Arsenal: 3 reasons restarting against Manchester City might be good

2. It’s a good test run for closed-doors gameplay

Those of us that have watched the returns of the Bundesliga and La Liga have seen that home-field advantage really stops mattering once you’re behind closed doors. It’s all about the quality of the two teams on show, nothing more. And while City have more quality than Arsenal—only a fool would deny it—they’re also a proven entity.

What I mean is, we know how exactly they’re going to play. We know their formation, their tactical approach, their strengths, and most importantly, their weaknesses. But we know what we’re getting. We don’t have to worry about surprises and tricks, so we can bring out some experiments of our own.

I’m not suggesting we throw s**t at a wall and see what sticks, but some flexibility is a good idea. Use the 5-sub rule to its fullest effect. Try different tactical approaches and different combinations of players throughout the game. Gauge fitness, test the waters, and scope out what rotations will be necessary for a far more winnable match at Brighton on the weekend.

We get to see how closed-doors gameplay will affect us, how we can take advantage of it, and what are some of the potential drawbacks, not just generally, but for our squad in particular. And hey, our best effort is all we can really give. Because at number 1.