Manchester United vs. Arsenal

No accounting for taste. Best away strip you had was the yellow/blue effort that the '71 team wore.
Well I agree. But they always asked trad Arse fans what they'd wanted as an away shirt and they found out that when they produced the old-school style they just didn't sell. That truly vile blue jobby from last season did OK.
 
Indeed. It's one thing getting away with hacking through Arsenal midfielders, it's another to expect to get away with doing that to Barca with a continental ref, the UEFA bigwigs in the crowd and the eyes of the world watching.

Probably no point arguing here, it's a straight forward subjective disagreement. But you don't have to believe everything Wenger tells you, especially after his team have been beaten.
 
So, in conclusion, Arsenal are another side who are confirmed victims of the United / FA juggernaut of injustice?
 
I have a sneaky feeling this is going to be a very low scoring game. 0-0 maybe.

Not with the defenses on either side.

Too many good attacking players on our team for it to go scoreless. Carzola, and if they decide to go with pace on the wings, is sure to cause us problems.
 
Given Hernandez's form I don't see Fergie leaving him out. Which means accomodating Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez in the same team.

We have 3 ways of doing that.

1) Diamond
2) Rooney on the left
3) Rooney in central midfield

I actually expect to see option 3.

De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Evans Evra
Valencia Carrick Scholes Rooney
Hernandez Van Persie​
 
Given Hernandez's form I don't see Fergie leaving him out. Which means accomodating Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez in the same team.

We have 3 ways of doing that.

1) Diamond
2) Rooney on the left
3) Rooney in central midfield

I actually expect to see option 3.

De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Evans Evra
Valencia Carrick Scholes Rooney
Hernandez Van Persie​


That team would be option 2 (Rooney on the left).
 
Our wingers are out of form, and our midfielders and strikers are in form. By and large Anderson and Cleverley have both been playing very well. Surely it's time for them to start together with Carrick now. If I was Fergie I'd be building the line-up around that trio.

Then it's just a case of whether or not you want to include Hernandez, like so:

De Gea
Rafael Rio Evans Evra
Carrick
Anderson Cleverley
Rooney
RVP Hernandez​

...or sacrifice him for a bit more width (and protection from Podolski) like so:

De Gea
Rafael Rio Evans Evra
Anderson Carrick Cleverley
Valencia RVP Rooney​


with Rooney in a free role so he can drop into the hole and let Cleverley provide the width down the left if necessary.

Please god just anything but Scholes and Carrick in CM. Arsenal will have way too much running for them.
 
---------De Gea----------
Rafael--Rio----Evans--Evra
----------Carrick----------
---Cleverley----Anderson--
----------Rooney----------
-------RVP-----Hernandez--
 
De Gea

Rafael
Ferdinand
Evans
Evra

Carrick
Cleverley
Anderson

Rooney
Van Persie
Welbeck
 
Chico will score in this game. I don't think he'll start but he will score in this game.
 
Yet again, we go into a big game with so many first team injuries. No Gibbs, Szczesny or Diaby. It's going to kill us again.

It's a mark of how long United's injury list usually is that at first I thought this was sarcasm. Of course it's not; that's the equivalent of us missing Carrick, De Gea and Rafael.

Which raises the question: are United actually doing alright for injuries right at this very moment? We have a serious problem at CB with Vidic, Jones and Smalling all still out. But that's pretty much it, isn't it? Kagawa, I suppose, who would have been perfectly suited to tomorrow's match. But the form of our strikers takes the edge off that.
 
Everyone knows United's squad is stronger than Arsenal's, the further down you go. We need our first team players fit more than you do. You can easily argue that's our fault, but it's true nonetheless. I wasn't trying to make a comparison between the two teams. It's just frustration on my behalf that we never seem to be able to go into a game with a First XI, even in the 10th week of the season.
 
Everyone knows United's squad is stronger than Arsenal's, the further down you go. We need our first team players fit more than you do. You can easily argue that's our fault, but it's true nonetheless. I wasn't trying to make a comparison between the two teams. It's just frustration on my behalf that we never seem to be able to go into a game with a First XI, even in the 10th week of the season.

I know, I genuinely wasn't trying to be snippy or anything. I think if you had Diaby available I'd be a lot more worried about this game. He's the sort of midfielder we tend to struggle with.
 
I know, I genuinely wasn't trying to be snippy or anything. I think if you had Diaby available I'd be a lot more worried about this game. He's the sort of midfielder we tend to struggle with.

Definitely. Glad to see he's out.
 
Given Hernandez's form I don't see Fergie leaving him out. Which means accomodating Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez in the same team.

We have 3 ways of doing that.

1) Diamond
2) Rooney on the left
3) Rooney in central midfield

I actually expect to see option 3.

