Favourites At Old Trafford? Gunners Title Ambition To Be Tested
Feb 26th, 2016 by 'holic
“Old Trafford is a special place and I believe for every club it remains a special fixture. Against Arsenal the United fans and players will be up for it.”
Arsene Wenger acknowledging that Sunday’s match is more than just a run of the mill fixture. It is the first of our six remaining away matches, our form in which could well determine the title. It is also our first trip to Manchester this season. Our win at the Emptihad last season rid us of the ‘Arsenal bottle big games’ tag. Our subsequent triumph at Old Trafford in the FA Cup confirmed it.
The defeat by Barcelona may have all but ended our European aspirations for another year, but the most difficult of all competitions to win is very much in our grasp. There is no better way of shaking off the disappointment of Tuesday than beating a United side ten points behind us and currently outside of the top four.
That is easier said than done of course, but our task appears slightly less daunting due to them having a number of players gone in the fetlock. Wayne Rooney is the most significant absentee, and there are also doubts about De Gea, Smalling, and Martial. The absence of other strikers provided a memorable debut for Marcus Rashford against Midtjylland in the Europa League. Will he get another chance to impress on Sunday?
As for Arsenal we have definitely lost Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after his coming together with Danny Alves the other night. He joins Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, and Tomas Rosicky in the treatment room, and there will be a late test for Gabriel. Interestingly, given the opposition, Arsene suggested that Danny Welbeck is not one hundred percent fit, despite his recent return to action from the bench.
“We still have to be cautious with him. He is still in the squad and he is not completely over his knee problem. He has done really well and is very fit. I have to analyse that.”
All of which suggests that someone else is in line to start up top, but not necessarily the current incumbent? Olivier Giroud is still providing chances, but hasn’t scored since bagging a brace at Anfield on January 13th.. When we destroyed United 3-0 at the Grove in October Theo Walcott gave probably his best performance leading the attack, although the goals came from Alexis (2) and Mesut Ozil.
If Walcott is deployed in the middle then a recall for Joel Campbell would be on the cards, with Alexis occupying the other flank. The Chilean looked a little bit sharper against Danny Alves than he has shown of late, and he could not pick a better time to rediscover his best form than on Sunday. Should Gabriel be fully recovered then Arsene possibly has a decision to make at the back. It would be a surprise to this amateur if Per Mertesacker did not start alongside Laurent Koscielny.
The ‘holic pound
Astonishingly we are favourites with the bookmakers to win on Sunday. I am sure that serious gamblers are eyeing the 9/4 against United at home as a real opportunity. We haven’t won a Premier League match there since 2006, but that FA Cup success last season, and the fact that we tend to win there in seasons when we win the title are influencing the market it would appear.
In the correct score market a 1-1 draw is the favourite at between 5 and 6/1. I am obviously tempted by the second favourite. A trusty old 1-0 to the Arsenal can be snapped up at 7/1, and I have. Mark Overmars and Silvain Wiltord are prominent in my thoughts. Is it our year? Sunday will possibly give us a huge clue.
The usual good wishes go to those fortunate enough to make up the travelling Gooners on Sunday. Have a wonderful day and as always put the hosts to shame. I am certainly envious of you given the potential for us to make a huge statement on Sunday.
Have a great one, ‘holics.
221 Responses to “Favourites At Old Trafford? Gunners Title Ambition To Be Tested”
Bang.
Before I read the post may I draw drinkers attention to my take on the refereeing controversy in the last bar, just above the chevrons?
Get in Pangloss!
Great piece, ‘h.
No need to say any more.
COYG
Cheers H! Wish we was all going up there, like the old days on a Saturday for a 3Pm KO. Still never mind its how shit goes down these days. Really appreciate the effort you put in to keep this place going, and the opportunity that offers for real Arsenal people to have measured discussions. Its really is a good thing you do.
On that note – Cynic hang in there son! We are The Arsenal! Players and managers come and go, but the club goes on for ever. And it will. Love your dedication to the cause. And the cause is Arsenal Football Club. And nothing else.
Well said, Esso.
Esso, I know you will know better than anyone what that means. Thanks mate.
what n7 said at 5 for 4
this place
a constant source of amazement
people worldwide rightly hold here
in the highest regard
.
an enormous achievement
(and a very forgiving nature ?)
you’ve got , chief
+1 Esso
+∞ Holic 😉
They fuck you up, your football club.
They may not mean to, but they do.
And I’m not clever enough to rewrite the rest.
Cheers, Esso. If I can bring myself to watch it, I hope to enjoy it. Hope you do too!
having said that
debbie harry’s on bbc4
so
see ya
ah
howdy cynic
praise from esso
well deserved
That it is cba. Cynic is a top man.
