1. We won despite having a dreadful first half and a passable second half.
2. Wayne Rooney has scored four goals in four games. Cristiano who?
3. Darren Fletcher is a machine and yet again proved himself in a big game.
4. An Arsenal player scored our winning goal. Hilarious.
5. Wenger got sent to the stands continuing a day of indiscipline for Arsenal after over half their players were booked.
6. The United fans behind Wenger having a whale of a time whilst the Arsenal manager did his best chewing on a wasp impression.
7. Arsenals away support showed themselves up. Again. Singing “1-0 to the Arsenal” a few times does not count as a good away following. Must do better.
8. We thought we had lost our win deep in to the ridiculously awarded five minutes of injury time. Then we saw the offside flag. Magic.
9. A fuming Arsenal fan on the radio on the way home argued there was nothing different between Eduardo’s dive and Rooney’s penalty, to which Alan YSB Green responded “Apart from the fact Eduardo dived and Rooney was fouled.” Almunia obviously agreed, not uttering a word in protest – I think he knows best.
10. Arsenal fans have been coming on here for days claiming that Eboue has changed his ways and doesn’t dive anymore (unlike Eduardo). Today he got booked for diving. Brilliant.
11. It was so much fun singing “this is how it feels to be City” to a club that haven’t won anything since 2005. This is how it feels when you’re team wins nothing at all.
12. We’ve helped shut up the media who have been wanking over the ‘beautiful’ Arsenal for beating shit teams and who have been claiming we’ll struggle without Ronaldo.
Man Utd News 24/7
Lol feels awesome
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00878/01_roo_682x400_878047a.jpg
look scott,deffinatley a pen.
and my coffee table suffered great beating from my hand for nothing when i saw the ball in.apart from that it was a Extraordinary game.
Fucking Yes! Fletcher is immense
your banter doesn’t hide your side’s deficiencies. good game. we lost. no complains.
Seeing Arsene acting so petulant when asked to leave the dug-out was hilarious, find a seat Basil!
A few of my own comments would include that Giggs and Carrick had extremely poor games. We looked as if we were lacking invention too.
I also head Alan Green have that conversation with that Arsenal fan.
And to his credit he did alittle more than that. He told him he was talking “absolute drivel!” Love it.
Fletcher was a giant. Still asking questions about our midfield.
Arsenal played some very good football. Passing the ball round in neat triangles at times. If they keep that kind of game up they will be challenging this season.
Enjoy it. You won’t get an easier 3 points all season. Horrific.
I am a United fan for sure, but I agree with “rd”. we have alot of negative points we need to solve. anyway I’ll take an ugly win every day..
I did not see the game but even though we played badly who cares its getting through this ronaldo transition. but why did fergie do what he done in the CL final play one upfront. if united has 2 destroyers in CM we would not need to play 1 upfront. well wenger got his carma moaning at ourt penalty the boots on the other foot with eduardo
David McDonagh
viva diaby via diaby giggsey swings it in and he heads it in via diaby!!!
haaaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa
Elated with the win, but we surely looked stale and were lucky to pull it out. Let’s not let today’s victory conceal the obvious…we lacked invention and creativity…we’ll need to step it up a notch to make history…
@Macheda is GOD,
Yeah Eboue should paste this picture on his locker!
@bah_humbug,
Yes, its good to see Fletcher maturing into a Keano styled player. Even his spraying of passes today out shone Carrick.
We dug deep, kept a cool head, maintained the spirits and with a bit of Lady Luck’s favour, we came out tops!
REASON # 13: At Halftime, the TV announcer reported that it’s been a ridiculous number of games since they lost after leading at HT. Another Arsenal streak snapped at Old Trafford
We need a new backup goalkeeper. Foster looks worse and worse every time I see him. It was a bullet, but I think he should have done better with Arshavin’s goal. He’s also doing a good Dracula impression – shocking on crosses!
Fletcher MOTM. MASSIVE! Had to put in his own shift and cover a sub-par Carrick.
As much as Foster looks worse and worse, Nani is growing in comfort and stature every time he gets on the pitch. Great stuff.
i wish we have 10 fletchers.
We were terrible. Accept it. Arsenal crumbled and that was fun but if they play the way they played today all year, they will absolutely smash teams around the league. Hats off to Wenger for sticking with Arsenal even when Perez called. Also Berba and Nani would have been skinned alive had that Arsenal goal not been offside. They missed absolute sitters.
Victory would have been greater if:
1. We’d have produced a performance to suggest the fireworks against Wigan weren’t just because they’re no good, and that post-Ronaldo, United still have the quality to dominate the good teams.
2. Foster’s flap for Arshavin’s goal hadn’t raised more worrying questions about the goalkeeper.
3. Carrick had played a confident and commanding game to quell any suggestions of his having had a damaging rift with the manager.
