From Barry the gooner : Very negative post but difficult to argue with
From Javi : Yippee!
When the jinx that is Myles predicts that Arsenal will be battered by ManU, I get some hope!
What does it say about the EPL, if a team that is said to be indeed as bad as Arsenal leads the league at any time of the season?
Arsenal isn’t perfect, agreed! But with all the areas that the team has to improve, I believe there must be something they are doing right to be where they are.
From William : Man United will crush Arsenal!!
I wish I could disagree with you.
From Dumile : thank you
I am grateful for this prediction: you are usually wrong.
From Andrew : Defenders
How can we be top of the league when we defend like this?
At the start of the season, I hoped that at least one of the new center back signings would turn out to be an a ‘gem’ of a find. But then I also thought that if Wenger was serious about winning a trophy, why gamble on a bargain basement defenders. It doesn’t make sense. If Arsenal are ‘so close’ to winning anything, then help the team. Help them take the next step and purchase quality defenders
We’re only top of the league because ManU didn’t play.
From Skeptical Gooner :ManYoo will “crush” Arsenal=jinx?
Myles,
Did you write that headline hoping for a reverse effect or something? Because some have said that you’re a jinx whenever you say Arsenal will beat someone?
I am so tired of seeing this shambolic defense. They won’t be able to keep an under-16 team of lads out, I’ll bet. I think this is not down to one factor; rather, it’s a combination of factors – Wenger’s inability to coach defense and reluctance to have players train anythng other than passing (Mannone says goalies trained as midfielders regularly..WTF?), his scouts’ inability to spot a quality CB, and the outdated ideas of his assistant manager Pat Rice.
I think a really good defensive coach as the assistant manager will be able to drill at least some sense into defenders that back away as soon as someone starts taking a shot or defenders that look like they’re high on cocaine so out of position are they sometimes. Granted that you can’t make an Adams out of a jackass like Squillacci or Koscielny, but obviously Pat Rice’s coaching and drills are not working either.
Who do you think can do a good defensive job if he was allowed to by Wenger? Given that some obvious choices such as Winterburn and Dixon have busy media careers, some like Adams are not palatable for Wenger.
From Erichero : Man Utd
Myles,
I hope you’ll be enough of a man to submit a public apology if your prediction of a “crushing” does not come true? We’re talking about the league’s best away team in Arsenal, not to mention the log leaders.
It’s an exciting game and I’m really looking forward to it, particular because this Arsenal team is a really exciting one. Football is about scoring goals – I guess the know-it-alls missed that point somewhere. Why is defense now the only thing that matters? Seriously, that’s a good question.
From James McKean : United
Couple of things, Myles.
I fear there’s a fair chance you’ll be proved right at Old Trafford. But this Arsenal team are better away, partly because away they’re not effected by the jittery Emirates crowd, and partly because they’re less gung ho, and therefore not as open to the counter. Last year they played well at points at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge (and lost both!), and this year they played well and lost at the Bridge. Its at home against these teams when they’ve been embarrassed.
I was at the Wigan game, and my thoughts were the same as yours re: RVP. He’s a player capable of some very good things but has always been enormously overrated by most Arsenal fans. If we could cross RVP and Chamakh together, we’d have a great chance to win the league!
I agree we miss Gallas, but I think it’s more for his determination than his defending. Our current centre backs are not in the same league as him, but I don’t think they’re as bad as you say. But there’s clearly not enough backbone and character in this team.
Also last year, we were very, very good against most, but outclassed by the best. Often on the counter attack against sides who knew that a patient approach would pay off.
This year every team looks dangerous against us. Is that because they’ve learnt to follow Utd’s and Chelsea’s template on how to beat us? Or is it because our new tactics (supposedly higher pressing, 2 nominally defensive midfielders (but both with the freedom to go forwards) rather than one detailed to remain back wherever possible etc) have left us more open anyway. I’m not sure yet, but I think it’s the latter!
From Alex Tenenbaum : United v Arsenal
Hello MP,
Bit harsh I think.. Let’s not forget this is the same United team who have lost lead after lead this season.
We’re top (them with a game in hand) having played 6 of last season’s top 8 away from home (the other two being United and Spurs). United meanwhile have travelled to Goodison and thrown a two goal lead, City and bored the pants off the country and drawn and Villa, drawn 2-2. Three grounds we won at.
I must agree with your sentiments about the CB’s. Squillaci is mediocre at best. No authority. No presence. If you’re going to buy a 30-year-old journeyman CB who has experience, the least you expect is a bit of authority. I actually think Koscielny would be fine next to Vermaelen (a bit like how Alex is great next to Terry but without him couldn’t defend a beachball). He is new to the Premier League and has some great attributes, i.e. he’s a phenomenal tackler and needs a voice next to him in his early months which he’s not had. Instead he’s got a buffoon headbutting him when he goes for a ball in the air.
