Bernardo Silva fires clear response to Arsenal tactics with subtle dig after Manchester City draw

Bernardo Silva fires clear response to Arsenal tactics with subtle dig after Manchester City draw


Manchester City news as Bernardo Silva opens up on Arsenal tactics that Pep Guardiola’s side couldn’t solve

Bernardo Silva was frustrated with how Arsenal limited Man City

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva seemed to make a sly dig at how Arsenal set up to stop Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners battled to a 0-0 draw away from home to ensure they kept a one-point advantage over their title rivals, but it was Liverpool that ultimately got the best outcome from the game having gone top earlier in the day.

Despite ending a seven-game losing run away from home against Pep Guardiola’s side, Arsenal’s backs-against-the-wall display didn’t impress everyone and brought about plenty of criticism online as well as from Gary Neville in the first half.

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“Arsenal are just sat back there,” said Neville during his commentary in the first 30 minutes when Arsenal hardly left their side of the pitch. “Arsenal are not really getting out; they’re not really pressing.”

The result means that Arsenal are now unbeaten in their last three games against City, including the Community Shield. During that time they have managed to limit service to Erling Haaland and deny a usually fluid attack room to create.

Choosing to press in a more reserved manner, often dropping deep to defend the box and the area around the goal, Arsenal frustrated their hosts throughout the game. David Raya’s work was ultimately limited and neither side would do enough to warrant the three points.

Neville ended up praising just how well Arsenal managed the game despite his early concerns. “I’ve never seen a team make it so difficult for Manchester City in the final third – there just didn’t seem to be any spaces,” he said afterwards.

“You see De Bruyne getting his head up to get that ball into the box, there just didn’t seem to be anywhere. I’m always cautious of being critical of Manchester City because even their level when not good is still a high level.

“They still keep a clean sheet, dominate possession, press and try to probe, to try and do the right things. To say they didn’t get it right with the way in which Arsenal defended is unique.”

Neville added: “They answered two big questions today. One, their mentality – could they live in a big game against Manchester City? Remember they folded last year here, all over the place, whereas today they looked like a team that could go through a title challenge with a lot more mental strength. That was a big question answered here because it is difficult to come here.

“The other one obviously is the defensive side of things. Last year without Saliba they were harmed and that has been proven today. To me today Saliba was immense, so was Gabriel [Magalhaes], and the work ethic of the two wide players and two forwards was incredible.

“They really ganged up on Haaland – it was a classic ‘one go tight, the other drop off’, old-fashioned tactic. But, they had a lot of players around them that enabled them to do that. They had the full-backs narrow and tight, the midfield compact with them, then the two forward players when was needed tucked in.”

“If you’re playing against world class players it often baffles me, don’t be embarrassed and think you need to double up. You have to get someone else with you and that’s what Jesus did. [Gabriel] Jesus got [Jakub] Kiwior out of a lot of trouble today. He was having a difficult game early on, Jesus right next to him and [Bukayo] Saka next to Ben White. They had a brilliant game.”

Silva was less happy with how his team were confronted with a low block when in possession but did concede just how well organised Arsenal were. “[It was] Tough,” he admitted.

“We played against a top, top team. Very organised, very competitive, high rhythm. It could have gone both ways, to be honest. That is how I felt on the pitch.

“I think we started better but during the game they were very good as well, very organised. We had more possession, more control I felt, but they were always dangerous.

“Tough to play against them because man-to-man when they were pressing high, defending low, their wingers were playing as full-backs almost in a line of six. So, it is never easy to play against teams that defend this well when they’re high-pressing and defend so deep.”

“I felt in the first seconds when we were building up they were trying to do man-to-man, pressing high and being aggressive, and then when we could get three or four passes together and put them deeper that’s when their wingers would go back, then they would be patient and not jumping. Two completely different games, and they were very well organised. It wasn’t easy to create chances for our strikers to score goals.”

Given just how attacking and adventurous these sides have been in recent years, it was a surprise to see Arsenal drop their wingers so deep, defending almost Jose Mourinho-style at times. City were unable to deal with the bodies in front of them though, and Arsenal will see their plans as being justified.

 

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