FA Cup Quaterfinals: Arsenal v Manchester United; Match Preview
It used to be that matches between Arsenal and Manchester United were the staples of the season. Fergie and Wenger going at each other like two mad men. The teams going at each other like the match were a bar room brawl. Ah, those were the good ol’ days.
But in recent years the good ol’ days have been replaced by not so good days. Arsenal have taken one tack in development and United another. Arsenal took a step back to produce their own talent while United had a mix of older, proven players, intermixed with talent from the reserves. For Arsenal it has meant 5 very lean season. For United it has meant fighting off the emergence of Chelsea with their sugar daddy Russian. In terms of the Arsenal v United rivalries things chilled.
That was until this season. In his first interview this week, since his self-imposed media ban, Fergie came right out and said the re-emergence of Arsenal in the title race was unexpected to him and almost everyone else. He went on to say he thought the title race would be between United and Chelsea with City and Spurs fighting to push out Arsenal. In his telling of it, he was almost whistful for old times.
Such as it is that when the two teams meet this Saturday on the pitch at Old Trafford, old acquaintances will be met once again. Both teams have not had very good runs. The Arsenal misery is well known. For United it has been two losses in a row and an investigation into Fergie’s comments about the state of referees in the FA. Neither manager has been joyful.
Both teams will need some sort of result. For United, losing again would be paramount to indicating that a full fledged crisis were about to ensue. For Arsenal it would signal to certain camps that the March swoon is full gear. Both things can mean only one thing – this might actually be an FA Cup match to watch.
I am mixed on what kind of side Fergie will put out. He has a Champion’s League against Marseille in the midweek so he could go with a mix of starters and reserves. For Arsenal there is now no such Champion’s League to chase. It is all or nothing on two runs in the domestic scene. That means it is likely that a first team squad will play with maybe one exception.
For the midfield to go it needs an engine. Our key choice is out due to his lingering thigh injury. That would leave Rosicky as the main choice and likely even though I have someone else in mind, will still be the choice. But I am going to come out and say it – Rosicky has been woeful. He has had some good moments but overall he is just not the player he was before his lingering injuries. So to me bringing him in as our cog is not in the team’s best interest. That is why I want Wenger to bring in Aaron Ramsey. Let Ramsey get back in this one. He showed at Cardiff that he is not showing any lingering physical or mental after effects of the broken ankle. He has the requisite speed and skill I think to partner successfully in the midfield with Jack Wilshere. I say give him the shot. Sadly though, as much as I would like to think Wenger reads YAMA, I think it will be Rosicky starting.
Starting in goal will be Manuel Almunia who looked to be gone in January but Fabianski’s injury kept him here. Now with the injury to Szczesny, Almunia gets a chance at redemtion, or at least a chance to have two months showcasing his skills before he is sold off. This is a perfect opportunity. He is playing behind to better center-halfs than he has had recently and if he can somehow be solid enough to keep Arsenal fighting for the title and for the FA Cup, he could still wind up with a cushy job somwhere (just not at Arsenal). I think he days are numbered and he is going to want to prove something to everyone, especially those of us (like me) who have been clamoring for his head.
It’s been a deadly two weeks for Arsenal. The mistake that cost them the Carling Cup and then getting jettisoned out of the Champion’s League were right on top of each and have brought out the boo birds in force. The quadruple was never a reality. I don’t think I heard anyone from the club say they would win them all- just that they were competing in them. Well now they are down to two. Wenger has his hands full trying to get his charges to move beyond Tuesday’s debacle. Again his managerial skills are going to be called on. He is going to have to show that he can get this team up after such a drastic fall. Will he remains to be seen.
Probable Starting XI:
YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 1
Manchester United: 1
As always game day chat is open come on in at match time: www.youaremyarsenal.com/gamedaychat
The Final Word:
Arsenal are currently looking for a keeper on an emergency loan. Wenger has someone in mind but in his press conference said he would not release the name. Rumours are circulating that it is Allan McGregor of Rangers who was interestingly left on the bench for the Gers tie against PSV Eindhoven. Szcesny is likely to be out until April. The squad cannot call back Mannone because he was injured whilst out on loan to Hull. So four keepers looked good at the start of the season but now we only have. Wenger will have one signed this weekend I believe. Though sitting on the bench for Arsenal will be reserve keeper James Shea.
