Monday Gossip

by MCFC Editorial

Arsenal victory leaves press purring

Manchester City’s title defence began with an impressive 2-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday.

And it’s a result and performance that have left the press purring over City’s style of football and squad options.
We’ll start this morning’s media roundup with the Guardian’s Daniel Taylor, who describes City’s strength in depth as “frightening".
“By the time it was all done Emery had become the first Arsenal manager to lose his opening game since Terry Neill took charge of a team that went down 1-0 to Bristol City at Highbury in August 1976," Taylor writes. "It was the first time since 1936 that City have won back-to-back away matches against these opponents in the top division and perhaps the most startling part, as far as the other title challengers are concerned, is that it was achieved with Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sané restricted to substitute roles, no place for Vincent Kompany or Nicolás Otamendi and David Silva working on his fitness back in Manchester. It is a frightening level of squad depth.
“For now at least Guardiola is going through his own period of experimentation. Bernardo Silva justified his selection with a peach of a goal and some brilliantly subtle link-up play. Raheem Sterling’s goal came from the left wing, rather than his usual position on the right, switching flanks so Riyad Mahrez could be accommodated. The fit-again Benjamin Mendy was among the game’s outstanding performers and, on this evidence, City’s new central defensive partnership of John Stones and Aymeric Laporte will take some shifting.
“Guardiola’s side did not reach their most exhilarating peaks but it was still fairly convincing and the awkward truth, in these getting to know-you stages with Emery, is that it was difficult at times to understand what Arsène Wenger’s successor was thinking."

ESPN’s David Mooney heaped praise on Bernardo Silva’s man-of-the-match display, giving the playmaker 9/10 in his player ratings.
Mooney writes: “MF Bernardo Silva, 9 -- An underrated star in this team, the Portuguese showed a glimpse of what he's got to offer. His vision and passing were superb, and his finish was an absolute belter. A great start to the season and one to watch for a central position for sure."
Martin Samuel, writing in the Mail, says there remains a significant gulf in class between the two sides.
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“The margin of victory was greater in the corresponding game last season, but the sense of ease no different," he writes. “Manchester City remain in their comfort zone against Arsenal, no matter the manager. What needs to be done to close the gap between these teams cannot be achieved in a summer.
“There remains no greater baptism for a Premier League manager than this fixture — with the possible exception of Manchester City away — and the scoreline ultimately flattered Arsenal.
“For City, it must have felt like slipping into a familiar pair of shoes. The teams met on three occasions last season and City won and scored three each time. Had City needed three here, one imagines a third would have come."

And, finally, ESPN's tactics expert Michael Cox has detailed some of the alterations Guardiola has made to his side for the new season, including new way of utilising his wide players.
Cox writes: “Manchester City played with the same level of control and authority as last season, dominating possession throughout the game, pressing well and involving their forwards regularly. But Guardiola always attempts to evolve his tactics from season to season, and this felt like a slightly different City.

“Whereas last season Guardiola used advanced wingers stretching the play and going in behind, often with more conservative full-backs, here his approach was different. Sterling was on the left cutting inside onto his right foot, Riyad Mahrez on the right drifting inside onto his left. In turn, the full-backs were more aggressive than last season, with Kyle Walker overlapping regularly.
“Benjamin Mendy, the archetypal "like a new signing" after missing almost his entire debut campaign through injury, sometimes overlapped and sometimes drifted inside to form a midfield diamond.
“The latter tactic actually proved more effective, creating obvious one-versus-one battles for Sterling vs. Hector Bellerin, on one occasion cutting inside and slamming home the opener. The second goal came from a traditional Mendy overlapping run followed by a clever pull-ball to Silva, who smashed the ball into the top corner."
That's all for today's media roundup. Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you more reaction to our winning start to the season.