Arsenal must end embarrassing Mourinho hoodoo

by .

Good banter travels far. The humorous comments section conspiracy theory grew legs yesterday and had a lot of people talking. Someone with contacts in the insurance world dropped this comment.

‘They were able to prove that the high profile player’s injury had in fact been caused by playing too many video games. In his case it was a knee injury caused by sitting on sofa for hours on end with his feet on the coffee table, This causes minor hyperextension of the knee. I think? Good luck with your conspiracy theory.’

Absolute gold.

This is mostly tongue in cheek, a lot of folk from countries outside England sending pelters my way because they don’t understand world class British bantz, but the reality is, spending that much time in front of a screen is really unhealthy. I know first hand what a corrupting influence the screen can be on your life, and I’m being absolutely genuine here.

My career has been built off the internet. Everything in my life past the age of 21 is owed to this blog, Twitter and the power of the Arsenal community. I’m on my phone a lot. This year, Apple added the screentime function. I was spending an average of 4.5 hours a day on my phone. That’s minus the computer screen I was sitting in front of.  If I went on a mad session, I couldn’t concentrate, I actually started to feel sick.

Don’t tell me that mad screentime doesn’t impact your life. It can be devastating to relationships, your work, and the outside world. Best thing I’ve ever done is delete all the time drainers. I don’t have Instagram, Twitter, Fishbowl, or my e-mail on my phone. I’ll bring Twitter back for games… but I remove them straight after.

The impact has been electric. I’m more present in everything I do. I’m a better boss, a better creative, and a better human.

Screens are a fucking cancer on the brain. But, you know, big thanks to 80% of the traffic that comes from mobile. I love you. Never leave me.

ANYWAY. Man United today. What a fucking exciting proposition we have.

Unai Emery not only has the chance to extend our incredible unbeaten run, he can potentially end the tenure of the most obnoxious manager in history. If Jose loses his job, the best he’ll ever do moving forward is Roma or Everton. This is a HUGE game for him.

We know what he’s going to do. It’s going to be a shit-house special. He’s going to set up to bully us out of the match. Fellaini will start, all his sharp-elbowed fiends will join. No doubt, all will have been sleeping outside in dog kennels. It’s going to be a shameful spectacle. The sort that’d give Graham Souness an erection. The type that’ll have Gary Neville lamenting the soft spine of Arsenal ‘yet again.’

But you know what? We’ll be prepared. We’ll be fired up. We have dirty players. This game could be an epic announcement to the rest of the league. This really is the chance to put the ‘soft Arsenal’ bollocks to rest. I can’t fucking wait.

United are utter shite. They’re 8 points behind us. Their goal difference is -1. The squad hates Mourinho. Pogba and the manager are at war as reality dawns that he’s not elite and United blew £94m on him. Sanchez would top himself if it weren’t for his dogs. No one is performing to the level they should be, mainly because they don’t want to.

The special one is dropping Arsene Wenger like statements in the press in a pathetic attempt to draw sympathy for his privileged attempt at making United a proper team.

“Before Palace, I said my target would be end of December in top four. Now the target has changed. Now we have to try to be very close to these positions. We need not to be so unlucky with problems that we have. We need some players to perform.”

“I can agree even though the investment Everton made was phenomenal,”

“I don’t think Everton will be in front of United by the end of the season.”

He is complaining about Everton’s investment! Un-fucking-real. What a pathetic man. The only reason United curtailed his spending this summer because his sporting director attempts have been utterly shambolic.

The press love him though, they don’t want him gone. The BBC ran an article about whether the Portuguese was getting harsh treatment.

‘However, there is frustration among some Old Trafford insiders who believe Mourinho is held to different standards, being compared both to his predecessors at United and rival managers at other clubs.’

ARE YOU KIDDING ME! The last time United were in a position this shite, it was under Moyesy. Jose has dropped £350m. If the ‘legends’ are critiquing a shite brand of football and 7th in the league, they are well within their rights.

