LONDON // Some things never change. Arsenal scored two excellent goals, were the better side for long spells, reducing Manchester City at times to strings of niggling fouls but ended up clinging on for a point, undone by basic defensive errors and a lack of edge.
They paid, as so often before, for a lack of street smarts. City made the journey back north probably relieved to have rescued a point but, after the defeat to Stoke City a fortnight ago, this was another indifferent display – there is suddenly real pressure on next Sunday's home game against Chelsea.
It was not quite like the Community Shield in that there was an urgency to City’s pressing at times that threatened to catch Arsenal out, but Wenger’s side dominated in midfield in the early stages, in part through weight of numbers.
This, of course, is the Arsene Wenger master-plan: have sufficient neat, technical, mobile players that they can operate as a swarm, overmanning everywhere on the pitch where the ball is.
It works so long as Arsenal have the ball; without it they risk the lack of structure that so afflicted the side in away games against their four closest rivals last season, matches in which they leaked 20 goals.
At home, it was a different story, with Arsenal unbeaten in the league since the opening day of last season. That has bred a poise and a confidence, and they started by far the better.
City, without Yaya Toure and Fernando because of injury, struggled to get a foothold, as Frank Lampard, on his first start for City, seemed to struggle with the pace of the game. His booking for a late foul on Jack Wilshere was thoroughly predictable, as was his removal at half-time.
Danny Welbeck, making his debut after his £16 million (Dh953.2m) move from Manchester United, was a persistent menace, his movement always threatening to create an opening for one of the deft passers behind him.
There were backheels, flurries of passes, a real swagger about Arsenal, which is, of course, when they are at their most vulnerable.
With 28 minutes played, Sergio Aguero challenged for a ball on halfway. It popped loose and was kept in play by Jesus Navas, who accelerated away from Nacho Monreal.
Aguero, meanwhile, was allowed to run free as Mathieu Flamini, seemingly surprised that Navas had kept the ball in play, appealed for a throw-in. Navas timed his square ball perfectly and Aguero swept past Wojciech Szczesny.
Arsenal passed too much, and City fouled too much. This was a masterclass in tactical fouling and, for a long time, it frustrated Arsenal.
Mesut Ozil, in particular, had one of those afternoons when he drifted like some ghost-ship on the flank. Eventually, though, 20 minutes into the second half, the equaliser arrived.
Wilshere had fizzed about in a haze of anger for much of the game, looking perpetually on the verge of exploding.
He was, though, not merely the scorer of the leveller, but also its instigator, his challenge winning possession for Alexis Sanchez, who played the ball forward quickly for Aaron Ramsey, who laid it off for Wilshere to finish with a calm chip – a nerveless finish for somebody who had previously scored only four league goals for the club.
Perhaps no team in the Premier League is as moody as Arsenal.
Reinvigorated, they came again and went ahead after 74 minutes as Flamini headed a clearance back into the box for Alexis Sanchez to score with a brilliantly controlled waist-high volley.
Was this the day that Arsenal produced the sort of result, having been behind, that might inspire a real run at the title? Or was this more to do with City’s flatness?
In the end, it was neither. It was just more of the same. Mathieu Debuchy turned his ankle under no pressure – a horrible injury, and had to be given oxygen as he was stretchered off – and Arsenal, seemingly distracted, switched off.
Nobody was picking up Martin Demichelis as he headed in a corner and it could have been even worse as Laurent Koscielny hit his own post in injury-time.
It was a thrilling game, gripping to the last, and Arsenal should have won.
But they did not, let down by familiar failings. Nothing has really changed.
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