Man Utd Myths
- That a chap, however pleasant he is, can go from being manager of a piss-poor Norwegian team to becoming the New SAF in a couple of months. He is riding a wave of post-Merino relief. Same happened at Chelsea post- Benitez. Just think of the CL winning manager Roberto Di Matteo – where is he now?
Is OGS a good manager? Possibly but an ape could have come into a dressing room full of highly expensive players and done better than the Portuguese.
2. Injury crisis. Much is made of the loss of their forwards yet at PSG they had England’s wonder boy and the most expensive CF in the league. In defence, MU have their first choice Back 5 (almost :-D)
Nutty on the ground, as usual
3. The PSG victory is amongst the finest in CL history. Poppycock. MU were totally outclassed throughout the game. It was a travesty of justice, I cannot remember a luckier win. What may not be a myth is that MU have been blessed with the lucky stick.
4. MU are playing fine football. More cobblers. A midfield that focusses upon kicking it’s opponents, a very muscular and physical backline does not make for entertainment. The new boy, Tom Mac-something is a re-incarnation of that deeply unpleasant Irishman who battled our Leader, Sir Patrick. Keane was a vision thug and so id this chap.
5. Referees. It was never a penalty in Paris. Once again a referee chose to favour MU – it wasn’t the first time and will not be the last. Throughout their history they have consistently been given dubious decisions (who can forget the Rooney dive?). The chap who gave the pen on Weds is driving home in his new Ferrari. Today we have the dreadful Jon Moss, a man who has consistently been anti-Arsenal biased. Expect Xhaka to see Red.
What is not a myth is that United have the world’s best goalkeeper, De Gea is almost as good as Schmeichel. Fantastic player who wins MU at least 10 points a season.
This afternoon:
If confidence wins games, and it often does, we are in for a heavy defeat. We were awful midweek but could and should have won at Spurs; hopefully the Spurs performance will be uppermost in our chap’s minds.
We have a lengthening injury list added to the ban on Terreira, so the team almost picks itself. I would certainly start with Ramsey. Do you think Elneny will get a few minutes – he wasn’t even taken to Rennes!
I wrote pre-Spurs that many were hoping for 2 points from the Spurs/MU games. I wanted 6, and we should be half way there. We are not but we can make it 4. MU are not invincible, they are a bunch of expensively collected mercenaries who are on a run of scarcely credible good fortune – it cannot continue.
written by BR and not to be taken seriously (evil grin emoji)
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
And not a Manure troll in sight…….yet, BR.
Love it, and accurate to the last full stop. So good to see inspiring, accurate journalism in this day and age.
COYG.
ha ha ha ha ha
i knew it
i knew it would be a good post
not to take anything from yesterday’s GN5’s masterpiece, the Raddy PM is to be cherished. thank you
A well written piece, cutting through all the media BS, nice work.
Didn’t Sir Ole take Cardiff down not so long ago?
I fear a referee manufactured stitch up today, we’ll do well to get a draw I’m afraid.
The rope-a-dope may be used by our team against ManU, when they are on a “winning momentum”. From now till the final league match of the season is the results’ side of things, i.e. 3 pts are better than 1 pt; 1 pt is better than 0 pt.
It is all well when our team can display entertaining attacking football and win matches; let us display more pragmatism to win battles in the matches because almost every team in the league shall be fighting for something right now till the finish line, be it winning the league (City & Pool), getting into top 4 and next season CL spots (us, Utd, Spurs, Chelsea), against relegation battle (Fulham, Huddersfield), and esp. that last spot (Cardiff, Burnley, Southampton, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Everton, Leicester & West Ham) – all teams still mathematically possible for going down. (Watford & Wolves) also have outside chances in getting next season EL spots should any of the top 6 teams slip up badly.
My starting team would be:
Leno; Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; Kolasinac, Jenkinson, Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan; Iwobi, Lacazette
Bench (and ready to come on when needed):
Cech, Ozil, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Elneny, Aubameyang, Lichtsteiner
Let us win this match.
