Morning all.
Let’s be honest, Arsenal v Man United isn’t the fixture it used to be. When it was Fergie v Wenger in the late 90’s early 2000’s, the winner of this fixture was likely to be crowned champions in May. We nicked a few, perhaps the best being winning the league at Old Trafford and Utd won a few too but I think I’m right in saying that they never won it at Highbury. I loved that old stadium but we had to move for all sorts of reasons. The biggest we were told was so that we could and would compete with the best.
Well that was a pack of lies wasn’t it as since our move to The Emirates, we’ve declined big time. The rivalry between the two clubs was no longer and it wasn’t until Fergie retired that we picked up a few points against them.
Utd struggled to replace the Scotsman and their league title hopes were gone. In fact they’ve not won much since the day Fergie left, well, until last season when Mourinho put all his eggs into the Europa basket and came out triumphant. That was the only way his club would return to Champions League football. We are kind of in a similar position this season although a few surprise results elsewhere coupled with us winning a number of matches on the bounce, has seen us climb into the top four.
Unlike Mourinho though, Arsene Wenger doesn’t appear to be taking the Europa Cup too seriously, certainly not at this stage of the competition as he’s been playing our fringe players mixed with youth but come February when the knockout stages begin, that might very well change, especially if our league position isn’t good.
This season Utd are in a better place than last season as far as the league table goes but with eight points between them and City in top spot, Mourinho will know that he needs something from this game. He’ll also relish the chance to get one over Wenger yet again. Utd have plenty of talented players and they also have a big lump up front in Lukaku who unlike Ollie, has energy in his legs. He’s not one to take a fall either every time he’s tackled but the good news is he’s hit a barren spell.
Mourinho will I expect set his team up not to lose as it’s what he does away from home and he’ll know Ozil, Alexis and Welbeck can cause his defence problems if they’ve up for the challenge. There’s the problem though, a cold winters evening looms and we have no idea what frame of mind our guys will be in.
Our defenders have been playing well of late, perhaps the best for a while and Mustafi is starting to look assured alongside Koscielny. I love Monreal as a player but he’s got to stop pushing players over in the box because it’s going to cost us big time one day. Ramsey and Xhaka are likely to start in midfield again and they’ll need to be smart. Both like to get forward which is great when it works but suicidal if we get hit on the counter attack. Utd have pace up front and they’ll be dangerous.
Anyway, regardless of the past results between the two clubs and the more recent failings by us against them, this fixture needs to get back to what it once was, a bitter rivalry. Two clubs going for glory. The first fixture I check for when they come out in June is the NLD, the second and third are always Utd and Liverpool because I despise them all.
Do to Utd what we did to the Totts and the three points will be ours. Anything less will be a bitter disappointment….
Out of the blocks early and tear them apart Arsene!
Morning all.
I’m going for 2-1. I’ve just got a feeling!
Still cold here but no frost. A bit cloudy today but dry.
Rain here Wavy. Much prefer the sunshine and frost…
Things are getting like they used to be?
Morning HH I see a boring 0.0 draw. Everything points to that. The short cuss went to arnfield and got a draw he ‘ll do the same thing at the EMs today. He ‘ll park a humongous red bus in front of his 18 yard box. Then try and play long balls to lukaku. If they can isolate our CBs ‘re ‘re in for a long day. I just don’t see it in Wenger. Morono has his number. Oh well I ‘ll start with welbz upfront he’s been with us 4 years(if am right) and has scored in almost every game against them. He ‘ll be up for this one. I hope I get proved wrong but morono vs Wenger only goes one way. A win for the cnut or dead rubber draw.
Anyone seen the line up yet?
Drats I thought it was an early kick off. Going back to sleep then. Later guys.
Or Ibra Goonster…
Lacazette starts, that’s a shock.
Matic fit, but no surprise there…
They are going all out for a physical game I see mourinho picked to big bastards in the middle of the park. Oh what I ‘ll give for a fit santi carzola right now. To run rings around them. Oh well huge game for Ramsey and xhaka. COYGS
The totts drop 2 points again today. Lol
Watford had a few penalty shouts too according to radio.
AW getting crafty re Lacazette?
Very crafty Andrew..
Watford had a dead cert penalty turned down I read and it was just before Totts levelled..
Dreadful start. Sloppy from Kos
Appalling from Arsenal….what pathetic excuses will Wenger use this time? Full moon?
I can’t wait until he leaves!
Can’t blame Wenger for two shocking passes surely…
Listening to TSport and Barton reckons Mustafi not injured but binned it, went off with embarrassment. Usual carp from JB?
Barton talks rubbish imo.
I can’t believe we’ve not scored yet. We could so easily be 4-2 up by now, if not more..
2-0 A’s I predicted!
The Arsenal can’t ditch Arsene until Sam Alladyce has been sacked from his 7th PL Club. Oh, Tony Pulling is available again. What about Pardew or Moyes or ……..?
But you predicted 2-0 to us Gg… lol
Very good rico, & I’m about as right as The Arse should be 4-2 up now ?
Did you miss the chances we’ve spurned Gg?
Pogba you nasty piece of work!
Giroud. Three touches, three passes to the opposition…!
You are having a bad weekend of sport over there in Blighty I’d say. Am I right with that statement? Lol
No, Ive watched the cricket & RLWC final rico. Oh! You mean The Arse having as many chances as Sam Alladyce?
