reports Arsenal 3-1 Manchester City
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Arsenal 3-1 Manchester City: Poor defensive show from City leaves Pellegrini pondering new arrivals
If we buy someone, then OK. If not, I think we have got the squad to solve our *problems," says new City boss
Manuel Pellegrini might just need to get the cheque book out again , writes Simon Mullock at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.
The new Manchester City boss boasted to fans on *Thursday night that a *near-£100million investment in new players has given him the best squad in the Premier League.
After seeing the Blues blown apart by Arsenal in Helsinki, he may be having second thoughts.
It might have only been a money-spinning friendly, but, on this evidence, the Gunners look much better prepared for the new season than City.
Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud all came out on top in one-on-ones with Joe Hart as Arsene Wengers men gave a sell-out crowd in the Olympic Stadium a real exhibition of top-class *finishing.
Some of Citys defending, though, was shambolic.
Pellegrini inherited a team that has boasted the meanest rearguard in the Premier League for the last three *seasons.
But, at times, Vincent *Kompany and Joleon Lescott looked like strangers.
And, with Matija Nastasic set to miss the opening month of the new campaign through *injury, Pellegrini will now surely step up his efforts to land a new centre-back *before Citys opener against *Newcastle. Pellegrini said: Of course, the result is not the best way to prepare, but I dont think the score *describes *exactly what happened here.
We had a lot of chances to score and didnt.
I think Arsenal only had maybe three or four chances and scored three goals.
We had some problems *defending and we will try to improve that this week.
We will see this week what we need.
If we buy someone, then OK. If not, I think we have got the squad to solve our *problems.
We have conceded too many in pre-season and will have to arrange it.
Going forward, City look like a team that will create plenty of chances and, on *another day, Alvaro Negredo could have had a hat-trick. Negredo did net Citys *80th-minute consolation, but, by then, the Gunners were out of sight.
It was all positive for the London team, who clearly had the bulk of the support in the historic 39,000-capacity *stadium. Jack Wilshere looked back to his brilliant best *before being replaced at *half-time.
And more good news for England boss Roy Hodgson is the form of Walcott.
The Arsenal wideboy opened the scoring in the ninth minute when he produced a burst of pace to leave Gael Clichy standing, before lifting a *clever finish over Hart.
Bacary Sagna also saw Hart tip his long-range shot against the post.
But City should have been level by the break, with James Milner, Negredo and Edin Dzeko all wasting clear *chances.
Negredo twice threatened after the half-time break, *before the *Gunners floored City with two goals in four minutes.
First, Ramsey timed his run to perfection to collect Sagnas pass, then skipped around Hart before sidefooting home.
And then substitute Giroud capitalised on some desperate defending by Kompany to loop a deft shot over the oncoming Hart.
Wenger said: It was only a friendly, but our attitude was very good.
We were highly focused and thats good.
I dont know what this win will do, but it should lift our confidence.
We have a number of *players going away on *international duty now and we will have to wait until they come back to prepare for our first game.
If we buy someone, then OK. If not, I think we have got the squad to solve our *problems," says new City boss
Manuel Pellegrini might just need to get the cheque book out again , writes Simon Mullock at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.
The new Manchester City boss boasted to fans on *Thursday night that a *near-£100million investment in new players has given him the best squad in the Premier League.
After seeing the Blues blown apart by Arsenal in Helsinki, he may be having second thoughts.
It might have only been a money-spinning friendly, but, on this evidence, the Gunners look much better prepared for the new season than City.
Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud all came out on top in one-on-ones with Joe Hart as Arsene Wengers men gave a sell-out crowd in the Olympic Stadium a real exhibition of top-class *finishing.
Some of Citys defending, though, was shambolic.
Pellegrini inherited a team that has boasted the meanest rearguard in the Premier League for the last three *seasons.
But, at times, Vincent *Kompany and Joleon Lescott looked like strangers.
And, with Matija Nastasic set to miss the opening month of the new campaign through *injury, Pellegrini will now surely step up his efforts to land a new centre-back *before Citys opener against *Newcastle. Pellegrini said: Of course, the result is not the best way to prepare, but I dont think the score *describes *exactly what happened here.
We had a lot of chances to score and didnt.
I think Arsenal only had maybe three or four chances and scored three goals.
We had some problems *defending and we will try to improve that this week.
We will see this week what we need.
If we buy someone, then OK. If not, I think we have got the squad to solve our *problems.
We have conceded too many in pre-season and will have to arrange it.
Going forward, City look like a team that will create plenty of chances and, on *another day, Alvaro Negredo could have had a hat-trick. Negredo did net Citys *80th-minute consolation, but, by then, the Gunners were out of sight.
It was all positive for the London team, who clearly had the bulk of the support in the historic 39,000-capacity *stadium. Jack Wilshere looked back to his brilliant best *before being replaced at *half-time.
And more good news for England boss Roy Hodgson is the form of Walcott.
The Arsenal wideboy opened the scoring in the ninth minute when he produced a burst of pace to leave Gael Clichy standing, before lifting a *clever finish over Hart.
Bacary Sagna also saw Hart tip his long-range shot against the post.
But City should have been level by the break, with James Milner, Negredo and Edin Dzeko all wasting clear *chances.
Negredo twice threatened after the half-time break, *before the *Gunners floored City with two goals in four minutes.
First, Ramsey timed his run to perfection to collect Sagnas pass, then skipped around Hart before sidefooting home.
And then substitute Giroud capitalised on some desperate defending by Kompany to loop a deft shot over the oncoming Hart.
Wenger said: It was only a friendly, but our attitude was very good.
We were highly focused and thats good.
I dont know what this win will do, but it should lift our confidence.
We have a number of *players going away on *international duty now and we will have to wait until they come back to prepare for our first game.
