We face a Utd team buoyed by seven victories from seven under their new manager, with 19 goals scored and 4 conceded in that run. A number of players, notably Pogba and Rashford, have been thriving since Mourinho’s exit and ,presumably, enter the match with sky high confidence.
However, it cannot be ignored that the fixture list, or maybe mr Woodward, has been kind to Ole in this early stage of his tenure : only one of the games has been against a *spits* top club, and the rest have been against more modest opposition, with all 5 league opponents coming from bottom 9 teams in league currently, including 3 of current bottom 4, and 3 of those fixtures at home for them.
But *spits* Spurs, in what was billed as their first big test, they passed, with all three points. if memory serves correctly it was a good open game for much of first half, with Utd possessing a huge countering threat and the extra boldness, freedom and decisiveness Solskjaer has given to the team’s attacking players. In Rashford, Pogba and Martial in particular they possess serious speed, athleticism and quality for exploiting spaces, turnovers and any lack of numbers in defence. Gulp.
The timing of our game with them is interesting because they have not yet been made to pay for their new more adventurous approach : Mourinho may have failed miserably there, but he had not suddenly become an idiot. He was too cautious, certainly, for both lovers of the real beautiful game, and considering the options at his disposal. His caution and all the manifestations of it were not detached from reality, though. ‘Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you’ applies to all known formations and philosophies within football. Someone is going to exploit Ole’s style soon, quite possibly forcing a reaction, and hopefully that can be us.
Now then- how will we play? My first two thoughts were ‘don’t play into their hands by allowing them huge space to counter in’ and ‘we’d probably better go at them’. Not quite a massive contradiction, but pretty close, and a hint why the management lark isn’t easy. I guess I stand by the first thought more than the second : I believe we have to go at them; but I also believe we really have to try not to play into the hands of a team with such countering weapons. I’d be happy to feel the game out for at least 15 mins and be very focused on not allowing an early break.
So that’s how, sort of, and now to who. Not a clue. I suspect Ozil will start, and think he might just be perfect for exploiting this new, as-yet-unconquered Utd system, supposing they don’t add an extras hustling type in centre mid or sit much deeper. Safe to say, there aren’t many like Ozil, and so this Utd have not faced his kind, and it seems possible he is precisely the type of player the new set up may be vulnerable to. Fingers crossed.
Elsewhere…it all seems hard to predict for me. Unlike with his predecessor, I am not sure where Emery stands in terms of prioritising competitions. If this is our 3rd priority, will the lineup reflect this, or does he more or less pick a team without consideration for what follows? I’ll guess it’s somewhere in between. In which case, maybe rests for both Kos and Kola, with an outside chance of Mavropanos coming in.
Anyway, formations schmations, it’s Utd at home in the cup. We will find out almost instantly if Ole is a true Ferguson man. A fairish ferocious contest, or pure filth. If he brings our friend Rojo- who must have played about 10% of his Utd total against us- in from the cold we have our answer before kick off.
I’m excited and don’t have a clue how it is likely to go. If I try overcome my lily-livered pre game pessimism then that leaves me with a still nervous 50: 50 feeling, same as before Chelsea, and West Ham.
COYG
Rich @Whatsinaname81
Positively Arsenal 
a busy week ahead for many clubs, Arsenal included, we have Man Utd in the 4th round of the cup this evening, we have Cardiff in the bpl midweek, and that has been made a bigger occasion due to sad circumstances, and we then face the champions away, that is man city by the way, not liverpool, as the media seem to think.
And in between we have the small matter of the last 6 days of the January transfer window, where we might see a bit of business, both in and out.
We are being strongly linked with loan to buy deals for a couple of players, Denis Suarez of Barca and Christopher Nkunku of PSG, both fringe players at bigger or wealthier clubs than us, I know little of Suarez, but till yesterday I wouldn’t have been able to pick Nkunku out of a line up, but thanks to youtube and twitter I’m now an expert on the lad. Anyway the one thing both deals would have in common, apart from the loan to buy option, is that they have formerly played for our current head coach Unai Emery, so maybe the view put forward by the likes of ornstein and balague that Sven is leaving due to Arsenal having decided that his stats approach is not a fit for Raul and Unai’s contacts approach.
Rumor has it that we are also after a defender signing, and of course we might very well see some departures, we have already seen 3rd choice keeper Martinez leave on loan, with Ramsey, Mustafi and Elneny the strongest linked to out going.
We are also likely to see some of the younger players get loaned out, Bramhall, Sheaf, Pleggy, are possible to leave and I would not rule out even the likes of Willock, Nketiah or Smith-Rowe going, despite Emery saying they would not.