The only occasion I’ve been to the Old Toilet was in 2011, the last time I was in England. 2-8 … not an experience I want to revisit!
I’ve never been a fan of Theo at CF, and even less of the either/or selection of he and OG. The two should play together, with Theo on the wing where he belongs. The rest virtually pick themselves, although I’d prefer El Niño to Coq, but don’t expect to see it any time soon.
Let’s hope we start the game the same way we thrashed ’em last time, and that we don’t ease up as we traditionally do when only one or two ahead.
Oskar
Squeaky Bum time begins in earnest this weekend. I spent last night at dinner next to a United supporter who believes we will beat them easily on Sunday.
It’s never easy there but they won’t find it easy after last night . If they are missing four top players it’s a great opportunity for us. The next two weekends need to see us get four points at least with a win against Swansea squeezed in. I think it will be2-1 to us like the Cup last year.
jeez
blondie documentary
voiceover by a balloon
written by a hack
how difficult is it to know stuff ?
.
.
more difficult than ye’d think
.
.
.
clearly
We played on Tuesday and they played on Thursday so maybe that will help us. Nobody can knock our recent results defensively and I expect good things from our back five. Koscielny could be due to knock one in on the other end. 0-1 to the mighty mighty Arsenal sounds good to me.
thunder T
i’ve said it before
do you dine anywhere other
than a function ?
yer knowledge of
garish carpet
must be unrivalled
Shirley
?
What Esso said @4:
Top barman and top bar.
?And we’ve got cba..
Gosh, I’m blushing. Top man?
Is this where I admit I was actually born a woman?
😉
us against them
always it for me
not from north london
so
spuds hatred only in the sky
manure hatred all around me
fuck
i hate them
up there wi fuckin leeds
De Gea is the big miss for them on Sunday. Let’s hope his stand-in does not have one of those ‘games-of-his-life’ that keepers seem to have against us.
howdy ned
howdy diddley do
come sunday
not been for ages
i will be in my old bar
effin and fuckin blindin
scaring what tourists
might be a-touristing
cos
i don’t see The Arsenal
much recently
and
am looking forward to an effinjeffingoodin !
with my little tea drinking finger out of course !
ma mamma dint raise no animo ! !!!!
no
“Oi FUCKFACE don’t bogart the bourbons ”
“I’m dunkin’ here”
DUNKIN’ !!!!!!!!!!!
?
sheesh
.
always the custard creamers
ALWAYS !!!
Force of nature, cba. 🙂
I’ll be there…huffin’ without puffin’.
in the interest of continuity
and
what i just noticed
the wee musical ned note
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aIkN8DnYh9E
oskar picked kraftwerk as his most influential band
can’t remember who i picked ?
but
give harmonia a go
i really think
can kraftwerk harmonia and neu
are just unbelievable
don’t give a fuck geniuses
like that
airy fairy quote
“dance like nobody is watching you”
(faust too – love faust)
(so obviously did radiohead )
don’t tell their fans though
oooooohhhhhh
you’ll be in trouble
ginger googey eye is apparently
a genius
So CbA marry me, let’s not wait
Let’s share all the time we can before it’s too late
Love me now for now is all the time there may be
If you love me cBA, CBa marry me
De Gea and Smalling could be back according to LVG as quoted by Sky:
“I expect [goalkeeper David de Gea to be fit] because I saw already that he was today [Friday]. Chris [Smalling] is a question mark with his shoulder but you never know.”
28
no
29
awkward
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZOs7YXqCng
all delicate be-tattooed shoreditch flowers
.
and
just remember
Ronnie is always watching
ALWAYS
.
.
.
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JA644rSZX1A
and
‘holic
why are we
just now
barca bollocks
eulogising you
i sincerely hope
it’s just an ostentatious flollop
and
ye aren’t gonna release a statement
to say
yer closing down the bar
and taking the blogs shilling
he is like a proper king over here
and everything
etc
but
he’s
I R I S H
nearly
(still have me doubts)
(mi6 i say)
*steely glare*
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8eJh4i8Lo
yeah
too fuckin right
her mother s June Ackland outta The Bill
yer awwlllllll gannnn dannnnnnn !
Empty yer pockets !
keep the bar open
if only
to see
doctor faustus loosen his stays
there’s an Eric Morecambe
in there
searching for a Wise
I’ve gone over me tally
.
brown envelope
usual place
no mistakes this time ‘holic
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=JQsg6XXGxXQ
*taps nose*
Loved your #33 cba. Confession time … back c1978 (before some here were born) I was one of the many who rushed the record shops for a copy of this album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6CNC4402Bo&list=PLEDkKKt8DCbEoHjR1-aO_ROqr6MviFpAY
And it still sounds the best. Opening track has to be one of the greatest songs ever written.
