So Man Utd invested massively over the summer with Varane, Sancho and also brought CR7 back to Old Trafford. They have a quality and talented squad for sure but for some reason, they have not gelled yet. I am hoping that their struggle will continue at least until February 😛
My love for AFC grew in the 90s and my dislike for Man Utd grew proportionally as their team back then was full of annoying players from Schmeichel to Neville to Keane and RVN but also talented ones like Scholes and Giggs but anyways, for me, I get even more annoyed with Man Utd than with Spurs…anyways…
Tonight is about “not losing” – making sure that we are solid, do not give away cheap chances and goals. Stay focused and pounce on the counter if you can. We need resilience, power and pace today to keep Utd at bay. They have a devastating strike force with Rashford, CR7, Sancho (+ their subs) and then Fernandes can create a goal of nothing. I always feel that Maguire has a goal but also a mistake in him so for me, it is going to come down to who is going to dominate the midfield and makes the least mistake and I d play the following line-up:
Rams – Tomy, White, Gabs, Nuno – Partey, Lokonga – Saka, ESR, AMN – Laca
but I am expecting: Rams – Tomy, White, Gabs, Nuno – Partey, Lokonga – Saka, Laca, ESR – Auba
Whoever starts, let them put in a good shift and bring at least a point back from Man Utd.
COYG!
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
First 🙂
Good write up and couldn’t agree more, tonight is about not loosing.
Elneny is a good choice.
So, Arteta finally starts Martinelli in place of Saka who has been played into the ground and sets up our midfield with Xhaka and Ozil, I mean Elneny and Ode.
Going to be a problem, as ESR and Martinelli going to have to play deep to get the ball!
Yet, we can smash them if we take some risks on attack.
I am not sure why Lokonga or AMN are starting…and not a fan of Ode yet so disappointed that Laca is not starting
Hi RC,
I rather agree with your views about Manure players of bygone days.
They were so despicable…I couldn’t stand Neville, Keane and RVN nor Stam…The only players I liked from Man Utd were Canto, Scholes, Cole back then
RC,
Arteta said he was giving minutes to players who had not played much this season — and altho he did not say it, Elneny is a decent holding midfielder.
An odd goal but will take it…they re applying the rules…Man Utd can feel hard done by tbh…it s all because of the ref
Take the goal and roll with it!
Partey’s passing is becoming dangerous
Fred and Partey are having a horrible game…
If one of them picks up, their team would be in control
Whats odegard purpose really just
Tommi, Tommi, Tommi
What a soft goal to concede
Fred redeemed himself…took the game and was decisive after being so poor…Partey needs to do the same now
As of Odegaard, not sure…so far…
I think there is a case for Lokonga-Laca to come into the game or Lokonga and someone like Saka, AMN or even Tierney or Pepe
We got a lucky goal and we did not make it count…
Partey way off the pace and Odegaard out of place…other than that, the team did OK although Auba did not really get much chance to shine.
Take Partey and Ode out and bring in Sambi and an attacking player…if Saka is fit, then Saka otherwise Laca, AMN or Pepe.
Odegaard is better when the opposition is trying to park the bus and manu are certainly not doing that, I would swap with Laconga.
As for Lacazette, I think he should have started ahead of Aubamayang.
Well we are down in a game where we should actually be winning…It is so poor defensively…Partey needs to come off and our friends White-Gabs is not having a great game to be honest…
Come on Mikel: Lokonga and Laca (or Saka if fit) need to come on now. We cannot lose this game.
Not sure of what exactly RC78 he is tragic that what am sure off
As I say he tragic he scores haha
Every time I say Odegaard is useless, he scores….lol
Goalllllllll
Pepe who that? Lol
Martinelli is having a good game.
LB shouldn’t odegard ne better when he has space instead of when someone parking the bus because it should be easier for him to pick out players
That’s a clear and stupid penalty conceded by Odegaard
If they don’t get a PK, the ref loves us
But he is fair and it is a PK…
FUDGE! This team is infuriating…
3-2 Utd…
20 mins to go…Saka and Laca to the rescue?
We need a goal now..on this set-piece…Come on…
Tomyasu should score for us now…or even better Partey who has been so poor
Bring Laca and Lokonga in
Partey has been a disaster all night along…Tomy, Tavares, Martinelli have been our standout
Ramsdale – 5, nothing wrong but not decisive
Tomy – 6.5, played well
White – 5.5, not his best esp. in the first half
Gabs – 6, the better CB tonight
Tavares – 6.5, played well
Partey – 2.5, quite a disaster today
El Neny – 6, our best midfielder
Odegaard – 5, ghastly, then hero through his goal and then villain by conceding the PK
Martinelli – 7, our best player
Auba – 4.5, another outing that begs the question of his utility to the team
ESR – 5.5, quiet by his standard
Arteta: 4.5.
Man Utd: MOTM – CR7 because of his two goals.
How we lost this game still beats me. We were not inferior to Utd. Really upset and upsetting
Elsewhere, Mbappe keen to join the EPL in the end as Real set their eyes on Haaland to complete the Benzema-Vinicius duo
In typical irony…I ll say good night to myself on the blog tonight 😛
RC is out. C u tomorrow
Fred
Yes, and he shouldn’t tackle in his own box.
Good night RC
Not sure how we lost that game but we did. As with the Liverpool game, we conceded just before and just after half time. You’re not going to win many games doing that. Also in line with the Liverpool game, we managed to fire up the home team. Arteta’s spat with Klopp sparked Liverpool into life, and our weird goal and a sense of injustice fired up United. The nature of our opener certainly didn’t help our cause. I think we missed Saka’s cutting edge in the final third, and we somehow managed to concede 3 sloppy goals. I’d like to see a front 3 of Martinelli, Saka, ESR for a few games as I think the Brazilian looks really sharp and it’s clear that Auba is struggling.
Onwards and upwards.