Man Utd Vs Arsenal: The Die Is Cast!

You know the Champs league is a successor of the European Champions Cup, and that Celtic won that in 67. Or are you going to discount Real Madrid's 6 early titles for the sake of your argument too.

@ deboksy,

The URL u supplied is outdated.
That was May 2006 which is 4 months ago.

This is the latest  UEFA team ranking as at 11.06 am this morning.
http://www.kassiesa.com/uefabackup/data/method3/trank2007.html

tell them jare slary no long thing!!

@ mocha arsenal also won the Fair's Cup so i guess we can also say we've won it abi? anyways that was a digression.

i don't know what the ranking criteria are, but a team who beat bayern munich home and away is a better team than one who were kicked out of the CL to armenia bratislava (probably ranked 1000 in europe).

back to topic y'all don't have the 'many' options you're talking about. MU is losing the game on sunday. fletcher will play crap and if you're not careful ole will retire on sunday after the torrid game he'll have.

you're calling rooney wazza right?

the only wazzap that y'all are going to see is the kind king henry did after scoring against barthez!!

which math? leave story for tortise - this is the season for re-writing history

by the way ur rankings site must be broken - putting newcastle utd above UEFA Cup winners sevilla and perenial CL participants+dutch champions PSV!!

rankings my ass

Though I'm a great fan of Arsenal, I have to say as long as they solely rely on Thiery, they are prone to choking in BIG GAMES. Yes I said it; PRONE TO CHOKING  in Big games but this is sports and anything can happen next Sunday!

so which is it? 2004 or 1955?? if they add figures since 1955 then it is truly irrelevant for present day team strength comparison

I hope u guys saw how Hamburg was eaten alive in their home by Arsenal (Without Henry). This is what is going to happen to Manchester United, but Manchester United will suffer more than Hamburg because:
1) We are determined to finish those idiots.
2) Henry will be playing (hopefully) and Walcort might also be playing.
3) It's a do or die situation for arsenal, we cannot afford to lose against those idiots.
I hope I have been able to convince you and not convince you that Manchester United is dead meat, come this weekend.
Thank you. 

Back to topic!
Open heart surgery without anaesthesia awaits  Manchester United come Sunday.
We now understand the enemy force (Disunited) situation in terms of their strength and deployment & we have a detailed task to engage them at OT.thats our arc of responsibility men! Only to apply the 4 maximanship principles then we pull the first trigger at Trafford.
Better the end of a thing than the beginning. Gunners have a restoration in this game.
Guess what? I won't give you the satisfaction.
Even Ji sung is now malingering with an injury and he is one  of those who scored against us in April.
Contrastingly, goals will be of copious supply against Disunited . For sure we are claming this away win with Henry the instigator, Manchester United will find it even hard penetrating Gunner defence
OR should we bet?

 
i laugh at these arsenal fans.defeat is inevitable as has bein the last two seasons.take heart and plan for week 6 because week 5 is a done deal DEFEAT!

4 me it wil b beta if arsenal wins so chelsea could close up d 3points gap. no doubt liverpool is goin down sat.lol. whatch out 4 joe cole he's back.

Ok peeps Enough of all the horse trading and posturing!!

I decided to wait until i watched both United and Arsenals CL games, before contributing my thoughts again on what will hopefully be a cracker of a match, (immediately following another cracker in Pool vs Chelski ).

Now with uncertainty hanging over Kolo and Th14, we really look like being in the s@#t on Sunday. Missing Titi can be dealt with, i actually feel right now we even play far better with him not being around as it is clear he is still not on form (however his mere presence on the pitch does a lot to instill confidence in our lads, so its a true "Catch 22" situation)

Now defence wise, we have a dilenma, frankly my defence would be

Eboue     Kolo     Gallas     Flamini

i don't think either Hoyte or Djourou can do a job for us, although if Kolo is not available then a Djourou/Gallas partnership is manageable ( i think Lehman has to take control of that defence like he did last year ) one major thing, if Eboue decides per adventure to overlap, he better make sure he doesn't chicken out when he gets behind their defence, (which he will do) and becomes more desicive.

The defence pairing above should be able to handle Shrek (Ronney) and Twinkle Toes (Ronaldo), where we might/will have a problem is with Louis, Abdominable Snow Man (scholesy) and the deceptive Baby Face Assasin (Ole), seeing that Pretty boy (Giggsy) and Ji Parky will both be unavoidably absent.

Now this game will be won or lost in the midfield, and that is where we have a dilenma on our hand on who to play. Personally i would prefer a 4-4-2 formation, witha midfield of

Walcott   Gilberto   Fabregas    Rosicky

This Midfield has pace/directiveness written all over it, on the flanks will be two runners to give their Defence something to think about, and we do know that Le Prof, will now actually unleash Dumplings (Rosicky) and we will now finally see more shots outside the 18 (Arsenal's success is based on pace, skill and movement, and this midfield has all 3 qualities) Berti should be able to shepard the Million Dollar Man (Carrick), Flecther and Snow Man, but Fabo will have to also help out with defensive duties. (the beast and helb can come in later if we need to slow the game down, or Playboy Model (Freddie), if we need grit and steel) for once in a long time we are spoiled for choice.

Up front, sorry Gonners but i would go for

RVP and Kanu 2

with TH14 coming in in the second half to just add more spice if need be.

