Arsene’s Gunners Last Trip To Old Trafford Jog The Memories
Apr 28th, 2018 by 'holic
Arsene Wenger takes his Arsenal team to Old Trafford for the last time on what promises to be one last difficult day at a ground where he has accrued mixed memories. The 2002 title triumph, secured in front of the Scoreboard End by Sylvain Wiltord, was the highlight. The low point a toss-up between the infamous attempt to secure 50 matches undefeated, thwarted in controversial circumstances, and the 8-2 embarrassment in 2011.
For the best part of a decade the thunderous encounters between the charges of Wenger and Ferguson would be the most eagerly anticipated clashes on the Premier League calendar, and invariably decided the destination of the Premier League trophy and FA Cup. They hated us and we returned those feelings with a vengeance. Yet in the years that followed our stadium move a reluctant respect grew between the supporters of the two clubs with regard to those competing managers in the combative years.
That respect didn’t, however, stop the vile chant that has greeted Arsene from sections of the Old Trafford crowd throughout his tenure. I hope tomorrow United will make public their appreciation of a man who could be said to have motivated them to greater heights in the nineties and noughties. When Ferguson announced his retirement in 2013 it was after our home meeting in the April. I would like to think that had we known the club and home support would have shown some recognition of his long tenure at United.
That last meeting of the two old rivals ended all-square, a 1-1 draw that would have allowed both to have savoured a bottle of Arsene’s finest red in the manager’s office afterwards. The two men have become noticeably warmer to each other and appear to have established a genuine mutual respect following Fergie’s retirement.
Arsene is reluctantly, but correctly, bowing out at the season’s end and I suspect even he would be praying tonight for a similar score tomorrow as surely his Europa League team will be wrapped in mothballs ahead of the second leg of Thursday’s semi-final in Madrid. Expect a recall for Petr Cech in goal behind possibly a back three of Calum Chambers, Per Mertesacker, and Rob Holding.
Wing-backs Ainsley Maitland Niles and Sead Kolasinac may need to ‘look after’ a young midfield of Alex Iwobi, Reiss Nelson, and Joe Willock, supplemented possibly by fit-again Henryk Mkhitaryan to get him back in the swing of big matches before Thursday. He will look forward to proving Mourinho wrong for sure. Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang should give us a punchers chance up front.
The ‘holic pound
So hot is the expectation of a home win that an old-fashioned 1-0 to the Arsenal is offered at 25/1. Petr Cech could have one last hurrah, stopping everything that comes his way. Alexis Sanchez might frustrate his team-mates by running into blind alleys all evening, as he so often did in the first half of the season. Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang has a goal in him if the kids behind him can produce a quality final ball or two. I know, I’m clutching at straws, but that’s how it has to be. To confirm your diagnosis of me as insane I have also backed 2-0 and 2-1 to the Arsenal at very favourable odds.
As ever, don’t bet what you can’t afford to lose.
Have a great and unexpected one, ‘holics.
50 Responses to “Arsene’s Gunners Last Trip To Old Trafford Jog The Memories”
My favourite OT visit is quite recent, 9000 gooners there to see di Maria sent off and Nacho and Danny see us through in the cup. Never seen us win there before. Floated home down the M6.
My first first. Clearly an epic moment. Happily onto my third brandy. COYG!
To make it a 1,2,3 I would just like to say that Maureen can go fuck himself.
I heartily concur, Countryman! ?
As one straw clutcher to another, if Arsene picks that team, will you be watching through two fingers from behind the sofa?
I believe in miracles too Guvna. Go gettem!
COYG
iBelieve, iBtM ?
Evening bath.
I don’t believe in miracles and don’t feel I have to predict an Arsenal victory even though I’d love us to get one. I see Mavropanos has travelled. It would be a baptism of fire for his first game but Ox made his debut in the 8-2 defeat. Sanchez may be extra motivated to do well tomorrow and I expect a team that hasn’t got a point away all year to go down about 3-0. A draw is the best we can do but Thursday matters so much more .
i remember when multi-posting was a rare
seldom seen extravaganza
you c100
have made a mockery
A MOCKERY !
.
i dunno
maybe i’ll be ready to talk this tomorrow
.
.
no guarantee
It was a tribute cba. A tribute I tell you. (I’ll be on the look out for post 99).
I like your assessment, Guv’.
Here’s hoping for a respectful audience for Le Boss and a decent shift from the lads (I hope Iwobi can impress enough to force a thought for Thursday’s selection in Madrid).
But my mind, and heart, are on Thursday. 1-nil to the Arsenal would be most fitting on that day.
RMMBD
Wouldn’t it be funny to go up there, play a bunch of kids and watch them beat Maureen and his merry men?
Totally agree with everyone else who is far more concerned with next Thursday.
Enjoy, but remember this. When the fun stops? Stop.
Time marches on. At last, Arsenal seem to be trying to keep up with it.
H – from previous drinks – Looking forward to it. Also persuaded another mate to do something, I should be on commission 😉
The last time I watched the Arsenal live was this fixture in 2011 … yup, the 8-2. Preceded the week previous by my one and only visit to the Ems … beaten 0-2 by Poo. The combined package a birthday gift from my daughter!
I’ve had better gifts.
I’ll go with a 3-2 win today.
Goals for Auba, Danny and Mkhi
off the bench to seal an enjoyable
awayday.
