Let's Win It For The Big Men
Dec 12th, 2010 by 'holic
Spending most of the eve of the Manchester United versus Arsenal match travelling to visit the ‘holicdad in hospital puts the game into some semblance of perspective. It also highlights to me the utter absurdity of the pre-match jibes of Patrice Evra, an intellectual dwarf and coward who so badly let down his country in the summer. He is a little man in every sense of the word.
It is a shame he poisons improving relations between two clubs who have been the major players of the Premiership era. Some would argue that the thawing of feeling between them and us is due to our failure to add any more titles since the invincibles avoided defeat in 2003/4. There is probably a degree of truth in that, and it is fascinating that United come into this game trying desperately to continue their own ‘invincible’ pursuit.
The red half of Manchester have quietly avoided any reverse in the opening fifteen. That fact in itself illustrates the size of the task facing Arsenal, but a home record of seven wins and just one draw (against West Brom, who beat us at the Grove) shows how tough it will be for any visitors to Old Trafford. So why did we enter the weekend on top of the table, and not them? It is United’s away record that produces the answer. Just one win, six draws, and eleven goals have been enjoyed on the road.
Compare that to Arsenal’s record on their travels. Five wins, and just one defeat in eight starts. Away from the Grove Arsenal have scored more goals and conceded fewer than their title rivals. This is a meeting of the Premiership’s most prolific home team, and the top-flight’s best travellers. Those who fear our defensive fallibility is likely to cost us a fourteenth championship will also acknowledge that over ninety minutes we have the firepower to beat anybody. That is the underlying belief that sees me venturing the ‘holic pound on a first defeat for Fergie’s charges.
I’m plumping for a 3-1 away win at 33/1. There is a reason for that high price. The bookies have United as firm favourites and don’t often get it wrong, but I am working on a belief that Arsenal are due a performance. For all that November brought away wins at Wolves, Everton, and Villa, I don’t think it is unfair to say that Arsenal haven’t really produced a convincing and clear statement of intent since last visiting Manchester in October. Citeh were dismissed 3-0 in front of their own support. That was a clear sign that the Gunners are ready to reverse the trend of poor results against their major rivals.
United will be relying on the temperamental Nani, the out-of-sorts Rooney, and our sulky old mate Berbatov. If they click we will have problems, no doubt, but a little discipline from Song and the back four plus a smidgen of luck could help if that happens. Now look at it through their eyes. The belief they can get at us tempered by the realisation that they are coming up against two of the Premiership’s most in-form attacking forces in Nasri and Chamakh, prompted by the enigmatic Arshavin. Both sides know the other could damage them and as a result we may see a return to the days when these games were always feisty. Howard Webb may yet be the deciding factor. The match has the potential to be truly gripping.
No, it won’t be easy. No, I wouldn’t be ‘surprised’ if we self-destructed at the back, but I honestly believe that won’t happen. Call it a gut feeling, for that is what it is. I am dealing in gut feelings today. I am dealing in raw emotion. And I would be mighty bloody pleased for the man that made me a Gooner if we did silence, if only temporarily, the doubters. Let’s win it for my Dad, and yours if you come from a Gooner family.
193 Responses to “Let's Win It For The Big Men”
normally dont comment, but cant believe im first !!!
For our dads! Cheers ‘holic!
I think we will surely win and Nasri will score one of the goals.BTW its time for Chamakh to get a penalty for us
Will gladly take a 3-1 but it will heal some wounds if we win 2-0, with a naughty chamakh ‘dive’ to earn a penalty,nasri slotting home the second and song making his presence felt against evra…it’s 3 am and I’d love some jim beam to put me to sleep, cheer’s holic !
I hope that your visit will give your Dad the boost he may need.
Good luck.
CoYRRR’s
I am feeling quite positive too.. there is no doubt who is running more scared here. One theory is that Evra’s mind games are designed to get us to react badly and get red-carded. But that would be giving credit to his intelligence which he is sadly lacking.
I just think he is shitting in his pants at the prospect of facing a strikeforce as deadly as ours (on a good day). Hope holicDad is feeling better
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Arsenal FC, Arsenal News and arCHer, Goonerholic. Goonerholic said: Time to stop the moaning and whingeing. Let’s Win It For The Big Men http://goonerholic.com/?p=3130 […]
3-1 to the Arsenal? I’m on it. The ‘holic AUS$2.50 will get off to a flier should that happen, and I’ll be more than whistling to work (9am being when the match ends).
Come on you rip-roarers!
Evra has a massive chip on his shoulder due to our following and reputation in France. He alluded to it in an interview not so long ago, poor Paddy very insecure.
A good opportunity to thank my old man for passing down the Arsenal genes, thanks dad- and to yourselves for your consistently good blog.
I’m sorry your Dad’s unwell Goonerholic, hope our team can give him a massive boost. I would say it’s a bit early for a drink, but if you’ve got bucks fizz on the go, that will be lovely!
just think ‘holic what 33s will pay to give your dad as a double whammy xmas prez on top of the win itself
Arthur mentioned dining out yesterday, and I suffered a similar prob . Our village hosted the annual meal for us oldies – started at 1230 and finished at 1730 and didnt cost a thing apart from the rates I suppose. Anyway woke up at MOTD time , and the dreamed that the problems Mancini was having with Teves led to both Toures joining us in January – now how about that – would they help us out….
Great blog, hope you’re right. Also, hope your dad gets better soon!
What a fantastic read ‘Holic.
Yes, Man Utd are solid, and have a never-say-die attitude, and no, we don’t have that winning mentality yet, but I believe, more than ever, that a win at Old Trafford can change all of that. If we win there, and then lift the Carling Cup, then I have the feeling that this team is on the verge of achieving something special.
As I said in a previous post in the Drinks, this game is a matter of faith; if we doubt ourselves, if we fear them, if get overwhelmed by the occasion, the atmosphere, the potentially dubious ref decisions, we will have been undone by our own fragility. But if we go there TO WIN, to play our football, if we stay focused FOR 90 MINUTES (+ 12 minutes of Fergie time), if we remain disciplined AND NEVER GIVE UP, then this game could truly be a turning point in this side’s history.
A bit like that Liverpool game at Highbury where we fell behind, then came back after half-time, kept going, and ended up undefeated champions!
Games such are these are a matter of faith. We have the talent, we have the creativity, but do we have the faith?
I, for one, do.
We love you Arsenal,
We do.
I forgot to add my most sincere wishes for a complete recovery by Holicdad.
Good grief, what happened to the good ol’ British pound? I just placed the ‘holic AUS$1.60 as I discovered (well I rounded it up to $2) on 3-1 to us. I really had no idea, if this trend continues a trip to the Emirates could be on the cards, never been so affordable! At least the Aussies are winning something…
Best wishes to your Father and to the Arsenal, Holic
Here’s to a speedy recovery for the Holicdad. My thoughts are with you.
