Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
It's Manchester City v Arsenal on Sunday – the Etihad fixture that delivered nine goals last season and which raises issues about defending and calls into question the zonal marking principles Arsenal are sticking to.
I’m just not a believer in the system because it gives players excuses in a way that man-to-man marking does not.
My most vivid memory of man-to-man holding you to account was a game I played for Gordon Strachan’s Southampton at Birmingham.
Strachan used to have a board in the dressing room that listed who was picking up who from corners. When we conceded just before half time he demanded to know who was supposed to be picking him [the scorer] up. (There’s something about conceding from corners that managers seem particularly to hate.)
I was a bit green back then and I didn’t realise it was a rhetorical question. “That’ll be on the board,” I said. Strachan threw a cup of coffee at me, missed me and hit our goalkeeping coach!
Arsenal - the latest match in picturesShow all 148 1 /148Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0 John Terry (left) and Gary Cahill celebrate after the draw at Arsenal which put Chelsea one step closer to the Premier League title
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0 Oscar was victim of an unsavoury challenge with David Ospina.
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0 Cesc Fabregas, returning to Arsenal, was booked for a dive.
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0 Jose Mourinho watches on as Chelsea edged closer to the title.
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 0 Theo Walcott started for only the third Premier League match this season.
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 0 Olivier Giroud leaps into the air in celebration after opening the scoring on the stroke of half-time.
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 0 Aaron Ramsey scored for the first time since December.
AP
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 0 Mathieu Flamini scored with virtually his first touch after coming on as a substitute.
Reuters
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 Nacho Monreal celebrates scoring the opening goal with Arsenal's English midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 Wayne Rooney equalises for Manchester United
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 Wayne Rooney celebrates after making it 1-1
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 Danny Welbeck celebrates after making it 2-1
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 Angel Di Maria is shown a red card late in the FA Cup quarter-final tie
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures QPR 1 Arsenal 2 Alexis Sanchez celebrates his goal for Arsenal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures QPR 1 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud puts the Gunners ahead
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures QPR 1 Arsenal 2 Gabriel goes off injured in the 36th minute
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Middlesbrough 0 Olivier Giroud scores his second of the game
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Middlesbrough 0 Captain Santi Cazorla stars for Arsenal against Middlesbrough
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Leicester 1 Theo Walcott celebrates his effort
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Leicester 1 Laurent Koscielny (right) opens the scoring and celebrates with Mesut Ozil
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0 Theo Walcott strikes Arsenal's third
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0 Mesut Ozil celebrates his goal, Arsenal's second
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0 Mesut Ozil gets on the scoresheet for the Gunners
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Brighton 2 Arsenal 3 Tomas Rosicky is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Brighton 2 Arsenal 3 Mesut Ozil (left) scored Arsenal's second
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Brighton 2 Arsenal 3 Theo Walcott opens the scoring in the second minute
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester City 0 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud heads Arsenal 2-0 in front
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester City 0 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey misses the target
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Manchester City 0 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud celebrates with Santi Cazorla
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Stoke 0 Laurent Koscielny opened the scoring at the Emirates
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Stoke 0 Mathieu Debuchy was seriously hurt early in the match
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Stoke 0 Alexis Sanchez doubles the Gunners' advantage
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Stoke 0 The Chilean scored a second to make it 3-0
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Hull City 0 Alexis Sanchez curls in Arsenal's second in this FA Cup match
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Hull City 0 Per Mertesacker heads Arsenal in front
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Southampton 2 Arsenal 0 A downbeat Arsene Wenger at St Mary's
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Southampton 2 Arsenal 0 Dusan Tadic (right) capitalises on Wojciech Szczesny error to make it 2-0
