IN their first match back after lockdown, Mikel Arteta took his Arsenal team to the Etihad Stadium. After 90 minutes, the Spaniard surely longed for lockdown again. Manchester City were rampant, putting three past an Arsenal side that had to play the majority of the second half with 10 men following David Luiz’s red card. It was a stark depiction of the work Arteta had ahead of him.
Four months later, some of that work has been done. Arteta has made progress, with Arsenal far more competitive at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. City still claimed all three points, deservedly so, but there was no vast gulf between the two sides as there was in June. “At the end you can see that the gap was very small,” said goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
But while Arsenal were competitive, City were still comfortable. The Gunners managed 11 shots over the 90 minutes, but only three of them were on target. Bukayo Saka should have found the back of the net in the first half, while Nicolas Pepe forced a save from Ederson with a header, but there was never a sense that Arsenal were on the brink of a breakthrough against a team that had conceded five in their last home game.
Arteta’s 4-3-3 shape gave his team a foothold in the game. City saw most of the ball, but Arsenal did well to hold their own in the centre of the pitch. The introduction of deadline day signing Thomas Partey hinted at how the Gunners’ midfield might evolve further, with the Ghanian giving Arteta some much-needed drive from deep.
In terms of a creative midfielder, though, Arsenal are still lacking. This was desperately evident against Manchester City who felt comfortable enough to play a back three with Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez as wing backs. Pep Guardiola made the judgement that Rodri was all the protection his defence needed such was the absence of a figure in the Arsenal team to support the front three.
Of course, the highest paid player currently on the books at the Emirates Stadium is a creative midfielder yet Mesut Ozil still finds himself exiled from the first team. The German hasn’t played a minute of competitive football for Arsenal since before lockdown and doesn’t appear likely to any time soon such is Arteta’s stance.
The summer pursuit of Houssem Aouar represented a recognition from Arsenal that they require a new creative midfielder, but no deal could be struck with Lyon and Thomas, a deeper-lying midfielder, arrived instead. Arteta needed both Aouar and Thomas to complete his midfield, maybe even his team, but with only one Arsenal remain handicapped creatively.
At what point will Arteta begrudgingly accept he needs Ozil? The German’s continued presence at the club may well be a vestige of all that was wrong with the late years of the Arsene Wenger era, and Unai Emery’s ill-fated time in charge, but he possesses the qualities Arsenal are desperate for right now.
Ozil made more key passes per 90 minutes (2.1) than any other Arsenal player last season despite his season ending in March. This season, Willian is their most prolific key passer with only 1.4 per 90 minutes. The Gunners boast one of the most potent attacking groups in the Premier League, but they are currently not getting the best out of them.
Arteta is entitled to demand better than Ozil. The Spaniard’s greatest success as Arsenal manager has been in the way he has quickly won hearts and minds at the club and within the dressing room. If Ozil is not fully on board, Arteta is right to be hesitant to involve him. But until Arsenal find a player like Ozil, he must consider what Ozil himself could still do for him.