4. Berbatov and Nani had taken their injury time chances to demonstrate that their minds are at peace and they are ready to consistently be the players we need them to be.
5. Giggs had been watching from the stands, having judged the timing of his May 09 retirement – along with Neville and Scholes – perfectly.
6. Summer signing Ribery had thrilled the home supporters, while elsewhere Antonio Valencia was turning out for Wigan.
14. The United fan who offered Wenger his glasses after he had to sit in the stands.
Darren flethcer is not from this planet…the boy is literally gerrard+vieira+keano all in one. Legend. Vida is a an absolute rock and the best centre half in the world. Rooney 5 goals in 5 games (and he wins like every header, whered that come from??), nani was good, giggsy redeemed himself, foster made a stunning save to keep us in it, brown deputised well, evra was his normal beastly self, mike carrick was poor in all honesty but he made some crucial tackles and clearances, valencia was solid, johnny oshea was solid, berba though looked like an embarrasement when he came on
, park was his usual three-lung self. Id love to see hargo and edwin and rio and rafael back, for us and Fergie to not always try and change our identity everytime we play a team that is good in possession, and for macheda, owen, and scholsey to get more time!!! Glory Glory!
darren fletcher football genius was immense today.
Congratulations to you, but don’t gloat, this was an unconvicing victory. You only won because of a fortuitous penalty and an own goal. Over than that, Arsenal were the better team, and you had the advantage of being fresher than Arsenal, because of our champions league exploits during the week. It was that freshness that edged you the game.
The era of dominance is over. You have failed to sign anybody notable and you are now practically skint. You have spent 60 million a year purhcasing trophies but the chickens are now coming home to roost. Nobody is going to refinance your £900 million pounds debt with more favourable terms, which is why the Glazers have pocketed the Ronaldo money.
You have an ageing and mediocre midfield, with not a creative player of any note. Fletcher, O’Shea and Anderson are all water carriers and you were ruthlessly exposed by Barcelona in the champions league last year, after your christmas present from Arsenal in the semi finals.
By the way, the referee was an absolute joke. Fletcher should have been given a straight red for and arsenal awarded a penalty and you know it.
The future is Arsenal. Enjoy your trophyless season.
yes the above mentioned points are pretty valid, added much entertainment to the game. other than that, utd failed to impress once again.
looking at our squad once again, i’m sure we WILL not win the champions league this season; i intend to back my words with money thats how confident i am.
immediately afer the game, i tuned in to real madrid vs deportivo.
i realised you’ll only treasure something once it’s gone. watched: ronaldo tuck away a penalty despite the keeper diving the right way, do a couple of stepovers and beating 2 man at once, leaping into the air going for the ball in the box with so much hunger, striking a venomous shot with his left feet, whipping in crosses after crosses, beating defenders again and again.
totally a player of different class.
who is that man in our team that can fill that void? agreeably we do not need to do so, for soccer is not a one man’s game, however, today’s performance is an utter dissapointment.
which offensive player, other than rooney, can enter chelsea/inter/barca squad?
just a trivial observation
rooney when running down on the left flank 95% of the time will cut back to his right foot.
valencia 80% of the time can only beat the man down the right by pushing the ball wide right, and try to use pace to do so. when he cuts in, he almost surely is ineffective because all he seeks is a pass.
nani very often gets eased off the ball, is able to dribble at speed in only one direction, unable to switch direction at pace makes him less than effective. he likes to toe poke dribble the ball very closely to the defender and when its so dam close, he usually uses his outer foot to cut it out, dumb skill that is used to gain fouls than beat the man; and thank god we didn’t see it today.
fletcher is totally roid!! he was everywhere today.
park ji sung’s dribble employs mainly/only body feints
berbatov doesn’t need to ‘lift a finger’ to play football
inzhagi only needs the benefit of the doubt 1 out of 10 times, from an offside position, to score a goal; giggs needs to make 1 out of 100 random passes, to create a immaculate goal opportunity.
carrick did no shit today.. oh wait, carrick did all sorts of shit today.
brown is as clumsy as always, slipping arnound, getting turned inside out, and running from one end of the field to bowl into an opponent
is evra the new ronaldo? ever-bursting down the flank, and starting to take shots, even took a penalty!!!
lastly
VIVA RONALDO VIVA MAN UTD…..
@Fze123: i wish we have 9 fletchers, we do need wazza don’t we?
Foster pulled that one out of the bag.
and arshavin’s shot was unstoppable.
oh, i apologize if my post is deemed provocative, jus my thoughtss. cheers
Im changing my name to Fletcher #24
Oh man oh man Fletcher is my favorite Man Utd player he is just awesome!!!!