But football is all about the hierarchy. Mourinho has a sharp tongue, he’s handsome and he’s won things. His failings can’t possibly be down to his lack of interest in developing his ideas, could it? And look, I spent 11 years arguing Wenger was past it, and regardless of how correct my commentary was, people still wanted to side with the ill-informed folk who pushed a ‘good old Arsene’ narrative.

The irony that the manager who nailed Wenger so perfectly is now begging for the same ‘look the other way’ treatment is not lost on any of us.

Anyway, I can’t wait for today. We should be winning this. But football is a cruel beast and Jose always raises the bar for Arsenal. Mix in the fact that Emery has never beaten Jose in 5 attempts, and you start to worry.

However, this is a different era, we have the winds of progress on our side, the Arsenal players will go to war for Emery, and it’s about fucking time we put the Mourinho hoodoo to bed.

I am so excited.

See you on the other side. x

P.S. Listen to my fucking podcast.

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Peter

where are u DM

Boomslang

Here

Peter

tr4thy

Mick Kartun

4

Boomslang

Trofee

Peter

Congrats Mick

Mick Kartun

Thanks Peter.

I am optimistic we will win tonight.

grooveydaddy

Bollox.

Leftsidesanch

gosh you guys are quick off the mark!

DM

Had to be somewhere this morning. Nice one guys

Leftsidesanch

I was apprehensive about this fixture even up to early this morning but I think we’ll do well.

I know Jose has selection problems but the fact he’s keeping his cards close to his chest suggests that some of these players may be back to feature.

ddkingz

Today’s match should be a must win for us…. Based on form, fighting mentality, never die, and winning spirit in the arsenal camp…. Prediction 1-2..

Then we focus on Huddersfield, why spurds play Leicester away from Wembley and Chelsea tackle man city…
Should be an early Christmas 🎄 🎁 for arsenal, if we mange to maximum 6 points from both games…

Though I also know a minimum 4 points will also be great…

# arsenal 4ever

Daz

Ozil odds-on to join man utd in jan

Graham62

The butterflies are a fluttering and the sense of anticipation is at maximum.

Wonderful feeling.

As highlighted yesterday, can’t see us losing tonight.

Maybe score draw or a 2-1 victory.

Savage

Rooney diving to end our 49-game unbeaten run. We’re still awaiting vengeance.

Freddie Ljungberg

https://www.teamtalk.com/news/impressive-derby-display-sees-real-madrid-ready-e20m-bid-for-arsenal-star This would be great if true, if the 15m Elneny talk is true that’s a winger basically covered from sales already. We really need to build from the great start we’ve had. If we are going to continue with playing 3 cbs we probably need to get another in january as well, Kos isn’t going to be up for it if someone gets a long term injury and Mavro is still not back in training. Need to beat Man U tonight, and I will gladly (instead of reluctantly) set my alarm to get up at 3 in the morning… Read more »

ddkingz

The minimum moanreenho would play for is a draw…. I remembered the first leg at emirate last season…. It’s almost on Par with this fixture today for some reasons though we are playing at old toilet this time around.. . 1) manure where shite in that game, all moanreenho just did was smash and grab on the counter, and they executed it perfectly by winning 3-1… This time around, they’ve been shite throughout the season, and we’ve been in form for not just two weeks but for the majority of the season, and we have Emery, who would watch how… Read more »

BacaryisGod

Have a nasty feeling we’re looking at 2-1 United today w/ Lukaku and Pogba scoring and Laca on the score sheet for us.

Hopefully, I’m wrong but I have had my fears since we over-celebrated the Tottenham win (a point Pochettino very diplomatically pointed out).

ddkingz

The minimum moanreenho would play for is a draw…. I remembered the first leg at emirate last season…. It’s almost on Par with this fixture today for some reasons though we are playing at old toilet this time around.. . 1) manure where shite in that game, all moanreenho just did was smash and grab on the counter, and they executed it perfectly by winning 3-1… This time around, they’ve been shite throughout the season, and we’ve been in form for not just two weeks but for the majority of the season, and we have Emery, who would watch how… Read more »

ddkingz

Sorry about the unfinished post…. Just a nuisance keyboard.. ..

