It wasn’t the result we wanted. I’m sure all of us would’ve been pleased leaving Old Trafford with a point, but we didn’t. Instead we left with nothing and although we are still top of the table by two points a loss against United always hurts. Obviously, I hate to see my side come out of a game with nothing, but I wouldn’t have cared as much had we have played like we wanted to win – not go there and hope to shut United out in their own back yard.
Looking at the way Arsene Wenger set out the team, the Frenchman went to OT hoping to leave with a point, and it was only until Robin van Persie headed in what proved to be the winner in the 27th minute that the Frenchman was forced to change tactics in search for an equalizer.
But why not go there, play with freedom and have a go from the start?
It was a lacklustre display to say the very least in the first 45 – many passes were misplaced, there was no fight and some of our lads just didn’t look up for it. We should have gone there with no fear and play our natural game. Yes United did there homework on us and applied pressure when we had possession, but I believe Wenger bottled it (like he usually does at OT) by playing two defensive midfielders in Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini – only one of them should have started alongside Aaron Ramsey (who was deployed on the right wing, a position he is clearly not effective in), with Jack Wilshere or Serge Gnabry out wide.
I get Old Trafford is a hard place to go to and get a result, but I truly believe they were there for the taking. This was evident when Wenger took off both Arteta and Flamini for Wilshere and young Gnabry. He should have made these changes earlier than he did. Had he done so we could’ve bagged a precious point this evening.
Nonetheless, its not as bad as we may think, just a little disappointing that we held back.
Wenger bottled by starting 2 DM wen in the last 2 games were we have not conceded he started just 1, playing without freedom cost us n i don’t think with this attitude we’d be able to win teams that finished above us last season, that simply means NO TROPHY for us as far as this squad is concerned if no genuine addition is made
How can we thrash the man utd without good striker while wenger known that Giroud isn’t good in our attacking role Bcos he’s very slow not fasted.60 minute without goal on target or off target.If all gunners fans wanna win the tittle so we are gonna advise Arsene to look for a talented striker like Suarez,lewandoski or cavani,ibrahimovic.Giroud to be come as substitution bentner to let him go!
I think you’re being a little too harsh here. Going into UTD was always going to be the toughest of these three massive games, particularly after the exertions of Dortmund. We had to remain in the game and keep them at bay and allow us to get into the game. Our flair players had little or no influence in the game and if he didn’t go with Arteta & Flamini this game could have been over in the 1st half.
You’re so way off the mark regarding Wenger bottling it-remember not many have gone to OT and won a title on their own patch but today UTD were the stronger team. Great credit to our lads who stuck in and got back into the game but were let down by ineffectual displays from Cazorla & Ozil If you think that you can just roll up at OT and play them off the park, you’re living in the a fantasy land-we never did it with our greatest teams.
Many positives can be taken from this game for which we were hit hard by injuries & sickness. The two concerns would be the performances of Cazorla & Ozil but maybe credit should be given to UTD-although Ozil was in no way at the racse today and that’s being polite.
Again if you think it was tactical cowardice for Wenger to set up his team the way he did, ‘you better start writing children’s books and lay off the football analysis. And I don;t mean to be rude just realisitic
Wenger pays for one more time the lack of a top class striker. When will he ever learn?
I think its important for arsenal to look forward now. Shame we lost today but overall were top of the league and top of a tough champions league group and we have a few important players comming back. Im 100 percent sure ozil is gonna have a big influence once theo walcott is back, at the moment i feel he doesnt have anyone making runs and therefore i feel thats restricting what he likes to do best, threading through balls like he did against.we have some tough but winnable matches after the break so hopefully everyone will recover and go at it again
too defensive, wenger should have gone with the squad that played at dortmund, we always get too defensive when we play manu yet we are better than them
Wenger is Wenger; he is very consistent and predictable and we have many years of proof for that statement. At first I thought losing Mertesacker and Rosicky would be key problems but then I remembered that if Flamini and Arteta are fit Rosicky would not start anyway. He would have been a nice sub though. Anyway, Cazorla, Ozil and Ramsey were all poor and we cannot win unless two of the three produce. The team that played Dortmund would have won but not the team at OT today. The officiating was poor today as well but that went both ways.
Nothing wrong with the team selection. Our main failure was down to: a) Mertesacker missing, would have stopped the header, b) Cazorla and Ozil having bad days.
Agree with this, however why on earth take Cazorla off, and replace him with Bendtner? Wenger is doing a similar sort of thing with Bendtner, that he did with Gervinho, trying to convince himself that there really is no place for him, however this is neither the time or the place. Gnabry gave the team a real boost when he came on, and should’ve been the natural replacement for Rosicky from the start. Really frustrating that we had a chance to once and for all knock them for six and get rid of this mental block we have about them as they are well below what they used to be, yet end up being defeated an ex-Arsenal man. Thought it was really classless the way he celebrated. I don’t know why Wenger says he is always an Arsenal man. He’s crossed the line by such a long way, he will never be welcomed back again. Don’t get me wrong AW is the best thing for Arsenal, I just think it was so important to not only beat them, but beat them convincingly, and whether it was because of the virus or tiredness, it just didn’t look like we had prepared adequately for such a crucial match. It was obvious that we could’ve done so much better, by the way we played after the goal was scored, just a shame that it took the goal to wake us up.
The Usual tripe and overreaction from ignorant fans and writers. Wenger’s first 11 has Arteta and Flamini. This is not because of United.This is Wenger’s first choice 11.The only reasons,the two have not played together much is injury. When available,they have ALWAYS been paired together. Look at Napoli,Norwich and i forget who else. Wenger’s plan is to have defensive assurance from the two defensive midfielders and to release the attacking front 4 to dovetail as they deem fit.Secondly,the attacking players were off today. Ozil,Carzola,Ramsey and Giroud were below par. Yes,we need better attacking support from the bench than Bendtner. However,we missed the injured players for variety and rotation. United gave there all and could barely contain an exhausted Arsenal team who arrived after two grueling games with no options for resting and varying the approach. It is always sad to loose to United.But let us keep our heads. Nothing new has been learned. If anything,only positives. At our weakest,United struggled to hang on and we still created enough to have earned a point. Imagine if we had Rosicsky,Theo,Poldy,Chamberlain and a better striker? Arsenal is back. Put some perspective in it and get a grip.In january,we need a striker and a natural winger.Otherwise,i am more convinced in the team we have than ever. COYG.
I think Arsenal out played Utd and got undone by a goal that was a miss head it came off rvp shoulder and could have gone anywhere and again Rooney should have been sent off