The Arsenal connection?

[Blue Armour 4,158]

It might be blasphemy to even hint at it, but a few members were saying the way we went down to United last Sunday was reminiscent to the way Arsenal usually performs against us and of course United.

Plenty of chances, free-flowing football but ultimately nothing to show for it.

From the comments of Fergurson and Gary Neville, it seemed to me that despite applauding AVB for setting up the team for attack, they didn't seem particularly worried about the threat we posed before or even after the match. In fact they seemed relieved that their team didn't have to face a water-tight defence, and were in-fact mildly annoyed we enjoyed so many chances.

There's all the question of whether we would have even got so many chances against a more experienced line up in Ferdinand and Vidic.

I personally feel that this comparison is out of basis because:

1. Our defense (back four and Goalkeeper) actually has a reputation.

2. We can add more steel to out midfield when needed.

3. We have more experience in tactial situations.

4. Arsene Wenger's older teams have actually played well and got results, so its not impossible for another team to achieve similarly in the EPL

5. The most important: Our manager just doesn't care about the football, he cares about the result even more. From the post-match reaction it was clear he didn't enjoy this defeat at all, and it was clear he had definitely come for red blood at Old Trafford. Plus he isn't afraid to go out and get the player he wants from the transfer market, and shake-up the team lineup at any time during the game.

Also,

If Vidic returns to line-up I'm pretty sure an In-form Torres could run rings around him. And there's a nice blend of youth,quality and experience in the rest of our attacking lineup with Sturridge, Drogba, Anelka and Malouda

At the same time I hope AVB never plays Mata in midfield without someone like Mikel in the back, as defending and winning the ball back isn't the Spaniard's forte. I also hope he can refrain from using a very high line of defense during the away games against the bigger sides. Sometimes the linesman can mistake with the offside trap, just like what happened in the case of Nani's goal.

For now, I'll stick to this line of thought, at least until we face other sides like Man City, Liverpool, etc.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Blue Armour

[Tomo 21,681]

good thread, i don't think there is any comparision to Arsenal at-all, its only one match if it happens for years on end like Arsenal then worry but aslong as we (unlike them) actually progress, it will be fine.

WIth Arsenal its the same tireless shite season after season since 2006, we have a young team, i dont care we lost because we morally won, our kids are still maturing. Its all well and good saying that for one ot two season's but after a while it gets tedious. You could see the difference between Arsenal's transition and Man.Utd's. United's there was progress season on season, young players coming in, Ronaldo, Rooney, Evra and Vidic for 3 years on the bounce, getting rid of the deadwood and still picking up the odd cup here and there.

Arsenal its one 18 year old after another and the occasinal Rosicky, players getting injured that's ruined there season, those returning players recoving from injury seen as new signing's in the summer and bar 2 carling cup finals they never got near any trophies, they didn't improve season on season if anything they were getting worse which has now led to the mess there in now.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Tomo-91

[francozola 2,040]

Once we get Torres scoring consistently (which I believe will happen), and the team gets used to this new rhythm we are playing at, we should be ok. We do need a couple of new players though. Ramires' miss was just a case of wrong person at the right place. He should have had the awareness to realize that Sturridge was behind him. I'm sure they will work on that. Sturridge meanwhile will get more involved in games (I hope) as he plays more so he'll be more effective as well.

Edited September 20, 2011 by francozola

[erinblue 13]

good thread, i don't think there is any comparision to Arsenal at-all, its only one match if it happens for years on end like Arsenal then worry but aslong as we (unlike them) actually progress, it will be fine.

WIth Arsenal its the same tireless shite season after season since 2006, we have a young team, i dont care we lost because we morally won, our kids are still maturing. Its all well and good saying that for one ot two season's but after a while it gets tedious. You could see the difference between Arsenal's transition and Man.Utd's. United's there was progress season on season, young players coming in, Ronaldo, Rooney, Evra and Vidic for 3 years on the bounce, getting rid of the deadwood and still picking up the odd cup here and there.

Arsenal its one 18 year old after another and the occasinal Rosicky, players getting injured that's ruined there season, those returning players recoving from injury seen as new signing's in the summer and bar 2 carling cup finals they never got near any trophies, they didn't improve season on season if anything they were getting worse which has now led to the mess there in now.

you can't really call our team "young" on sunday.......Mata, Sturridge, and Ramires apart, we had a pretty experienced team....just new system and speed

compare utds to ours and look at the experience they already have gained....Smalling, Evans, Jones, De Gea, Young, Anderson, Rooney, Little prick , possibly Valencia too.......more like an Arsenal team only sent out with the balls to win a game.....

give ferguson his due, we may not like him but he has always brought youth through and given them the experience and gets them totally focused and in tune with their style/system from early.........

.hopefully AVB can do this and get a system that works for us (i like the one he's trying now)............this may mean that the whole youth systems have to change/adapt his style now, (defend high up) rather than, continue with the mourinho legacy of defence first -----that possibly still applies in youth teams (tho if this still happens i'm not sure of )

[EskWeston 696]

No Arsenal comparison in my opinion. Our faults in that game were due to us still being a work in progress. We put what is considered one of the best Man U sides under heavy pressure for a lot of that game and deserved at least a point.

[eldo 868]

Arsenal are deadly when they are on form, or were.

[Fulham Broadway 16,385]

No Arsenal comparison in my opinion. Our faults in that game were due to us still being a work in progress. We put what is considered one of the best Man U sides under heavy pressure for a lot of that game and deserved at least a point.

