So Sir Alex reckons that this is the biggest game of the season for us. Well in many ways it is but you can bet that there will be a couple of games in the not too distant future which will carry a similar title.However, when you come to think about it, it could come down to this. Chelsea play Burnley late today and in all probability will increase their lead at the top to four points. They play their game in hand on us in midweek against Hull and that looks like another easy three points. It means in the space of four days, the Blues could increase our lead over us from pone point before this weekend to seven points if we fail to get a result at the Emirates--and we all know how difficult it is to chase a seven point deficit in February.
That should be, above all, the motivation for our players. The team talk is as simple as that. Do the players really want to win the league again this year?
Arsenal have been on quite a run in the league. At one point they looked out of it, but now they have as good a chance of winning the league as we do.
One of the main factors that has aided their rise is that club these days are playing to their style of football in a bid to win over sympathy when they lose....u know...like 'At least we played well'.
Apparently, since the departure of Sam Allardyce from Bolton, the so called 'dirty tactics' are no longer viewed in the same light. They are not looked at as a means of winning a game but rather are viewed at as anti-football.
It's why the lesser sides in the league are now playing it the 'Arsenal way'. We've had the likes of Reading, Hull and Burnley from the Championship in recent seasons coming to grounds like OT and playing it 'on the floor' as opposed to the long ball. Fair enough, they still pack the defence with about eight players but when they have possession it's a different story.
It means that sides that used to bully the Arsenal are no longer existent in the league--nowadays, you have to beat them at their very won game--which is, in my opinion, a very difficult feat to accomplish.
Now you know why Arsene Wenger complained about Darren Fletcher after their defeat at OT in August.
As far as United is concerned, we've been drawn to playing it like Arsenal in the past few season and that explains our recent home and away defeats to them in the league. However, this season has seen us return to the old fashioned United in a way. Forget the fact that we struggle to put away chances , our play is now based on wings. It reminds me of the days of Beckham when a cross into the box was mandatory every couple of minutes or so. Valencia and Nani seem to have that in them
That combined with the ability to go route one through the midfield and or Wayne Rooney has made us in more ways than one unpredictable than when it was all about getting the ball to Ruud or to Ronaldo.
The one thing that I still think we are missing is the 'ugly' side to our game. I mean, remember the days when Fergie would employ Phil Neville and Roy Keane to 'break' the Arsenal rhythm. The likes of Antonio Reyes, Robert Pires and Thierry Henry would freeze out of the game before a ball had been kicked.
Darren Fletcher is all we have for that right now, and probably Anderson if the manager elects to start with both. I'm talking about how we managed to nullify a Chelsea midfield on Essien, Lampard, Ballack and Deco earlier this season. Similar levels of performance will be needed to nullify the threat of Fabregas, Song and co.
Vidic is back and will start. Ferdinand starts a four game ban. I'm really hoping for Wes Brown at right back and Evans in the middle. Valencia should take over from Nani but the Portuguese should be worth a place on the bench. I want to say that Berbatov should start but I have this big feeling that the manager will go 4-5-1 again---I mean if he can do it at home, than away is an almost certainty.
The rewards for winning this one are big!
Labels: PREVIEWS
