- Sat 9th May: Crystal Palace 1 Man U 2
- Sat 2nd May: Man U 0 WBA 1
- Sun 26th April: Everton 3 Man U 0
- Sat 18th April: Chelsea 1 Man U 0
- Sun 12th April: Man U 4 Man C 2
- Sat 4th April: Man U 3 Aston Villa 1
- Sun 22nd March: Liverpool 1 Man U 2
- Sun 15th March: Man U 3 Tottenham 0
- Mon 9th March: Man U 1 Arsenal 2 (FAC)
- Wed 4th March: Newcastle 0 Man U 1
Only four defeats in that list, but interestingly three of them were in a row, and only stopped by the win at Palace where apparently they were “unconvincing”.
And no draws in that list either, which suggest they might be due one. But although we can’t go there and play for a draw, a draw would not be too bad a result. A win will stop all the fussing, a draw will still leave matters quite well balanced. But even with all this, let us not forget the progress made. A second cup final in succession, next season’s Champs League spot secured in plenty of time, the arrival of Coquelin, Bellerin, Gabriel and Alexis… it has not been too bad a season…
Another transfer insight has emerged from Mr W ahead of this game, saying, “Every player I’m offered they are in for.” Not surprising in itself, but it is interesting that we don’t hear too much about Arsenal being “offered” players. The sentence suggests what we’ve often said here, that when a club (in this case Man U) goes after a player, the player’s agent and the selling club go touting him around elsewhere looking for a better offer.
And what he didn’t say but will be on a lot of minds is that one more season of moderate performances by English teams in the Champs League combined with Italian success could mean that Italy gets a higher coefficient from Uefa than England, and so Italy get a fourth spot and we lose it. Then coming fourth really won’t be a trophy.
Mr Wenger added to all this by suggesting that the FA Cup win over Man U was itself symbolic, and would become even more so if it were repeated today. Indeed there seems to be a thought that the symbolism of winning in Manchester three times in a season would itself reverberate through the transfer market. Now there’s a thought.
Man U will be missing Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Luke Shaw. Jonny Evans and Rafael Da Silva are doubts while Robin VP seems to have vanished in a puff of smoke although apparently he is fit.
And just one little Man U factoid… their leading scorer is Rooney on… 12.
Anyway, our team looks like being our regular team. We might even put out the same team as last time… now how long is it since we had the same team six games in a row? (Even the fabled Anniversary Files that we print a daily extract from on the home page can’t tell me that).
But actually I think Ramsey will get a break to try and stop the niggling injury giving us…
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooospina
Bellerin Mertesacker Koscielny Monreal
Coquelin Cazorla
Wilshere Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
Beached: Perm seven from … Szczesny, Chambers, Gibbs, Gabriel, Flamini, Rosicky, Ramsey, Gnabry, Walcott
Meanwhile some other little facts and the like…
and of course there’s been talk of 2011 ….
Yes AW is warning them of that day… (-_-)
You hit it clear.
We all want the win, and a good one at that. ☆彡
Swansea can repay us by beating ManC too. (＾▽＾)
Come on ARSENAL.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t we just need a win and a draw from our remaining 3 matches to secure 3rd? If that IS indeed the case then I don’t see losing (Ok, getting robbed sounds more appropriate since that’s what always goes on up there) today as being fatal to our 3rd place chances. Having said that, a win or draw would simply mean we put the issue to bed once and for all. COYG!!!
Just one thought:
Dean is the ref.
A red card in this or other two remaining league matches would mean a suspension for FA Cup Final.
Be careful today, lads.
We’ll win 4:1 today. Yes, we have scored more than once in the league match at Old Trafford in Wenger-era just once (in that 8:2 defeat) but today’s the day.
Al
Yes that’s right. Four points from three games should be enough if United don’t make up the GD of 5
This from Arsenal.com;
“There will come a game in every season that is an anomaly, an exception to the rule. That game came on Monday night for Arsenal.
They had 68 per cent possession against Swansea, 23 shots to the visitors’ eight, made more than double the number of passes, delivered close to four times as many crosses into the box – and yet they lost.”
