EPL MAtch Day 34: Arsenal vs Manchester United; Match Preview
In 1992 Queen Elizabeth used the term “Annus Horrobilis” to describe how bad the year was when she opened parliament that year. The term seems quite apropros for this current Arsenal season. What only two months ago looked like a season of promise has deteriorated into a morass of funk and junk that has left Arsenal supporters wondering whether its time that Arsene Wenger step aside.
That question and many more won’t be answered until the season is well and over. For now there is the matter of a visit to the Emirates of Manchester United, a team who look on course to win their 19th title. When these teams last met, Sir Alex Fergueson set up the team with 7 defenders and let Arsenal attack in waves and it nearly back fired as Edwin Van Der Saar put in the performance of a life-time to stop the Arsenal attack. It was Rafael and Hernandez on the counter that ultimately did the Gunners in and cemented the run of joy United have against the North London side.
For Arsenal this is an especially hard task on Sunday. Fergueson has found the way to beat Arsenal and in their last meetings have come away beating Arsenal 6 out of their last 7 visits. Throw in the Gunners bad form of late and this really does have the potential to be an ugly match.
Arsenal have to take a deep look at themselves, form the manager to the players and decide what it is they really are. Are they a conglomeration of also-rans that will be nothing better than the sum of the whole they are now or are they a team that can pick up from their bad form and put in a fight worthy of the epic match-ups between these two teams of old? Again it remains to be seen.
Arsenal have their full choice squad available to them with the exception of Diaby. No one is carrying any lingering injuries so there should be no reason why the preferred XI shouldn’t be on the pitch. Who Fergueson brings out remains a mystery. With a Champion’s League tie in the midweek and another title decider against Chelsea set for next week, there is a chance Fergie could rest key people. But I think he will want to make a statement and run out as strong a team as he can.
If Arsenal can find any hope for this match it is in the fact that United have only managed 5 away wins this season. Their form on the road is paltry and it has presented problems in terms of getting and holding leads. But to take advatange of this they will need to overcome their own frailties which extend to much more than bad form on the road. 8 points from their last 6 EPL Matches is an atrocious run of form for a team that had the table set for them in the run in. IN order to take something from United they will need a large dose of self-belief and they will need to overcome the strength of Van Der Saar in goal.
Arsenal will create their chances. But they have to do a couple things – first – they have to take the shot more. In this recent run of form we have resorted to our tried and true effort of trying to pass the ball into prime position. Someone on twitter suggested a new drinking game – drink for every time you shout SHOOT at the TV when Arsenal have the ball tippy-tapping around the box. Take the bloody shot. Let the ball hit off of someone if you are a mile out. Get a goal any way you can. Perfection is not necessary when you want a W. Just get the bloody win. In hockey, homage is always played to “junk goals” because hokcey players don’t care how they win, just that they win. Arsenal have to get this in their mind. Sure the beauty of their play is amazing, but it should not take a way from just trying to win the bloody game. Have I said bloody enough for you?
Secondly, use Walcott more. Theo has been a real threat even this bad run of form. Either use him to set up Robin Van Persie or find a way to get him behind the defenders. He is showing some maturation in play. He is taking shots and more are on target than off. The good thing ffor Theo is he is no longer hugging the touchline like he was so wont to do in the past. Now he at least tries to turn his defender by bringing them inside after testing them with pace along the wing. Its a good sign of his development, he just needs to add that finishing touch to his game and he will be the world beater everyone hoped it would be.
Arsenal now have a worry with Manchester City 5 points off and a game in hand. I don’t think Arsenal are in danger of falling out of the top 4. Not with Tottenham having to play Chelsea this saturday and then still play City. But if Arsenal are not careful they could find themselves with a shortened pre-season and more games then they had this season. While the title is all but technically lost – there is still something to play for and they need to show it.
How the Match Should Play Out:
United have been the model of how you just dig down and grind out a title. Last week’s win for them was a prime example. They are winning despite not playing well. It is the sign of their maturity and their calibre. But they have not played particulary well in the opening of matches and if they set off like that again, Arsenal should try and take advantage of it. For Arsenal they need to find the team that out hustled Chelsea and forced them into key errors that led to the Gunner’s win. They find the poise and resiliance that led them through the win against Barcelona on this same pitch. That means pressing the opponent.. It means bringing the ball out wide if the midfield gets clogged up or lumping it up forward to take an epmhasis off the midfield. But it really means is digging down deep and showing they have the intestinal fortitude to get it done.
