Of course, it's very early days, and it would be foolish to get carried away at this moment with a narrow win over a City side missing their two best players. Especially as we know, to our cost, how strongly Pep's charges are capable of finishing. Nonetheless, Arsenal were missing their talisman (Arteta has simply over-played him, in my opinion - there was little need to risk him on Tuesday), so there are some parallels to be drawn with City. And we're an improving side, whereas it could be argued that a City squad stripped of Gundogan and Mahrez is not as strong as last year. Plus... where do they go after they've won the lot; where's the motivation?
I drew a couple of comparisons from my seat in Block 17 during the game. Firstly, it was like a chess match. Two groups of players, and to an extent two Managers, who know (and respect) each other very well. So it was very cagey indeed. But at the same time a boxing match, with both teams looking to land the knockout blow, whilst knowing that they'd probably have to come up with something a bit different. And my opinion is that by the end Arteta had learned a little a bit more about what his strongest XI might look like, and about how best to use his resources in the most trying of circumstances as the season develops.
This was a controlled performance from the Arsenal players. Too controlled, some in the crowd would argue. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. This wasn't Bournemouth. And so many times in the recent past has an Arsenal player taken an unnecessary risk, or done something daft, and we've been punished. This, against this opposition, was sensible and pragmatic. And it worked.
The key, for me, was that Rodri was missing. He is City's key player; their security blanket. He oils the wheels, whilst at the same time showing the destructive qualities that every Manager wants in his midfield. In his absence - and that of De Bruyne also - he was obliged to slot in Kovacic (a different type of player, and one of inferior quality), and to use Bernardo Silva out of position to help build/knit the play. Elsewhere, I was surprised to see Rico Lewis - despite his excellent performance on Wednesday - make the starting XI. And to see Doku dropped to the bench. It was also curious to see star centre-back Gvardiol at left back, Ake preferred to Akanji, and Jack Grealish once more reduced to bench-warming duties. It felt like Pep actually wasn't quite sure how to put his side together in the face of such a stern test, and without Rodri. There was lack of genuine width in the side, and City paid the creative price for that.
For Arsenal there were also surprises. No Saka really wasn't a shock after Tuesday - for all our hopes - but midfield didn't look the way we expected it. I guess that Arteta chose to draft in Jorginho and play a little more conservatively in deference to City. But Havertz could have counted himself unlucky to be dropped. It was a pleasant surprise to see Martinelli named on the bench - also great to see Partey back alongside him - and I suspect that the playing XI that developed in the second half could - with a tweak or two - be the way forward now.
Personally, I am a big Aaron Ramsdale fan, so whilst I accept that if Arteta has truly found a better alternative then it'll be difficult to argue with the change of goalkeeper. But I am still unconvinced by how much of an upgrade David Raya is. He induced panic early on - not with what he was asked to do, but how he executed it. Whilst fans were booing as he stood stock still with the ball at his feet on numerous occasions, but I could see what he was being asked to do; which was pull City's press on to him, beat it and thereby open up space for the midfield. But Pep was one step ahead, and City largely held off.
Raya had to go long quite a bit, because when he did try to go short most avenues were closed off, he wasn't quite in tune with his centre-backs, and he almost conceded the most embarrassing of goals as City pressed hard the moment he released the ball. His long kicking was also poor early on (I appreciate that he hasn't got a giant like Ivan Toney to locate as he had at his previous club), and he also flapped at a couple of crosses. In short, he induced panic - certainly in the crowd!
He stuck at it, however, and the quality of his kicking improved dramatically after half time. One or two balls up to Jesus on the right were sublime; credit where it's due. But was yesterday one of those days when Arteta may have felt that we wanted to substitute his keeper at any point?
I doubt it, somehow - especially after he praised the keeper's cojones post-match. What I will say is this: thus far, there's been perhaps only a marginal difference between what we've seen from Raya, and what we know we'd see from Ramsdale. Having perhaps just won the England Number One jersey, the latter can count himself very unfortunate indeed to have lost his Arsenal place. Goodness knows what Arteta has said to Rambo, and what this might mean next summer - or even in January.
And so it was City who had the better chances early on. An early passage of play saw a Gvardiol shot cleared off of the line by Rice, and then, when Arsenal failed to clear, Haaland's flick on fell - fortunately - to Ake, who could only blast the ball over the bar when he ought to have done much better. Shortly afterwards, a City press saw Arsenal fail to clear their lines, and Gabriel's pass back to Raya gave Alvarez a sniff at an Aubameyang/Nketiah-style interception A lucky escape, and at that point it felt like it was going to be a very long afternoon!
However, Arsenal soon started to get a foothold, and whilst they perhaps got more onto the front foot for a while had little to show for it. Nketiah ran onto to Zinchenko's clipped pass, but showed why Arsenal need an upgrade at centre-forward by failing to control the ball cleanly and then blasting his shot well wide of the far post. And frankly there was very little to report on from an action point of view during the entire first half, however; although the tension was palpable.
