McTominay said after the game in the Express: It is definitely a disappointment with the different opportunities we had in the game and the way that we started,”
“In the first 45 minutes we were right on the front foot, we were aggressive and did a lot of things right.
“I thought we were good value for three points tonight.
“It was little mistakes that we need to start cutting out which are starting to cost us games or cost us points in this case.
“Everyone in that dressing room knows that it is a tough one to take.”
He may say that but Arsenal fought back well after half-time and in the end fully deserved the draw. Of course it was Aubameyang who got the goal as usual, and he was disappointed that we didn’t show the same commitment right from the the start. He told Arsenal.com: “It’s hard to come here. It’s not easy when you concede just before half-time but we came back in the second half with great spirit. Last week we came back as well, so maybe we need to start with more strength and more confidence because we can do it.
“We took the ball and Bukayo gave me a great pass. I made sure I was not offside and I was surprised that the referee blew his whistle, but I just finished as usual. I’m just happy the goal was given in the end.”
So most people would say that the draw was a fair result, even though both sides think they could have won it. Calum Chambers, who is getting a run in the side at last, was philosophical about the result “As a team I thought we played well, we put in a shift and I thought we created chances throughout the game,” Chambers said on the official Arsenal website.
“I think we’ve come off with mixed emotions. We know that Old Trafford isn’t an easy place to come, so when you come off the pitch feeling you could’ve won but get a draw, it’s not a bad result.
“Their fans were making a lot of noise. In those moments we had to stay strong as a unit, as a team, and I think we did that.
“We rode the storm and created our own chances, we put our own authority on the game as well. We came off feeling like we could’ve got something. It was a good, strong performance today.”
I certainly agree with him, considering that we very rarely win in the atmosphere of Old Trafford. The important thing is that we maintained our unbeaten run, we moved back into the Top Four, and we are above our three biggest rivals for the Champions League places…
Admin
Not a bad result, keep in mind we were playing with 10 men from the beginning (by starting Xhaka).
Xhaka had a better game than most of our players it’s obvious you choose to see what you want to see (xhaka as been a terrible player)
Ceballos should have started over Xhaka or even Wilock
When I saw the midfield of Xhaka, Torreira, Guendouzi at the beginning of the match, I was thinking we won’t be scoring many goals. Aubameyang will find it tough to score
If that’s the case, it only means our other players just had a real stinker. Xhaka useless as usual, but others managed to be worse? It happens.
Xhaka won’t get any better.
Strange thing is, when Özil is crap, he gets dropped to reserves. When Xhaka is crap, he gets the armband. Why?
Exactly 👍
Xhaka did have a great game…
some fans just do not like and will slam him even when he plays well
What’s the hate about Xhaka, even when he had a good game you refused to give him credit, Xhaka played much better than Torrera last night but as usual you still find a way to insult him.
Leno
Please tell us when Xhaka had a good game ? There must be loads over the last three years
@Lenohappy Nobody hates Xhaka. It’s his inclusion in the starting eleven that many hate. There are better options in the midfield and who provide better balance. Xhaka’s inclusion requires some really good players not to start. Yesterday, Ceballos was delayed because of Xhaka. Ceballos, Guendouzi and Torreira would be amazing in the midfield. Also, Willock came on, and Saka was subbed. Saka was the most creative player yesterday and the one who was producing most chances, and he was subbed to accommodate a place for Xhaka! That killed the offensive potential of the team later. It’s like Emery was fine with 1 point and decided to chicken out. Just to keep playing Xhaka. The way Emery is playing Torreira, it’s making Torreira look bad, and when Torreira was subbed, and Xhaka had to put a feet or two to defend, everybody saw those silly fouls. If Torreira doesn’t start, Xhaka would’ve gotten that yellow card before 1st half. And whattay waste of a player of Aubameyang’s caliber. No player to service him. He could have easily scored a few more if Ceballos started.
Daulat, Emery and Xhaka scratch each others’ back and the victims in this is the club, Torreira, Guendozi, Ceballos, Willock, fans and Ozil. How on earth anyone saw Xhaka playing a good game yesterday is a mystery to me. He was caught out most times and his lack of pace shows up quite glaringly, considering the fact that he is out of position and has to recover lost ground.
With him on the pitch, we plod along, with sideways and backwards passing that are played for statistics alone.