Love it, BR.
Thanks for the titter.
Wow BR that was a super post, I bet your’e glad you got some of that pent up distaste off of your chest.
I loathe Man U even more than Spurs because they are shown more favouritism than any other team – in fact it’s totally nauseating.
They are the darlings of the media and are considered as a protected species by the referees.
Oh – how would I just love us to take the wind out of their sails and bring them back down to earth.
Hi Eddie.
Great PM, thanks Raddy.
All we need to win is strength in the battle and composure in our defending and shooting. Sadly Auba have that must win spirit when he missed the pen against the totts. Let’s hope today he can make amends. There is no doubt that this is our biggest game of the season in terms of top 4 aspirations, it’s up to the players to show how much they want it.
Oooooh, good post BR
I agree they are defying gravity, I wish I had more faith than I do that today their ballon will burst, but the way we are playing I remain full of doubt.
Not confirmed as yet
Looks a bit unbalanced but I’m sure it’ll play out differently. ✊
Thanks Erik
The evidence presented by your post suggests drinking much mead is a good thing 🙂
Thanks Chas
Unbalanced? Should be ok if Ramsey can be positionally disciplined, which he can’t, so I tend to agree.
Torreria will be missed, but we know we’ll get a few chances, and on their days, Auba and Laca can take them.
Worried looking at that line up. We will be very open without the ball and United will want to play on the counter so we could get caught out. Hopefully we get the opportunity to execute plan A which will be to dominate the ball. If they score first though it could be a nightmare afternoon.
Chelsea and Spurs are doing their best to avoid the top 4 so that could allow us to sneak in.
“doing their best to avoid top four” . ha ha
I think many Gunners’ dream line-up would be Mesut behind Auba and Laca (certainly mine) but it needs a rock solid central midfield ie Torr. and Granit
That’s what I meant by Ramsey having to be positionally disciplined
Yeah, but Auba and Laca just hasn’t worked as a combination
…………Until Today. 🙂
Agreed Micky.
If Ramsey goes roaming, as I expect he will, then we will be in real trouble on the counter.
Hopefully, it might be a 3-4-2-1 (at least it is a back 3) against Utd’s 4-3-3.
Leno; Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; AMN, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Ramsey; Ozil, Lacazette; Aubameyang
Which means the midfield battle b/w Xhaka+Ramsey+Ozil+Lacazette vs Matic+Fred+Pogba could be the key to victory/defeat.
Ramsey & Xhaka should be the players tasked to track Pogba’s runs and creativity.
It would take a special worked-out goal to beat de Gea though.
Perhaps we’re going single pivot, 2 number tens and two centre forwards.
Mmmmmm, a single pivot eh
ha ha ha
The penny’s just dropped – Rambo is man marking Pogba.
Come on Rambo!!!
Chas
I was going to begin by saying “I hate to sound rude…”, then realised I don’t mind one bit, but the Red black and yellow Arsenal crest is awful
I’ve always thought that, just on Man Utd day, it looks even worse
I’m not that keen myself, Micky.
4:11
That’s a boring old single pivot 🙄
Aah. The single pivot we have been clamouring for
well erase the little shits forthwith
nice, Peaches and Erik
Rasp is your man for all things header
Chelsea 22 shots to Wolves 2. Parking the bus clearly works. Unfortunately
It’s still awful 🙂
Crest? Requires a longer explanation using language unacceptable to Peaches mother
Micky
design us a header.
one for BR’s pre-matches
one for Match reports
and one for general use.
Thanks
At least the one you use isn’t black
Anyway, enough of that
We are playing a team of consummate divers with a dreadful referee. I expect to get angry
ARSENAL ARSENAL
Red on white
one fits all
done
Many thanks
Erik
You’ve always had the blame the ref if things go belly up, and it works well. I’ve often thought we should take the blame game to the very highest level.