I say very little to report on... But there was, of course, the failure by Michael Oliver to send off Kovacic. Firstly for a challenge on Odegaard that was both late and from behind. Yellow card at the very least - a Wenger Dark Orange for me, which VAR reviewed but made no further recommendation - and then just a few minutes later a reducer on Rice - again from behind - when again he was nowhere near the ball. Oliver waved it away immediately, and the problem with VAR in this instance is that the regulations mean that they cannot review 'second yellow card' challenges. If the first challenge was merely a yellow - and it could have gone either way - then the second should absolutely have been a yellow too. A total dereliction of duty from a referee who - lest we forget - not long ago sent Martinelli off for two supposed yellow card offences - both of considerably lesser magnitude - in the space of 5 seconds against Wolves! Inexplicable.
Meantime, I spent a bit of time on Haaland Watch. And therefore, of course, on Saliba Watch. Whilst the Norwegian split his time between Saliba and the equally impressive Gabriel, it's difficult to grasp quite how good the young Frenchman really is. In two matches up against Saliba this season, Haaland has recorded xGs of 0.00 and 0.00. No shots at all. I understand that when Saliba got home on Sunday night he took out of his pockets the following: wallet, keys, Erling Haaland...
We almost take Saliba for granted, but he won every duel - mainly against Haaland - in this match - and had a 97% pass completion rate to boot. That moment when Haaland actually bounced off of him!?!... And he's 22 years old! I'm in danger of running out of superlatives for him, frankly.
Good to see that he's withdrawn from the France squad (with a toe injury) and will therefore have a two week break. After which I would hope and expect Arsenal fans to be singing 'Sorry Nic Jackson' - as per the Outkast song - to Chelsea's centre forward.
Saliba will get his break, as will Saka (although why he was obliged to join the England squad whilst injured baffles me), the injured Leandro Trossard - who was replaced at half-time in this match by Martinelli - and also the last-named - who whilst not entirely match fit made such a huge mark on this game in the second half. City were forced to double up on him continually, and pretty much everything progressive that Arsenal did from then on had some part played in it by the Brazilian. I loved the moment when he received a ball from Zinchenko on the half way line, was faced by both Walker and Silva, but still managed to cut back, trick the former, nutmeg the latter, and hit a raking cross-field ball to Odegaard.
Pep had been forced into three relatively early second half changes, with Doku finally appearing - but still no Grealish, incredibly. Doku first went to the right, but got no change out of Zinchenko, and then switched to the left where White held him comfortably at bay, and still found time for a cheeky birthday nutmeg on him too.
Pep's changes prompted Arteta to do the same, with Tomiyasu, Partey and Havertz replacing Zinchenko - who rarely plays the full 90 these days - Jorginho and Nketiah respectively. Interestingly, Jesus mainly stayed out wide, leaving Havertz as the 'false 9', and following the Doku switch Arteta send Tomiyasu further forward. Suddenly, everything felt a lot more secure. The very presence of Partey on the field changed the atmosphere (he's off on international duty now, unfortunately; as long as it helps him gain match fitness and doesn't cause further injury, that'll be fine).
And - finally - came the winning goal. Deserved or not, it was the pivotal moment of the game. With all 4 substitutes involved. Partey's clipped pass found Tomiyasu in the inside left position(!), his header found Havertz and the German's set back to Martinelli was perfect in every way. The young Brazilian curled the ball towards the far post, where Ederson would have made a simple save. But the head of Ake intervened, and the ball went in at the near post instead. And the stadium went crazy; one could almost feel it shaking with all the noise. Could this finally be the day?
And yes it was. City created nothing from then on - a total of 4 shots all game, in fact - as Arsenal saw the game out comfortably. Level on points at the top, and two ahead of City, as we head into autumn. A promising position indeed; if nothing more.
Here's what I'm taking from this game. Firstly, City know - if they didn't already - that Arsenal are serious contenders and cannot be taken lightly. Arsenal are a better side - with a deeper squad - than last season; and that's got to help. And as I alluded to earlier, I can see the shape of Arsenal starting XIs to come. The back 4 is well-established (with Tomiyasu and Timber - once fit - the next cabs off the rank). In midfield I personally want to see Partey, Rice and Odegaard. When Saka is fit, a forward line of Martinelli, Jesus and Saka will do very nicely. And because they can't all play all the time there are the likes of Havertz, Nketiah, Vieira, Smith Rowe and Nelson - all of whom I trust - to slot in as and when. Not bad. Not bad at all...
One small thing before I go, and that is to mention Tottenham. They are, of course, top of the table at the moment. On goals scored... And their fans are getting quite a long way ahead of themselves. A Spurs 'mate' of mine is still going on about the Liverpool VAR business from last week - as if it's going to be significant in the title race... But, like an elephant discovered at the top of a tree; you can't quite work out how it got there, and you know it'll soon fall off...
Two weeks off for another Interlull, and then it's mid-table Chelsea away from home. Very winnable. Sorry, Nic Jackson...
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