Nov 03
An injury time goal from captain William Gallas gave Arsenal a 2-2 tie and kept the Gunners at the top of the table. Gallas, who scored an own goal in the first half, saved the draw after a goalmouth scramble in the dying minutes of the match.
ManUre led 1-0 at the half, Cesc equalized early in the 2nd, but Cristiano Ronaldo put the Gunners behind in the 82nd minute, setting up the game’s frantic conclusion.
A point won or two lost?
74 Responses to “Arsenal 2 - 2 Manchester United”
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November 3rd, 2007 at 11:02 am
Check this out. A United fan wrote after they scored the 2nd goal, with 10 mins to go. Now u tell me whether it’s a point won by us or two points drop!!! : )
Ronaldooooo 2 - 1 Game Over
by NEVERAGOON
average rating from 1 members
03 November 2007
no hard feelings, Arsenal to make it in the top 4 - yer avin a larf lol
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:02 am
We’re #1 hey….
Talk about living on the edge. That’s why I love this squad, where others may have stopped trying the kept it up to the dying whistle and came from behind to get something from this fixture! Hurrah.
Almunia was way out of position in my opinion on the second goal by ManUre.
Kudos’ to the lads
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:05 am
This Arsenal side just…. NEVER SAYS DIE!!
Man of the Match - the lineman. I don’t know how he spotted it (Gallas’ goal), but he did. well done.
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:27 am
Kudos to the linesman who finally got a goal line decision correct. Even without video replay. A miracle.
An excellently played game by both teams. ManU are a quality team and they showed it today as they took two leads on good offensive plays. Arsenal as they have done all season long proved their resilience by coming back twice.
Fabregas was superb as usual and will be the Arsenal player of the year. Gallas with true captain’s grit scores the tying goal after defecting the first goal in.
I am really proud of Arsenal today. They remain in first and have a game in hand to boot.
Of course Almunia was out of position as he was coming out to meet Evra’s charge into the box. He can not sit back and allow a FB to score there. Clichy’s man, Ronaldo cruised in for the tap in. Otherwise everyone played well.
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:27 am
Andez - nice tribute to the linesman! Fantastic finish! This game was a real tribute to the EPL.
I thought we played a great game and thought we deserved at least a draw but hats off to United who were deserving of points as well.
A few comments about United’s 2nd goal, because it came against the run of play when it looked like we were the more likely winners. That was a great ball from Saha to release Evra. And it was the 2nd time in the last 2 games that Evra has hurt us…. last year at the Emirates he created Rooneys goal by running 60 yards in a full sprint to send a low cross for Rooney to head in at the far post. As much as I like Clichy and thinks he deserves a chance in the French national team, I dont think he will displace Evra. Clichy’s runs are mostly all towards the touchline, while Evra shows up touchine and in this case, a little more central. Plus, Evra seems to have a better final ball with those low crosses and penetrating zipping crosses when he gets them in the air. Everytime Clichy delivered it was his usual ballooning cross that gives time for the defenders to cut off. As for Almunia… what the hell was he doing so far off his line when Evra was coming in off a tight angle?
It was a very interesting game, because I thought we really outplayed them in midfield and posession but United definitely look more dangerous when they get the ball into the final third. We balloon crosses into the box when we get the ball wide and only have Ade in there, while United tend to deliver those low crosses and have 2 or 3 runners crashing the box. Even though I thought we were the better side, you have to give props to united for playing some darn good football… certainly much better than ‘pool.
Almunia was way out of position twice, IMO. He’s got happy feet. The second time it cost us, but he almost cost us another goal earlier in the half. I dont think he’s the answer.
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:35 am
yeah coach_ed,i m amazed the lineman spotted it, i surely couldn’t myself, well at least not until the replay!
the 2nd goal… if watch it again, Almunia hestitated. He was caught in two mind whether to charge down or not. Worst.. it was not the first time in this game. Before we conceded the 2nd goal, there were at least 2 other occassions when he got caught in 2 mind whether to rush out or not.
the biggest problem of him is he just glue to the line all the time. when he had to come out, he looks very shaky.
i m afraid the further we advance into the CL, when bump into stronger opponents who would manage a few more attacking chances than the average EPL oppositions, Almunia will get found out big time.
if AW decides to sell Jens, though i don’t think it’s a good idea to buy anyone in January. If Jens goes, we must find a proper replacement before he does. I just don’t believe we can get away with Almunia in goal for a whole season. And i am not the usually the one be harsh on our own players.
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:52 am
I think it is a point gained. This is the second time- after Chelsea at the Emirates last season- that we have been overrun and dominated in the last stanza of the game. United picked up all the loose balls and exposed Flamini’s lack of dynamism and bite. We need Diarra in there as soon as possible and Wenger needs to wake up to that.
All those who wanted 4-4-2 were probably right. In order for the 4-5-1 to work you need Hleb and Rosicky bombing on and be in a ballsy mood. Hleb did well but Rosicky was poor. A fully firing Rosicky may have made the formation work so it’s hard to make a definitive conclusion on that.
The substitutions were terrible from Wenger. He should have taken off Rosicky and put Hleb on the left. Also should have brought on Diarra for Flamini. Gilberto is just another pussycat.
United are more streetwise than us and that’s the difference. We have too many scatty players (add Almunia to that list) who just baffle with their lack of composure and decision-making. Clichy is the prime example but yet he pops up to deliver the cross at the end. In this respect his vacous brain is an advantage as he is not carrying mental baggage from the Ronaldo goal. All very strange.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Last time Almunia layed united we lost 2-4 after leading 2-1 at Highbury. The second and third goals were goal keepers fault running out of the 6-yard box but doesn’t commit to getting the ball.
Today he did that TWICE. Once he was saved by the defenders, and the second, well, it was almost a replica of the goal Ronaldo scored at Highbury 2 years ago and for me that’s a GK mistake. Evra had no room to shoot and had almunia stayed on the line he might have had a chance to save ronaldo’s shot.
I also did not like our formation, It’s really a 4-5-1 with Hleb tucked in behind Ade even thought on the formation chart it showed 4-4-2 (or a bit like 4-4-1-1). Ade was so isolated up front and with no man in the United box we weren’t going to score…
United was comfortable sitting back absorbing our attack and they countered well. Draw was a very fair result and our squad still needs to step up to these big games and not be too tenative like we did in the first half.
