Arsenal 0 Manchester City 0: Fabregas Excels But Gunners Drop Points at Emirates

Arsenal would not be satisfied with the result considering that they were the ones who created most of the chances in the game. On the other hand, Manchester City would be happy with the point and will look to push on from here. Arsene Wenger lamented the opposition’s defensive tactics while Roberto Mancini said that he had to ensure his team did not lose the game.

The Gunners were out of the blocks in a flash as they created numerous chances in the opening ten minutes of the game. Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas all had half chances but could not convert. After the initial burst, Robin van Persie starting in consecutive games weaved past his marker to create space to shoot. Unfortunately, it could only hit the base of the post and was the sign of things to come for the Gunners on the day.

Cesc Fabregas then did brilliantly to find space and shot at goal but with Joe Hart completely beaten, he could only hit the post and Theo Walcott also could only strike the post of the rebound. Manchester City looked a threat on set-pieces and it took good defending by Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny to clear the danger from free-kicks. It was clear that City had a plan to play counter-attacking football but struggled to get behind the defence.

Manchester City missed the creativity and pace of David Silva who has the ability to break down defences. Yaya Toure proved a threat with his direct attacking runs and did well on a lot of occasions but could not create too many opportunities. Carlos Tevez worked hard as ever but he had very little support from his attacking team mates and was isolated for large parts of the game.

In the second half, it was Arsenal again who looked for the opener and they really close when Robin van Persie did very well to get his shot away and it looked to be heading for the corner until Hart got a strong hand to the ball. Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure did very well in defence and stood firm when Arsenal got many players into the box.

Theo Walcott’s pace skinned Pablo Zabaleta on a couple of occasions but the experienced defender was up to the task of sticking close to the England International and Walcott could not get enough good opportunities. Samir Nasri could not exert an influence in the game as Micah Richards and James Milner both kept Nasri quiet which was essential considering his form of late.

At the end of the day, City would be happy to end the day staying in second place while the Gunners would consider it to be two points dropped at home. Wenger and his men will have to be consistent to mount a good title challenge while the Citizens will believe that they have the squad to be successful over the season.

Though they could be disappointed with the result, the performance was good from the Gunners and it does seem like the combination of Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou seems to be the best option for the Gunners after they secured their second consecutive clean sheet. Also, Koscielny has improved a lot from the start of the season and is starting to look like a quality defender. With the return of Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal will be a stronger unit and still have a good chance of winning the title.

It was a extremely hard game for the Gunners considering that City only wanted a point from the game but these are the sort of games that they should win in order to be close to the top. There were some positives from this game like the return to form of Robin van Persie who looked threatening and with relatively easier fixtures coming up, Arsenal should try to maximize the advantage.

Arsenal vs. Manchester City: Cesc Fabregas and Yaya Toure, the Key for the Teams

Arsenal take on title rivals Manchester City on Wednesday in what is expected to be an exciting encounter between two quality sides. The Gunners secured an important victory against Birmingham City in style with Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri running the show for the away side. City continued their impressive run of results with another win with Carlos Tevez and Yaya Toure again coming good for the Citizens.

Both the clubs remain close in the title race and this game could be important in deciding the fortunes of the two clubs at the end of the season. It has never been more tight and it is matches like these which could prove to be crucial in the challenge for the title.

Manchester City have spent a lot of money yet again this summer and they have developed into a stronger unit this summer and they have some excellent players at their disposal. Also, they have an excellent squad at their disposal which is one of the strongest in the Premier League.

Arsenal have also got a very strong squad thanks to the development of many youngsters by Arsene Wenger who has to get it right against City. The Gunners enjoyed a 3-0 win at the City of Manchester stadium but this match will be a hard fought one and can be won only if the Gunners play to their best.

Team News

Arsenal

The only new injury concern is that of Abou Diaby who is injured yet again and is two to three weeks out. Manuel Almunia and Thomas Vermaelen are yet to recover completely and are sure to miss this match. However, Kieran Gibbs is back int training and has a small chance to feature on the bench for the clash.

Wenger has to decide on whether or not to gamble on the fitness of Robin van Persie and Johan Djourou, but he might play them and rest them for the Carling Cup and FA cup ties. The same eleven players started the games against Chelsea and Birmingham and their success might ensure that all of them might start again.