Finally, this word on being a fan. We’ve all had our arguments over the team and the club and the direction it is going in. However, none of us should ever doubt that we are Gooners and that even though we are happy or absolutely pissed at our club, it is our club that matters to us. That is why when I was listening about the NFL’s decertification I listened with interest to a fan who had this to say about whether or not they would watch the NFL when it came back from a lock out – and I paraphrase here – “I learned long ago to separate myself from the business side of sport lest it tear me up. Now I sit in front of my TV and watch sports for the entertainment of it. You have to ask yourself like Russell Crowe did – “Are you not entertained.” If your not move on.” And that’s it. When watching Arsenal, I think you have to just ask yourself are you entertained? That what sports are. They are a form of entertainment. True my heart aches with every failure of any of my sports teams. But I always get over it because it is just entertainment. We need to maybe think about that more as we sit and argue and bitch at other about the team. Be prideful but remember this is entertainment.
Until then . . .
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So here is something for you to keep your eyes on in the next coming weeks and months –
1. Board are raising ticket prices by 6pc
2. Lady Bracewell, calling on the board to release all available funds to Wenger to strengthen the squad.
I spent some time chatting with quite a few Arsenal supporters, share holders, and AST memembers, there is a growing sense there that the board is what is really what is forcing Wenger into his austerity plan. That sure Wenger should be criticized for his tactical failings but when it comes to spending the money, the board are not making the funds available even though they said the move to the Emirates would allow them to do so.
A lot of the members I talked to you yesterday (via twittter) thinks this summer questions will be asked more of the board than of Wenger.
Just reporting it – not sure whether I agree. Board bears some responsibility not sure how much.
@DaAdminGooner,
Hold on a moment here …. Arsenal Inc., the corporation with the HIGHEST ticket prices in Europe and the rest of the soccer world, are RAISING their ticket prices even further by 6 percent. That is far more than inflation!
Absolutely NO SHAME in charging the highest fees in the world for a FAILING product.
I am guessing the costs of matchday food, merchandise (like jerseys, etc) will also go up astronomically too.
I imagine they need funds to pay for an increase in player wages!!! You know to compensate ’em for their mental strength.
An AKB should report here and explain this pronto!
@Fred, you are confusing the board and Wenger so the term AKB does not apply.
PS:
Almunia is STILL a garbage keeper, he has not changed. Sure he has had a few reflex saves, but he has always been able to do that. That does not make him a good keeper.
There is a reason he has been dropped from the number one spot over 10 times.
He MUST go in the summer.
Knowing Wenger, he will probably stay on as our number one come end of August.
And all the AKBs will sing still sing “kumbaya”!
@Fred, Agree with most of that but I don’t mind him staying as number 3
@OziKenyan,
No way he should be allowed to stay …. even as number 3!
The two infront of him will get injured and we will get to see his sorry face again. We should not take that chance again.
When one fails, one GOES. He shouldnt just stick around like a f&cking leech.
So we’ve had the bad moments now we’ll kick on…..
How rational is that? Djourou is out, so it’s the Kos and Squil show – is that good? And Wozjig is out – so it’s Almunia. LOL You couldn’t have scripted such an underwhelming repeat.
Recently I’ve been reading comments around the sites from the morally upright Wenger lovers. They were busy explaining how Wenger was right to resist signing a CB & GK, and all the doubters had been put in their place. Well…… Djourou was always a good chance for a breakdown (he’s in the RvP league), and you-know, Woz is a fine backup GK but hardly a serious clubs first choice. So the naysayers get it right again. Sorry. The genius Wenger plays the odds and loses again – he does it every season.
It’s hrd not to come to the opinion that he is now more a Chief Operating Officer than a football manager – his strengths are in overseeing a clubs finances and talent spotting – not developing winning football teams.
@Kiwi,
I’m not sure anyone saw JD’s injury coming. He has been knocked around alot this season and got right back up.
I also don’t get how the players get the blame for their injuries. Injuries are part of the game. Yeah some of players are injured more than not. I am not sure how they are at fault for it.
Not sure how Walcott is at fauly for rolling his ankle or RvP was at fauly for Italy taking out his leg in a friendly. Or today, what was JD to do when Sagna kicked his shoulder out of the freakin socket.