There’s nothing between the two sides but United have a slight edge on composure and experience in their squad. Our kids better grow up quick!
Good quote by our Captain - this is the difference between the sulking of Henry and the motivation of Gallas
“I told the guys we had to fight until the end and if we have to die we will die together. I think today we showed everybody we can die.”
Arsenal captain William Gallas after the 2-2 draw with Manchester United on BBC Sport
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Mazza, Disagree that subs were terrible…..I thought subs were fine except that we lost concentration immediately after the subs came on and they cleverly took advantage and scored. And it was a great goal; our defense and Almnunia got exposed and bang in the back of the net…
Clichy was not bad at all; let’s not make him a scape goat and neither was Flamini. I thought they were both solid. So was Hleb and Eboue had a good game.
Rosicky on the other hand has been lackluster in my estimation. Gives the ball away too much and chooses the wrong pass at the wrong time. We need someone better on the left: is Diaby the answer? Is Eduardo the answer? or is it someone else altogether? I don’t know…..
Almunia looked shaky overall, and was partly at fault for the second goal as has been mentioned. He was beaten again at the near post for the first goal, but to be fair he couldn’t have done much about it, so I don’t really fault him for not being able to save a deflected ball from that range….
Overall, this is clearly a moral victory for us and a point gained: it keeps us unbeaten and top of the table with a game in hand and strengthens our solidarity and belief. Remember these are still a bunch of kids with moderate experience….I agree with you on that Mazza.
If we had a little more composure (Hleb, Rosicky on their shots) we could’ve nicked it….I am sure ManU will (correctly) say the same thing.
Well done boys…….I am happy; very happy…..
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Mazza #7, agree that Rosicky should have been subbed first. I thought he was rather ineffective.
One thing I don’t get is those who didn’t like our substitutions (particularily Walcott and Eduardo) but preferred a 4-4-2? I though Eboue played pretty well and Flamini redeemed himself from last week with his performance today. They pressured him at time again today but he held up well.
One comment I made to another Arsenal fan was the difference the starting team is with Flamini vs. Gilberto. Gilberto stays at home much more so we typically have 3 defenders (Gallas, Toure, and Gilberto) vs. with Flamini he is another player to watch because he will make a few runs too.
Also, people are knocking the choice of 4-5-1 but I thinking it was as attacking as 4-4-2 in this case. 4-5-1 has played great in the 4-5-1 formations- does everyone forget last year when TH14 and RvP were injured? We played 4-5-1 against the big ones and Ade scored important goals. The only problem I have with it is Adebayor’s control hasn’t been so great and it disrupts our fluidity. I give Bendtner the nod over Adebayor in that dept.
I was happy with the point given the way the game went. Top of the table game in hand- fantastic!
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Neova, excellent first two paragraphs….I was thinking about that last night. And great rest of the post…..
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Great game, great point. Definitely a point gained AND two points stolen from ManUre! They’ll regret letting those slip away when the time comes.
The boys played pretty well although I think they held the ball a little too long whenever they were pulling it in from the wings. Hleb was always standing in acres with his arms raised and the pass was always late or never went to him. Man of the match even with the OG has to be Gallas. He played brilliant and showed real leadership. He can’t be blamed much for the 1st goal as Flamini and Glichy were late to close down the crossing lane from Ronaldo. His goal showed real scrap and poise. I also thought Eboue played well for once.
Almunia and Rosicky were very shaky and Almunia seems to lose his confidence against the bigger clubs. His teammates were quick to pick him up after the game though.
I now would also like to see Diarra getting runs in the side late in games. His performance against Sheffield mid-week was absolutely dominating. He looks a real beast, if also a bit unpredictable with his aggression. I think he could bring some real protein into the side.
Alright Gunners! Keep those points coming!
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I thought Arsenal had lost their chance but thankfully the linesman got it right. Yeah Andez, I am very impressed that he spotted that goal. Wow.
Such drama that too so early in the morning. The rest of the day should be a bit calmer now
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Gunning Steve, we may have started in a 4-5-1 last year but Baptista came on and it was a 4-4-2 when Adebayor got the goal. I watched the game yesterday and we never even looked like scoring when it was Adebayor alone up front.
Biggun, the subs were bad because when Eboue went off it gave United a match-up advantage. Walcott was no contest for Evra and Evra began to pose an attacking threat. I talked to Fred yesterday about how important match-ups are. When Hleb went off we completely lost the initiative. While much credit has been given to Fabregas, Hleb is the guy that everyone gives the ball to when you don’t know what else to do with it.
Compared to his recent performances, I thought Eboue played very well today. He’d just been out for a while and needed to get the rust off.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:57 pm
There were points in the first half today that I was reminded of the 2005 F.A Cup win over ManU, when only one Arsenal player was found in ManU’s box on most occassions. Ofcourse back in 2005, Arsenal didn’t have much of the ball. Today, after the first 10 minutes, they saw plenty of the ball but should Ade have been alone to begin with today? Still despite that, Arsenal could have won it.
Anyone notice Gallas telling Cesc what to do with that free kick in the first half? Cesc duly delivered a great ball, Gallas cleverly lost his markers and almost headed them into the lead. Van Der Saar was going the other way but his legs stopped the ball. It was great to see Gallas take that initiative.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:15 pm
We won this game last season with a very late winner. Now we salvage a draw with an even later goal. Not good for my heart. Next games gainst ManUre, I better have a defilberator ready. I was disappointed that Wenger went with a 4-5-1 formation and left the largely ineffective Adebayor up alone. I think he showed too much respect to ManUre especially when we are playing at home. A couple of observations:
1) Adebayor needs a short break from playing. He has been largely ineffective for the past 6-7 games and have not scored since the Derby hat-trick. I say start Eduardo and Bendtler upfront for the next 2-3 games. The competition might just be what he needs to start scoring again.
2) Doesn’t Wenger train our players especially our full backs to always try and block crosses? ManUre’s attacking game is predicated on having many bodies rushing into the penalty box to attack the whipped in cross. Contrast that when we try to do the same against ManUre’s defence, our crosses quite often do not get past their first defender. Rooney’s goal could have been avoided if we had more displicine there.