HighburyLegend

Pedro can I have your opinion about what Unai said :
“Unai Emery believes Arsenal’s result against Manchester United on Wednesday will determine whether his side have turned a corner this season.”

I personally think that it could have been beter to wait the result before saying this… what do you think ?
If we lose tonight, those words might have some kind of a “boomerang effect” for him, putting a doubt on the progress of the team so far…

HighburyLegend

*better

HighburyLegend

By “before saying this”, I mean talking about this so calles “corner”

shaun

definately not a must win game,definately the biggest test on the run so far , it’s cold,up north and rainy so no way should Ozil be considered for this game…seeing a bit to much complacency from arsenal fans on this game to be honest…this is a tough one , got a feeling Lukaku plays and that spells trouble for Sokratis as he struggles against big strong and quick , I would start Ramsey in the middle for this game and maybe go 3-5-2 with guendouzi and torrieira sitting and hope Kolasinac has a monster like he did against the spuds… Read more »

HighburyLegend

*so called.

Pretty hard to use a keyboard when you’re not totally awake.

HighburyLegend

“seeing a bit to much complacency from arsenal fans on this game to be honest”

That’s exaclty what I think.

ddkingz

@Bacary is Satan…. Keep your caution/ nasty feelings to yourself and discuss it within your brain… Lukaku who hasn’t scored in two and a half until last week would score against us tonight …. Well that might be possible…. But for you to have the nasty feeling that pogba, who I’m sure haven’t scored from open play this season, would score against arsenal, is a sin purnishable by………. We are not losing today that for sure….. If we managed a draw by ht, you all know what the scoreboard would be by FT… Also want emery to try and end… Read more »

Leedsgunner

We have to stop stop stop gifting our opposition soft goals. (Yes, Mustafi, I’m speaking to you, please stop going to ground at every opportunity.) If we are to learn anything from the first half of the Spurs game, it is this. Spurs, in the first half, didn’t play better than us. They scored both of their goals against the run of play. Yes, it was brilliant we mounted a stirring comeback, but to be honest, if we were more disciplined a comeback should not have been necessary. I want us to be positive and have a real go at… Read more »

OleGunner

I am SHITTING myself over the game today; moreso than the Spuds game..
Really feels like we have to move heaven and earth to even just get a draw, no matter how crap Man Utd are they always have the upper hand over us.

Things are different now with Emery, but I cannot help being a nervous wreck.
I fucking hate the Manc scum so much.

Guns of Hackney

Seeing as everyone on here except me, is a sad, basement dwelling, porno addicted loser…the Le Grove community is in pole position to analyse the terrible effect computers have on a pasty, malnutritioned body.

Arsenal will beat United comfortably this evening. This could be the game that gets that repulsive Jose the sack.

Leedsgunner

We will either win it 1-0 OR 2-1.

Leedsgunner

Remember Gooners, if we win, I want you to sing it loud and proud to Jose…

“WE WANT YOU TO STAY…”

Goobergooner

Who were the teams of both managers when they played each other previously?

I’m going to assume Mourinho was at Real and give Emery a chance with a side on par (though above on Form) for a change.

Goondawg

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/danny-welbeck-to-leave-arsenal-on-free-transfer-cq7xkfgsq

Glad that we have a manager that puts the interests of the club first and foremost

HighburyLegend

Old Toilet = minefield for Arsenal.
+ we didn’t have 2 great performances in a row so far… maybe it’s for tonight ??

@Goobergooner : Emery was probably the Sevilla’s coach.

ddkingz

@ complancency….. Emery just have to be prepared for this game, though I also have the thought of complacency creeping into my head, it’s great for my heart ♥, because for once in about 3 yrs I really feel confident about going to OT…. The only person not allowed to feel complacent is Unai Emery, because he needs to prepare his boys for the tough test ahead, and not look United as weak…. Because against the big teams, they just tend to deliver…. Just hope United still see arsenal as small team, so they drop their guard and underperform…. So… Read more »