And people, don’t waste any energy on what Evra says. All he does is expose himself as insecure and immature and carrying a massive inferiority complex.
Pint of Boddingtons, please.
Some snow from montreal for holicdad , hope he will be ok , up running and cheering for arsenal
arsenal play the best football and will win
Sorry to hear about your father holic. I hope he makes a speedy recovery and our boys give united a touch up for him 🙂 COYRRRzzzz
Best wishes to the holicdad and all the mighty old gooners. I’ve got a good gut feeling about this one too. But curses to the Manure crew and the TV schedulers who thought it was a good idea to make this a Monday fixture. Come on Arsenal you can do it!
well wishes to ya dad, hope man utd wont roll us over they have the ability and means to do that, and ur missing one factor that is wayne rooney… Fergie is playing mind games by letting his players voice out there opinions to keep us distructed from the real threat which is rooney, forget nani, forget berbatov or park, rooney is relishing this somewhere. Dont say i didnt warn you mates……
Here’s thinking of the ‘holicDad, hope he gets well soon and you can both enjoy another silverware laden season together.
I do not doubt that we win tomorrow.
We have Nasri, they don´t.
We are in a spot where we can make a stand and win the league.
Go Gunners!
/Pep the swede
Excellent post ‘Holic and speedy recovery to your father.
3-1 will keep us top of the league and give us momentum for the other big games we have this month.
Fingers crossed we won’t have any costly individual errors or red card otherwise we should be good enough to win at our current away form.
As an added bonus, if we are 3-1 at the last added minute with a free kick to spare, RVP’s left footed free kick should be firmly aimed at Evra’s tongue. That would make it a perfect win.
Just coffee for me sir.
Excellent post Holic!
A great deal of optimism is among us and I hope your dad feels much better soon!
1:3 for the odds it’s pretty good I have to say! I know we can raise the game against top teams and from what I saw last season we were the better side but we scored an own goal and that was that.
We can’t fear the Mancs full stop any sign of that and we will panic and concede. I have a gut feeling we will bring throse precious three pints back home. It won’t be easy by any means but we have the quality to do it!
Now come on you RIP ROARING ALWAYS SCORING REDS!
Here’s to a victory for the ‘holicdad!
Looking forward to the game, what’s with this Monday night Football?
3 PINTS Authur?? I’ll drink to that!!!!!!
Good post as always and best wishes to ‘holic dad
Off out for the staff Xmas party so if I post later and it makes no sense I apologise in advance!!!!! He he
nez
I was in a rush mate still running around like a headless chicken…
3 points followed by 3 pints one after another!
Hope everything turns out fine for ‘HolicPaps.
Victoria Concordia Crescit, lest the lads forget.
Come on ARSENAL.
Here’s wishing you and yours all the best.
Arsenal spanking Manure IOU would be the perfect tonic, although I’ll gladly accept a dodgy or even jammy win.
Come on you rip roaring…….eerr… yellows?!
Cider please guv.
Cheers.
Cheers for that ‘Holic – I was very much enjoying that read until you said that Howard Webb may be the deciding factor ! Will he have his red/black/white or green/gold vest on under the black shirt tomorrow ?
I do share your funny, sneaking feeling that we will get the victory tomorrow, but it will have to be at 2 – 3 for me, as I just don’t trust that shaky old defence.
Here’s hoping Fab is fit in time.
Best wishes for the ‘holicdad, especially as it doesn’t seem long since the “management” was indisposed.
Hope you get chance to enjoy the match.
Come on you Spuds?
What do you think, ‘holics?
well written post. We can win the match…..but we’ll need a really solid defensive performance.
Now I see where the pound is 😉
Cheers, ‘holic. All the best to you and yours.
Mine’s a glass of your finest red ronight.
Thinking of you and ‘holicdad.
As will enough gooners, old and new, at old trafford who will have read this post. Therefore, I can’t see the mancs winning so here’s to a 3-1 away win.
Pint of strong continental larger please.
RvP: hell no, if I had to choose a winner at the Shite Fart Lane I’d pick Chelski. I want Sp*rs as far away from the top as possible, and if they win this game they’ll be right iup there in the title race.
And oh my goodness me, Gomez just gifted Chelsea an equalizer by dropping a massive clanger. But I think that Chelsea will cock this up, they are shaky as hell defensively.
Pint of John Smiths, please.
Do Totten**m have to copy EVERYTHING from Arsenal? Including Almunia-esque goalkeeping howlers? 😉
Lars, If Chelsea lose, Sp**s will still finish below us, and Chelsea’s spirits would take another blow, leaving us only Man Utd to worry about.
Sp**s will be put back in their place eventually (I still really haven’t got over THAT result tbh, we screwed up big time), but a resurgent Chelsea would be more worrying in the title race.
‘m afraid even a draw could lift Chelsea’s spirits at the moment, but a defeat..a defeat would plunge them further into “crisis”.
I’ll have the same thing as Lars please barman 🙂
This is perfect :-).
Heartbreak for Chelsea, and no win for the Sp**s.
Barman, a lot of alcohol for everyone in the bar please 😀
RvP: “If Chelsea lose, Sp**s will still finish below us, and Chelsea’s spirits would take another blow, leaving us only Man Utd to worry about.”
Perhaps you’re right, it might just be my bad nerves. And I certainly agree that a draw considering how it came about might just have been the best result we could have hoped for. That penalty from Drogba was pretty crap, he could just as well have put an ad in the paper telling Gomez where he intended to shoot it.
All the best to `HolicDad, indeed crossing my finger that tomorrow’s win will give him the boost he needs.
I have been swamped by work recently, just had the time to watch the games but not much more. The Old Trafford game is another opportunity to put our stamp on the league and have them doubt their chances. As usual it’s ourselves we will have to overcome but I don’t think we’ll play this one with the handbrake, certainly Nasri won’t and I really hope he will play centrally and inspire the team for 90 minutes.
The great news for us gooners from the US is that the game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 whose stream quality is near-perfect, here: http://espn.go.com/espn3/index/_/sport/soccer-futbol
I hope your dad gets over his illness quickly and your pound has been invested wisely. Wincarnis and TCP for me please.
Thanks all. Really appreciate your good wishes. Back from the hospital now to watch Bordeaux and sink a bellyful of Guinness. Everything crossed here too.
To ‘Holic and all ‘Holics
Here’s to all our fathers and a fine, long-awaited win of any description at Old Trafford tomorrow.
Best wishes to the ‘Holicdad for a speedy recovery.
I’ll drink to that.
