Man United Preview: Season decider part 2 of 4 30 January, 2010
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News.trackback
What a massive game we have in store for us tomorrow. I still regard Arsenal vs. Manchester United as the biggest game of the Premier League season, fuck Chelsea – where were they five years ago? You can’t beat a rivalry that has extended since the 60s and 70s which still produces a top class, title-deciding match today. There will be millions of Gooners, United fans and neutrals tuned in tomorrow for a massive match in both our seasons. Many of them making history watching the first live football match in 3D.
Arsenal and United have both played 23 games and we’re just a point behind them, so a win tomorrow would give either side a great advantage in the title running.
Our main talking point going into the any game is our injuries. Vermaelen is thankfully not out for the season but is likely to miss tomorrow’s game and Eduardo is out for a week with a hamstring strain. It causes a bit of a problem because two players who haven’t got much football under their belt might have to start – Bendtner and Campbell. Here’s what Wenger said on our injury situation:
“The good news we have on Vermaelen is that there is no fracture. We have to assess his knee today [Friday], there is still a small chance that he will play on Sunday. We will do the maximum to get him fit but at the moment it looks unlikely. It should be a very short-term injury.
It looked to be a two-month problem, now at the latest he should be ready for the Chelsea game.
Bendtner looks at bit short, but I have not picked the team yet. To start Bendtner is going through my mind, but he has only one training [session] and 20 minutes of action in three months”
We’ve had no update since then and it doesn’t surprise me really, Wenger will want to keep his cards very close to his chest and won’t reveal his team until an hour before kick off tomorrow.
I do hope that Vermaelen makes it but if he can’t play then I don’t think it’ll be the end of the world. Sol Campbell has been very good in the two appearances he’s made since re-joining us and a bit of experience against Man United can’t be a bad thing. However it would be his third game in 7 days and if Wenger doesn’t feel he can last 90 minutes he might not start him.
Another option would be to drop Song back alongside Gallas. He returned from the African Cup of Nations this week and is set to play tomorrow. We would miss him in midfield but I would feel so much more confident with him in defence rather than Silvestre.
Man United have got problems of their own, Rio Ferdinand starts a four-match ban tomorrow. Vidic was on the bench on Wednesday night and is expect to return to the starting line up tomorrow to partner Johnny Evans.
It’s hard for me to guess the team when I don’t know the state of our players, but I’m going to have a good guess. I think Bendtner will be alright, he’s a fairly fit player, as for Vermaelen it’s anybody’s guess really:
Almunia
Sagna – Gallas – Vermaelen/Campbell – Clichy
Song
Fabregas (c) – Rosicky
Bendtner – Arshavin – Nasri
I’d like to see us line up like that tomorrow. I’ve purposely left out Denilson who has not been in good form – we cannot afford slip-ups tomorrow. That team all depends on Bendtner and Nasri’s fitness though, if either or both are unavailable to start then Rosicky would be moved up top with probably Walcott and Ramsey or Denilson would partner Fabregas in the middle.
Enough speculation on the team, we’ll find out in 24 hours time. Whatever team is put out needs to know the task at hand, the draw on Wednesday was not an ideal result but we’re still in it. A win tomorrow would be a fantastic result and there’s no reason why we can’t do it. Looking around, we are the favourites too; the bookies have us slightly in favour, none of the pundits on Soccer Saturday today tipped United to win and looking around various websites, blogs and newspapers we look like we should be winning this.
They don’t have a great record at Ashburton Grove and we need to make the most of our home advantage. I’m not going tomorrow which I’m really gutted about but everyone there needs to raise the roof. Our atmosphere is gradually getting better and when it matters we’ve shown that we can make an incredible noise. I’ve no doubts we’ll do it again tomorrow.
We need a good performance from Fabregas, he needs to run that midfield. Arshavin needs to rise to the occasion like he’s done for us before. Almunia needs to show us the form of last season and want that clean sheet. If Song shows us why we’ve missed him so much we’ll be solid in midfield and keep Wayne Rooney quiet.
There’s been a lot of hype around Rooney recently and Wenger says he’s at his best age now. He’s playing well and has a good record against us so we need to defend well. Its all well and good saying Gallas can man-mark him but he’ll be looking to exploit our weaknesses and if Campbell plays he will be on his shoulder the whole game.
We have our own threats though and Man United know that. They’ve experienced what Arshavin can do earlier this season, Bendnter will be looking to come back with a bang and simply – we have Cesc Fabregas.
Come on Arsenal. I know you can do it if we play the way we can. Wherever you’re watching enjoy the game and cheer on the boys. Thanks for reading.
the one worry i have is if the ref let’s MANURE get away with the usual amount of fouling they’ll inevitably get up to.you can also bet they’ll pack the midfield with their dirtiest players as a result i.e fletcher,anderson,-so we need to get STUCK IN BIGTIME & not pussyfoot about-otherwise we’re shafted!come on you gooners!raise the roof!!!!