Pierre

Ddkingz “Sorry about the unfinished post…. Just a nuisance keyboard” I don’t know why you bothered anyway ….there is nothing of any substance in your posts ever .. Highbury Leg End. “Pretty hard to use a keyboard when you’re not totally awake.” Of course it is … Also pretty hard to use a keyboard when you are as thick as shit. Morning Graham How are you… Good to see someone on le grove this morning who has intelligence and humour . Leftsidesanch, Leg End and and ddkingz haven’t got a brain cell between them..I suppose that’s why they get on… Read more »

HighburyLegend

If I was a Manure fan – apart the fact to contact the Vatican for an exorcism asap –
I would be torn apart : “no way we can lose at home against those fuckers”… “but Maureen could been sacked if we lose.”

lol

HighburyLegend

lol Leg End… Pierre is like Britney : oops I did it again!!

I never get tired of this sucker lol

Leedsgunner

Although our U21s lost last night to Portsmouth, sounds like Saka and Daniel Ballard were the standout players.

Apparently Ballard has developed a reputation for goal line clearances… nice to know our academy is beginning to produce talents not only in offensive positions but defensive as well.

Leedsgunner

@Highbury @ 1023

Very very true and very very funny. We know how that feels like. 😉

HighburyLegend

“The press love him though, they don’t want him gone. ”

Just like they did with Pierre’s God.

Jay

Ozil to join manure… Mourinho’s parting fuck you to them?

Jay

Saying on talksport thus morning no new deal for welbeck. Totally agree with this.

Jay

Wenger would have given him 5 years ffs!

Jay

Welbeck 88 games missed through injury…

Goondawg

It was after Emery’ s game against Real Madrid when he was Sevilla coach, Mou infamously took out a sheet of paper detailing a list of errors the officials made lol

He also as manager of the home team at the Berneaubou should have allowed Emery to take the press conference first as is tradition, yet broke that long held rule

Bamford10

The Mirror has us starting as we did on Sunday except with Guendouzi replacing Xhaka and Lacazette replacing Mkhitaryan. So that would be Aubameyang through the center with Lacazette and Iwobi in support of him to either side.

I personally could see Emery starting Mkhitaryan rather than Iwobi — which would be better, IMO — but he may want to have Iwobi’s work-rate and physicality for the first 60 minutes.

Bamford10

“Meanwhile, Unai Emery has challenged Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to maintain the hot streak which has turned him into the Premier League’s hottest property. Aubameyang scored a brace in Arsenal’s 4-2 victory against Tottenham to become the first player to reach double figures in the league this season. The Gabon international has an impressive hit rate, netting with 10 of his 13 shots on target, and averaging one goal every 104 minutes. He is set to spearhead Arsenal’s attack when they head to Manchester United on Wednesday, bidding to extend their unbeaten streak to 20 matches, as well as claiming the club’s… Read more »

China1

If emery ends Mourinho at Utd he will go down as a cult hero for all time pretty much regardless of anything else

It would make everyone in the country who isn’t a Utd fan’s year and also be a fantastic step in the right direction building on the Spurs result

Dissenter

Bamford
I agree with you about starting Mykhi ahead if Iwobi today.
Mykhi has a point to prove. He has to be buzzing for this game… that’s why he starts., it because he has more quality.

This game is going to be a nasty desperate spectacle for United
We could become the club that gets Mourhino the sack. He’s on the ropes and he’s trying to clinch to get to the bell.

K.O. Mourhino

China1

But yeah practically speaking, the longer mou stays the longer they will remain irrelevant to the title race

But I’d still rather emery gets him the sack

HighburyLegend

It’s a strange feeling… because after all, “we want him to stay”.

But if you consider that, in the recent past, Arsenal has always give huge favors to Manure, we should win tonight.
lol

Dissenter

Joe/ Receding/Marko
Regarding our conversation yesterday.
I wasn’t trying to be a party pooper. I was just pinching myself to come back to earth after that bossy performance on Sunday. There’s an electric buzz around, like a sustained adrenaline high.
We’ve got to get off that at some point.

There are five very good teams in the league and I’m glad we are one of them.
Who gets what come May?…. only time will tell but we are a better team already and will be closer to the real Emery team this time next year.

