Manchester United vs Arsenal

Figured I'd start a game thread .

It's half-time, and I felt I'd offer my early morning observations about the game so far.

1. Giggs is frickin' useless. If Inter really have offered 25m pounds, take it. Now. Before they realize he's finished. John O'Shea has been United's most dangerous player on the left side tonight.

Today, Giggs has managed to blow a glorious scoring chances on a cross from Solksjaer (as underrated as Giggs is overrated). He's botched about 4 forward runs that should have resulted in crosses. On one, which should have been an easy cross to RVN or a goal... he got taken by SILVAIN WILTORD! Not somebody known for defense...

2. This game should be over. McKeown punched RVN when the referee was further advanced. It was a violent play, totally unrelated to the action. While RVN probably was faking a bit, there's no doubt that he got hit hard in the head. The red card should have come out, but the referee was downfield. Man U have dominated so far, w/just occasional lapses... so against a 10 man Arsenal the match would be practically over.

3. Veron is the most inconsistent player on any team in any sport in the world. He looked brilliant in the early game, slicing open Arsenal's back and knocking a Scholes cross home.

Since then, he's totally botched a corner, gifted possession repeatedly, and generally failed to be a threat.

To be honest, I think Forlan should have started this game. Forlan's been just about everything Man Utd WANTED Veron to be in the last week or so... but after the goal, I guess I was mistaken, there .

4. Where are the cards? This was a very clean game until about 35 minutes, then it looked like Arsenal got frustrated. Viera has made several very late, rash challenges. He should have been carded on perhaps two of them.

Incidentally, I know the ref wants to prevent RVN and McKeown from going at it... but he's now calling a free kick anytime one of the two touches the other. Usually against RVN, it seems .

5. Henry looks far more dangerous w/o the ball, but RVN is better w/the ball. RVN hasn't had a single clear-cut shot opportunity, but created the 2nd best chance of the night with great footwork and a magnificent shot. Henry continually tests United's defense with his speed and great movement... but he had a 1-on-1 with Barthez, and competely blew his shot. Arsenal's only good chance of the half.

6. Where does Ferdinand fit? I know he's going to start, but I'd hate to bench any of the guys on the pitch today. Wes Brown, Silvestre, and O'Shea have all been spectacular. O'Shea, in particular, has controlled his side of the pitch and has even been good advancing. Gary Neville has been solid but unspectacular.

If anyone's awake, and has FSW, turn this game on. It's been magnificent so far.

 

Game over... Man Utd 2, Arsenal 0.

1. Magnificent display. How did Man Utd ever lose to the likes of Bolton and draw w/the abysmal West Ham? They looked like the best team in the world, this morning.

2. Every single Man Utd players acquitted himself fabulously... except Giggs, and to a lesser extent, Solksjaer late in the game. Solksjaer just looked tired, and perhaps Forlan should have come on for him.

But what's up with Giggs? I realize that Man Utd owes him a great debt for past success... but he botched another cross w/Man Utd outnumbering Arsenal in the box, then managed to fail to score when a ball was sent into the box for him w/only the keeper to beat after a free kick. Giggs got a touch on, but sent it straight at the keeper. It wasn't the sort of thing that anybody's going to score on every time... but you should somtimes, and this year, Giggs hasn't been.

3. Henry was completely silent in the 2nd half. Man Utd's central defenders completely eliminated him from the game. Rio's return really will be difficult. Blanc is probably done at Old Trafford, barring injury.

4. Phil Neville looked a lot like Roy Keane out there without the lapses of sanity. He's not quite as good in setting up the attack, but in terms of winning possession and controlling the midfield, he outplayed his more celebrated opponents. I'll hate to see him benched for the fiery(and somewhat insane) Keane.

5. Veron actually made tackles! I could hardly believe it.

6. Man Utd needs a bit more pace, Arsenal has too much of it. The only time Arsenal ever threatened Man Utd was when Henry, Ljungberg, or Cole simply outpaced the Man Utd defenders. However, Arsenal seemed to rely on this sometimes, when holding the ball up and setting a better-organized attack would have been advantageous.

Man Utd, meanwhile, continually had RVN caught off-side because he tried to make up for his somewhat lesser speed by cheating a bit. Scholes and Veron were magnificent... but you couldn't help but wondering if part of the problem servicing RVN was the lack of a pacey partner to take the pressure off of him.