I’m not going into the ducking controversy which again maybe due to the fact that he is slow in his reaction.
People say Xhaka had a good game because he didn’t give away the ball to opponents as usual…
They fail to see that his overall game play was slow and poor..
Especially after Torreira was subbed off, he started giving away those silly fouls in danger areas.
Xhaka takes away the balance from that midfield.
Willock, Ceballos or Ozil would have added more creativity in midfield and privided the much needed balance in d middle and Service to the attackers.
Everything abt creativity had to go through Saka and he was double marked most times cos Pepe was very poor on the ball with either overhit or underhit passes and crosses.
Emery seems to revert to the team that always costs us points.
Xhaka had good game, but the “haters” only see, what they want to see, and even see things thar aren’t there (Xhaka didn’t avoid the ball for their goal – he actually tried to stop it with his head, but they haters don’t care). It is toxic.
Maybe some fans should consider the facts:
Wenger rated him
Emery rates him
His teammates rate him
So maybe there is more to it.
Oh please. Xhaka is so bad, if he doesn’t cost Arsenal points and give penalties and silly errors leading to goal, that is seen as a good performance by him.
Hi admin did you notice the front screen shows Villa’s badge and not United’s😳
Saw that too most articles been posted this days are like the comments we also post full of errors and without even taking time to edit it don’t know why all this rush and mistakes
Apologies that is my fault
I’ll fix it now
Cheers
Yes fair result in very difficult conditions.
Every body stepped up and the team showed great character
to gain an invaluable away point.
Bournemouth at home is a must win now though to keep our place in the top 4.
Now to see the youngsters and fringe senior payers v Standard Liege.
Things looking great for Gooners right now 🙂
Predicted line up.
Martinez
Hector Mustafi Holding Tierney
Willock AMN
Ceballos Ozil Nelson
Martinelli/Lacazette?
Either Ozil or Ceballos should have started the game. Also, Martinelli should have been introduced later in the game. Martinelli should be ahead of Nelson for now. Emery is not bold enough. We cannot win the league with him. We have a good squad. We need our manager to be brave and more demanding. He needs to have a win at all cost mentality. We should go all out to get Thomas Partey in January. The guy is a beast in midfield. Suited for the EPL.
3 DM’s was never gonna work. Why go into a game with a struggling ManU and have no one who can link defence to attack.
Emery plays boring football. It’s a disgrace. I want him gone.
For Standard Liege
……….Martinez
Niles..Mustafi..Sokratis..Kols
…..Torreira….Ceballos
Nelson……Ozil..Martinelli
……..Aubameyang
For Bournemouth:
……………Leno
Bell..Holding..Luiz/Chmb..Tierney
Guendouzi..Ceballos..Wilock
Pepe…………………..Saka
…………Aubameyang
Want to see the defence of
Bell..Holding..Luiz/Chamb..Tierney
Martinelli should be ahead of Nelson, am still trying to see what Nelson is good at, he can’t pass he can’t dribble, his average defensively, he can’t shoot, he may later come good but right now he’s not up for it.
And what is Xhaka good at
He can’t defend
He’s not mobile
Not good in the Air
Doesn’t score regular
Average passing
Gets booked often
Gives away penalties
i dont know why most people hate man u and arsenal ,i mean come on we each played good football with not many errors but people speak like every team played badly, last season liverpool and man city played 0-0 at anfield each with 2 shots on target yet no one said the game lacked quality.we played at old Trafford and we didnt concede like 25 shots or 12 corners
come on lets be honest with our selves, xhaka had a good game, he is better than many of our players yesterday, i mean how many passes has he misplaced, he didnt get dispossessed.The truth is he had a marvelous game
United v Arsenal – once being captained by Keane and Vieira… to nowadays Young and Xhaka…. 😖
Young is fairly old and Granit is fairly soft 😁
😆 very good, Viju 👍
VAR is the BEST THING that has happened to football in a long while! Could have easily been robbed off of a vital point yesterday. Man.. so many mistakes will be avoided now. What a genius move it was to introduce this technology..just like goal line technology a few holdouts were against it at first, but now am sure they accept it is a beautiful thing!
I’m still not sold on VAR… it’s not bad, but then, it has it’s flaws too. It wastes time, and there are times when controversial decisions do not get checked at all. And on GLT, what percentage of the total goals scored in a season does it get to decide.