God.
Which font?
We can’t use the one on the current badge or the Gothic (?) one on the old badge
Hi Micky … re header,
Now is not the time to go into a lengthy explanation on the eve of a big game … just suffice to say that the club (via a third party) was threatening legal action against us over the original logo and we are now experimenting with alternatives.
Constructive suggestions are always welcome 🙂
Hope you’re not being sarkie Chas. I worked extremely hard on that 🙂
… Come on you reds …
great start
That was quite good 😀 😀
Terrific game so far. Excitement at both ends
As regards the Arsenal crest, I believe in love.
So ….. — Change the white wording of ‘Arsenal’ in the Crest to RED;
— Change the red background colour on the Crest to WHITE.
Job done — I know; I know it’s brilliant. 👍
RA
They’ll simply sue you instead of Rasp 🙂
The ref’s a salad dodger
It’s Peaches who gets sued 😀
Extraordinary goal by Xhaka. Super contact with a wicked swerve, but did De Gea lose his footing?
I have enjoyed the game but I do not know what to make of the officials. I could not see quite that happened with the offsides against Arsenal, but they seemed ‘iffy’. Passthepolos supposed foul against Pogba looked like a case of him not looking where he was going and ran into our lad.
But in fairness, Manu could have scored too – so the early part of the 2nd half could be tricky.
Cracking half of football. We are fortunate to be ahead, Leno playing well,´.
Our weak link is AMN and MU are sure to attack him in the second half.
We need another goal. Could PEA find a shot on target?
Decided to treat the Rennes game as if it didn’t happen….lads are playing like they know the PL may be the best option for CL qualification, however we will be in hunt with Chavs, ManUre and Spuds for the last 2 spots, so not an easy task.
Really have to sort out the solidity issue, unfortunately Ramsey not holding his shape enough in middle leaving Xhaka short handed not helped by full backs pushing up and on.
Kind of a strange formation 3-4-1-2 if we don’t press ball high they have a couple of easy outs to flanks which will hurt us eventually.
Ozil most likely candidate to be hooked not because of his performance but because of what Emery will see as more pragmatic, but I’d actually take off AMN, stick Ozil out right, shift to a 4-4-3 with PEA out left. Be able to press higher, and their full backs will second guess coming forward with the pace of PEA on one flank and dexterity of Ozil on other. Especially with Xhaka able to ping good forward balls and Rambo able to run with it.
They wouldn’t take my last £5 would they, Micky? 🤪
Anyway my suggestion is revolutionary and could never be mistaken for the original – it’s much better than that.
Leno just saved our bacon – coming 20 yards out from goal to head off Lukaku.
Where the sod was AMN? Doesn’t he ever look around himself for what’s on?
The Fat Ref is doing his best to help Manure.
YESSS
Courage from Auba to step up for that one
Laca — that would have put the game to bed. 😞
Still, there’s next time.
I couldn’t watch that penalty, could you?
Pogba should have had a red. He tried to yank Rambo’s head off earlier, but got away with it.
Now he commits another ridiculous foul, gets a yellow but escapes the red.
I hear Manure have brought their commentating choir, including Neville and Redknapp, with them.
That is disgusting too, Where is the ex-Arsenal player to commentate and give his take on these continual Manure fouling tactics?
Raddy,
It was a great penalty because Auba scored — it was one of those dribble little shots down the middle which look ridiculous if he had missed.
That’ll do nicely!!
Never in doubt 🙂
Fabulous result
Fantastic weekend
That’s our last game against top six opposition, so need to improve our away record and…. you know the rest
AMN stepped up in the second half – he was very good.
In fact our defence as a whole was excellent, in particular our two CB’s
Fantastic win. Just thrilled
Oh yeah! Take the scrappy win all day long. Thank you to the publishers for this last week’s worth of writing, insight and humor.