Oskar
oskar
cool fucker
and ye don’t need me to tell ya
but
once in a while ?
78
late for many
early for some
ramones fourth album came out in 78
as good
and
as bought
as Willie Nelson
yer a monster tune fan
god bless ye
if i was a hair older
i’d like to think
i woulda bought
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9ZkYViEIs
Wenger has bad habit of shooting himself in the foot for games the gunners shd be winning.MU will have half the senior team missing.I think LVG bein more pragmatic than Wenger ill elect to play anti soccer.The 8-2 score
line could have been avoided .Wenger being Wenger is the only manager in the world who will stay true to his principles.
So don’t be surprised LVG concedes possession and hit on the break.
If Arsenal lose,remember who told you so.
“there’s a hole in daddy’s arm
where all the money goes “
I’ve been rethinking the ‘most influential band’ thing and great as Kraftwerk were I’m going to sub in Stan Kenton and his Band. You’ll probably know this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWKCXMVt_yM
That dates from the mid ’50s when I was becoming aware of real music, and the stuff Kenton was producing through the ’40s and ’50s was groundbreaking. The term ‘Wall of Sound’ was originally applied to Kenton in the ’40s (long before Phil Spector) with pieces like this quasi Musique concrète Bob Graettinger composition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBBEHdwIgn8
This was pre rocknroll, or at least parallel with it, and probably explains why I’ve always been a jazz addict despite the influences of Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, Kraftwerk and The Beatles.
Oskar
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Qp6khgW2tn8
another one of my favourites
miming on his own terms
dos gardenias was the big one
but
i fuckin love him miming to his
other big hit
forgot about that
cheers
the second Stan Kenton doesn’t play
border thing I’m guessing
anyhoo
look after yerself oskar
i’m off into the sunset
cheers fella
try madrecita
another cracker
cheerio fer real this time
have to be elsewhere
Jazz fan? Fuck’s sake, Oskar.
Oscar@48: That accolade has to go to Thelonious Monk at Castle Ned. 🙂
As it happens, I saw Kraftwerk play in Hammersmith must be 35 years ago. Think the loop on the first song is still playing…
Thank you for the Harmonia link, cba. As one of the comments said, future music not yet made yet somehow still on Youtube.
Nothing wrong being jazz fan Cynic. All part of an eclectic taste. Going to the Flamingo in Wardour St & Ronnie Scott’s in Greek Street in my yoot in the early 60s all part of of my education. Problem with the Flamingo was it didn’t serve alcohol (no licence) – yes such places in Soho did exist. Graduated to the 100 club in Oxford St.
cba, interesting documentary on Blondie last night. Like some of their stuff but they did move into mainstream – lure of fame & $$$$ no doubt too much for them. Ramones stayed much more to their heart.
Just chuck a xylophone down a flight of stairs and that’s jazz
But back to more pressing matters.
Cheerios or Weetabix?
Thanks for another excellent preview Holic. Yanited rarely give us an easy game so I’m not expecting a walkover tomorrow, particularly as we seem to have mislaid our shooting boots ( well scoring ones ) of late. They are there for the taking right now (de Gea or not), so let’s do it while we have the opportunity.
Let’s win this one and The Swans on Wednesday then a point at the dump on Saturday would seem a like good result.
Finally wish to raise my hat again to the purveyor of drinks of this wonderful establishment and all those who drink here, without doubt the best Arsenal blogsite evah!!
Depends who catches it at the bottom, Cynic.
Ned…you need to have the right vibes 😉
In the end I had Cheerios, as I’ve run out of Weetabix.
Cynic. Is this going to be a long running cereal ? 🙂
Fine preview Guvna.
Well deserved plaudits for the Guvna and the denizens of his hostelry.
Thanks also for the ongoing musical education, fellas.
I share the majority view that despite the mediocrity of this Manure team and their current injury list, we will not find this a cakewalk. Despite our famous victories at the Old Toilet, they have been few and far between and hard won.
I expect a scrap. Much as I desire landmark revenge for our humiliations there, I will be over the moon if we come away with a 1-0 victory rendering the Guvna a wealthy man.
Excellent preview, Holic.
Esso – well said.
Cynic – no way you’re a woman ‘cos you’re not ALWAYS right ?
GSD, Bath – excellent stuff in the previous bar, following up on the refereeing comments.
