Manchester United beat Arsenal 4-1 on aggregate, with their only goal coming from a bad penalty decision. Whilst they were dominated at Old Trafford, Arsenal were played off the park on their own ground, as United secured their place in the second European Cup final in two years.
After the game, Patrice Evra compared the two teams as men against boys, which former red, Mikael Silvestre, hasn’t taken too kindly too.
“I think it is a lack of respect to players like Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor or Robin van Persie. They are not babies, they are over 25,” said Silvestre. “For sure, conceding a goal early in the game was a blow, but we have to remember that we were without William Gallas, Gael Clichy and Andrei Arshavin. It would have been a different story if they had been there. It is up to us to show next season that Evra is wrong and that Arsenal can win silverware playing our football.”
Man Utd News 24/7
Silvestre’s nickname suits his comments very very well.
=)
I still think that Evra’s comments were a bit over the top.But yesterday proved once again that Evra is not Arsenal’s problem.They have some big issues.I hope they will play like that against us.
Why give them extra motivation to come to Old Trafford and beat us on Saturday ?
I agree with 50p head: Fans can gloat…but players should be more respectful.
Androo: what’s his nickname ?
Kolo Toure, Adebayor & RVP are big babies, lol
It’s a free world and Evra can say what he likes. Sure, it did lack respect but he might remember that football has a funny way of biting you in the arse and what goes around sometimes comes around. Then again, when you look at his history perhaps it isn’t surprising that he says those things.
Most of the British media have been cimplimenting Arsenal’s young players for quite some time. Only results and silverware will turn them into men. Remember Hansen saying that boys won’t win any trophies? He was proved wrong. Now it’s up to Arsenal to prove Evra wrong.
Noqnoq – Now all you need is an Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Denis Irwin, Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce and you’ll be laughing.
Not too disrespectful, in my eyes – he was saying that the Arse players, on the pitch, on the day, were made to look ‘like boys against men’.
I said at the time it was ill-advised to risk giving the Arsenal players more motivation with such a key Prem match coming up. Even without that factor, I don’t think players should talk about opponennts in that way.
It is disrespecting. But seeing that we are talking about footballers, I’m not surprised. Cristiano respecting SAF this weekend is another example.
“Noqnoq – Now all you need is an Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Denis Irwin, Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce and you’ll be laughing.”
Spot on Scott!
wazza – ‘Silly’ is his nickname.. a funny pun really!
I dont like Evra’s comments as well. I think it is disrespectful and ill timed. Hope those comments will not come back at us unpleasantly
it was men against boys
strangely their main shareholder supported evra.
‘At times it was a bit like men against boys,” he said.
”Does the club need to take a step up? Of course. To be first in the world, to be first in Europe, you must have a much stronger bench.
”Look at United on Tuesday night. They had at least £100m in talent sitting on the bench.”
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=644898&cc=4716
As much as it hurts to hear, I think Evera was dead right and most gooners (certainly every one I have talked to) agree. SAF knew it too, and from what I understand told the players not to rub Arsenals noses in it. we (Arsenal) have gone backwards where Utd have gone from strength to strength – and I have to say they are the best team in the world right now.
We have our reasons (though I’m not making excuses), we have spent a lot less, have a smaller core of top players (who always seem to be in the treatment room) and the managers have different philosophies, which has meant while SAF values experience, Wenger won’t offer contracts to players over 30 (we have lost so many good players because of this). We hope his single mindedness and dedication to ideas will pay off, if it does great, we will have a team of young, technically gifted players who can beat anyone, if not, the manager for all his achievements over the years, both for our team, and the game as a whole, will like an idiot and out beloved Arsenal (we do love out team) will crumble away.
Good luck for CL final – but then I don’t think you’ll need it!
@Timus (gooner) – nice response mate.
@TYR – A win against Wigan on Wednesday and a point on Saturday will win us the league (that’s right isn’t it?). I can’t see Arsenal coming to OT and getting a win, no matter how motivated they are.
Evra shouldn’t have called them babies.
Babies are generally loveable and cute.
Last year it was Nani. This time it’s Evra. Isn’t it obvious? When we beat them they turn the issue to disrespect.
Im with giles….i think evras a clown for saying what he did. We havent won anything yet…and it could still all go belly up. Why not save the bloody arrogance when youve won summat and the seasons finished. Why rub it in peoples faces and give them more license for revenge and retribution. And give them more motivation for the upcoming game…WHERE WE STILL WILL NEED POINTS and they wont want us to win it against them, not in a million years.
Things like blowing your own trumpet…getting cocky and conceited before youve actually done anything does often comes back to haunt you and hit you where it hurts.
Evra needs some training in PR…instead of getting carried away with his emotions. Why give bloody ammunition to abus and teams to beat us even more.
Show Some respect and dignity. Sir Matt and Sir Alex had and have always instilled that in utd.
Dont ever think you’re it.
Silvestre will probably have the game of his life against us now.