In, out, shake it all about, the one thing that we must remember is that the most important thing is for Arsenal to win the actual games of football, everything else is secondary, so lets start with utd tonight, then give Cardiff the hiding their stoneage football deserves and roll on to dent the champions title defense and regardless of who we buy or which favorite we sell, we will still all be happy with our Arsenal world
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Morning everyone, many thanks to Rich for the top intro to the big match.
ManUre are really cocky at the moment, time for the mighty cannon to do the biz.
Cheers again.
COYG!
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Friday night football, fucking marvelous.
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Thanks Rich.
Even without De Gea I can’t see Solskjær going into this game under strength. Manutd are on a roll and they want to fight for a 4th spot they would want to keep that momentum going.
So its gonna come down to how serious Emery takes the FA Cups.
Gotta feel he needs to select a strong team to build some momentum following that performance against Chelsea.
Cardiff are such a dirty bunch and Mancity are, well, Mancity. Need to give ourselves a running start for that game next weekend.
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Super Post, Rich.
To be candid, before the game against the Chavs, I was playing it cool, nonchalant even when ribbed by Manure colleagues, but that all changed mightily right from the start of the game when we turned on the style, and the mickey-takers got both barrels when we demolished Chelsea.
As we speak, I am playing it cool, nonchalant even (see the pattern here?) so the Arsenal lads have got to bale me out now — I can smell revenge in the air, if things go South.
[Saunters off, whistling ‘good ole Arsenal’]
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Cheers Labo
I hadn’t looked at fixtures for next week (bad previewer!) so hadn’t taken into account it is Cardiff then City in short space of time.
So, I’m thinking now we will probably stick with last week’s team, risk resting a couple for Cardiff home, then back to full strength for City.
Surely no way we are planning for Kos to play all 3 on back of heroics last weekend, and I don’t trust Kola to hold up well to that schedule either.
Ainsley seems most likely Bellerin replacement; but, if ‘sticking’, that still leaves Ozil question.
I think he should start and will start, with Guendouzi or Torreira (if fatigue is an issue currently) dropping out and Ramsey role rejigged from last week, although it’s far from certain that will happen.
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Excellent preview Rich and as you pointed out therebare several possible pot holes for us to avoid tonight. The diamond system would allow manure to much time and space in wide positions and considering we normally play high up the pitch at home we could be vunerable to a very fast cohesive side.
Seeing as both sides are fighting each other for direct league position a confidence win is very important and so I think tonight we should play our strongest eleven.
Generally our home form against the top sides has been good for a few seasons so should be nothing to be afraid of. We know we can play well and dominate in these games and if we’re good at the back then we’ll be ok. I know that’s alot of ifs that’s the cup for you COYG.
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My comment was not criticism to your post Rich, I think you covered everything that needed to be said. I merely put my thoughts out there.
In attack I think we should ideally give ourselves our best chance tonight with the FA Cup at present our best chance at silverware. With the race for top 4 so tight, we don’t really have a choice but go strong in next three games, yet still give Kosc a rest here, ease Özil back there…
Following the Mancity game there’s a week till the Huddersfield game then its one of those almost forgotten international breaks again. Not sure if its gonna be Nations League or whatnot, but can expect most will use the time off to recuperate after the hectic schedule.
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labogoon
Didn’t think for a sec you were criticising me.
Was Ed’s post that made me aware of upcoming schedule.
But now I am cheesed off you’ve brought news of one of those bloody international breaks on horizon! I have not missed them.
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Prob more criticism of us this week, especially if any bad results, on back of this financial thing saying our cash reserves have improved and are at high level.
I accepted long ago * they can be misleading, but a good opportunity to give us a kicking will surely not be missed.
*Don’t know why exactly. Maybe I heard good or plausible explanations at some point.
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This is a seriously good preview, not that Labo’s aren’t. But I was sputtering in my mid-day drinks as I read. Who knew Rich could be so funny allied with his knowledge of the facts? Now I am primed for this one.
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seemingly it cost AFC £17M to pay off Wenger and his staff last summer
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COYG!
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https://pbs.twimg.com/ad_img/1088869513603489792/vlBTNocG?format=jpg&name=orig
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Nice to see the cover of the programme. 40 years, seems like yesterday! Dear old Peter Jones, I had a recording of it back then( does anyone remember the 33rpm records you could buy of the cup finals?)…paraphrased: ” McIlroy must score McIlory has scored, what scenes we’ve got here. I dont believe it nobody can believe because United have come back from death”…I was nearly bawling, after what had happened the year before…my Mother was a ManUre fan and she had walked in and they scored two, so she was sent out of the room…”here comes Brady, the ball floats over, the shot comes in, its there, its Alan Sunderland, its 3-2 for Arsenal I dont not believe it”.
