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Arsenal 1 – 3 Manchester United

by ClockEnd Ryan on January 31, 2010

Absolute crap. This was depressingly similar to the Champion’s League match here last season – big build up, great atmosphere, high hopes, all undone by two first half United goals.

Where to begin with our performace…. We actually created a few chances early on, Arshavin in particular could’ve had a hat trick with at least 3 solid chances, but instead he didn’t manage a shot on target as far as I can remember. He caused the centre back pairing of Brown and Evans big problems when he managed to turn and run at them. He looked very dangerous for a while. The momentum shifted after 20-ish minutes as United started getting more of the ball. Nani (who about 5 minutes previously had suffered what I assumed was a broken ankle given the way he went down and hobbled off the pitch) skinned two of our players and floated a cross into our area, which Almunia patted into the net. I think it was eventually given as an O.G. In fairness, Almunia had to do something as Park was waiting to tuck it home anyway. Why not do it for him?!

Just before half time Rooney played in Nani, who returned it to Rooney for a first time finish into the bottom corner. This was a very quick counter attack, just the sort of thing Arsenal used to do. That was one of the differences between the teams today – United were much more effective and direct in the final third.

The second half made for depressing viewing. Cesc ran everywhere, making some good surging runs through the middle but even he lacked usual quality. Denilson was woeful (and I’m usually the last to admit that), conceding possession all the time, which lead to the third goal. Park was played through, and Clichy was left trying to defend against 3 scummers. He couldn’t close down Park as he’d have left a tap in for Rooney, so he forced Park to beat Almunia, which he did with ease.

The players looked like they had given up at times after that – a number of times players were strolling about with no real purpose, and the crowd was clearly getting frustrated. Clichy looked completely knackered after being run ragged by Nani – he really struggled to cope today. I honestly think if we’d had put up a half decent performance we could’ve caused them problems, as they didn’t look comfortable when Arshavin or Cesc was running at them on all-to-rare occasions. It felt like their weakened centre half combination barely got tested. We got an undeserved consolation goal when Vermaelen’s volley took a deflection and beat Van Der Sar which woke the crowd up, and even had a couple more chances – could we muster a late rally and snatch an unlikely point? Keeping in line with our performance so far, of course not. A couple of chances went close-ish, but I don’t remember Van Der Sar having to make a single ‘proper’ save.

United fully deserved to beat us, don’t get me wrong, but they didn’t strike me as being a great team. They are, however, highly effective at tracking, pushing, fouling, and devestating on the counter attack. Good energy and movement in midfield, and have quality in the final third. Rooney and Nani ripped us apart today, pretty much on their own.

Unless we sort ourselves out we could get a kicking at Stamford Bridge next week. However, consistency was never this team’s strong point – I think we lost at Blackburn the match before we won in the Bernabau with an incredible performance, so we’ll probably win by 6 next week after all. I’ve managed to blag a free posh seat at Stamford Bridge next week with free food and booze thrown in (saves the £50 ticket thank god), so next week’s report will come from behind enemy lines, assuming I get out alive. I plan on taking full advantage of the free bar so I’ll be too pissed to notice Drogba mauling us on the pitch! But hopefully I’ll have to sit on my hands as Denilson scores a 91st minute 30 yard winner into the top corner!

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna (Bendtner 72), Vermaelen, Gallas, Clichy, Cesc, Song, Rosicky (Eboue 72), Nasri, Denilson (Walcott 61), Arshavin. Subs not used: Fabianski, Silvestre, Traore, Ramsey.

Goals: Vermaelen 80.

Att: 60,091.

17 Comments on "Arsenal 1 – 3 Manchester United"

rabbi on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 9:26 pm

such a poor performance today.im gutted to have lost to them cunts.usually id say dust ourselves down and look to the next game but i just cant see how we can get a result at chelsea.wengers refusal to sign anyone in the jan window has left me baffeled.with the current squad ill settle for the top 4 finish.

keith on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 9:27 pm

It has been clear for everyone except wenger that we need a striker even before Van persie was injured Abe was never replaced.
It is quite clear we need a big strong midfielder Falmani never replaced.
I could go on players lke Denilson are just not good enough are goalkeeper has been a liabilty for a long time
my question is this knowing the problems why was a striker not signed on the 1st of Janauary?
Why is Denilson and Almunia still playing ?
Arshavin is a great player who carries and injury yet he is played out of position Bendtner is unfit the same can apply to ed my fear now is free full if we win nothing which we wont again Wenger has got to go a managrer is only as good as his last success