Here’s to ‘holicdad, get well speedily! ‘holic, thanks as ever for a great blog. Let’s raise a glass of hot wine to the lads, in hopes they overturn the mancs barsteds and truly hold the tabletop come tomorrow midnight.
@ RvP
It was the perfect result for us – Spud soup with a sour Chav sauce.
Now for tomorrow night….
If we pull off a win (and I believe that we will) we will be in the driving seat for the first time in a long time.
I’ll drink to that as well and there’s money behind the bar for all that care to join me.
Come on your mighty Gunners!!!
PS: As for Bile/Galen
Same old T*ttenh*m, always cheating….
Best wishes for the ‘holic dad and a thank you for the kind comment on the rest of ours.
Can be done, should be done but a 0-1 is my shout.
Thinking of you ‘holic, and the family – best wishes.
Let’s hope the news is good tomorrow.
Really touching, holic. I sincerely wish I could share your optimism about the game though.
I have a sense of inevitability about the entire thing. I’m using the same logic as you i.e. following my gut feelings. I guess I have rotten guts. 😛
Best wishes to the Holic dad.
Have to say it doesn’t fill me with enthusiasm that Webb is refereeing – is he really the top ref in England?
A draw would be an ok result but I will be doing Mexican cartwheels if we can smuggle 3 points out of there.
Speaking of which, can I have a Tequila and some salt?
Zico
I’ll slice some lemons for you as well!
It’s about time we got a result up there!
Come on you Almighty Reds!
So with the Spuds/Chavs result, to put it simply, it’s in our hands. We win and there goes the mancs game in hand by my maths. Simples.
I know were not half-way through the season yet, but this has the potential to be an enormous game. We win and it gives belief that we are progressing, the mancs win and the hoodoo continues. PMT is starting to kick in already!!
Anyways, here’s to all Gooner dads, past and present, God bless them all! Would settle for a draw but really, really hoping for a win.
zicoinexile, Are the Mexican cartwheels perchance a secret hint that a Vela goal could be in the cards? That would be quite a surprise but a welcome one I can assure you. Speaking of optimism, how about this for an optimistic prediction: Arsenal 5 Manure 3.
Curses. Work have called me in to toil until 10pm tomorrow. So I’ll be on the radio in the bogs then. Bastards.
Best wishes to the ‘holicdad.
Double scotch with a splash of iced water please barman
Looking forward to the game althought I can not hide my fear abot how our back 4 and Flappy will cope. I have a lot of things crossed this end.
Best wishes to Pops holic.
Up the Gunners.
Best wishes to Holicdad.
Matt – Does ESPN3 cost money?
I think the key will be having Arshavin and Nasri on the flanks.
Last season Arshavin was NOT on the flank at the Emirates and couldn’t deal with their CB’s.
This season, he will make a mess out of O’shea/Neville/Da Silva (whoever plays there). Nasri HAS to play on the flank and NOT in the middle even if Cesc is absent and because he’s the ONLY one who can make a mess of Evra on the flank, other than him we don’t have a player who is capable of doing such a thing to Evra that even though is stupid he’s a very good LB.
Arshavin MoM. Nasri/Arshavin and Chamakh the scorers – 2-0/2-1.
Rumours are that Wojciech Szczesny will start in goal. Could be interesting?????
Was just about to write that… Thad definitely means no Almunia ever again. I like Woj’s attitude, he’s confident but not in the Bendtner way, he’s still with his feet on the ground.
I didn’t like his interview in the polish paper but I’ve learned not to believe everything I read, especially with the fact he DID sign that contract.
I think it doesn’t matter whether it’s Woj or Fabianski, we’re gonna win anyway.
Mr. Snir Geuli. ESPN3 does NOT cost any money. All you have to do is set up an account. They usually show one or two premier league matches every weekend along with a few serie A and la liga matches.
As for the footy, i am in no position to (correctly) pick any outcomes. All i ask is that the Arsenal play their slick passing game and make those Man U C*nts chase the ball as we pass through and around their defense. A goal or two would also be nice.
Cheers to ‘holicdad! And I do wish him a quick recovery.
‘Holic,
Best wishes for a full recovery for your Pops.
[…] really wish I was more optimistic before this game, but I’m feeling a sense of inevitability about the entire thing. We’re very […]
Hi holic,
Nice post and I hope your dad recovers well.
Yeah. Everything crossed here too. The thing is I can’t pinpoint what my gut is feeling right now 🙂
0-1 away win?
Cheers
Hi Snir,
Just to let you know it looks like the ESPN thing is dependent on where you live and how you get your tv. It is definitely paid tv over here, at £9.99 per month, although I do get it as part of my cable package.
Best wishes to the ‘Holicdad….i hope the boys cheers him up later.
oh and i learned my lesson not to challenge the ‘Holic pound 🙂
@65
-s
Holic
No time to read the drinks yet, but all the best to your Dad. I’ll join you in raising a glass to yours, to mine, and to all of ours.
Feeling remarkably un-charged up for the game, maybe it’s because I don’t hold too much hope of a win considering that in later years it seems that no matter how well we play up there, ManU manage to fluke their way to a win anyway and perhaps it’s also the fact that it is a Monday night. Footie should not be played on Monday nights, it just feels wrong 🙂
Anyway, as long as the boys give it a go and try their best I’ll have no complaints whatever the result. Come on Arsenal!
A pint of orange juice, please (hey, it’s not even lunch time yet, can’t start the boozing this early!).
Dear Holic,
Sincere best wishes for your dad’s full recovery. I am a 57 year old gooner who lost his dad on 6 August this year. Many was the day when he took me on the 29 bus from camden town to Highbury to watch our beloved Arsenal before I could make the journey on my own. We then went happlily together and when I was old enough shared a pint with him in the plimsoll arms before the game.
I don’t fall into the its only a game category as the Arsenal is one of the most important things in my life but when one of the very few things in your life you love more than the Arsenal is threatened it does give you a sense of perspective.
Best wishes also to all the other gooners who have lost their dad and get the wistfull feeling that he is still there with them when they are at the game
Major props to your old fella ‘holic. Pretty well a year ago to this day, we went through a scare with my old fella’s health and here he is fighting fully fit 12 months on. That generation were made from granite….tough as nails. I’m incredibly proud of my old fella as you clearly are yours. Anyway….I wish him well.
Right, to tonights game. I’m surprised to read of what appears to be a slight feeling of inertia from some posts I have read, although come a few hours before, I’m sure the usual frenzy and excitement will kick in. We all love hating the Manure’s surely?!
As regards the score, I’d love to be as optimistic as your goodself and lawd knows you’ve proved me wrong so many times before but I’ll be opting for a 1-1 or 2-2 draw.
If we win, I will have no problem in baring my exposed buttcheeks for all to see at Highbury Corner. Belive me….the problem won’t be mine!!!