Fletch was superb, has any player ever scaled such heights after years of ridicule? I can’t think of one!
I think attack is the best defence. We should attack no matter who we play, especially at home. I thought today’s formation played into Arsenals tactics. Why do we have to adapt to them? Let them worry about us!
First half it felt that we were the away team. We did not keep the ball well enough and kept giving it away needlessly. Too many unnecessary high balls as well. Still not convinced about Foster and Valencia. Nani could could have done better as well. Sloppiness and poor finishing nearly cost us two points at the end.
Nevertheless, at the end of the day the full time result is what counts. Hopefully we will hit the right form sooner rather than later and prove all those who clever cunts in the media wrong.
Our away support wasn’t amazing. But a section of the home fans disgraced themselves with the usual ‘peadophile’ chants doing the rounds. Classy bunch aren’t ya.
Fletcher = Gerrard+Viera+Keane? Its more like Fletcher = Neanderthal in a football pitch. I’m surprised he did not get a booking for all of his reckless challenges even not counting the one on Arshavin.
@Jonny
Have to agree with that. Paedophile chants were ridiculous.
I had to say we didn’t play quite well in the first half. Upon watching the second half, i hope we can show more energy to our play and close down on players. Deep in my half, i felt that we won’t lose without a fight. Indeed, we come out with something and score the goals. I’m not impressed with the performance in first half but in the second half, our play improve dramatically, however, we still not convincing enough. I still felt our defensive midfield is the one area that needs to strengthen. Many can say not a good performance but well, we get the good result.
Overall, we should be happy. On another note, when Rooney score the first goal, i felt we could go on and win the match. Although the last minute nearly sadden me, it is a good decision by the linesman. Awesome! Many can complain about Rooney penalty saying the ball was too far ahead and it should not be a penalty. However, i see a lot of occasion where the ball is out of play and the referee still gives it. Rooney penalty had contact with the Goalkeeper and Eduardo had not a slightly touch or push from the goalkeeper so that is why he dive. Oh. I mention in another saying everything arsenal player dive. Another arsenal player dive again without any touch from evra. Eboue.
I had to say although arsenal play beatiful football, this type of play should be send off from now on. I hope the official can put this type of stuffs right for any team. This dirty play is ugly and football fans around the world watched it. Your countryman will be ashamed for what you did.
Fletch run tings
@AlphaRS
Sadly we’ve all got idiot fans like that. The sooner its stamped out the better.
@FuckRafa
ur totally right.
if i meet fergie i want to tell him, please don’t use this formation, ever again. i will even beg, if it’s necessary.
At the seasons end they never ask how they just add up how many.
3 more points to the defending champions.
Jonny – almost as classy as the sections of Arsenal fans who sing anti-Semitic songs when you play Spurs and hissssssss like the gas chambers. Paedophile chants are fairly harmless in comparison to mocking the deaths of 6 million Jews who died in WW2, wouldn’t you agree?
You have no moral highground here I’m afraid.
I’m not claiming the moral highground Scott. I acknowledged we all have fans who do that. But I wouldn’t lambast the away support when your own home support embarrassed themselves.
Evra was immense today as well as Fletch.. Rooney played well as did Vidic but the rest of the team need to take a long look at themselves as this was a massive let off for us. We should have played 2 strikers from the start as we seem to go missing when we just have one up front and play ‘negatively’. However, a wins a win and it makes up for the Burnley disappointment. Nani did ok today but at least he’s improving and Valencia needs to step up to the plate which I have no doubt he will do once he’s adjusted. Where the hell did Carrick’s form go? I don’t understand it. Might have to throw Ando with Fletch against City, any thoughts? We definately lack a creative spark in midfield and I hope we don’t regret not signing a proper play maker this summer. It could be worse, we could be Arsenal supporters
Because it destroyed the myth that Arsenal are genuine contenders. Again!
Can we now please let Rooney take all the pens from now on? And the freekicks, even though the one today wasnt that great!
a bit harsh on the side lads. granted we weren’t creating a lot of chances, especially the first half, but recent history has shown the 4-5-1 not be our most effective formation. Plus holding a side that has 10 goals in two games to just one goals speaks volumes.
its only the third game into the season, no need for the alarm bells
We were lucky , if it was the dippers or Chelski they would have buried us.
I think Evra was our best winger and Fletch being man of the match .
VIVA DIABY, VIVA DIABY,
YOU COULD OF BEAT US AT HOME,
BUT HE SCORED AN OWN GOAL,
VIVA DIABY!
With all due respect redjoe and Scott and all Man U fans. You played absolutely brilliantly at the Emirates last year and lost 2-1. Didnt affect your overall standing in the table. In the same way, this does not affect what will happen in the premiership. Round 1 to you guys – luck is as much a factor as skills.