I think I probably started that off and then couldn’t continue because of work.
I don’t blame referees for all our shortcomings but the current standard is appalling. It’s no good, Matt, defending their hugely improved performance and then agreeing that we have collected a very disproportionate set of results under one particular official, Mike Dean.
I don’t need to expand on his misdemeanours here.
No better are the likes of Lee Mason, that ridiculous recent display at Stoke by Craig Pawson, Atkinson at home a couple of weeks ago and, if you were happy with that bloke on Tuesday night, then good luck to you, and others.
I am happy to admit that players cheat, dive, scream for nothing etc. etc. but GSD made some excellent suggestions on measures that would radically and rapidly improve those issues.
Not every decision is made around a contentious issue though. When a player is barged in the back, two paces from the referee, or pulled over backwards by the shirt while waiting for a long ball to come down, you have to wonder why a foul is not given. When a free kick is given for handball when a player is struck on the arm from a yard away, in the centre circle, why is the decision different in the penalty area.
I am also happy to admit that I watch games through my red tinted glasses. I, and others in the stadium, will be biased to a degree when “evaluating” a referee’s decisions.
I am not happy to admit though, that The Emirates is full, on a weekly basis, with 57,000 one-eyed idiots, screaming at a referee a dozen times a game for nothing.
Is our poor finishing down to a referee ? Certainly not.
Is our failure to get our game going due to persistent, rotational fouling, unpunished unreasonable time-wasting, lying on the floor pretending to be injured while perfectly ok, and Vardy-like penalty awards ?
You decide.
What bath said @63.
About everything. ??????
So Usmanov’s old mucker, Farhad Moshiri, can sell his 15% stake in Arsenal and raise enough cash to buy the whole of Everton, if indeed he is the ‘secret’ buyer of the Toffees.
Uply, nah. It’s toast.
Glanced at the United Midtjylland match on Thursday; that scoreline did flatter to deceive, as the Danes scored first and United didn’t nose in front in the tie until quite late.
It will be a battle tomorrow with more goals than these two have been scoring in the league lately. 2-3 to the visitors, who will hopefully avoid a late Joe Allen type strike to claim the three points, which is all that matters.
Hopefully The Flamster won’t edge out Elneny from the bench tomorrow. But I wouldn’t bet on it
@66 NBN Knows!
😀
Craig Pawson on the whistle tomorrow. Does n’t ring many bells with me. Had we had him before much anyone know?
We had him at Stoke (a) a few weeks ago, Esso.
Daft to give a ‘newbie’ a game like that and he let Stoke do whatever they wanted. Just seemed weak.
Cheers Trev! That’s really made my day.
Clattenberg and Oliver are the only two referees I think are of requisite quality. Pawson as Trev says was very iffy at Stoke. It’s a tough job with the scrutiny from TV but they don’t do it as well as I believe they should.
I’d like Oliver to be reffing tomorrow. He was brave and independent at Old Trafford in the Cup last year . They usually get a soft penalty against us there . If Mike Dean had been reffing they would have had several in that game.
TTG knows re refs.
Big up to all of you. I never know which way the drinks will go. I have just spent a thoroughly enjoyable quarter of an hour catching up.
As I have said many time, barking, the lot of ya! 🙂
Craig, Esso? He’s poor, son.
I was disappointed to see the late goal at Leicester. I hoped they would have a reaction after our victory over them. Possibly they did and it was a very straightforward game relatively speaking and they only just won it. We need them to start to wobble a bit more and the same with the Swampies. We play them on Wednesday and our results against the Welshmen will give a form guide going into the NLD. We desperately need more goals. Hopefully they will start flowing this week.
Citeh’s win in the CL did us a favour. The key to their challenge is keeping Aguero fit and the more games he plays increases the inevitability of an injury for him.
But we have our own injury – prone players as we well know
Eclectic is the word for it Uply (#56), my own tastes sample just about all genres except rap. Criteria is simply whether I like it or not. Here’s an example, a track I have never tired of playing over and again for the past 40+ years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM1U8Oax4c8 … and this is pure voice, no sampling or CMIs back then.
You were in Ronnie Scott’s and the Flamingo in the early ’60s? We may have met! Cynics may question the appeal of jazz, but surely no one who heard Stan Tracey during his house pianist days at Scott’s could not have been a fan for life.
cba, the link you wouldn’t work for you was to a piece called Thermopylae, opening track to Kenton’s City Of Glass album, the whole of which includes some of the strangest improvisational ‘music’ you are likely to find. You should find it in your area by Googling.
