With only nine more Premier League games to go the clock is ticking…
Good day one and all.
Arsenal welcome the resuscitated Manchester United at the Emirates who are continuing their mid-season turnaround under Ole Gunnar Solskjær with 15 wins in 18 games (D2, L1) across all competitions.
Both teams were involved in European action midweek against French opposition, but as far as results are concerned fortunes couldn’t be more contrasting. It was a night to forget for Unai Emery and the Gunners as their match against Rennes ended in 3-1 defeat, while United who won by the same scoreline for a win that would make Houdini proud as they completed an unlikely comeback from a 2-0 first leg deficit to beat PSG in their own backyard. They may still have to come down from their high having put down a marker for things to come.
However, focus now switches back to domestic matters and both coaches designs to deliver a place in next season’s Champions League.
Arsenal are on a 14 match unbeaten league run at the Emirates (W12, D2), including eight consecutive wins. Ironically our last defeat in all competitions at home has been against Manutd in the FA Cup. I doubt playing at home will be much of an advantage because under OGS Manutd got a 100% success rate in away games (all competitions) – played 9, win 9 with a return of 23 GF and 3 GA.
The defeat against Rennes should not dampen any spirits, we were in control till we were reduced to 10 men. In our last league outing last Saturday at Spurs we did well and by all accounts should’ve won that match. Now we are left with a bit more to do for an immediate turnaround; and with the firepower we got we should be more than capable of doing it. However we will need to keep our heads at the back because for the visitors Lukaku and Rashford are on a purple patch.
We will be without Torreira who begins a 3 game ban, but the biggest decision to be make will be who misses out between Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Özil, as there has been a reluctance to start them both. Ramsey was one of the stand out players last Saturday and Özil has been in fine form since his reintroduction to the squad. Maybe playing a more natural right back wouldn’t hurt as well.
A win today will put Arsenal in a good position as we won’t be playing another ‘top-six’ rival In the run-in, but Manutd’s away form can’t be ignored, which lends itself to this being a highly entertaining and season-defining classical six-point encounter.
Time for everyone to pull their socks as high as possible and push this Gunners side to line.
@LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Nice intro LG, many thanks.
Im not convinced that ManUre deserve any respect, they’ve only pipped us in recent games, even if they scored three, and the trip to Old Toilet was one we didn’t deserve to lose…Im sure Rob H will have a keen eye on the game today.
Surely we have to be wise in how they play against us: park the bus, then score on the breakaway. The Arsenalverse needs a massive win today, and if everyone’s heads are in the right mode, it sure is possible, I really don’t want to see them dancing around again, its not good for the blood pressure.
COYG!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Hope for a repeat of this years league performances against the top six.
Also hope this game isn’t decided by strange decisions from the ref, we have seen rather a lot of those lately, and with these two, can see any such strange decisions only going in the favour of one team
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really don’t agree that we were in control v Rennes till we went down to ten men, they had been coming more and more into the game, it was the reason why Sokratis had committed several bookable fouls, the one where he put his knee through the back of the forward really should have seen him get at least a yellow. They had put us on the back foot.
The media are already running with the soundbite that Man Utd can draw level on pts with spurs if they win, so we know what we are likely to get from Jon Moss and his assistants today.
on the subject of Refs and their decisions, I see many are saying that as Sissoko got booked he can not face any more action, this is in fact false, the Ref can admit in his match report that on second viewing he can see he got it wrong and it should have been a red, this would mean FA can upgrade it or charge him with violent conduct. The problem is that the PGMOL do not want any of their refs admitting that they got anything wrong, and sadly the ego of the Refs won’t allow it either.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Emery has suggested that there will be rotation today, some of the subs from Thursday to be used as he says we need an injection of energy to the team, so that’s Golden Boy Guendouzi starting, maybe Ramsey, probably Kolasinac too, and maybe AMN will come in at right back. Lacazette likely to start too and of course Leno.
Torreira out suspended. Can we afford to rest Koscielny, actually can we afford risking not resting him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not in control per see Eddie, but I do think we had a handle on things.
I wish Unai has the balls to start both Ramsey and Özil. As Dave rightly say, Manutd play the same park the bus tactics, as they did José, they are just more intense in how they counter, spraying balls wide and over the top. We may need both Özil and Mkhi to unlock them and keep them a bit honest.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The PGMOL certainly don’t want refs admitting things when it comes to Tottenham players for some reason best known to themselves.
Our players will have to be very careful today we know what Riley and the PGMOL think of Utd
LikeLiked by 4 people
I see a Birmingham supporter has ran onto the pitch and assaulted Aston Villa’s Jack Grelish
LikeLiked by 1 person
Premier League
Verified account @premierleague
8h8 hours ago
Arsenal have won their last 8 #PL home matches. They last won 9 in a row within the same season at Emirates Stadium back in 2014/15
LikeLiked by 1 person
Orbinho
@Orbinho
16h16 hours ago
Arsenal have the best chance conversion rate in the Premier League scoring with 23% of their shots.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks George
It feels like Champions League qualification cup final day today. Then again both coaches would probably be happy with a draw!
I see the cunning plan to play the in from Miki out of position when other options were available, with ten men, running his legs into the ground worked a treat and he didn’t train yesterday. Ah well. At least one of our best footballers might be selected to start the most important fixture of the season. Small mercies.
COYG!
LikeLiked by 2 people
< thanks George and Labo!
