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Thursday, October 11, 2007

Who Would Wenger Take From Manchester United’s Team? The Final Word

The story so far: A Man Utd site,”Absolutely United” published its thoughts on which Arsenal players would make it in the current Man Utd team. Not surprisingly very few Arsenal players were selected.

Not to be outdone "Arsenal Analysis" replied with its own combined 11. Not surprisingly very few Man Utd players made the list.

Back came the two sites with even more analysis and opinion on the matter. In between, a lot of heated opinions were exchanged between the two sets of supporters on comments left on both sites.

Following our latest reply to Absolutely United’s I Spy he regrouped and came out shooting from the hip.

This is we hope a final reply!


By Eros, Arsenal Analysis resident season ticket holder at the Emirates (North Upper Stand Row Q)

I spy,

Glad to see I gave you some food for thought which, as you admitted, required some of your time in getting back to me.

You insist on questioning my mental health which is I suppose your way of showing some kind of respect. So as you would say ‘respect’

Football is a game of opinions and everyone’s opinions are correct to himself, so as I am sure you know by now we will never find enough common ground to come to a final decision.

That’s why after today we should agree to disagree on some of the pending matters.

Wes Brown for the combined 11. Are you serious?

I can not understand how you can keep a straight face arguing that Wes Brown is worthy of a spot in this team.

You admit that he is not a natural wing back. I will also add that his contribution going forward is almost non existent.

He is also not quick enough and in my opinion can be exposed against high quality wingers.

You also say that you like Sagna as a player and you are impressed by how quickly he adapted to the English game but you seem stuck on the fact he has only played a handful of games (something I pointed out originally anyway).

Granted Sagna did not have the best of games against Sunderland but his overall performances until now have been excellent.

It is obvious that Wes Brown should not have a place in the combined Arsenal/Man Utd squad. Sagna and Eboue should be left alone to fight it out for a place in the starting line up.

Transfer flops: Fergie leads the way!

You seem to like mentioning Francis Jeffers and what a big success he was in North London and I Iet you get away with until know, but no more.

Yes Jeffers was an 8m pound flop but I wonder how much Veron, Cleberson, Djemba-Djemba and Taibi all cost.

Surely one argument that you cannot win is the transfer market success Arsene Wenger enjoyed over the years. Your net outlay on transfers this year is close to 50m whereas ours is a positive –yes positive- 8m!

Clichy is more skilful than Evra

As for the position on the opposite side of the pitch you say that Clichy has nothing that Evra has not. I’m afraid you are wrong again! Apart from a superior level of skill and technique, Clichy has time on his side.

He is only 22 and has a long career in front of him. I am not saying that Evra is old – 27? – but if we are to use your argument that right now they are virtually of equal quality then surely Clichy should get the nod because of his unlimited potential.

Ferdinand is not better than Toure

I still do not consider Ferdinand to be better than Toure, for the reasons that I pointed out in my previous post. Basically what you are trying to say is that Ferdinand looks good next to a world class player like Vidic and I agree with you.

You rightly point out that Campbell had the same effect on Rio because he used to do all the dirty work for him.

As for the goal conceded by Arsenal against Sunderland I don’t think that Toure did anything wrong, it was the full backs that in my opinion were found napping for both goals.

As Sagna was walking back to his position Toure was forced to go out the right to cover which left Jones at the back stick against Clichy, not a real contest now is it?

It’s criminal to compare Rio and Toure in terms of concentration and an insult to use the media card on me for any mistake that is picked up from TV pundits. I do have opinions of my own and as I am sure you can read I am not shy about expressing them!

Robin Van Persie’s special quality

I know we agreed to disagree about RVP and Rooney, however I want to point out a quality that makes RVP special. His form is negatively correlated to the form of the rest of the team.

When everyone else is flying Van Persie usually has a quiet game almost as if he is saving energy for more important periods of the season.

If you look at the recent results you will see Van Persie does not usually score when the team wins comfortably, however when the team needs a goal you can bet that more often than not RVP is going to come up with the goods, like he did twice this week.

Van Persie is going to score the important goals, the goals that will lift the whole of the team when they are struggling. I’m not sure Rooney has that killer instinct in him.

Glad to see you dropped the Scholes vs Cesc debate so I will take that as a victory for us Gooners! It was not a real contest anyway.