Oskar
If we lose tomorrow’s game we may as well give up on the title. We have the advantage of two extra days rest following Europe, plus a huge advantage in the physio room believe it or not.
On our best form it should be a stroll. Just depends whether we pack our best game in the kit bag or leave it at home as we sometimes do. Fingers crossed the kit man will be on the ball.
0-3 if we start well. Some kind of desperate draw if we take them too seriously.
Oskar
TTG @66,
Clattenberg is a good referee but he has had a few bad games recently and has awarded dubious penalties to Spuds. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him officiate our game against Spuds.
Is it a coincidence that Dean is the fourth official while Pawson is in charge at Old Trafford. Dean was the fourth official and Pawson the match ref in our game against Stoke. On the job training?
Phew! Oskar, that track @78 ……
Pure voice, right enough, but doesn’t sit too easily in my lug’oles – and I don’t mind a bit of melodious opera.
What really had me wondering though – how did all those candles stay alight in that wind ? Those clouds are fairly racing past behind her but there’s barely a flicker amongst the flames !
Maybe the fact that all the clouds sweep down and then back up to the top left corner before disappearing is a clue. ?
Better ask Elton John, Trev, he’s the expert on candles in the wind. 😉
oskar
Oskar – a request.
Please dont post any more you tube music links.
I agree with Oskar – slip up tomorrow and its all over – not mathmatically of course, but in all probability.
Thanks for your jazz critique Cynic – as a pro guitar player of 40 years plus, I can now set fire to all of my equipment in the sure knowledge that my entire lifes work has been a complete waste of time.
Oh and incidentally – When did a simple statement of fact become “slaughtering”.
Stating facts is different to espousing an opinion.
Guv’nor – top post, as per usual.Good luck with the ‘holic pound,and may I invite you to NZ for a visit – we share the same tastes I sense, and probably the same accent. Its there if you want it – long way, but worth it.
Eagerly waiting for the game : http://i.imgur.com/b1xfaEm.gifv
Some musical interlude :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeooHiX4oH0
😀
A trusty old 1-0 to the Arsenal would do me very nicely, Holic. I’m not expecting a high scoring game. Manure’s ineptitude in defense will be offset by our current inability to hit the ball across the white line between and below the posts.
On reflection, I’ve been persuaded/persuaded myself that the following team will start with Alexis on the right and Danny on the left of Ollie G. (That probably means that Walcott will enter the arena as centre forward (but not captain) for the day).
Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey; Sanchez, Özil, Welbeck; Giroud
Enjoy the 0-1 scoreline, Holics.
Great preview Holic and the holic pound sounds even more delicious 🙂
Esso @ 4 couldn’t agree more top man as always and Holic well I don’t need to say anything else to add to that!
Great drinks from everyone too, Top people and a Top Gonners you are!
As long as we keep it tight at the back I’m sure they will give in, massive game as Leicester managed to do it yet again yesterday as I was hoping for a draw.
I have to agree with most referring has been very bad especially for Premiere League standards and they will be bad until technology will be introduced to the game. I don’t give a damn if it will slow the game down it should fair for all parties involved.
COYG!
Oskar @79 and IF@84 have hit the nail on the head and identified the cause of any nerves we show today that may impair our effectiveness all over the pitch. The players will know it as well.
Today is an iconic match despite Manure’s evident frailty throughout this season. Our much praised mental strength has been a figment of the boss’s imagination for at least a decade.
Win today and our title challenge will receive a huge boost as the players prove to themselves that they can go to the Old Toilet and beat their biggest bête noire.
Draw and we will shuffle along in the stumbling pattern we have continued throughout the season.
Lose and our belief will be seriously punctured and we will have to adopt a snarling destructive attitude to the Marshdwellers next week.
GO WIN ARSENAL!
I see the club suit didn’t last very long and we’re back to trackies and fucking reversed baseball caps.
Please note. Reversed baseball caps are ok if you’re 14. If you’ve left school, you just look a proper twat.
Giroud benched, Walcott, Welbeck and Sanchez up top
No Flamini
33Cech
24Bellerín
5Gabriel
6Koscielny
18Monreal
16Ramsey
34Coquelin
14Walcott
11Özil
17Sánchez
23Welbeck
3Gibbs
4Mertesacker
12Giroud
13Ospina
28Campbell
35Elneny
45Iwobi
The positive is that Martial is not playing for Man Utd. Gabriel, Welbeck and Theo starting and Giroud being dropped is a surprise. Probably, looking to make a similar fast start as we did last time. Hope we keep the back door shut and don’t get taken out in a quick counter as it will be difficult to score at OT as Man Utd are quite defensive and let in very few goals at home.
