By Bulldog Drummond
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Interesting to look at the Daily Mirror’s quotes on anything, since they rubbished Arsenal’s form over recent years.
Indeed I wonder if they actually saw our piece picking their argument to bits.
Or indeed if they saw our making a mistake of our own! For now they are trying to go the other way, with the statement that, “Mikel Arteta’s men are unbeaten since Christmas”
Awfully nice of them to say this, but in fact like their earlier piece, it is not true. We are unbeaten in the League since Christmas, but not “unbeaten” totally. (I just double checked, and yep, the old memory is still working).
It is bizarre really that a national newspaper with all its resources can make such mistakes over and over again. Yes, of course Untold gets some numbers wrong, but we don’t have spare people around who can check each article – and besides none of us gets paid. Ah well, newspapers. Take the money and get it wrong. What a way to live.
The Guardian got in early with their team sheet giving us
Leno
Bellerin Holding David Luiz Tierney
Partey Xhaka
Saka Smith Rowe Pepe
Lacazette
with Tierney and Smith Rowe the two noted as doubtful from the squad.
Sports Mole in turn offer us
Leno;
Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Soares;
Partey, Xhaka;
Saka, Smith Rowe, Pepe;
Lacazette
The Sun however seems to think it has inside knowledge about Abameyang and goes with
Leno;
Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Tierney;
Partey Xhaka
Pepe Odegaard Saka
Aubameyang
Quite a few sites seem to only want to talk about the Manchester United team, but we’ve pressed on and found the Hard Tackle to oblige us with
Leno;
Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Soares
Partey Xhaka
Saka Smith Rowe Pepe
Lacazette
And that seems to be the sum of the variations, other outlets, drainpipes and ne’er do wells all offering variations on the same theme. Apart from the fact that no one seems to be able to agree which players should be known by their surnames or their first names.
Sky TV, who are showing the game in the UK don’t have a prediction, as ever, but they do say, “New signing Martin Odegaard is likely to be named on the bench and the Gunners should have Thomas Partey and Emile Smith Rowe available after the pair limped out of the win over Southampton on Tuesday with minor knocks, while Dani Ceballos and Pablo Mari (both calf) and Kieran Tierney (fitness) could also feature.”
And that is pretty much everyone’s view.
Meanwhile in other news Caught Offside tells us that it has been reading the Mail who suggest that Maitland-Niles “said goodbye to his Arsenal teammates at training on Friday, with the ace to secure a loan exit before the transfer deadline on Monday night.” But they are not sure if it is to Southampton or West Brom that he is going.
Elsewhere the Just Arsenal blog, despite their name, spend a lot of time talking about Man U creating a new record but they do manage to note that “Arsenal hasn’t won three consecutive Premier League games against United since 1998 under Arsene Wenger, but they have won their last two league games against this Red Devils side.” So maybe a record equalling day for us.
Last point before the game: watching part of the Sky Sports Saturday afternoon show they had one of their pundits laying into Abramovich, saying that the regularity with which their failing managers get fired, there is never any chance of helping young players develop.
Personally I think the transfer market should be regulated in a much deeper way than having transfer windows, with the amount of expenditure allowed being controlled. But given that this is unlikely to happen, I still think that the Arsenal approach of bringing young players through is good.
Currently it is such a pleasure to watch Smith Rowe and Saka, and I am hoping we will see a lot more of Willock and Martinelli as well. That gives a greater sense of satisfaction than simply buying, buying, buying and ultimately buying the title.
- Arsenal v Manchester United: beware Man U away form; beware the referee!
- Arsenal v Man U, statistical errors, and a dramatic rise in Arsenal injuries
- Arsenal v Man U: how the anti-Arsenal rhetoric builds up before the game
- Is it really our defenders who are so bad?
Shame if AMN really is going, he has put in some decent performances for us
The AMAZING PGMOL goes on…. VAR looks at an incident to check if there was anything untoward in a tackle by Fernandes on Xhaka. It shows clearly that Fernandes rakes Xhakas calf after the ball had been played. Should be a red card in any match. But not in this one with the slope obviously blurring their vision.
Did I see Tierney in the Arsenal starting XI lineup for their Man Utd match today? No! I think I’ve seen Cedric Soares in his place starting the match for Arsenal. But ESR and Martinelli in place of Aubameyang are starting in the midfield and at the right wing as expected they should when they are very fit to start. And Pepe in place of Saka is starting the match at the left wing. Luiz has paired Holding at centreback position to start. Gabriel is benched due to maybe for his own goal error that cost Arsenal a place in this season FA Cup round 5? Well, I don’t know for sure. But Mikel Arteta the Gunners gaffer has quite a very strong Arsenal starting XI team lineup that can beat Man Utd hands down in the match..
For Arsenal to beat Man Utd today in this big game Premier League match encounter that is taking place at Emirates Stadium between the duo club sides, Arsenal MUST first exorcise the RedDevils in the game. Then bind them in particular De Gea, Bissaka, Pogha, Fernandes, Rashford and Cavani’s heading prowess. Those are 6 Arch RedDevils who the Gunners should cast into the bottomless pit that’s in River Thames after binding them.
At fulltime plus the added time. Final Score Line reads: Arsenal 2-0 Man Utd.
SAA – your arguement with your eyesight leads me to advise you to apply to PGMOL for a job.
Interesting that Cedric gets a card for an accidental arm across the face whilst focussed completely on the bool. Fernandes studs down the back of a leg, nothing.
And Var there as well. Certain red card for any Arsenal Player
McGuire gets away with third probable yellow!! and gets a free kick for it as well. It is the most dreadful example of cheating by Oliver and his mates from Riley’s covern.
Mikes & markyb
Totally agree with both your comments , ref very selective .
All this kick it out bullshit. Its time for the kick it out to focus on the white only officials!!!
What the f66k is the problem with non white officials?? The racist attitude of the FA is obvious in their Limited select racists.
The fight against racism goes on – start with the officials being culled and young newly qualified officials from overseas brought in as an initial phase until they get replaced with UK trained officials on a ballot basis.
So i got my ptediction right and we got a draw. The refs did their job by not booking Fernandes early on for a high boot kick.
Maguire also spared being an English team player. Its so often the refs protect the local players.Harry Kane being the refs favourite to be protected at all costs. Hope my comment will not offend the English fans. Not to be angry about every country protects its plsyers as it is a natural phenomenon.
So we drew at the Emirates with 43% pocession and just 3 shots on target. Its a shame that we cant keep 50% pocession at home against a united side without Furgie. Imagine if Fergie was incharge at United with his hair dryer and Pigmob behind we would have lost the match for sure.it seems Arteta will always play defense first against the top sides and we are going towards being a Maureen team than a Arsene Wenger side.
Kudos to Wenger we beat United 3-0 inside 20 minutes with Ozil and Alexis brace in 2015.What a match it was to remember and cherish. The memories are still afresh.
So now we stand 9th below Villa and they still have played 2 matches less.We still dont look to finisih in top8. The idiots had predicted we will win the league once Arsene Wenger leaves the club. Can those idiots raise their hands now and show our Epl trophy.
Utterly scandalous that Fernandes did not even get a yellow card for what looked a deliberate rake down the back of the lower leg of an Arsenal player, and as others have said the leniency shown to Maguire, as it is to Kane, is ridiculous.
It must be something to do with the name Harry.
Maguire should have finished the game watching from the stands, if any of the Arsenal players had transgressed as he did rest assured they would have been punished to the letter of the law and sent off.
Oliver is supposed to be our top ref, along with Twatkinson, but he is no different to all the other Riley c**k suckers.