A trip to Old Trafford is always difficult no matter of the circumstances by KM
Hello fellow Gooners. In all fairness we’re miles of Europe’s footballing elite. The Barcelona game was just another confirmation which is obvious for years now. But despite that, on Sunday we’ll be facing a team with an identity crisis of it’s own – Manchester United.
Ten years have passed since we’ve last won at Old Trafford in the league. We’ve had chances there, sometimes took the lead, sometimes we were the better team but ultimately lost and sometimes were simply humiliated. We have a mental problem going there.
Arsene does at least. When he arrived he pushed Fergie to some epic Premier League title battles, but as the years past by the Scot got Wenger’s number and it became a one sided affair. He’s now gone, but the hurt is still there and it won’t be easy with the toughness coming from ourselves though.
United have been pretty average since Fergie left (but we still haven’t won at OT in the League though), with Van Gaal proving not much better than Moyes was. Their injury list is equally terrible to their results and the squad they field against Mittdjyland was full of names I’ve never heard.
De Gea, Rooney and Martial – the three players that separate United from Chelsea in the league are all injured, with Martial having a chance to play though. I remembered a game at Old Trafford where we fielded a depleted side like that and we lost 8-2. This time we are going there as favourites, but I dare not say we’d win. I thought we’d beat Chelsea but with Wenger a disappointment is never too far away.
With the Ox out for a long time again, is it time we start Welbeck? He’ll be more than determined to prove LVG once again that he was wrong to sell him, and he’s the last person to score a winning goal for us at OT.
If we don’t win there, not only will we wreck our title hopes, but there is no excuse in the world that would be valid. The overall quality of the premier league has dropped to a level where we can win it, while we couldn’t elevate ourselves to it with our manager and boards limited capabilities.
On paper it’s the best chance Wenger will get, but there’s always a spectacular fail lurking in the corner with him. I dare not say, what will happen if they happen to score first. Arsene feels the heat for sure.
Will he deliver? I’m not sure, but hopefully we’ll come back from our disappointment in the CL once again by beating United.
Konstantin
