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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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 18: Kieran Tierney and Granit Xhaka of Arsenal celebrate following the FA Cup Semi Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on July 18, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Matthew Childs/Pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 18: Kieran Tierney and Granit Xhaka of Arsenal celebrate following the FA Cup Semi Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on July 18, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Matthew Childs/Pool via Getty Images) /

2. Tierney is a God

It has been a long time coming. When Arsenal signed Kieran Tierney for £25 million last summer, those who watched him regularly for Celtic said that they would acquire an elite-level defender, a player who would immediately endear the fans to himself, a person who would unite the fanbase and perform at a brilliantly high level.

Thanks to injuries and COVID-19, Tierney has not been able to prove just how brilliant he might be. But, since the restart, a regular run of starts has indeed united the fans behind what looks like one of the best young defenders in the Premier League. And on this occasion, Tierney stood head and shoulders above all else on the pitch.

Defensively, he was near-perfect. Never out of position, he timed his tackles to perfection and interception critical passes. In possession, he was calm, composed, technically skilled, and also progressive with his decision, playing three key forward passes in the build-up to both goals. He shouted and screamed, he gesticulated and commanded. He was brilliant, and he will be brilliant for a long, lone time.