Arsenal vs Manchester City: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
Arsenal and Manchester City kicked off the weekend's Premier League action with an enthralling 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Sergio Aguero and Martin Demichelis scored either side of second-half strikes from Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez, as the two sides were forced to settle for a point each—an outcome that was probably a fair reflection of a game that had more than its share of swings in momentum.
The game ended in a draw, but click on for some winners and losers from the encounter.
Winner: Jack Wilshere
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A fine finish to get his side back into the game and an assist for what could have been (and perhaps should have been) the winner—this was a fine game for Jack Wilshere, and a timely retort to some of his critics.
Wilshere cannot really dismiss some of the justifiable criticism he has received recently—and, by all accounts, has not when it has come from players and pundits he respects. In the first half of the game against City, he showed as many of his good points as his bad points; he was smart on the ball but he was also hasty, prone to losing his discipline and leaving his side unbalanced.
In the second half, however, he came out a different player, more efficient with the ball and precise with his movements. He was rewarded with the equaliser—a brilliant, deft finish over Joe Hart that underlined the fact his footballing intelligence is perhaps his most valuable quality.
His influence continued for much of the rest of the game, and he put the header into the box that Alexis Sanchez so emphatically turned home to make it 2-1. Arsene Wenger will have been pleased—now all the England man has to do is repeat it on a consistent basis.
Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey only occasionally seemed to work well in tandem—one tended to enjoy a strong spell in the contest before the other would become influential—but there was enough evidence to suggest that, over time, they could form the formidable axis that many have been waiting a number of years to see.
Afterwards, Wilshere told BT Sport (via the BBC):
"I'm getting fitter and fitter as the games go on, I recovered well after the England game and we felt fresh, which I think we saw in the way we started.
I think we showed great character to come back from 1-0 down, but at 2-1 up we are disappointed not to win.
"
Winner: Sergio Aguero
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With Luis Suarez now plying his trade in Spain, the chance is there for Sergio Aguero to re-establish himself as the most prolific goalscorer in the Premier League.
In fairness, the forward was doing a pretty good job of matching Suarez goal for goal last season until a series of problematic injuries ruined his end to the campaign—forcing both City and Argentina to pursue glory without the full use of his attributes.
Aguero still appears to be working his way back to full fitness, but Saturday saw him notch his third goal in four league games for City—showing his eye for goal has certainly not deserted him.
The Argentine was withdrawn with over 20 minutes to go, however, raising concerns about another potential injury flare-up. At this point, it seems only fitness problems (and perhaps Diego Costa) can prevent him from confirming has place as the most lethal finisher in England. City are an immeasurably better side with him in full flow, especially if David Silva is supplying the ammunition.
"Sergio Aguero in the Premier League this season: 153 minutes 6 shots 3 goals Absolutely clinical. pic.twitter.com/pEfMdqvBm9
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 13, 2014"
Loser: Arsenal's Defence
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Arsenal's ongoing defensive concerns were evident even before a late injury to Mathieu Debuchy—but the sight of the Frenchman being stretchered off drew the issues into sharper focus.
With the right-back—who looked in real pain as he was aided by the medics—potentially out for a long time, Arsenal will have to rely on Calum Chambers in that full-back role for the foreseeable future. The youngster has drawn praise for his adjustment to life at the Gunners, but he was exposed by Aleksandar Kolarov during his short time on the pitch—his lack of pace a notable problem in that position against invariably speedy wingers. It could prove a weak spot for Arsenal until Debuchy returns.
Generally, Arsenal's inability to hold on after they had earned the lead will have been of great disappointment to Arsene Wenger. Martin Demichelis was left completely unmarked from a corner, a woeful lack of organisation that ultimately cost them victory.
Arsenal have now conceded six times in their opening four games. Yes, they have played some tough sides, but those figures will need to improve quickly.
Winner: Danny Welbeck
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Ideally there would be a third option somewhere between "winner" and "loser", but this is a binary system we operate. That being the case, Welbeck had more to be happy about than unhappy with on Saturday.
Yes, the debutant should perhaps have done better after David Silva's rare mistake gifted him a clear sight of goal, his clever chip evading Joe Hart but clattering against the post. For many, it was another example of Welbeck's lack of a cutting edge, although in truth it was far from a straightforward chance.
That seemingly pivotal moment became less so as the game went on and the goals kept coming, so it would be unwise to judge his performance solely on those few seconds. Welbeck otherwise gave a solid account of the attributes he will bring to this side—with his pace opening up spaces for his midfielders to operate in, and his height and physicality causing Demichelis and Kompany regular problems.
The ex-Manchester United striker has always said he needs a consistent run of games to show his true goalscoring abilities, and that is undoubtedly a fair comment. This was a reasonable start, but it was just a start. Give it a few more weeks and perhaps then we will see what the England international can really do.
Loser: Mesut Ozil
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When does a flop become a flop? Almost exactly a year to the day since he made his Arsenal debut, Mesut Ozil continues to frustrate more than he delights in the club's colours.
The German had his moments—providing Danny Welbeck with a smart early chance and moving the ball in characteristically intelligent fashion on other occasions—but he was far from the influential figure David Silva was throughout the game, and he failed to drive his side in the same fashion that Wilshere, Ramsey and Sanchez all took turns in doing.
Ozil may not like being asked to operate from wider areas, where his difficulty with his defensive assignments are also more closely scrutinised, but it is a role he should have adapted to better by now.
It may remain too soon to brand Ozil a "flop", but it is surely getting to the point when his poor form is more than simply a rut or a blip. The World Cup winner has the ability to take Arsenal to a higher plane than any other player—but at this point it is increasingly questionable whether he and his manager will find a way to access that potential.
Winner: Chelsea
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While both sides could take a number of positives from the match, the fact remains that—in the grander scheme of things—both sides dropped two points. That plays into the hands of their title rivals (as early as it is to talk about that sort of thing), particularly Chelsea—who now have the chance to extend their advantage with a victory over Swansea.
Big teams are going to drop points against their rivals this season, that is inevitable. But for now, Chelsea appear able to make a little bit of hay while the sun shines and perhaps give themselves a little cushion that will come in handy when their own clashes with rivals come around.
Loser: Frank Lampard
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It seems there was a good reason why Chelsea let Frank Lampard go at the end of last season: He is simply no longer good enough to start in midfield for a top Premier League side.
Even in a deeper role, Lampard was conspicuous by his awfulness on Saturday at the Emirates; off the pace and overmatched throughout the opening 45 minutes, Arsenal's midfield went through him time and time again. His withdrawal at half-time was hardly a surprise—already on a yellow card, he needed to be replaced before he created an even bigger problem for his side.
Part of that is down to match fitness—it was his first game in the club's colours, and he will doubtless improve with more minutes under his belt. But if City thought he would be a clever bit of short-term business, then on the evidence of this performance their judgement was less sound than Chelsea's.