I’m doubtful we will start many
of the kids and expect a team
something like
Cech
Hector, Calum, Rob, Kola,
Ash M-N, Xhaka
Nelson, Iwobi, Danny,
Auba
But who knows. I think Per will play
at some stage before the end of the
season
It’s all very well not taking Sunday seriously and putting all the eggs in the Madrid basket, but I’d hate to get drubbed by Moaninho whatever the excuse. So let’s not play into his grubby paws with a back 3 featuring 2 third-choices and a rusty skyscraper. A proper back 4 with your 3 plus Kola at LB please.
I’d also play Jack somewhere with strict instructions to swap his theatrics for a bit of football practice, if he can remember how to play properly.
c100 ?
Jack didn’t travel Chris, neither did
Laca,Aaron, Nacho, Kos, Mus or Ozil.
But Hector and Xhaka did, hence my
guess at the back 4 and midfield.
Unless we start with mostly kids.
Well spotted OM. This game is very inconveniently places but at least we only need a draw at home to Burnley to avoid starting our season in mid July! Burnley as I thought they would have failed to maintain any sort of challenge to us and even dropping every point away this year we have stayed above them. And there are those in the media who suggest Dychecas our next manager. At least the Eddie Howe talk has lessened although I could see him in a coaching role.
If we are to believe the media the new manager has only £50 m to spend or LE has demanded £200m. Neither rings true to me and with player sales of which there will be quite a few I suspect the revolving door in the dressing room will be moving a lot this close season Thats why I’d like to see some kids get a chance in sensible circumstances before the end of the season
Chris@15.
So, it is all your fault then. That would explain it.
?
Que sera, sera.
With Thursday in mind, the more “kids” the better. We dan get behind that idea and cheer them on with no expectations.
Your team though, Holic, sounds stronger (!) than I had imagined.
If your bet comes off, maybe you could let me have next week’s lottery numbers ……. ? ?
Come on the Young Guns. – put a sulky sneer on Mourinho’s face …..
Oops, too late ……
Mavropanos makes debut. Ospina in goal ( Cech on Thursday?) and Nelson starts wide on right. It’s a team that could and probably will ge5 walloped but it is the right way to go with Thursday in mind
Let’s hope they can surprise us
Time for a change. We haven’t won in the league at OT since 2006 and only once since May 2002. Our Premier League record there is woeful: P 26, W3, D7, L16. All three wins have been 1-0, so your 25/1 has history on its side, ‘Holic.
Kids aplenty:
Ospina;
Bellerin, Mavropanos, Chambers, Kolasinac;
Maitland-Niles, Xhaka;
Mkhitaryan, Nelson, Iwobi;
Aubameyang.
Bench: Cech, Holding, Monreal, Welbeck, Nketiah, Osei-Tutu, Willock.
Xhaka keeps giving the ball away in dangerous areas.
SLICK move! Mkhi should have equalised there.
AMN is a talent.
Liability Mustafi well out of it. Liability Xhaka causing his usual stress.
I cannot believe he has given Xhaka the captain’s armband.
Xhaka should be sold ASAP!
Some players should stay after Wenger But Xhaka is not one of them.
Wenger will probably take Xhaka off at the half in order to maximize his “contribution” on Thursday.
Graeme Souness just said exactly what I said to Xhaka at the moment they scored. Word for word! Telepathy lives.
We played quite well and are losing , they played quite patchily and are winning. Very much the story of Mourinho v Wenger.
Good contributions by AMN, Iwobi and Mkhitaryan. Xhaka will be dismissed if he is not careful. He has been made our skipper today??
Looks about a 3-0 defeat to me unless Auba brings his scoring boots because we make so many defensive mistakes
For various reasons I’ve not been able to keep up with the first half and have just seen snatches of it, but saw enough to confirm in my mind that Granit Xakha is a fucking shambles of a footballer, lacking the required attitude.
Oh, that’s a nice goal… 🙂
We should sit deep and hit them on the counter. We missed Mikhi last week.
@37 – that appraisal of Xhaka is too positive by far.
Kolasinac is also injury prone. Our goal scorers Monreal and Welbeck on for Nelson and Kola.
How Arsenal to give it away at the death. 🙁
Mourinho wins again, bugger.
Really enjoyes our lads until this minute, damn
Xhaka fails to win the header…. hits Fellaini on the bonce and in it goes.
Enjoyed
Again we defended a draw! Defended way too deep got punished!
Same old! Move along!
Xhaka isn’t a footballer he’s a fucking disgrace!
At least we played well and the youngsters did quite well. Our failure to keep the ball towards the end was telling. We have been unlucky against them generally.
Gut-wrenching. What a performance by the lads. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I don’t usually enjoy defeats especially to a very ordinary United side although they do create much more lumping it into the middle than any other way but this had moments of encouragement . The two centre backs did very well and with better defensive midfield would have possibly seen us get a point. AMN and Mkhitaryan did very well and had Welbeck been there from the start we might have done even better. This was a pretty gentle Arsenal / United game but we held up well and avoided humiliation.
I thought we deserved a point and one consolation is that United won’t get major prizes while Mourinho is there and really fine players won’t want to play for him. And the winning goal bobbled off two heads it wasn’t much credit to Fellaini.
Ospina is very liable to concede when crosses come in as the last few minutes showed.