The exact same thought entered my mind. We're basically having to play stronger teams for 2 extra games in order to save 2 games.
Arsenal 22/23 - go to new thread
- Thread starter horsechoker
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Yup agree with all of this , ive been impressed with United so far (definitely moving in the right direction) and with the terrible start of Liverpool (along with tough starts for Spurs/Chelsea) it looks like United are primed for third.
I do think the other contenders Will improve after the World Cup (Most of Liverpools team arent going/ won't start and Potter will have more time to train etc) but if United can keep it up then EtH will have massively exceeded my expectations for his first season (Even if the likes of Liverpool/Chelsea and Spurs have disappointed).
Ive been pretty vocal about the good work that Arteta has been doing for the past year or so (which wasnt that popular on here to begin with) but they have definitely achieved more than i expected them to so far.
A couple of injuries to key players (especially Partey) and they will fall off massively (in terms of a title challenge with city) because they are relatively thin in squad depth (injuries in midfield and to their full backs killer their top 4 challenge last year) but I would have to think they are absolutely nailed on for top 4 at this stage (and most likely 2nd).
I’m guessing you also watched your convincing team get convincingly spanked at Old trafford too? Let’s be honest, Arsenal ended up gladly keeping it down to a 3-1 loss.
Why would Arsenal want to give up in the EL when it’s their only realistic chance of a major trophy?
You’re right, imagine thinking that 3/4 of your back not being on the pitch may have some sort of an impact. Truly laughable.Because White, Gabriel and Zinchenko would have made such a massive difference
We had several more shots and over 60% possession. It was hardly a "convincing spanking." Let's be honest, you didn't actually watch the game, did you?
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From a football point of view, yeah, Arsenal are a proper club and it's better for the league to avoid being turned into a one-horse race. From a personal point of view, I hate Arsenal, everyone associated with their club and I especially hate their entire fanbase so you can understand the internal conflict.
Also, worth saying, as much as I hate Arsenal I don't see any reason why they can't push City for the title.
well there is the odd exception
xG was pretty much equal and it doesn't count our VAR goal. Which granted was a borderline foul in the build up, but you fouled us all afternoon without any reprucutions. We also dominated possession and you were forced to play Oleball.
Yeah, I know. But its still a knockout format, so do we jeopardize a top four position for a trophy attempt. And only the PL and CL are major trophies, the rest are varying degrees of minor trophies. I'd say winning EL and a FA Cup have about the same relevance.
In the end Man Utd won and they were very efficient in counter attack.
I really hope you guys win it. I just don't want City or Pool winning.
I am pretty certain this season the target is still the 4th place trophy. Everything else is just a bonus.
Well it won’t count a goal that was disallowed as it wasn’t a goal. Your goal, and only really attempt, was down to a mistake by Varane by the way.
No idea what Oleball is either but it involved tearing you apart repeatedly and you were fortunate we didn’t grab a few more goals by full time.
I don’t think the argument is whether United won… they clearly did. I’d even say they “deserved” the win (I’m not a fan of that term) as their finishing was clinical and we were tactically naive in the last 30 mins.
But it clearly wasn’t a “spanking”.
Huh ? I mean i love those 14 Fa Cups but come on, a european trophy even if 2nd tier, is still way more relevant. Plus the ridiculous money it entails for the following season.
It wasn’t a spanking as such but De Gea has very little to do. You dominated possession and we hit you with quick direct football during turnovers. On each occasion we cut through pretty easily and could have had a couple more by full time.
You did the same thing to Liverpool when you beat them this season. I think @ThierryFabregas calls it ‘Oleball’ or something?
Got really confused and thought you were replying to yourself for a second.
Haha. I tried to get my ID change but apparently it is not allowed.
There is more than one way to play football and in that game Man Utd was very efficient in counter attack. I was still happy with Arsenal's performance in that game though. The passing out from the back under pressure was implemented very well.
I think the world cup being when it is and Ten Hag being new here has dictated this decision, rather than a desperation to finish 1st in the group. I suspect he wants to bed this system in with his preferred players as soon as possible, and with this effectively playing as two half seasons he's using every fixture as a learning opportunity
Squad depth.