3) ManUre’s second goal had shades of last years first goal by Rooney at the Emirates when it was Evra who ran from deep to deliver the cross. Similar run from Evra this time except it was closer to Arsenal’s penalty box. All of our players stood still and allowed Evra to break behind our defence. I would expect Walcott to trail him and try and prevent a cross. I guess they never watch last season’s game.
4) Sagna did not play with the same confidence as in previous games. Must be due to nerves.
5) Clichy clearly has Ronaldo in his pocket as other than his goal, he was largely anonymous.
6) Should Almunia stay in his box or come out and try to nick the ball away. I’ll stick with Almunia though I felt he could have done better than to concede at the near post albeit a deflection off Gallas. His distribution is alot better than Lehmann. I think Lehmann is history come January.
7) Helb imo was one of the 2 most dangerous attacking Arsenal player so I was very surprised to see him sub’ed. Was he injured?
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I blame Almunia for both goals. He gave acres of space on the near post when it was clear to everyone that a near post cross was coming. For the second goal, I had a sick feeling it would come that way. A few minutes earlier when he was saved by his defense, I started feeling that he would do something that would cost us the goal. A very weak punch in the Pool game last week and two errors today. How long will Arsene give him?
On the other hand, I must take my hat off to the squad. We are missing a dynamic forward like RVP, but our midfield is spectacular. If Dudu can get settle in and RVP comes back to form quickly, we will have no trouble picking up points. Ade is a favorite, but his is no where near clinical enough.
Manure played well, but I don’t think they were deserving of a draw. We dominated possession and should have made more with our chances. Our final third needs help and we need a solid goalkeeper. Thomas needs to wake up, he has not shown any quality in two very big games; Hleb has completely overshadowed him.
Good work coming back from behind twice. Proud of all of the boys!
Up the Arse! Kiss the Crest! Believe!
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I’m 28 and nearly had a heart attack. The linesman? WOW. Thank God he saw that…I sure didn’t.
Almunia WILL cost us points if he stays in goal. He just scares me at least once each match. I say our goal keepers are our weakest points - our draws come down to their lack of positioning and footwork and BELIEF.
We played tight at moments - our touch was too amped up with adrenaline, and I thought Flamini and Ade were just a bit overwhelmed at times.
BUT we got the draw…although we could have won the match with a bit more poise and aggression in the box.
A note about Gallas - I doubted his leadership when AW appointed him. And despite his deflection into our own goal, you just HAVE to love his fighting spirit. He is morphing into the player we want him to be - he can become a true Gunner with his belief.
and ManU - quality & skilled, but so many arrogant twats. I really only respect Giggs and the keeper VdS.
Well, on to the next match and hopefully the continued progression of our young Gunners!
Now to go have a pint and have a calm afternoon.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Great match….was watching it with a couple of Man Utd fans….and when they scored in the 81st minute….the Man Utd guys thought that the game was wrapped up …haha…couldn’t have been different.
One thing I have to say about this team…..they are never out of the game…they showed it again today..last minute of injury time…Whew!!
…When the invincibles were playing…i always felt that unless they took charge of the game and scored first..it would be difficult to win the game. But with this team..no matter when the other team scores…i can always see the team coming back …beautiful ending.. 
Full credit to the linesman for that call….i never spotted it..it was a melee in the united box….but a great call ….we always pick up faults of the officials…but this one has to be given credit..great call
That said….i wish the referee had spotted the Vidic foul on Hleb at the start of the game…could have easily been a penalty.
I was not happy with the substitutions this time..while walcott was expected… it was when Hleb was called out…i was shocked…and the same case with Eboue…i thought he had a great game today. I thought it looked like all of a sudden it was Arsenal going on the defensive when we were actually controlling the game at that time..and whenever we get defensive in the final stages of the game…more often than not we get caught out.
Whew..full marks to Gallas…Great captaincy..Also i thought the defence of Gallas and Toure was especially good today.
But at the end of the day ..a fair result….i can live with this point…we’ve come out of this real tough spate of matches without a loss..and that shud really shut the critics up..now we need to get back to winning ways and consolidate our lead at the top of the table.
Cheers
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Decent result today. I didn’t think the bulk of the game was as entertaining as it could have been. Although, that is somewhat expected in games such as this. I agree that AW got it all wrong today. I don’t really blame him for the mistake of starting in a 4-5-1. He really doesn’t have another striker he trusts yet. However, his substitutions were bizarre. I am not sure why he took off Eboue. As big of a fan of Rosicky as I am , clearly he should have been the first to make way. I also, was surprised he didn’t play Walcott up front, instead of on the flank. Furthermore, why put Walcott on the side where ManU might get forward more? John O’Shea/Wes Brown is not an attacking threat. Patrice Evra is too dangerous to be Theo’s responsibility. I thought that would be a little more obvious to AW.
I am glad they fought back. For me, this team is way ahead of schedule and hope they can capture some silverware this year. But I can still chalk these games up as learning experiences and I hope they learned a lot today.
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:48 pm
It will be really interesting to me to see what AW does in January. I couldn’t imagine Senderos or Djourou playing in this game. Gallas and Toure were superb. I don’t know if there is anything out there but another center back needs to be purchased or Gilberto needs to make a permanent move to center back.
More interesting to me, is what AW could do up top. I don’t want to sound reactionary. I have been thinking this for a few weeks. I am sure Anelka will be out there at the right place. AW has said that he will give Eduardo six months to fully settle. And I don’t think he trusts Bendtner yet. He is also almost too similar to Adebayor. If AW feels we have a good shot at the title, would he be willing to shell out 9 or 10 million for Anelka? Just a thought.
November 3rd, 2007 at 2:10 pm
josh, this is why i said matchups are not important…because even if u have the advantage in that, all it takes with the real quality teams like Man U is one untracked run, some space, a careless mistake and they PUNISH you.
superiority in matchups only mean you will probably have the majority possession.
gallas and toure neutralized tevez and rooney as i knew they would….senderos would have been mauled no question.
i really cant wait for RvP to get back. he is the only one player in the team that we need to be at the end of plays in the box. like that chance that hleb skied at 1-1 was perfect RvP material.
November 3rd, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Mazza # 7, Joshuad # 14: OK, fair points. I like what you say. I have reconsidered and agree with your assessment about the subs.
November 3rd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Good point Brendan K. Walcott v Evra was a poor tactical move and when Evra came inside, he had an express lane to the goal.