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Southampton 2 Arsenal 0 Mane celebrates putting Saints 1-0 up
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures West Ham 1 Arsenal 2 Cheikhou Kouyate pulls one back for West Ham
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures West Ham 1 Arsenal 2 Danny Welbeck celebrates Arsenal's second
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures West Ham 1 Arsenal 2 Santi Cazorla makes it 1-0 to Arsenal from the spot
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 QPR 1 Olivier Giroud is shown a straight red card by referee Martin Atkinson after head-butting Nedum Onuoha
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 QPR 1 Tomas Rosicky celebrates with Danny Welbeck after scoring Arsenal's second
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 Martin Skrtel heads in the dramatic equaliser
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud celebrates his goal with Danny Welbeck
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 Martin Skrtel, complete with bandage, re-enters the pitch
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 Martin Skrtel is treated after Olivier Giroud clash
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 Mathieu Debuchy heads in to make it 1-1
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 Philippe Coutinho opens the scoring
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Galatasaray 1 Arsenal 4 Lukas Podolski opened the scoring in the first few minutes against Galatasaray
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Galatasaray 1 Arsenal 4 Aaron Ramsey then quickly added a second in this Champions League group stage game
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Galatasaray 1 Arsenal 4 Ramsey celebrates scoring a brilliant second with Podolski adding the fourth. Sneijder scored for the home side
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Arsene Wenger reacts to his side's 3-2 defeat to Stoke
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Alexis Sanchez holds his head after the 3-2 defeat to Stoke
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Santi Cazorla scores from the penalty to make it 3-1
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud look disconsolate after conceding a third goal
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Stoke players celebrate after Jon Walters scores a third
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Bojan scores Stoke's second against Arsenal
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Stoke 3 Arsenal 2 Peter Crouch scores Stoke's first after just 19 seconds
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Southampton 0 Alexis Sanchez is mobbed by his Arsenal team-mates after scoring
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Southampton 0 Sanchez taps in to win the game for Arsenal
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures West Brom 0 Arsenal 1 Danny Welbeck heads in Arsenal's winner
Reuters
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Borussia Dortmund 0 Alexis Sanchez celebrates Arsenal's second
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Borussia Dortmund 0 Jürgen Klopp, left, has been touted as the successor to Arsène Wenger, but his Dortmund side are struggling
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester United 2 Wayne Rooney and James Wilson applaud the travelling Manchester United fans
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester United 2 Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is tackled by Manchester United defender Paddy McNair
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Swansea 2 Arsenal 1 Alexis Sanchez and his Arsenal team-mates react to Swansea's second goal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Swansea 2 Arsenal 1 Bafetimbi Gomis heads in the winning goal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Swansea 2 Arsenal 1 Gylfi Sigurdsson (far left) curls in a remarkable free-kick
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Anderlecht 3 Mikel Arteta out Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Anderlecht 3 Alexis Sanchez doubles the advantage
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Anderlecht 3 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored Arsenal's third to put them in complete control of this Champions League meeting
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Anderlecht 3 Then it all went wrong with Vanden Borre scoring twice
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Anderlecht 3 Mitrovic scored the equaliser for the Belgian side in the 90 minute
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alexis Sanchez scores the opening goal for Arsenal against Burnley
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the opening goal for Arsenal against Burnley
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Sean Dyche shouts his instructions from the sidelines as he looks to get his side into the match
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gestures during the match against Burnley
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alexis Sanchez shows his frustration in the match against Burnley
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2 Arsene Wenger and Gus Poyet shake hands ahead of kick-off at the Stadium of Light
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2 Danny Welbeck shields the ball from Sunderland captain John O'Shea
