Premier League: Sublime Manchester City lay down early marker as Arsenal linger in same-old mediocrity

Choices. Choices define generations. Choices are the primary differentiators when it comes to football. The manager your club chooses will define how you fare; the players the manager opts for will determine the trophies you hunt for – in the end, it all comes down to choices. It was just past the hour mark at the Emirates on Sunday when Bernardo Silva sealed off a comfortable 2-0 victory for the defending champions with an emphatic strike. Manchester City had been dominant until then, but Silva’s strike took the winds out of Arsenal’s sail.

The most poignant about the celebrations which followed were Pep Guardiola’s reactions on the touchline as the Spaniard jubilantly hugged Mikel Arteta, one of the leading contenders for the Arsenal job after Arsene Wenger stepped down in May – Guardiola’s gestures suggestive of Arteta playing a role in the way City orchestrated the build-up for the goal – Benjamin Mendy hopping along the left flank and looping in a cross for his former AS Monaco teammate Silva to guide into the net. The Arsenal defenders were rooted to their spots, make-shift left-back Stephan Lichsteiner in particular, as he failed to read Silva’s movement within the eighteen-yard box.

Bernardo Silva has always been exceptional at popping up in tight angles and dictating play, but if the last couple of months with his club and country have been any indication, the petite Portuguese has become frighteningly good in converting half-chances into real scoring opportunities. And scoring opportunities presented in plenty for the visitors. Pep Guardiola’s side registered eight of their nine shots on target, with Kevin de Bruyne and Leroy Sane coming off the bench and David Silva not even in matchday squad.

City had picked up right from where they left off last season when Raheem Sterling put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute with a sweet strike from just outside the penalty area, but neither Petr Cech nor the Arsenal backline covered themselves in glory, for the Englishman’s shot was saveable. Sterling had been nothing short of a revelation in the Three Lions shirt this summer in Russia and in spite of the British media’s lack of faith in the youngster, Sterling continues to go from strength to strength. On Sunday, he operated from the left flank to allow Riyad Mahrez to wreak havoc in his favoured right wing. Mahrez and Kyle Walker’s pace caused serious problems for Arsenal.

Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all secured wins, but City operate at a sublime level and for Emery to start his Premier League career against such an opponent is typical of the unfortunate hand dealt to Arsenal managers. In his favour, Emery experimented with his starting eleven – offering Aaron Ramsey a different role in his attacking setup to enable better pressing high up the pitch. Arsenal’s pressing was efficient but their ability to retain possession was absent.

Matteo Guendouzi, the 19-year-old French import from Lorient impressed in spells, his occasional mistakes simply due to the fact that a straight jump from playing in Ligue 2 to shielding the defence against the reigning Premier League champions is exhaustingly difficult. His more experienced teammates were equally culpable, for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil had a totally futile first half.

For majority of the game, it was same old Arsenal which lingered in its own mediocrity – a lack of cohesion in midfield, direction in its attack or any sense of organization in its defence. The Gunners fans could have very well mistaken Arsenal’s rudderless display as just another abominable performance under Wenger, if not for the energetic figure of Emery on the touchlines.

“Today, Manchester City demanded our best performance. Today we watched and we need to continue working. I am happy with the players because they ran and they fought. We need to continue working tactically and defensively, and doing more to shorten the differences today between Manchester City and us,” a candid Emery told reporters after the game.

A lot of work behind the scenes is necessary for Arsenal to even close the gap to ’top four’ clubs as not only do Arsenal look susceptible on the defensive front, but their midfield transitions are subpar and leave them open to opposition counters. On the attacking aspect, the final product was lacking for Emery’s men but Ramsey and Aubameyang’s mutual understanding showed promising signs for future.

How Emery moulds this unique set of players, entrapped in Wenger’s ways for so long and converts them to winners remains to be seen but if the season opener was any indication, patience on behalf of the Gunners fans is absolutely necessary for Arsenal’s long-term plans.