Man United vs Arsenal 09.03.2025 - KO 16:30 GMT

The first thing that comes to mind is that this is a fixture that’s been given a billing that it really doesn’t in all truth deserve, I actually think our game against Forest was a bigger game than this. The other thought is that we are both in the same boat in regards to struggling to score goals. We have no strikers and the only competent striker they had was sent on loan to Villa for being a naughty boy.

I fear that games like PSV lull us into a false sense of security, my Arsenal supporting mate who hates Arteta where as I only dislike him was saying to me that the reason we couldn’t score against West Ham and Forest was because we weren’t ambitious enough in terms of pushing up (i don’t think we did push up any higher against PSV than those teams, I just think there was less protection for their back four). I have come into conflict with people here because I do not believe there was anything we could have done to score goals other than some fluke shot that deflected in. Whilst the system we play slows things down and allows teams time to get back into position, I think ultimately as I say it’s shuffling deckchairs on the titanic and I’m not sure we are capable of drastically changing the way we play in any event.

Ultimately PSV for our first three goals were able to get back into defensive shape, but they were too inept to cut out rudimentary crosses, passes or even clear their lines. I would expect better from a non league team let alone one in the premier league. Would love to be wrong, but I do not expect goals in premier league games before Saka’s return and therefore the object has to be not to give away silly goals.

Have no doubt that United will just stubbornly sit in a low block and look to catch us when we’re high up the pitch.

I don’t know and I don’t really care for this fixture, guessing 0-0 or maybe a narrow defeat for us.

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Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

Have no doubt that United will just stubbornly sit in a low block and look to catch us when we’re high up the pitch.

I don’t know and I don’t really care for this fixture, guessing 0-0 or maybe a narrow defeat for us.

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I know they beat us in the FAC and I didn't see most of that game, but from what I heard that was a bit of a fluke and in general I'm not sure they're good enough to get away with a low block, in any case surely at home to a traditional rival they will have to come out a bit, or maybe that's just naive on my part?

If they do try to be a bit more positive, then if we can play like we did against PSV, against that Man U defence I'd be disappointed if we couldn't find the back of their net once or twice.

But we need to allow for a soft pel ofc, which Fernandes will put away, plus Garnacho is very dangerous so White/Timber will need to watch him closely

But as long as we don't see Zin versus Amad we might be ok

But still, 3-0 Fernandes ;)

I hope we win, tbh.


I'm expecting it to be a slog.

Chido Obi-Martin could start apparently.

Would be quite galling if he were to make an impact.

1-3 I reckon.

It’s also Arteta’s 200th league game in charge of Arsenal

Of the previous 199

We’ve won 118

Drawn 36

Lost 45


At Home

Won 65 drawn 17 lost 17


Away from Home

Won 53 drawn 19 lost 28

Goals scored : 378 (1.9 per game)

Goals conceded : 201 (1.01 per game)


Clean sheets: 76 (38.2%)

Calafiori in for Lewis Skelly as the only change from midweek

Another interesting stat is that we’ve underperformed our XG slightly this season (this surprises me as I often think we don’t create enough)

But our average XG this season is 2.07

And our average goals per game is 1.88

Bit different to last season where our average XG was 2.22

And our average goals per game was 2.39

Oh also Martinelli is on the bench

Manchester United: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Lindelof, Dalot, Yoro, Casemiro, Eriksen, Garnacho, Fernandes, Zirkzee.
Subs: Mee, Harrison, Fletcher, Moorhouse, Heaven, Collyer, Amass, Obi, Hojlund.

Arsenal Raya, Calafiori, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Partey, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Trossard, Nwaneri.
Subs: Neto, Tierney, White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Sterling, Martinelli.

Merino drags it wide.

Lovely from Trossard and unlucky with the strike.

Textbook so far.

We’re comfortably the better team but sod all to show for it in the final third.

Zirkzee getting his hair done

1-0 Fernandes freekick.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost...

1-0 Fernandes freekick.

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Oh well game over

Us. :rose:

1-0 HT. :lol:

Incredibly predictable so far.

Nwaneri robbed by Dalot who then puts it out of play

quality football :rolleyes:

Rice...

What a save from Raya.

Nwaneri and Calafiori off, Martinelli and Lewis-Skelly on.

Martinelli coming on, let's hope we're not playing him ahead of time

typically pointless FK from Ode, I have zero anticipation of a goal when we get those now

RICE!!!

Rice 1-1

what a strike !

who was it that fucked up there before Rice intervened? Merino?

ED: yes it was Merino, terrible

Martinelli :doh:

Offside AND missed

amazing double save from Raya

Raya has saved our bacon

1-1 FT. Shite.

FT 1-1

Probably should have lost but oh well. Meaningless game.

1-1 FT

Another fail

Arteta has spent five years building a team and tactics that can't beat a low defensive line. Ever. :clap:

Don’t think we could have complained too much if we’d lost

I don’t think we played that badly either, just lacking goals. As I’ve tried to continuously point out if you don’t have a forward line let alone a striker, you’re not going to score goals unless the defence is non league. All this stuff about tactics is for the birds, it matters if you’ve got forward players and you’re not creating enough chances…but we don’t

As we aren’t in the hunt for the title anymore, the result is ok(ish) in guaranteeing second place

It's amazing even now how our minds turn to jelly going to Old Trafford.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost...

It's amazing even now how our minds turn to jelly going to Old Trafford.

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Meh, only lost there now twice in the last seven league visits

Plus our Old Trafford malady goes back well before the premier league. Just looking now, the last time we scored more than two goals on that ground was 1970 :lol:

Really have to beat Chelsea next weekend now otherwise missing out on the top 4 (or 5) will become a possibility.