It’s one thing losing to a top side, but it’s quite another to do it in the manner Arsenal managed at Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

Manchester, England, 28th August 2021. Kieran Tierney of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Picture credit: Darren Staples / Sportimage
Manchester, England, 28th August 2021. Kieran Tierney of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Picture credit: Darren Staples / Sportimage

No Arsenal fan expected anything from this game and we expected even less when we saw the starting lineup with Sead Kolasinac, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares all in it.

But ahead of the game, and the lineup announcement, we could have had no idea it would be as bad as it was.

Arsenal finished the game shipping five goals. We all know that, it’s the headline number. They also finished with 19% possession, a number even Tony Pulis laughs at.

120 accurate passes were made, a completion rate of just 67%. 70 of those were in our own half.

Shots? 1, the same as the number of red cards.

Arsenal players attempted 44 long balls, completing 14 of them.

They went into 66 duels and lost 40.

Arsenal couldn’t even muster a bit of fight and that, perhaps, is the most pathetic part of Saturday’s performance.