Up the Gooners….and keep on believing 🙂
# Neil C 70.
I don’t know you Neil but sincerest sympathies with the loss of your dad.
Holic – I hope the Holic Dad bares up and my Thoughts will be with him!
Everyone forgets that Manure and Arsenal had one the same number of Championship Trophies up to 1998, with Arsenal being the Superior of the two (being ahead most of the time).
Okay so we have not added to our tally since the most memorable record in the premiere league, still unbroken. Since which, many teams have often imitated but never duplicated.
Another concise and exhilarating post again, from you know who…
…to add to your stats Holic, the last time we lost at OT when Howard Webb was ref was 2008…
…I totally embrace all of your analysis once again Holic, especially your optimism that the team with the best away form will blemish Utd’s unbeaten record tonight (we can’t have them extending this run can we?) After all, they ended ours, didn’t they?
How about my dream from Friday Holics? Arsenal to win 6-2, Chamakh to get a Hat-Trick, Cesc to get the last goal and Fletcher to get sent off with Rooneh shouting at every Utd Player for their performance. Sorry Patricia, but I didn’t give enough of a toss to include you, you dizzy bird!
I think I’m also going to put a quid on your punt Holic 3-1 cos me loves the sound of that one too! As long as our north western counter-parts pay the price!
I’m also going for the same punt which has paid off for the last three games (at least two goals and Nasri to score).
Funnily enough I dreamt about this game again last night. Slightly different this time surrounding the build up of the tonight’s game. Only we were wearing our red and white training jackets. I’m sure it will be gold and burgundy, though. It’s definitely clash of the titans tonight no matter what Chelski or LWC’s think. Who really cared about their match yesterday apart from whether Chelski were going to drop points (according to plan)?
Holic I’ll have a Cappuccino for you and the Holic Dad please!
Cumooon yoooo Reeeds! (Arsenal that is!)
A win tonight shall a curtain open on a new dawn;
the red rose fingers of the lady of the morn
Shall herald the era of Wenger’s domination,
Ending the anguish of five years’ perturbation.
A draw and the taste of blood in the young lions’ mouths
shall raise the passion of the red and white youths
and set desire aflame for the rest of the season
concentrating minds, spirits and reason.
A loss, ye gods forbid, shall take despair to the brink
and the hope in our hearts shall begin to sink.
Rouse up you Gunners and into the fray
slay the Red Devils in Manchester away.
Best to you and yours holic ; )
Arthur @ 51 – no I already had the lemons – see I got them as a job lot from WHL 😉
BT8BBNN @ 53 – I can also do french and russian cartwheels if the occasion merits it!! 🙂
I’m nervous Holic – is it too early for Jack D & coke?
Nice one Magic Hat
Ahhh….them were the days….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSOPGFMLPKA
Best wishes to Holicdad from me aswell ‘Holic.
@Snir Geuli – I think you are spot on regarding Nasri.
There are two ways to deal with a good attacking full back. One is to put a defensive winger on to help deal with him, the other one is keeping him away from joining the attack by playing a very skilled and attacking winger.
Option nr 1 puts you on the back foot on that flank, but can be a good idea if your major strengths lies elsewhere (just closing the damned side of the pitch).
I’d love to see us going for option two, and Nasri is the best bet there. Sure, Walcott’s pace would keep Evra in defensive positions if Walcott was on the top of his game, but seeing as he isn’t at the moment I’d rather start with Nasri and his tricks.
I know it sounds naive, especially with this team, but in this instance, attack is the best form of defense.
Sounds good Toby!
‘holic
sorry for the late post…I sincerely wish your Dad well and a speedy recovery. Let’s pair that up with another away win and we can shout it out all week long.
best – Tim
These Manure and Chelski supporters are making me laugh:
” are you scared?”. “Make sure you come in tomorrow”
I’ve just had to point out a few facts:
1) if we lose we go second
2) if they lose they stay third
3) Either way Chelski remain fourth”
(Tut, kids, so naive!)
Great stuff mate. Sure the ‘holicdad will be a proud man later on tonight.
Sincere wishes for your Dad. They are always the first ones to take us to the football, and thankfully mine took me to Highbury first off, to see a very mediocre side managed by Billy Wright. And a couple of years ago on the eve of a nasty operation I was mightily cheered that the Arsenal came up with a Big Match Win, as I never doubted they would. So on the strength of that let’s have a Glenmorangie each and send the bill to Evra.
a million cheers to arsenal !
a million cheers to holicdad !
Robin’s Chocolate leg? I am offended!
😀
@Goonertown: You should look at the sun “forum”, the average IQ there is roughly equal to the number of games RvP has played for us in 2010.
I lurk there every now and then, very good for a laugh.
Big Sam Sacked!
Champagne all around!
Sorry to hear about the older Holic and I hope the boys do him proud tonight, Havent been about much due to a new job but I hope all are well . The jukebox is playing the Riders at full volume I’m in good company the bar has plenty of refreshments and Im hoping the boys get a result come on you Gooners, In the immortal words of the song
B Jesus said paddy I sang it so well so paddygot up and he sang it again Over and Over And Over again !!!
No Flappy,we’ve got a chance.If Laurel & Hardy can perform in centre of defence we’ll win,here’s hoping.
Big Sam sacked – shame. 🙂
Come on Arsenal, 3 pts and make my night complete!!!
Disappointed at the lack of Djourou, but Arsene knows best.
Come on you gunners.
Greetings Holic and fellow Holics!
Just in case anybody was wondering, according to Football Manager 2011 (which I have not been playing for some 2 weeks as Man Utd v Arsenal was my next match and I wanted to wait and see the teams so that I could select the same Arsenal XI for today- GEEK!) we will win 2-0 (Chamakh on 7 minutes and Walcott on 29 minutes – Rosicky got his ass whipped off the pitch by Evra after only 11 minutes hence why our lovely little rabbit was there to destroy three players and finish by placing it to the left of VDS!)
So, you heard it here first…
Football Manager IS real life, right?!??!
Joking aside, I have been feeling a sense of dread all ewek with this game coming and yet, in true foolish ArseFan Fashion, I suddenly find myself full of optimism and excitement!
COME ON YOU GOOOOOOONNNNEEERRRRSSSSS!!!!
I just hope that Sports Interactive & I are right!
Next stop, predicting the lottery!!!
Holic – Hope your Dad is on the mend and hope that our wonderful boys make him feel a whole lot better today. You are right in that real life sometimes offers us a clearer persepective of “the game” but we should never ignore the incredible positive effects it can have on us as fans (and we should DEFINITELY ignore the negative ones!!!)
As I said…..
COME ON YOU GOOOOOOONNNNEEERRRRSSSSS!!!
