In a season where your team wins the league and European Cup, it is incredibly difficult to decide on which games shines out from the rest, and is worthy of the “Best Match of the Season” title.
For me, the greatest game has to tick the boxes in several categories. The opposition has to be one you really like to see your team beat. The result has to be one that is both deserved and impressive. Exciting and beautiful football has to be on display. Finally, the result has to mean something, whether that’s getting one step closer to the title or progressing in a cup.
In terms of importance alone, no game can measure up to the European Cup final vs Chelsea or our final game of the season against Wigan that saw us crowned Champions. However, if we are to find a game that measures up against all criteria, we have to be a little less obvious.
So, as voted for by members of the RoM forum, here is United’s match of the 07-08 season.
I stayed rooted in my seat for some time after the final whistle blew on derby day at Old Trafford last season. I struggled to remember a time I had been left more gutted by a result. After all the hype and anticipation, with the media focussing on the Munich anniversary for weeks preceding the game, to lose, but not only that, lose in the fashion that we did, was soul destroying. Mutterings of ‘the occasion getting to them’ left me infuriated.
A week later I returned to Old Trafford still feeling the hurt of the previous match. It was Arsenal in the Cup and the lads were going to have to pull out some performance to even come close to start undoing the anger they had instilled in the fans the week before.
Much was made of Wenger fielding a weakened team, although Fabregas, Gallas, Toure, Eduardo and Hleb were in their starting line-up. United too rested players, with Ronaldo, Hargreaves and Giggs not even making an appearance on the bench. Instead, Fletcher, Nani, Park and Anderson were given starts in our midfield, with Tevez available, if needed, as a substitute.
With 20 minutes played, United were already 2-0 up, Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher scoring our goals.
Fabregas couldn’t handle Anderson, whilst Nani ripped the Arsenal back four apart. We were flying.
Wayne Rooney had a fantastic game as always against the Gunners, although Nani was probably our man of the match, after scoring a goal and assisting two others. William Gallas was somehow allowed to stay on the field and escaped later punishment by the FA, after kicking Nani in an off the ball incident. It seems as though Nani hurt their feelings when he lauded his skills over them, playing keepy-uppy in the centre of the field when we were 4-0 up. After the game, Wenger angrily hit back, claiming that they didn’t like to be humiliated. Was he talking about Nani or the scoreline…?
Throwing their dummies out of the pram is a trademark of Arsenal at Old Trafford. If they’re not throwing pizza at our manager following defeat, they’re kicking out at our players. When Eboue came in dangerously and intentionally on Evra’s thigh, there was no option but to see him walk, with United standing 3 goals ahead. Obviously, Arsenal were more eager to condemn dangerous play when Eduardo had his leg broken the following weekend.
No, this result didn’t make up for the derby day defeat. We knew back then that only victory in the European Cup final could redeem them of that. However, it was truly thrilling to watch such a devastating United performance against our old rivals.
It also signalled the beginning of the end for Arsenal, with them drawing against Birmingham the following weekend, then against Villa, then Wigan, then Boro, before losing to Chelsea.
United were crowned Champions again and our season really started to take shape after this match. After much of the praise had been given to Arsenal previously, it was great to see our lads proving themselves when given the chance to shine.
So with of the majority vote, United vs Arsenal in the FA Cup is the RoM Match of the Season.
BBC: Arsenal, who have enjoyed taunting outclassed teams in the past, were not enjoying getting a taste of their own medicine and William Gallas was lucky to escape punishment for an ill-disciplined kick at Nani.
The Guardian: Napoleon can hardly have retreated from Moscow with less dignity than Arsenal returned to London from Manchester. This drubbing exposed not only the team’s inadequacy on the day in the face of a rampant United side who sensed miserable resistance almost from the kick-off, but also Arsène Wenger’s tepid commitment to the FA Cup, whatever his ready-made complaints of depleted resources before and after.His excuses were limp and unconvincing and did him and his team no great service when his normal candour would have been more appropriate.This might have been United’s easiest win of the season – in any competition – and Wayne Rooney was the man who inspired everyone from Nani, Anderson and Darren Fletcher marauding about up front, to a midfield whose command of territory and possession was almost total.
Do you agree with this choice?
Man Utd News 24/7
4-0 was an important result for us in terms of the League Title race, I still think the 2-1 game at Old Trafford was more exciting and we still won.
Saying that 4 goals, 2 by one of my Faves Darren Fletcher! Quality.
(…and here comes the RSS Feed Gooner fan stampede>>>)
I was there.. i was hurt…… Its no supprise though when you play hoyte and triore as full backs…. all 4 goal came from crosses…
To be fair though, when they came to play at OT in the league later in the season, they passed us off the park. We were fortunate to score at the right times.
If you had said the 2-1 OT game then I would have agreed with you but not the 4-0. That was a nothing game. Arsenal did not even turn up. forget the team selection, the Arsenal players that were on the field were not even there. It was a non-event. Man u did not even have to get out of 3rd gear to win that match. I admit it was the greatest mismatch of the season but for out and out quality of football, this game does not even come close to Man u’s best of the season.
Mark – they passed us off the park… but could only score one goal using their hand?
They were fortunate they scored any goals at all that day.
I am a gooner so i’ll get that out the way first! I admit that we were TOTALLY outclassed that game, but your comments about how we always throw our toys out the pram and kick your players at OT is a joke right? I could be wrong but wasn;t it fergie who went ballistic and threw a boot at beckham, and wasn’t it scholes, van nistelrooy and keane who flew into challenges when we were outclassing you back in 2002 and again in the cup in 2003? and then van nistelrooy again raking ashley coles shins in 2005?
still at least we beat you lot back to london, eh?
fletcher scored 2 goals did he?? well senderos scored aswell this season so wat duz that say?