I think we need a new penalty taker, as De Gea appeared to say at the end he knew he should have stayed still.
It’s a game of nerves but eventually all keepers will just wait like Lloris did last week.
Glad for the three points and the second goal cushion, just think I’d like to see PEA lace a few. I wouldn’t like him to be taking the last of 5 in a penalty shoot out.
Fab-ul-arse!
Fair play to Emery who got the tactics spot on. It was a risky line up and the first goal was always going to be key, but thankfully De Gea had a shocker and we managed to capitalise. I would’ve been fuming had that penalty been given against us but when you get them you don’t complain. People were questioning Emery only a month ago but I think a clear sign of how well he has been doing is the atmosphere in the ground. On tv it certainly seems to have improved from the poisonous stuff that was going on last year. Maybe a few on here could confirm it. I just hope he can galvanise the lads for the last few games and we can nick that top 4 spot. The fixtures certainly seem to be in our favour as we have none of the top 6 to play, but our away form must improve if we are to do it.
Chelsea – Man Utd (a) Liverpool (a)
Man Utd – Man City (h) Chelsea (h)
Spurs – Liverpool (a) Man City (a)
For me that was AMN best game in an Arsenal shirt. He was excellent at RWB, especially in defensive situations, and I thought he kept that side very quiet. Our energy was fantastic and I have to give a shoutout to Leno who won us the game. So often De Gea has thwarted us in this tie, but today it was our GK who had the big performance whilst theirs wilted under the pressure. It feels much better being on this side of the result!
Agreed Raddy,
Why can’t we do that more often?
AMN was overpowered in the 1st half — but really good in the 2nd as you said.
Absolutely brilliant. I think we should all accept that UE is not AW, but he is a very good manager who is working small miracles considering it’s his first season in charge. I look forward to every game now and accept he does things differently .. and for the most part they are working.
Me neither, GIE. 😳
As great as the atmosphere was in ground similar to the NLD it should be. The only thing I dislike still is fans leaving before the end. I know they were getting wet down there but please stay auntie the end, I can understand it for Burnley home and wining 5-0 but United 2-0 at home with 10 minutes to go…..STAY!!!! Cheer the team to the end and give them their earned applause.
watching the first goal in real time I thought it moved a lot having started off going where De Gea was heading. I don’t think the behind goal does De Gea justice I think that’s a better strike from Xhaka than they are giving credit for.
Still here at what was a rocking Emirates, sang all our favourite songs. The crowd played their part …… stood while Auba took the penalty and took the roof off when he scored.
If the weather didn’t look bad on tv it’s absolutely vile here …… treating myself to a post match hot chocolate 😁
🙂 🙂 Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness giving us no credit at all in the post match analysis … pair of tubes … apparently it’s all about united
They both actively dislike Arsenal.And to have Gary Neville as co-commentator is yet another example of Sky’s bias.
Didn’t stop my enjoyment 😀
With the first goal I dont understand why De Gea goes so far to his left. Even if the ball stays straight he’s still gone too far to the left and would’ve had to adjust to the right to save in the centre of the goal. The ball was never really curling to the left and was only ever going straight or to the right so I do think he’s over-compensated. I’m not complaining though, he was due a shocker at the Ems.
As for the pundits, Redknapp asking Auba about the wind says it all! They are a bunch of idiots. What does the wind have to do with that result!?
It increased my enjoyment Radddy 🙂 …. from what I’ve seen, we wanted it more. Gary Neville blaming De Gea now … it was obviously a crap shot be Xhaka .. after all, he’s never done it before 🙄 … and of course manu were more affected by their victory in Europe that us by our loss a day later!!!
I think you could argue that we looked more like a side wanting to put in a performance and right a few wrongs from midweek whereas United maybe started like a team caught up in its own hype. So in that aspect maybe Neville had a point, but ultimately we were the team who wanted it more and we sneaked the win. As always in these big games though the first goal was key. They probably created the better opportunities from open play but we managed to get the ball in the net and those are the fine margins at this level. TV companies pay these morons millions a season to tell us about a game we’ve just watched, but we all know putting the ball in the net is what it’s all about and we did that better than them today, every other part of the match was fairly even.