The fact is the way this team is supposed to play this game is through movement. The way you take them over their game is to press and knock them. The knocking results in a high amount of injuries.
If you want to say the problem with the injuries is having back ups who can slot in and at least not make a mockery of wearing the kit but to blame players for injuries is stupid.
@DaAdminGooner,
“If you want to say the problem with the injuries is having back ups who can slot in and at least not make a mockery of wearing the kit”
BINGO !!!!!!!!!!!
Wasnt I screaming this all January that injuries will SURELY happen? Ah well.
To be honest, I am SHOCKED RvP is still standing.
We are down to our old garbage keeper, 2 senior CBs. Koz plays like shit when next to Squill. Song and Fabregas are out of things.
Personally, all I want now is for us to secure top 4. Things can get very gory from here on out.
@DaAdminGooner,
Do you really think that DAG or are you merely taking a counter position?
Stupid is ignoring the evidence and expecting a different result. Hiding behind nonsense like “it isn’t their fault” is as relevant as the drivel Wenger serves up. Players are paid to play – if they prove they haven’t got the physical robustness to play a season then there is a fundamental problem. Maybe they aren’t cut out to be a professional sportsperson. This is not ‘for fun’ these guys are paid enormous amounts to make the field. The fault is not theirs per se – it’s Wenger’s for repeatedly banking our season on bad risks.
If after all this time and all this evidence you still can’t man-up and accept this simple reality then there really is nothing anyone can say or do to help the penny drop. This is PROFESSIONAL sport and you are paid for a service, if you can’t provide the service then you aren’t much bloody use are you?????? And if a manager stacks his side with these types in key positions without mitigating then he’s an even bigger problem.
:-)
@Kiwi,
“You couldn’t have scripted such an underwhelming repeat.”
Yes, yes you could have. Ah well… I had zero emotions for the game last night for this very reason. Even when we were “dominating” at 0-0 last night, they looked the more likely to score.
Meh, with the injuries and the lack of momentum, the league table is nowhere near as close as it looks. 3 points with a game in hand… hmmm…
@Kiwi, That is a brilliant assessment of Wenger: more a Chief Operating Officer than a football manager. After Dein’s departure and because of the new stadium, his role increased from being just a manager to the point that the club’s finances and viability took more precedence than on-field play. If Arsene moved into this role full time, then Arsenal would always be in good financial standing and a proper manager can be trusted to manage on-field tactics. That way, Arsene can still be there in a visible role at the club and help attract promising players to the club. In fact, this would be my #1 wish for Arsenal this summer.
Okay here is my positivity moment –
We usually have a bad run of 4 games in the league about now. Could it be that we have had that now? Could we go on in the league without a bad run?
Hey I’m trying.
@DaAdminGooner,
“clutching at straws” would better describe it
“I cannot fault our effort but things do not go our way at present,” Wenger said. “We have lost three big challenges in a strange way.
“One in the last minute with a goal from nowhere, one under very strange circumstances in Barcelona and here in a match where we were not outplayed but were punished by a team that was more clinical than us.”
______________________________
From guess who
:devil:
JUst listened to another interview with Martin Keown – he is of the belief – again as I stated earlier – that Wenger will blow this team up this summer if they do not win.
If he does that I might actually hope that he doesn’t need to be moved to the big chair upstairs
@DaAdminGooner,
Blowing the team up would be a complete capitulation. As good as admitting he’s been wrong all along. If he’s been too arrogant to make even small changes to the formula, does it really seem plausible he’d tear it all down now?
I dunno. We’ve been hoping for little miracles for a few years now. I’m not going to start believing in a big one until well after it’s happened.
@vibe4arsenal,
If he really does blow the team up I would be glad overall, but the big question left over would make me absolutely incredulous: why waste 3-4 years to do it, if it was an option all along???????? Why waste all those trophyless seasons when he could have changed course earlier?!
@ChicagoGooner,
He is trying to emulate Barca – seriously. Not obviously with the same results – but it took them 5 years to get to where they are now.
Now, I am just reporting what Martin said. I am not sure. Remember Martin is no longer coaching with the team because he was rather opinionated.
@DaAdminGooner,
It didnt just take them 5 years to get out of their funk.
