***Official Match Thread - Arsenal Away***

[avoidconfusion]

What a shit game. Again we were playing way too defensively rather than having a real go at this weakened Arsenal side. You could argue that 1 point against Arsenal at the Emirates is a decent result but 1 point does NOTHING for us. We are still 1 point behind Spurs, we still need to beat Spurs anyway so we might as well have lost today but at least really put effort in to win this.

[Slim]

The problem is a draw does nothing for us unless Spurs drop points on games outside of our upcoming clash, and Bolton and Burnley are hardly going to give them too many nightmares.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Bellamy was playing?

more to the point, was Tevez playing? Worst I've seen of him in City shirt. Hope he isn't already 'saving himself' for world cup.

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

Got to be happy with a point. Great defensive performable. We can beat Spurs & Villa at home, job done.

[cityPinoy_fc]

a bit disappointed that we couldn't win that just makes the clash against spurs and villa all important. common city!

[edge275]

The problem is a draw does nothing for us unless Spurs drop points on games outside of our upcoming clash, and Bolton and Burnley are hardly going to give them too many nightmares.

Agree, we may as well have gone balls out to win.

[Beefymcfc]

That was a decent point and may come into play at the end of the season, not many teams come away with anything. Good to see Mancio make the change that was needed and put pressure on Arsenal but I was a little disappointed that we sat back at the end.

Overall, not a bad day. Let's just hope that Brum can do something against Villa, as am sure Big Joe will want to be coming back to a Champions League team.

[mr_nool]

one more pint that I had expected, but I'm still disapointed that Roberto choose a cautious approach to this game. I doubt that we will beat Spurs, Villa and West Ham, which is more or less a must now.

[david yearsley]

So disappointed with our attacking players against the likes of Campbell and Disastre - surely with a bit more fuclin balls about them we would have ripped them - ho-hum - Villa can overtake us tomorrow which would set it up for next Sat - gonna need some strong super absorbent keks next week :0

[MARKMAKAVELI]

I'm happy with a point to be honest. Like many I would of liked to see us go for it more, but to be fair we had a spell of about 5 mins where we had 3 chances that we could and should of scored.

Exciting times, we're still in the race and I'm lovin it!!

[KinkyKinkladze]

I fail to see how espn or anybody can see this as a point gained.

8 minutes injury time, we know Spuds lost today (and they have practically a gimme against Bolton next whereas we've got a tough one with Villa), we need a win against a depleted Arsenal to get our season back in our control, and we have everybody strolling around like a dick not wanting to have one last push as the game comes to the end. Thing is, it was like that all fucking game.

Whatever Tevez was doing, I don't know. He wasn't playing like his normal self, and noticeably dropped deeper and deeper as Ade was brought on.

I'm sorry, I really don't want to stoke any fires, but I just want Mancini gone this Summer. 3 games left in the space of a week, 2 against teams we're in direct competition with, and the last 2 games he sends them out to grab a point. If that's the kind of fuckwitted attitude he's going to take when we're potentially one of the most deadly attacking teams in Europe, he can just fuck right off.

I actually can't remember the last time I felt so angry about a performance. Normally I can rationalise it as typical City or something, but today just seemed like the biggest missed opportunity since Fowler's penalty.

Edit - Vieira's age was shown today. He should never play football again once the World Cup is done. Absolute waste of bloody time.

Good to see Nicky Weaver back too.

[Florida Blue]

Ok so nothing has changed, even a win doesn't change anything. Out fate is in OUR hands, win out, we go top 4!!!

All we have to do is match Spurs in results, and beat them AT HOME outright. Still like our chances even with Gunnar. The lads will rally. For all of those of you who were happy to see Kasper fuck off, as they say be careful what you wish for, at least he had experience.

[Trautmann]

Arsenal played like it was a pointless end of season game. We parked the bus in front of the goal--dour Italian stuff. yawwwwn. But a point at the Emirates is good. I hope never to see Vieira again.

Well done to the young keeper--looked confident.

[the_georgian_genius]

Good point, before today only 8 points were taken away from The Emirates and 6 of those were Chelsea and United.

Well done boys, now bring on villa!

[Abu Dhabi]

What a boring game, but whats this "go all for win or lose city" nonsense?

I would have taken a point before it started. Granted we still have to beat spurs at home, this point gave us more tolerance in case of a slip (ie draw) against Villa. Of course we need to go for a win against Villa, but with todays point it means a slip up against villa wont be disastrous. It means we should beat spurs and go fourth on GD. So Yes, a point today is not worthless.

[cityPinoy_fc]

looks like mancini is gambling on us beating villa and spurs at home for the fourth spot. its a little nerving for me.

[Blue2]

Arsenal played like it was a pointless end of season game. We parked the bus in front of the goal--dour Italian stuff. yawwwwn. But a point at the Emirates is good. I hope never to see Vieira again.

Well done to the young keeper--looked confident.

Agree, he did really well

[Dubaimancityfan]

Happy with the point. Thought Arse will score in injury time as they usually do but our defence held just as they did through out the match which is a good omen.
When was the last time we came away with a point from Emirates or Highbury ?

[cityPinoy_fc]

Arsenal played like it was a pointless end of season game. We parked the bus in front of the goal--dour Italian stuff. yawwwwn. But a point at the Emirates is good. I hope never to see Vieira again.

Well done to the young keeper--looked confident.

Agree, he did really well

agreed gunnar did well.

[KinkyKinkladze]

Happy with the point. Thought Arse will score in injury time as they usually do but our defence held just as they did through out the match which is a good omen.
When was the last time we came away with a point from Emirates or Highbury ?

That last sentence is grand but for the fact we aren't plucky City anymore. Arsenal's season is over, they've nothing to play for. They were there for the taking, what with having Silvestre playing and the worst goalkeeper in the history of football between their sticks. Yet we never looked to take the game to them. We should've peppered Fabianski's goal, but the only thing he did in almost 100 minutes of football was collect Bellamy's tame shot at the end.

I just don't understand this shit. We dominated, nay, destroyed Arsenal in the 2 games we played earlier this season. We know how to beat them. And then that happens today. I cannot get my head round why people aren't sick about that piss poor performance today.

Not piss poor from the players as such, they had a job to do and every one of them did that job marvellously (save for Micah and Zabba acting like a couple of plebs and giving stupid frees away). But the point is, that job they did so well was the wrong fucking job to be taking on.

7 goals we scored against them before today. Yet today we turn up and play like fucking Bolton.