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1415/pre/first-team/55772/manchester-united-v-arsenal-preview#EKlCaygVUeiW428v.99
I didn’t think we were that bad to be honest, as some tried to make out after Monday night, and this just reinforces my thoughts after that match that it was just a smash and grab job from Swansea. That and a little bit of luck on their part too. Anyway, moving on now. COYG!!!
OK. Cheers Tailgunner.
…….while winning all their remaining games
Actually the GD as it stands is seven. So they’re unlikely to make that up with no recognised striker
And the fact we would have won at least one of the games means we’d have added to our GD, meaning Utd would most certainly need to improve their GD by 7 in the remaining two matches for them to pip us. Unless there’s another 8-2 in the offing I really don’t see it happening. But stranger things have been known to happen in football so just best to not lose by more than one goal today, should we lose that is. Better still best to just avoid losing 🙂
Ok, at the risk of turning this into a chat between me and you Tailgunner, that would mean they would need about 9 then? Even looking more and more unlikely then 🙂
The match looks to be heading into the pre-season type of game, not much to play for, don’t want to get injured before holidays(in our case FA Final) mode etc.
I hope we win, don’t really want to lose can’t afford to lose. All eyes will be on the team performance today.
AL, watch the breakdown on Arsenal player, great and correct analysis of our team in every game as usual.
That’s right Al. I see no problems at all considering our last two games are against Sunderland & WBA. Automatic CL qualification is virtually assured . If we can’t get four points from these last three matches an enquiry would be called for
Stuff about Refs:
http://atdhe.mx/soccer/watch-swansea-city-vs-manchester-city-7cf31
Why is everyone talking about 3rd, when 2nd is still possible!
The Gunners MUST confidently pounced on the Red Devils this evening at Old the Trafford’s Red Devil dungeon and bind them all. Then cast them out into the bottomless depth of the English Channel for the entire duration of this match. The Gunners had been at Old Trafford in March this year when they dented LvG’s App Game Data Plan of, GAME SUPERIORITY COMPLEXION RED DEVILS STARTS against the Boss’ App Game Data Plan of, DEVASTATING GAME GUNNERS STARTS which had prevailed over LvG’s App Game Data Plan of the day in an FA Cup QF duel. Today, the Gunners MUST have to pounce on the Red Devils to have the Boss’ App Game Data Plan of REDENTING DAMAGED SUPERIORITY COMPLEXION GUNNERS STARTS activated and prevail over LvG’s App Game Data Plan of, RECOVERING DAMAGED SUPERIORITY COMPLEXION RED DEVILS STARTS. Since that Gunners March 9th FA Cup victory denting the Red Devils’ home game superiority over the Gunners, LvG has been waiting for the Boss and his Gunners to repair the dent the Gunners did to their game superiority complexion whenever they the Gunners come again to play against the Red Devils at Old Trafford. Therefore the Gunners MUST resist any pressure from LvG and his Red Devils to repair any dented game superiority they have done to the Red Devils’ home game superiority complexion over they the Gunners which they the Gunners have dented once since 2006. Rather, the Gunners MUST pounce on the Red Devils and hammer them thoroughly to cause more dents to their one time past home game superiority complexion over they the Gunners. All the arch Red Devils of: van Persie, Angel Di Maria, Ramdel Falcao and Juan Mata MUST be double binded and cast out into the deepest bottomless depth of the English Channel from the start to finish of this game. The Gunners attack line MUST be lethal and deadly by injecting vernon into De Gea to rendered him obsolete when they size him up with 2 unsavable shots. The Gunners MUST avoid shooting to De Gea’s hands that will enabled him save their shots. The Gunners MUST shoot their shots to the acute angles of the goal post to deny De Gea saving their shots. In particular, Wilshere MUST not get entangled into tacklings against Paddy Mc’Nair and MUST not miss a sitter again. The Gunners MUST contain Arshley Young’s crossings. And Marouane Fellaini’s headings MUST be thwarted by the Gunners defense line. Juan Mata’s dribbling runs MUST be scattered by the Gunners. And Chris Smalling’s incursions into the Gunners box to wreck a havoc MUST be put to check by the Gunners defenders. And finally, no Gunners defender should dodge a headed ball or a shot. The Gunner defender or defenders MUST attack the ball. And no Gunner should deflect the ball to the Gunners goalie. The Gunners defense line should not concede a free header. Would the Boss starts better arm-reach Szczesney for this epic game? And also Start versatile de-Abreu at Arsenal’s Left Back and starts Walcott at Right Wing? My starts: Szczesney. BellerinRhino’KoscielnyDe-Abreu…CoquelinCazorla…WalcottOzilSanchez…Giroud. My Subs: OspinaChambersMonrealGibbsWilshereFlaminiAkpom. The Gunners MUST render the Red Devils ball possession empty with no product to show for it.