Jack Staniforth on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 9:40 pm

This season is shot ,let`s just agree on that. “Absolute crap” doesn`t win titles so forget Europe as well.
For the rest of this year it`s worth considering giving our reserves a chance, we`ve nothing to lose. Mannone, “here`s the gloves, catch”….give Vela the opportunities he has been denied….try a couple of reserve strikers. Let`s have some fun this mob are depressing.

nikkoginners on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 9:43 pm

We Need to reoganize and fast. Can Wenger bring in Victor Mennone past Fabianski? We need to confirm Ramsey into the first XI and demote Denilson. We also need to allow Traore some playing time. Clitchy is having problems. It is time to return Asharvin to his position, Left where he can run and deliver crosses or shoot on the angle.

Jim on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 9:45 pm

I am also gutted, when will this squad be good enough we go on year after year hearing we have enough depth and strength but we still can’t mix it with the big boys. why can’t wenger see what everyone else can. Clichy does not look right he looked very slow against nani(he could have won an oscar today)but looks like it is only the CL to give us an outside chance of silverware, I can’t see that happening we could have with signing 3 players GK, D MID, Goal scorer. We will have to see what happens next season.

lardy on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 9:45 pm

we deserved to get our arses kicked today,when is wenger going to open his eyes and see this.our goal is finishing 4th in prem again with nothing else mattering.why put such a crap side out against stoke.it was men against boy.something would be better than nothing.

c gander on Sun, 31st Jan 2010 10:03 pm

1 man to blame has to be wenger he puts the players on the pitch denilson IS SOOOOO BAD hes nt fit enough to clean grimandis boots let alone ne past midfielder LISTEN WENGERS STUBORNESS IS KILLIN ARSENAL HES LIKE AN OLD GENERAL GONE AWOL! TOO MANY FANS WITH “KEEP THE FAITH”CRAP R BLINDED FOOLS. WE GOT A FOOTBALLING LESSON 2day against a weak manure team. thats FACT TRUST ME I LOVE ARSENAL but too many like arsenal bt LOVE Wenger. im SICK OFF HIS CRAP LIES AN FALSE DAWNS WE HAVE ALL BEEN HAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Donnyfan1 on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 1:50 am

Arsenal were not blown away but it was a lousy performance cos Chelski and Manure pick a side and tactics to hit us on the break. They can’t outplay us- we are better man for man but THEY do what Fergie tells them to do and Song, Clichy and others fall for it every time. We had 6 good chances to score. Two were tap ins if Mr Greeedy had released. Considering the talent- it was pathetic. They never learn. Only Cesc seems to know what to do. I feel so sorry for him.

Gooner on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 2:05 am

This shambles is beyond depressing! Doesn’t Arsene want to win anything again? We’ve had the best chance of winning a trophy for god knows how long and we’ve just flushed it down the shitter! Arsene is saying that he can’t find players who are better than what we’ve got at the moment.. That is extremely worrying for the global game because if we can’t find better than Denilson then footballs end is really nigh!

At the start if the window le boss said that he was in the Market for players and was looking to conduct his business swiftly.. 30 days later, ” it is very unlikely we’ll being anyone in” Stop messing us about and sign the players we actually need rather than bringing back a 35 year old sol Campbell! Get rid of silvestre, aluminium, denilson and all the other scummy ones who are not arsenal class!
If you can’t find better than those three then you seriously need help!!!

CharlotteGooner on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 3:23 am

I also want to point out that it was Denilson’s half hearted tracking back that allowed Rooney the space to score the second goal. This in addition to his mistake that led to the 3rd.

I think Denilson needs to leave.

The other side of all this is … is that I was saying SONG and DIABY should leave last season. And they seem to be doing a great job this season. So, I really dont know what to think anymore.

Utd are excellent in preventing play from happening. Arshavin is being super selfish. He did a similar thing in the game against Bolton when he could have given Theo a tap in and instead spurned what would have been our fifth goal.

Anyway, I never did have my hopes up for this game. At best, I think we ll draw with Chelski.

Block19er on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 7:47 am

Fuck off with the Wenger comments, you two bob, bent cunt!!

