Pizy

Made it way harder than it should've been but in our fragile state that's a beautiful result. If Cesc and Costa keep in this form and didn't just summon this motivation for Arsenal then we should climb into midtable soon enough. If Hazard wakes up and reaches form he could be a Godsend.

Getting domiated by 10 men. It's like we've simply stopped playing.

Our defense is so bad. So, so bad. They look like a newly promoted, rag tag bunch of players. It's pathetic.

I don't see any way we prevent them from scoring.

This has been a shockingly refereed match. How was that not a pen!?

When he's on the ball,Matic reminds me of Mata when he was here in that he has ZERO awareness of what's behind him and constantly gets it pinched off him. Annoying as hell. It's like he thinks if he runs by them they disappear.

Pitiful how badly we defend even with a man advantage.

The hell are we playing off them so much?! Letting them rip through us so easily. Need another goal before they score and bring on Sanchez.

Says a lot about us this season that I'm not even excited when he got sent off. Still not sure we can beat them even up a man.

He's probably been instructed to be on "bully Özil" duty.

Yeah... Can see us getting carved to shreds in the middle of the park.

This signing hasn't made sense since we were first linked with him a year ago or whatever. Getting old, declining rapidly, and in a position we're set in. Our board are idiots if they're even considering him.

Hopefully we don't go a goal down early. Otherwise Costa will go into Hulk mode and start fighting everyone and we'll have no chance.

Literally what I came in here to say. This definitely seems like something that Mourinho or his camp wanted to put out there. Absolutely does sound like something he'd do and it was what I predicted would happen to a certain degree straight after we sacked him. He'll put on the charm offensive and make all of those who doubt him or are unsure about him come his way. Now that this is out there the pressure on Van Gaal will be even more severe. One more bad result and their fans will be desperate for Mourinho. Their board will finally realize that their top 4 chance is slipping away and make the move. Part of José's plan he wrote them surely included players he'll sign when/if they appoint him. They'll love it and give him unlimited funds to "make United beat again." He'll say all the right things and everyone will cream themselves. "I'll bring through young players and play the United way. I'll make Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling world class and buy John Stones in the summe." Their chances of signing Bale or CR7 will rise as well. I really hate football sometimes.

Oh, shit, he is!? I thought he was much younger than that! Like early-mid 20's.

Unlike Oscar he has brilliant close control and can reliably beat a man (or more) with his dribbling ability. He's also a more robust and won't get bullied off the ball. Lastly, he's got the one thing a top #10 should have: vision! Would be a great signing for us.

Payet is a beast! We need to steal him to replace Oscar.

Incredible, isn't it? The champions just 4 points above the relegation zone at the end of January. Embarrassing.

The worse United do the more likely Mourinho goes there. For that reason I've been kind of hoping they win.

The standard of defending in this league is unbelievably poor. If our defense played like it did last season we'd be near the summit of the table.

Okay, yeah. I remember him being bullied off the ball with ease and essentially just giving up. His own supporters were slating him for being a pussy.

Eh? That was Özil's biggest criticism at Arsenal until this season. He was a huge liability. He was constantly called lazy, went missing in every big game, didn't track back and help his teammates etc. I remember in our 6-0 specifically he was laughed at by everyone because he was so pathetic. There were even a TalkSport segment I recall where the question was asked if Eriksen was the much better buy for Spuds than Özil was for Arse. I think the fact that Sanchez has been injured for a while is causing people's memory to grow fuzzy. He was basically unplayable for much of last season (except when he played Chelsea ). I recall stating like a year ago that he was truly the perfect Mourinho player. Works tirelessly, powerful, pacey, and scores goals from anywhere on the pitch.

If a team is underperforming or not at their best, Sanchez (like Hazard was for us many times last season) can take the match over and singlehandedly dominate to secure 3 points. Admittedly, I haven't watched much of him this season due to us being so shit and not being in the mood to watch anyone else, but I've closely watched/admired Özil for years. He isn't that sort of player. If both are fully fit I'd be significantly more worried about Sanchez than Özil.

I'd say it's nailed on that he's starting for us going into the 2016/17 season. Unless Guardiola was the new manager (which obviously isn't happening) he'll be used as an "experienced general" and one of the first names on the team sheet.

Nah. I'm a fan of Özil but he's the ultimate flat track bully. Always has been, for Real Madrid and Germany as well. When Arse is playing well (like they are this season) he looks fantastic. He was anonymous for much of last season. Sanchez is the better player for me. Singlehandedly carried them last season. He can put a team on his back and drag them to a victory. Don't think Özil can do that. Not consistently, anyways.