But our away form has been good. We’ve not performed badly anywhere and were very unlucky at OT last season (also without Cesc). Don’t rule us out. If Song stops trying to be Zidane and Arshavin stops pretending to be Adebayor we have half a chance.
Since the Premiership started we’ve not scored more than 1 goal at OT in the league.
Amazing really. But we never had Samir Nasri and something tells me this is when he dwarfs the opposition in his bid to earn a big, fat new contract.
From Chris : a bit early to be confident, I’d have thought
Arsenal are top of the league for a combination of reasons.
I don’t see how they can win the CL and getting Barca/ Real may help them, by freeing up their season and/or letting them prove to theselves they can beat anyone.
ManU are Jeckyll and Hyde – I’d have thought the draw is a good bet, maybe 2-2.
But don’t underestimate how imnportant the game is to Arsenal’s players, more than ManU I think and don’t underestimate how difficult it is to achieve their away record.
If they’d beaten Sunderland, WBA, Newcastle and Spurs they’d be 12 points clear.
12 points!
And they’d still have the same weaknesses. Obviously they’d be favourites for the league but not massive favourites, I don’t think.
No-one’s frightened of them (except maybe Blackpool) but they’re still beating most opponents. Remember how Arsene Wenger managed to coax a young Fabregas-less Bendtner-led team of triers to 4th. They know how to win as well.
I don’t know what that means but don’t ignore things just because they seem illogical – the challenge is to incorporate the awkward facts into your analysis as well – otherwise your analysis will be wrong in some way (and you won’t understand why).
From Mark Burland : Ready Brek
Myles,
You need to start your day with Ready Brek. Or maybe pain au chocolate. You seem to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today! OK, so the current Arsenal team has many deficiencies – but it is not your job to fix that. You can’t do anything about it, so just roll with it man!
Maybe that would make your columns less punchy – maybe you are paid by the column inch. But I think we all get that you don’t like Wenger, you don’t like the French and you don’t like the Africans. You do like the Russians and you do like the Spurs. Maybe you could change the focus and make this site the “Man Utd News Review” or “Spurs News Review.” Tell us news not history!
I’m not having a dig here Mr Palmer – I think you are probably just jaded and burnt out by this endeavor.
From Simon Lambert : Evra says Arsenal is just a training camp
Greetings Myles,
Last time teaser Evra said it was men against boys after Man U again humiliated Arsenal. He has also said that for a Club like Arsenal to go five seasons without a trophy is a ‘crisis’. Everyone agrees with Evra except Wenger, who got told by the Board to stop chucking the domestic Cups.
And Wenger will no doubt win the Carling Cup this season to finally end the trophy drought. That will take the pressure off him but it’s still only the Carling Cup. The only team of any quality at all in the semis is Arsenal – the rest are cack. So it will be a hollow end to the trophy drought.
And having already been top of the table half-way through the season the way is paved for Wenger to, come the end of the season, claim that it was a successful season, no matter what happens from here. That is, unless Arsenal finish outside the top-four.
The way this season is going, anything could happen. Arsenal or Man City could win the premiership but both could finish outside the top four just as easily. It will be the lowest winning points total for many seasons.
Myles, I don’t think Man U will smash Arsenal but if anyone is going to expose how second-rate their central defenders are it is going to be Rooney and an on-form Berbatov, supported by a hot Nani. Those three have the potential to rip apart any defence but especially a fragile, second-rate central defence such as Arsenal presently have. No one knows this better than the crafty old devil Sir Ferguson who will make sure Arsenal’s obvious weaknesses are fully tested.
Man U always outmuscle Arsenal’s very talented by physically wimpy midfield and attackers. (I include Van Pussie in the ‘wimpy’ category. In fact, Arshavin is stronger and more durable than glass-legs Van Pussie.) You can have all the talent in the world but if you are a hobbit or skinny boy you will always struggle against equally talented but much stronger, physically imposing opposition. Besides useless defenders, that’s been Arsenal’s Achilles for ages now and Wenger refuses to fix it.
Having said all that, I predict Man U will win 2-1.
Possession and passing will be quite even but Arsenal will lose to key errors at the back. Still, Arsenal should have learned from their mistakes against Man U in recent times, coming out too fast and far, leaving big gaps at the back early on. So Arsenal will play more cautiously. You normally can’t smash someone who has more possession than you and plays with a deeper defensive line.
Spurs won’t smash Chelsea either. I think it will be a DRAW. Spuds are fickle and Chelsea always rise for the bigger games like this.
Regards.