Arsenal gain more experience and a point, good deal. Hopefully Wenger gains some tactical experience from this game as well. We’ve survive our two big tests with two big points and keep our table position.
Looking ahead, we can get maximum points and pad our goal totals with matches at Reading, Wigan, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Middlesborough. Then its on to Chelsea. Many of these games should provide chances for Eduardo, Bendtner, Walcott, Diarra, Diaby, and Denilson to step up. RVP should be back by late November/early December in plenty of time for Chelsea. What will intrigue me the most will be the play of our “B” side aginst a full strenght Blackburn team in the Carling Cup quarter-finals. Blackburn are looking most likely to push Liverpool for the fourth spot. Portsmouth have a shout but they are too reliant on African players who maybe away on ANC duty.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
This was s WIN to me.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I agree about Walcott. Evra had Walcott in his back pocket just like Clichy had the shackles on Ronaldo all day long. Walcott would have probably been better off on the left where he could go against Brown or OShea. Evra is just too quick and wiley for young Theo.
I wouldnt mind seeing a bit of Diarra in future fixtures, but for me, he hasnt proven his passing range. I thought the Flamster had a very solid game moving the ball around and unlike last week, he didnt give the ball away. Diarra in the CC Cup was good in the tackle and can protect the ball in tight spaces but he really didnt impress me with his passing. Our whole game is built on midfield passing and I certainly didnt see Flamster do anything to lose his spot in the team.
I also agree with the comments about United’s experience. Even though we had the majority of the ball and had more posession in the final third, United are seem just a bit more dangerous and clinical when they get their opportunities. I think the team will learn a lot from this game. I think our team is real close, and there is still upside in this squad. We probably arent favorites for silverware this season but we are real close and its only a matter of time and experience.
But you got to love the never say die spirit of this team. Clearly, they learned how to play from behind last year and they never give up.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Ferguson’s comments after the game:
‘It is very difficult for the referee,’ he said. ‘On our bench, we were getting terrible abuse from people two or three feet away from us.
‘There is a lack of security here. It is absolutely disgraceful the abuse you and your staff take. All sorts of things are been shouted and screamed at you and there is an absolute danger here.’
Wow. I suppose at Old Trafford, the ManU fans sing praises of opposing players and throw roses at away teams. Silly little me. In 2004, I mistook it when I thought his team were kicking and fouling Arsenal. In fact, they were not being abusive at all. His players were simply nudging Arsenal players in action. I guess that means Rooney never swears as well. And today, when Ferguson was raving to the 4th official, the “F” words from his mouth were probably “friend” or “fellow”.
Modifying Wenger’s famous quote — probably every EPL manager thinks the opposing fans are abusive and their own fans are the best.
It must have been hard but atleast Ferguson admitted this:
“I think it (Gallas’ volley) was over the line. Edwin (van der Sar) thought it was over the line.”
I am sure another manager might have refused to accept that the ball crossed the line and would have attributed it to the slight tilt of the planet on its axis which made it appear like the ball crossed the line.
I do hope that the linesman gets the credit he deserves, considering so many such incidents in the past where such goals were not called.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
@fred, the Eboue substitution was a perfect example of why we want favorable match ups. Eboue/Evra was favorable for Arsenal as Evra didn’t risk being caught out. Also if Evra makes that run he knows Eboue, being a former RB, would track his run.
Walcott’s inclusion switched that match up in favor of Man Utd. Evra immediately began to pose a constant attacking threat for the rest of the game and it even lead to what should have been the game winning goal for them. Evra knew Walcott wasn’t good enough to beat him in a match of wits, pace, or power. If Eboue had remained, Evra very well may not have made that play.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:51 pm
While I agree Ferguson is hypocritical at the best of times, I don’t think it reflects well that the managment are getting abused like that. It may be due to the layout of the new stadium dugouts. Highbury’s offered more protection with dugout roofs. Anyway, it would be interesting to hear what exactly they were saying.
On the other side (as Henry always says), Wenger has been called a paedophile for a decade by opposing fans so Ferguson is being a bit of a tit complaining about abuse. Does he really think a fan is gonna run on and closeline him on the touchline?
November 3rd, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I think I am now calm enough to put give my thoughts about the game. I am happy that we got a draw but I cannot help feeling that we could have actually done better. I agree 100% about the substitutions particularly taking Eboue out and Hleb out. I believe if Eboue was till in the game he would have done something about Evra. Also agree 100% on Almunia. He got caught in two minds a couple of times during the game and the second time gave them the lead. The question is does Wenger sit him based on that and start playing mad Jens again….not sure what the answer is there. Rosicky was poor today…again. He’s having a season similar to Hlebs last season so I hope he gets better. Ade also did not have a very good game. Maybe its the formation or whatever but I just dont see him being very effective of late. Still however our best striker in RVP absence. I cant shake the feeling that it might have been a totally different story this week and last week had RVP been fit. That said I am really pleased with the teams fighting spirit. I think they have proved to the world that they should be taken seriously. Someone said earlier that they need to grow up fast….well I believe we are witnessing that growth right now!! They can only be boosted by the last two weeks performances.
November 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
On the first goal Almunia was unlucky; it looked to me like Rooney’s shot was going across the goal until Gallas’ arm redirected to the near post.
I’m glad the linesman saw Gallas’ goal go in too, but he would have been vilified if he blew it - by the time VdS got to it his whole body was inside the goal and the ball was at least a yard over the line. On TV, that wasn’t clear until the replay of course, but it should be easier to see for the linesman if he is properly positioned, no?
It would have been nice to see Walcott remove any doubt by burying one of the two rebounds or the initial mishit shot for that matter. And he should have held on tighter to Evra. But in the end I can’t complain - as Wenger said, you pay for experience with points.
November 3rd, 2007 at 5:41 pm
For NYC-area fans, here’s a new option for catching the Gunners when they are on Setanta: a bar called Stout, on 33rd St., between Sixth and Seventh.
I found out the hard way: I was among the 20 or so Arsenal supporters grumbling outside of Nevada Smith’s, NYC’s top soccer sports bar, in the cold this morning. The place was over capacity before gametime, and it was agony on the sidewalk listening to the cheers and groans without knowing what was going on.
Thank goodness for Google on cell phones, allowing me to find another option. I was able to catch the final 45 minutes, which was hard enough on my nerves.
Thank goodness as well for the linesman. I had no idea what was going on before the replay of Gallas’ injury-time equalizer was shown. At that point, the Gooners in the bar (who outnumbered ManUre fans) went crazy.
Time to give the struggling Ade and Rosicky a rest. And AW made a mistake taking Hleb out; Alex has been our unsung hero this season. All in all, though, when the final whistle blew, it felt like a win.
November 3rd, 2007 at 6:45 pm
A mixed bag.
Think we need 4-4-2 for a few games to take some of the pressure off Adebayor. Andy Gray called it right worrying about Evra when Eboue was replaced by Walcott. Walcott didn’t track back. A useful lesson for him. Hopefully, Almunia will learn too. It didn’t need both him and Toure(?) dashing across to Evra as it left Clichy with three to pick up.
On the other hand, great strength of character again. Even with several key players (Adebayor, Rosicky, Fabregas, Clichy) below par, we kept plugging away. Fabregas has learned. After his open goal miss last week he trapped the ball before shooting today. Hopefully, a symbol for the rest of the team.
For the second time in a week (Vidjic on Hleb) after Carragher last week, a bad shirt pull in the penalty area went unpunished and our opponents escaped a penalty and a potential red card.
On the big picture, 27 points from 11 games translates to 93 points over 38 games. If we are 54 from 22 early in January, it will be time to start seriously thinking about trophies, particularly given the schedule between now and then. Wenger is right when he says Utd. will be challengers as 27 from 12 equates to 86, good enough in many seasons to win the trophy. Chelsea and Liverpool not out of it yet either but it is pleasant to have a lead on them.
Finally, great to see our North London neighbours rise up to fourth!!!!!
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:25 pm
the tug on hleb was no penalty or redcard. few refs would give it.
as for chelsea, they are solidly back in it again. no question, now third 3 points behind. liverpool are probably losing their way. i think they are just one lose from leaving the title race altogether.
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I just watched the second half again - without the distraction of my jangling nerves.
The sooner we can play 4-4-2 with an up-to-speed Eduardo, the better. And why not stick Theo down the middle when it’s the last 15 mins? We still have Sagna to cross the ball.
The 4-4-1-1 only works if both Rosicky and Hleb can bomb into the box - and not just the penalty area, but the six-yard box to attack the cut-backs, or pick up the returns on one-twos.
To be fair, the midfield did try and thread those killer passes on the edge of the area a few times, but that ManU defence is pretty freaking well-drilled.
I watcher their near miss a few times over. If Almunia had stayed, Gallas would probably have smothered Evra cross if he’d taken a second touch. And if Evra had still hit it first time, Almunia would probably have been able to cut it out. Luckily Ronaldo didn’t start running until it was too late - he just didn’t think the cross was coming in, assuming Almunia would hold the nearpost angle and Gallas would intercept.
It was a split-second decision by Almunia and the wrong one. He was never going to make it. The same thing with the Evra cross that lead to the second goal. Hmm. Jens, you might be coming back this week.
Still, let’s end on an up. My fave moment - and why I love him so much - is after out second goal.Go back and lip-read what Cesc says to Ferdinand, as he celebrates with Theo, returning back past Ferdinand, who’s tried to keep play going. It’s certainly not in Spanish and it rhymes with Duck and Cough. He says it twice, right under the ref’s nose! What a die-hard Gooner!
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Finally, a linesman who calls a goal *for* us.
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:58 pm
This was definitely a point won, not two points lost. Man U will go back north and feel like they lost this match.
Overall, we outplayed Man U in stretches, especially in the middle of the field, but Man U are superior when attacking near/in the box. They are very strong from wide play, and our width was much weaker. Our attacks mostly just got bottled up once near and in the box - their defense was rock hard for the most part.
MOTM for me was Toure - hell, he turned into the engine of our attack for stretches of the second half. But the linesman definitely gets the nod for getting it absolutely correct, as pointed out by many. Hleb was great for me today as well.
The second goal by Man U on the Saha - Evra - Ronaldo piece of brilliance left a big bloody spot on the pitch. After that, getting a point was something to cherish as very good fortune.
Almunia scared the hell out of me today, and Adebayor infuriated me - his touches and some passes (and headers, if you want to call them that) were pure crap for the most part.
The intensity was getting pretty white hot in mid-second half (I thought we were going on to get a win), but the air went out of everything when the substitutions happened from 71 to 77, and then when we made our two last subs at 81, it was like we didn’t know what was happening, and Man U scored on the brilliant exchange from the left.
All in all, this game (1) proves that you can not give up, EVER, on this squad, (2) shows we’re not as strong (physically) as Man U, and (3) indicates we have a long long road to win the race.
I believe that AW will turn this game into valuable lessons for our boys - he will show them that they have important intrinsic qualities of a champion, and that we need to improve to win the championship. A good thing.
I’m happy with the point.
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Got to also credit the efforts of Sagna on the first goal and the very good run and cross by clichy that created the opportunity for the second.
November 3rd, 2007 at 8:12 pm
mac, yeah I noticed what Francesc says to Ferdinand as well. Pretty funny.
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
When an official got a vital decision right, they don’t get to mention much by the media. How many of us even know his name?
Darren Cann that is.
although it’s something he’s paid to get it right, more often than not, we saw the linemen/ref fuck it up big time.
i said before the match, anyone but the ref to make the headline would do for me.
Think of that Howard Webb could have easily made the headline. As he waved play on after Gallas scored. Had the lineman failed to spot it as well, today we would be seeing Howard Webb’s name all over the papers. And he would most likely end up like many referees before him - banned for the next week’s fixture. And it would further destroy referees’ creditbility.
Wonder whether Webb had bought his lineman a drink after the match? He better did!
November 4th, 2007 at 12:40 am
well … i think that adebayor deserves some praise… he was running behind and infront for every loose ball.. didn’t give a moments peace to any of thier cb’s and put even anderson on defensive duty… that made flamini pose shooting threat at times and gave him yards of space in the center of the park to run…
i recall a long ball played by rocisky on the left wing in which ade was some 3 yards behind rio when they started n then with those 4 ft strides he got there much before and gave a nice pass to build up play outside the D…
also i think that the good thing with our triangle of midfielers is that u simply cannot man mark them… they keep exchanging positions… and with tomas, cesc and hleb, we have got almost equal ability of seeing and setting the right pass through….. if diaby or eduardo improve their vision , it can be very helpful in times of injuries..
one more thing.. think that walcott needs to show a bit more muscle.. neva gave a fiht for any ball on the right wing… he runs fwd as soon as he gets it… n aimlessly tracks back when he dosent… not a proper flank material..
anyway a great result… good that we didn’t lose… keeps the belief on…
November 4th, 2007 at 3:02 am
Agree that Adebayor should get praise for his performances as a lone striker. It’s god-awful hard. Even Henry, who was the best player in the world, struggled initially.
If you think back to the ‘05-’06 season when Vieira had just left, Henry didn’t have a clue. Being a new captain and a lone striker for the first time, he was trying too hard and moving into all the wrong positions. He played like he still had a striker partner. It wasn’t until he was injured and Reyes played the position that Henry finally begin to realise what he was doing wrong. As a lone striker he saw that Reyes was more effective staying central than moving in wide positions. We needed to have that attacking threat in a central position and it’s the lone strikers job to be the tip of the sword and pose an attacking threat right there.
Adebayor is only 23 years old and is struggling. We even saw Rooney struggle as a lone striker last year in the World Cup. It ain’t easy, boys. Gotta respect his effort though. He’ll learn.
November 4th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Mac at #35, Josh at #39, definitely saw what Cesc said to Rio. But how about Cesc poking fun at Anderson for rolling around on the ground and screaming when he got tackled, only for him to get up once a card was issued. Absolutely classic stuff from Cesc.
While I’m thinking of it, I noticed this in the first half…..Did anybody else see Anderson waving his hand in front Webb trying to get a card for an Arsenal player? I thought that was a bookable offense these days….
November 4th, 2007 at 5:53 am
f***king Fergie should shut it!
November 4th, 2007 at 7:00 am
Fred #34, A shirt-pull is a foul. Yes the referee and linesman both missed it but it was still a penalty. A lot of it goes on these days and referees were instructed to crack down on it. They are not.
GoonerRob #43, yes, I saw it and waving a card is a bookable offence.
I thought the ref was wasn’t great, a continuation from his performance last week. While it was understandable that he missed the shirt-pull, Anderson should have got yellow for waving the card. He also tended to blow up for a foul on an Arsenal player a few times when advantage could have been given. He also appeared to wave play on when Gallas scored. How Ferguson said he favoured Arsenal, I don’t know.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:22 am
another thing is, if i were AW who talked about a ref favoured Man Utd, he could have landed himself into hot water from FA. But because it was Sir Alex, he’s allowed to say anything he wants these days, and FA won’t dare to say a thing.
like Ferguson’s comment a while ago that a certain ref “took pleasure” to send off Ronaldo (after Ronaldo headbutted an opponent), it was basically a personal attack, imagine had Wenger or anyone else said something like that, he would have been in deep trouble. but because it was “Sir Alex”, did FA do anything?
November 4th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Too right, tAi, (now I sound like singing Come On Eileen.)
Is it me, or does Fergie increasingly resemble a mad old man in a supermarket carpark trying to stop a bunch of vandals from scratching his Vauhall Viva while suffering a simultaneous attack of gout and indigestion?
What a spazz.
Harry Enfield used to have these characters called the Grumpy Old Gits (?). Fergie can do his own version - the Angry Purple-Nosed Sore Loser Blaming Everyone Else Once Again.
Welcome to the Emirates Technical Area - more dangerous than downtown Beirut!
November 4th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Joshuad #14, fair point about the Man U match last January- I struggled to recall the important 4-5-1 matches last year (I’m trying to remember if we played 4-5-1 the whole way against Chelsea for the away draw last Nov./Dec).
Others made the important point about best choice for 2nd striker w/o RvP- for a big match we don’t have one yet- this is evidence of where the loss of TH14 is evident.. Looking at United commitment to defense, I still think Hleb was the better choice. When Eduardo has started he was marked out (probably kicked out) of the game. Too early I suppose. The failure IMO was the lackluster performance by Rosicky and Man U’s commitment to defense.
Agree that the Eboue-Evra matchup was better than Walcott.. but we were trying to win at that point not draw. I did like how Sagna and Eboue switched during an attack.
Djourou or Senderos (or Gilberto) will be our 3rd choice CB (er, 2nd) come ANC) come January. My hope is that Gibbs continues to perform well and becomes a left-sided choice for us soon.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
The griping coming from Ferguson & his players tells us that the natural order has been restored. Arsenal v ManU…..Wenger v Ferguson…..after a lull normal service has resumed and with it the nasty edge. Make no mistake, the ‘almost compliments’ will disperse and be replaced with snipping. The ManU players comments are merely a reflection of their managers worldview. One in which he resents both Wenger and Arsenal.
To the football.
Can there be any lingering doubt? The 2 major tests of the last week show that this team can respond. My desire was that the team came out of this testing period with their confidence in tact. They have done that and retained top position.
Credit to Hleb who is showing a consistency in his game and a comfort in the EPL. A few more goals and he will look complete.
Credit also to Gallas who put in a captains performance. That will do him the world of good. It’s that sort of performance that gives him the moral right to demand more from his young team when the going gets tough.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:04 am
Was out for the weekend to a place without internet connection. But didn’t miss the game. Yes, television is all pervasive. Lots of points to make.
Great assist by Sagna on the first goal.
Gallas was unlucky on the first goal. Not sure if Lehmann would have stopped it either.
Hope Almunia has done enough to get Lehmann back and a new #1 in the long term.
4-5-1 was the right formation to start with. ManU are a quality team and Walcott/Eduardo would have been lost.
Taking off Eboue was the wrong substitution but it happens. Hleb should not have been taken off either.
Rosicky was poor again. He has to improve.
ManU looked stronger than us because they were more clinical in front of goal.
If Fergie is complaining about the ref and the crowd, then he is clearly rattled. A good sign for us.
I said that Webb will be a poor ref. He didn’t give Vidic’s penalty and should have carded Anderson for asking a yellow. Thankfully the linesman was great.
Cesc has produced the goals on two big occasions. But goals remain out problem. Last time a striker scored - RvP vs Sunderland (4 games ago). Last time Ade scored - vs Derby (6 games ago). Eduardo, Walcott and Bendtner are yet to open their league account. If we can get one more striker going, we can really challenge for the title.