They spent BIG money to get out of their funk. Almost 100 million. Eto’o and Ronaldinho cost 60 million combined. Then they got Deco, Guily and a bunch of others.
They financed it by selling their entire Dutch contigent, who had become dead wood, for over 50 million.
And that doesnt bode well for Wenger.
From the minute I saw Diaby and Denilson together on the pitch I knew that we were fucked.
Our attack peters out when both are in the side. I don’t think I counted one forward pass by Denilson all night.
Diaby at least goes forward.
Our dimension and urgency changed when they both went off.
Fred I am adding Arshavin to the list of “For Sale” another performance where he decided to mail it in. Hell he kept getting in Van Persie’s way half the time. Fucking waste.
I will wager this with anyone who wants – Cesc and Nasri will still be here this summer. As a matter of fact, I will donate $100 to the charity of your choice if either are gone $200 if the both go.
There was a poll immediately after the Barca match that said 56% of Barca fans do not want the club to buy Fabregas.
Oh since I am in a foul mood anyway – Djourou is done for the season – confirmed – dislocated shoulder.
@DaAdminGooner,
By the way –
I remember feeling this way in the Invincible season when in the span of one week we went out of the CL and the FA Cup. Or in 03/04 when in the span of one week we drew with Pompey only to be bounced from the CL from United and FA Cup from Chelsea.
@DaAdminGooner, funny yeah I had a similar feeling as well in 2004 when it all threatened to fall apart in one week. But thankully Henry lifted all the gloom on his own in the second half against Liverpool. Everyone knew the title was won after the Henry
show. No such pick me moment has happened since then although I thought the comeback against Bolton and a win against leg breakers showed great promise.
@DaAdminGooner, OK.
I’ll take that $100 or $200 for charity.
Fred’s already going to be donating when Barcelona lift the Trophy for winning their league!
I’d say Cesc is definitely gone, and Nasri is very likely.
Why would stay at a club like Arsenal? NO chance of winning, and a manager who cares more about HIS ideals than winning trophies.
@stag133,
Football is all about what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, so at this point I see Nasri as more likely to leave than Cesc. But if one goes, the likelihood of the other going increases as well.
@stag133,
And if I win. . . I want no donations. I want unabashed enthusiasm for the squad next season – regardless of what the outcome.
Well it could be worse- my buddy is a big Eintracht Frankfurt supporter (his dad was a season ticket holder in the late 70s) and they scored a goal in a league match today for the first time since December 18. They went 8 consecutive league matches without scoring. And despite scoring today they still lost.
To be honest, I am not upset or angry or disappointed about today’s match? Why? Because I’ve given up hope. The CC loss and Barca loss killed the optimism I had after the Barca 1st leg. So I went into today’s match with 0 expectations and no emotional investment whatsoever. This is the kind of result that would have ruined my weekend in years past, but no longer. The team performed exactly as I expected them to, so there was no disconnect.
It makes life so much easier, and yet, I feel I’ve lost something. If I’ve stopped caring as much as I used to about the club b/c we are in a rut that Arsene Wenger refuses to do anything to get out of, does that not mean that he has taken away my love for my club. I still want Arsenal to win, but by being less emotionally invested it logically follows that I care less about Arsenal than I used to. I feel like I am giving up and letting Arsene “win”, but what can I do?
@ChicagoGooner, couldn’t agree more, but that means you aren’t a REAL fan.
So what are the odds on United for the double (or treble) then?
@ChicagoGooner,
Very good odds. They have the FA cup locked.
With us as their only mathematical challengers, they have the league locked as well.
So they just need to get past Marseilles and they are just 2 ties from the CL final with Barca as their only real rival.
@Fred,
I don’t think they have the FA Cup locked. They could play City and I will wager they lose to Marseille.
@DaAdminGooner,
I don’t see them losing to Marseille, but never the less I don’t see them winning the CL.
@DaAdminGooner,
They lose to Marseilles at Old Trafford?? Keep dreaming!
And please dont confuse Man U with the Wenger Girls.
They pass the “cometh the hour, cometh the man” test almost ALL the time. So they will smash Man City when it really matters.
As for the CL, sorry, after Barca, you have to look at Man U as favorites. Their current team is not a great team, but it is a WINNING team. They can grind results, have tenacity and have proven ability to get thru tough times. They also have very good strikers.