All in all, like i said, this game will be won or lost in the Midfield, we need to take our chances, cause if we don't Man United will skin us, the ironic and good exception being; Manyoo will actually allow us play our game (counter attacking footie) as they will attack us as well. i expect some luck or silly mistake to play their part in the outcome, (Somehow this has "a draw" written all over this fixture , anyway i would take that)

But do not be decieved, even though we are underr dogs, we can actually go to OT and get a win, Man utd in the last few weeks have dropped their cautious game and are attacking teams hard but they have had to sacrafice some defensive stability as well. This is why I feel we might have a chance because our players who are failing right now may have a lot more space infront of them to play with which makes it easier for them.

All in all It is going to be damn hard and there is a good chance of us losing but I wouldn't rule us out just yet, they will attack us and leave themselves open and we have to seize our moments. If we do that, or even score first and make them chase the game, then i see us coming out with a win (close game, but Arsenal on top)

Prediction 2-1 to the ARSENAL

"BRING SUNDAY ON" i say

  GONNER 89

@ Loyika,
Anuther brilliant in-depth analysis from an astute gunner.
We need more dudes like u at Arsenal, why don't u take up Wenger's job?
Your comments are catchy but they are spot on.
United knows just one way to play and that is to ATTACK.
Sir Alex will never use a 5-man midfield like Arsenal, Liverpool or even Chelsea.
Its a taboo for OT fans to watch their darling team play defensive.

Having said this, United are always super-cautious in the DEFENCE when they play big teams like Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.
U have to remember none of these teams mentioned above scored a goal at OT last season so stabilty is assured against the gunners.
This match is going to be the 1st litmus test for Manchester United who had a disappointing summer with the transfers.
United will rely heavily on the old horses to deliver which will be a big boost as consistency in the gameplay is guaranteed

In the defence, i will rely on:
Neville   Rio Ferdinand   Brown/Vidic     Heinze
With Gabby Heinze, United will close shops on Van Persie and gangling Adebayor.
I also expect Vidic to fit in as his brilliant defending stopped Henry and others from really running chaos last season.
Gary Neville can overlap and supply quality crosses and i back Ferdinand to marshall Henry like Rio always do every season.


The midfield is where i think the battle would be won as Loyika has suggested.
United have soldiers who are hungry and are prepared to battle hard to win balls off naive Fabregas and Gilberto Silva.
Arsenal plays with no width so i will be comfortable with a 3-man midfield:
Scholes       Carrick            O Shea

Paul Scholes is like a new signing for Man United and his darting runs and dropping of shoulders can pierce teams apart.
He will be immense on sunday as he has adapted to the new way midfielders win balls in the middle of the pack.
Well-timed interception of passes is the key and Scholesy is the master of this new trick.
Tomas Gravesen was on the receiving end last night as he kept giving passes away that led to the downfall of Celtic.
Gunners should worry more about this because Scholesy's quality will punish Arsenal.
Michael Carrick is the most under-rated player in the team because of the money paid to get the lad.
I must admit he is arguably the best passer of the ball in the Premiership.
His passes and distribution of long ball surpassed Lampard's last season and he's proving to be a good buy and sunday's game will assess him.
John O'Shea should provide stabilty and discipline with well-timed tackles to frustrate Fabregas and Hleb.


In ma opinion, Upfront for United should be a 3-man attack:
Rooney        Saha          Ronaldo.

Cristiano will win so many free-kicks with his trickeries and that is a bonus for Man United.
I am glad he would be back on sunday for United as fresh as a stack of benjy'z
Ronaldo's mesmeric step-overs are bound to cause problems for Flamini and this is where Arsenal's achilles lie.
Wazza's brilliance with the combination of Louis Saha's speed should be able to outwit Gallas and Kolo Toure.
The trio will cause extensive damage to Arsenal's back four as Arsenal has no consistency at the back.
Toure + Gallas haven't really worked out an understanding and Flamini will be too weak to stop Ronnie.
Eboue's brilliant runs upfront will leave the back four exposed and there's bound to be chaos at the back unless Wenger plays defensive(4-5-1).

In conclusion,
Man United to win 3-0 with Rooney, Scholes and Saha to provide the goals.

The 1st goal could prove decisive but i expect United to keep a clean sheet at OT.
Afterall, clean sheets against Arsenal @ OT is becoming a tradition.
Henry normally develops cold feet against Manchester United in recent times .

@ Prisccy,
So how do u study for ur course-work if u cannot read 20-30 lines?
Feed ur eyes and learn more about football.
I made it long deliberately for u so u can cop 2 or 3 facts about football.
Are u there yet?

don't mind jackal, he's drunk on those four premiership wins and can't see straight.

with replacement diver giggs (taking over from RVN) and the park bench from SK absent, the only source of MU width is Ronaldo, all i envision for him on sunday is plenty step over but no delivery. kolo will marshal saha properly - he's the most dangerous man in MU's attack on current form, rude rooney will get himself booked after getting no chances.

by all indications T14 will only come in second half, with adebayor and baptista starting, since RVP may also be injured. I forsee walcott and henry coming on in the second half, with rosicky, hleb cesc and gilberto starting, kolo will be fit so it'll be eboue, djourou,kolo and gallas.

2-1 to the Arsenal!!

@ Loyika

Bros sorry about the post in another thread. I enjoyed your analysis without noticing who made it, Its brilliant and quixotic.

@chacal; I'm not sure I can be ur assistant if you ever land a job as a coach.

I favour using 5 mid-fielders with the wingers playing the whole length of the field and sticking an out-of-this-world attacking midfielder in the middle.

Arsenal would soon be going to dubai to auction T14 ( sounds like a Mountain black track)
 

jackal!
its just that most of the time I use my mobile phone on browsing thats why such lenghty writings piss me off at the same time i have not screened the lap top and my eyes just tire.
I can see you and Kola are online chatting!
Everyone knows Arsenal will carry the day.