‘Tactical Tear Up Rips Gunners To Shreds’ 5 Things I Noticed – United v Arsenal

4. On The Road To Nowhere

So where do Arsenal go from here.. after having been knocked out in 3 Cup Competitions in the space of a few weeks. Answer is not very far to be perfectly frank, I didn’t think they would win anything this season despite the fact I believed them to be a better side than they have been in a few years due to development of Wilshere. There are clearly signs of progress but not nearly enough to leave behind the rest of the chasing pack over the next few years and if a different approach in terms of spending isn’t taken they will find themselves left behind. I also fear the psychological impact of this season could affect them beyond this season.

If I was Wenger I’d go back to my original blueprint, signing physically imposing, mentally strong players and turn them into footballers as he used to do in the late nineties, recently he has become obsessed with tiki-taka and there is no penetration or genuine fantasy in their play.  Players like Wilshere are the exception in a side devoid of fight, will to win and a knowledge of how to close out tough games.

A world class striker is a must, one who is physically superior to V Persie and could be a genuine talismanic figure, an aggressive central defensive midfielder is also a must as I don’t believe Song/Denilson can protect the likes of Wilshere & Fabregas adequately. Arshavin needs to go as his heart doesn’t look in it and more tricky pacey wide players are needed, the likes of Walcott are too predictable and not genuine threats against well disciplined defensive sides, Barcelona is probably the only big side he can be effective against due to the vulnerability they possess on the counter. Defensively they need warriors at the back and I’m not convinced they have them, Koscielny excelled against Barca but for the vast majority of the season he has struggled although one must take into account its his début season at Premiership Level.

5. Opposition One2Watch: Jack Wilshere

The only player who didn’t seem fazed by last nights game, he even slide tackled Paul Scholes and was the only Arsenal player prepared to mix it with Rooney in the centre of the park. Instead of being inhibited by physical opponents he rises to the occasion and revels in it, a sign of a top player.

I’d love to capitalise on Arsenal going into decline over the next few years if Wenger refused to see the error of his ways and snap up Wilshere for big bucks, but I can’t see it happening. As it is I can envisage him becoming Arsenal & England’s Bryan Robson, a Captain Marvel type figure who can mix it, take the game by the scruff of the neck both in terms of industry and creativity but ultimately all in vain.  He has that fearlessness going into tackles, a cultured left foot, vision and I think he’ll soon showcase an ability to be in the right place at the right time in terms of goalscoring and finding the much-needed killer pass, this will come with experience.

Conslusion:

A game which was the same but altogether all so different for a variety of reasons. United stuck to their customary counter-attacking blueprint against Arsenal but the personnel used to execute it and the manner in which they did so was so mind blowing that one must give great credit to the Great Man for even having the audacity to dream it up let alone it actually succeeding.

Hernandez will feel depressed at letting his shot to goal ratio exceed a goal every shot, but his fast developing partnership with Rooney and it’s effectiveness against big teams is a source of excitement for all United fans, although Berbatov can’t be too pleased about it. O’Shea and Gibson did a good job in the centre even though they didn’t see much of the ball and Valencia’s return was a much needed tonic after the horrific injury that Nani received courtesy of Jamie Carragher.

Score: 2-0Venue: Old Trafford Date: Saturday 12th March Kick-off: 1715 GMT

Man Utd (4-4-2):

Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra (Paul Scholes, 81), Wes Brown, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic, Da Silva Fabio (Luis Antonio Valencia, 46), Da Silva Rafael (Ryan Giggs, 64), John O’Shea, Darron Gibson, Wayne Rooney, Balcazar Javier Hernandez

Arsenal:

Manuel Almunia, Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Johan Djourou, Kieran Gibbs, Vassiriki Abou Diaby (Aaron Ramsey, 72), Samir Nasri, Pereira Neves Denilson (Marouane Chamakh, 60), Jack Wilshere, Andrey Arshavin (Tomas Rosicky, 72), Robin van Persie

Referee: Foy

Written By

Raees Mahmood – Follow me @ www.twitter.com/redrae7_mufc