Shorn of Mertesacker and Rosicky before kick-off due to illness, Arsenal looked like a team feeling the effects as we went down 1-0 to United.
Here’s how the players rated.
Wojciech Szczesny: 6/10 – Had very little to do but looked solid and confident from crosses. Coped well with Phil Jones concrete head loafing him right in the face.
Bacary Sagna: 7/10 – Arsenal’s best attacker on the day, which probably tells you a lot. His crossing was outstanding, some real dangerous delivery should have been better dealt with by the forwards.
Laurent Koscielny: 6/10 – Dealt with what he had to deal with well. United’s attack mustered just one clear chance during the game.
Thomas Vermaelen: 6/10 – I thought he played well considering it was his first start since April. Stats were good, battled well.
Kieran Gibbs: 5/10 – Unusually sloppy in possession, especially in the first half. Better in the second but not his best day.
Mikel Arteta: 6/10 – Worked really hard, intercepted, made plenty of tackles, but midfield didn’t click today.
Mathieu Flamini: 5/10 – Still feeling the effects of his injury, perhaps? Wasteful on the ball, found it hard to impose himself on the game.
Aaron Ramsey: 6/10 – A bit like the Dortmund performance but no goal to bump him up. Always willing, just not quite at the races.
Santi Cazorla: 5/10 – For a player of his quality had little impact, seemed to be feeling his knee too.
Mesut Ozil: 4/10 – His worst game so far. The languid style is great when we’re winning, but really struggled today. Was he sick too? Like Cazorla, capable of much more.
Olivier Giroud: 5/10 – Much as we love the HFB here, today was one of those days where you wish we had some decent alternative to him.
Subs
Jack Wilshere: 6/10 – Did well and added something to an Arsenal side that was too static at times.
Nicklas Bendtner: 5/10 – Almost on the end of a great Sagna cross. Almost seems to be the story of his life.
Serge Gnabry: 6/10 – Showed enough in a brief cameo to make you wish Arsene Wenger had brought him on earlier.
Bonus rating
Dutch Skunk: traitorous wanker/10 – no issue with him celebrating the goal, far preferable to him pretending he gives a shit.
Feel free to debate and discuss in the comments, but please read the comment policy first and don’t get angry with each other, or me, about imaginary points.
Man U vs Man (FL)U
Dutch Skunk: traitorous wanker/10
And he does not give a shit, he looked old
Arsene Wenger after game quotes: Priceless
what did he say?
Yeah what did he say I didnt see it either..
Yes….what did he say, it is my right to know….
on any particular decision he was unhappy with…
Arsene: I don’t want to talk too much about that. I need to buy some Christmas presents and all these statements cost too much money now.
Good week though in the end.
As much as i would like to have smashed ’em, we have played 3 massive games this week and won two.
Losing one nil at OT is not so bad, lets get some rest and come back firing on all cylinders.
COYG
Especially when you think about the Theatre of Forced Atmosphere visit last year. That was shameful, this was a bad day at the office. COYG
I really have no problem with the result today. The goal was one of their few chances, and it was well taken. I only take issue with the fact that it was RVP and probably reinforces his sense of vindication, but he is a class player, if not character, and it was their best and only chance all game.We could use that kind of ruthlessness, too many times we pass and pass instead of desiring to just smash the fucking net in with a shot. It is still a good week for us. We won two out of three against… Read more »
Good point well made.
It will hopefully mean that we re-enforce our squad in Jan.
But it just seems that our style of football cannot be played week in week out; no matter who we have in our squad. I just hope we are having a good week when we play Chelsea and City. If we perform like we did today we’ll be lucky to get two draws.
Still a happy, glass half full, Gooner.
yeah, 2 out of 3 isnt bad, as much as i really hated to lose to those fuckers, if we go on and win the league then who cares about today
Well, if the unbeaten run most come to an end, there are worse teams to lose to than Everton.
COYG!
heh
Spot on ratings. Maybe Gibbo could go a notch up for the obvious effort.
