Loss FA Cup 4th Round: Manchester City 1 - 0 Arsenal | Friday 27th, January | KO: 20:00 GMT | ITV

Play the kids and bin this. Don't show our hand until we play them Feb 15th.

Prediction

Man city 2-1 Arsenal

 

[Oxeki]

Pretty happy with yesterday. Our half strength team more than held it's own against a full strength City team. I like we weren't battered. We lost by the odd goal and it won't play in the player's mind. So all in all. Not a bad day. Let city have the FA Cup, we don't need it. The PL is the goal.

 

[Oxeki]

Awful performance. Very surprised Arteta mixed it up given all the first choice players got on the pitch anyway at different points and there’s over a week between this game and the next. Loser like mindset really (sorry).

Could be mentally damaging. Should want to win everything.

Could it be Arteta being frightened of Pep? Or something psychological in it?

I know Arsenal have a bigger fish to fry but expected them to show a bit more fight and push this out of form city a bit more. This win in grand scheme may mean nothing but it also could give city that confidence to get those 6 points from Arsenal.

Underwhelming match.

Possibly, I noticed Arteta was much less obnoxious on the touchline tonight wearing his Pep style coat, but to be fair it even pre-dates Arteta as manager.

They've lost every game in the league to City since Guardiola took over. I know City have been a much better side than Arsenal for all of that but you'd think they'd have at least managed to scrap a few draws here and there.

They don't want to be losing both league games to City as well as being knocked out the cup by them, that's a big psychological boost for City if it happens.

It won't matter. They'll end up winning the league at a canter and they won't care about this match.

They clearly didnt take it seriously. Bastards are going all out for the league.

I don't think they have the depth for this and they know this, they rested 5 or 6 key players. It's pretty clear they are prioritising the league with the squad they have. They are highly dependant on their first XI, especially Partey staying fit.

When Leicester were knocked out of all the domestic cups in 15/16, I don't think they flinched once, they had their eyes on the big prize.

They played last weekend before tonight and don’t play again until the next one.

Zero excuses. As @AshRK it was pretty spineless in the end when a good win could have been huge for them.

I know what Sir Alex would have demanded.

They'll get beat home and away by City in the league.

Arsenal were awful. Did they even register a shot in the second half? Man City played that in 2nd gear.

Funny as they still had Gabriel, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Tomiyasu and Nketiah on the pitch and ended it with Zincheko, Ødegaard, Martinelli and Saliba on the pitch.

Of course. Only the game vs United is their cup final. Get Pep'd, lite Pep!

Yeah some are making it sound like they rested everyone. Literally all the first choice players were on the pitch.

Given the rest they have between each game it’s a very odd attitude when trying to create a winning culture.

I don't understand how people think this changes anything in the league. This time in January 15/16, Sp**s battered Leicester who changed their team significantly out the cup. Remember how that impacted the league title race?

Blessing in disguise

The FA Cup means nothing to them given they're fighting for the title after so many years. A rested squad gives them that edge in the remaining games.

Is there a good chance they dominate for the next couple of years? Their team is young, they have the best attack in the league, Caicedo will pretty much make their midfield the best in the league and they clearly have cash to throw around. City and United could have their work cut out over the next couple of years trying to catch them.

 

[SA Gunner]

A lot of those Redcafe folk are in deep deep denial. They are seriously trying to cope now, looking at how they justify the performances Arsenal are putting out, week by week. Even with a second string side.

As we get closer, you’ll start to see talk of this being a one off, and how we’ll revert back to the poor, imbalanced side prior to our rebuild next season. I wonder what these pundits think would happen to these kids over the summer?

Just bitterness and delusion on display now.

 

[AmsterdamGunner]

6 changes and we looked decent against Man City’s first team. Compare this to the Oxford Utd game where we started Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel etc. We looked terrible in that game until Xhaka came on. This just proves how important our midfield double of Xhaka and Partey is. Obviously against Man City we need both pieces Xhaka and Partey not just one. But without these players we are poverty, with them we are world class. Xhaka and Partey are the most important players in this team, without a doubt.

That’s why we desperately need another midfielder. No matter what the costs. Especially with Partey maybe out now.

 

[MikeVinna]

City fans are so obnoxious. All they did for their succes was win the lottery. And then they dare cry about how we rotate and look worse for it and are throwing this cup.