I really want to see if Bendtner can produce tomorrow, he says he can be a top class striker. This is the game he can prove it.
injuries no excuse tommorow, as they have not been in cup exits.the manager decided the squad was big enough. this is wengers acid test. utd workmanlike, nothing special, nothing but victory is good enough.if we dont show quality , big game appetite tomorrow last 4 years have been a complete waste. this is wengers last chance with the true fans.
good post brother lasagnechef… tomorrow’s game is very crucial for us… hoping to see Vermaelen start instead of Sol and I pretty much agree with your lineup there… I have my doubts about Bendtner though… he lacks sharpness I feel and if he is to start tomorrow, he will have to be at his best to make any impact.
Here’s hoping our lads live up to their expectations and we here in India would be right behind them… Go Gunners!!
Where were Chelsea 5 years ago? Winning the title and knocking us out of the Champions’ League. 10 years ago they were nowhere.
I said this in your first article regarding the aston villa preview and i still stand by it thus far.
“You know what? We will end up just getting 3 points out of the 12. Why? Because when the manager and players start talking too much about the need to win,up to the challenge,etc to the press and to their official site, the team screws up. It has always been like that,and i don’t see it changing. Just watch this space.”
I think Andrey is due for a big day. I’m looking forward to the finger to lips shhhh just after Van Der Sar goes full stretch to touch a passing breeze.
COME ON YOU ARSENAL!
i am so right.
3 points in 12, at this rate even my prediction is too optimistic. people slag me off for my prediction, now you see how i am right.
I’ll think you’ll find nobody is slagging you off, as much as you would like to be so you can see ‘how i am so right’.
In fact, in this preview and the Aston Villa preview no one has as much as acknowledged you, never mind ‘slag you off’.
fuck off wenger. wenger fuck off. fuck off all you pricks who beleive the shit he talks. open your eyes u know nothing pricks. he is a myth. never been so embarassed of an arsenal team. wouldnt go for a pint with any of em.no spirit no balls. grew up holloway 80s thats fucked so arsenal. we get what we deserve. whers our pride gone. im ashamed of arsenal ashamed of north london.
Sol Campbell should repay all the home fans……zzzzzz
Was its as humiliating in 3D?
u shud be ashamed of yourself, the actual truth is you are a fucking cunt
Is this aimed at me or wenger or the home crowd? He’s alright but you missed a trick not going for big Sam when the chance came… The home crowd are so, well, quiet.
How long are you dopey cunts that keep spouting “in arsene we trust” going to keep faith?
In 1 week he has cost us the league and FA cup. Wenger is a spent force. It was embarrasing yesterday just like last season away to spurs in the cup, away to united in the cup, at home to utd in the champs lge, he has taken a proud team away from the true supporters and given us some sports experiment to prove that a team of midgets can actually win somthing. We was double shit yesterday, even worse that we was against stoke. Wenger has cost us again.
“in Arsene we trust” …… its bollocks
allglory
i’m talking to the guy who called himself ”the truth”
no way i’m referring to wenger or the fans.
oh ok q i’d like to see ur solution.
great idea, wouldnt sacking the manager lift the team spirit.
We wouldn’t have one of the best stadiums in the world, the doubles under his reign, couple of f.a cups, premier leagues and the unbeaten season.
u donut you know nothing apart from the fact that you know nothing.
Algmorozak,
Take your head out of the clouds man,
defeats to man city, chelsea and man utd x2 tells you that we are punchin above our weight. And the way we lost to stoke when we had the best chance to actually win somthing this season was nothing short of disgraceful. For how much longer must we put up with inept shit? Resting players who then play woefully in two games is one thing but not buying a striker when we obviously need one is another. Wenger has let us fans down badly and its time he packed his bags and fucks off to PSG!!!
Stop trying to convince yourself that Arsene is the man, we will not win anymore trophies whilst he is in charge, if you are happy with a top 4 finish for 1 more season before we get swamped then you have got as much ambition as Wenger!
so you are saying he doesn’t want to win.
you fish
algmoron,did arsenal not exist before wenger? probaly not in ur skunk addled playstation mind. we have always been the arsenal. a club of our standing, revenue,worldwide draw should be challenging every year. to win nothing and no prospect of winning anything for this length of time ia a disgrace.having henry and viera built wenger a false reputation he has hid behind for 5 years. virtually every manager in football leauge could play this brand of football and win fuck all.put mourino, moyes or anyone competent with ambition in charge and we would soon have ateam tobe poud of in months.algymoron where u at everton boro away back in the eighties? thought not. you sum up whats wrong with arsenal.tool.