ClockEnd Ryan on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 9:51 am

Haha, funny how a defeat brings out loads of comments! Anyone can win a cup competition if you have a bit of luck and pull out a performance when you need it, so I’ll keep believing in the Champion’s League. Liverpool were ‘absolute crap’ in 04/05, only managed 5th in the league, 3-0 down at HT in the final and still won it. You never know… Arshavin and Cesc could make the difference.

If you’re gonna give up on everything already you may as well stop going to games, stop reading the papers, stop reading the blogs, and just sit at home staring at the wall.

Arsenalgooner on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 12:13 pm

Alright been some while i wrote any comment on arsenal blogs. First off the performance was aweful and they “humilated” us (yes im a fuckin arsenal fan!) just like Chelsea did and then we ran into a good form and everyone was up for it and said we could win the title (I believed too), not anymore. It’s the same old story, MU beating our good run and make our team look like boys and we end up screwing another season up. Yes Arsenal was playing like boys!

Hate how much you want but Evra was right saying it last season. 1st goal was wonderful skill from nani and beat 3 defenders and chip an easy ball but Almunia reacted late and put the ball into his own net. It was PURELY poor goalkeeping, you can see the reply and he reacted late. A schoolboy football mistake. 2nd goal was a simple quick run from the middle by the sherk and denilson was his boy here. He kept running without any intent to close down any incoming players. WTF?!

I switched off the tv just after that and start thinking, it’s all repeating again and again every season. After conciding the first goal Arsenal normally go on wildly and lose another goal whenever they play MU and wenger talks about attitude, mature and stupid lies about his players! 70% of them have no guts and heart! If I was a good footballer and play for a great team like Arsenal I’ll make sure I give 100% in every game and don’t do silly mistakes like that!

I hate to say this but the team and manager is not title winner material. Only cesc, song, gallas, verminator, arshavin and nasri are the good ones. The rest are average and a few are below average (denilson and almunia in particular!). Where are the “we trust in wenger guys?”. Some might say it’s just a game but to be honest losing at that margin to your title competitator and arch rival is not 1 game, it’s a massive blow and I guess it’s 6 years without a single trophy. If i was a Hull fan I wouldn’t care but this is Arsenal
and the fans n club don’t deserve this shit wenger is putting up each year. He trust his players but he has more pride and ego for his phylosopies.

Keep it up wenger, it’s all down to him and his decisions. This will go on and only top 4 is the club’s concern. Highest wages and ticket prices and we just manage to finish 4th each season and with a few more tough games to go we might end up fighting for 4th position yet AGAIN this season! Hopes…that’s all this manager can give us.

I had it enough, for me things will get onto track if :

1. Wenger get the F.off and get a new manager in place of him. I don’t care anyone as long as he have the experience and are not afraid of spending!

2. Wenger changes his FAILED experiments and phylosopies and start buying mens not boys anymore!

I don’t know about you guys but for me this will be the start of downfall for this season like many other previous seasons and we’ll lose cesc and arshavin. Steps in ramsey (not ready) and some unknown kid wenger will buy. The club loves him because he will save them money and finish top 4. I love Arsenal as much as any of you do and
I have been watching them since i know what football was. Wenger is just living his past glories that he didn’t built himself alone, it as “leftovers” and he worked for a few years on them (players). That’s all.

Utterly dissapointed Gooner!

ClockEnd Ryan on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 3:29 pm

Arsenalgooner “I switched off the TV just after that” [2nd goal]

Well done mate, proper fan you obviously are! If you didn’t even bother to watch the game you don’t have a valid opinion in my book.

Arsenalgooner on Mon, 1st Feb 2010 8:22 pm

ClockEndRyan – Yes well done, only dumbasses will watch the same thing happening to beloved team again and again each year and the manager does nothing but give lame excuses. It’s just like watching your wife gets raped by a bunch of idiots every year and you do nothing and keep watching! I’m not bothered if it’s valid or not in your book, you need to know what frustration is buddy. FRUSTRATION.

rabbi on Tue, 2nd Feb 2010 3:56 pm

intresting view that one.wonder if my wife is up for it.

ClockEnd Ryan on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:50 am

Haha, Arsenalgooner I assume you didn’t watch Arsenal pre-Wenger then? And by the same argument all fans of all teams that haven’t won anything for a few years are ‘dumbasses’? 3rd place and Champion’s League is better than 89 league clubs can manage.