Football React | Arsenal fans discuss late equaliser against City

Arsenal 1 -1 Manchester City

We have been catching up with Arsenal fans who have been discussing their dramatic draw against Man City

Author | DJ

Nell: Similar to last year’s game but with the roles reversed. City sat deep and we struggled to break them down. We got the breakthrough thanks to a fine Martinelli finish and it is good to see him scoring again after all the criticism. Even so, it was not a convincing performance. We need to get Viktor Gyokeres more involved so he can use his strength to drive us forward. A draw is not enough, we should be pushing for three points every match.

Kristian: Arsenal will end up second again in the Premier League unless Mikel takes the handbrake off, especially at home. Be braver, please – you have the squad for it this season.

Paul: We never gave up and that is what champions do. The team is still adjusting with so many new signings. Our strong bench will be key to any title challenge.

Nish: How Mikel Arteta keeps doing the same thing and expecting different results is baffling. Manchester City were there for the taking. All we had to do was play our best attacking side, which does not include Mikel Merino in midfield. We keep saying the manager knows best, but honestly we need to start questioning his choices. Liverpool are the winners here. Just five games in, and we are already chasing.

Pete: I keep thinking about their goal, it is remarkable how one split-second decision can change a game. With the ball bouncing in City’s midfield, Gabriel made a rare error by stepping in to win it as it broke loose, which opened the space for City to exploit. It was a ruthless and efficient move and as soon as Erling Haaland was through you knew it would be a goal. If Gabriel had held his position and trusted his midfielders to deal with it, that space would not have been there and the goal probably would not have come, even if City had regained possession. Much like the Liverpool match, it could have ended with two sides effectively cancelling each other out tactically.

Bernard: The big question that I’d love to ask is, why did Leandro Trossard start? It was his first start of the season. I know he scored in Bilbao after coming on from the bench. I really don’t understand.

Moe: It has been a good week for Martinelli, and when you look at the two goals he has scored and the positions he took them from, there is a real conversation to be had about where he is most effective. I have often wondered if he could be an option at centre-forward, and with the club investing heavily in a direct, low-touch striker like Gyokeres, Martinelli fits into a similar mould in terms of how you need to play if he leads the line. I am pleased for him, he has had a lot of criticism, some of it excessive, and he deserves real credit for scoring the sort of goal that would have people marvelling if it was done elsewhere.