However, if you were watching, you would have realised that the Arsenal team is not going to drop too many points this season against the lesser teams. And that my friends, will make the difference at the end of the season.
What a save from Ben foster – otherwise it was game over then.
We may as well have played 4-4-2 for all the fight Giggsy and Carrick showed alongside Fletch for much of this game. Had we played 4-4-2 we would’ve been a whole lot more adventurous and entertaining. Rooney is clearly better with someone to play off.
Still, the fact that we did go for 3 in the middle and 2 of them (particularly Carrick) were AWOL just served to highlight how brilliant Fletcher is becoming. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I remember Keano at 25 years old, Fletcher is on the same path. By time he gets to 27-28 don’t be surprised if he’s almost at Turin semi final level. If Hargreaves can only get somewhere back to his best can you imagine what our centre midfield will be like? In decades to come United fans will be debating who was harder, Ince and Keane or Hargreaves and Fletch!? :p
PS) To all Arsenal fans complaining about the penalty that never was on Arshavin. Fletch was owed some luck after the penalty that never was which robbed him of his night in Rome!
Spot on, all 12 points.
Love United, love you, love your blog, Scott!
If we played the Rooney-Berba combination from the start I feel we could have scored some goals in this game. The game was so open..
The amount of fantastic positions Giggs was in in the first half, he didn’t choose the right option at all, if Berba was in those positions it would have been curtains be half-time.
Its so great to win when so many players have an off day! The season is looking so much more promising now…
“8. We thought we had lost our win deep in to the ridiculously awarded five minutes of injury time. Then we saw the offside flag. Magic.”
I didnt think that at all because martin tyler was too busy going “its offside, its offside, its offside” before the ball had even gone in the net.
@PG – Normally it is the case that results against lesser teams decides the league, but this year I think it will be different, as I can’t see the top teams dropping too many points to lesser teams, so therefore games like these are absolutely crucial. The phrase ’6-pointer’ describes this best..
toby – yeah but Marin Tyler was not commenting to the fans in the stadium was he?
United4Eva – agree about Carrick, he was missing-in-action; Giggs wasn’t much better but at least he did slot the ball to Rooney that led to the penalty. I don’t understand what SAF is up to with his refusal to play Fletcherinho and Anderson in the engine room. Perhaps the display that Carrick/Giggs provided will cause him second thoughts – and maybe even consider giving Darron Gibson a chance to show if he can’t do better.
Really surprised so many people agree with Jamie Redknapp, that, strangely, we weren’t the better team in the first half. I really thought we were two teams really going for it and matching each other pace for pace, even slightly ahead in both halves. In the end, we won, that’s all that matters now – but, Giggs and Carrick didn’t do that well aside from Ryan’s amazing cross managing to, er, trick Diaby? Bizarre goal, but a goal for us nonetheless!
Fletch was stunning, Rooney worked his arse off, as did Evra. Valencia is a machine. Can’t wait for next week now!
There’s still the return leg at Emirates. And you have dropped points to Burnley already. So no I dont think this will be about top teams getting points off each other. Liverpool already lost 2 and nearly drew today.
We will see. I am pretty encouraged by the display and ruing our bad luck. But anyone who thinks we were evenly matched in the 1st half really needs to remove their “red” tinted glasses. 4-3-3 does not work for you guys especially when 2 of your midfielders are off-key.
Its a miracle Darren Fletcher was on the pitch till the end without even a yellow card despite clattering every Arsenal midfielder. Magician. Mike Dean has had better games than this.
I really don’t care how we played. We won. End of. Love it, especially against the arsenal!
Move onto the next match now
As much as I enjoyed this victory, I can’t help but think it was paving over the cracks.
We had a lucky escape today. Fergie completely got his tactics wrong starting with Rooney up top on his own. Rooney was wasted in this formation and the fact that Almunia was stupid enough to rush out of his goal got us back into the game, and then a fortunate own goal. We didn’t create or look like creating anything until Arsenal had to chase the game.
i completely agree with the media. it’s ridiculous. this was their first test and they failed it. same old arsenal – they just can’t grind out results. haha and wenger being a bitch was priceless. what a brat.
http://thebleacherbums.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/arsenal-fail-first-test/
shows how united were arsenal’s first real test.
PG we have won 3 championships in a row because we have adapted to different situations and got results where they didn’t look possible. Your team needs to learn that mate otherwise it will be the same thing for you as it is every year. When big teams play each other the result is everything, not the performance.
SAM OLD ARSENAL, ALWAYS CHEATING
please let me wake up tomorrow and read the headline “Carrick sold to Hull”…. by Jebus he is rubbish…
Fair play to Flecther… he deserves the #16 jersey!!!!