I think the point is that a win or a draw makes life better for us as it restricts Man U’s point total even more.
A draw would do if we can win the last two at home, because that would mean us sauntering into the cup final on the back of a number of wins, but still knowing we have to make it work on the day.
Villa can hardly be in the best of shape after yesterday’s result after all.
And yes, we can still make second. A win would be a huge step in that direction.
Yes Tony, a win will keep our momentum going. You don’t want to approach a cup final with your confidence rattled.
A week is a long time in football; after being hailed as a great keeper and a huge mistake by Wenger to let him go on Monday night, fabiansiki just gifted city a goal. Without taking anything away from his performance against us, a lot of it was largely down to luck and the shots being straight at him. He’s still a good goalie though .
I would love for us to get 2nd, it’s a medal or not? Makes the team feel more team when they win things, even a medal. City seems to have prepared well for Swansea 0-2 🙁 , but still 2nd half to go. So we cannot have ANY thoughts of draw in our heads, else we will draw or lose, thoughts have to be Win, win, win.
See what i mean? Swa 1 🙂 – ManC 2 🙁
SamuelAkinsolaAdebosin, plz paragraph your posts, makes it easier to read, and more people will read them. 🙂
Look at other posts to see what i mean.
Would you believe it, my stream has collapsed, so it will be off down to the pub for our match . Any excuse I suppose
Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud
subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Gabriel, Flamini, Rosicky, Wilshere, Walcott
COYG!
Am hoping for a 2-0 win for the Arsenal , without any injuries to us . A win today will be a great way ‘ mark ‘ our intent and to get going next season .
Come on guys , strut your stuff and makes us proud.
Up the Gunners !
Player list, was from Arsenal twitter feed.
Drat, no favours from Swansea.
COYG!
When was the last time we were unchanged for six consecutive matches?
Think I have just found it 1987/8. Arsenal started with the same XI eleven times starting on 10 October 1987 until 5 December.
The team under Graham was
Lukic
Thomas O’Leary Adams Samson
Williams Rocastle Richardson
Smith Groves
We won 7 and lost 2 of those 9.
Sorry, nine games not 11.
COYG!!!!
Now thats a yellow… Yellbow
Cr@p ball watching again. COYG!
Think I’d prefer the pace of Wellbz over Giroud for this game. He’s been caught flat-footed 2 or 3 times now.
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Noooooooo…
Come on gunners
I’d love to see Giroud plant his elbow on a utd player like that and not get a card.
Very lethargic display by the Gunners so far. Hope we step up a gear in the second half.
We’re giving away too much space at the back. Thought we’d cured this. 🙁
Come on Arsenal, sneak a goal before HT:
Dean will always be dean…
Crapmanship from the BBC:
> 38 mins
> A momentary stoppage in play as referee Mike Dean has a word with Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil. Professionally done from the man in turquoise and black.
What is it Mesut did? Fling a sweat droplet at someone?
COYG!
Another two footed lunge by young on Sanchez on the stroke of halftime. I think our boys have been advised not to concede silly yellows or reds…. a lot of hesitancy in their tackling while utd are dishing out full bloodied tackles.
Awful first half, really need Wenger to bang some heads together and perhaps swap Ramsey for Wilts. Too many players have not shown up.Very disapointing so far but still… COYG!!!
So far we’ve been poor. We need to stretch them and put more aggression into this one. Walcott for either Ramsey or Cazorla.
Hope Arsène gives them a boost and we come out and get hold of the game for a while and take advantage.
Why are we doing this to ourselves? Again it seems we dont want to play the game. All we need is not to lose.
Yassin – I know it’s unbelievable, it’s like we’re not putting any effort in. Giroud has been a bystander so far. Perhaps Walcott will at least take the pressure off our defense by drawing an extra man back.
Well second place is now more or less gone. What another horrible lazy performance from this group of players. Look like 2nd, 3rd or 4th is really not a consideration for them as long as top 4 is achieved. Without a desire to win and play with full focus every game there is really no chance of success at the highest level. This group of players are showing they neither have focus or desire.
@Jayramfootball – It was this group of players who got us here so I don’t agree with you by any stretch. That being said the last 45 minutes aren’t doing them any favours either!
It was at a party and the host was getting worried because there were too many people and not enough refreshments. She was sure that not all of these people had been invited but didn’t know how to tell which ones were the crashers. Then her husband got an idea….
He turned to the crowd of guests and said “Will those who are from the brides side of the family stand up please?” About twenty people stood.Then he asked ” Will those who are from the groom side of the family stand up as well?” about twenty five people stood up. Then He smiled and said “Will all those who stood please leave, this is a birthday party”.
===
Now back to SUPPORTING our team!
COYG!
Well 5th Gen – ‘here’ looks like 4th place again. Many Arsenal fans have taken great delight in calling Utd useless all season and they are about to go above us, unless we show some form of effort in the second half and pull it back.
Nice one Gord!
5th Gen Gooner
We are going to make it better next half (we should at least get a draw).
Am sure we will. But I just want to know why?
Jayram,
so the players who got us this far after a disastorous start, neither have focus or desire? Man you have no damn focus or logic
Hope to see Sanchez go central Giroud subbed for Theo and poss Jack on lets go down fighting !
The second place was gone with the defeat to Swansea. As much as I’d like us to win today, the result is quite irrelevant. A bit risky to leave it all to the last 2 matches, but those are the easier ones.
Jayram – after reading your comments I can only conclude that professional help was shunned.
Time for Walcott, we need to inject some pace up front.
Thanks 5th.
Come on gunners, get rid of those cobwebs and start playing Wengerball!
COYG!
Here we go…RVP. We have to shake thing up a bit. All looking very stale at the mo.
Yeah…come on. Try try try
Bellerin fantastic…
I reckon Bellerin could get a sweat out of Usain Bolt!
this is a little embarrassing
Bellerin and Cazola off? Stunned!
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!
Let’s hope this is some stoke of genius. COYG!
“stoke of genius”
Lol lets hope not mate
Can we bring Bellerin back on please? LOL!
ROFL – typo due to beer there methinks!
Totally awful performance by players who don’t seem to care now 4th place is secured. Shameful from 1 to 11 again.
Yyyeeeeaaahhhhh….
COYG!!!!!!!!! You beauty!
Up yours haters
@Jayramfootball – Good job Walcott is #14 eh?
And stroke of genius it is!
Gosh that was close!
Oooooooooo Giroud
come on you Gunners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank goodness for luck.
Not going to say it in case but… 🙂
LUCK? FFS What have they gotta do? Jeez!
Come on gunners
Come on gunners
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!
Jayram, I hope you take this attitude with your children.
Brilliant spirit by the boys in the second half! Well done!
Oh well good result considering the first half. Had them on the back foot in the second. Perhaps should have brought Walcott on earlier. COYG!
Jayaram you are such a sour a#$%
well another poor display and characterised by a lack of effort again from the players. The luck of the goal is welcome of course but the season ends on a whimper. Let’s hope the players are saving it up for the cup final.
i generally try and be positive but we were shockingly bad in that game , and lucky we came away with a point
Much better in the second half. At least next season we can go over the border to Old Toilet with a bit more confidence. McManure must be irritated tonight. COYG!!!
My involuntary thoughts during the game.
What is the difference between Dynamic and Static?
I won’t tell you, but guess which team was which today?
We get toughed out in the first half, fell over and lost the ball a lot.
(talking to my pal on phone).
There were warning signs of our desire but Utd pushed too hard. We held our
ground waiting for a chance. Lost a goal, a set piece.
Utd had a game plan to expose our weaknesses, and did so by knocking us
over when ever they could. It seems they were never going to get a yellow
card, and it was as if they knew that.
Cazorla has a bad game up to now. I count at least 4-5 times he lost or
gave away the ball.
Still at 70 mins no sub?
Oh, Wiltshire and Walcott the two W’s come on at 71.14 mins
Is this our secret weapon we are waiting for?
Oh, DeGea going off? What’s going on?
All at once we start to look like we want to win, with about 20 mins left.
Have we left it too late to play?
Lost the ball again. Utd not giving up.
We fade into nothingness again, a little static.
Taking too much time on the ball and not being aware of the challenges.
80:00 mins
I know we’ve got a big game to come and 1 game in hand, but….
Theo baby. 1-1 Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 🙂
Ah well OG, but who cares except Theo 🙂
No no no , dont want HIM to score. Nooooooooooooo
Flamini? No Rosicki? oh.
5 mins added time.
We did not go to UTD to dominate the game, i dont mean possession, i mean
be dominant, strong not falling, not losing ball in challenges, we lost in
that department, but at least we did not get hurt.
Now the Chel$ people are going to invent a name for this tactic we played
today, which is just as boring as “parking the bus” 🙂
Jayramram there was no luck in that goal. Yes a deflection but still going in. Go back to Spud land mate!
Some of you posters above should hang your heads in shame; crawling out of the woodwork at the slightest hint of a bad result. Let’s see if you stick around now that that didn’t happen.
Well done team. Could’ve nicked it at the end but third is now guaranteed anyway.
We were bad in the first half but dominated the second. Just needed pace up front earlier on that’s all.
Great score, bad performance. I have no idea what is going on right now in their mind, but mentally there is something.
Niw we need to win one game or draw both. I say win on sunderland and rest the team in the last game.
The match report is already on line of course.
We just let them play for one hour, then stepped it up and seured 3rd place.
I wonder when I wrote an article a few months ago (might have been years by now) about how much luck is needed to win sometimes. Some people (mabye the same that call us Lucky now 😉 ) said that I was talking rubbish and that it all was done to one man: Wenger. 🙂
Well according to their logic: Wenger forced the goal over the line 😉
5th gen
Spot on. Nothing lucky about the goal, their keeper actually made better saves than ours even though we had less shots than them.
Wenger doesn’t do tactics, eh? Taking off your right back and replacing him with your holding MF. And to be honest that seemed like the turning point in the match. Utd were hanging on after that.
Luck? Yes, but I believe it was time we get a bit of luck. (Swansea?)
that Jayram fella is a bit rubbish ain’t he folks? Lack of effort? Not from what I heard in the 2nd half. lazy commenting
Every time there is a bad result (i guess drawing at old trafford counts as a bad result now) the same people come crawling along to bash our team. Never do they contribute at all to the website or congratulate the team/manager after a great performance, but soon as there is anything negative to say they swarm here like flies to shit.
@jayram
http://www.arsenaltalk.net/threads/battle-for-the-top-4.29390/#post-76917
“Arsenal – capable of challenging for the title its just the whole club is hugely unprofessional and the manager has no clue. Defensively a shambles. Given the last two games it would take a brave man to suggest we are capable of finishing ahead of Spurs Liverpool Southampton or Utd. I fear 6th or 7th unless there is a significant improvement or the other teams implode.”
How wrong could you be?
Brilliant hahaha. You should become a pundit Jayram!
@Gunz
Good link – shows what a two faced nonentity the jayram prat really is!!
