If you listen very closely, you will hear the faint dusting down of the Arsenal Fan TV microphones, blood. For Arsenal are at it again, and for the second time in five days, have surrendered a lead to lose a Premier League game 2-1. So absurdly repetitive are Arsenal's failures that it has given their fans a unique torment: so grimly familiar are they with their side's limitations.
Arsenal were the better team by miles in the first half at the Etihad, going in 1-0 up through a Theo Walcott goal. But instead of doubling down on their advantage in the second-half, they took an admittedly risky approach to the second 45 in not bothering to show up for it at all. Their lead was gone within a minute of the restart, and then Raheem Sterling scored at Petr Cech's near post to give City the lead.
Arsenal did not trouble haplessness' Claudio Bravo at all in the second half, and it is the second game in a row in which Arsenal have had a single shot on target. The Arsenal Fan reaction online was...well, you know exactly how it was.
Spineless second half from Arsenal. Utterly spineless.
— 11 cannons (@11cannons) December 18, 2016
Turkey not even on the table and already league over ahh well there's always #top4 @Arsenal !!
— Shane Curran (@shanetcurran) December 18, 2016
Is Ozil on strike until Arsenal match his new pay demands? 2 horror shows in 6 days
— Enda Higgins (@endahiggins88) December 18, 2016
Annual Arsenal mid season meltdown is underway
— Michael Devlin (@MichaelDevlin11) December 18, 2016
The late-season revival to take third or fourth place looks on, mind.