A couple of hours later, taking the small positive that, despite playing that badly for whatever reason, we weren’t outplayed by one of our supposed rivals at their gaff, and came close to snatching a draw right at the death.
We’ll be back.
Generally agree with the ratings – a little generous for Ramsey…
Agreed — I’d put Ramsey in the “Was he sick too?” category.
I believe Ozil was ill as well but we had no choice because of the amount players that traveled, only these weird things seem to happen to Arsenal. I am really pissed we lost but i’m fucking fuming because we only lost 1-0 from a corner. I just hope the players heads don’t drop, the little cameo from Gnabry really shows how much we miss Theo , Podolski and Chamberlain. COYG!!
We were probably a Bendtner header or an Evans own goal away from getting a draw. We’re all frustrated that we probably gave them an opportunity to get back into the title race. Let’s not be bogged down and support the Arsenal. Anxiously awaiting the returns of the Ox. Poldi and Walcott. Much needed re-reinforcements.
It doesn’t just happen to Arsenal – remember the lasagne incident? 😉
Just wished we had Mert and Rosicky The experience they both bring is what has been driving this team. I was impressed with Gnabry. His performance will certainly give Wenger something to think about.
Rosicky’s luck: 1/10
We lost so what am eating waakye at Fati’s joint. I think the team was jaded, we just got better in second half but the game was a already lost. A little rest will do us good.
Conceded only 1goal after facing SAS, LEWAREUS, AND the despicable SHREKUNT. i have no problem with the our defence.
Just need our shooting boots on now. I’m looking at you Ozil….
I think the ratings are very fair although slightly kind to Rambo who was sloppy as hell at times. Price tag means ozil gets singled out but I think the most disappointing aspect of his game was what he did with the ball as opposed to going missing. Vermaelen did well, I agree. A weak performance but NOT a disaster
Agreed but the centre backs deserve a bit more credit I think.
We lacked energy, been a massive effort by a small group to get us where we are. Let’s remember, that’s top of the league and top of our group. COYG!
It’s great that the vitriol that we generally have (rightly or wrongly) after a defeat isn’t really out there today. It shows how much more confidence there is in this Arsenal side.
Let’s have a good international break, get Poldi and Walcott fit and get back into gear to push on again.
Up the Arsenal!
that’s the kind of games I really feel we miss our wingers a lot. Gnabry shows that when he came on. We are a strong team and we’ll be even stronger when Poldi and Walcott will be back
We sorely missed Mertesacker today. Vermaelen did well but with Mert around you feel much more secure. He is vastly experienced and knows how to lead the back four. His organizational and positional skills are better than any defenders we have. Its a shame we are having to talk about the players unavailable to us because we know we can do better. This was against a pretty average manure side. And apart from the Dutch Cunt and Shrek I doubt they have any above average players. One thing is for certain. We really must make moves towards getting cover for… Read more »
I know Henry’s don’t grow on trees but it really is games like today where it just becomes so evident that we need a top quality striker. I mean Giroud did not even have a shot. Not one lousy shot at goal from a ‘striker’. If we are honest he is just a French Duncan Ferguson. We need a Benzema, someone who is not scared of shooting from 25 yards or tearing past 2 defenders. Giroud cant score great goals and could not outrun 99% of defenders in the EPL. Ozil was shit today but his class will come good.… Read more »
this is suuuuch a bullshite.
really why is that then? Giroud or Benzema? nuff said………..
Not sure what you have been watching this season mate – Giroud has been top class. We don’t get enough players near him sometimes, & that was the case today.
Missed Walcott today big time, would have given us more room to play in midfield. Ozil was the big disappointment today, that’s the sort of game you need your top men to shine, that’s exactly the sort of game we bought him for.
As for the HFB vs Benzema argument, lets hope Deschamps agrees with you, & the big boy gets a rest over the next couple of weeks…..
must be a reason that Giroud is picked ahead of Benzema for France?
giroud but thanks for the offer!
