schmuckdonald

Repeat to fade.

Remember on twitter they were saying his agent was trying to get him a move to anywhere. Feel sorry for the guy, think he has something about him but just never worked out.

Ok then. Would still prefer Kuyt starting, mind.

In midfield, yeah. Not by some sublime attacking performance by Andy Carroll. He scored a good goal from outside the box and the ball bounced off him and a City lad and went in. Did decent, but not great. Just like the rest of the attackers. The best players were: Spearing, Lucas, Flanagan, Carragher and Skrtel. Wasn't really an attacking masterclass. In my eyes anyway. And my eyes are pretty wonky.

Alright, let me re-phrase: thought we won that game because we got in and about them and bossed them in the middle. And to re-phrase re: Carroll: I think we have a tendency to lump it to him, but not have anyone within 10 feet with him. He can win headers all day, but to no great benefit to our play going forward. Whereas I think Kuyt, Suarez and Merieles are more dynamic and create more. Next season when we have fully fit fullbacks/wing backs and wingers, it'll be a different matter.

Think that's more down to City's ineptitude. Don't think we played particularly well, not in comparison to how we've played in other games.

I really hope Kuyt starts up front for this. Carroll has done alright, but I really don't think he suits how we play at the minute. When we have a more diverse squad then he could well be awesome, but for now I just don't think it works.

It's only one guy. Michael Cox his name is, him and Wilson have both been on Guardian Football Weekly a bit too.

Think in the last few games Spearing has been above the level Lucas was at his age (but then again, he isn't having to adapt to a whole new footballing culture) but don't think he has the potential to be better than him. Would be ideal to have him around to give us some bite when we need it.

Flanagan has been good, and Robinson had a solid game. But still not sure how they'll fair long term. We really suffered against Arsenal with the fact that neither of them would push on, meaning that Suarez, Kuyt and Carroll we're even more isolated. With Kelly and Johnson we can dominate position a lot more just by having an outlet out wide. Obviously both the kids probably played a more restrained game under orders, but still. Thought Robinson looked better than Flanagan FWIW. Although they may not be the signs of a golden generation, they're at least showing competitiveness in the squad.

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Bloody wonderful man. Being 21 I always felt distant from that era, but I don't think I've ever loved anyone as much as I've loved him.

Even with Soto and Dirk, the average age of that side is 24. Pretty decent.

Spearing Lucas Skrtel

Bloody wonderful that.

Defensively we were absolutely bloody fantastic today. Struggled going forward because Flanagan and Robinson (rightly) didn't push on, and Meireles and Kuyt/Shelvey didn't give any width or support to Carroll as they weren't offering the easy option and trying to get beyond him.

"Aw, p*** off!"

Not the best so far. So much for thinking there'll be goals. Can see us snatching something, if we improve, and don't look conceding so far.

Are they just showing the last 5-10 games of Hodgson's tenure because we wanted him sacked? Have never wanted Liverpool to lose. As much as United winning number 19, I'd rather finish with the highest points possible rather than anything else.

Suarez and Meireles have to fancy themselves to find some space between their midfield and defence.

Fancy a lot of goals today. Really think we can win this though. On our day we're certainly more than capable. And after reading that thread on their board I definitely want to win today. Kuyt always destroys Clichy and they struggled against Carroll, and then there's Suarez. People are over-estimating Arsenal's midfield, I think. Fabregas is a good player, but he has no foundations behind him. Don't think we'll keep a clean sheet, but I think they've got a lot of weaknesses which we can exploit. Arsenal aren't good at adjusting to threats defensively. Seem to remember an interview with someone in their squad saying that Wenger doesn't even detail tactics to explicitly deal with threats, which I'm sure isn't true. But it wouldn't surprise me that much. edit: actually, forget all that. we're probably going to lose. just to make me look incredibly f***ing daft.

Agreed. Think Kroenke/whoever has a big decision to navigate in the next couple of years. Wenger is far too dogmatic and puritanical to win anything with these players. His success in the past was built on b******s and then some very good attacking players. What they have now are players who are mentally fragile, and even their best players blow hot and cold far too much. Vermealen, who is their best defender, is a fantastic example. They're suspect at the back, can be bullied in midfield and toothless going forward. Barcelona are fantastic at passing sides into submission, Arsenal aren't good enough to do that, but Wenger won't accept that. This all well trodden ground, obviously, but like you said, it says a lot that one of the worst United sides in recent history is steamrolling the league. But then again, they're also in the semi's of the Champions League and probably going to be in the final (again). But again, I think that's reflective of the fact that a lot of clubs are at a low ebb at the moment.

I think they can be bullied in midfield as well. Although they're obviously stronger than Spearing and Lucas (although, I'd say that Lucas is the player they need most to balance them). If we can flood it and keep Kuyt and Suarez pressuring them around the halfway line then they can get at them. I'm just resentful at how badly Arsenal have capitulated this season.

Ok, maybe a tad hyperbolic. But in terms of an all-round team (ie mentally tougher etc.) that and strength of starting XI, I'd say we're certainly on a par at the least. In terms of squad depth, they completely destroy us, mind.

Got a feeling we're going to batter these today. Usually wrong. But with them being Mancs' closest rivals, it seems like the kind of season we'd break our hoodoo. Plus they're f****** s*** this year. Get Kuyt and Suarez buzzing around Carroll and they'll s*** themselves. Depressing that we're so far behind them when we've got a much better side.