Arsenal Edge First Half

MCFC Youth 1 - 2 AFC Youth

Rather than a match report as already many web sites have put their two penneth's in and because I ran out of time to post a report due to the early flight on Thursday to Aalborg its lost its edge as to how it might be read.

However there have been two contrasting views from either side about how the game panned out; with either side reporting on the positives of both teams. I for one was expecting a lot more from an Arsenal side that receive a lot of hype; and in most cases clearly well deserved as their record shows.

I do not however hold the belief that Arsenal became their usual self after a great Steve Bould half time team talk; clearly having watched City's youth players so much over many years I saw a City side sit back on their one nil lead which invited the space for Arsenal to gain confidence. Another factor for the defeat that runs through was clearly City's dominating spearhead Alex Nimley-Tchuimeni who was struggling with his injury after half time and so could not really offer the outlet up front to hold the ball up.

If City were to try to stifle the game they needed a midfield that is at one with its defence and unfortunately as this was alien to City's natural attacking game I felt that there was confusion as to who was picking up players and their role in the shape and formation of that gameplan.

With the difference only being one goal difference and if Nimley-Tchuimeni is fully fit for the return leg I fully expect City to cause the Arsenal defence plenty of problems and with away goals not counting a narrow one goal victory for City is a very real possibility if Arsenal's second half display was as good as they could offer