He actualy used the word children not babies. And note that silly didnt exclude himself from the baby list. the silly baby.
I don’t think he meant it about age; more about knowing what to do to get the job done, rather than focus on playing ‘beautiful’
Wow Silvestre referrin to arsenal as “We” already
Noqnoq
you beat us in the semi final of the cL this year before evera made this comment did you?
I love it when your players always say the right things to fire up Arsenal! In reality though Evra was right. I was unhappy with Gallas for his comments earlier in the season but its performances like Tuesday and yesterday that show he was bang on. The only players showing any level of commitment were Gibbs, Toure and Song in both games- the rest in my opinion never looked as though they thought they could win. Immaturity and naivety has let us down in crucial games, and Wenger needs to sort that.
I think Silvest is hallucinating. I respect him for what he’s done for us but seriously… Arsenal to win a trophy next season, or any other season for that matter?! No bloody chance…
The only club I think that can actually compete with us in the long-haul is Chelsea. Liverpool’s charge will certainly diminish sooner or later and don’t you even dare mentioning Man. City… A pile of crap if you ask me! No disrespect do Hughes though.
i don’t fucking care what Mikael says. I think he talks too much these days, don’t you think so ?
His comments will make Arsenal angry and motivate them in the game against us ? Arsenal who lost 1-4 yesterday ? C’mon!
I hope they will have Arshavin and they will be motivated because it will bring a greater pleasure beating them.
As much as I think Evra’s comments were unnecessary, I find it laughable that an Arsenal player should talk about respect where United are concerned… I doubt Respect was at the forefront of their minds when they were chucking pizzas at Ferguson, nor when TCK (That Cunt Keown) was charging into RVN after the missed penalty a few years back… I heard a story earlier on the radio from an Arsenal fan who was saying that, in the programme notes for the Chelsea game yesterday at the Emirates, Arsene commented that United’s first two goals last week were unnecessary mistakes, and that there was hardly any difference between the teams over the two games. I can only assume that he’d had a pint of what Tom Henning Ovrebo was drinking last week…
I did not think it was too disrespectul at the time… just a figure of speech. But I don’t think just saying they were “outclassed” or “outplayed” was quite enough for the beatdown they suffered.
Whiteside…..you inadvertently answered the real point. YES Those arseholes have acted dispecably toward us in the past..pizzagate, disrespecting SAF, Ugly keown and his cronies, Viera having ago at nevo.
But thats the whole thing……WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM…WE HAVE MORE CLASS THAN THEM. AND even though evra only made some throw away comments.
I think we’re a class above on and off the pitch…hence lets to do the football do the talking rather than our mouths.
Corea…Arse outplayed chelski….chelski had 4 shots…got 4 goals from some freaky circumstances too. So no its not beyond the realms of possibilty that they can get something against us. Theyre’ not West brom… and still are a very very good side. Ive known football long enough to know…..when you start getting giddy…it has a funny way of kicking you in the back teeth.
Hence id like us to keep our counsel….and do our business as quietly and as efficiently as possible. Withouting creating media agendas, tabloid headlines and revenge hoo hahs
@ suhayl
can you win 4-1 away on luck ?
yes, i agree with you. you shouldn’t get complacent but who is saying that that is on our agenda ? i think you are too tense. we are ManU, we are in the great shape and we shouldn’t be scared of this Arsenal.
Corea. Yes you cant win 1-4 just by luck…but Arsenal were unlucky. We re not scared of Arsenal…we shouldnt be at all. However we have to be wary that we face them 2 days after another tough game. Whilst they’ll be rested and fresh…not to mention we will have pressure to wrap the title up. They wont have any pressure….only a point to prove, revenge and such a big incentive to stop us winning the title. With our history with them, they wouldnt like anything more after the bad press they ve been receiving.
I think Arsenal are a top side…if you put in their injured players and just add a couple extra. They would be just a good as anyone. So respect is respect.
Im a tense fan no doubt….and i always air on the side of caution…cos in 30 years supporting utd…i know and remember many times…when things were supposedly won and words came out and people started celebrating prematurely. Only for it to go all tits up.
Hence i always remain sceptical…until the fat lady really sings and it is really won.
Evra like comments to give teams extra motivation. There is no doubting that. Managers use rivals quotes and pin them on the changing rooms constantly.
Some fans can be confident…and thats all good ofcourse it is. But for me im always like this at the business end of the season. Every opp team deserves a huge amount of respect and caution.
As SAF said of Wigan today ‘ Brucey has built a top team there, great physical strength and it will be very tough for us”.
And i know Arsenal will be 10 times tougher..1-4….or 1-10. Each game is different.
I personally have never liked players coming out and saying things like that..makes us look conceited and arrogant. Remain humble ala SAF…ala Scholsey, Nevo, Giggsy…..who always say great things about our opp teams…hence have great respect from our rivals.
Football is a funny and cruel game at times. Most overused line by managers…but the truest of them all.
Take care mate…..
I hope you’re right and we can do it without any hitches.