I repeat, dont confuse Man U with the Wenger Girls.
http://deadspin.com/#!5780770/man-weve-never-heard-of-scores-on-bicycle-kick-wed-never-dream-of
Everyone should check out this absolutely SICK goal from the Argentine third division. IMO, it is better than Rooney’s from the Manc derby, better than Messi’s against us, and better than Phillip’s from earlier today. The resolution is bad so it’s hard to see what he does with the ball before the shot until the slow mo replay.
@ChicagoGooner,
Not for me ChiG. Good goal no doubt, but the thing about Rooney’s goal is the timing aspect of it. A cross at pace, or a pass at pace is hard enough to time to perfection (in order to hit it accurately) when playing simple passes/shots (otherwise everyone would be playing one-touch tiki-taka), let alone an overhead kick. To time that, as well as to get the angles correct, as well as to show the athleticism to go for it and pull it off makes Shreks goal better in my eyes.
BREAKING NEWS!!!
This just in: The name of “Murphy’s Law” has officially been changed to “Arsenal’s Law”! Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
Hmm. Maybe the League Cup was quite important after all?
World club football currently has some huge coaching identifies, you have an uber-experienced been-there-done-that-again-and-again-and-again group with the likes of Capello, Hiddink, and Ferguson and then the new boyo’s who swagger about like well-dressed peacocks like Mourinho and Guardiola. What have they in common? They’re all winners who infuse their teams with mental strength.
The irony is that no one, absolutely NO ONE, talks more about winners and mental strength than Wenger and yet his club fails to exhibits it the most. I guess that’s a form of entertainment, no?
The squad posed so little threat that Fergie didn’t bother ruining the pitch, played with make shift midfielders and still won with ease. Yet the improvement is for all to see, only losing 2-0, 2nd place in the league and a cup final. The future is amazingly bright. A fixture for Arsenal at Old Trafford only has one outcome. A few 1-0 wins and a 2-0 win for Arsenal were in another era. 0-0 would be a dream now, provided that result is not required to give Man Utd the title.
@Sachin,
I knew when Ferguson started talking up Arsenal in recent days (and I see Rooney has now joined in) that they actually believe the opposite. They cunning, they know that we’re as flakey as they come. If we start ‘believing’ we’re good we’ll flump and end up with egg all over…. happens every time. Low pressure we perform, high pressure we flump.
@Kiwi, yeah as soon as Fergie broke his media ban to talk Arsenal, it meant only one thing. Arsenal are such a joke for Man Utd that I am amazed they even bother celebrating their goals..
Wait, hold on …. wasnt it in September than Valencia got his leg snapped … and yet he is back and running in before the middle of March in the SAME season?!
If that was an Arsenal player working with Arsenal’s “great” medical team we won’t see the player till March of 2012!
—————————————————————————————
The following players MUST go this summer – regardless of whether we replace them or not.
Denilson
Diaby
Rosicky
Bendtner
Almunia
Chamakh
Eboue
These players should have their contract paid off and terminated immediately after the last game of the season OR immediately after we have secured top 4 (and top 4 is NOT yet secured by any means).
We must NOT sell these 7 players – as that will be completely immoral and even criminal. Just let them go.
Arshavin should be sold – but for no more than 3 million back to Zenit St. Petersburg.
Whatever happens it is EXTREMELY vital that those 7 players are not at the club for pre-season.
—————————————————————-
It is also highly likely we are going to lose Fabregas AND Nasri (despite what the AKBs think) this summer.
I assure you guys that Nasri is going to ask to leave this summer.
So lots of “fun” times ahead under Wenger’s lordship.
@Fred,
I thought you were a fan of Nic? What has made you change all of a sudden? I’m not being snide here, I’m just curious what caused such an immediate change of heart.
@ChicagoGooner,
I was also a fan of Denilson back in 2007 too … things change LOL!
I have always said, that I would not mind one bit if he were to be sold (even in January) as long as we bring someone else in and are not stuck with Chamakh.
Also before the Barca match he was talking really big – denilson style (which always makes me queasy). But at the BIG MOMENT he bottled like a big time loser … proving he aint any better than the other losers.
He clearly failed the “Cometh the hour, cometh the man” test and we shouldnt give people like him any more chances. Same with the other six.
