Vintage Rivalry Review - Manchester United vs Arsenal, 29th August 2009

1990 – The Beginning
In reaction to a late challenge, McClair kicked Winterburn repeatedly, as he lay prone on the ground, igniting a 21 man fracas. FA docked Manchester United a point and recouped two points from Arsenal (who went on to win the 1990-91 league title). The Arsenal-Manchester United Rivalry was officially inaugurated!.

1996-2001 – The War of Words
The war of words started between Arsene and Fergie. Some of the exchanged verbal attacks included:

“I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast, he speaks five languages.” – Fergie, on arrival of Arsene in England in 1996.

“It’s wrong the league programme is extended so United can rest up and win everything.” – Arsene complaining about Manchester United’s fixture list in 1997.

“They wouldn’t have waited for three months if it was a United player…….our disciplinary record is tremendous. I’m very proud of it.” – Fergie on the delay of disciplinary hearings on Patrick Viera and Thierry Henry.

“One thing I will say is that he doesn’t disturb my nights at all. We didn’t do anything, but if we are clever, that’s a compliment.” – Arsene responded.

2001-2005 - The Tiffs, The Kicks and The Pizzas
10 years later after the first official kick, came the most fiercest period of rivalry between the two clubs. In the course of 2001-2005, EPL witnessed Kanu leaping over Wiltord to claim the title for Arsenal in 2001-02 at Old Trafford; Van NistelRooy missing the penalty and antics of Lauren and Keown; much-yearned battleground tiffs and the famous tunnel incident between Vieira and Keane before the kick-off; Neville’s frolics to kick every Arsenal player in the midfield, Rooney’s dive to break the gunners’ 49 unbeaten in league record and pizza chucked at Fergie after United 2004 victory at O.T.(In his autobiography, Ashley Cole made us yawn by giving the hint that the arsenal player behind the pizzagate incident was neither english nor french. Loser! i just can’t avoid him) and the list goes on.

Champions League Semi-Final 2009
After defeating Arsenal on aggregate 4-1, Evra declared “We were 11 men and they were 11 children.”. And these words are still alive in the heart of every gooner

Today - 29th August, 2009

Arsenal and Manchester United are back again today to lock their horns at Old Trafford. And, God and I yearn once again for a footclassical clash of the titans and the march of two clubs to the warpath of old rivalry.

Both the clubs have been weekend in the summer. As a tradition for both the clubs – Heroes came, Heroes Left.

But clubs will continue!

Today’s tie is just not just Arsenal against Manchester United for 3 points. Its beyond that.

Today’s tie could give a massive boost to Arsenal squad to firmly set on 2009-10 title challenge.

Today’s result may bring back the old days of Arsenal’s premier league authority.

Today’s tie may rekindle the old but subdued rivalry.

Today’s tie can prove it once again that Arsenal Manchester United Rivalry is indeed a Vintage Affair to cherish about.

Come on Gunnersssssssssss, Show them what you’ve got!
Roll on 9:45 pm !

Here is a preview video compiled by Comp-Art using latest clips.

Ciao.

God is a Gooner. Cheers!

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Can Arsenal turn it around?

Arsenal have always had a consistent approach to the way they play their football. They have never differed from their footballing philosophy but consistency is something that hardly goes in conjunction with Arsenal FC nowadays. Results and performances such as the wins against Manchester United and Chelsea and matching Liverpool brilliantly after being a man down would have every football fan believe that they are having a great season. But a quick look at the points table reveals the other half of the story when you see them fighting for the fourth place with Aston Villa.
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal’s talismanic manager and probably the manager with the least pressure to perform in this world of pressure cooker sports has always maintained that his side is good enough to mount a serious title challenge and his belief in his team was almost justified last season. Arsenal might be tempted to cite the recurrent injuries to their team as a reason for their derailed campaign but it is no secret that champion teams are not made by the starting eleven alone but by having an excellent squad. Wenger doesn’t have to look beyond his team to justify that cliché. Arsenal led the table in the premier league last season until the last third of the season and it was their trophy to lose from there. Injuries, lack of form, lack of a leader allowed Manchester United and Chelsea to cruise past them in the last third of the season. Wenger surely should have brought in a couple of more players in the summer, even more so, considering the departure of two his best players last season, Flamini and Hleb.

Arsenal had a great chance on the Boxing Day to remind Villa that they still have a long way to go before considering themselves as a potential team in the Champions league. But as we have come to know them this season, they squandered a two goal lead and have instead given Villa a huge boost. There was a sense of purpose from both the teams
as the match started but only one team had actually issued a statement of intent. Aston Villa had to show the world that they are no mere flash in the pan and are actually capable of achieving a top four finish. They could have finished the match within the first half an hour when they were denied thrice by the woodwork. But like any other good team, Arsenal, stayed in the match, displayed their mental fortitude and took the lead against the run of play. Diaby added to the first one within ten minutes of the second half and that surely should have wrapped up three points for them.