Minutes to kickoff. Come on Arsenal!! Let’s see anything but the rerun of the few previous matches against Manure and Chavski. Like we’ve been saying, time to grow up boys.
RVP –
Trust me it’s that’s nothing compared to what I’ll say to em tmw!
Get in you Gooooooonerssss!!
Come on you Reds just got back home!!!
Shitting bricks.
Big Sam sacked again aye? (heh)
Goonertown, he is replacing JM at Real. 🙂
We keep giving the ball away. Let’s hold onto it and have some composure.
Nasri is wasted on the right, he doesn’t get much from the ball. Not that Song, Rosicki and LJW aren’t doing well but none of them gives us the incisiveness we need.
Mr Webb has already taken to teh crowd!
fuckin Clichy is a mug
That was poor. Nani should never have had the time to make that cross.
Bring on RvP. We can still win this.
Come on you Gunners
Worst half of the season, by far. We are so inaccurate it looks as if we’re Sunday league.
Agree with Matt. Get Nasri central.
Bad day .. folks.
45 minutes to see some heroics. Come on Arsenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man Utd are playing with an intensity and with purpose. We need a big turnaround in the 2nd half.
Can we do it?
Sajit –
Thought as much he’s too good!
What the f*k? Park again?
Fabregas, RVP and Walcott on the bench?
I think an equalizer’s in order
Ok we are loosing and if we wont pick this up we will definitely loose….
No one is running into positions, some of those back passes were awful! We need to start passing the ball, back to the basic!
The first 15 mins of the second half will be decisive, we need to show our grit star creating something.
On the Ref front how can the FA allow for their Ref to be pushed by Fletcher?
Thats a red in my eyes!
I saw that too Arthur. That and ManU has been faking a lot of injuries.
Josh –
We’re giving them too much time on the ball in general. I reckon we are trying not to get caught on the counter. But Nani is always dangerous around the box.
And try and remember we are in yellow.
Alright Arthur?
That’s right mate. If they get the next goal it’s game over!
Looking better.
Arthur I missed Fletchers push. But that should have been the sending off I dreamt about!
OOOH!
Thats another good block by Clichy.
The pace of this game is high!
Much better but far too congested. Get it out wide and into the spaces more.
Clichy worries me still.
Bring on the world cup finalists!
What no yellow?
What the fuck is this Kungfu fighting?
We’re getting robbed as usual!
F***, pen to them, ball to hand
YAYYYYYY!
Rooney blazes over. Yessss!
TEE-O TEE-O!
Better in the second half… But not good enough.
We gave it a good go lads unfortunately it didn’t work……
For me Arshavin should have stayed on, Theo did FUCK all
We played OK defensively but they played better. We never came close to scoring. Frustration!!
Poor. Very poor. Created fuck all and have not looked like scoring. Very disappointing. Same old same old yet again.
We may as well not have shown up. God, that was depressing.
United and their usual luck. This should have ended as a draw and nothing else.
Theo’s touches were shit tonight. Plus he never went on any runs!
Fabi and RVP were a bit rusty…
…but fuckin ell! Utd should have been playing with nine men!
Fuckin Webb-ead!
Just. Not. Good. Enough…
Theo’s technique for that volley was poor. Can someone tell me if van der sar made a save?
Just not good enough and looked massively devoid of ideas at the end. Passing and first touches very poor.
What have we learned?
Only bright spots were a good performance by Wojscez and a rather amusing penalty attempt by Rooney.
It’s the needless dropped points at home that have created this rod for us really, gives you bugger all room for manoeuvre in games like this where we still have problems.
VdS saved a header from Cham, don’t remember too much else.
Matt. I agree they had some luck but how do we deserve a draw if we dont make the keeper work?
@136 Lonestar. We learnt the lessons years ago. Just have done nothing about it.
Lads
United were hungrier than us! Their season was at risk without a little help from Webbie and his mobb!
They even wanted to award a fucking pen for ball to hand!
That Park goal was fluky. Their chances were just as poor. Only 3 more than us!
Schezney played like a champ! He’s the reason there was only 1 goal!
We’re still second and still in with a shout
Cumon you Reeeddds!!
Exactly, Steve. Exactly.
I can’t believe I let myself get up for this match. I’m going back to work now. I’ll see you fine gentlemen in January.
Blackburn fans pulling their hair with anger about their manager’s sucking…Not
http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12606_6577177,00.html
I keep saying this – we dont know how to deal with packed defence – just head down and charge dont work
Webb was wearing a red shirt today (again)
– red card for fletcher for touching him
– no warning for that innocent foot raising which just happened to tear a large hole in Bacary’s shirt
– again and again he brought back for a free kick after no advantage but only for them
– the penalty wasnt – ‘cos Gael’s hand was on the ground as he fell down and from 2 feet there was no way of avoiding the ball
I enjoyed Rooney’s drop kick but wonder why Webb didnt ask him to take it again as Roo was nearly crying
Finally I wonder why so many of our passes went astray – very rarely was it an interception – most were straight passes to red shirts
Just heard Pat Nevin on 5live – who said (I think) we wernt out of it – mind you he fancies Citeh on account of their squad (who Teves?)
Pick yourselves up guys we are only half way through the season with all to play for and please please more variety with balls over the top for people to run on to, and better wide attacks – lets all go out and have a guinness tonight please barman
Steve T @ 141 – we might have learned but our manager hasn’t. Ferguson sets his team out to play the same way and Wenger doesn’t do anything different other than to play everything in front of their defence.
We have 2 full backs who could not cross the road and every other player that we play wide wants to come inside. We have a centre forward who can score goals with his head but short of set pieces how many quality crosses does actually get the chance to attack?
This is a limited Man Utd team but they still never looked in any danger tonight. Whilst in terms of current league placing etc, it might not be a fatal blow, I honestly believe that our current league placing is down to a levelling down of the league – none of the current Man Utd, Chelsea or Arsenal team would have lived with their counterparts of 4 or 5 years ago.
There were too many indifferent performances tonight to start naming and shaming but I didn’t see too many winners in that team tonight, despite what AW wants to delude himself into thinking (and no doubt the next e-mail I get from him will tell me what a good performance tonight was).
The young keeper deserves praise – can’t say that he done anything wrong tonight and did a lot right. I’d be tempted to keep him in the team.
Abysmal performance, it’s absolutely incredible how bad it was. United were way off their best tonight but somehow we managed to dig deep and find a way to be worse. Nobody to blame but ourselves, we passed more to their players than our own. Sagna and Wojciech the only ones to escape with any dignity, I think. Can’t see blaming Webb, he wasn’t great but we got away with a lot too, especially early.
Oh well. Seeing Rooney take that pen was at least some comfort.