Stop playing FIFA. Giroud has been better than Benzema this season, and is picked ahead of him for France.
Thank you to someone for speaking the truth.
Giroud had rapidly improved this year, but the difference in skill and ability between him and Van Persie was there for all to see today. He’s a fantastic player to have, but I’d be putting 55m on the table for Suarez asap if I were Wenger.
I’d also be playing Gnabry more frequently, he was the only player to give us any width today.
Giroud puts in more hard work and effort in one match than benzema puts in in one season. That’s why he plays in the French team infront of him. He has been outstanding this season and was our player on the shortlist for player of the month. Every player has a bad game. There were some tired players out there yesterday our injuries have been slowly catching up on us for once i’m glad we have an interlull. Theo and Poldi due back BFG and Rosicky shaking off there colds. Onwards and Upwards COYG.
It’s only 3 points dropped, it’s horrible it’s against them cunts but regroup after the break and we can get nine points from are next 3 games, other results went our way today aswell, we missed Walcotts speed when were on the counter hopefully we have our injured players back soon and go on another good run, midfield today was bad but they looked worse because they’re played so well lately so can’t be to critical.Ps van persie is even a bigger cunt now
Sagna was very good today. Utd’s negativity in midfield hampered us a bit I thought. They would not have scored that goal if Mert was there.
This is the sort of game that Feo normally excels in….
Vermaelen had nothing to do with the goal conceded. Blame Ramsey and Giourd for that goal
I’m not saying it’s Vermaelen’s fault. Pretty sure that Mert would have been on the line where Skunk’s header went though.
I wouldn’t blame Giroud or Ramsey for anything either. Without them, we’d be in Utd’s league position.
Don’t think he is blaming Verm just pointing out BFG normally covers front post area and he that is no longer worthy of his name being mentioned would never have won the challenge to score.
But I thought Gibbs did really well…. a 7 maybe
We lost a game 1 0 we didn’t play well but are still top and we know we can play so much better. We have a great chance to win this league, we will loae more games this season but I’m more confident than I have been for years that this team will bounce back and there really is no need for too much doom and gloom. It hurts to lose to manure it always does but the bigger prize is more likely to be ours than it will be theirs. so fuck em. Let them have thier day as… Read more »
I blame this loss on Wenger’s Coat, which made its first appearance for us this season.
Sometimes you think that losing to the Dutch skunk and his band of wankers is hard to take, but then you have gems like these from our fellow fans and you realize how great fans our club has. Hats off to you Wiltoldo. You certainly brought me a laugh. And the user name is epic as well!
Yep well spotted. That cursed zipper made an appearance. We need to weed out the mole who slipped the dodgy zipper in the wardrobe and dished out the vial of man flu into the milo the night before.
The Arseblog News bonus rating is often the highlight of my entire week.
Ramsey a 6? Thats a joke I have to say. In no way did we lose the game because of him alone but he did close to nothing but try back heels that no one was prepared for or were they ever warranted in the build up. Should have given Kos an 8. He was dominant and showed his passing can make up for Merts absence.
That hurt
Gibbs was by far the best Arsenal Player. I think Arsene just got his tactics wrong today.
Van persie is a cunt
Simple but eloquently put old chap 🙂
Wiltodo, people like you do my head in. Just not prepared to give the coat a chance.
You’ve seen lately how much Wenger’s suit has improved, and I admit that the coat may not be pretty and has let him down in the past, but the coat will come good, just like the suit has. You’ll see.
we need our wingers back, to give us some variety in attack, get well asap podolski, walcott and the ox
i thought we played well! for an away team at OT to have double the number of passes and 60% overall posseson confirms it, all they had was the goal from a set piece mert would have dealt with and shreks one effort, that aside we bossed the game, our problem we all know is not having any attacking quality on the bench, NB is pitiful and gnabry a big talent for the future, if we can get the ox, feo & poldi back then we are in business for the 2nd half of the season… plus buy a top… Read more »
Ozil’s languid style did grate on me a little – however to rate Bendtner above him and the same as Giroud seemed a little odd…
Defo missed Per and Rosicky.. well I certainly did.. Come on Theo we want you back too
oz was certainly languid when rambo chipped that ball over the top….the ball seemed destined to more or less land on his head and he chose to ease up….odd!!
