Hoping for a new lease on life with our new head-coach, Arsenal gets 2020 rolling with a Premier League clash against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
With both clubs under the guidance of former players, Mikel Arteta and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows all about the hostilities and the grit that goes with one of the league’s long standing rivalries.
Happy New Years all! For Arteta, who is just starting his managerial journey, there would be fewer memories as sweet as getting your maiden victory against an old enemy, however, he would prefer it not to have come to this.
Picking up just one point from his opening two games hasn’t been the ideal start for the Spaniard, but with the players looking like they’re buying into his ideas, as well as his demand for increased work-ethic, there certainly are much to be encouraged about. His primary expectancies now are better awareness and pacing of our intensity throughout the 90, so we can get our season going.
For a club of Arsenal’s standing to end 2019 on a run of just one win in 15 games (all competitions) is concerning, but we are by no means a sinking ship. It will just take the efforts of all involved pulling in the same direction; ie the players continue doing what is expected of them and the clubs chiefs giving Arteta their full backing.
Look, the general view is that there are no quick fixes, with that fans also need to slow down with the fear-mongering and exercise a bit more patience, because that is what Arteta is going to need to rebuild this team back into a functioning unit. The buzzword going forward has to be synergy.
It’s almost unbelievable, just thinking about it, that less than a month ago Arsenal was above Manutd on the log, but thanks to a strong run in December they enter the new year more promising; 7 pts clear of us and 4 pts off top-four. In their last nine league games they were on the losing side just once (W5, D3) and scored a whopping 19 goals.
They certainly got a good run against the top teams this season, beating Chelsea, Leicester, Man City and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as being the only side to take points off Liverpool. So one can almost forgive pundits for predicting the Red Devils to inflict misery on the Gunners, however, Ole will be the first to tell you that form means little against this old foe. Last season when he took over they went on a three-month, 12-match unbeaten run that came to an end with their last trip to the Emirates. Which make looking forward to this match just that more appetizing.
Team news
Arsenal face a defensive crisis with Calum Chambers now joining Sead Kolasinac, Hector Bellerìn, Kieran Tierney and Rob Holding on the sidelines. Additionally Sokratis is out with concussion.
Gabriel Martinelli and Dani Ceballos could make the matchday squad and Granit Xhaka, whom Arteta said missed the last game with illness amidst ongoing transfer speculation, could return to the starting lineup.
Prediction
On current form, league position and confidence the Red Devils are sure favourites, but the Gunners certainly played much better than our last two results. What let us down most has been our finishing because we created more than enough chances. So once that’s sorted everything else will be minor irritations.
Manutd kept only one clean sheet in their last nine league games and conceded 12 goals. So if we continue creating those chances but also have our scoring boots on…. Mikel could pop his cherry with a memorable win.
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Whahooo! Great performance against a very good side.
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imagine we had two players booked but utd who fouled at will had no bookings at all, PGMOL should be ashamed of themselves, but as we’ve know for some time, they are shameless
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I see Eddie Nketiah has ended his loan spell at Leeds Utd, I wonder will he get included in our FAC squad for the game v Leeds on Monday, before we let him go out on loan elsewhere
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AFC now 9pts off 4th placed Chelsea, if we play like that for the rest of the season, top 4 is still within reach
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Orbinho
@Orbinho
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17m
Most distance run today
Fred 11.71km
Torreira 11.3km
Ozil 11.28km
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Lovely stuff. So nice to be delighted after a game!
Was tense 2nd half even at 2-0. If they got one back I’d have been shiteing it. They didn’t, thank fuck for me nerves, and we can now bask in lovely, deserved win.
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So exciting that Arteta has got them to buy in like this, especially after Chelsea which could have hurt us for longer. The players seem to love him.
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Hard to say at present if the drop off after great starts last two games is because of fatigue from the schedule, inevitable drop off after huge efforts from off, or anything else.
I find it very easy to be hopeful and optimistic about it ,though, and to believe it’s something that can be worked on over time, partly with options we have and then later if Arteta identifies player or two to help with it.
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New post is up
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Really buzzing here. In this short a space of time he has got players upping efforts a massive amount, got good players looking like themselves and playing near the best, made youngsters look more assured and determined, got us playing better football, and looking vastly more purposeful and organised.
Incredible. Now, I need to not get ahead of myself too much, and maybe to request you guys who felt sure on Arteta 18 months ago, and on Emery very early, not to gloat too much, though wouldn’t blame you for it.
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Anyone know if Fred has twin brother in Utd reserves? Can’t think of any reason why ref didn’t book him tonight unless he thought there were two of them out there. Although even then they would probably both have committed enough for a yellow apiece.
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it seems Arteta has confirmed that Xhaka is staying
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