Finally you point out that some of your squad players were involved in Saturday’s game and from what I read Anderson and Pique especially never put a foot wrong.

All I would say is Wigan at home is not the most testing of games to judge your ability on.

Try and throw them in at the deep like Wenger was forced to 3 years ago when a 16 year old Cesc and a 19 year old Flamini held Lampard, Makelele and Essien to a goalless draw at the Bridge.

Can’t wait until November the 3rd when I am sure we will cross swords again.

Wonder who will have the bragging rights then?



United Versus Arsenal: The Battle Intensifies

An open letter to Manchester United fans

Who Would Wenger Take From Manchester United’s Team?

An Open Letter To Arsenal Fans

Who Would Fergie Take From Arsenal’s First Team?

10 comments:

C.K Yu said...

Care to exchange links with my blog?

Anonymous said...

Eros

I've loved our exchange but like a dog with a bone, you just wont let it go. I note that you are widening the scope of your attacks. Only a desire to return to this theme early next month prevents me from returning your fire now with a howitzer!

I still think you are bonkers but there is more that unites than divides us. We'll never agree when it comes to the players but surely you cannot play fast and lose with the facts forever. Arsenal have hope, some marvellous talent and a top manager. United have all that and let me remind you, the Premiership trophy under lock and key in a crowded trophy room.

Like you, I can't wait for the meeting of the two powers next month and I hope you will take up my offer to write a preview piece in AbsolutelyUNITED's pages.

Until next time Eros.

Roll on November.

Anonymous said...

Eros

I could not resist!

Kalinikta

ISpy

http://absolutelyunited.com/redcan/927/2007/10/15/crazy-gooners-up-the-ante/

Anonymous said...

Just because Man Utd won the League last season is not enough of an argument that you will do so this year. It seems that that is all you, I spy, seem to rely on. That is in the past now. Consider the present and the fact that so far our football has been superior to yours.

Anonymous said...

It is the past that shapes who and what we are today, my Arsenal supporting friend!

Potential means nothing at all until its acheived. With the squad of last season we were able to snatch the title back from a club with a squad that fills 3 first teams!

Add to that squad the talents of the new arrivals and what we acheived last season can only be improved.

At the end of the day, you cant win a title with lesser quality players, and you cant finish fourth with better quality players ;)

See you in November

Anonymous said...

Yes it is the past that shapes the future. And our young players have shown so much improvement compared to your ageing squad.

Now the best you can hope for is to maintain last year's levels. And even if you manage it and it is a big if, you will still be behind us come the end of the year!

This is because the level of quality we have reached can only be reached by you in your dreams.

Anonymous said...

I Spy,

Are you sure you want to put your your readers through the pain of reading the most one sided preview ever made!

I'd love to take you up on you offer. Even though I can feel the abuse already!

If your editor is up for it then I'd be more than happy!

Eros

Anonymous said...

You just don't get it do you? Apparently on the basis of a few games Sagna is suddenly better than Brown who is an england international and a great defender. Not fast enough? Are you blind? Of course he's fast enough! If you want to look at examples of defenders who aren't fast enough look no further than Senderos and Gallas. And Toure better than Ferdinand? Seriously get a grip. Have you not seen how Ferdinand has performed lately? And throughout the years? And Clichy equal to Evra? Don't kid yourself. Evra is a much better tackler and just as fast and better on the attack. Clichy may be younger but experience trumps youth. And on Rooney. All you can say to try and ultimately fail to claim that RVP is better than Rooney is that he scores more important goals? Were you there at Euro 2004? And more recently when he scored against Milan? And the countless other times where he has rescued us and England from the brink of defeat? He is the big match player.

Anonymous said...

Eros,
Ferdinand makes match-winning saves..the equivalent of a match-winning striker. Yesterday against Russia, he did all the dirty work in front of Campbell and saved England at least 3 times. I'd bet on Ferdinand to make that crucial goalline clearance over Toure.
As for Arsenal's youth. Yes, it is incredible, Wenger deserves credit. His scouts spot talent well. And it's good that you profited in the transfer market when we picked up talent like Nani, Anderson, and Tevez because even when you end up with no trophies (again), you can say you won...financially

MJ

Anonymous said...

To all you Manure fans; do you remember the double we did over you last season?

This should be enough of an answer to your pathetic arguments on who has the better footballers between the two teams.