I big win for them not a big lose for us. If we had lost to liverpool that I can call a big lose. Still at d top .
In matches like these i think having a player like walcott is very important… there were so many times that we were playing one-two’s with a player being released behind the full back but the opponent had time to come back and tackle. At times like these a pacy winger with an eye for a goal and one who can at times cross the ball well (esp to Giroud) is essential. Özil is also at his best when he has players who can run behind the opposition full backs (which sadly isn’t one of the qualities Giroud or any other… Read more »
I hate losing, I hate Man U, but what I really hate is that the same media cranks are coming right back and saying “Arsenal haven’t beaten a top team” and “Arsenal can’t beat United.” Throw in the Wenger-outers, and the Giroud and Ramsey slaggers, and it’s as if everything we’ve done this season doesn’t matter at all. And, worst of all, we have to endure that crap for two whole weeks. This could have been avoided, but Cazorla and Ozil, two men bought specifically for games as big as this, were invisible. If they were sick, I understand, but… Read more »
Wenger Got his tactics wrong, he came to play for a draw or catch them napping on a counter attack. United also came to play for a draw, they just got lucky for a Goal. These things happen.
I loathe and hate RVP. Karma, just wait. it’ll catch up with him
Our Karma’s gonna run right over his dogma
In tight games like these you need your strikers to deliver. Unfortunately ours ain’t up to much. We need a world class striker who turns a loss into a draw and a draw into a win, especially when the rest of the team isn’t firing as we saw with our midfield tonight. Get Suárez in January and we’ll win the league, it’s as simple as that.
Oh no – you have done the cardinal sin of saying something bad against Giroud (aka Duncan Ferguson). you cant say anything bad about him. Don’t you realise he is fact really world class – just look at all his quality goals. oh actually all his goals are tap ins………
sagna did well, but we need a goal poacher, and arteta must improve his game, reduce some back passes and try to hold and push the team forward like how wilshare did
Heart breaking defeat,
As much as I love the fact that Flamini is back, I feel that he slows down our game a bit, bit then again there wasn’t much movement ahead of him so he had to do backwards/sideways pass.
I love the job Arteta does for the team, he deserved a 7 for me. United deserves credit, really did a fine job closing in on Giroud and tracking our runs off the Frenchman.
Gnabry should be starting every match until we have theo or ox back.
Good call yeah.
Team was solid again, that was the only positive today. Other than there goal and a few half chances they created fuck all, fuck all as much as us.. Ozil cazorla and ramsey dont warrant anything above a 3 each…they were as poor today going foward as they were against dortmund but midweek they at were least running, tackling , defending..Today all three did absolutly nothing. Giroud was shite aswel but he had no support and its not his fault we have no replacements for him. Thought vermaelen came back in well, would have been under pressure considering he has… Read more »
One of the few games Arsenal lost and I am not pointing fingers. I still think we need a better clinical center foward though, No diss on Giroud.
didn’t matter if we had clinical McClinicalson upfront today, the striker wasn’t given any chances to score today.
Neither team deserved to win but hey that’s football
Verminator did well today. Yes, their goal was something that normally lands on Per’s magnet-head, and his free kick attempt was dog shit, but I hope he stays in Jan because he is great back up. Özil should have gone off way earlier. He’s probably our best player, but if he’s sick or knackered, or just not up for it, then he’s got to get a break. Gnabry was fearless, as always, and had he been on longer looked just the player that United couldn’t handle. There’s a couple of people slating Wenger for playing Flamini and Arteta but they… Read more »
In answer to Giroud…
He IS quality and he’s got a great touch for first time link-up passes. But yeah, painfully slow at times. Him, Theo and all our creative players are an offense of champions!
