Arsenal out to prove a point on return to Manchester City

James Olley
11 Sep 2009

The optimism that currently infuses Manchester City after a superb start to the season makes their darkest days seem like a distant memory, and such sentiment will not be confined to the hosts when Arsenal visit Eastlands tomorrow.

For it was the week running up to this fixture last November when Arsenal imploded in spectacular fashion, as William Gallas was stripped of the captaincy amid rumours of dressing room unrest that threatened to tear the club apart.

The 32-year-old was dropped as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat and he seemed a certainty to leave the Gunners after such a public admonition.

Yet it was his central defensive partner Kolo Toure who would move on to new pastures, and Gallas tomorrow makes the trip to the City of Manchester Stadium as a man reborn, with the thanks of both new signing Thomas Vermaelen and manager Arsene Wenger ringing in his ears for being chiefly responsible for helping this summer's £10million acquisition settle in so readily.

It is a far cry from the outburst against his own team-mates that proved to be his final act as captain and his excellent form since the second half of last season is a testament to his resilience.

"I am very impressed by William's response and by what happened to him that week because it was a very difficult week," said Wenger.

"We have come very far since then. It was our last defeat in November and we did not lose again until May, against Chelsea and the semi-final exit of the Champions League to Manchester United.

"It was a difficult period because to lose 3-0 at Man City was very hard to take. Everything went against us on the day.

"There was the penalty on half-time, the second goal came quickly. After that they played only on the break and it was the kind of game where we had everything against us.

"Overall, I believe we have moved forward a lot from what was a low point. It was after an international game again and we can show on Saturday that we have learned from that and we are much stronger."

Wenger will have to demonstrate that strength without Andrey Arshavin, who became a victim of the international break.

But while Vermaelen's is the only new face among the ranks compared to last November, the level of unity should be unrecognisable from the corresponding fixture last year.

Of course, Wenger would never reveal the source of any discontent but it is easy to assume that Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor were sold to Manchester City for more than football reasons alone.

Adebayor will receive a hostile reception from the visiting supporters - who already sing a rather abrupt chant about their preference for Arshavin over their former player - but Wenger insists there will be no animosity among the players.

"There are no hard feelings for Toure or Adebayor," said the Gunners boss. "I always wish my former players to be happy. It is part of life that players move on. That is not a reason that you want them not to be happy.

"I am extremely confident they will be and wish them well. I personally don't think that Adebayor was obsessed by money in that case. I must say that to be fair to him and we can deal with that."

Both players will understandably be desperate to prove City is a step up in terms of football and not just finance and boss Mark Hughes believes his new charges have given themselves the best chance by settling quickly.

"When you have been at a club for a long time it can be difficult to deal with changing, but you get into the game very quickly," he said.

"Leading into game there will be lots of interest in how you feel going up against a club you spent a long time with. I'm sure that Ade and Kolo will have those conversations leading right up to kick off, but once the game starts the focus is sharper.

"They are both great guys, but the quality they show in games makes it very easy for them to integrate into the group because there is huge respect for what they have done as professional footballers."

Despite the contrasts in Arsenal's demeanour to their last visit to Eastlands, one notable similarity is that the game once again represents a pivotal moment in their embryonic season.

The resounding defeat last November ended any realistic hopes of a title challenge from the Gunners and after losing to Manchester United, another setback tomorrow would put the emphasis on an all too familiar picture of playing catch up to the leaders and cast a negative light on what has thus far been a hugely promising start.

The loss of Arshavin, allied to Theo Walcott's continuing injury problems, is a huge blow because if Wenger chooses to match City's 4-2-3-1 system, he is bereft of genuine creativity in wide areas of the pitch with Emmanuel Eboue, Nicklas Bendtner and Abou Diaby and the returning Tomas Rosicky the only wide options available.