Goonerholic: Love the blog and respect to your old man. I’m a fourth generation gooner myself, so I wish your dad all the best. I’ve read the blog for a while, but never commented.
I was thinking today, before the game, that someone like Fergie, or that plonker in Madrid, maybe someone like Anecelotti, might win the title with a squad as good as ours. And that, at the end of this season — if we win nowt, then questions should be asked of Wenger.
Now I think we’ve all maybe bigged up this squad too much. For me, Arshavin is a total extravagance/ endulgence/ waste-of-space. Clichy… is just, well Clichy — not good enough. Kos had a pretty good game tonight I thought, as did Squilacci (if that pair were in another team, they’d maybe get the respect I think they deserve).
If we can’t win the league this year, when manure and the chavs are as bad as they’ve been for a good long time, then — as much as I hate to say it — I can’t see us ever doing it with Wenger again.
Not giving up just yet though — we can still do it… maybe!
All the best!
Does anyone know why Shez started over Fabi?
The worst United side in 15 years didn’t need to get out of second gear can someone tell this lot that in the imortal words of Rocky who they are and what they represent cos some of them haven’t a clue so so so dissapointed absolutley cluless going forward, When Rooney missed the pen I thought game on they will go at em now we didn’t create a chance after we went through the motions yet again 🙁 If Wenger seriously thinks he dosent need to buy he’s in lala land.
Cognac. Width. Been saying it for ages. We do not have wingers. Play wide players and space in the middle will not be at such a premium.
First a summary: gutless display.
Elaboration: We were just a shade worse than ManUre. Nasri was afraid of the ball and Clichy was the usual defensive ticking timebomb. Further, why did Cesc play at all? He looked like he needed a goddamn wheelchair! Gooners, let me state the obvious: not fucking good enough.
hope your dad wasn’t watching that shit holic.
the team looked shit scared. Why play Kos instead of dijourou? he lost virtually every header, no strong enough. clichy made nani look like messi. song was so slow , even got out run by giggsy, whose old enough to be his dad.
no passion, no fight. they wanted to win more, just like spuds and chavski.
wenger has turned us into an embarrassement.
if he doesn’t buy a CB and central defender in january. he should walk
On the Brightside at least the kid finally got his chance in a meanginfull game By far and away the brightest young keeper I’ve seen in years just give the lad a run and that’s the number one sorted for the next ten to fifteen years.
***SPOILER ALERT*** (There WILL be foul language in the following post…)
So, Webb is a fatheaded cunt with nothing but Red Devil pillows and a Nani eiderdown on his big fat headed fucking bed…
Aside from that:
– We obviously managed to forget that we were in our away strip for half an hour in the first half.
– Arshavin HAD to come off because he was fucking useless AGAIN.
– Cesc is OBVIOUSLY not even CLOSE to being fit so a waste of a place on the bench was enough, let alone actually putting him into the middle of THAT mayhem when what we really needed was a Patrick Vieira type and NOT a Mini-Me.
– It turns out that Fletcher is a Manure player after all…Fucking frothing at the mouth, rabid piece of shit that he has, inevitably, like all the dogs that play for Manure, finally become.
– “It is getting a little spicy with Van Persie backing into Evra, Arsenal 14th foul compared to six by United.” HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Just read that on Yahoo matchcast! Fuck me gently with a chainsaw, can anybody genuinely tell me that this “statistic” can be taken at face value for even one second?!
– Ferdinand makes Fletcher look positively charming by comparison and how the fuck on this putrid shitty earth he walked away from his assault on Sagna without a card, let alone was allowed to stay on the park, is anybody’s guess.
– Chamakh is AWFUL as a single target man.
– Clichy is great going forwards…OOOPSSSS…Isn’t he a defender?!??!
– Sagna cannot cross a road let alone a ball, so why do we let him try so often at the expense of actually having any real wingers?
– The entire side looked for Nasri every single fucking time we had the ball, regardless of how absurdly difficult the pss was when there were better options…Arsene is far too good at branding a player with three or four good games under his belt as the next Maradona/Pele/Cruyff/Henry (delete as INappropriate) and convincing the entire squad that they simply have to get the ball to the latest fad and we will be world beaters that it has bcome predictable even for the likes of Rafael, Anderson, Carrick and that useless wanker Fletcher.
ENOUGH ALREADY! I could go on listing our utter pointlessness for days, but I won’t bother, I will simply cram it into this aburdly long sentence instead…
We simply do not have the stomach to win a game like this and, for as long as:
Arshavin is being powderpuffed by the management as a “high risk” player (read: Fucks up for 88 out of 90 minutes in most matches but just MIGHT actually figure out a decent pass or cross every now and then giving him decent stats which is fairly fucking inevitable when you consider that we create quite so much down the left from Clichy’s tireless running) rather than dropped for a fewweeks which is OBVIOUSLY what he deserves although Wenger is clearly petrified that he might go to Barca and take our captain with him that he simply cannot bring himself to accept that, regardless of his obvious talents (becomin less obvious by the game I might add) the “Let Arshavin do what the fuck he likes on the pitch and off of it” experiment is, at least for the time being, over…Theo is being left for dead on the bench after proving YET AGAIN at the start of the season that we need his pace and determination for 90 minutes and not the paltry 25 once the rest of the team are too fucking tired/bored/disinterested (delete as appropriate) to actually be of the slightest use to him whatsoever thus leaving him running into brick walls of defenders without a decent pass on having already gone back to the half way line looking for the ball…Cesc is constantly being rushed back thus giving the impression to the rest of the squad that we cannot live without him when we so clearly can and often do…Song is being allowed to run around like a headless fucking chicken, kicking everything that moves on the pitch whilst having ZERO competition in the squad and a set of cards so vast it would make a casino consider offering him a contract:
We are simply destined to continually get fucked like we did today.
The simplicity of what Manure did today was depressing. They passed it to one another, they let the referee own us and, in the rare moments when he didn’t, they threatened to kill him in front of his children with nasty, sharp, pointed teeth (a la Fletcher), they tackled when we looked dangerous and let us wander aimlessly around the middle of the park when we didn’t and they didn’t throw desperate substitutions around at the slightest sign of trouble regardless FINALLY, looking like they might be remembering what that white round thing was for and who to give it to.
I am a fully paid up member of the AKB brigade, but I am starting to wonder if that is not just a result of being as mad as the Mad Hatter himself.
Seriously, I am so fucked off I could actually consider shouting “Arsene Out” and hope that they hear me at The Grove from 8,000 miles away…
…but it wouldn’t make the blindest bit of difference anyway, would it?
Rant off…Somebody help me!
