carlyluvsunited
04-11-2007, 06:26 AM
Arsenal v Manchester United: The top draw
You know Manchester United's title defence is going well when they descend
upon London, earn a deserved draw with high-flying Arsenal and then complain
as if they have somehow been short-changed. All that happened was that at the
end of a frantic last quarter, Arsenal scored an equaliser that was both dramatic
and deserved.
That goal kept Arsenal on top but only on goal difference and even if they have a
game in hand, they've got United right alongside and an ever-improving Chelsea
just behind. Though they were outpassed for long periods of yesterday's match
at the Emirates Stadium, United were not outplayed and would have won if only
their defence had played with the authority they had consistently shown in
earlier matches this season.
Perhaps it was disappointment with some ordinary defending that tempted Sir
Alex Ferguson to find lots of fault with aspects of the game. He believed referee
Howard Webb wasn't always fair. "At times, he favoured Arsenal," said United's
manager, which tends to be a complaint one hears at Old Trafford, though it is
always the visiting manager who feels that.
Ferguson was also unhappy about the abuse he and his staff had to endure
during the match. Seated behind the United dug-out were some passionate
Arsenal supporters who were not slow to express their point of view. "There is a
lack of security here," he said. "On our bench we were getting terrible abuse
from people two or three feet away."
Perhaps the discomfort will help the United manager to better empathise with
Alan Wiley, the fourth official who spent much of his afternoon being abused
by "people two or three feet away." The worst of the abuse suffered by Wiley
came from Fergie himself. More than that, some of the abuse directed at Sir Alex
was as a direct result of the abuse he directed at poor Mr. Wiley.
It was impressive though that as he closes in on 21 years of extraordinary
success at Old Trafford, Ferguson still retains his capacity to see everything from
United's point of view. He noticed the foul on Louis Saha that Howard Webb
missed - had it been detected, Arsenal wouldn't have got their second goal.
Even that goal, said Ferguson, came from "pumping the ball" into the box. Ah, Sir
Alex. Take another look. Watch how Gael Clichy won possession right out
alongside you near half, ran past a United defender, steadied himself and played
the most delightful cross that caused absolute mayhem in your team's defence. I
bet when he's at home this evening and re-watching that goal, he will be smiling
to himself, "oh, that was a good ball."
Despite the abuse suffered by the United manager and the fourth official, we did
have our lighter moment at the Emirates. Someone asked Arsene Wenger if he
thought Gallas's late equaliser had crossed the line, before it was beaten out by
Edwin van der Sar, and then ruled a goal by the assistant referee, Darren
Cann. "I didn't see it," said Wenger. Shamelessly, we had always thought that
Arsene suffered temporary blindness only when an Arsenal player did something
wrong. How mistaken we were.
Click here to join manutdtalk.com and read all breaking news on all things
United !!!
http://manutdtalk.com/forums/register.php
You know Manchester United's title defence is going well when they descend
upon London, earn a deserved draw with high-flying Arsenal and then complain
as if they have somehow been short-changed. All that happened was that at the
end of a frantic last quarter, Arsenal scored an equaliser that was both dramatic
and deserved.
That goal kept Arsenal on top but only on goal difference and even if they have a
game in hand, they've got United right alongside and an ever-improving Chelsea
just behind. Though they were outpassed for long periods of yesterday's match
at the Emirates Stadium, United were not outplayed and would have won if only
their defence had played with the authority they had consistently shown in
earlier matches this season.
Perhaps it was disappointment with some ordinary defending that tempted Sir
Alex Ferguson to find lots of fault with aspects of the game. He believed referee
Howard Webb wasn't always fair. "At times, he favoured Arsenal," said United's
manager, which tends to be a complaint one hears at Old Trafford, though it is
always the visiting manager who feels that.
Ferguson was also unhappy about the abuse he and his staff had to endure
during the match. Seated behind the United dug-out were some passionate
Arsenal supporters who were not slow to express their point of view. "There is a
lack of security here," he said. "On our bench we were getting terrible abuse
from people two or three feet away."
Perhaps the discomfort will help the United manager to better empathise with
Alan Wiley, the fourth official who spent much of his afternoon being abused
by "people two or three feet away." The worst of the abuse suffered by Wiley
came from Fergie himself. More than that, some of the abuse directed at Sir Alex
was as a direct result of the abuse he directed at poor Mr. Wiley.
It was impressive though that as he closes in on 21 years of extraordinary
success at Old Trafford, Ferguson still retains his capacity to see everything from
United's point of view. He noticed the foul on Louis Saha that Howard Webb
missed - had it been detected, Arsenal wouldn't have got their second goal.
Even that goal, said Ferguson, came from "pumping the ball" into the box. Ah, Sir
Alex. Take another look. Watch how Gael Clichy won possession right out
alongside you near half, ran past a United defender, steadied himself and played
the most delightful cross that caused absolute mayhem in your team's defence. I
bet when he's at home this evening and re-watching that goal, he will be smiling
to himself, "oh, that was a good ball."
Despite the abuse suffered by the United manager and the fourth official, we did
have our lighter moment at the Emirates. Someone asked Arsene Wenger if he
thought Gallas's late equaliser had crossed the line, before it was beaten out by
Edwin van der Sar, and then ruled a goal by the assistant referee, Darren
Cann. "I didn't see it," said Wenger. Shamelessly, we had always thought that
Arsene suffered temporary blindness only when an Arsenal player did something
wrong. How mistaken we were.
Click here to join manutdtalk.com and read all breaking news on all things
United !!!
http://manutdtalk.com/forums/register.php