Having beaten Arsenal comprehensively in the second leg of Champions League semi finals in 2009, Patrice Evra famously declared that the game was ‘like men versus boys’.
This was indeed true, we battered them, made their fans put down those silly flags and trot off home after about 55 minutes of the game but Arsenal’s players didn’t take too kindly to Evra’s words.
The next time we played them, which coincidentally happened to be just over a week later, he was singled out for special rough treatment by Arsenal players kicked all over the pitch. But Evra is tough man (and slightly crazy) as he has again unleashed a cutting attack on the team Nani claimed were ‘our biggest title rivals’.
Speaking on French TV station Canal+, the French left back said:
“In my opinion, Arsenal is just an Academy. I watch their games, they’re a pleasure to watch, but will they win a title? That’s what people remember. In 10 years, nobody will remember of them.
“Arsenal is a great Club, they didn’t win a trophy for 5 years, it’s a crisis in my opinion. People always think about the ‘Arsenal way of playing’, but at the end, there’s nothing.
“We can lose 13-0 against them, but at the end what happen? Nothing. No trophy, no nothing.”
but Evra wasn’t done, he went on to further discredit Wenger’s side by saying:
“We only watch out for Chelsea’s results, not Arsenal, even though Arsenal is a great team, which can win against Chelsea, against us, against anybody.
“When we play Arsenal, we enjoy it. It’s a team who play football, they won’t go at Old Trafford to play in their own box.
“The difference is that we play good football but we’ve got physical power as well. Sometimes they don’t manage to kill the games, and we are more clinical.”
I personally think despite being very very harsh there is an element of truth in what he said and as he said, it is his opinion which he is entitled to.
With that being said Pat, on Monday I hope you come with a kevlar vest, an NFL style helmet a cup and all other types of protection as it is likely he will be targeted again.
Looking back there has definitely been an ‘ingredient X’ missing at Arsenal. There have been fleeting moments when they’ve had everything but they’ve never sustained it. Never having managed to win consequetive Premier League titles is pretty surprising when you consider the personnel they had several years ago. But they are up against United every year so maybe that’s understandable.
This is hilarious! I don’t know what it is about Arsenal that draws out a particular ire from Evra, but I love it. Perhaps it’s because of their deep French roots and may get overated in France so he feels to make a point about them.
If they do try to be more physical because of what he said, then it’s job well done by Evra as that’s not their game and they’ll surely lose because of it. His assessment of the team is exagerated, but the problem areas he highlights are dead on. Their “beautiful” football only reaches certain heights because there is no accomplishment associated with it within this current team. It drives me nuts hearing members of the cult of Wenger almost use their lack of accomplishment as a mark of pride as if they’re martyrs for beautiful football.
The reality is they’re a good, but not great team, comprised of players whose physical stature is comparable to adolescents. Also, they need to drop the “Invicibles” moniker from that team who as far as I remember did not collect arguably the most difficult trophy of the Champion’s League.
Absolutely love Patrice, but very disappointed with these comments. I think we will be favourites to beat Arsenal on Monday, but to come out with this shows a lack of respect. We don’t want Arsenal to have one more bloody moral high ground (they are already the ‘nicest’, the ‘sexiest’ team ever to play in the PL)! I know he raised genuine points. I do fear Chelsea much more than I fear Arsenal, even if Chelsea look like they are in a huge crisis at the moment. But Arsenal are fully capable of beating us on Monday. If Evra’s aim was to start some mind games to unsettle Arsenal, it will be great if he succeeds. But hopefully, on Monday, we will be focussed on the match rather than Evra trying to avoid injury or a red card!
On the other hand, he comes up with these kind of comments often, which means he must love it at the club and considers himself as an ambassador of the club. Which is always nice to see from players.
I was going crazy with the last Arsenal game the other week, hopefully we can get the points coming and get top of the premier league, Come on you reds!
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