Best aspect of the game - NEVER rule out the ARSENAL till the final whistle is blown.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:05 am
I read a lot of “this team is ahead of schedule” comments. I don’t buy into that. If you look at this term only, then yes. But last year, we didn’t make any progress. So if you put two seasons together, it kind of balances out. Let’s not limit ourselves. One more goal scoring option (Eduardo/Walcott) and we can really be up there.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:06 am
No nipuna, this team is definitely ahead of schedule. sometimes when you are growing up, it could be painful (like last season), once u break through the barrier, u would be amazed how rapidly a team can grow.
I never expected our team could be so good at this stage. I thought our real shot for the title only will come next season.
the outstanding start of the season (probably the best start of any Arsenal side i have seen in 20 years) is by no mean by luck or anything else. Be it the team’s talent, team play, and attitude are all excellent.
in terms of quality, we may not be as matured as our invincible team yet, but they surely showed as big a heart as class of 2004, if not even bigger.
be it we will win anything or not comes May, i think this team has progressed far ahead of our imagination.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:16 am
Wenger says (on Arsenal.com) that he is sticking with Almunia despite not being pleased with him at the second goal. I guess he needs to make a points-dropping mistake to be dropped.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:38 am
This ’schedule thing’ is in peoples heads. There is no schedule. Teams don’t develop in a linear fashion and they don’t decline to a schedule either. Who predicted the collapse of the invincibles? Was that on schedule?
It’s like maturity, it happens when it happens. Wenger increased his odds by sticking to his guns and buying a surplus of young players. He knew they would develop at different intervals but by investing in quite a number over a period of time he reduced his risk. He is also banking on the fact that the collective enthusiasm of the youth in the squad and their burning desire to win will provide a turbo-boost as the season progresses.
‘Letting Henry go’ was the catalyst, it released the handbrake.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:32 am
someone pls explain to me what Owen H. is talking about….
first, he said “Arsenal kept the ball and had a lot of possession, but they were never really threatening. Football is about scoring goal and winning.”
Fair enough. So Owen H is not a fan of beautiful football then.
But then, he added “Both of our goals were from really beautiful pieces of play and theirs were a bit more scrappy.”
but wait a minute there…. didn’t he just say “football is about scoring goal”?
3 month since joining Man Utd, he surely has learned fast from Gary Neville.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Kiwi #54, excellent point about the bumper crop of talent young players- over the next 2-3 years quite a few will leave but hopefully we will be left with the cream.
Andez, Hargeaves comments were laughable. But looking at Ferguson’s and his comments, I smell fear..
Funny isn’t it? They were great defensively but conceded 2 goals to us (compared to 4 in the last 11?).
Wearing black this weekend made it easy to see the team’s commitment to defense. They played mostly counterattacking ball until further into the 2nd half. Truth usually lies in the middle so credit to them for blunting Arsenal’s attack but as Wenger admitted- the balance wasn’t right in the final third for us either.
We will learn and have to do better next time. Funny, we still are better positioned on the table..
November 5th, 2007 at 11:02 am
I know Ade hasn’t scored a goal recently, but he has been ia thorne in our opponents’ side, creating chances for others…that is good, but I think he needs a break. Perhaps, the Reading or Wigan game would be a great time to start Bentdner….
I agree that Rosicky has been off….he is mistiming his passes, and shots; it disturbs our rhythm….don’t really know what the answer is?….Diaby? (Doesn’t seem right)….Eduardo? ( Too soon to be asking him that)…..I don’t know…
Using the retrospcetoscope, I think we respected ManU too much by playing 4-5-1 at homeObviously, they are a great team but we were hesitant…..I still think this was a moral victory for us. And great that Fergie is fuming….
And speaking of morale boosters: RvP is recovering quickly and is expected to be back for the Wigan game on Nov 24th…..barring any set backs.
Also, did you guys read Ryan Babel babbling about how “Arsenal will run out of form”……..he’s been in UK 3 months and already talking trash……shut your pie hole and concentrate on winning and getting out of your CL group biooootch!!!!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Here guys, go to this page - http://arsenaltv.blogspot.com/, you can download “Arsene’s XI DVD” and “Gunners Greatest 50 Moments”. You MUST have those!!! lol
And don’t pay attention to all those scums who said that we ain’t good enough. Like my man Sheed always says “the ball don’t lie”, I will say to all of them “the table don’t lie” :)))
November 5th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
#55 Andez
Hargreaves was just covering his arse because he should of picked up Cesc in the middle of the pitch instead of allowing him all the open space to connect with Ade further up the pitch in what was beautiful passing between Rosicky, Held and Cesc.
Then again everyone thinks their wife is the most beautiful in the world. What would you expect him to say.
November 5th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
guys, the “hate” and sniping is a very GOOD thing. it means that we are FEARED once again. its a very good development.
you know your team is doing bad, when other managers and players make friendly remarks and talk about how your team is “young” and will challenge in the future. we beat fergusons team twice last year and he did not snipe …. cos he knew it was just a one off.
so lets enjoy the praise. we are in the title race. LOL!!!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
‘Letting Henry go’ was the catalyst, it released the handbrake.
the “hate” and sniping is a very GOOD thing. it means that we are FEARED once again.
Spot on.
November 5th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
The irony is that many on this site and in the outside world slated Arsenal over the last two years for playing only for goals that could be walked into the net, i.e., preferring to lose playing the beautiful game than win scoring ugly. Now, the criticism is coming because Arsenal scored two goals against ManU that were “scrappy.” To me, this team clearly was capable of playing the beautiful game, this game proves that this year’s team may be of a different (and dare I say it, higher) order than perhaps even the Invincibles in that it does have the so-called Plan B.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Biggun, Rosicky’s been off because he’s been out injured. Before the international break, he hadn’t played in over a month and hasn’t played a full ninety minutes in over two months. Like Eboue, he just needs time to get his form back.
Letting Henry leave was good for the rest of the team but if he were never captain and could just focus on being a striker then wouldn’t it be nice to still have him? It’s not like he stopped being a badass.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Also good to hear Wenger say that playing Adebayor as a lone striker wrong, it was his fault, and he would change it.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
A song for the Boss, you must hear it :)))))
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LKJ_zCHLoKU
November 5th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Josh # 63: I know, and agree with you; yes it takes time to get back; hope he does soon….we need him to be faster and more directly involved.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
A loss against Man U is bigger hole than losing 3 points. So I guess a tie against Man U is not bad at the beginning even at home. Yes we want to win at home, but in these games, if a team goes up first then its hard to come back against them.