De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Evans Evra
Valencia Carrick Scholes Rooney
Hernandez Van Persie​

If we play three strikers, I think it will be the winger who is replaced, so Valencia. Midfield and attack would probably look like this:

Carrick
Cleverley Scholes
Rooney
Hernandez van Persie​

I don't think we'll play all three though, I expect Hernandez on the bench still and only two strikers starting.
 
Welbeck - Rvp - Hernandez - Rooney

Anderson - Cleverley

Evra - Rio - Evans - Rafael

De Gea

Murder.
 
De Gea up front? Can't see it myself. Don't like the idea of not having a goalkeeper either, even against a team who can't score goals.
 
Good feeling about this one.
They're gonna be playing Santos, so in that aspect going with Valencia or Nani would be a good thing, however I'd love to see us try out Cleverley & Anderson again in midfield, seemed to work last year against Arsenal.
Chicharito more than deserves a start, however with Rooney & RvP both fit and in good form there's no way they're going to be dropped, so I've no idea what our line-up will be, but I know it won't be the way I want it to because there is no way in hell that Scholes won't start.
 
A midfield of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla is going to cause us a fair few problems.

It will, most certainly. Still think our strengths in other areas will more than make up for it though.
 
De Gea

Rafael (but he has played a lot)
Rio
Evans
Evra

Nani
Cleverly
Carrick (to do a number on Carzola)
Anderson
Rooney (playing from an advanced left position)

Van Persie
 
We're due a draw, but if we play three central midfield players I reckon we'll win 2-0. Close game though but us to take our chances and them to not (I know they scored 7 the other day but for some reason I fancy a clean sheet or a 1-1).
 
De Gea

Rafael (but he has played a lot)
Rio
Evans
Evra

Nani
Cleverly
Carrick (to do a number on Carzola)
Anderson
Rooney (playing from an advanced left position)

Van Persie

That looks alright, though the chances of Nani starting are fairly microscopic, I'd have thought. Valencia in his place, and Scholes to come on for Anderson just before he passes out in the second half.
 
Given Hernandez's form I don't see Fergie leaving him out. Which means accomodating Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez in the same team.

We have 3 ways of doing that.

1) Diamond
2) Rooney on the left
3) Rooney in central midfield

I actually expect to see option 3.

De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Evans Evra
Valencia Carrick Scholes Rooney
Hernandez Van Persie​

The most fluid option would be to play Hernandez up top and have Nani, Rooney and Van Persie all rotating around behind him, but we know Nani has no chance of starting and Valencia won't rotate around.
 
A midfield of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla is going to cause us a fair few problems.

Very true, that's a fantastic midfield. But I think Cleverley, Carrick and Anderson should be able to do enough toe-to-toe with them to allow our superiority in other positions to shine through. Especially as Rooney ghosting in and out of the hole will occupy most of Arteta's time and energy.
 
De Gea
Rafael, Rio, Evans, Evra
Cleverley, Carrick Scholes
Valencia, RVP, Rooney

Bench: Lindegaard, Anderson, Young, Welbeck, Chicha, Smalling, Nani

I see Scholes starting this one, unlike Chelsea Arsenal CM isn't as powerful or as quick and Scholes will help give us a measure of control and not cede possession back.

Have to imagine Cleverley and Carrick playing in this game and Fergie will play at least 1 pure winger, which is Valencia, so that just leaves room for RVP and Rooney.
 
Who's gonna be starting at LB for arsenal with no Gibbs?

Santos - Valencia will tear him several new arses.
Vermaelen - Loses a lot of stability in the centre of Arsenal's defence.

Jenkinson maybe?
 
What I want to see:

564567_Manchester_United.jpg


Bench: Lindegaard, Buttner, Scholes, Powell, Valencia, Nani, Welbeck.
 
Who's gonna be starting at LB for arsenal with no Gibbs?

Santos - Valencia will tear him several new arses.
Vermaelen - Loses a lot of stability in the centre of Arsenal's defence.

Jenkinson maybe?

Probably Santos, atleast that's what my mate who's an Arse fan told me.
They can't exactly afford to put Vermaelen on as a fullback, they have no cover in CB.
Their CBs consist of Vermaelen, Koscielny, Mertesacker and Djorou.
Koscielny and Djorou have both played 120 minutes and they're unlikely to feature again this weekend, which leaves them with 2 fit and not exhausted CBs. I doubt Wenger would risk their defensive stability this much against a United side like this since we're bound to score goals every match, that and he knows Van Persie and his abilities better than anyone.
 
What I want to see:

564567_Manchester_United.jpg


Bench: Lindegaard, Buttner, Scholes, Powell, Valencia, Nani, Welbeck.

This is what I would like, just cannot see it. I think this would really test the backline of Arsenal and give us a good chance at holding thier midfield in check.

But I reckon SAF will start with Scholsey and Tony out wide. Not really a bad thing either.