You do realise in a football match when a team is winning, their strategy changes?
I’m guessing you missed the easy sitters we missed which should have made it at least 6 goals as opposed to Arsenal’s “possession” with no bite. Thought so.
I mean you can get all giddy about possession which has RAWK net spend vibes tbh. I’m guessing Leicester were the better team at Emirates then as they had more possession than Arsenal despite losing 4-2?
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Check post above. Obviously a team which is winning is going to concede possession.
Go back and check the easy chances we missed. It’s not an exaggeration when I say it should have been at least 6 goals.
That's not at all what happened. They dominated us totally before their equaliser and looked likely to win at that point.
We looked likely to win against Chelsea and Newcastle but we didn’t. That’s a pointless statement. Arsenal bottled it, not our problem. We ended up winning comfortably and should have scored more.
Hardly Oleball. But yes, OK, you were good that day- but then you should be after having a few years with your new mananger and his project, whereas ours is barely 6 months in. The problem I have with Arsenal fans is that they are ridiculously arrogant... ie, as a generalisation, not saying that you are personally - I don't know you beyond this rather overblown quote.
You said they were convincingly spanked. Anyone who watched that game knows that's simply untrue.
There is definitely an arrogance with some. That poster you quoted for sure.
He calls United beating them by playing Oleball which is nonsense and suggests they were hard done by and turned over by some rudimentary tactics.
What’s more baffling than them, as good as they are, being easily beaten by Oleball, is the fact they actually used very similar tactics themselves when playing Liverpool this season. Arteta said as much himself following the game.
Rashford has been playing many games at CF so Sancho has been a starting winger for a-lot of this season and he has been dropped. Otherwise then we do not have a starting striker, well we have Ronaldo but I won’t say much about him.
Tomiyasu is a RB who is actually very good, so Ben White has been under pressure, he is just playing well so keeping his place.
So we bottled it against Newcastle and Chelsea then. Or maybe its the case that our attack is not functioning at the required level yet and thats why we dropped points
Yep. Fully agree.
Wow, it's like Groundhog Day in here. How long has it been since the game and still the same discussions are going on about it? Utd won and it deserved to win, Arsenal played ok in the middle 3rd but let themselves down at either end of the pitch, and that's where games are won and lost..
Both sides have done plenty good things since as well, debate and discuss them.
Both sides have done plenty good things since as well, debate and discuss them.
People still talking about the United game? Weve moved on winning 16 out of the next 18 points. As far as the performance goes, most Arsenal fans were happy with the performance but acknowledge the execution wasn't quite right. However the tempo and approach was consistent with how we want to play, which is to get on the ball and get players forward playing a high press high line. We also did not have Partey playing and Lokonga was playing. I get the feeling Lokonga wont last much longer, especially now he is speaking out in the press. Can see us going for Danilo in January as Brazil season will be over.
We will do the same again against Chelsea this week. We wont treat them any different and will look to choke them high up the pitch and make them do plenty of defending. Its an expansive and high-level brand of football and we are executing it more often than not.
The Liverpool and Tottenham wins were good. But an away win at a top 6 club is the next step to proving our title credentials.
We will do the same again against Chelsea this week. We wont treat them any different and will look to choke them high up the pitch and make them do plenty of defending. Its an expansive and high-level brand of football and we are executing it more often than not.
The Liverpool and Tottenham wins were good. But an away win at a top 6 club is the next step to proving our title credentials.
Forced us to play Oleball
Still think we will finish above them. But they would definitely be in the top four (unless if they really lose the plot). Reckon we should try and pry one of saka or martinelli over before the inevitable bumper contract comes to the table. Can see saka ending up at man city and martinelli at liverpool anyway. So might as well put a bid on the table to try turn their heads.
Players come and go so Saka and Martinelli are free to do whatever best for their own career, but why not give a chance to your own academy players?
It’s interesting that you adopted an approach much like United’s v Arsenal when you played Liverpool though.
Are you really, really, gonna try the Academy card on a Utd forum?