A win by any margin is fine. COYG.
Interesting team.
Let’s win this, Arsenal!
As ever – YOU RREEDDDSSSS !!
Would absolutely love to demolish them but today especially, any win will be magnificent.
If we dont beat this Manu team, then I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know more than 4 names on their starting eleven.. COYG!!!!!!
Handbrake to be released shortly?
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here we go. Come on you reds!
Com on Arsenal! A long overdue win awaits! I can’t even remember the last time we beat them in the league at their place!
We Love you Arsenal We Do……
We Love you Arsenal We Do……
We Love you Arsenal We Do……
Get on top.
COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
ATG our good luck charm!!
BB well in
COYGs
This is gonna be interesting! Pace! Pace! Pace! This is the team that should’ve perhaps played against Barca Midweek! Gabriel-less of course due to injury.
COYBG! Up the Arse!
COYG!!
Come on Gabriel stop that nonsense
That was a serious mistake by Gabriel, almost gave away a penalty. We look subdued for no discernible reason. Need to up the tempo. Come on.
COME ON ALEXIS!
Get one in!!!
Swansea scor at WHL!
Wonderful news KSN! 😀
Shyte!
Shit, shit, Rashford scores.
Twat, Theo.
But still have to defend the situation better than that after the error.
Sloppy
First time I noticed Theo.
Clueless! Awful what can you say!
Rashford is tearing us apart. 2-0.
The bottlers are in full swing again.
Fuck off, Arsenal.
Miserable defending from Gabriel
Arghhh…with Rooney out we’re in real trouble..!
Midfield is shite!
Gabriel nightmare
There we go again
Midfield doesn’t exist!
We thought we just need to turn up to win. Gabriel is having a mare and Utd have their tails up. Old Trafford jinx strikes again or do we respond. COYG.
Going to get an absolute drubbing here if we’re not careful
Fucking awful to say the least!
Gabriel off at half time please.
You could take any one of the front three and Ramsey off as well
Nah Cynic, the other thing.
Theo off he has not got a clue!
Couldn’t be worse, Walcott invisible and Gabby not at the races. Get both off at half time
I would take Theo off certainly. Gabriel is playing like a blind man though
We need to somehow get one back before halftime – This is truely shit mind – Absolute powder puff shit all over the park.
As usual,season in….season out. That’s the day for me,over… And out!!
Ramsey is doing nothing in the middle defenders have to take the ballup front
Fucking hell, Danny.
🙂
Get in there Danny!!!!!
COOOMMEEEE ONNNN
Yeah Danny let’s go
Welbeck!!!!
And there it is now for a leveller pre half time 😉
It starts.
Finally! You’ve decided to start playing?!
Get In Danny!
Now only seven more….
🙂
All to play for now. Need Ollie G for Theo though
And here we are again, playing against a team that is giving up niggly little fouls to break the game up.
We should do that far more often.
Shit from Ramsey yet again.
Fuck off with the stepovers. You are not as good as you think you are.
Ramsey needs to subbed as well!
Giroud for Walcott is a must at half time would like to see that last chance again looked like deliberate hand ball on first look. !
Harry Potter is well pissed off.
Theo has nicked his invisibility cloak.
Hey just saw Theo! Yay. I nominate him to play the role of the invisible man in the sequel. Or maybe a replacement for Waldo?
Mertesacker to score the winner after a Giroud equalizer. COyG.
If we play better we’ll win. Its not like were up against Barca here. It’s down to us to get a result.
Have to say – and not aimed at Cynic in any way obviously – Theo has been fucking gash. And I’m done with him.
Giroud to get a hat-trick… if he gets on!
Worst ManU team in decades… headed by a Rash!
Damn you Rooney… damn you…!
@Cynic
Mate, Ramsey aint the problem. At all.
It is not a bad result considering we are playing with 10 man. Time to admit that Walcott is not a footballer at all and sell him to the closest grocery store.
It is not the result that is the real problem though. It is the way we play. Our midfield used to be our stonest part of the team, now it is our weakest as Ramsey just don’t creates anything and our link up play suffers. I never watched Arsenal team playing so bad when in possession as we are this last month.
But, this United team is the weakest I ever saw, and if we can’t turn things over and beat them, then we don’t deserve the title.
He’s part of it but I’d have Theo off. He’s redefining the word invisible today.
If he does stay on I’d give him no more than 15 minutes to do SOMETHING worthy of his continued presence.
At this club.
I’m not done with him but I’m fucking close. Nicking a wage.
If we’re not up for this ..then we do not deserve anything!
2nd half better come out flying…
COME ON!