Agree M. We had a run of bad luck in that game like no other as well. Early goal was just what wasnt needed -it should have been given offside, second was a cracker -but unbeleivable the room our defence gave him to move forward. The third was sheer luck for them. Counter that with Rooneys penalty fuck up, and theres still a two goal difference. El Torres should have had his first hatrick and theres the spoils shared. The amount of chances for either side speaks for itself in our favour, coupled with the pressure, and without their early goal -it would have been 3 points back to SW 6. But as you say the future looks bright, and it was definitley not an Arsenalesque performance...they would have capitulated at 3-0 down.

[Guest justin_3d]

SAF is just the best in the world!

No need for me to hate the big guy. Heck if it wasn't for SAF United, Roman would have never gotten interested in this league to begin with.

And last your quote:

If Vidic returns to line-up I'm pretty sure an In-form Torres could run rings around him.

Dude an in form Torres would have destroy that United line up of Evans and Jones.

But he is not, so no point of even talking about Vidic and Torres, if he can't destroy Evans and Jones!

Edited September 20, 2011 by justin_3d

[Tomo 21,681]

SAF is just the best in the world!

No need for me to hate the big guy. Heck if it wasn't for SAF United, Roman would have never gotten interested in this league to begin with.

And last your quote:

If Vidic returns to line-up I'm pretty sure an In-form Torres could run rings around him.

Dude an in form Torres would have destroy that United line up of Evans and Jones.

But he is not, so no point of even talking about Vidic and Torres, if he can't destroy Evans and Jones!

Apparently it was Fat Ronaldo's hat trick at Old Trafford that got Roman properly interested.

[Guest justin_3d]

Apparently it was Fat Ronaldo's hat trick at Old Trafford that got Roman properly interested.

Yeah that as well, but if Fat Ronalda had scored a hat trick, and SAF United gave up and not score nothing, it would have not been a fun game, and thus never got Roman interested!

[warnie_666 1,081]

Yeah that as well, but if Fat Ronalda had scored a hat trick, and SAF United gave up and not score nothing, it would have not been a fun game, and thus never got Roman interested!

Is it just me or is your praise for the opposition always more than necessary.

[eldo 868]

SAF is just the best in the world!

No need for me to hate the big guy. Heck if it wasn't for SAF United, Roman would have never gotten interested in this league to begin with.

And last your quote:

If Vidic returns to line-up I'm pretty sure an In-form Torres could run rings around him.

Dude an in form Torres would have destroy that United line up of Evans and Jones.

But he is not, so no point of even talking about Vidic and Torres, if he can't destroy Evans and Jones!

Torres destroyed them. See his goal, they were just standing there.

No need to hate Fergie? Where do you live? He is the biggest hypocrite, don't you hate hypocrites?

[Guest justin_3d]

Is it just me or is your praise for the opposition always more than necessary.

I give praise where it needs to be giving praise!

I rather do that, then say i hate him, or call him names like a lot of people do here....

Torres destroyed them. See his goal, they were just standing there.

No need to hate Fergie? Where do you live? He is the biggest hypocrite, don't you hate hypocrites?

Yeah one time. I wish it was more.

Second half was when he came alive, but he still lack more confidence and consistency.

Where do I live? NYC!

But yeah he is a big hypocrite like Mourinho. But even then that does not stop me from calling Mourinho a great coach.

SAF has just shown over years that he is the best of the best.

And when i am not calling them a hypocrite, i give them my praise for being great.

[warnie_666 1,081]

Justin:

Offtopic but since you mentioned you are from NYC, have you been to Nevada simth with the new York blues? I used to visit Nev Smith almost every weekend untill I moved down south. I think they now moved to a different bar

[warnie_666 1,081]

SAF has just shown over years that he is the best of the best.

But the guy lacks class. And that stops me from having any iota of respect for him

[Guest justin_3d]

But the guy lacks class. And that stops me from having any iota of respect for him

Sure, and Mourinho lack class as well, but he still is one of the best manager in the world for me.

What i admired from SAF is that he does better at what Wenger fails to do. Is to bring in youth and make them produce to be potential winners, and champions.

Wenger does not do that.

I just hope AVB can do the same with our youth.

Cause all our past managers in the Roman era i been very disappointing when it comes to youth.

Justin:

Offtopic but since you mentioned you are from NYC, have you been to Nevada simth with the new York blues? I used to visit Nev Smith almost every weekend untill I moved down south. I think they now moved to a different bar

hahaha I have not been there since i graduated from college in 09

Was a cool place.

Now i just go to some local Hispanic bars in Brooklyn.

[GodZola 630]

Sundays game was a mixture of poor decisions going against us, poor finishing & Utd being clinical with the few shots on target they had, add to the luck they got for the third goal then not much went our way. How many sides will go to the theatre of silence & have more chances & shots on goal this season? Utd got the luck - as ever, unfortunately fine margins that decide games.

Arsenal have never recovered from losing that spine of Adams, Viera, Bergkamp & Henry as well as losing that British steel. Wenger's refusal to spend has hit them hard, they could of got Phil Jones or Cahill to shore up their defensive problems, in contrast we still have that will to win, got the experience of winning trophies & are still equipped defensively despite leaking a few this season. The changing of personnel & formation is partly behind that but is I'd sooner go & pay £50+ to watch what I have seen this season as opposed to the rubbish I had to endure last year were we also won nothing!

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Any other day we'd have wiped the floor with them. The media are making a big deal out of Manure humping everyone in sight. That was a freak game that had quite a lot of major incidents go against us.

We're nothing like Arsenal imo.......Our tactics were spot on, the stats show that.