Dissenter

Mourhino has destroyed United’s reputation.
You get the sense that Woodward will have to walk at some point.
They’ve made shambolic decisions, one after the other since Fergie left.
The worst decision was extending Mourhino’s contract.
I’m not even sure they can afford to pay him off because he had them insert some very punitive pay-offs should he get sacked.

Hope we smash them and he gets the sack so that United can come back and start snatching points off the other top teams when they bring in Zidane.

Champagne charlie

Been a hell of a long time since we’ve gone to Old Trafford with some faith in the players being able to:

1) Get a win
2) Not stand for any bullshit/bully antics

Fully expect Fellaini to get shit thrown his way following a customary elbow, also fancy Herrera to get levelled by Torreira at some point. If Guendouzi starts (I think he should) then he’s the only one who needs kept an eye on, got a red in him that lad…and I fucking love it.

Marc

ManU have us tonight, Fulham at home at the weekend which will be 3 points and then Liverpool away. If we can get a result tonight it will mean 4 points from 12, no way Mourinho survives that.

The bigger question is where do ManU go from there. The rebuilding job at ManU is bigger now than when Fergie retired and that was a poison chalice. Whoever comes in to replace Mourinho is going to need a huge budget and at least 2 seasons just to get things balanced. Amazing turn of events really.

Leftsidesanch

“Leftsidesanch, Leg End and and ddkingz haven’t got a brain cell between them..I suppose that’s why they get on so well”

What was that for? Not that I take anything you say seriously Paul. “Pierre” my backside.

Marc

CC

Mate you just see a brawl breaking out and Gooner’s everywhere screaming “fucking knock him out” at the TV.

Rick

Old Trafford insiders?
Jesus wept. That’s top BANTZ right there.

Marc

Dissenter

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with what’s going on. Mourinho wants the sack – apparently he’s had a row with MUTV now and is refusing to work with them for tonight’s match. ManU don’t want / can’t be seen to pay him off so it’s a dead lock, all the while they drift further and further into chaos.

Champagne charlie

“The rebuilding job at ManU is bigger now than when Fergie retired and that was a poison chalice.”

Don’t agree at all, they’ve got loads of talent in that squad and it’s the manager that’s shit. Bring in a good manager and they’ll be 50% better overnight.

Not the best defensive talents at the club, sure, but with their cash they could sign 3 proper players and be a totally new outfit under a better man. All about how much damage Mourinho is doing to some of the players as far as their commitment to United

Leftsidesanch

If we manage to secure all the points today, I’d point to their home fixture against Fulham as being the decisive one in terms of Jose keeping his job.

raptora

I’m not worried about overcelebrating Sunday’s result, being emotionally exhausted or complacent. I’m worried about us not being as physically sharp and energetic as we’ve been in most games this season. The West Ham game comes to mind where if we had the legs we would have added goals to our 1 goal lead instead of feeling lucky to get a draw. If we show our usual workaholism under Emery, we’ll most likely win. If not, then we could see the end of our run. Manure might not be the same dominant team as in the last 25 years, but… Read more »

gambon

Have a bad feeling about this game. One thing that’s absolutely for certain is we shot ourselves at OT. Not sure it’s such an easy game either. Away to 7th place is never a simple win…and when they have £90m players out there it’s even tougher. In recent years we have basically done ok at home in big matches (mostly drawing, the odd loss, the odd win) but away we lose routinely. I don’t think enough has changed yet to change this. We can’t defend at all, we will need at least a 2 goal lead going in to the… Read more »

Marc

CC

You’re assuming that a new manager comes in a gets the current players to all stay. At the moment you got Sanchez and Pogba constantly being linked with wanting out and a crop of players who’s contract are up in the summer including De Gea and Martial. If these players have decided times up it’s a huge job.

