The Season Of Goodwill To All Men Must End Here
Apr 30th, 2009 by 'holic
The pre-match mood at Old Trafford was good spirited and quite surprising. We parked up just outside Manchester and came in on the metro, then enjoyed a couple of pints in mixed company at a pub just around the corner from the ground.
Unfortunately the bonhomie extended to the pitch, where for half an hour we were treated to a demonstration of Wengerball as it was intended to be. Sadly for us the team playing ‘with the handbrake off’ were United. The selection at the back was a little bit of a concern pre-game. Silvestre preferred to Djourou, Gibbs up against Ronaldo. Would they cope?
By and large they did. Gibbs was exceptional for one so young and Silvestre had one of his better games. They were kept busy though largely because of the pace at which United started the game, and because the Gunners midfield was totally ineffective. An injection of spite would not do us any harm at the Grove.
By the time the half-time whistle had arrived the unmarked O’Shea had opened the scoring and Manuel Almunia had produced a couple of top-class saves to keep us in it. The degree to which we better controlled the football in the second-half was I think down to the fact that the hosts, unable or unwilling to maintain their early tempo, concentrated on not conceding the away goal.
Yet still the closest we came to witnessing further scoring came from Ronaldo’s shot against the bar, and a Giggs effort ruled out for offside. The removal of Walcott for Bendtner was mystifying given the performance of Adebayor. The big man started the season under a cloud, and may finish under one as well. Whilst the service to him was undeniably poor, his apparent lack of effort on the big occasion was a worry. Here’s hoping the almost universal condemnation of him this morning provokes the correct response next week.
If the effort on the pitch came up short, there is no denying the effort off it was considerable. It certainly felt as though more than 3800 visitors were present. As well as the usual corner the visitors section extended to two-thirds of the upper tier at what was once the Scoreboard End. If ever a group of fans deserved a reward for their support, the current crop of travelling Gooners certainly do.
It has to be said though that progress next Tuesday now hangs by a thread. How astonishing that twenty years after that most remarkable triumph at Anfield, we once again need to defeat the top side of the day by two clear goals in a massive, massive match.
Keep everything crossed.
17 Responses to “The Season Of Goodwill To All Men Must End Here”
Still can’t understand how Walcott is getting away with a complete no-show. What has he got to do to be criticised? He added nothing yesterday and the fact is that when Bendtner did come on to replace him, we weren’t in any way adversely impacted. It seems that he was on not so much for what he can do as for what he might do. His pace clearly frightens and on the odd occasion he can use it to his advantage. More often than not though, he is either completely invisible or is badly let down by a lack of ball control or poor positional sense. After 3 years under Wenger, he really ought to have improved at a faster rate.
its simple…
Adebayor shouldnt be played if our midfield is stifled/outmuscled and we arent allowed to play our football…
Because he isnt that technically special/skillful to “create something” or take the ball past 2/3 defenders and score…
BUT BUT if we are playing our free-flowing..pass & move..game… then Adebayor is good enough to be at the end of it but then I guess most strikers will be !!! Having said that…he is decent in the air…
ANYTHING that requires not too much of movement hes fine & thats that !
He isnt a vanpersie, an etoo or an henry
END OF
Totally agree with Clockendrider. Walcott was terrible. If theres one thing being worse then ineffective its being anonymous AND ineffective.
the difference in the the game last night was that every time one of us touched the ball, united had 2 men try and take it away. we were double teamed all over the pitch.
Sparkling support from the travelers. Sounded through loud and clear on TV, even above the nervous whistle of the manure fans when Arsenal began to hold play and pass the ball after the first, nervous, twenty minutes.
Great stuff from Almunia. Poor goal to lose. Diaby asleep at the wheel on the cross. “Gibbs was exceptional for one so young and Silvestre had one of his better games”. Spot on there ‘Holic. This is a great little period for Gibbs and, for the first time, I was please with Silvestre.
In general, the rest of the team were just OK. No point in criticising Theo when service to him was so poor. He was the instigator of Arsenal’s best move on the one occasion when he got a reasonable ball.
I think that Cesc is less effective in the forward role. Denilson’s solidity was missed and Diaby had a poor one. alex Song and Nasri worked hard, but the mid-field never made it happen. In these circumstances, a lone striker has no chance.
We’re not out of it yet. In the meantime, Sagna should take a course of crossing lessons from Gibbs. No point in getting forward if your cross never gets passed the first defender.
Why was practically everyone playing out of position?
Nasri was doing Songs role sitting back, while Song Nasri’s tackling high up the pitch…
Diaby on the left? He does not have pace and off the ball running. His talent is to draw players towards him and play others in. Play him in the middle offensively where he can dictate the flow of the game.
Cesc added nothing to the game. It was cringeworthy to see Anderson run past him so easily… It was almost as if we played with 10 because of how lightweight and slow Cesc is. He was never gonna join in the attacks on time. And for a player playing in the hole, his shooting is just not powerful enough from outside the box.