Will be interesting to see what Wenger does in Jan. Please, please no more midfielders, just a decent box striker.
Best bit of the match from an Arsenal point of view (aside from Sagna’s deliveries) was Giroud plucking the ball out of the air with his left when it was about 8 foot up!
Why could we not play in the first half how we did in the second? Was the decision to pkat arteta and flamini an attempt to protect vermaelen? I feel this was an opprtunity lost. Yeah a draw would.ve been fine but it feels lije we just sat back and invited pressure. With no rosicky wilshere or gnabry in the starting line up we had no out ball or drive up top…and ozil refused for the entire match
to take on evra..just slowed it down and turned inside..gnabry was much more dangerous..grrr!!! Fuckin hate united!
We played like a team that looked like it was exhausted after Dortmund. In fairness though, Arsenal were very composed and focused defensively minus one set piece.
One thing of note, Rooney’s performance today is worthy of my applause. His pressure whenever he didn’t have the ball was incredible and we sure missed Rosicky as he would have been doing the same.
I think Santi’s substitution didn’t bode well with him. He knew that Ozil was left on the field b.c he is the new boy that needs delicate treatment, b.c. if the sub was made to win the game, then the first one to come out should have been Ozil. Since the Liverpool game his impression was not of a happy face. I thought he would cut a happy figure when his number was up and the crowd cheered his name. The last player of ours who scored at MU was Santi and he might felt he can do the magic… Read more »
Disappointing. I know the lads are likely tired with the massive effort midweek and last weekend but here’s where they need to grab the game by the balls and just push through a result, particularly with the break round the corner (On that note United were also called to duty midweek even if it was Sociedad) We’re not at the point where we can work like machinery at the moment. Rather we are still delicate with the loss of one part likely to affect the rest of the team’s synchronization. Improvements to come. Early stage yet and title race still… Read more »
I fucking hate Man-U. Southampton is the next big test. They make me nervous. Let’s get our focus back. Every game in the EPL is a big one.
Is it just me or SHOULD Wenger be more vocal and willing to criticize the ref’s in the EPL. I consider “Fergie Time” and that debaucle that took place at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and I realize Arsenal doesn’t get SH!T in the way of a break from the refs. Arsene is one of tge highest paid Managers in the EPL. I’m sure he can spare a quid or two.
Every game is massive.
Chelsea, City and Spurs lost to lesser teams.
Nothing can be taken for granted.
Southampton is a proper test. they are playing very well at the moment. Hope Walcott is back for his ‘reunion’ and gives a good account of himself.
Some bright points in an otherwise thoroughly disappointing outing. 1) TV – Whilst per was a big loss today, good to see Vermaelen put in a shift with reasonable results. 2) Gibbs – Was Monreal not available. if Gibbs was under performing (for fatique or whatever reason), could we not have played Nacho? 3) Santi – Agree with Gnabry comment. Think the team could have done with a bit of pace injected to one flank, a bit of mischief. if Santi was a bit flat, should have had Gnabry on way earlier. 4) Jack – That’s what he brings to… Read more »
Defeat is annoying as it will give Hansen and the other Arsenal haters ammunition against us!!
Yeah, from saying that ‘it’s too early to tell whether Arsenal are the real deal’, our first loss in ages will be a sign of ‘Arsenal’s old mental frailties’.
Rooney now reckons Utd will be top at xmas. The fat cunt.
I did suggest dropping Ozil to start Serge. But I still think people wouldn’t agree with me based on reputations.
Ozil has been underperforming, he’s being doing the big things well but everything else not as well.
I thought dropping him and bringing him off the bench would have given him a boost, and us a psychological advantage. Serge would have given us “the Walcott dimension”…
Anyway COYG, TOP OF THE LEAGUE!
WE need a better striker. Bendtner on loan or sell