Agree about AMN having his best game at rwb, the funny thing was how much of a lackadaisical so and so he was in the first half and then bang, the twenty minute orange juice break came and went and next thing you know its phone call from Southgate time.
Very proud of that performance.
It was brave by Emery to stick with Xhaka-Rambo in the second half, and it worked out perfectly. Second half was our best one and the boys did us proud. Never allowed the Mancs to settle in midfield and Xhaka was immense – MOTM. A great win for Emery, a great win for Arsenal. Now bring on the Frenchies on Thursday and I am jealous of all of you who will be going to that game!
Big shout for the Emirates crowd today … apparently the atmosphere was positive and electric …. everything is coming together … “The ghosts of the thirties” 🙂
AMN is an immense talent. Like Ozil he is an introvert with a strong inner calm. This will never really win over the majority but they will not give a toss.
Total
Xhaka, MOTM, good call, and the right one.
BTW
There was a bit of humour that probably wasn’t shown on telly. When a player scores his image comes up on the screens in the ground and, of course, when Xhaka scored his image came up but unlike the usual arms crossed proud pose players project, Xhaka had his hand up, opening and closing it as people do when they want to say, yeah, yeah, yeah, talk, talk, talk, you know the one, not so easy to explain in words.
But it was appropriate considering the abuse he gets (most of it brought upon himself, mind) you an see why he had preplanned it.
I finally understand why the badge is as it is up there. Litigation or the threat of it. I had the idea that the reason the club changed the logo was because they couldn’t trade mark the old one, if that is the case why can’t BR have it?
This probably isn’t the right time, but hey ho, everything Arsenal right now is wooooonderful.
Strange that the crest issue comes up today. We “behind the scenes” chaps were furious when AFC’s lawyers contacted us but we decided to just accept their demands and remove anything AFC copyrighted.
Interesting about Xhaka. He was immense today but my MotM was Koscielny. A superb performance.
LB
Xhaka has a bad pass in him in each and every game and I guess we both agree that’s why he still gets some abuse. I like his desire to remain calm and control things and I guess sometimes this leads to a bad pass. But what I like most is how he dictated the tempo today: he knows when to slow it down and when to whip it up with his precision forward passing. I thought he would suffer today without a ‘hoover’ around him to deal with the crumbs and give Xhaka that extra bit of space to strut his stuff. But he did very well and I guess this was because Rambo and Mesut helped pushing the Mancs back in midfield. And this seems to be the Emery way forward.
FGG know what you mean about the Xhaka shot never looked like going to the left but I think that is the behind goal camera slowed down. I wouldn’t like to guess the time between striking and it hitting the net. My guess less than a second. Xhaka connected, if anything De Gea had too good a view of the strike and the ball left foot you are only really expecting it to move one way and it didn’t swerve the other way until maybe between the 18 yd line and penalty spot.
https://streamable.com/2xroq
PS I think Leno could get a nomination for MotM?
Does anyone know, was the idiot who attacked Smalling one of ours of one of theirs?
I see that they committed 18 fouls to our 12, yet there were only 2 bookings for each side.
Does that not show that Arsenal are the dirtier side????????
Leno, Koz are good shouts and so is Laca, but Xhaka was the conductor.
Adding my two penneth to the cannon conversation ……… the aforementioned lawyers disappeared when I asked them for written confirmation that The Arsenal owned the copyright to every cannon illustration.
Good for you, Peaches.
Frankly, if chasing a respectable no-profit supporters’ blog over such a petty issue, then that does not reflect well on Arsenal’s legal bods.
NEW POST
Well, well, well, how different could we all have been feeling this damp monday morning were it not for football