And just when you thought it could not get worse Bendtner on the right?
Sagna Toure Silvestre Gibbs
Song Nasri
Walcott Diaby Eduardo
Adebayor
Put that team out and go all out attack second leg, Wenger! We might have half a chance. We will concede one surely. We need to score atleast 3…
not too upset about the goal, maybe the way they scored! but lets face it, they were always gonna score, and we all knew that. the test was whether we were gona score! and we didnt!! ver bad result, that said it cuda been worse!!
I know its been said over and over, but Cesc should really not be playing there!! we had enuf of the bal to get that goal, but no imagination!!!
c’mon Arsene, u knw wot needs to be done!!
one last thing.. Absolutely sensational stuff from the travelling gooners!!! u really made us proud!!
If our team played with the enthusiasm of the travelling support, we’d do well every single time.
I can’t understand the criticism of Walcott; he’s a potent threat and he showed that a couple of times in this game. Plus, he’s a dangerous player and even if he doesn’t have a great game, he’s capable of game changing moments. And he works hard. You can’t say the same about Ade who couldn’t be arsed. The glimpses of the hardworking player we saw last season have been just that: glimpses. What an ugly transformation.
In two of our biggest games of the season, Wenger plays Diaby and Diaby doesn’t do anything of note. Nasri on the left would’ve offered so much more.
For the 2nd leg, I hope Wenger will pick a team that will force the opponents to adjust to them rather than us adjusting to our opponents.
I truly hope that we do not go with the same formation (personel) for the home tie, We didn’t create anything!
Adebayor was offiside half of the game, hiding behind Rio and Vidic. Song had a decent game and so did Nasri, but everytime Nasri came running with the ball at his feet, Ade drifted wide and the attack was over.
You guys keep critisizing Walcott and other players, how about Cesc?
He is the most over-rated player in our first eleven. When i hear comments like “when cesc is there it makes everything click” and all other nonsense i get sick to my stomach. For a player that is getting so much praise he should be a much bigger factor and go-to-player in games like these.
What has the lad done this year? During what big games isen’t he out hussled, out-muscled and out-played by his opposition.
But again, lets support our troops and i hope that wenger goes with a 4-4-2 next game.. I cannot see us score 2 against Man UTD with this formation.
Gooner for life!
-Timmy
Congratulations to Adebayor. Somehow he managed to provide a cameo performance while still being part of the starting line-up. The cameo being his control and shot over the bar in the 74th minute. Fucking puzzle why an old, diving cunt like Drogba can chase, hound and force opposing centre backs and our striker lopes around making sure the best centre back pairing in Europe stay well rested.
Ade needs to go.
Found a positive! Ferdinand’s probably out of the return leg. Bearing in mind he knackered himself when he took out Eduardo, I’ve got no sympathy for the c*nt.
Oh, there’s a negative to go with it of course. Eduardo’s definitely out of the Portsmouth game, so there’s no chance of him building up some match fitness for Tuesday.
Hi Holic,
Seems apt that i’m the 13th to post ( about the amount of pints sunk by your fair self! )
Got home at 4.30, but a day well worth it.
Good report, summed up nicely.
Cheers
Shh, you’ll have people thinking I like a pint or two, Sticks!
For other readers I should point out that Sticks travelled up from deepest Cornwall, and took a detour to bring me home, hence his 4.30 homecoming. You’ll appreciate why I think the travelling support deserves a reward. That was just a fantastic gesture.
Cheers mate. (and I think it was only ten pints and a tin!) 😉
I think Cesc is definitely more effective playing a bit deeper.
Diaby remains an enigma.
Gibbs continues to impress. What a prospect!
I am frustrated by Adebayor and at a loss as to what he thinks he’s doing.
Sylvestre did well I thought but is obviously past his best.
Almunia was excellent.
Song and Nasri worked hard but the balance and mix of the team seemed wrong.
Walcott was more or less shut out of the game by Rooney and Evra. He also suffered from almost no service from our midfield which just didn’t gel on the night.
Sagna did OK considering the lack of help and protection from the midfield.
Toure was also OK, and also suffered from the disjointed midfield in front of him.
Only one nil down is a result. I bet Fergie was really pissed at only scoring once. It is all to play for next week. Come on you Gunners.
I see it more or less as you do ND. From what I’m hearig Robin might be back on Tuesday, which will be a welcome addition.
On the other hand I’m going to defend Adebayor (I know – I’m the only one!) who was merely playing to his strengths with little or no service made available to him. He is never going to set up and score his own goals so what more can he be expected to do, particularly considering he little or no service from either of the flanks (Sagna’s crossing was woeful, Gibbs was marking Ronald McDonald out the game) and Cesc wasn’t playing in his natural position??
Finally 1-0 is the slimmest of slim margins and I’m convinced we will play better and impose ourselves more on Man United in the return league so am relishing the contest. If we can get an early goal who knows what will happen.
🙂