We don’t have two starting XI’s of the same top quality. Just like every other team out there that isn’t on financial steroids. And we still looked alright until Sambi came in and conceded the winner.

Full strength we’ve no reason to fear these entitled brats and their big brained bald fraud.

 

[africe]

A lot of those Redcafe folk are in deep deep denial. They are seriously trying to cope now, looking at how they justify the performances Arsenal are putting out, week by week. Even with a second string side.

As we get closer, you’ll start to see talk of this being a one off, and how we’ll revert back to the poor, imbalanced side prior to our rebuild next season. I wonder what these pundits think would happen to these kids over the summer?

Just bitterness and delusion on display now.

They're honestly the most delusional and biased opposition fanbase, half of them are still bleeting on about us having an easy schedule, playing teams when they weren't in form, luck with injuries and any other mental gymnastics not to admit that we're a good team this year. Even Sp**s fans have caught on now ffs.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

I saw a stat saying they beat us in 14 of the last 15 games and that's just an embarrassing record, even Man Utd use to beat them when they were sh*t and Sp**s are always hurting them. We need to beat them both times this season and stop being *****es.

 

[Riou]

I saw a stat saying they beat us in 14 of the last 15 games and that's just an embarrassing record, even Man Utd use to beat them when they were sh*t and Sp**s are always hurting them. We need to beat them both times this season and stop being *****es.

Disappointing record that, especially at home.

But if we win even one of the league games this season, then our two wins in that run will have helped us win the cup and then hopefully the league title...so we would be making them count!

 

[SA Gunner]

Al not happy but not bothered at the same time.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I still convinced we reaching semi final in this competition at least if the draw didn't put against man city in round 4 ffs. I love fa cup because we the kings of this competition and i hope next season we take it more seriously

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Al not happy but not bothered at the same time.

Saka always look not bothered in cup or europa seem coaching team tell him not give full effort even against Oxford he was crap

 

[Sparrahork]

We are all far too invested, however the criticism arteta received for playing a less than full strength side beggared belief.

Many of us wanted an even weaker team put out. I guess a tricky one as it should be seen we want to proceed, even if many of us are happy with a 1 0 defeat. I would have preferred Matt Smith / sambi instead of party. Still cannot believe we risked him, hopefully however his ribs are not too bad and back soon.

I wanted to see kiwi play but can see argument for not exposing him to the champions in his first game, Smith however would appear likely to go this summer. We should have given him a shot to prove himself in the game last night

 

[Gooner Zig]

Saka always look not bothered in cup or europa seem coaching team tell him not give full effort even against Oxford he was crap

Saka 100% conserving energy in these cup games and I don't blame him - the guy has to pretty much play every minute for us. Save himself for the PL, that's all I care about.

 

[SA Gunner]

I’m listening to these journalists asking questions, about man to man marking.

One journo wanted remind Pep how United played the same as Arsenal with the man to man marking and high press. Pep corrected him quickly

The point I wanted to make though is how clueless these journalists are. They genuinely don’t have any better idea on football than us here, typing into our phones. These journos were so enamoured with this idea of man to man marking. Probably all learnt something new.

 

[Xln]

Is the @Oxeki post from redcafe? Can you remind those clowns they put up their full A team in Carabao cup, against lower sides who give their bench play time?

 

[Taneruit]

I love the narrative of *Arsenal were awful, City didn't get out of 2nd gear. They'll get smashed in the league.*

I mean wtf? Cope.

 

[Kuroske]

I saw that Partey was subbed during half time. Is he unjured or was it normal rotation to conserve his fitness? Please don't tell me he got injured for a game that was programmed to lose.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Al not happy but not bothered at the same time.

Honestly, I think that sums up last night's game for many. The games in the league will be a different kettle of fish.

 

[EmeryCouldnt]

They're honestly the most delusional and biased opposition fanbase, half of them are still bleeting on about us having an easy schedule, playing teams when they weren't in form, luck with injuries and any other mental gymnastics not to admit that we're a good team this year. Even Sp**s fans have caught on now ffs.

if they went 5 years without winning the league, half their plastic fans would move on to the next shiny team.

 

[UnitedBeard]

I saw the title and laughed at the emoji, then I came to the thread and im surprised how the thread is talking about red cafe forum not the match.