Players to Watch:
Arsenal: Robin Van Persie. He has been on fire in the EPL. He has 15 goals in 16 matches. He is scoring just about from every place. He would likely have a lot more but the woodwork does a lot to stop him at times.
Man United. Javier Hernandez. This was hard, what with Edwin Van Saar showing everyone why he is the keeper he is. But Hernandez is likely the find of the season and has relegated Berbatov to second class citizen. He is a true poacher in every sense of the word and Djourou and Koscielny will have their hands full tracking him.
Projected Lineups:
Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Fabianksi (shoulder) Diaby (calf)
Man Utd: Scholes (Suspended -1) Fletcher (virus) Hargreaves (shoulder)
Last Meeting (FA Cup Quatrer Finals):
Arsenal: 0
United: 2
Current Form:
Arsenal: LDDWD
Man Utd: WDWWW
Goals For:
Arsenal (home): 1.8
Man Utd: (away) 1.6
Goals Against:
Arsenal: (home): 0.8
Man Utd: (away): 1.4
Goal Differential:
Arsenal: 31
Man Utd: 39
Leading Scorers:
Arsenal: Van Persie 19 (15 league) Nasri 15 (10 league)
Man Utd: Berbatov 22 (21 league), Hernandez 19 (12 league)
Match Officials:
Referee: Chris Foy
Assistant Referees: John Flynn & Andy Garratt
Fourth Official: Lee Mason
Broadcast Information:
US: FSC 9:00 AM EST
UK: Sky Sports 1 1405 BST
GAMEDAY CHAT: It’s Open!!!!!! www.youaremyarsenal.com/gamedaychat
YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2
Man Utd: 2
Some Final Thoughts:
There is some good news to report with regard to the Gunners and the best of it is that Thomas Vermaelen is officially back with the squad having finished a full 90 minutes with the reserves on Thursday as they played against United at Old Trafford. From all accounts Vermaelen was solid and turned in a great performance. He seemed to be winning all the headers that came his way and was good at moving the ball from the central position.
Its a good sight to see the Belgian playing again and from all reports not having any ill effects from his long time away. As well as the pairing of Djourou and Koscielny have been at times, the leadership and steel that Vermalene brought to the team both in the back of the line and overall is surely missed. He has a firey personality and along with Van Persie strikes me as a someone of character that the team really needed this season. It’s good he is back.
In other news, Wenger this week said he believed the Arsenal captaincy has been a burden on Cesc Fabregas and that he has simply run out of gas trying to do it all for the club. I couldn’t agre more. Making a 23 year old Captain is too much of a heavy burden but at the time any player with any age to them was gone. The best thing to do for Arsenal is to remove that burden from him. Next season find a player who exemplifies leadership that is needed by the team. Release Fabregas from the burden of doing everything and let him try and find joy in his play again. Sure we are in for another silly season of will or won’t he (he won’t) but the boy should just be allowed to play football. Let him lead by example and not place too much on him.
Fabregas and Vice-Captain Van Persie are called on too much by their team to bail out the team when things aren’t going right. That is a sign of the players they but that and the added burden of the club Captaincy has seemed to weigh to heavy on the Spainaird. I think its time Wenger give the Captaincy who befits that role – much in the way Vierra did.
Finally, I just want to say I hate United. I don’t hate them because they win. Okay, that is part of it. I just hate United. I hate the cry baby that is Nani and the jackass that is Evra There is only three or four players on that team I have some respect for – Van Der Saar, Vidic, Ferdinand and Giggs. Other than that I have no love for the red side of Manchester in any way shape or form. To think I had Arsenal fans via twitter to tell me to stop hating on United. People please. There are two clubs I shall never stop hating on one of them is from the other side of North London – the other is United. If we aren’t going to win the season nothing would make me happier than to at least beat United at home and wipe the grin off their faces even for a little while.
Och well – till next time. Stay Goonerish!!!
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