Just a quick one as just got in and tired. First half we were shit but I thought we played quite well second half. Rooney is a fucking monster. The moment that summed him up was when he went sliding in with a diving header to TACKLE a player! Love the kid. I will reiterate what I said last week. DARREN FLETCHER IS THE BEST BOX TO BOX MIDFIELDER IN ENGLAND. Simple as. Carrick was shocking again first half. World class save from Foster to prevent them going 2-0 up. Atmosphere went up ten volumes second half. I know Sir Alex has been slated for playing just one striker but he NEEDED to pack the midfield against a team that can break so quick. A great 3 points. Good night.
Ps – Did anyone else see the Gooners doing plane impressions after their goal was disallowed?
Love the ArseANAL supporters coming on here and whining. Take your cameras and join your manager back at the playground.
That said, we were quite outmatched in the first half. But that’s the difference between championship teams like United and rubbish teams like Arsenal. They try to play like Barca but don’t realize they aren’t Barca.
Can’t wait for the citeh game coming up. Gonna be massive.
Bishopville Red – Could not DISAGREE more about Foster. If it wasn’t for him we would have been 2 down.
Fucking hell for all the people “tearing” the team to shreds its our 4th game and we have won 3 of them . Usually at this juncture we are bottom half. And for the lad “bumming” Ronaldo why don’t you go watch Madrid. Just flicked through it and for all the good points you named did you also see him rolling around and the 2 free kicks he ballooned into row z. Forget about Ronnie and move on.
King Eric Ronnie will be missed no matter what.
It’s up to the rest of the team to make up for his absense.
I’d take every game like that this season if it give us 3 points.
Carrick and Giggs were just shocking today though.
Fletcher really had to make up for them.
Terrible first half performance. Still, we’re picking up the points whilst the team is adjusting. Let’s face it, time is required to adjust. Plenty more work to be done.
Arsenal fans were crap. Made some noise, as all away sides do. Barely got behind their team at all when they went behind. This was all after a rendition of “your fans are fucking shit” earlier on. If they say so.
@AlphaRS – Giggs was rubbish in the first half but I thought his showing in the second was decent. I think it’s time we parted ways with Carrick however, hopefully a last second deal will take place.
20legend99 – Agree completely mate about Giggsy. The problem in the first half was he made the wrong decision on passes a few times. Cannot understand what has happened to Carrick?
carrick will come right, remember the 07/08 season he started the season poorly, but picked it up half way through.
Bishopville Red
what the hell are you talking about you are such an idiot, the shot came at foster like a bullet, the shot was like he was punched in the face it was so unexpected. and I would give foster the save of the year because his foot save saved us from losing the game it was world class. when I first saw it I thought hmm that was a bread and butter save but closer look it was world class. if that was the overated buffon and cech you wank over them look how great they are we should buy them. foster has been at times fantastic he would be one of my first names on the team sheet along with rooney fletcher and vidic, just because he is english and not from spain or italy or we did not spend fortunes he is rubbish.
King Eric
I agree what is important is getting through this ronaldo post era transition has fast as possible. we beat arsenal whoch is fantastic and we should be dhappy has hell but I still say we are short of another CM destroyer to go along side fletcher because carrick and anderson are hopeless at the moment and they do not look mentally right.
still laughing at eboube dive, diaby own goal and wenger sending off
you moaning gooners can all get to fuck, what goes arround comes around.
Bet the celtic fans were pissing themselves when they watched that game
rooneys taking all the pens from now on apparntley
1. Carrick and Giggs just don’t work together.
2. Giggs should be a Carling Cup and early round F.A.Cup player now, not our “go to” man for the big games.
3. We’re definately short of quality in the middle and when the right player comes along this is were we must buy. (Even if Ando does finally rise to the occasion.)
4. So wish we had of bought Wesely Snyder (spelt wrong, I know!) He’s got an engine and a shot like Scholes used to have.
5. Thought the ref was terrible. It wasn’t a dirty match but he gave 36 fouls, 9 yellows and I have to say it …. an absolutely stupid red for Wenger. Always wants to be the centre of attention rather than let the game flow.
6. Love the 3 points but it musn’t cover up the cracks.
giggs didnt have the greatest game but lets reemmeber he put the ball through to rooney for the pen if i remember rightly and he took the free kick that diaby scored from
So is anyone not happy with Scholesey’s performances in the games he’s played this season? I think he’s been great and he would be first choice for me along with Fletcher.. What has Carrick got that Scholes has not got?
he can tackle abit tony starks lol nah im joking, scholes been brilliant, dont really mind whos playing in the middle aslong as flecther is playing
Do Arsenal have “diving” sessions as part of their training ? two dives in two straight matches and the fact that Wenger keep defending his players (including this latest one) is a total disgrace. The sending off and the embarrassment that comes with it, are totally hilarious.