Dissenter

Champagne Yup, you got that right, Mourhino is such a whiny li’l bit*ch. He snatched Fred off the hands of City only to let him languish in the bench. He doesn’t know how to break players into the league. United will definitely improve the second he’s gone. It’s like shackles off and using a jumbo jet air draft to suck out pungent fart out of a room. How can a manger treat a young stalkier like Mourhino publicly treats Rashford? How does a manager tell any player that they are a virus in the squad. I’m not sure the vaunted… Read more »

Dissenter

This is yet another test of Emery.
So far he set the right emotional tone and kept his players grounded.
Momentum is every thing in sports, hopefully ours is still on after the game.

Champagne charlie

Marc I noted that in my final sentence, you’re right but I think everyone is going to think “thank fuck for that” when he’s gone and then it’s start at zero once again. A Zidane for instance would get players onside imo, but how good a manager he is remains to be seen? For me, United should cool their jets and identify the guy that has a vision for a Man United over the next 5 years. They’ve been hell bent on instant fixes with ‘names’ that have ultimately fucked things. They’d be mad not to try and get Allegri… Read more »

gambon

UTD will always be fine in the long term.

Financially they are so far ahead of all other UK teams.

We should just try and get as far ahead of them as possible while things aren’t working out.

Dissenter

***How can a manager treat a young striker like Mourhino publicly berates Rashford?

Leedsgunner

Mourinho clearly had the measure of Wenger and mentally he had the games won even before the teams even took to the pitch.

Wenger had an inferiority complex… and that transmitted to the rest of the team, and translated into their performances.

Well, that’s over now isn’t? Emery is not intimidated by Mourinho so neither should we.

I’m not underestimating them, but at their present state, Man United, is like a house of cards… very fragile and ready to fall.

All we need to do, is to give it
a little
push.

Guns of Hackney

Not sure what all the hubbub is about. Man yoo are shite. This isn’t a Ferguson side and Jose is finished. The yoo players are going through the motions.

I said yesterday I fancy us to win 3-0. I still maintain that. United have nothing.

Leedsgunner

I want Mourinho to stay as long as possible… because there’s only one person I can see coming in to take over from Mourinho…. and if he does, it will be like a ekectric shock to the system and United will be rejuvenated.

The next manager of Man United manager will be ZIZOU.

Jamie

Mourinho always has a way of galvanising his players when we face him. This will be a harder match than against Spurs.

I also think Emery was right when he said this game would show how much progress we’ve made, one way or the other. A win would be pretty sensational given our abysmal record against Mourinho and at OT in general over the years. A loss would show there’s still much work to be done on the training pitch. Seems about right to me.

Emiratesstroller

Before the Bournemouth game I stated that gaining 5 points [1 win and 2 draws] from 3 difficult games was my optimum expectation. It was certainly more than the expectation of most so called media experts [ex Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal players] who expected us to lose all three games. Sofar we have gained 6 points from first two games and we go into today’s game playing against Man Utd who have won most of the games at Old Trafford in last decade. Also against a manager in Mourinho who has also outperformed Wenger throughout his professional career in… Read more »

Leftsidesanch

As I mentioned yesterday, there have been a few instances over the last few years where I’ve fancied us to get something from United. I think the game where RVP scored against us. The game where they fielded a ton of defenders and the game that really announced Rashford to the stage.

With Emery it’s a fresh approach, there’s no psychological warfare from him to deal with from Mourinho and we’re also the side in better form. If we play the game and not the occasion so to speak then I think we will be okay.

Leedsgunner

*electric

gambon

Man Utd have still only lost 1 at home out of 6.

They have won 3 of 6.

This is FAR from a routine win.

There’s a reason every bookie has UTD favourites.

Bamford10

gambon

Fully agree that we were bad at OT under Wenger in the later years, but I think under Emery this group has a very different (and much better) mentality. I’m not saying we are going to win tonight, but I think we will play with more confidence and scrotum (for lack of a better word) than in recent years.

TT

@ Bamford10
scrotum…….would balls fit in for ye?

HighburyLegend

“I’m worried about us not being as physically sharp”
Especially 2 days only after the NLD…

“I said yesterday I fancy us to win 3-0. I still maintain that. ”
A bottle of champagne (not Charlie) for you if that is the correct score.