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2 England and Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries to evade the clutches of Patrick van Aanholt
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2 Alexis Sanchez scores his seventh Arsenal goal, latching onto a through ball and dinking over Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2 Kieran Gibbs (right) went off injured for Arsenal, who are in the midst of a defensive crisis
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2 Sanchez scores a late second after a terrible mistake from Vito Mannone
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Hull 2 Danny Welbeck scores the equaliser for Arsenal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Hull 2 Abel Hernandez completes the turn around for Hull
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Hull 2 Mo Diame draws Hull level
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Hull 2 Alexis Sanchez celebrates after putting the Gunners in front
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 4 Galatasaray 1 Wojciech Szczesny is shown a straight red card for bringing down Burak Yilmaz
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 4 Galatasaray 1 Mesut Ozil jostles with Galatasaray captain Wesley Sneijder
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 4 Galatasaray 1 Alexis Sanchez scores Arsenal's third goal as he slots the ball beyond the covering Galatasaray defence
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 4 Galatasaray 1 Danny Welbeck celebrates scoring his second goal for Arsenal
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 4 Galatasaray 1 Danny Welbeck opens the scoring for Arsenal with a neat finish that rolls between the goalkeeper's legs
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1 All 10 of Oxlade-Chamberlain's Arsenal goals have come at the Emirates
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired in Arsenal's equaliser from close range
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1 Nacer Chadli (second right) fired Spurs into the lead after Mathieu Flamini gave away the ball in midfield
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1 Worryingly for the Gunners Aaron Ramsey was taken off after hurting his hamstring in the first half
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1 Danny Rose and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain battle for the ball in a tense, nervy north London derby at the Emirates
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1 Ryan Mason (right) made his Premier League debut for Spurs in the match
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Southampton 2 Arsenal's Abou Diaby and Southampton's Steven Davis in action during the Capital One Cup third-round tie
Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Southampton 2 Nathaniel Clyne (No 2) drives home his side's second goal past Arsenal’s David Ospina at the Emirates
REX
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Southampton 2 Alexis Sanchez delivered one of the best free-kicks of the season
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Aly Cissokho rues his mistake
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Kieran Gibbs puts a cross into the box which leads to Aly Cissokho scoring an own-goal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Danny Welbeck celebrates his goal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Danny Welbeck makes it two for the Gunners with his first for the club
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Mesut Ozil opens the scoring for Arsenal with a calmly slotted finish
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Ex-Gunner Phillippe Senderos clears the ball
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3 Santi Cazorla is tackled
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Borussia Dortmund 2 Arsenal 0 Ciro Immobile celebrates after opening the scoring against Arsenal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Borussia Dortmund 2 Arsenal 0 Pierre Emmerick Aubameyang scores his goal against Arsenal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Borussia Dortmund 2 Arsenal 0 Alexis Sanchez pictured during Borussia Dortmund vs Arsenal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Borussia Dortmund 2 Arsenal 0 Mikel Arteta pictured during Borussia Dortmund vs Arsenal
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Borussia Dortmund 2 Arsenal 0 Arsene Wenger pictured during the 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Manchester City 2 The Arsenal joy is short-lived, however, as Martin Demichelis heads in to grab his side a valuable away point.
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Manchester City 2 Alexis Sanchez looks on as his brilliant volley flies past Joe Hart and puts the Gunners ahead.
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Manchester City 2 Jack Wilshere can't hide his delight after dragging Arsenal back into the match. That's one way to silence your critics.
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Manchester City 2 Frank Lampard's first start in a Manchester City shirt was short lived after being substituted at half-time.
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Manchester City 2 Sergio Aguero puts the Premier League champions ahead after just 28 minutes. Wojciech Szczesny had no chance after neat build up play from City.
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Manchester City 2 Danny Welbeck can't believe his misfortune after watching his first half chip bounce back off the post.