Arsenal so far are still top with similar points to Man U but have a game on hand. I am sure Man U would rather be in Arsenal’s position over their positions.
We are still undefeated. 2 ties vs. 2 bigs clubs … not bad. Lets seal the CL qualifications and punch the ticket to the semi final this week.
I want Arsenal to be a title contender !!!
November 5th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Interesting read from a Man Utd site, if you’re bored. Actually a pretty educated write up. Sounds like an Arsenal fan though.
http://www.manutdtalk.com/forums/news-room/4044-wengers-weakest-link-gives-cause-concern.html#post35647
November 5th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Hey Gerard (#59) and Andez,
Yeah I was annoyed with Owen Hargreaves’s stupid comments as well. But this does remind me of the old days when no matter what Arsenal did, ManU found something negative to say. It also must have something to do with the fact that the media has been singing praises for Arsenal’s free flowing football for the past few weeks and that must be rubbing the ManU players the wrong way. And then there is the attention that Cesc gets. Everytime he scores a goal, we are reminded of his age.
And I don’t agree with the fact that both Arsenal goals were scrappy. Cesc’s finish was cool and calm. He picked his spot, the Arsenal way as opposed to blasting the ball in. And then there was how Sagna won the ball. Amazing. Showed Arsenal’s fighting ability.
Hargreaves’s comments are silly and childish. If ManU had beaten Arsenal with a goal where the ball rebounded off a piegon or a dog that ran onto the pitch, their players would be celebrating as if they had scored the greatest goal in the history of the game. And Ferguson would be jumping up and down.
Just hope the good results can continue and the team can keep winning. As it stands right now, I really want Arsenal to beat ManU to the title. These set of Arsenal kids are better than the ManU kids of the 90’s, but if the Arsenal kids don’t win a title, you can be sure they won’t ever get the credit they deserve.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Ferguson tolerated Arsenal & Wenger when we weren’t winning. As soon as we start winning the press focus on us and the quality of our football and it riles him like nothing else. What his players say is merely a reflection of his attitude.
You gotta remember that ManU want to see themselves as the home of glamour and style. When you see it from this angle Chelsea are a different threat than Arsenal. Chelsea won titles but not glory. Their style was functional. So Ferguson could stomach that. He can’t stomach Arsenal because they provide a competitive threat, a style that has everyone oooing and aaaing, and a financial base that is built to support ongoing success.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Ooh, nearly forgot. Ferguson absolutely hates Wenger. Probably for a pile of reasons but in part they are culturally opposite. The hardened Scot who has dragged himself up the foodchain versus the urbane erudite Frenchman who has that uniquely French hint of arrogance and disdain.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Joshuad, you’re right, it is a pretty educated write-up - because it’s the London Times match report on the game! ManUre fans - slum-dwelling, ecstasy-popping, car thieving yardie chavs to a man - can’t even cobble together amusing rants on their fan sites, never mind balanced, literate analysis.
I love the fact that we are now ManUre’s bogey team. I remember the dread - confirmed alas - of a few years back, when they killed our invincible run and tores us apart 4-2. Now we spoil all their parties - winning the FA Cup with only one shot on goal in free play from a free kick! Beating them home and away in the dying minutes twice last year. And spoiling their party again at the death this year.
I love their resentment of our good press too. Whinge, whinge, whinge. No one likes you, we don’t care.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Manchester United and Sir Alexander Ferguson have a smell about them and that smell is fear. Everyone knows that to complain about the officiating after a match is a sign that you are a big baby. Bern Schuster calling the referee a “Catalan” after Real Madrid got absolutely run off the pitch by Sevilla. Galliani decrying strange no penalty calls. The list is endless but the bottom line here is that it’s more about poor team play and not the referees/linesman. You win convincingly and you will nullify any refereeing decision unless of course you are Juventus. Then you are just f**ked because pay back for Calciopoli is a b***h.
Now Ferguson in his whining misery goes and pulls out the xenophobe card: http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2206008,00.html. My response to this idiocy is four words: Reading, Man City, Derby and Sunderland. Reading with it’s home grown laden team will make a token gesture of supporting their away support with 5000 pounds toward ticket prices. A successful team doesn’t need to do that. Derby remains a home grown laden Championship team that is now a clueless Premiership joke. Roy Keane now admits that going all home grown was a mistake that he will desperately try to rectify in January if he is to stay up. Can Roy Keane parlez vous francais? Man City 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, the difference is the addition of many foreign players and getting rid of home boys Joey Barton and Stuart Pearce. I can’t add Sp**s to this argument because they are just a misha gosh of too many crap players, foreign (Kaboul, Tainio, Lee, etc., etc.) and domestic (Dawson, Robinson, etc., etc.). And finally, it occurs to me that Ferguson is just catching up on foreign imports himself and may find like Roy Keane that he may need more foreigners than even his quota will allow. So be careful what you wish for Mr. Ferguson because you can’t predict the future. The failure of the Premiership to strongly support a national academy of excellence will continue to doom the quality of domestics (pun intended). Hell, even America has Bradenton, Fl.
Managers need to win at any cost. Their team make up is crucial to that goal. Leaving Sp**s out of the equation, I’m going to take an educated guess and say that the most successful teams this season have the least amount of domestic players. If the argument can’t be made for the quantity of foreign players, then it is surely made with the quality of foreign players vis a vis their domestic teammates. How about that Pennant, Bentley, Upson, and Stokes? You know what they say about cream. Even the cream from Portuguese cows, Mr. Ferguson. You know what my footballing motto is: You’re not really serious about winning silverware unless you have a Brazilian on your team.
November 6th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Hey Fergulicious,get a load of our next foreign superstar:
http://elitefootballtalk.blogspot.com/2007/11/youtube-analysis-of-carlos-velas-first.html
You can keep ‘on-loan’ Tevez because we’re rolling in another diaper-dandy striker.
Pssst, Mr. Platini those big, bad, nasty old scouts from Arsenal are rumored to be after a 15yo Greek defender from AEK. Mum’s the word.