Probable Starting 11

Lukasz Fabianski; Gael Clichy, Johan Djourou, Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna; Jack Wilshere, Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas; Samir Nasri, Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie

Manchester City

Edin Dzeko has been linked strongly with Manchester City who have reportedly agreed a fee with Wolfsburg. However he will not play a role in the game against Arsenal for sure but Roberto Mancini has a very strong squad to choose from. Mario Balotelli was ruled out of the last game due to a knee injury after his hat-trick against Aston Villa.

It is doubtful whether Balotelli will start against the Gunners and it will depend on the formation which Mancini decides to use. Adam Johnson has started games recently but it is doubtful if the manager will opt for him instead of Milner who will work hard and give support to the fullback considering the fact that Arsenal's strength lies in goal scoring wingers.

Probable Starting 11

Joe Hart; Aleksander Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Kolo Toure, Jerome Boateng; Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong, Yaya Toure; James Milner, David Silva, Carlos Tevez

Arsenal Key Player: Cesc Fabregas

Samir Nasri has been in amazing form this season and has emerged as an early contender for the player of the season award this season. The Frenchman has scored 13 goals in all competitions which is his highest for the Gunners in a season. Though he is influential in every game, it is important Arsenal have the upper hand in the midfield in the big games.

Cesc Fabregas is a key player for the Gunners and against Chelsea and Birmingham, he showed what he is capable of and dominated the midfield battles. The Spaniard is an inspirational player and he is returning to his best form. Manchester City have three combative midfielders but if Fabregas can still provide service for the strikers, then Arsenal has a great chance to win the game.

Manchester City Key Player: Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure played as a defensive midfielder in his time with FC Barcelona but after signing for City, he has played in a more advanced role for the Citizens. Though he did take time to adjust to the Premiership, he has shown that he has the quality to be a huge player for City. Toure has been in excellent form in the last three weeks and will hope to maintain his good run.

He had a horrible game against Arsenal but he would be confident he can make a big impact in this game. His battle against Alex Song in midfield could be very important in the context of the game. Also, he could lead counter-attacks and if Song and Wilshere are caught high up the field, he will look to maximize his advantage.

Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres linked with Barcelona; Where do their Futures lie?

Barcelona recently inked a shirt deal with the Qatar foundation, the world's most expensive shirt deal at present. This will provide the Spanish giants with more revenue and help them reduce their debts to a large extent.

Barcelona are arguably the favourites to lift the Champions League at Wembley after showing their prowess against Spanish rivals Real Madrid. They have a superb style of play which can be matched by no one in the world and have been extremely successful under Guardiola. It is hard to find a soft area in the current Barcelona team which is why it is a surprise that they are linked with moves to Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal and Fernando Torres of Liverpool.

The Spanish internationals were linked with the Catalan club in the last summer as well but both of them stayed at their respective clubs. As the January window approaches, it is hardly surprising that there are speculations concerning them. In this article, I will discuss the possibilities of the two Spaniards moving away from their respective clubs in the summer.

Cesc Fabregas

Barcelona tried to convince Fabregas of a move to his homeland but failed to make a substantial offer last season. The French tactician, who has played an integral part in the development of Cesc Fabregas, convinced the Spanish international to stay for the season.

Fabregas has a long term contract till 2015 and his potential is undeniable considering his rapid progress at Arsenal into a superb midfielder at the age of 23. It would take a massive bid of close to £50 million to entice Arsenal into considering the offer. The Gunners hold all the trump cards in the deal and will demand the price that they think is necessary to part ways with their captain.

Inter Milan have been linked with a big-money move in the past, but Fabregas has made it clear that if he does move from Arsenal, it will only be to Barcelona.

Fabregas has suffered numerous injuries in his career, but his recurring hamstring injury is a cause of concern because it could have long-term implications, not unlike the case of Michael Owen whose career was greatly affected by hamstring injuries. However, that is unlikely to put off Barcelona from launching a strong bid in the summer to bring back their former youth player, who remains special amongst the Barcelona crowd.