I would like to say it’s great to win against Arsenal. BUT, Berbatov and Nani should have scored at the last few minutes and killed the game. The midfield players, esp Carrick, looked really nervous giving the ball away numerous times.
If not for Ben Foster, the ref and the offside flag, we will all be singing a different tune now.
All in all, luck was on our side, but a win is a win and we love a win.
haven’t seen the game yet, but it looks as if Arsenal played well and got nothing, whilst UTD were only tepid and got all 3 points.
Looks as if the bookies were right before the season began – UTD are a better bet for the title than Arsemal.
People..Rooney Did Dive..
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg74/iraq4ever/1251570638877.gif
Engrossing match, but while it’s true United were well below par in the first half I didn’t see that much evidence of the ‘beautiful’ Arsenal. Arshavin (my big fear beforehand) hit a cracker but United’s defence did it’s best to give him free passage. Without that goal I doubt if people would have been going on about Arsenal quite so much. The truth is both sides were giving the ball away shamefully (Giggs was shocking in that respect, Carrick as bad).It can be no surprise that United ‘s midfield is so patchy at present as they must all be strangers to each other. It was the fifth successive new pairing in central midfield, and just when the Rooney/ Berbatov partnership was beginning to gell up front (at Wigan) Berba’s dumped back on the bench, leaving Rooney all alone and isolated , almost inviting those wayward punts upfield. When Berba’s there he’s able to direct traffic and play people in, being the one player with the composure to hold play up or switch direction. I can’t believe he wasn’t playing from the start today.
Still, let’s talk about the positives, with Fletcher’s form top of the list, as everyone has been saying. Evra was great against his old antagonists. You could never accuse him of losing his bottle. Carrick had an outing and there were hints that he might find his range again soon. Nani was good, not just for that exquisite through ball to Berba (awkward pop-up bounce, but he knows he should have buried it) but for his highly disciplined defensive work. Rooney is a monster, and it’d good news that he wants the full-time role as penalty taker.
Coming back to Arsenal, I thought they very quickly lost discipline and shape when things went wrong. There is a peevish quality about them, which stems, I suspect, from Wenger. He conveys a sense of entitlement , as if it’s their right to win just because of his frequent statements about creative football, which is admirable in so many ways, but seems to give them far too much licence to cheat, as with these egregious dives, as though making up for some perceived injustice. I think United showed far more composure when they were 1-0 down, not frantically chasing the game in a frenzy of bitterness. United will slowly sort out the midfield and maybe Fergie will see that the traditoional United virtues of going on the attack will work better than this choked-off , cautious formation where Rooney’s amazing strengths are left in splendid isolation.
Still, it’s only August, and it’s already 9 points in the bag, and Arsenal don’t look quite as all-conquering as they did a week ago. Could be worse.
Howie
even though ronaldo was a diver the one thing he was good at was timing his dives rite arsenal are awful at diving and at times a disgrace
manunitedchampions2008 – Yeah you are right, Anderson and Carrick don’t look mentally right. Fletcher has developed into the first choice CM. Outstanding again today. Has added passing to his game now.
As far as I am concerned Giggsy can have a poor first half if he still can produce moments of magic like that through ball for the pen.
One thing.. I’m not sure how the midfield is supposed to function properly when no 2 players play there for 2 successive games, it’s a different combo every game which I find very strange. The reason given is ‘to freshen up’..
king eric I still say it will not change we need another CM destroyer
Tony Starks
because we are lacking another top quality CM to go along side fletcher, we missed out on pallacious big time with fergies stubborn attitide that hargreaves will return when he may never
Id hardly say Arsenals fans were “embarrasing” when they outsang is for 60 mins with a ton of chants
“He’s 5 foot four,
He’s 5 foot fooooooooour,
Hes Arshavin
Fuck Adebayor”
I thought our fans woulda been better today, considering it was big game. When the goals went in tho, it was roaring.
Very pissed off when the fans started leaving as early as 10 mins to go.
Carrick – Dreadful, woeful, abysmal, shocking. Lucas-esque. Needs to improve or he will be dropped for these big games.
Giggsy – Apart from a couple of passes and some good touches, pretty poor
Brown – Couple of errors, couple of slips, but overall a good game.
Sheasy – Brilliant, the usual no thrills approach from Johnny. Same with Nemanja the boy.
Evra – His average form of last season has disappeared, and this season he has turned it up a gear and is in full flow down the wing. What a great game he had today.
Wazza – Amazing. Especially when you realise he isnt a lone striker.
Fletcherinho – Even better, somehow. In that second half, took the game by the scruff of the neck.
Nani / Valencia – Good in parts, poor in others. I just wish they would skin defenders more often, and track back more often.