Getty
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Besiktas 0 Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the only goal of the game as Arsenal advanced into the Champions League 1-0 on aggregate
PA
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Besiktas 0 Per Mertesacker in action at the Emirates
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Besiktas 0 Mathieu Flamini came in to the side due to the absence of Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Besiktas 0 Jack Wilshere was among Arsenal's best performers
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 1 Besiktas 0 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in action against the Turkish side
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Steven Pienaar picked up an injury just 10 minutes into the match at Goodison Park
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has an early strike at goal for the visiting team but it went over
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Alexis Sanchez wriggles his way past Kevin Mirallas - but the £35m Chilean struggled and was withdrawn at half-time
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Arsenal players Aaron Ramsey, Mathieu Flamini and Per Mertesacker are dejected after Seamus Coleman made it 1-0
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Steven Naismith fires his second goal in two matches past Wojciech Szczesny right on the stroke of half-time to put Everton two in front
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey pulls a late goal back to begin the Arsenal comeback
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Everton 2 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud celebrates after his late goal saved Arsenal a point at Goodison Park
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Besiktas 0 Arsenal 0 Olivier Giroud vies with Besiktas' Ersan Gulum (left) and Pedro Franco
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Besiktas 0 Arsenal 0 Demba Ba was Besiktas' chief threat throughout the game
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Besiktas 0 Arsenal 0 Arsene Wenger displays some nifty ball skills on the sidelines
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Besiktas 0 Arsenal 0 Mikel Arteta limps off injured and is replaced by Matthieu Flamini
EPA
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Besiktas 0 Arsenal 0 Aaron Ramsey exits the pitch after receiving his marching orders
EPA
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Besiktas 0 Arsenal 0 Besiktas fans hold a placard in support of Mike Brown, the teenager who was recently shot dead by police in Ferguson, Missouri, USA
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Arsenal celebrate Aaron Ramsey's late winning goal to make it 2-1
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Aaron Ramsey knocks in the winning goal to give Arsenal a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Santi Cazorla turns away after getting a face full of the vanishing spray
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Referee Jon Moss covers himself and Santi Cazorla in the vanishing spray
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Laurent Koscielny celebrates scoring an equaliser for Arsenal to make it 1-1
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Laurent Koscielny scores a header from a Santi Cazorla free-kick to level the scores
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Yaya Sanogo was preferred once again to start over Olivier Giroud
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Crystal Palace celebrate Brede Hangeland's goal on his debut to put the Eagles into the lead
Getty Images
Arsenal - the latest match in pictures Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 1 Arsene Wenger was in good spirits ahead of the game following the Community Shield victory the week before
Getty Images
My point is that man-to-man gives you no excuses. You go into a match thinking: “He’s the man I’m picking up and if he scores it’s my fault”, whereas zonal marking does allow excuses.
Take Arsenal’s match against Stoke last week. When a corner came out to Glenn Whelan, nobody was picking him up and he had a clear shot which, to Arsenal’s good fortune, he put over the bar.
If you’re marking a zone, you just allow a player attacking a corner to get a run on you. It doesn’t matter if you’re an inch or so taller, he will still get above you.
My preference is for man-to-man, with a bit of zonal mixed in. One of the areas where you can be zonal is the near-post space, which Alan Shearer defended unbelievably well for years and where you’ll now see Manchester United’s Robin van Persie.
If the ball goes over Van Persie’s head from the corner, he becomes the near-post man. I would also have a man doing a zonal job in the middle of the area – on the six-yard line – to pick up a man who may have lost his marker.
The zonal men are also needed to deal with decoy players, who are also a part of setpiece battles. At Stoke, we used decoys all the time. There’d be, perhaps, Robert Huth or James Beattie, standing in the area when a corner came in.
I would run towards one of them, brushing his shoulder as I passed on the outside of his, but causing my marker – who was following me – to run straight into him. I would then be free on the other side of them to receive the corner and get a header in.
Gordon Strachan threw a cup of coffee at me – but he missed (GETTY IMAGES) The problem teams have is the lack of on-field leaders, such as Jamie Carragher or John Terry, who can do the game management, decide on the hoof when to change the man-to-man plan.
Arsenal ought to be able to look to Per Mertesacker, with his World Cup pedigree, but he’s going through a difficult run of form and when that happens you tend to concentrate solely on yourself.
City are hardly invincible defensively either, so Sunday's game certainly promises goals. Man-for-man marking creates a security at the back that both these sides have lacked at times.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies