By Walter Broeckx
Well what a starting line up from Arsenal : Ospina, Bellerin, Chambers, Mavropanos, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Aubamayang.
On the beach: Cech, Holding, Monreal, Osei-Tutu, Willock, Welbeck, Nketiah
Mavropanos being the 200th player to make his debut for Wenger in the Wenger era and what a place to make it. Mkhitaryan having his first minutes since his injury so I think he will only be used to get him a bit of match rhytm. Sir Alex Ferguson presenting Wenger a goodbye present before the match together with Mourinho. United with most of the ball but apart from miskick from Pogba no real goal chances in the first 10 minutes and Arsenal B trying to play along with United. A shot from Nelson just at the 15 minute mark so still 0-0.
The ref gives no foul against Nelson in midfield and United can attack. Lukaku with a cross to Alexis but from the leg of Bellerin the ball ends against the post and then falls for Pogba who can tap home. 1-0 after 17 minutes. A great combination on the right flank over Maitland-Niles, Mkhitaryan, Bellerin and then back to the first who lays it off for Mkhiaryan who takes a low shot that just goes wide. A goog chance for Arsenal after a lovely piece of football. Friend then again letting a clear foul on Nelson unpunished when the young player was clearly held back by a United player. When Xhaka holds Lingard he gets a yellow card….. must be the presence of Ferguson before the match I think…. Twice in twenty seconds an Arsenal player goes down in the United penalty area but by now we should expect nothing anymore from the ref. A good attack from Arsenal but De Gea intercepts the cross from Bellerin in front of Aubamayang. Friend giving a foul in favour of Arsenal to celebrate the 30 minutes with the score still 1-0.
A cross from Bellerin finds Aubamayang but his header is direct at the keeper. A lucky bounce suddenly saw the ball ending up against the arm of Lukaku but luckily his shot was deflected and Ospina could collect the ball. The ref didn’t see the handball from Lukaku but could see a ball against the arm of Xhaka. Young with a cross that hits the post but that wasn’t the intention I think. At the other end Aubamayang with a cross to Nelson but headed it wide. Friend continues to give nothing to one of the young Arsenal players. Arsenal go in at half time being 1-0 down. The young players held their own rather well.
Mavrapanos with a strong challenge on the ball and Lukaku starting an Arsenal attack but Maitland-Niles his shot was blocked. Lukaku came off after that tackle. Xhaka with a good interception giving the ball to Mkhitaryan and his low shot found the back of the net. GOAL! 1-1 after 51 minutes.
Maitland-Niles with a good block after a dangerous United attack. Another good attack but Mkhitaryan took a shot while a cross might have been the better option. Young kicking Mkhitaryan twice but no yellow card of course…. Still 1-1 after 60 minutes.
Kolasinac down looking injured and Monreal preparing himself. It looked like an ankle problem. Welbeck coming on for Nelson at the same time. Welbeck winning the ball high up the field but his shot was in the middle of the goal so no problem for De Gea. Mavrapanos with a few good defensive actions. Ospina down injured when colliding with Fellaini and needing some treatment as he held his back. Willock as standing ready to enter the field but we sure will wait before this substitution will be made. 1-1 after 75 minutes. And Mkhitaryan does go off and Willock does enter the field.
Willock just cant capitalise when Smalling half slips but the ball falls kindly for De Gea. A dangerous cross from Young cna’t find the head of Fellaini. Arsenal now without Mkhitaryan and this is visible as we have to defend more now. But Chambers and Mavraponos doing an excellent job so far. Iwobi overstretching himself a bit when trying to get on a long ball from Chambers. Let us hope he isn’t injured. Maitland-Niles also having a great match. A counter just can’t find Welbeck as Smalling is first on the ball. And then United counter a cross goes to Fellaini who heads against the post and the ball bounces in from Rashford. United thought they scored but the flag went up for offside and the goal was ruled out. Correct decision! But it lifted the crowd and another cross found Fellaini and this time he headed it in. 2-1 in minute 92. The ball bouncing a bit between the heads of Xhaka and Fellaini. We sure didn’t deserve to lose this match with the team we played and the way we played. Welbeck being unhappy with the ref about a possible high foot in the build up of the United goal. But Friend was not our real friend today.
The 2-1 defeat is bitter in the way it came right at the end. But for the rest our b-team held themselves very well and the youngster can be proud on themselves.
Shag! What a shagger! I didnt feel we deserved to lose that, but then, deserve doesnt serve up at football games.
Nice gesture from the Man Ures with the tankard (etc) though. Glad we didnt get really thrashed, but frustrated that we didnt at least get a draw.
Need to do the biz on Thurs…lets hope Mhiki can do it for us.
COYG!
Young kicked Miki in the calf and shin , yet never got a card.
Hope the new guy has better luck at OT !
Young has got away with loads already this season, will no doubt get picked by southgate just pathetic
The youngsters showed qualities. The team played well and gave MU some hard time. Not too disapointing and eventually rather hopeful.
But hard to swallow seeing one of the Manure dirtiest player scoring the winner. Just during 30 mn he kikcked down three of our players and remained unpunished. Friend was not inclined to show yellow card today… except for Xhaka. Did you say strange ? 🙂
A farewell in the spirit of game 50
I thought it was an excellent performance by the team and deserved the draw.
I just feel we were robbed.
Perhaps it might have been better to bring on Holding on the last few minutes instead of Willock unless aW thought there was a chance to win it.
Our youngsters did very well today.
The ref is what we have come to expect at OT.
Wenger is a good general, but especially this week, not a lucky general
Our young fellows did well. No obvious mistakes by them but at the same time no pressure put on the opposition.
Friend was OK but in the crunch he missed as obvious a penalty as you’re going to get when Naitland-Miles was tripped by Alexis, seconds after Mihkitaryan was hip checked in the box. Not sure how that should be called. It was close enough to the ball to be called shielding but at the same time the defender’s body position seemed to show that he had no intention of playing the ball but was merely hitting our guy while another defender took the ball.
I would still like to see our defenders moving upfield with the ball more often. They pass the ball from side to side whereas there are ample opportunities to step up with the ball to force the other team’s midfield to collapse which would allow them to shift the ball back outside for some width. I’m not sure if they are coached to do this or are simply lacking confidence.
Unfortunate ending but we did save some legs for Thursday.
What a whimpering end to 22 years. The descent has been gradual but back where it all started. Should have kept Rioch and stayed at Highbury. Then again, I would not have the pleasure of being blocked on here.
Hmmm. So Arsenal have lost in the League again at away to Man Utd. But when will these catologue of loses by Arsenal in the League to Man U at Old Trafford comes to a stop? When the new manager takes over from Le Boss at Arsenal at the end of the season and takes his own Arsenal team to Old Trafford to play against Man Utd then shall us start to see Arsenal beat Man U in the PL? I Hope so. But one thing that MUST be said is, if Le Boss takes the Gunners to Athletic Madrid next Thursday night in the Europa and failed to guide the Gunners to knockout Atletico in the semifinal of the ELC to reach the final, would there be the need anymore for Le Boss to continue as the Gunners boss till this season’s end? Should he handover immediately to Steve Bould, his assistant to manage the Gunners in their remaining 3 PL matches of this season?
Clearly have some mental racist weird problem groney
@grooney
Got to give it to you. In 22 years, I have NEVER heard ANYONE pine for Bruce Rioch…this comment should be saved and posted over top of some urinal…Absolutely hilarious!
Rioch was doing a good job at a proper football stadium. Not sure where markyb went to school but it must have been poorer than the one I occasionally went to. I notice the above posters have little defence which appears to be the fundamental quirk in Arsene’s life. Glad to have made you laugh though I am sure your laughter is of a most anxious kind accompanied with medicants. Here’s to next season and the grand clear out which will probably include this site. Seems proper that Untold will fold having had it’s deluded time in the stadium of half shadows and little ambience.
To be honest Mr. Rioch did an OK job moving the Arsenal up slightly in the table. However, it would be disingenuous in the extreme to compare him to Arsene Wenger. Rioch’s subsequent record as a manager at a number of posts was very humdrum. Arsene Wenger may be criticised for not winning enough in his later years (ignoring the reasons why) but oh what heights he hit in his first decade at Arsenal.
Now that Arsene’s departure is confirmed, I am looking forward to seeing who our new manager will be. He will (…as an aside, wouldn’t it be cool to hire a qualified woman?) do his utmost for our club, I’m sure. And, I will continue to support the Arsenal.
As for the stadium? A tenuous link at best.
Good points GGG but somehow the game was up when PV put that penalty away. The Emirates has still a way to go before it becomes a football ground and not a tourist stop off/food emporium which has delivered mass identity crisis with end of era/empire statues to match.
I can critique the design of the stadium (lower bowl too flat!…seats should be closer to the pitch) but I’ve always figured it was the people at the stadium that make it special. That is why I am always so disappointed when our club is booed whilst still playing and people hold up anti placards. I should point out the iconic Art Deco stands were a renovation to the original Arsenal Stadium. It will take time before we fall in love with our ground. It may not happen until the kids of today have grey hair like me and look back fondly on their formative years.
Since we are on a nostalgic trip back in time , how is it that no one ever sings the praises of the great Stewart Houston , who twice stood in as our caretaker manager in between the George Graham Is God years and the glorious Bruce Rioch reign ; and before the coming of AW ?
And if not for that late, late fluky goal by Nayim in the 1995 Cup-winners cup final , we would still be playing that unique, ‘ 1 nil to The Arsenal ‘style of football, and enjoying ourselves silly at Highbury !
And pissing ourselves silly at the antics of Ian Wright , Paul Dickov, and snorting along in glee with Paul Merson ! Nothing to sniff about then ?
Why don’t we start a possible and ‘what if’ narrative ?
-It is 1995 , and Arsenal are holding off that great Real Zaragoza , and the game ends scoreless . Ditto in extra time . And then Arsenal win it in the ensuring penalty kicks , to lift the trophy for the second year running.
– A grateful Arsenal board rewards caretaker manager Stewart Huston with the manager’s job. Arsenal fans rejoice . And Arsenal continue to play THAT brand of football .
– And we all lived happily ever after !
Please do add on your thoughts …..
Hi BG
I wont take up your ‘If’ challenge but take space to point out something that the Arsenal and Arsene ignoreamouses don’t mention.
They go on and on about how Arsene’s defense (back four) was GG’s ‘Great’ back four and ‘Arsene’ doesn’t do defense.’
What rubbish this is.
In the last three years that great back four was falling apart. Their last three seasons with GG at the helm they let in, 38 28 49 goals.
The truth is Arsene inherited a defense that was falling apart.
What they don’t mention is that Arsene inherited Bergkamp. Bergkamp with his skill on the ball and his professional approach to the game. No alcohol, proper diet etc.
What if Arsene had not inherited Bergkamp?
@ colario -30/04/2018 at 7:05 am – Actually brought it up because that Spud c*nt – Tim Sherwood yesterday after the game ,had the temerity to suggest that AW was fortunate enough to inherit from Bruce Rioch , such great players and luminaries, such as that brilliant defence, Ray Palour et all ; but was now leaving the next man in , a very poor squad of players to work with.
This was on Star Sport which covers Asia and Africa .
Watch it and puke !
The real BG without the awful jokes.
I don’t expect our new manager to be treated any more fairly by the media and pundits. George was always criticised for producing boring football and lacking “flair”. Bertie Mee was similarly never given proper recognition, Terry Neill was always criticised (even though he had a decent record in the FA Cup, it was always the Walsall result which was mentioned).
Note re our match yesterday: – there has been no mention of our 2 possible penalties (one marginal, one definite). Also comment on their first goal was that Nelson lost possession because of inexperience, rather than because he was chopped down. Of course, no mention of Friend’s practice of telling their players off for the few fouls which he actually awarded, in contrast to his instant booking for Xhaka.
Recollections also that Arsenal’s unbeaten run ended at OT, with not a single comment on the outrageous refereeing performance from Riley which was the principal cause.
Agreed John. Yesterday we said how long would it be before 8-2 was mentioned? I never listen to the pre-match and post match yapping, but apparently the obnoxious Souness piled into Xhaka after the game. I thought Granit had a decent performance. Why not pile into the nasty Young who fouled continually and only got a nice chat from Friend. btw Really promising debut from Mavropanos.