Our midfield was ripped apart all game, we were lucky to win, at time we couldnt cope with Arshavin, who is a terrific player.
As for the penalty, even Jason Cundy said it was one, and hes Jason Cundy!!!
Oh, and that referee was shite all game, but he got the Diaby dive correct. Booking people for nothing, not booking people for worse. And sending Wenger off, what a load of rubbish that was!!!
We all love giggsy but i think everyone agrees that it is time for him to hang the boots. For every one good pass there were 10 shit ones yesterday!!!
Carrick seems out of sorts and not his usual game controlling self. He needs confidence back and needs it fast.
I dont know what the deal is with playing one striker at home. It just puts us on the back foot from the start and takes away any initiative.
Foster made up for being slow on his feet by that save against van persie. It was brilliant and kept us in the game. He has ability just needs consistent time to become more confident specially in the air, he is shocking.
With Rio, rafael vandersar still to come into the side and owen and berba on the bench for most of the game I think its way too early to panick.
We have a couple of very hard games to come and I think well have a better picture about the team then.
GLORY GLORY
Serag- It kills me to say it, but I’m inclined to agree.
we should see Berbatov as a distributer, not a traditional striker. a Kaka, more than a Van Nistelrooy. he finds the perfect pass and the boy can CREATE. he dove-tails nicely just behind Rooney.
And when did all players become pussies???
Why are we making excuses for multi-million pound professionals needing “self-esteem boosters” and “reassurance” and “someone to believe in them.”
?????????
Carrick, you got benched. handle it like a man, sack-up, and give em hell when you step on the field.
Keane never needed a pat on the back, or Fergie to sing sweet songs to him to play well.
I’m tired of all this babying.
You to Berba.
To all the Arsenal fans on here:
1. Playing badly and winning is a sign of champions – not that we could expect you lot to know that.
2. We might not win the league this season, but you lot certainly won’t be making any Brasso runs come May.
3. Yes, you should have had a penalty but seeing as you scored 24 seconds later it’s kinda immaterial.
4. The only thing “dubious”about our penalty was Almunia’s barnet!
5. You’ve been telling us all week that Sagna is good – he just got owned by Nani!
6. None of us give a shit what you think so why don’t you fuck of back to your own forums and talk about ballet and your wine collections!
Actually, I am quite worried. Sir Alex tried to pick a team not to lose again, much like last season. Why are we so worried about losing? We should be looking to win rather than trying not to lose. We were totally outplayed in the 1st half and Rooney was very much isolated up there with Giggs no where near being able to support him. And the 2 goals we scored were gifted by Arsenal, we won’t get such like all the time. Yes we won, but it won’t be Sunday everyday
the only thing i would have complained is that Fergie should have started Berba, secured goals, then put in Giggs as a holding midfield. The first half of Giggsy’s game was horrible, being slow and wasteful of chances….it was only after the penalty was secured, and his role changed that he had a decent game.
Berba had chances in his short 5 minutes of play, and true that he didnt score but I think if we had him there for the first half we would have opened the lead a lot easier than with Giggs playing behind Rooney
Re: Point 12. Richard Keys said to Andy Gray: ‘So you think Arsenal played like Barcelona?’ To which Andy Gray replied: ‘They’re not that good!’. Fucking pissed myself laughing when he said that! Talk about shutting him up the fucking hairy monkey.
The media always wank over Arsenal. They always start well, but end up falling away. There is a huge difference between Barca and Arsenal, Barcelona know how to marry slick performances with results and they have much better technical players.
… because Rooney is now the top scorer in the premiership.
oh, that’s nice. and some signs for us he has become our saviour just like Ron sometimes was.
questuon, Why are we calling Wenger a peado? i know he likes a bit of young asre now and again supposedly and that he seems to fill his team with a same sort of players (being careful here) but why a peado?
Dont get me wrong I love it as much as the next to shove the game up the
Arse-nal. is it just a wind up ?
A few things -
(a) Granted it was a terrible performace – but games like this, against teams like Arsenal, Liverpool, or Chelsea, are rarely won convincingly. So just as we couldn’t judge our season based on a Burnley loss, neither can we judge it based on our Arsenal game. The league will be won on how we play against the rest of the league, and what we can scrape out of the big games. We were lucky, yes, but luck plays a huge role in such games, especially early in the season. Things don’t look great now but we just have to try and ride this out and see how our season shapes up. As long as we have the points now, lets take it and look forward to the next game.
(b) Having said that, I get really frustrated at the kind of team SAF puts out in these big games. I would understand a packed midfield away from home so we can hit on the counter. But surely at home, if we claim and seek to be champions, we need to show a little more gumption? Yes I want the 3 points more than anything else, but it does little for either the players or the fans confidence if SAF puts out a formation such as this. We basically went out saying we’ll be happy with a draw, and thats not good enough.
