If Pep Guardiola suddenly pulled his squad back deep, building a solid defense instead of imposing the game, Mikel Arteta also had a rare time to make 2 personnel changes at the same time right after the first half in the Premier League. After that, he sent almost all of his players on the field, leaving behind Eze and Martinelli who scored.
If the starting lineup makes The Gunners fans feel reserved, the second half of the match will see Arteta take a risk, focusing on attacking in the hope of drilling through the "concrete" of Man City.
Arteta was a bit annoyed after the match when he was repeatedly questioned about personnel selection and tactical changes. However, when emotions subside, the Spanish captain himself will have to face many problems in how to combine new experiments into a highly competitive structure.
This season, Arsenal have 9 new faces in the first team (8 new contracts with young talent Max Dowman promoted from the academy). That means Arteta must redesign Arsenal in the process of playing under the huge pressure of the Premier League.
Compared to teams that have had time to assemble personnel in a less stressful period, Arsenal do not have any safe zone to experiment with. The "Gunners" are forced to find a winning formula in fierce matches against Liverpool or Man City. Interestingly, the adaptation process is not one-sided. New players must understand Arteta's philosophy, but the Spaniard himself needs time to understand what they need and how to exploit their full potential.
In the match against Man City, Eberechi Eze being used in the "number 10" position is a typical example. When he was bought from Crystal Palace, he was not destined for that role. However, the situation forced Arteta to experiment. The result was a delicate pass to Martinelli in the extra time, bringing home an equalizer 1-1, proving Eze's special creativity.
In midfield, the trio of Martin Zubimendi - Declan Rice - Mikel Merino have been trusted in many recent big matches. With Eze replacing Merino, the balance between control and creativity has improved significantly. Arteta also admitted that he wants to use Eze in many different areas.
Martinelli used to be used to being on the wing, but now has a sharp advantage with movements like a striker. A delicate finish with a right off the cheek to chip the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma shows that he can become a very disadvantaged "false 9".
Another notable detail is the wings of Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka. Madueke continued to impress in the first half, although his physical condition did not allow him to play the whole match. Saka, meanwhile, returned from injury and was pulled to the left wing at times to surprise.
Saka is still Arsenal's most effective weapon in attack. Since he and Eze were on the pitch, Arsenal have had much greater slavery in attack. This will force Arteta to consider and choose the right winger position depending on each match.
In the center of the attack, Viktor Gyokeres still needs to be served better. The match against Man City exposed the gap between him and the standards Erling Haaland is showing. It is a penalty shooter that can cause chaos in the opponent's defense with just a few touches. The problem for Arteta is how to create more chances for Gyokeres, instead of letting him flap in big matches.
With many new players and diverse options, Arteta is now facing double pressure when not only deciding the starting lineup, he also has to adjust between matches, when to change and change who. In other words, Arsenal 2025 is not just a new team, they are also a project under development.
The next testing opportunity will come in the middle of the week in the League Cup, when Arsenal only have to face Port Vale - a third-tier opponent. Immediately after that, there was a stormy away trip to Newcastle's St James' Park, where the "Gunners" often did not get good results.
The tough schedule at the beginning of the season, with trips to Old Trafford, Anfield, St James' Park and the clash with Man City, is the maximum test for Mikel Arteta's reshaping process.
In the long term, what Arsenal need is stability in the squad and operation, instead of having to rely too much on those who decide the match from the bench. Recklessness may bring explosive moments, but to become a championship candidate, Arteta needs more than that.
