Karren Brady the flamboyant chief executive of Birmingham City FC is to become one of Lord Sugar’s “eyes and ears” on The Apprentice reality television show. Read the Rest of this Article…
Browsing Posts published in August, 2009
Wolverhampton Wanderers come from behind to draw with Hull and secure their first home point of the season. Read the Rest of this Article…
Tottenham’s 100 per cent start continued as Aaron Lennon earned a late 2-1 win over Birmingham. Read the Rest of this Article…
A secondhalf goal by Richard Stearman earns the Championship winners their first home point since returning to the Premier League. Read the Rest of this Article…
TAKE a look and see who your team will face in the third round of the league cup Read the Rest of this Article…
JOHN TERRY and Ashley Cole praise Chelsea’s team spirit after win over Burnley Read the Rest of this Article…
Sky Sports sources understand Sunderland have accepted an offer from Stoke City for defender Danny Collins. Read the Rest of this Article…
VIDEO: MELLOWING Alex Ferguson believes he is now pals with Arsene Wenger Read the Rest of this Article…
Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United cannot afford further slip-ups in the first ‘Big Four’ clash of the season against Arsenal on Saturday. Read the Rest of this Article…
Saturday, 22nd Aug 2009 – KO: 15:00 We might only be three or four games into the season but this is without doubt crunch game for both teams. We should have some answers about whether Arsenal really are the real deal this season and whether or not Manchester United have gone backwards since the end of last [...]
Saturday, 22nd Aug 2009 – KO: 15:00
We might only be three or four games into the season but this is without doubt crunch game for both teams.
“Never mind Arsene, old son, it's only a game.” “I know, but I weelly, weelly wanted to win.”
We should have some answers about whether Arsenal really are the real deal this season and whether or not Manchester United have gone backwards since the end of last season.
I must stress, however, the word “some” because with the league season still at this very early stage, there are many, many more questions that will only be answered much later on.
This being a home game for United and with us already having suffered a defeat (three points dropped), there will be far more pressure on us to win here today whilst Arsenal might be quite happy to grab a point from this one.
Arsenal may have only played two Premier League matches (and two Champions League matches) but they have won them all, scoring a very impressive 15 goals in the process.
However, great starts are not new for Arsenal, they always seem to hit the ground running but for the last few years at least seem to have just run out of a bit of steam around February.
I put most of this down to the motivational skills of Arsene Wenger. He always puts a positive spin on things and in the immortal words of Paul Merson “gives a player unbelievable belief”.
When you think you’re the best and that everything will go your way if you just keep trying, it is remarkable how often that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. For evidence of this, take a look at their two recent games against Celtic.
However, in the middle of a long-hard season, when the tank is starting to run a little dry, it requires more than a pep talk and self-belief, especially when the table is telling you that it will require nothing less than a miracle to catch the leaders.
Our results last season against Arsenal were a mixed bag. They beat us 2-1 at their place in the League in November and held us to a 0-0 draw when we met in the penultimate match of the season.
Our best performances came in the Champions League Semi-Final however where we took them apart in both legs 1-0 and 3-1. The 1-0 at Old Trafford in the first leg was not a true reflection of the performance and Arsenal could have had few complaints if we had run out 2-0 or 3-0 winners in that match.
One player they missed in those games however was Arshavin who, being a January purchase from Zenit was cup-tied and could not play but I rate him very highly and clearly, so does Arsene Wenger (at 28 years old, Arshavin does not meet the typical profile of a Wenger purchase, so he must be something special). If he plays on Saturday, he will be a massive danger.
On the injury front, we have the usual suspects out. Our defence is still in some disarray with Ferdinand and Rafael still injured but everyone else is now coming back.
Arsenal’s only doubt (but it’s a big one) is Fabregas. Otherwise, apart from those long-term injured from before the start of the season, they are full-strength.
Games between these two teams used to be pretty nip and tuck affairs where the battle was contested largely around the midfield with neither team giving an inch. That both teams also had very strong defenses made the games low scoring affairs.
However, the 0-0 at the end of last season aside, they have become much more open games with plenty of goal-mouth action.
We know Arsenal are in rich scoring form at the moment but, despite the 5-0 win against Wigan last week, the jury is still out on us. We huffed and puffed to a 1-0 win against Birmingham then huffed and puffed to a 1-0 defeat at Burnley before huffing and puffing to a 0-0 half-time scoreline against Wigan and, even now, no one quite knows how to fit the five goal second half into place.
Personally, I think we are somewhere in between. Perhaps with a bit of the Wenger “unbelievable belief”, some of those many half chances we missed against Birmingham and Burnley would have been converted and a goal or two more in both games would have been forthcoming.
As I said earlier. Some questions will only be answered after this game which makes a prediction here pretty difficult.
I can see Arsenal scoring again and I can see United scoring but that is as far as I am willing to go on this one.
4 Points on BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE @ 1.80 with Bet365