@Fred,
I was the first Arsenal supporter to suss that little shit out.
Liverpool. Anfield. Crouch hattrick. Little Denny strolling in the sunshine, like an arthritic tourist.
The “loserness” force was strong in that one from the off.
I don’t know how much more entertainment I can take.
In recent seasons we’ve demonstrated our mental strength by letting our season fall apart, but, you know……. this little show will take some beating. Birmingham, Sunderland, Barcelona and Manchester United.
8-)
Are you not entertained?
Time to give the whole squad a payrise to acknowledge their mental strength.
By the way, I definitely think United’s confidence was rattled and morale lowered. I’m sure they went into the locker room shook that they didn’t win at least 3-0. Bodes well for our homestretch run for the League!
@vibe4arsenal,
We also had most of the possession second half so…….
Who’s the big winner today Arsene?!
You are!
We’re so freakin money.
@Mazza,
We should start calling AW ‘Double Down’. (Or whatever 6X that is.)
Wenger… master tactician.
Does not even attempt to play football against Barcelona.
and then against a United team with 7 defensive players starting, we barely create a decent chance all game.
So, how’s it gone lately? lose to Brum in Cup Final, draw with Sunderland at home… lose to Barcelona in the CL… lose to United in the FA Qtrs.
The team plays week in… week out… with a complete lack of passion… no matter the match, the opponent or the location.
Who does this reflect poorly on? Who is 100% responsible for 6 years of NO trophies?
ONE MAN. It is a FAILED experiment. UTTER FAILURE.
Today was pathetic. Again, can’t blame the refs…. can’t blame United’s pitch, or tactics… can’t blame bad breaks or bounces.
Arsenal have been DREARY to watch.
Yes, sport is entertainment… agreed… but when fans foot the bill… when they pay the salaries of the players, and the profits of the board… then they have EVERY RIGHT to demand a good show… a good effort… and frankly, they are NOT getting it from this team.
I DO think this increases our chances of winning the league with less games… but then again, we have 1 keeper, and 2 Center Backs left in the team…
and we’ve shown ZERO signs of winning any match that has any meaning….
I have been one of the few people who has been trumpeting the importance of the CC for years. That final and the disaster has really throttled us. In soccer, I have always noticed, you MAKE your own luck BY WINNING!
You win the CC, the players rub the trophy against their faces, drench themselves in cup final champagne and unite properly with their fans worldwide THEN maybe you get rewarded with an extra own goal off a double deflection against Barca. Then you come to Man U and force a replay or something.
Losers NEVER get the proper bounce. And our team is overflowing with losers – Denilshit and Rosicky being prime examples of people with the letter L stamped boldly on their faces.
Our season is collapsing … what are the odds of us losing points to West Brom away at midweek? I think at this point it is over 50%!
—————————————————-
It was just 5 days ago, we had a big argument on here about how we are “better” this season. With “stats” to prove it too! What a completely jinxing argument!
—————————————————-
Apparently we have now lost an extra man (Dj) for the season. Rumors have it that Walcott is out till April at the earliest. Vermaelan is not coming on the pitch this season – just like I predicted in early January.
So I guess the big gamble (or rather the big stupidity) of not buying anybody to strengthen the team has BLOWN up in Wengers arrogant face for the upteempth time. The AKBs will continue to defend the clown though.
We have improved indeed.
Arsenal out of three competitions in the space of two weeks.
Now, maybe I’m losing it, but I”ve got a certain sense of deja vu. Almost like this happens every single season. I must be mistaken though, because Captain Smirk says we have “mental stwength”.
Yep, must be mistaken. Move along, nothing to see here, shit happens eh!
@Mazza,
Shit happens again and again and again (and again).
Yet somehow, United have won 8 trophies since we last won anything? So I guess shit happens is a phenomenon localized to the N5?
Still, look closely, and you can see the improvements continuing. For instance, we didn’t score on ourselves this time.
@Mazza,
BULLSHIT, Mazza! We are “better” than last season – for fact!
We have the exact same number of points like we had last season (which was apparently a glorious season for us), we have won TWO full games out of seven against the big clubs and that is including Spurs, City and Liverpool.
Also we have conceded the fourth fewest goals in the league so far! Still more than we conceded just 2-3 years ago, but who cares about that.