(c) Fletch is massive, yes, and the rest of our midfield needs work. Valencia’s just come in, and especially having come from a ’small’ team I don’t expect him to take to life at United like fish to water, so not judgments on him. Carrick honestly needs to get his head sorted, as does Anderson – they obviously have the talent, but their head needs some work. Nani is the only one, ironically, that seems to be showing some fight and quality (at times at least). On Anderson, the more I see him the more I wonder if we have not handled him poorly – for one so young to get him to bed into a different position is tough, especially for a midfielder. His instincts are of bombing forward, his instructions are often to hold back. I think SAF et al have just fiddled around too much with him too soon and shot any confidence that he might have had. If we’re not going to play him too often, SAF please get him to play reserve games and give him a free role. See what he can conjure up.
(d) We know, and everyone else knows, that our midfield is the problem area for the reasons noted above + the prolonged absense of Hargo. Our defense and front line I am okay with as long as fitness doesn’t become a problem. Keeping, I really do not know what to make of Foster really – he shows moments of brilliance and then some amateur errors. Same could be said for Kusczak. I am not going to pass judgment on either of them too soon though, until they get decent runs in the team.
(e) Finally, SAF cannot be serious that we are definitely not going to sign anyone else this season!!! That I hope is pure old SAF bluffing. Not because I absolutely WANT a new signing. As many have said the market has been inflated etc etc and we don’t pay over the odds for players blah blah. That I think is pure tosh to some extent – you work with the market you get, or perish. So we are definitely not that principled. Regardless of that, this team could certainly do with the injection of a high profile, world class player, especially in midfield, if possible. With the kind of money we got for Ronaldo, SAF and everyone else is making a huge mistake if they’re not still looking for good ways of using up that money on top quality players. If the opportunity arises, and we can get someone for a decent sum, why not get him? If it is indeed true that we are not even CONSIDERING and keeping and eye out for potential signings, then that too me is a very bad sign indeed.
Carrick is getting too slow on the ball and a bit lazy ….tapping it around and playing silly buggers…. he needs time to get his passes away but against the better sides he ain’t got time . Although I have always rated him, I think most teams have sussed his game out , mainly that he doesn’t like the rough stuff and likes to piddle about looking for the killer ball and if challenged quickly will always bottle out. He better buck his ideas up or SAF will be fucking him off.
Hows your head after the game GHTT, not too hung this morning over
I hope….
This was a shocking display by United. The midfield in particular was woeful – as bad as the Djemba twins years.
Carrick looks low on confidence, Valencia looks average when facing a full back with pace, Giggs couldn’t find a red shirt in the first half, Nani at least kept trying but was not much of a threat. Fletcher has been praised heavily here (and alongside Evra) was MOM, but don’t forget that it probably should have been a penalty when he challenged Arshavin and he gave the ball away which led to the goal too.
I think if Van Persie’s chance, which Foster saved brilliantly, just after half time had gone in we would have lost by two or three. It was not until the penalty went in that we suddenly became galvanised.
I’m not usually one for doom and gloom but today we were abysmal. Fergie’s tactics from the start showed that he has little confidence in the midfield being able to affect the game when there’s a man extra against them. So what did he do? He isolated our best player, whose key threat is having the ball at his feet in and around the box – but instead he was chasing hopeful long punts and challenging two defenders for headers where even if he had won the ball there was no one near enough to him to collect the flicks. Other than Arshavin, Arsenal’s midfield yesterday had little to worry United playing at home – Song, Diaby and Denilson – should not have necessitated a change of formation. Berbatov should have played.
But we won. Thank god. But I left OT yesterday very concerned and given how poor the creativity was in United’s midfield, I find it incredible that we sat back an watched Sneijder join Inter for a modest fee.
And the best thing is, that such games, where Arsenal feel pretty damn hard done by, can break their entire season! So that’s why this win can be deciding even though there are 35 games left!
The United fans singing paedophile chants are a fucking disgrace.
@Ji
Dont you guys have chant something like “Redknapp’s mother is a whore” ?
And that is fine with you?
@jl
At least that’s one song of ours that you lot won’t nick!
ferguson has no faith in the midfield. man u fans are jealous of wenger’s ability to find the best young players. calling him a pedophile is just immature.
manustrike
why would united fans be jelous of wnger when united have cleaned house with all the trophys. your lot have not won a trophy since 2005. I think its arsenal fans who are jelous of united and ferguson who delivers trophy after trophy
0 trophies in 4 years. thanks arsene but ill stick with fergie whose teams play good football and win trophies
Beating shit teams? And what have you done? Oh yeah, lost to one.