Arsenal's Point of View:

Arsenal and Wenger understand that it is inevitable that Fabregas will leave the club, but they will look to groom their replacement before he does join FC Barcelona. Aaron Ramsey is highly rated and if not for his double fracture, he would have got many chances this season and Wenger could have utilised him in the attacking midfield role when Fabregas is injured.

Samir Nasri can play in the role and has proved to be effective in the past. The versatility of some of the players at Arsenal might mean that Wenger does not sign a new playmaker to replace Fabregas. The Spanish International has been affected by injuries this season and it would have given Wenger some idea as to how they would cope without their inspirational talisman.

Even if Wenger feels he could let Fabregas move, Barcelona will have to come up with the right offer or they could expect to be snubbed by the Arsenal manager because they do believe that a price of around £50 million is justified for a player of Fabregas' class.

Barcelona's Point of View:

Barcelona have made it clear that they would be glad to sign Cesc Fabregas and with Xavi Hernandez not getting any younger, Cesc Fabregas could be groomed for the next two seasons to take up the mantle for the Blaugrana. They are a club which have paid big money in the past and with the new revenue from the shirt deal, Guardiola might spend the money to acquire the Arsenal captain.

However, signing the Arsenal captain would mean that the chances for Thiago Alacantara and Jonathan dos Santos, who are promising central midfielders, would disappear. Also, Ibrahim Afellay was signed recently by the Blaugrana and there could be some youngsters who could leave the club in search of more playing time.

Fernando Torres

The Spanish striker was clearly unhappy that his side could not compete in the Champions League this year and was linked with a number of clubs in the last summer. However the new manager Roy Hodgson convinced him to stay with the club. He was also influenced by the decision of Steven Gerrard and the signing of Joe Cole but it has not worked well for him this season.

He has looked off form for most of the season but turned in a brilliant performance against current champions Chelsea to defeat them by two goals to nil. His talent is undeniable and he has proven that he is a world class striker. However he has been a pale shadow of himself due to his lean patch which extends to the World Cup in June.

Torres is an ambitious striker and believes he should be playing in the Champions League and that could be a reason he could force a move from the club in January or in the summer. Manchester City were heavily linked with him in the summer and could test his resolve again.

Liverpool's Point of View:

It will be very difficult to convince Torres to stay with the club after a very disappointing start to the season and though he has not been in form, the supply to him in general has been quite poor and he has also suffered because of it. Ideally, Liverpool would like to hold on to their striker but if the striker decides to move on, there is not much that the club can do but to negotiate smartly in order to gain the best deal.

Liverpool's new owners might hold the key to whether or not he will stay at the club. Roy Hodgson's time with Liverpool is numbered if he does not start producing the results and if things do not go his way, the new manager and the owners' willingness to spend the money to acquire new players could also determine whether Torres will stay at the club or not.

The Clubs that could Sign Fernando Torres

Manchester City are one of the strong contenders to land the Spanish striker considering they need a prolific established striker if their former captain Carlos Tevez does force a move out of the club. They have the financial clout to meet Liverpool's asking price but the question is whether Torres will move to a club where a player's future is not always certain (read Roque Santa Cruz, Adebayor et al). Also, Torres named Liverpool as the biggest club in England and moving to City will not impress the Liverpool supporters.

Chelsea were believed to have made a bid in the summer for Torres and after seeing the striker's prowess against them, they might want to add the prolific striker to their roster. Also, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka are both on the wrong side of 30 and the London based club might let Anelka leave if they can sign Torres.

Real Madrid are interested to sign a striker in January or in the summer and do have the finances to sign the Spanish International but there is a very good possibility that Torres might not want to play for the Los Blancos considering he played for Atletico Madrid in his early years and the club remains close to him.

Barcelona were also one of the clubs linked with the star striker and it was reported that Sandro Rosell was keen on bringing the Spanish International to the Camp Nou. Torres is not averse to a move there and the Blaugrana are capable of paying what it takes to land Torres. David Villa and Fernando Torres share an excellent relationship and that could also be a factor. The only thing which Barcelona have to consider is whether Torres is needed at the club and that his signing will hinder Bojan Krkic from having regular opportunities. For Torres, he needs to playing regularly and should he be assured by Guardiola of a chance to prove his calibre, there is a good chance he would be interested.