LikeLiked by 2 people
after today’s game we don’t play in BPL for 3 weeks, home game v Newcastle is on April 1st
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think it’s about unai having the courage to start both mesut and Ramsey but how he ask them to play should he do so. There is no point starting both if they will not be given freedom to play. Like starting Aaron in central of defensive midfield asking him not to go forward. At the end if Aaron doesn’t do well, everyone will say unai was justified not to start both together.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Keep your heads & work hard & you can win this, boys. We have seen you do it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Arsenal will be sitting deep and counter-attacking. Except for City, its worked in all 3 other home games vs the top-6. So I expect Emery to persist but the downside is Solskjaer is perfectly aware of our tactics and will be prepared. This is going to be interesting. Hard to predict.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Layksite we’ve seen when Guendouzi or Torreira plays they’re so far forward, roles neither are strong at, even Özil are forced to play as a deep laying play maker. So for me Ramsey would be the natural one to partner up with Xhaka in Torreira’s absence. But we’ve seen recently even Guendouzi are ahead of Torreira in the pecking order and if Mkhi, as Fins allude to, have a bit of fatigue….
I just hope we don’t go for conservatism today. Manutd have been winging it in recent games giving opposition the bulk of the possession. So if we are stuck with a defensive line-up I’m not too sure how that will pan out.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good preview LG,
In many years of playing manure we have played all styles all ways sometimes being on the backfoot sometimes battering them and the result very often doesn’t match the game. Even when we won the league at their place we should of won about six nil.
So dont worry about the game just worry about us scoring more goals than them.
I was surprised to see that stat about conversion rate as I thought we have been especially wasteful, I suppose that shows just how shit everyone else has been or maybe its a bit dubious what that consider a chance.
We all know at our best even the top teams struggle against us at home and manure are the top team at the moment but we are a different animal so they might just get mauled COYG.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Arsenal FC
Verified account @Arsenal
1m1 minute ago
🚨 #ARSMUN TEAM NEWS 🚨
5️⃣ changes to Thursday’s #UEL lineup…
➡️ Leno, Maitland-Niles, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Lacazette
⬅️ Cech, Mustafi, Torreira, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan
https://pbs.twimg.com/ad_img/1104764154420887553/oEdeggY3?format=jpg&name=orig
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, did not expect this line up, pleasant suprise, I hope we spank them! Thanks for the write up LG!
LikeLiked by 2 people
How about that? Unai starting both Ramsey and Özil in a league match. Though I think that is due to Mkhi missing out and he so early could have go for Guendouzi. Hat tip.
https://twitter.com/LaboGoon/status/1104769849983680513
LikeLiked by 2 people
FT: Chelsea 1-1 Wolves
means CFC are now level on pts with us
LikeLiked by 1 person
nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Man Utd
Xhaka with our goal, we’ve been on top for the most part, despite the best efforts of Moss and his assistants,
our biggest concern will be how do we stop Moss and co from derailing us in this game
LikeLiked by 1 person
Made it to HT! Moss deteriorating more and more…Rashford should have been booked. Sok? Not sure about that yellow. ManUre dangerous at times. Rambo playing well.
COYG!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Moss is bad enough but we have a blind linesman too
LikeLiked by 1 person
Paddy
@VieiraPaddy
11m11 minutes ago
Rare to see every little decision go against the home team
LikeLiked by 2 people
utd have started very much on top this half, we need to wake up a bit, looking for time to take extra touches, very open at the back too
LikeLiked by 1 person
kos took a big hit there, limping now
LikeLiked by 1 person
well Moss making it clear he is going to continue to favor utd in this half
LikeLiked by 2 people
United playing very rough knowing they will get away with it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
utter bs from the officials in the 2nd half
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hope we don’t pick up any more injuries.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pen. 2-0
LikeLiked by 1 person
very nice.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Aubameyangggggggggggggggggggggggggg scores a penalty after lacca was taken down, it was a poorly taken penalty again but thankfully de gea dived the other way
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lacazette goes very close, should have hit the target
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laca misses an open goal.
Hope it doesn’t come back to bite us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
these officials that allow Arsenal players to be harassed until they are injured or concede are the fine margins stopping arsenal from being in a better position than they presently are…
imagine what Rashford and Kane and Alli; 3 that immediately spring to mind get away with and then stay on to score for their teams yet Xhaka is sent off for much less
fine margins!
LikeLiked by 3 people
a gobshite ran onto the pitch after we make it 2-0, the clown should be banned for years from all games in uk
LikeLiked by 1 person
Referee is truly shocking though.
LikeLiked by 2 people
75 minutes Iwobi on for Ozil who had a very good game, kept us ticking over with his calm play
LikeLiked by 2 people
That should have been a second yellow for Pogba. First should have been for grabbing Ramsey’s head and hauling him to the ground.
And this is just in the second half.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Suarez on for Aubameyang, about ten minutes left
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ole has gone with the only way he knows how to beat Arsenal. By playing rough.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Lacazette off, Nketiah on for final few minutes
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pogba fouling left right and centre and getting away with it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Need to keep a clean sheet. There will surely be Fergietime.
LikeLiked by 2 people
5 minutes of stoppage time to be played
LikeLiked by 1 person
FT: Arsenal 2-0 Man Utd
Xhaka and Aubameyang with our goals, a very open game, with a lot let go by Moss.
Leno, Xhaka, Lacazette, Ramsey, AMN and Ozil all had fine games, everyone of the team put in a shift. There will be loads of whinging about our penalty award.
Arsenal now 4th, 1pt and 1 goal behind Spurs, 2pt ahead of Utd and 3pts ahead of CFC who have a game in hand
LikeLiked by 1 person
Massive win. Very comfortable in the end. Against 12.
LikeLiked by 1 person