Arsenal 0-3 Manchester City: 5 Talking Points & Tactical Analysis

#4 Sead Kolasinac’s injury shrouds the Emirates with further gloom

Kolasinac trudged off with an ankle injury

A few days ago, Kieran Tierney was ruled out of action for the best part of three months with a dislocated shoulder. The injury to the Scotsman, in addition to the niggle plaguing Hector Bellerin, meant that Arsenal’s perennial injury crisis was well underway. But, rather amazingly, that particular predicament grew even more perilous when Sead Kolasinac hobbled off with a suspected ankle injury.

The Bosnian, after winning the ball on the wing, strode towards goal before Rodri hacked him down, thereby leading the full-back to twist his ankle on his way down. And, though Kolasinac tried his best to shake off the injury, he eventually succumbed to it, in the process, leaving the Gunners with only 10 men on the pitch.

Quite amusingly, the hosts conceded another during that duration. However, the Bosnian trudging off the pitch represented a rather grim quandary for the North Londoners. If the full-back were to be sidelined for the foreseeable future, it would force Arsenal to call upon an auxiliary left-back, a prospect that certainly wouldn’t aid their defensive endeavours.

Moreover, with the Gunners at sixes and sevens at the back, it could be damaging for a youngster of the ilk of Bukayo Saka to deputise, considering the long-term impact it might have on his confidence.

Thus, at the moment, Arsenal embody the ideal antidote of London taxis, wherein problems (or taxis) are cropping up thick and fast with no respite and more importantly, no palpable answer on the horizon.