Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 things we learned – Arsenal have hope

By Andrew Dowdeswell

Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) meets a cross to score the opening goal during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 18, 2020. (Photo by MATTHEW CHILDS / POOL / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by MATTHEW CHILDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) meets a cross to score the opening goal during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 18, 2020. (Photo by MATTHEW CHILDS / POOL / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by MATTHEW CHILDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

3. The risk-reward of Artetaball

Arsenal’s opening goal was a brilliant move. From front to back, they played passes across the backline, including to Emiliano Martinez, shifted it forwards quickly, before providing quality in the final third.

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Key moments included Granit Xhaka playing a first-time pass to Kieran Tierney to break the first line of the City press. Then Tierney fired an excellent pass into the feet of Alexandre Lacazette, who handled the difficult pass despite being under pressure superbly. He then turned and fed Hector Bellerin.

In the final third, Nicolas Pepe collected the ball from Bellerin, checked inside, surveyed his options, and curled a delicious cross towards the back post for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to arrow into the far corner, his outside-of-the-foot finish clipping the inside of the post in the process.

All in all, the move contained 18 passes. Eight of those came in Arsenal’s own penalty area. That is what Arteta demands of his team. It is the style that he wants his team to play with. And while it is a risky approach, it is the one that modern football has proven to be necessary. Aubameyang’s goal was the perfect illustration of that.