Lurky. Your opening 2 sentences had me laughing. Top stuff.
Did anyone see a reply of that header just before half time? Did he block it fairly?
Lurky @156 spot on. Wenger needs to throw away useless sentiments and put Ramsey and Walcot out of this team and ensure they play from the bench till the end of this season.
It’s really disheartening to this trash against a half pence sausage Manure Team.
All these kids, are you kidding me? We can’t lose to this team. Can we?
Walcott is so scared of being injured that he does not tackle at all. He would prefer it to be a non contact sport. He needs to grow some balls. Also Ox would have made a difference today, at least he gets involved,unlike Theo. Need Giroud on for Theo.
Come on Arsenal!
Goodbye, Walcott. The most abject, miserable, non existent “performance” I can remember from an Arsenal striker.
It was coming we looked leathargic since the restart!
We can write off our chances for this season. 3-0.
Useless team.
And that’s the end of that.
Walcott will get all the hate, including mine, but our central midfield has been criminally shit today. That goal just sums it up.
Thanks Koscielny!
We forgot how to keep the ball and midfield is utterly championship material…..
Somethings never change!
Cynic, @165,
Not just Theo, the entire fucking team is invisible.
Come on Arsenal!
This is painful to watch!
I think it’s clear the problem with Arsenal isn’t really the opposition but Wenger and the team itself. Could it be a psychological problem?
Just drop those underperforming, Arsene got to be more ruthless!
Back in the game come on!
Get in
Looks like we played on Thursday and Manure on Tuesday. They believe now and it will be very difficult now.
Ozil!!!!
Game on c’mon ffs
Get Ramsey off asap
Even with a win today, this is still a shitty performance. Guess Walcott realises he isn’t a CF.
We’re utterly shit and still could win the game, which just shows how bad United are and underlines how dreadfully shit we are to be losing to such a total shower.
Losing to Barca, fine. But this shit of a Manu team? Whoa. They have kids all over the field. What’s the excuse now?
GET IN OZILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
He’s so pissed off he has to do it himself!
COME ON!!!!!!!!!
Tots equalize, the day is getting worse.
Knew it, he is never going to take him off, Coquelin was maybe our best player today, but it doesn’t matter doesn’t it
I think I’m going to have a nap and I’ll be more productive than this shower! They should all be utterly ashamed to wear that shirt with the cannon. Disgraceful!
Come on you Gunners!
Are LVG and AW conspiring to keep Mourinho away from Manure job next year, nothing else explains our pathetic display today. Only we could lose to a bunch of inexperienced kids.
We can hold off the best team in the world for seventy minutes but let in two in quick succession against the weakest man u. We make a bunch of kids look bigger than they are by playing so incomprehensibly poorly. If we don’t win this, Guess it’s goodbye PL.
@ lurky, even at a grocery you will have to show up to earn money unlike at Arsenal so that rules out that option for theo.
Agree Lurky Ramsey is struggling bit time and he takes off the better player!
Alexis shoot dont pass it to Ramsey
I’m sorry but there’s absolutely no way we’re winning the league. And I still can’t see Leicester going the distance. Spurs have come from behind today and I’m beginning to fear the worst, especially with the NLD just around the corner
And we question when Mourinho calls Wenger a perennial failure. What a bottle job.
Shambles nothing else
Can’t blame the ref today. Can we? Fucking shit
Oh well, there’s still an FA Cup to defend.
Can’t believe we are this bad. When we are bad we look like a lower half team and even they have some bite. We are shit.
Manure are also well versed in the dark arts and we are the naiveest team in the league.
Wenger has to get rid of Theo and Ramsey (on today’s showing) etc., and get in some quality players.
Ksn, Wenger needs to get rid of himself
The fucking board can’t do it, so he needs to do it himself.
We bottle it against the weakest united side there ever will be and surely we have to say goodbye to the title!
Oh well same old same old!
How utterly predictable.
So poor against a totally nailed together MU.
Where do we go from here?
We weren’t good enough, gave away two dreadful goals. Bye, bye league.
Couldn’t be more disappointed.
3rd or 4th is the best we will ever do I’m fuming!
Fucking Pathetic Non Performance,out battled and we wanted it less than a team made up of kids and reserves – Utterly abject from a side going for a title on that show we haven’t a hope in hell.
Utter gash. Tara folks, got more important things to worry about for the next few months.
Yawn!!! Just woke up. Is it over yet??? What did Arsene Wenger’s man-management and motivation do this time against the weakest ever Manure side in living memory???
4th is a major trophy according to our manager who gets paid 8M an year for this
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Players have only themselves to blame.
Ah well..
