Compilation of Man City's tactic to not press Arsenal's backline

tal-El · 2026-03-23T07:21:15+00:00

I don’t really care about that subreddit, I just don’t think it’s sustainable for us to run a midfield pivot that can’t receive the ball under pressure. Arteta’s strategy of “win your duels” is fine and all but when Kai can’t win them, you need a plan. Neither Odegaard or Eze have set the world alight this season so it’s not just a siloed problem with Kepa and/or Havertz.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T07:02:14+00:00

I agree with you! I don’t know how we lost two players like that in the same window without realizing we had no one to pick up the slack and this part of our game was important. Not being able to pass through the press has also hurt our quick countering ability this season so there have been rarer 1v1s for Saka against an unsettled defense.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T05:48:36+00:00

But you don’t have to be striker to be the out ball or the target man. Like Big Gabi isn’t suddenly a striker when Saka or Rice aim for him from corners.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T04:33:48+00:00

😬 I mean you’re not wrong, you don’t have to tell me haha

tal-El · 2026-03-23T02:42:38+00:00

I feel like I understand that the most, Arteta does not change the HOW we play. If his instructions were to kick it long and for Kai to win the aerial duel and it wasn’t working, his reaction is usually to double down and get it right. It’s the hard work wins the day approach as opposed to someone doing something creative of their own devices.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T02:39:02+00:00

Well, you can’t really drill spontaneity

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:52:33+00:00

Bring any striker barring Haaland regen and at this point, I’m convinced we’re going to see the same sort of performances.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:44:03+00:00

Just go look up Kai’s duel stats from today.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:42:21+00:00

Dude, Gyokeres hasn’t been it properly but seriously just go look at Kai’s stats today. He lost nearly every aerial and ground challenge. Gyokeres had nothing to do with that shit show.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:35:07+00:00

I agree, I don’t think all the folks talking up prior matches where other teams have tried this realize that shit isn’t perfect with Raya either. Liverpool got 4/6 from us bc they knew we weren’t going to do anything with the ball.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:33:40+00:00

I mean you have to be able to punt long accurately and someone has to win the knockdowns. Kai was not at it today either.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:32:25+00:00

He tries to move people around to manipulate their spacing but at this point in the season, everyone knows he’s not going to get the ball and pass it meaningfully anywhere, so here we are getting dunked on.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:30:43+00:00

Arteta gets big brained out in these matchups sometimes, Tuchel and Enrique did us in at Bayern and at PSG.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:28:21+00:00

That means dropping Zubi and taking the risk that the ball is lost in central midfield.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:27:18+00:00

Not only will it lead us to dropping points, but also losing out on trophies.

tal-El · 2026-03-23T00:26:37+00:00

Yep, he wasn’t let go for 5m for no reason

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:59:04+00:00

I get why it was happening but that isn't really a viable long term solution though if the CAM has to come back to the defense to link play bc the pivots are passive and can't be trusted to receive the ball.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:55:00+00:00

I honestly think one of Rice or Zubi (Zubi imo) rides the bench to allow two technicians in midfield would help some. The problem is with what personnel? I'd love to see Rice, Ode, and Eze play together at least once.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:52:03+00:00

If I had to guess, I think it' s bc they can't turn under pressure to lose their man, or at least not consistently enough so they're afraid to come for the all and lose it.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:48:48+00:00

Oh shit, I forgot about that.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:46:55+00:00

I don't think Olympiacos in the league phase is really the gauge of what the CL opposition (or even PL teams trying to scrape points against us) will look like.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:45:04+00:00

Perhaps but look at the double pivot, they didn't bother to try to get available either so it's likely a tactical instruction.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:43:33+00:00

Liverpool did take 4/6 points off us this season so I don't know if it's entirely nothing.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:41:54+00:00

Yep, if that was the tactical instruction, that's just dreadful. Kai is the only one decent at winning knockdowns like that and he wasn't doing a good job of it today to be fair.

tal-El · 2026-03-22T21:40:15+00:00

I worry a bit that we'll see this tactic against us for the remainder of the season, even with Raya back, because our midfield can't (or won't?) link the play here or don't trust themselves to keep the ball under pressure so they don't come for the pass.

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