I watched every second of that final, including Cup final Swap shop before. Once we had one we legged it up the park and kept on trying to do Alans goal. For years we quoted Peter’s commentary rather than Brian Moores or John Motsons. For me Peter was the greatest commentator ever. It was the end of an era when he died, he didnt get over watching Hillsborough.
Dave Sexton was a real gentleman and the ManUre fans were right behind their team after they had lost.
” and Pat Rice kisses the cup and lifts it up”…
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https://pbs.twimg.com/ad_img/1088871152066461696/3_BBMf_d?format=jpg&name=orig
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no striker in the subs, ozil the only forward on the bench,
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Nice one Rich.
Tricky game, but hopefully, Auba with shooting boots today, and a sighting of the lesser spotted Mesut
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Riverboat Gambler 2.0
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Fantastic stuff Rich, and here’s hoping for further success in the greatest cup competition of them all.
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No Mesut then. Still holding onto possibility injuries/fitness have clouded issue a little but that’s looking less likely with each non-selection when Ozil is making clear he is good to go.
As it happens, I don’t know about him as a sub. Sure he could come on and nicely embellish a winning position with his craft and skill, but not sure he’s one for digging us out of bad situation.
I dunno…let’s just hope lads selected are on song and we get the win.
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Sokratis off injured after landing badly on his ankle challenging lingard who was offside, mustafi on
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FFs , another knee injury, seems a twist, just hope it isn’t too bad for sok
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ah for fucks sake, alexis scores to put utd 1-0 up
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Had a feeling that was going to happen
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The self destruct button is officially pressed
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Lukaku is a friggin lummox, we have just been making him look world class in the last few mins.
Wake up Arsenal
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we are back to falling apart once we let in one, now its 2-0
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Our defence is pretty fragile still, losing Sok probably hasn’t helped
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Since the Sok went off its gone a bit flat for us, need Mesuts magic. Need a goal before HT. Auba and Lacca look lost.
COYG!!!!!!!!
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Iwobi seeing loads of the ball, but he doesn’t seem to know what he is meant to be doing, I wonder would it be worth having him switch wings
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Now that’s better
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Aubameyanggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg with a tap in after Ramsey took on their defenders and crossed along the six yard line, two others missed it but PEA was there to tap in
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he that is lost is he that is found. COYG!!!!
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HT: Arsenal 1-2 Man Utd
controlled the first twenty minutes or so without having a really good chance, then Sokratis got injured, and we went flat, utd got into it, and in quick succession alexis and lingard put utd 2 up, then some great play by Ramsey (good job he will be so easily replaced) led to PEA having a tap in. We then went on the attack and had utd rocking back, we really could have gone in all square, couple of really good late chances.
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looked better at the end of the half. Still in this. COYG!
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Will summed up Eduardo
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on their second goal we seen once again AMN jogging back when he really should have been busting a gut to get back, it might have stopped the overload than led to lingard being free to score.
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The second goal was so poor by us it was embarrassing. Bloody maddening. If the Sok was on I think we would have held our positioning a bit better. If Mesut comes on I just hope he shows everyone how good he is. Rambo looks like hes the only one that will set anything up.
ManUre really are beatable in this game.
COYG!
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Certainly feel a bit better after the goal.
Can’t feel confident though given it seems so likely if they are patient and defend deep those opportunities like the 2nd goal will be there for them, and they have the players to punish those situations.
Hated that 2nd one. Absolutely hated it. Has to be a better way to play than something that has such a phenomenally high risk of taking you from trouble to huge trouble when behind 30 mins into a big game.
It doesn’t feel smart to me from a probability point of view.
The asymmetry- trying to get through eight deep organised defenders vs breaks with half a pitch and 3 or 4 players from each side- arghhh.
Do. Not.Go.Behind. or something, I guess.
Anyway, apologies for the doom tones. I do not like losing to these fucks and seeing that prick dancing and whatnot.
Still in it and were dangerous before half time.
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COYG!!!!!!
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oh, ramsey so close to levelling it with a header
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iwobi takes so long to wind up for a shot
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koscielny booked for fouling pogba on edge of our area when utd went on the counter attack
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oh shit Koscielny down after a blow to the face
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Our rate of injuries really is something else
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koscielny off injured, looks to have a jaw injury, he is in lots of pain, Guendouzi on for him, iwobi also off and Ozil on
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xhaka gone CB, there was an 8 minute break in play to deal with that kos injury.
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Both first choice defenders injured. Hopefully not for long. I really hate United. We have the worst luck with them.
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