We have “improved”. Repeat that after me now!
Once again, Ferguson completely DESTROYS Wenger tactically. Nothing new to see here. Ferguson comes in with 7 defenders and EASE the game away from the Wenger Girls without breaking sweat. Infact the only Man U players with sweat on their faces were Fabio and Rafael.
Their “defenders” in midfield completely ran rings around our disaster midfielders. ANY time Diaby and Denilson are in your team you know that DOOM is certain.
This team is the laziest, thickest and most cowardly Arsenal team in history. Its incredible really. From STUPIDLY slowing down of promising counter-attacks, to no-one getting into the box for crosses or any other plays, to failing to track simple runs of the opposition, to always taking the easiest square pass. I could go on, but what is the point.
We have NO offensive tactics WHATSOEVER. Yet people call us an attacking team!
According to some, it is a good thing we have collapsed humiliatingly out of ALL the cups in less than two weeks. After this great confidence boosting two weeks, we can now go on and win the league, hey???
But not to worry, the Wenger Girls are “better” this season! Things have “changed”.
We cant get rid of Wenger soon enough.
People love to talk about how we play “beautiful football”. Man U played by FAR the more pleasing to the eye game today.
“You have to ask yourself like Russell Crowe did – “Are you not entertained.” If your not move on.” And that’s it. When watching Arsenal, I think you have to just ask yourself are you entertained? That what sports are. They are a form of entertainment.”
________________________
:devil:
@Kiwi,
I keep hoping to be entertained.
DAG, all those years the Phillies sucked, did you sit it out?
As a New York Giants fan, I watched plenty of football that was entertaining in the last 70s/early 80s. But I watched because it was my team. And then I’d voice how disappointed I was. I don’t get at all why it has to be one or the other.
@vibe4arsenal,
EDIT:
As a New York Giants fan, I watched plenty of football that was NOT entertaining in the last 70s/early 80s.
@vibe4arsenal,
My family has had season tickets since 1980.
I have never sat out a Phillies season.
@DaAdminGooner,
Right. And I’m sure there were plenty of seasons where you weren’t all that entertained, no?
Being a fan/supporter and being entertained don’t always go hand and hand. Sometimes you suffer and still stick with it. The word’s derived from ‘fanatic’ for a a reason
@vibe4arsenal,
Sadist and masochist come to mind more often. Especially in Philly.
@DaAdminGooner,
Ha. Well played.
Arsenal Startging XI: Almunia, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Gibbs, Denilson, Diaby, Wilshere, Nasri, Van Persie, Arshavin.
Man United: Starting XI: Van der Sar, Brown, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Rafael, Gibson, O’Shea, Fabio, Hernandez, Rooney
UNited have 7 defenders on the pitch.
@DaAdminGooner,
And it seems like an excellent tactic so far. Defend and hit the London Girls on the counter has been a successful tactic for them over the years.
Somebody HAS to step up for us today.
sorry to bring up old stuff but i didn’t rant about the barcelona tie.
first, wenger always plays unfit players in the knock-out round of the champions league. he does it every year and this foolish gamble will never work, especially against a team like barcelona. when will he learn?
second, how in our best chance in the game, did bendtner fail to score? he saw the play developing, knew where the keeper was, and posted up a midfielder. you can’t say he didn’t know what was going on, tactically. then jack put it on a plate for him. that’s just poor play from a center forward. screw his supposed superior tactical awareness. give me a striker that’s a winner. adebayor would have put a hole in the back of the net. in fact, any arsenal striker that i can remember at this club, form paul dickov to jay simpson, would have scored that. not only did bendtner fail to score but he didn’t even shoot.
@joshuad, Sorry Josh, but I think you’re taking it too easy on Bendtner…..
If he had scored that goal ALL the self-promotion would have been justified and we would always look to that TRIUMPHANT moment as proof that Bendtner really is much better than he appears to be….
Instead…..
@joshuad,
I seriously doubt Chamakh would have scored that. He was outside the box, meaning he wouldnt have shot! LOL.
To score that chance you need to shoot first time.
DAG, good preview and an interesting thought there at the end….
