EPL - January 2,3,4

[Sammy D]

Anyone see Gerrard stomp on Kevin Nolan? Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he did.

 

[moomba]

Anyone see Gerrard stomp on Kevin Nolan? Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he did.

Just watched it, accidental IMO. Sissoko's was worse.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Should be quite painful against Man United.

I'm tipping 4-1 their way.

 

[Embers]

Geremi did ten times worse then Reo Cocker so FA had no choice in the end.... You have to suspend both of them or none of them.

 

[MUFC442]

Sissoko's stamp on Diouf was quite serious as well.

 

[MUFC442]

HT @ Highbury.

Arsenal 0 - 0 Manchester United.

Best chance for Arsenal was a free-kick from Henry and for United a Ronaldo sitter.

2 yellow cards: 1 for Giggs and 1 for Lauren.

 

[Syd Kennets]

Poll refuses to award the penalty for neville slaughtering cesc in the box from behind.

 

[Swifty_446]

Terrible game.

I feel sick.

 

[MUFC442]

Very lucky we were.


Not a great game reall,y it refused to get going, only short bursts of action kept me looking.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Very lucky we were.


Not a great game reall,y it refused to get going, only short bursts of action kept me looking.

I disagree on both counts - one of the more exciting 0-0s you'll see I thought, and that a draw was easily a fair result.

While Arsenal all in all probably went closest to scoring, we looked slightly more threatening (especially in the second half) and created the better chances. It seemed that Fergie was quite happy to invite Arsenal onto us - given they were without a real striker with Henry and Reyes pulling out wide - and hit back with pace. Rooney's second half was super, and our back four was very solid as well.

Thought that was probably the best game I've seen Darren Fletcher play too. In a way no Scholes really helped him, as he was forced to take on the upper role next to O'Shea and he didn't put a foot wrong all game. Cut out plenty of Arsenal ball, found the mark with all his passes and didn't give it away. MOTM for mine, albeit through United coloured glasses.

Would be interested to hear Arsenal fans' opinions, but I wouldn't have said we were lucky to get a point at all, given the amount of chances we created, and should have snatched it when Rooney played that sublime ball to Neville.

Draw was a fair result, although it probably should have been 2-2 or 3-3 rather than 0-0.

 

[Arsene Wenger]

I agree that it was an entertaining nil all draw. However, looking through my Arsenal glasses I feel we can feel a bit aggrieved with only one point. For me, we should have been given a penalty. Gary Neville may have got some of the ball but jee he came from behind, took out cescs left peg and then bundled him over. A poor decision IMO. In saying that, the way we are going this season Henry would have missed the pen. Rooney was lucky to stay on the field. I cant remember his first yellow card infringement but his deliberate handball was very risky.

I thought Fletcher was handy too. Not Man of the match tho. He doesnt do anything really damaging. For us, Cygan and Lauren were both poor. Sol Campbell and Toure were great. Gilberto and cesc so so. Pires was good in patches. Reyes - Im not convinced. Henry too much workload by himself. The man i was impressed with was Hleb. Kept the ball and used it well. Id like to see him run more at players.

Rooney is awesome - and was a constant threat along with Ronaldo. All in all upon reflection a good performance. Our two centre halves were very very good.

We are struggling for goals and also through the middle without PV - Mr Wenger needs to get busy in the transfer window and not buy a 14 year old Angolan who is "gona be" a great player.

 

[manureid]

The Rooney 'handball' looked to me on replay that it came off Campbell's head. Was probably too close to call, especially with a sending off the result of the decision.

Henry looked dangerous as usual, but I thought it was going to be Gazza'a night when he slid in on Rooney's cracking ball towards the end. Must say though, both teams missed the prompting and fire of Keane and Vieira.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

I thought it came off Campbell's head too, but Rooney still dangled his arm which was dangerous.

His first yellow was ridiculous - all he did was run at the ball to try and keep it in play. Reyes dodged in front of him to protect the throw, and got bundled over when the two collided. Certainly not a yellow card for mine, but he was lucky with the "handball".

 

[Benno_900]

I agree with most of what Arsene Wenger said and I'm also dissapointed that we could only manage a draw from the amount of possession we had (especially in first half). But Man U looked more dangerous going forward and they had the better chances (Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, Neville).

Also agree that we should've got a penalty there but most people missed Henry spraying a good chance wide straight after that while the players were appealing, should've scored there. Campbell was MOTM for me or at least the best player for Arsenal.

IRooney was lucky to stay on the field. I cant remember his first yellow card infringement but his deliberate handball was very risky.

Rooney's yellow card was when Reyes fell into the fence. Pretty harsh I thought, Reyes was the one trying to bump him off the ball.

 

[DB10]

Should be quite painful against Man United.

I'm tipping 4-1 their way.

Uncle Leo being negative about the Arsenal?

OMG!!! CALL THE FEDERAL POLICE, SCOTLAND YARD AND THE FBI!!!

 

[moomba]

most people missed Henry spraying a good chance wide straight after that while the players were appealing

Looked like it at the time, but replays showed that Rio (I think) deflected it over the goalline.

I thought the Rooney yellow was incredibly harsh, and the second he was just lucky that he didn't make contact. Personally I thought he was poor anyway. The pen should have been given IMO, thought Poll bottled that decision.

Best for me were Campbell (getting back to his best and giving S-GE something to think about), Fletcher (shock horror), I thought Reyes played about as well as I have seen (more in terms of effort than any sort of end product. It was a crap game, but an entertaining one.

 

[moomba]

Davids and Tainio both doubts for tonights match. King and Reid definately out, apparently Raziak injured himself as well and is a doubt.

For us we have Mills and Reyna out, and Thatcher a doubt.

 

[MUFC442]

Why does Reyes fall so easily?


He's weaker than Ronaldo.

 

[Borgsta]

Davids and Tainio both doubts for tonights match. King and Reid definately out, apparently Raziak injured himself as well and is a doubt.

For us we have Mills and Reyna out, and Thatcher a doubt.

Davids and Tainio will be big omissions. King has been known for a while, whilst Reid is a non factor. Raziak is even more of a non factor than Reid.

Keane and Mido should start up front, but the midfield is where it will be interesting. Missing 2 regulars so Id expect to see

? - Carrick - Jenas - Lennon

God knows who'll play left wing.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Why does Reyes fall so easily?


He's weaker than Ronaldo.

Ronaldo goes to ground more easily, Reyes just tries to make it look worse (ie - the Giggs booking).

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Personally I thought he was poor anyway.

I think that's a compliment to Rooney if that's deemed a poor performance. Not consistent and he didn't control the game like he can, granted, but on a different day he comes away with two fantastic assists. United weren't playing a possession game either, so he didn't get a lot of time on the ball, rather trying to get involved on the break.

His 40 yard ball to Giggs was sublime, and while it was a super tough finish, the one bloke at United who could finish it off is Ryan, while his ball to pick out Neville was world class. That should have been a goal too.

Had to love him tracking back 30 metres to dispossess Henry too.