From Joe Kelly : Predictions
Myles,
Whilst I entirely agree with your diagnosis of Arsenal, I think you over-estimate the ability of Manchester United.
They might well beat Arsenal, they frequently do even when Arsenal are strong. Crush them? I doubt it. Arsenal are only top because those around them are so poor. The free spending of Manchester United and Chelsea has stopped, and it shows.
Similarly, Spurs Chelsea will be close, probably a draw, neither team being anything special at the moment.
Of course opinions are like backsides, everyone has one, so if I’m wrong I’ll hold my hands up.
Keep up the stellar work.
Myles replies
And if I’m wrong, I’ll hold my hands up.
It’s only football. Come on, it’s only football, it’s fun, it’s something to talk about.
That was what I thought last Thursday morning. I could have written about anything but I wrote about those two games because that’s what was big this weekend. And I fancied Spurs and United. I could have said both games will be draws. Because the games could finish 1-1 and 1-1.
There was a good chance that the Spurs game and the Man Utd game could be draws. Because Chelsea don’t concede many and Petr Cech is a great keeper, even if he doesn’t command his box as he did before Hunt put him into neuro-surgery.
Maybe I do over-estimate the abilities of Manchester United.
Berbatov can score three goals or miss five. I just think he’ll score against Arsenal. I think Rooney or Nani could score as well. If so, Arsenal have to score three to win the game and stay top of the table.
Last season this fixture was played at Old Trafford in August 2009.
Rooney’s movement then was hungry and bright. Almunia and Ben Foster were the two goalkeepers. Song and Gallas picked up yellow cards early on and then Arshavin scored with a 25 yard thunderbolt that flashed inside the near post, Van Persie was also booked before half-time. When RVP stabbed a low cross, Foster made a pointblank wonder-save with his foot. Arsenal were inches from a 2-0 lead. United were lucky… but keepers often save with their feet.
Then Almunia got mugged by Rooney, who was going nowhere when Almunia clattered into him. Rooney scored from the spot, sending Almunia the wrong way. Then Diaby scored for Man United. He headed past his own keeper with nobody near him. That was Arsenal’s first defeat of the season. But the match wasn’t over when that spectacular own-goal went in. Ref Mike Dean booked Eboue for an Eboue dive, quite rightly.Then Van Persie scored an equaliser at the death but it was disallowed because Gallas had strayed a yard offside earlier in the move. That was unlucky and on another day a goal might have been given.
Simon was right to predict a draw at White Hart Lane. Spurs 1 Chelsea 1 was a pulsating game but also a very strange encounter, full of puzzling periods. Pavluchenko scored a fine goal and got nothing else right all game. Dawson came back, surprisingly, and did very well, Drogba replaced Mikel at half-time. I think Chelsea are a 4-3-3 method team who depend on a good rhythm and diagonals. If the rhythm isn’t there, Malouda has nobody to dance with.
Anelka was as peripheral as only he can be, half-interested at best, and one of the sources of their decline, I think. Anelka can’t make a bad team good. He can only make a good team great. He mostly scores when you’re winning.
Drogba for Mikel at half-time made sense and Drogba blasted a shot through keeper Gomes, who let the ball hit his chest and pop over him into the net for 1-1 after 70 minutes. In 92, Ramires won a flick-on and the panicky Gomes did an Almunia, rashly bringing the Brazilian down.Then Gomes saved a badly-placed penalty by Drogba to keep it level.
Maybe Sunday’s 1-1 draw will be followed by another 1-1 at Old Trafford. Who knows? Every football match is different because the circumstances of every match are different. And the circumstances of every Manchester United-Arsenal match are different too.
For the last two seasons I’ve written very few previews, as a way of stepping back and trying to be more objective. Righty or wrongly, I wrote a preview last Thursday because I was too impatient to wait and find out whether I would write a preview of both games on Sunday.That is, this morning. If I’d waited, I might have written nothing, or something more nuanced and complicated. Or maybe not. Chris is quite right to take me to task for not incorporating awkwards facts into my analysis. That’s a perceptive point but I don’t really like either/or sentences or if & if sentences. My thinking has been influenced, I’m sure, by my online gambling, since I never bet on draws. If I’m not sure one team can beat another, I don’t have a bet.That can easily lead to : If I can’t pick a winner, I won’t write an ANR preview.
Not being 100% sure on Sunday afternoon that Spiurs could beat Chelsea, I just watched it and didn’t bet and saw a game that was enjoyable despite far too many pisspoor performances by individuals.
This weekend was all about two big games. In the first, Spurs dropped two points and Chelsea also dropped two points.
That’s good for Arsenal if they win tonight.
But Man United have not lost a league game this season. I still fancy United.
Yours with typos and missing words on Sunday at 23.16.
-M