out wide, he is a fine lad when he slots in at the no.10 role. With Sanchez and maybe Ox-Cazorla-Podolski out in the wings, Arsenal pose a threat with their pace while counter-attacking. Flamini and Wilshere should fill in for their defensive roles.

At the back,the towering yet slow Mertesacker is sure to start along with Koscielny. Arsenal have had a run with bad luck with bad refereeing decisions going against them in huge matches (Chelsea-Arsenal 5-1 drubbing,and the infamous sending off for Gibbs). If Arsenal want to challenge for the title,they need to dig in deep and they need to show their hunger.

It starts now and it should stay with them till the end. Often in the past seasons,a loss or two has seen shoulders drooping in the dressing room. They need a leader,one who can carry this team. They need individuals to stand up to the occasion and deliver. Ramsey has done it last season. They should look to seek inspiration from each other. On their da, mind you, they can run riot,kill you while you wait for the first touch of the ball with their beautiful one touch passing. Let's just hope this day is theirs.

Manchester City

You might loath them,but get this right. The blues boast an attacking duo,only a few rival teams can talk about. Aguero-Dzeko. Aguero,there is no doubt about the guy’s abilities.He is calm and composed on the ball, brilliant finisher,good inside the box. All what a manager can even ask from his no.9. On the downside, he is injury prone.

Dzeko,looking fresh after having signed a new deal with Manchester City would like to show why he is just not a super-sub but ‘sup-erb’ on his day. Jovetic has been a revelation this season.Whereas he was injury plagued the last one, he has shown Pellegrini his class and ability.Sadly,he has to sit this one out with a hamstring problem Silva,deservingly,has been an important cog of this team last season and looks like he has carried off from where he left last season.

Nasri would look to make Deschamps think what it could have been with him on the team sheet during their World Cup campaign. With the towering ‘Toure’ making surge’s into the box and with his skill set he poses a danger fathom teams can imagine. That giant ran riot last season notching up an odd twenty two goals. Captain Kompany would like to keep his cavalry on their heels,and wont let a ball pass through. He’s been a mainstay of their defense for a few years now and he has been a brilliant one at that.

If Arsenal want to go for the win,their defensive solidarity would be put to test. Koscielny needs to be disciplined. He has had a few erroneous red cards to his name and am sure wants to clear his name from the rut. City run a risk with their cut throat passing and sonic speed, and that’s where Mertesacker is a gamble. Calum Chambers,ex-Southampton academy progeny and now a Gunner,has shown his ability as a centre-back , but he lacks the experience.

And finally,for heaven’s sake,can the real Mesut Ozil please stand up!

Since his audacious last day move from Madrid he has shown flashes of what he is capable of. But he needs to be a bit more consistent. He needs to show why Wenger chose him.

Match Prediction:

2-1 to Manchester City. Yes,heartbreak yet again for the Gunners. (I would personally love if its a Gunners win though)

Key Players : Arsenal – Mesut Ozil,Alexis Sanchez,Wojciech Szczesny.

Manchester City – Edin Dzeko,David Silva,Yaya Toure.