Being an optimistic Gooner all my time supporting Arsenal its really hard time these days. Everyday, I need to scuff off the remarks from anti-arsenal Arsenal supporters and other club fans. The lose against Manchester United even after playing well for better half is really depressing. It's the third straight lose now and with the previous two completely due to missed chances the same mistake against the defending champions is a bit hard to take.
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| Uncharacteristic RVP - Getty Images |
Moving on to the match the early parts of first-half was dominated by Arsenal and then Manchester United took control of the game. Slowly but steadily they built up using our defensive frailties in wings. Djourou was caught out of position many times and the first goal came due to one of them. Giggs, the old horse was allowed to run free into the box from the left and provide an inch perfect cross to Valencia to head it for their first goal. I still can't believe no one was defending Giggs and is it that no one bothered him of as a big threat :-). Theo looked completely off-beat against a good defender and missed a glorious chance to get us level 1-1.
In the second-half Arsenal started as the much better team and looked really dangerous with RVP missing an easy chance. Next was Ramsey who shot into the sky with all his might from close range instead of a clean and composed finish and Rosicky drilled one into the middle which Evra was allowed to block with his hands. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who was lively throughout then tested the keeper from outside the box which went wide. A goal could have been the perfect gift for the young lad who really performed well only in his second premier league outing. On the other end Welbeck went close only to cleared off the line by Mertescaker. Arsenal goal started off with a great tackle inside the box by Koscielny dispossessing Rafael. The ball then went into Rosicky who slid it for Alex and he placed a perfectly weighted pass for RVP to slot home the equalizer, the goal which he dedicated to his granddad's 91'st birthday. After that Alex was substituted by the Arshavin for which the anti-arsenal Arsenal supporters booed their hearts out and it was really easy to spot them who are always ashamed to come out in light :-). A just to make it worse for the little Russian the Manchester United's second goal came on the right wing with Valencia running against Arshavin and Vermaelen was out of position to defend against, which led Valencia to run into the box and assist for Welbeck.
To finish off another lose against arguably a better United side today, i would take the positives of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Nicholas Yennaris who performed admirably well against Nani coming in as a second-half substitute for Djourou. To lighten up the heart's of true Gooner's checkout the below picture of young Nicholas Yennaris as a club mascot at Highbury in 2000 courtesy of @YoungGunsBlog. I wish more such players come out of our academy and prove what Wenger has done to the club.
For those of you who missed out the match and want to watch the highlights of the goals check the below link.
Arsenal 1 - 2 Manchester United - Highlights
Arsenal 1 - 2 Manchester United - Highlights