I wonder what Arsene’s press conference will be like. I predict it will reflect a manager’s tenure, where Club decisions are based around him surviving another contract extension.
I need a new ad blocker to negotiate HH these days. Ads are popping up like sacked managers @ other clubs?
I’ve removed the intrusive ads Gg.
We gave them 2 early goals and were very unlucky not to score a couple in the first half, but de Gea was brilliant. I can’t really fault the commitment or effort though. Disappointed but not too down-hearted as we have played a lot, lot worse and won.
Unbelievable stats !!!………………………if I didn`t know the score with stats like that, I would have thought we got the record EPL score I keep predicting !
😆
Sometimes you give it all including the kitchen sink and get ef all, no point in moaning at that one !
Could’ve, should’ve. That could, should be the title of Arsene Wenger’s auto biography?
Stan could, should write the Forward!
15 shots on target and De Gea was ridiculously good.
We killed our selves early but at the very least, we can say our boys fought back and gave their all.
Joe Say doesn’t give up a 2 goal lead very often.
The reality is, The Arsenal is punching above its weight. So I can can take gr8 comfort from a 1-3 loss @ home.
Can you do anything about the recycled managers that keep popping up in the PL rico?
Ok, Ill stop being a cynical B’Stard on here. Just give us a date you intend leaving Arsene, that’s not too much to ask is it?
Right, time for brekky. Keep the faith people, the past fortnight proves totalitarian dictators do have a specified shelf life & don’t go on for ever!
Agree Scott, Adam, de Gea was outstanding. Without him, we’d have romped it..
Night guys.
Rico,
Realistically, we got what we deserved but I do take heart in the fact the lads didn’t roll over.
Top 4 may not be what we should strive for, but it’s a realistic target and a ew weeks ago I couldn’t have said that.
Hello Rico
Tell me honestly if you do not see it coming the third goal ?
Xaka is full of basic errors not a premiership player by all account.Crap big time.
Coming from few winning does not change anything ………Le Prof is the master of this misery he suppose to disappear ages ago.
I didnt expect at all a win but a draw yes.That would have kept far away this Moaner from City and the media would made a bit of circus of him.
Evening Rico and All
My opinion of the game is positive.But:
We have in Arsene a man who is a Romancer
and I know our unlocals think His great.
Anyway..Loved the the game..
Hackney gazette is a wonderful player
We see Sanchez and Ozil show the big stuff
to day and the rest played Ok..But
Arsene has failed again to get the better
of the midget again.
Maybe he should have played Jack..
Big mistake again,he fails to to see
what the cluded up see.
The positive I mentioned earlier on
is that I enjoyed the way we played,
so well done Arsene and the team.
I know I don’t make sense..But thats
how it is these day’s.
On behalf of the “unlocals”, i’d like to ask where the boundaries are, Fred.
What makes someone a true local?
Being born 500 yards from Highbury?
1000 yards?
5000 yards.
Hardly makes someone any more relevant or passionate than anyone else just because someone says so.
Why don’t we ask everyone exactly where they were born so we can sort this little issue once and for all, hey lol
Who’s game???
Me-I’m a born and bred Aussie, and proud of it though I’m sure I’m outside the inner circle.
“Unlocals”…….had to look that one up Fred, turns out it’s a breed of fan content on finishing in a top four place every season rather than challenging for the league, surprise surprise much like Arsenal under Wegner !
As for him being a romancer, that would make him a harmless ole fool and ahem I don’t think so mate.
Had we won today it would have been the perfect excuse not to buy in January so it could yet be a blessing in disguise.
Nite Gooners and Unlocals lol.
Fekken unlocal hahaha
Micko, you’re a little less unlocal than me, granted lol
Piss Arsene off and stick top 4 while we are at it 🙂
Am I a local now 🙂 🙂 🙂
I think you’re right on a loss not being a total disaster, but Arsene buying in January is still wishful thinking I reckon.
Oh and Arsene the romancer?
Viagra sales would skyrocket 🙂
I get the point though, Fred.
Arsene is still naive enough to think playing beautiful football gets results.
It would be a noble pursuit if every other manage around felt the same way.
Unfortunately, they don’t but he hasn’t woken up to the fact.
You can romance the Wenger tenure till the ashes come home. The fact is, The Arsenal lost at home to a rival Arsene cannot get the better of, again!!!
GG, we are all flogging a dead horse with the “Arsene out” stuff.
We all know he needs to go.
Stan doesn’t.
Ivan can’t.
It’s a bugger of a situation, but what th the staff changes being made, It does point to
The man leaving in the near future.
I still cant get over the stats………75% possession………………33 shots…………………….12 corners………………we must have won surely !…………………….what trickery is this ?
🙂
I was born about 5 miles from The Arse, but unless you`re born within licking distance of the marble halls………. you`re an unlocal !
If you want you may take marble halls as slang for something else ! hahaha
Rhyming slang indeed, LC hahaha
Morning all.
At least we Aussies are going well in the cricket 🙂 🙂
We also won the Rugby League World Cup last night so alls we’ll.
Actually, I’d readily give that one up to swap the result v those Manc scumbags!!!!
Arsene getting out managed again by Maureen, means he’s flogging a dead horse trying to get one over Maureen.
Everyone has their dead hose to flog S2H
LC
The Arse Allowed all that possession, yet Maureen knew he had 3 goals in his structure to get 3 points.
Morning all.
New post up now.
Written by an unlocal who’s still chuckling at Fred and Micko comments… ?