First regarding the match….A draw really works for both teams, in that a replay throws the pressure, completely, back onto us. On the other hand, given that we stand in each others way, whichever team gets through this tie has a pretty good chance to win the double. In other words, both teams should be going for it, but they should be doing so in a very conservative manner. Therefore, I expect a rather dour, hard fought affair, much like our league match in the Fall. Hopefully we play a bit more in their half, but I’m not confident given the two missing cogs in our mid-field (Cesc and Song). My hope is that we can stay strong at the back (set pieces being a greater worry with Mooney in goal) and that we can score on the counter with moments of brilliance from the forwards.
On the other matter, watching Arsenal is “fun” but it’s also an exercise in suffering (esp. lately) and a test of my powers of observation and even my world-view. Combined with the caprices of the game (the sheer luck involved in goals going in vs staying out AND the undue influence of referees with insufficient tools at their disposal, even if they’re performing well) absorbing results (and performances) is often a brutal exercise.
Arsenal as everyone can see is a PROJECT with the highest of aspirations AND ideals. As such, it cannot help but disappoint, given the nature of the the competition (Billionaire vanity projects, state and debt supported teams and a brutish domestic footballing culture). Plenty of Arsenal supporters enjoy the current culture of the club (embodied, of course, in the manager) while others positively despise it.
Either way, while there’s an element of entertainment with each match (lately it’s more like hope and bitter disappointment and suffering) for me (and many others, I dare say) I think following the team feels more like a pitched battle for the soul of the club and even the game itself, not to mention our personal philosophies about the world. We keep coming back because (like it or not) the team is pretty good, the future is probably better and the stakes are MASSIVE. Or so it seems….
Today will NOT be a 9.0 earthquake (with attendant waves rippling away from it) but in our mad, mad world, it will probably feel like it…..
DAG – when you slag a player, the next match sees you eating crow.
Totally agree about ‘all sports’ – its only entertainment and many thanks for spotlighting this.
Anxious to see Ramsey worked back into the line up, sooner than later.
Jack, Song, and Ramsey look to be the future of our midfield.
@ Fred
My previous post mentioned nothing of the manager nor his remarks after the barca match. The game totally changed after vP was sent off.
so regarding the barca result:
you (and others) got what you wished for…….then why would you be concerned for our manager standing up for the injustice of a poor call, for which the magnitude impacted the outcome? That is his job – defending players in these type of situations.
now if you needed a real issue to bring up and debate;
where was our captain during the vP sending off – certainly not in the referee’s face……….
when the Barca players put their hands on vP neck, where was our captain?
No, our captain was back in the reception line shaking hands with the opponents…….
re: GG
I never watched an Arsenal match where GG was manager. All I can say is that every manager has their own style. Is it really fair to compare managers and players of different decades?
re: GG – Invincibles – etc.
they’re history – show me the future in a memory.
@Arsession,
I will gladly eat crow if Thomas starts and stars
@DaAdminGooner,
No reason for you to eat crow. Plenty of people come on here and make predictions that turn out wrong. Then they disappear from the site for weeks at a time and come back with thousand word missives that attempt to re-write their history, or simply fall back on ‘no one can predict the season’ and/or ‘everyone has their own expectations’.
Whether we always agree or not, you’re one who sticks his neck out plenty and never runs from what he’s said here.
If ‘sicky goes out and scores three today, enjoy a delicious Philly Cheese Steak and a cold one. Eff the crow.
@vibe4arsenal, I’m pretty sure that Sesh was just joking….sort of a reverse jinx kinda thing….As I’m pretty sure that he would welcome a good performance from Rosicky….
But maybe attempting a reverse jinx IS a jinx…..
Poor Tomas….
@highburyterracesteve,
Steve, you write of a poster who has twice suggested supporters on here are happy we lost to Barca. I don’t see the humor.
But lovely how you’re always willing to give the benefit.
@DaAdminGooner,
Gagged on his one chance. Crow, safe.
Interesesting – Hill-Wood has openly criticized Wenger’s public criticism of UEFA and the ref from the Barca match?
Good read as always. That’s exactly how I want the team to start. It couldn’t be any better. It’s about time Ramsey comes in to the team. By the was please check out my blog @ http://dgooner.wordpress.com there will be posters out from time to time and right now you could claim a welcome back to Aaron Ramsey poster I made…..
Football is not a matter of life and death – its much more important than that – Bill Shankly
its james shea not john o shea