I was surprised by our final substitution ( Sanchez/Flamini,) when we were in the ascendancy, but then it clicked; a draw was all we needed. Just three points for third now.
UTA
Jammy J
And they’re off in a flash as soon as we get a positive result. Makes you wonder what sort of fans these are.
AW got it spot on with with the subs. Funny how we are about to finish higher than the master tactician with all our injuries. Must be sheer luck.
Finish well and win the cup, our target for the year is accomplished.
@bjtgooner
“two faced nonentity”
My thoughts exactly!
Gunz
Thanks for the link. What a proper two faced tw*t.
Awesome substitutions by Wenger, great goal by Theo. Not a bad result and so a good bit of business. Nuff said except G’night Jayramfootball and hope your bollocks are as big as those that fall out of you mouth. Did I say that? LOL!
Sorry about having to throw a joke into the proceedings near half time, but it was getting negative for reasons we all know.
aaa
While not too pleased with the way we played , guess the draw has to do for the cause. Quite a change from seasons before when a draw would have us gushing ! And AW doesn’t’ do tactics ? Really ? WOO HOO ,HOO! Up the Gunners !
@ Gord – Would love more jokes on here than to read ‘their’ stupid comments . But then again both make me laugh hysterically !
@AI(L?) – I genuinely think these so called ‘fans’ actually like to see Arsenal loose. I guess this can only be because their hatred of our great manager is so much that they would rather see him fail than the club they ‘support’ do well. Im sure that we are the only club with such a fan base like this and its so so frustrating being painted with the same brush as these morons, as everyone seems like dislike Arsenal fans for this very reason.
Jimmy – the aaa is a psychotic condition. I am in touch with Dr Billy “the Dog” McGraw at the Psychiatric Division of the Univeresity Hospital of the North Circular Road and he tells me that it is written up in most medical journals.
Strong medication can help…
Sorry Jammy, not Jimmy. Just had a glass of the celebratory and my finger slipped.
Jammy J
It’s AL, yes 🙂 And you’re right their hatred for Wenger means they’ll be willing us to lose each time. Strange really.
@Al,
Thanks for calling out these fake fans such as Jayram. Reminds you of the saying, “with friends like these, who needs enemies”
Excellent point to get, now let’s secure CL football with no playoffs on Wednesday!
I’m sure if we had no FA cup we would have played differently in both games.
So i am going to spread a rumour. Wait for it:
DeGea is going to Arsenal.
Runs of covering my head 🙂
off
Well at least its not just specific to Arsenal fans then i guess! Perhaps some temazepam will sort ’em out; Although the atmosphere of our matches may be a bit on the subdued side haha 😀 (not that theyre the ones cheering in the first place)
Earlier Para, you wrote about dynamic and static. When I first read it, I thought I seen dyslexic and static.
How’s this:
What did the dyslexic tactician think about before playing Arsenal?
When is the best time to park the sub.
JayRamFuckwit – just go & play in the traffic. You are the most negative poster on here.
Arsenal played well & avoided getting carded. There was the usual first class officiating.
Arsenal are through the season without to much cost. We were robbed of to many points to recover in the back end of the season.
Gord – May 17, 2015 at 7:23 pm – ” I used to think drinking was bad for me …so I gave up thinking.”
How many on here feel that the negative posters who infest this site with their warped thinking and postings , ought to give up thinking and posting and take up drinking ?
They may even sound cleverer than before !
Please LIKE and SHARE !
How to break bad news gently and with great sensitivity .
A woman went on vacation, leaving her husband behind. Before she left, she told him to take extra special care of her cat and also to be in touch with her mom.
The next day she called her husband and asked if the cat was all right. Her husband said: ” The cat just died.”
She burst into tears and said:” How could you be so blunt? Why couldn’t you have broken the news gradually! Today, you could have said that it was sleeping on the roof; tomorrow, you could have said that it fell off and had broken its leg; then on the third day, you could have said that the poor thing had passed away in the night. You could have been more sensitive about the whole thing.”
” By the way, did you talk to my mom, how is she? ”
Husband:” Yes, I did, she was sleeping on the roof.”