 

No offense taken. I can't be accused of bandwagoning, since I just started liking them last year. Until then, I pretty much just routed for the New England Rev and whoever was playing Real Madrid.

I have a habit of taking to "fallen giants," for whatever reason. I also like the fact that Man Utd has brought up a lot of players through their youth system. Sure, they've bought some players... but they're not like Real with an army of mercenaries.

EDIT:

oh yeah, in response:

1. I don't like Chelsea. Maybe it's just because of their early season gaffs, but they seem a bit fragile to me.

2. Man Utd's defense was spectacular tonight. If their defense had played this well last year, they'd still be champions. Where exactly do you see the uncertainty?

Incidentally, I still think Arsenal's going to win out. Unless Man Utd gets another goal scorer, I think they just have too much trouble creating W's instead of D's sometimes.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Man Utd had the fewest losses, but if Arsenal won the league. That style of play isn't given to draws...

 

GBRocksFan:

Damn, you really do dislike Man Utd. Their defense isn't perfect, but surely O'Shea and Brown are better than average. O'Shea, in particular, is dangerous as a full back in an advanced position. And despite his youth, I've yet to see any forward beat him.

I would agree that Ferdinand in inconsistent, but he's still young for a center back.

Gary Neville definitely gifted Man City this year, but that's the only real mistake I've seen him make. Phil Neville is better in the mid-field, and I agree that he's relatively poor at the back.

The only thing the defense really lacks that I can see is pace. Counterattacks seem to bother them more than most.

I didn't think Arsenal played poorly at all. It was the best played match I've seen all season, in terms of two sides playing great soccer. The Real Madrid - Milan match is the only other one that I can think of that comes close.

More than anything else, Arsenal just couldn't do anything against the United defense that wasn't a result of pace. Pires, in particular, was spot-on with his passing. Cole looked more dangerous than anybody else, largely because he wasn't being marked until he already had space and the ball. Viera probably did have a sub-par game.

 

GB:

ESPN owns the American CL rights, and only broadcasts a single game on Tuesday. I get to see most of the major matches in the EPL on FSW (though sometimes on replay). The Roma game was more a magnificent individual effort by Henry than anything else, right?
Arsenal has probably played better than any other team this year. I think Inter, Arsenal, or Milan will probably win it all this year. I would put Utd in there, but I think their goal scoring's too likely to dry up at some point in the elimns.

O'Shea's better as a left back, imho. Which is convenient, since I've been more impressed by Silvestre in the center. Barthez, of course, is erratic.

Incidentally, one might say that the record speaks for itself. Despite Barthez' slips, Man Utd has a very good defensive record this year... scoring goals has been the problem . Hopefully, that'll change if a new striker gets brought in.

As a follower of MLS, I'd die of rapture if it happened to be Landon Donovan. But of course it won't . Still, I hope he gets picked up by a mid-table club as a compromise to him returning to Germany (which he doesn't like). I think he could do wonders for a team like Boro.

 

Heath:

That's the same team that put Man Utd in a poor position in the beginning of the season.

Blanc looks effective in man-marking a single striker... but he doesn't seem to ever help out anyone else. I think he's at his best when the other side has a single player that's a true threat... like Owen at Liverpool or Shearer at Newcastle.

The rest of the time, I'd rather have some combo of Silvestre, Brown, Ferdinand, and O'Shea constituting the center.

About Giggs... I know he's been great in the past. But why not give him a rest, at least, and start Forlanor or Solksjaer over him, both of whom have been far more effective on th attack in the past couple of months? Not like Giggs adds much to defense. At least give him incentive to play better.

Also, Forlan and Solkjaer can both double as a forward in addition to a winger. That leaves Scholes to the midfield role in which he's looked much, much, much better.

 

Funny how Alex McLeish totally reversed Rangers fortunes against Celtic...

...but when are Celtic and Rangers finally going to join the EPL? Looking at the SPL table is funny. Last I checked, only Celtic and Rangers had positive goal differentials. They clobber the rest of the league so badly that even the #3 team concedes more than it scores.

I watch SPL games involving the Glasgow giants now and then if I want to see a lot of scoring... but the other teams are horrific.

 

I dunno... Celtic looked good in dismissing Blackburn form the UEFA cup. I could see them vying for a place in the UEFA or Inter-toto cup initially, even if they'd probalby just come up just short.

They've certainly got the attendance and facilities to become upper-midtable in the future, don't they? I'd have to think it would help them attract players and make more money to be in the EPL.