SAG @203,
Getting rid of AW is going a bit too far for me. Some of Wenger’s earlier teams with technically good players have played great football, which is what I expect from Arsenal. You win some, you lose some but today we looked like a piss poor football team.
With Tots winning our day of misery is complete.
Why can we not defend at all at times. Even if we did not score we could have earned a draw. I thing we should have started with Per and Giroud and left Theo back at the Emirates!
This season is over, we should start planning for the coming season.
On top of all this I have to listen to a grinning fucking Michael Owen.
Le Coq is awful with Ramsey, vice versa.
We miss Cazorla so much. Without him, no build up from middle, so we need Giroud.
Wenger got the tactics horribly wrong, or too underestimated ManU.
Alexis’s been gone missing when we need him the most.
We got what we deserved out of that.
I’m not going to write the league off as I’ve been watching football long enough to know that its a funny old game. But it’s completely out of our hands.
Maybe we’ll play better now the pressure’s off.
3 up top works if you are Suaraz, Messi and Neymar. And busquets, iniesta in midfield. When you have Walcott and Ramsey, you are handicapped from beginning. I know you will slate me for saying but Spurs look so much better organised and threat going forward that us. I would congratulate them or Leicester. Both of them deserve it better than us
When we restarted in the second half there was no urgency in our play no plan of action again was Wenger playing for a lucky draw? He must have and he calls his team there were naive perhaps he is the one who is naive as he sets his team out at walking pace when we are down 2:1 at half time with the league title at steak.
Ramsey is a bag of shit he is clueless in the middle, mind you Alexis didn’t have a good game either. Tactically we shambles and defensively too. Two cheap goals given away one after the other. Seems to me we only started chasing the game once we were behind but hey it was too late for that as we all saw.
Rant over….
Oh, I see we were beaten yet again and this time by a bunch of kids and a side that just played in the Europa league on Thursday. Oh well, what’s new?!
If Arsene Wenger doesn’t win the Premier League title back this year, especially if the LWCs go on and win it instead (I see that they won again today and came from a goal behind at home too to do that), then he seriously has to consider his position as the manager.
Arsenal Football Club is, and always will be, bigger than one man’s machinations no matter how much he’s done for us in the past.
Up the Arse!
Well done Wenger. Mad selection. Mad subs. Great job, gradually manouevering our great club back to 4th. And you FA cup fetishists, forget it ; unlike the last two years, there are actually some decent teams left this time. I’ve had it with this shit. I’d say Ozil has too. Jesus if Cech is worth 10-12 pts (and he has been brilliant) we’re barely mid table and have massively regressed. Walcott and Ramsey were embarrassing today.
Terrible performance… For a team that prides itself on its one touch play – this was perhaps the worst performance in terms of our passing game. Decision making for the passes was wrong 8 out of 10 time…. Passing to a man who was surrounded instead of one who was in free space, trying a cute little layoff when a cross would have been high percentage option and not shooting when the chance presented itself (amazingly even sanchez was reluctant to shoot)…The herrera goal just shows the benefit of going for a good shot on goal from outside the box.
The problem area is clearly the midfield for us. The Ramcoq and Ram-flam combination isn’t meant for us to dominate the game. It can only be effective if we play on the counter or go more direct like we did against Leicester. This team has shown that it can have a game like this in the past too – memorably against Southampton… Massive two games coming up against Swansea and the totts… Must win both of them now. I don’t think we are out of the title race yet but we’re hanging in just by a thread.
The big question for the manager now is whether to stick or twist? Should he make a statement by benching Ramsey, Alexis and Theo and starting Elneny, Campbell and Giroud instead of them respectively. Poor as Ramsey and Sanchez were tonight, they are the sort of characters who never hide and would be itching to put it right as soon as possible… The same can’t be said about Theo though. For a player who has been in the team for a decade now – he still has a remarkable aversion to contact!! He has improved few aspects of his game like his first touch but apart from a scenario where he is in behind the defence and running at it like a panther, there is hardly any other where he inspires any confidence. Time might finally be running out on his arsenal career.
Football is a game of glorious uncertainties. Winning is never guaranteed – no matter how good a team you are… What matters though is that teams go out and play to their potential and give it their all. Today that wasn’t the case. The remainder of the season might just determine whether this squad has the wherewithal or will it go down with a whimper. I can take a defeat where we give an almighty fight and the opposition is better than us (ala Barcelona) – but this was a terrible one. The team would know that more than anyone. They have bounced back well in the past and I would be cheering them with all my might on Wednesday. They might need it from every single supporter of the club…
Good stuff @220, desi. Spot on.