All in all, I feel the controversies are part of the game, it makes it a lot more interesting. And in my opinion, we should just embrace the sport along with it’s imperfections…. VAR, GLT, heck, even robot referees, cannot enyirely stop bad officiating, or corrupt officials…. these techs can only try too.
perfect VAR for it distinguish between a goal and not a goal. They need to use it further afield. See how Saka was being strangled by Young and referee could not nor his assistant saw it.
From the comments we’ve seen so far, it’s easy to deduce that this draw felt like a loss to most fans. United was there for the taking, and believe it or not, our team is a lot stronger than Emery is making it out to be. A victory yesterday would have been epic for us, because we’ve not won at old Trafford in God knows how long. It was an opportune time to play them, yet Emery set us up to defend against a team without a proper strike-force. Imagine a weakened team dominating possession against us….. how do you guys think it would have turned out if that was City yesterday…. I’ll probably be too pissed to make any comments
We need RAFA asap IMHO.
We all have got to know Unai Emery by now.
It has become clear that the club have employed (perhaps surprisingly) a defensively minded coach, who will attempt to land us 3rd or 4th place playing it his way.
He will continue to do it his way – or fall on his sword trying.
Given his personality, he is probably totally impervious to criticism of his methods.
Last night for instance, his argument would probably be “I set up not to lose, and we didn’t – or course I wanted to win, but we didn’t lose”.
As for the “entertainment” argument – forget it.
Any manager worth his salt couldn’t give a damn if we are being “entertained” or not, results are all that matters – and I for one buy into that.
Arsenal win and stink the place out, or lose having played like the Harlem globe trotters – I know what I’ll go for every time , until we get back to where we need to be.
At this point perhaps I should mention from Bertie Mee through to now, George Graham was one of my favourite managers – that should explain my personal take !
Also let’s face it, the man inherited a complete train wreck of a team, and a very questionable mentally from top to bottom at the club.
There has been much comment on the lack of creativity in midfield last night.
Personally, yes, I would have started Ceballos.
But Unai being Uani was worried about James coming down our right, and getting directly at Chambers.
He addressed this by playing Torriera – I suspect with that decision that was “the creative slot” gone.
This also happened at Watford when in the 2nd half we made Delafaou look like Ronaldo – result, Ozil off Torrieirra on to sit in front of ANM who was getting slaughtered.
Last night other way ’round Lucas started, and as James faded Dani was brought on.
Selections / decisions like this is the way Emery works.
I believe he will get at least the length of his current contract, as he will keep us sniffing there or there abouts – is that enough for Arsenal Football Club long term, of course not.
Last year we failed by a single win in 8. You have to look at the players mentality there.
I honestly believe we could have fielded our U23’s (in theory only of course) in one of those games, and by law of averages picked up the win required.
We would then have been working with UE in the Champions league, which in turn would have brought a wholly different summer window.
If but’s and maybe’s.
I have to believe Emery will break into 3rd / 4th come May.
Then we’ll see what happens.
I think Xaka aided the ManU goal. On earth how do you duck to confuse your goal keeper. He should have headed the ball directing it up. The worst sin in his career.
Sorry, you missed what actually happened.
Xhaka was going to block the shot with his head, but the ball took a deflection off Socratis and went to the side of his head. Get your facts right, mate.
If in doubt, check earlier article on this site.
i have seen the said video and i dont think he was going to head the ball. Jus my humble opinion
I have always maintained that UE be given two full seasons before judging him and I stick by that. But I have to say his methods and style do not give me confidence for the future following his team selection for the Man U game. Not a single creative player in midfield and our best players were two youngsters, Guendouzi and Sako and apart from Auba the rest were bang average. He admitted he set up not to lose against a team that struggled against Rochdale?
I just wish he would come clean and say Mesut Ozil does not fit into his style of play and not make up silly excuses when questioned about it. He compounds it by making him captain and then hooking him after 70 minutes, not a great confidence builder is it. He obviously prefers Ceballos to Ozil but with what justification? Ceballos has had one good game on his debut since then pretty average, he ruins around more that Ozil but imo tries too much and holds up play.
I think Ozil should go in January (even if we have to subsidise) as he has no future at AFC under Emery, my only fear is that our goal machine, Auba could also decide to move on considering the lack of quality behind him. The test will come when and if he is offered a new contract. I have just heard rumours that AW could manage AC Milan, the perfect home for Mesut?