Look we were poor, but we haven’t been turned into an ’embarrassment’, hyperbole does nobody any good at times like this. And I’m also tired of words like ‘passion’ and ‘fight’ being bandied about – these are just meaningless terms people use when they can’t think of anything else. Frankly improving some areas of basic bloody footballing ability would help more at this point anyway.
As much as I love Nasri, once again he didn’t fill Cesc’s shoes in the big games like against Chelsea and Liverpool. Although he wasn’t in a central role he’s the most in form player and the team is looking at him for some inspiration, he shoulda carried the team.
Once again we have possession and don’t pose a threat because of lack of a killer pass.
Morale killing loss but we’ll get those points back next week. I just hope the players won’t start believing that media bullshit about not able to beat big teams…
Snir – hopefully we will claw some points back this weekend (though I have this horrible feeling we’re going to be bored into submission by Stoke), the trouble is, if we do will we lose them again in the game after that!
We have an obvious sleeper in Arshavin. Why is he not playing for Chelsea.
?
Snir & Charlie –
Finally some hope.
I too have noticed those other two plays each other next week and then we play the Blues the week after!
To me it looked as though Utd were hungrier than us tonight!
Being honest I can also see them beating the Chavs too with their unbeaten record and their need to stay top. Otherwise a Blues win and then a Gooner Victory to follow will have us all praising this team again!
Lets hope we’re still looking to be in it come Jan!
My feeling is that the other two will fuck up again!
Manchester United have always had a tradition of letting their earlier greats sit in the stands and watch the upcoming stars. And today was no exception, Mike Riley was sat in the best seats watching the stunning performance by Alex Ferguson’s latest young fledgling Howard Webb.
If that fucking dickhead is supposed to be the best that England can muster, what does that say about the rest? How is it possible that Fletcher is not booked or even sent off for the entire game? How is it possible that Ferdinand is not sent off for his kick against Sagna? How come ManU players get a talking to time and time again while our players get yellows for their first offence?
Ah, just fuck it – I need to be off to bed sharpish, got a lot to do tomorrow at work. See you all later when I’m less frustrated and pissed off…
Can everyone please ome down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bitterly disappointing result but let’s not go overboard with castigating our own players.
I though the centre backs and Song played well and continue to improve.
Cesc is clearly unfit and very rusty – miles off being ready for a return. Similarly Van Persie is also very rusty and found it difficult to get into the game. Jack works his socks off but clearly needs more experience. Chamakh spends too much time dropping deep and wide. Arshavin is an enigma and a paradox.
Why do we play so narrow on such a wide pitch?
Why did we start at such a slow tempo and take so much time to build attacks? It just allows the opposition plenty of time to organize their defence and nullify our attack.
Manure played a high tempo game and used the long ball over the top to good effect with Rooney either holding it up or doing something with it himself. They also used the long pass well and moved the ball quickly.
I think some of the results of the past few seasons show how very difficult it is to build a top class team without buying in at least a few proven, top class players.
Ah well! At least we are still second in the league and there is no reason why we can’t win our next game. Come on you Gunners!
Another Kugfu fighting REF woukd do the opposite if you lot think 1:0 is a “training stuff” then look elsewhere!
We didn’t win the game but we showed guts!
You lot are too soft!
Something else I should have mentioned and it is something that I’ve noticed many times – our players are not very good at finding space without the ball which means that the player with the ball hasn’t got good options to pass to, which is why everything ends up congested and we get nowhere fast and eventually the attacks just break down.
I’ve said it before but it is worth repeating – it is just as important to play without the ball as it is with it.
Let’s get behind them they hada tough evening up there and 1:0 is not by any means a laughing stock!
If I’ve seen 4 of the top 5 teams the last two days then ANYONE can win this league.
Were we poor? Yes.
Were Man U/Chelsea/Spurs? Equally so
It really might come down to who spends well in January.
Final thought (as mentioned above)….Cesc is brilliant when fit…but he so clearly is not. What was the point?
Who’s too soft?
Norfolk………….
Easier said than done United where defeding with their lives in the second!
Good points Tim.
No, we’re not a laughing stock.
@Arthur
I agree that it’d be silly to throw the baby out with the bathwater. It was one bad performance, but it would be wrong to pretend like it wasn’t pretty abysmal. The number of passes that went directly to opponents was absolutely shocking, I was nearly falling out of my chair in disbelief every time. We were way out of sync. It felt like a big part of the problem was that we were playing so narrow that it was easy for them to just flood the center of the midfield and suddenly we had nowhere to go. United were pretty awful too, but they managed to neuter us in the middle of the pitch and keep us out of the box even more than usual. The one thing I’ll say for United was that it felt like they had fifteen men on the pitch all the time, it seemed like no matter where we were, we were outnumbered.
And seriously, why the hell can’t we break? We do it so slowly, it’s useless.
We were shit in the first………you can hang me by the balls now
Now in the second the opposite and it wasn’t enough!!!….too many players who are scared to take charge!
EVEN CESC!
As for the Ref!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What was that barge into Webb by Fletcher that did not produce a yellow???
Can anyone explain?
(crap, hit the button too soon, apologies if it becomes a double post)
But all that said, it felt more like a one-off than any sort of systemic problem. Our standard of play was just so, so much lower than usual that the problem had to be more to do with us than with the particular opponent. We’re still in second and it’s still only December. We’ll be alright.
So ut seems that Rooney can go screaming ibto everyone and Mr Fletcher can barge into the ref and wave his hand ok and what was done about that?
Arthur – true Manure did defend very well but if we want to win things we have to learn to break down those defences. I know it isn’t easy and I know our lads worked bloody hard and I don’t buy into this thing about Manure wanting it more it was just that we didn’t quite know how to deal with what they were putting in front of us by way of a defence, and it isn’t the first time that has happened in a game. The manager, coaches and players must sort this problem out. Perhaps Wenger set out the wrong tactics and shape for the team.
Poor game, I actually thought it was the worst game between these 2 teams in a long time. Sometimes our play seems so slow and we hardly ever catch anyone on the break anymore. As for Manure never seen them play so much long ball.
When I look at it rationally I have to say the Premier League has gone downhill in quality as far as I’m concerned especially when you have the likes of Pulis being able to keep a team in the Premiership.
We are still in a good position but who knows how the rest of this season will go but anybody who puts a decent run of results together will walk it, trouble is I can’t see any team doing it yet.
If an Arsenal player did that it was gonna be a RED……………….
It’s an English game but are rules the same for everyone?
NOT A CHANCE!
KUNG FU IS NOT ALLOWED IN THESE DAYS
The rule is if you go with you feet is a card………..
Yes, there were bad refereeing decisions but we got away with a handball in the first half which should have been a penalty (Kos I think it was) and we can’t go blaming the ref because on the night we were outplayed.
Of course the season isn’t over and we are still in a great position but isn’t it a pity about those 9 points dropped at home? Could come back to haunt us.
