Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 things we learned – Unai Emery got it wrong

1. Unai Emery got it wrong

Admittedly, after Sergio Aguero completed his hattrick and essentially sealed up the City victory, the pace of the game slowed dramatically. But it was no surprise that Arsenal substantially improved when Unai Emery introduced Denis Suarez and Aaron Ramsey and shifted to a 4-3-3.

Initially, Emery started with a 4-4-2, playing exceptionally deep, asking Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to essentially play as central midfielders, not strikers. That left Arsenal in dire positions both in central midfield and in the full-back areas. The underlapping movements of David Silva on the left and Kevin de Bruyne on the right caused the Gunners fits.

The issue that I have is that the de Bruyne-Silva runs are City’s clearest and primary attacking strategy. If there is something that you have to stop, then it is those exact runs. Silva and De Bruyne are the cruces of this City team and Emery played right into their defence-splitting, ankle-shimmying feet.

Arsenal should not be judged on how well they can hang onto the coattails of the best team in Premier League history. But that does not mean they — and by extension Emery — are exempt from criticism. The set-up was wrong, and it cost them the defeat.