Arsenal beaten 3-0 at Manchester City; Arsenal's defensive woes analysed on Super Sunday
Monday 16 December 2019 12:08, UK
Arsenal defenders looked clueless in their defeat to Manchester City with their performance part of a "disease", Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports.
The Gunners shipped three first-half goals at the Emirates as Manchester City ran riot, picking the hosts apart with ease.
Arsenal have conceded only five goals fewer than bottom-of-the-table Watford and kept just two clean sheets all season - the joint-fewest in the Premier League, with Carragher incredulous about the manner of their latest showing.
"Every time I watch them play, every time the ball comes in on the attack they just drop off," he said. "Remember the Norwich goal where [Shkodran] Mustafi and [David] Luiz let [Teemu] Pukki get it and turn?
"It's something that needs to change on the training ground. Keep the line and press. I said on commentary about it. They drop off when they should press, they press when they should drop off. It's like they don't know what they're doing.
"Sometimes you look at a big mistake in a goal; Calum Chambers loses the ball second half, Manchester City go through on goal. Everyone can see that. But these are things that kill the team. It's your job and sometimes you think you're looking after yourself, but you're hurting the rest of the team. That's why David Luiz isn't playing.
"I'm glad he's gone with Calum Chambers. We know Luiz isn't good enough, that's all he does, drops off to protect himself. But he's catching the disease as well too - make the mistakes being aggressive and going forward, I'm sure that's what Freddie Ljungberg wants. Do it that way, doing the right thing."
All three of Man City's three goals came from Arsenal's defensive mistakes and the Sky Sports punditry team analysed each of them after the game...
Joleon Lescott: "The fact Fernandinho is allowed to run into midfield and play the pass, no one gets near Gabriel Jesus, it is disappointing to see that no one can get near Man City. There's no one near De Bruyne either. Collectively, they'll be annoyed with that."
Graeme Souness: "Pepe just lets Fernandinho waltz past him, it's not my job to stop him - oh yes it is."
Bacary Sagna: "First of all, Pepe loses the ball in an easy way, it's too easy for Man City to get out from that and Arsenal keep dropping off. De Bruyne is surrounded by three players but still manages to get away and cross the ball.
"Even if De Bruyne is clever and knows where to stand, there are more ball watchers than defenders and they should stick to players more, be more aggressive because if you give too much respect to these players they will hurt you."
Joleon Lescott: "They just cut through Arsenal so easily. Sead Kolasinac at the back post runs in too early. When you've got that many numbers back you'd think there'd be someone making a tackle or a block, you think you're doing alright and then suddenly City are so precise with their passing, they're clinical."
Jamie Carragher: "From Arsenal's point of view, it's so bad. Using Calum Chambers as a shield and bend it round him, but Arsenal can't defend like that. They just drop off and drop off. Go to the ball."
Joleon Lescott: "It's very rare you look at an Arsenal defence and say what a great block, what a great challenge. They're allowing people to get shots on target there by dropping off. Matteo Guendouzi there, if Rodri or Fernandinho are doing that they're taking the yellow card for a foul and not letting the opposition get the shot away."