Yeah gave them a good but beating didn’t but they treated it like a nothing game. Still it must have dented their confidence a bit, even if they did play us off the park at OT. We were lucky Adebayor couldn’t hit a barn door. Great free kick from Owen well worthy of winning the game.
Aww bitter gooners? Shocking. I think the match showed the class of the arse to a T. You talk on about the only way people can beat your players is to kick them.. then you do just that when Nani plays your senior level players off the park. Surprise – you ended up – again – silverware free.
And the Ronaldo comments are class considering Adebayor is one foot out the door and your “star” fabregas doesn’t even make it into his own country’s first team. ha ha
jsos-you’re right, give me darren fletcher over cesc any day!
I don’t go with all this crap that it was a weak team. Any team that represents the Arsenal shirt should be good enough to beat Man U. It’s not like you lot had all your first team out there either. Those Arsenal players shammed our club and made your players look far better than what they were. You only have to look to the next game at Old Trafford to see that.. For fuck sake, Gallas could not even kick Nani properly.
rellends. Arsenal celebrated aout getting a draw at home to United while United players trudged off the field in disappointment.
United were quite fortunate at home against Arsenal in the league but any team fielding Gilberto Silva can’t possibly think they deserve to win any match at all.
Anyway, that 4-0 thrashing was great. I enjoyed watching Gallas bottle it as a captain and even more enjoyed watching Nani teaching Hoyte a lesson.
ronaldo “it would be a dream to play for real madrid” wat a committed team member it wood fill me with confidence
As a Gooner, that was truly a humiliating day. It had much more to do with the first team players simply not turning up than anything Utd did. Definitely did have an impact on morale though. A more confident team would have turned the subsequent draws into wins and would have won the league.
The league game was much more representative. Arsenal were the better team that day. Better finishing and we would have won comfortably. (Scott the Red – we were fortunate to score goals that day?! Getting back into the game through a a totally unnecessary handball from Gallas also has a ring of fortune to it!)
Fine lines this season. All credit to Utd for winning the double but Arsenal were very very close to the league (with huge injury problems up front and having spent vastly less money). A bit of luck or an injury to Ronaldo would have swung it the other way. No-one could claim that you deserved to win the Champions League final either!
I’m assuming all these people that are so happy about Ronaldo to Real are Arsenal fans. I wouldnt be so happy because I do recall Ronaldo wasnt even on the pitch for the 4-0!!!! And the Nani hating is just thick because I remember Thierry Henry once had a nice game of keep-it-up by himslef in the middle of a match. Funny how Arsenal fans have selective memories!!!!
I think a bit of decorum is called for. As an Gooner that 4-0 thrashing hurt a great deal but it did also showcase the talent at Man U, Nani came of age that day as did Anderson and if nothing else made me wish we had bought them. You played us off the park , fair play it happens.
The only thing I dispute is the blatant hypocrisy about Wenger kicking up a fuss about being humiliated. Ferguson’s continual mind games with referees and ridiculous gesticulations whenever anything doesn’t go his way are just as bad as Wenger has ever been…
plus the fact deep down you know Fergie’s reaction would have been the same or worse had you been on the wrong end of a result like that.
Morris – all football fans have selective memories – it comes with the territory!
In a way the nomination of the cup game serves to highlight that the rivalry between Man U & Arsnal still very much exists. Fletcher is one of those incredibly ordinary players that always plays well against arsenal, though only at old Trafford where his rather over-exuberent tackling is tolerated. Personally I thought both the other man u vs arse games were better matches, where arsenal’s superior passing game succumbed to man U’s superior ruthlessness. The cup game was incredibly limp and insipid as soon as united scored, and petered out in the second half.
Hey!
I am a gunner, Well despite the disappointment, I must say I unaffectedly congratulate man utd on an awesome season. I guess you guys deserve the bragging rights!!!
That said, there wont be results like this in the coming season. Believe me we will be much stronger, and I think you have a fight on your hands to retain the title. Looking forward!!!
P.S. We dont worry about Ronaldo, We believe we can beat utd with or without him, and we also believe that utd will not be any weaker without him, We all have our strengths and weaknesses!!!
LET US LEAVE THE PETTINESS OF THIS AND THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEALTHY AND RESPECTFUL COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO GREAT CLUBS!!!
Lets get it on!!!!
Yeah fairplay I wouldn’t say it was your resulst of the season though? Like someone said your 2-1 win over us(in the league) was probably a better result.
I was ashamed of our team that day, normally Wenger loves the FA Cup, but he and the team did not turn up that day – a disgrace!!
Well done on an excellent season and glad you beat Chelsea in the Euro final.
We were a disgrace that day and fully deserved the hiding we got.
I cant wait for next season, it will be a great race for the title between us, you and Chelsea.
I’m ruling out Liverpool already.
again we find gooners commenting on this blog have a lot more sense than the scouse .
respect . kudos to naga gunner n wrighty7 .
P.S. – fabregas’ comments about barcelona today prove what a loyal servant he is to his club . if only ronaldo could show us that kind of respect !
i’ve jus finished watching our sesaon review . watching ronaldo celebrate after every goal , watching our adulation for him makes me overwhelmed with emotion . its a pity . wonder where we went wrong with him……..
i just wish his departure could have been amicable . it wasnt meant to end like this
Best match ever, the laughing and taunting at Goons over here was priceless, cus the goons i know just never shut up.