Amidst the amazing come back by Aston Villa, people have forgotten the generosity displayed by Arsenal after they bagged the two goals. With the kind of experience they have at the back, they surely, more than anyone else on the pitch, should have known how to defend the two goal lead. Mind you, none of the goals scored by the Villains belonged to the bracket of outstanding or to the level of unstoppable football. Both the goals were conceded largely due to the lax and callous defending by Arsenal. Arsenal on that day had most of their experienced players, Almunia, Gallas, Toure and Silvestre playing in the defence yet they would have conceded many more goals if not for the heroics of the outstanding Sagna. Lee Dixon, Arsenal’s former defender and great had been reiterating all week the need to defend deep when a team does not have the required personnel in the mid-field to pressurize the opposition. Arsenal, clearly, should have defended deep that day especially when they were up against Agbonlahor, the quickest in the league. As a manager one can only work out the tactics and the game plan but what goes on in a players mind on the pitch is widely out of a manager’s control. Gallas, should have learnt from his mistakes from the game against Liverpool when they conceded a goal to Robbie Keane from a similar set of play. They allowed him to run behind the defence, collect the long ball and dispatch it home. Gallas should have definitely had that in mind as he was up against a player who is quicker and in better form than Keane. Such naivety from an experienced defender led to a desperate plunge which in turn into a goal and a ray of hope for Villa.
If the first goal was a mistake in the game plan of the defence, the blunder committed for the second was even more elementary. Aston Villa gave their all, pulled all stops to get the equalizer and they had four players in the box, rightly so, when Zat Knight received the ball. To everyone’s amazement there were only three Arsenal defenders defending against those four Villa players and this was in the final few minutes of the match when they were sucking in the Villa attack. One is tempted to ask where the other defenders were when the ball was being whipped into the box. Arsenal had five established defenders at that point of time and along with Denilson and Diaby they had enough numbers to deal with any sort of threat. If only they had a clear game plan and answers for these questions.

Villa have certainly showed us this season that they are good enough to be in the top four one day. It might not happen this season, as I, for one, believe Arsenal have too much quality to let that happen. Neither are good teams made in a fortnight nor the good ones become bad overnight and Arsenal certainly is a good team.

Salute to Hull, But Arsenal will bounce back

If I would have given everything to be at Emirates in mid-week when Arsenal ripped-apart Sheffield United , my commitment was same for the loss, which broke the 25 games unbeaten at home streak, in last game against Hull City. I guess its same for all the matches anyways.

They say arsenal needs to win even when they dont play well? Yes they should. If you ask me I want arsenal to win every hell of a game against any tom-and-jerry club in any penny-used-for-toss competition with our yet-to-pass-middle-school kids !

But why can't Arsenal do that? They do, but rarely. Not as frequently as Chelsea or lets say, Manchester United manages the same. Majority of the current Arsenal squad is shaped and dressed up in last 3 years. They are young, they have grown together and share the same metality on pitch. It forms the basis for their link-up and free-flowing football on pitch. So when they play good, they do it in team and when they suck, they suck together. All teams have
their bad days in offices. But if we see Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, they always have someone on the field who can change the course of the game on his own, when the rest of the team's performance is below par. Ronaldo for Manchester Unite; Gerrard, Torres for Liverpool and Lampard or may be Ballack for Chelsea. I see no one like that in Arsenal. Not even Fabregas, not even Adebayor. The reason is their playing style. HOw many times we have seen a goal from Arsenal as a result of totally one man's presence? Not many instances are there, as Wenger's play is purely a team-play.

I give full credit to Hull City for showing their courage and play at Emirates on Saturday. They have showcased what other mid-table and low-table English Primier League teams haven't dared to do at Emirates. They followed their system of play and scored 2 wonderful goals and just not dedededededefendeing (its defending with 10 men out of 11 on pitch) and banking on catching Arsenal at counter-attack. Where the first goal by Giovanni was a typical example of flamboyant long-range curl, the second inch-perfect header by Cousins (sadly hasnt received as much appreciation as the first goal got) was equally commendable. Now Arsenal or any other top team couldn't have done anything about the first goal. And the second goal came so soon (Gallas waited for 4 minutes to spectate that) after the first, like some cast was spelled which turned the match upside down within no time.

Unlike last season when Arsenal mastered scoring in last 15 minutes and everybody expected them to level-up atleast, they failed to do so. Arsene Wenger brought on Vela and Bendtner and i guess, i was seeing Arsenal playing with four strikers for the first time in my football fan life. It was bizarre atleast for me. I guess Arsene Wenger should have stuck to his system and might have brought one striker instead of two. You just cant put all 4 in or around the box and expect a goal. But he is the boss and boss knows. They came close when the captain hit the bar and Vela failed to guide it inside. Interestingly, he was smiling afterwards.

So, one shocking result and should the fans demand an explanation? (as this article suggests http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/steven-beacom/steven-beacom-arsenal-fans-need-answers-from-wenger-13987492.html - somebody please kick him).
Should Arsene Wenger be forced to make considerable changes? I dont guess so. I understand that. Fans understand that. And Boss understands that. Nasri is back and he will certainly play a part. Lets see. But I am fully confident our guns will be loaded enough to bounce back and bounce back beautifully against Porto.

Come On Gunners..You want to go to Rome or not ??