Dissenter

We have to start with Auba and Mykhi tonight.
No chance that we don’t.

alexanderhenry

Pedro

Here’s a view from Barney Ronay that differs from yours. I’d be interested in your take on it:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/dec/05/arsene-wenger-unai-emery-arsenal

Seems fair up to a point- cue me getting massacred on here.

Guns of Hackney

Fat bastard mikki might be a good shout. Something to prove I suppose.

I’d like to see us go for a win and make a statement.

Leedsgunner

Rumours are that United plan to play a greenhorn RB tonight. We should exploit this mercilessly. If Monreal is still out, I see Kolasinac doing a good job there tonight… considering he is such an attack minded wingback.

Interesting that neither ESR, W.illock or Eddie Nketiah played last night in the Checkatrade trophy… I wonder if they will be on the bench tonight… and feature against Hudddersfield in some capacity.

Dream10

Utd have the exact type of players to hurt us. When we play away to the top 6, the opposition wide players put in standout performances. Rashford and Lukaku will be instructed to attack the gap between Holding and Kolasinac on the left. Lukaku is in poor form, but he always caused Monreal and Koscielny problems when drifted out wide in his Everton days. Martial will do the same on the opposite side. Not sure we can afford to make it an end to end match as it bypasses the need for buildup play. Guendouzi has a bright future, but… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Gambon

As I wrote above I would take a draw tonight.

For all the optimism this is still going to be a very tough game. It will not be by
any figment of imagination a walkover at OT.

Arsenal have a long way to go before we start talking about winning these away games with absolute certainty.

Dissenter

Alex
Barnay Ronay wrote that provocative article just to get a reaction. It belongs in the Daily Mail, not the Guardian.
Emery has put his mark on the team. He’s doeent have the players he would like but with the withdrawal of Ramsey’s extension and benching Ozil…this is Emery’s team.

How many times do the players have to come out and say it before you can see that?
They train differently, approach games with tactical know-how and his game management is as anti-Wenger as it gets.

1000 Barnay Ronay articles won’t change the obvious.

Arse&Nose©

The only way Man Utd can win tonight is through being cynical play and having the officials on their side. The crowd at OT can always sway officials so we should take nothing for granted.

On the positive side, we are on form and our players have a big opportunity to show what they’re about tonight.

Bamford10

Alexander

No, Emery owes Wenger nothing. He is working with a decent but ultimately inadequate squad which was inadequately trained on all fronts (save for technical work) under Wenger.

The difference this season is down to three things, IMO: attitude and work-rate; the addition of certain new players (Torreira, Sokratis, Leno) to the XI; and the improvement in the play of certain other players (Bellerin, Xhaka, Mustafi). This is all Emery, even the last factor.

Paulinho

Just want to see us attack with conviction and commit players forward. We haven’t done that in over a decade at their place. We play as if there is an electric fence around their penalty area and attack in such a tepid manner that United end up drawing confidence from our inability to threaten and this seems to imbue them with confidence on the counter when we predictably concede possession high up the pitch.

Bamford10

Sorry, I should have included Guendouzi in my short list above of new players that have improved us.

China1

An early goal today could be absolutely killer

If utd are evens or in the game late on then anything could happen, but if we score inside 15 mins there’s a genuine chance we put them to the sword heavily

alexanderhenry

Dissenter

I’m not saying I agree with Ronay 100% . It’s an interesting and valid article though.

Dissenter

China
Actually the sweet scenario for me will be to go two goals down. Jesse Limgard scores and does his foolish celebration and Pogba scores a deflected goal and does his silly celebration.
Then we turn in the burners and bash them 4-2.
Tear the heart out while it’s still beating like a proper Viking.
Then our away fans start the Mourhino sacking party.

China1

If that plays out it would be glorious but I don’t want to be 2-0 down without knowing the final result haha

Bamford10

In order to be “valid,” his claims would need to be correct. For the most part, they’re not, so it’s not. So, no.

Graham62

ES

No team in world Football is guaranteed a victory at OT, even based on MU’s current form.

A draw would do me but a win would be super-duper.

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