Sorry forgot to add but Clichy you need to be dropped at the first chance possible and Gibbs given his place if nothing else then to try and get some confidence back in his play as he gives me heart attacks when he’s on the ball sorry but when fit Gibbs is now the better player in my eyes and deserves a run in the team
Yes Ferdinand should have been booked at least for that high foot on Bacs – he knew what he was doing alright although he pleaded innocence to the ref, but on the night we were outplayed and too much criticism of the officials makes us sound like we are wingeing.
Time to hit the sack!
Arthur. You been on the sauce fella???????
Norfolk –
Where are you going?
Utds build up to this game was a weekend off work and a measly draw at home to Valencia and then us (being top of the league)
We should have played with more conviction but Utd had more at stake and more preparation than us. It’s that simple!
But saying that, Utd were more organised than us, defensively. They read our players like a book and rocked to a lot of home support and assistance from the officials. If Fletcher and Ferdy at least got yellows it could have changed things.
Parks goal was a fluke it’s that simple
We played no other way than the Arsenal way. The same way we’ve been proudly talking about sitting at the top of the league all weak.
That game was no training session. The goal line proved that!
We deserved a draw!
End of!
Norfolk:
In response to your post…
“Bitterly disappointing result but let’s not go overboard with castigating our own players.!”
But it was our players that spent their entire time giving the ball to the oppostion…Who else do we blame?
“I though the centre backs and Song played well and continue to improve.”
I thought that Kos looked so far out of his depth when the ball arrived at anything over shoulder height that I was starting to think that EVEN PARK MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE OF SCORING WITH A HEADER! As for Song…REALLY? Do you REALLY think that he played well? I thought that he was about as useless as I have seen him play in a couple of years…All the way back into no positional sense headless chicken mode.
“Cesc is clearly unfit and very rusty – miles off being ready for a return. Similarly Van Persie is also very rusty and found it difficult to get into the game. Jack works his socks off but clearly needs more experience. Chamakh spends too much time dropping deep and wide. Arshavin is an enigma and a paradox.”
Cesc should not have even been considered. Why do we fail to recognise time after time that Cesc is hopeless for at least 3-5 games after he has been out? Do we watch the same team that Wenger does, week in week out? Van Persie should have either have been ready to start or not bother…Hardly an impact substitute is he?! Jack needs to be trusted in his best position and not just get lft to clear up Song’s mess all the time. Chamakh is looking for space as, when you are the only centre forward on the pitch and not entirely quick, you have to search for space to be able to turn once the ball comes to you…Unfortunately, where we are concerned, our total lack of width and central midfielders able to support him means that the bulk of that space is to be found in those areas. Arshavin is a lazy, whining primadonna and we should have got shot of him in the summer when Barca wanted Cesc…An exchange deal for Yaya would have looked great right about now wouldn’t it?!
“Why do we play so narrow on such a wide pitch?”
Easy…WE DON’T HAVE ANY WINGERS!
“Why did we start at such a slow tempo and take so much time to build attacks? It just allows the opposition plenty of time to organize their defence and nullify our attack.”
The players have had the “beautiful game” drilled so hard into them for so long now that they probably cannot even spell “route 1”. As for giving the defence time to organise, surely the idea of tippy-tappy passing is to tear them from their positions and create the spaces required to tippy-tap it all the way into the net?! We have been failing at anything like incisive football against bog-standard defensive organisation for about 5 years now…Why would today be any different?
“Manure played a high tempo game and used the long ball over the top to good effect with Rooney either holding it up or doing something with it himself. They also used the long pass well and moved the ball quickly.”
Although, aside from a ridiculously lucky goal, a ridiculously biased penalty (ridiculously well missed by Shrek!) and a ridiculously well saved effort from Anderson in a Peter Boles?aw Schmeichel stylee, they really did not do us any damage at all. That is not to say that they did not look like they could using that style of play, but that isn’t to say that it would have worke for our bunch of midgets either!
“I think some of the results of the past few seasons show how very difficult it is to build a top class team without buying in at least a few proven, top class players.”
Arshavin, Van Persie, Fabregas, Clichy, Sagna, Rosicky, Nasri, Vermaelen…How many top class (or supposedly so) players could we realistically accomodate?
“Ah well! At least we are still second in the league and there is no reason why we can’t win our next game. Come on you Gunners!”
And there we have the root of the problem…5 years on and we are pleased to be second! Time to wakey wake up I am afraid. The project is in its death throes and I, for one, am fast getting ready fo the changes needed to follow it up with something of substance.
I hope that you don’t take this personally Norfolk. In actual fact, your post simply consolidated a lot of my thoughts and gave me the chance to get them all out at once! At the end of the day, the beauty of this horrible game, is opinion!
Take good care and I hope that we win everything and leave me looking really very silly!
Winston-
No offence but that game was tight. Utd played their busy body game. We played our fancy footwork game. Utd scored a lucky goal!
That’s it!
Before the game Utd were third! Chelski are still fourth and yes we are second. I am not satisfied with being second. I just feel things are not as bad as some of us are making out!
This team is not the invincible’s we will get beat from time to time!
Goonertown:
5 losses in less than half the season? That is not “not invincible” it is simply “not good enough”.
As for the game being tight, maybe it was just my imagination, but it always looked tight when we had the ball, rarely when they did.
No width, no strikers, no tactical sense, no movement, no defensive midfielder with an ounce of positional sense and one of our most creative players, Wishere, glued to the halfway line to clear up after Song decided to go on yet another one of his fully supported by Wenger jaunts to nowhere in particular upfield…
No offence mate but when we are shite we are shite and today we made an average Manure side look and feel golden.
At the end of the season this win will be one of the moments they will recall as crucial to their title bid…
Unfortunately, so will we.
Winston –
Manure were poor too mate. They took 2 more chances than we did. The last time I checked Schezney was an Arsenal player and he was outstanding (bless his now blemished 1st team clean sheets record).
Yeah I know when Utd play poor they win and all of that good Hansen stuff, but their only goal came from a deflected shot which Park intended to keep in the danger area rather than go for goal! (Contrary to what Andy Gray would want us to believe).
The game was stopped the ball was placed 10 yards in front of an empty net and Rooneh over dramatised and kicked the ball in to Trafford Shopping Centre!
We lost the battle but we still live to fight the war my brother!
I’ll have what Arthur had please Barman!
No time for an analysis.
I hate man united for many reasons but they were the better team, they pressed us so intensely and it worked.
Shame on Fergie to park the bus at OT though. But it worked.
I’m disappointed, but truth is we didn’t deserve to win, the game was a scrappy affair and for some reason I don’t feel as bitter as I dd after the spuds game.
Come on Arsenal! We have to do better!