Monday 19 December 2016 20:53, UK
Gary Neville believes Arsenal's change of system against Manchester City contributed to their second-half collapse on Nissan Super Sunday.
Arsene Wenger side's led 1-0 at half-time following Theo Walcott's early opener but conceded twice after the break to lose 2-1 for the second game in succession.
Neville said Arsenal's midfield "looked shattered" in the second half at the Etihad, suggesting Wenger's decision to play on the counter attack affected their performance as the game wore on.
The visitors had less than 40 per cent possession on Sunday - compared to their Premier League average of 57.4 per cent since 2014 - and ran further and sprinted more often as they looked to close their opponents down.
Neville, speaking on Monday Night Football, felt the extra output cost them, saying: "During the game at 2-1 I couldn't believe it, Arsenal's players looked absolutely shattered.
"They were walking at 2-1 in a massive game in which they could put pressure on Chelsea. It was walking pace and you never walk on a football pitch.
"These aren't players you would normally say that about, they normally work hard and normally put in a shift. They might not be the mentally strongest players in the world but there was something fundamentally wrong in that second half and you start to look a bit deeper.
"I started to question their travel regime, travelling up to Merseyside in midweek [they lost 2-1 to Everton] and then travelling up to Manchester on Sunday.
"They have a terrible record in Merseyside and Manchester. Is travelling back late and then up again a factor?
"But you half dismiss that because they have been in the Champions League, travelling across Europe.
"Maybe they could have stayed up in Manchester and Merseyside and cut the travel down, but I don't think it would have fundamentally made a difference."
Neville highlighted Arsenal's concerted decision to play on the break, a tactic that led to Walcott's opening goal but one that required a huge amount of physical effort, as a potential explanation for the disappointing defeat.
"Over the years, where I have been critical of Arsenal and others have been critical, is when they haven't adapted and haven't changed style," Neville added.
"On Sunday they definitely changed their style. They played more direct, they played more on the counter attack and played deeper. Arsenal have always dominated the game and dominated with passes.
"Because they had less of the ball and because of the style change, you put a group of players into a system that was different for them and it felt like they couldn't cope with it in the second half without the ball.
"They would normally run less with the ball. The change of style, because they don't do it regularly and it was more of a one-off than the norm, they perhaps suffered with that.
"The collection of games, the change of style, City as they are - keeping the ball and moving it quickly - to me these were the genuine reasons why they did suffer in the second half and looked shot to pieces."
