PBP: EPL - Arsenal FC vs Manchester United FC - Dec 2, 2017 [R]

We will lose

 

Whatever we did with Watford in the first half, I ll be happy if we do the same for 90. I do not expect to keep possession or play up high.

 

Another must win, which they pretty much all are now.

Maybe the back 3 again with our aging winger/fullbacks. Pogba + Matic, of course. Gotta go with Martial. Lukaku might be emotionally crushed if he doesn't start this game, but on form he should be dropped...he'll start. Hard to pick between Miki, Lingard, Mata...go with Lingard.

Best bet? Low block defending, looking for counters and free kicks. It won't be pretty, but it could be beautiful.

 

Would certainly be looking to keep the same shape we did yesterday with the 3 at the back to counter the Ozil, Lacazette and Sanchez trident Wenger will probably field for this game.
Would rather go with a 3 men midfield also to add an extra layer of protection to the backline, but injuries to Matic and/or Fellaini may make that impossible.
The minimum goal between this game and City after that is 4pts (don't care if it's via a tie at Arsenal and a win vs City or vice versa), which is entirely within their capabilities. 6 is an outside shot and if it could be done somehow, that would be a dream, along with a massive momentum shifter as well, in the title race.

 

Seems pretty clear that a draw with Arsenal followed by a win over City would be vastly preferable to a win over Arenal and a draw with City.

Right now, it's all about chasing down City. A draw with City, reasonably assuming they dispatch West Hams and everyone else on the December menu through New Year's Eve apart from us, very likely means they've got 8 fingers on the prem trophy. This is a squad that knows how to win and are on a mission. We can't rely on the West Hams of the world to do our heavy lifting. Even if the points results is the same -- 4 from those two matches -- the psychological boost of beating City would be immense. Maybe, just maybe, a win over City gets inside their head and gives hope to Spurs or Leicester City.

 

This game has definitely taken a new significance with Arsenal recent good run of form. They have been good for a few laughs recently, but as of late, they appear to have turned it on, incidentally since their loss at Watford when Deeney questioned their manhood.
It's not coincidental and don't look now but they're creeping back up the table, now sitting 4th, just 4pts behind us. We dare not lose to game to keep in touch with City, or simply to keep Arsenal at bay.
In their last 3 games alone, they've scored 8 and conceded none. As mentioned, I feel relatively optimistic about going there, but we could be looking at a fight. Their defense with Mustafi who has looked good since his return, Kos and Monreal, flanked by Bellerin and Kolasinac, looks settled and upfront, Sanchez and Ozil have found their form as well. With Lacazette out of this one, it probably means Welbz starting (if Iwobi can't go either) on the left with Sanchez playing more centrally.
Really hoping that one of Matic or Fellaini at least can be good to go and stick in a md 3 with Herrera and Pogs, because the midfield battle could decide the fate of this game. Going to be fun, yet tense I reckon. Can't wait.

 

We're definitely going to defend with the low block -- just look at how he we played at Anfield. And we've generally not done well away against Big Six opposition under Mourinho. This is Wenger's not-so-obvious ploy to get inside Jose's head.

We don't have the speed on the back line to cope with Arsenal, although without Lacazette (injury) Giroud's lack of pace is a break for us. We're away at the Emirates, where it's pretty tough for visiting opponents to win. Arsenal will be full of confidence.

We're good enough to beat Arsenal with smash-and-grab tactics, but if we try to open the pitch on them we'll be shredded. A draw would be a positive result for us, keeping Arsenal at bay in the league table while we focus on the bigger prey the following weekend. That, my friends, is a must win game. This one aint.

 

With his form of late, Ozil will be one if the main guys to watch for Arsenal. He has shown in the NLD derby and yesterday vs Huddersfield, how good and vital he can be for Arsenal's offense when he's on.
Sanchez is another, but with the likelyhood of him playing as the CF, the responsibility to pull strings and unlock United's defense will fall primarily on Ozil.
He is also the reason I want United to line up with a 3 men midfield, with Herrera in there, tasked in man marking and trying to reduce Ozil's influence on the game. He surely will be playing right behind Sanchez and Welbz and if Ozil can be stopped, it will go some way in cutting the supply line for the 2 players up top.
He needs to be kept in check though, as on this type of form, any debate whether he is world class can firmly be put to bed...

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-transfer-arsenal-ozil-13975204

 

Mourinho press conference

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-press-conference-live-13980693

Matic is a doubt at this point, while Fellaini, Bailly and Jones are still out...

 

Lineup against Arsenal:

De Gea

Lindelof
Smalling
Rojo

Valencia
Young

Herrera
Pogba

Rashford
Lukaku
Martial

 

I don't love the thought of Valencia and Lindelof against Sanchez. We've seen before that Lindelof looks lost against pace. Smalling better be quick to slide over and cover when he gets beat.

But I agree with Jeff's lineup.

 

Will Sanchez play through the middle or on the wing now that Lacazette is "out" ? Makes a difference in our approach.

 

Sanchez will probably play at CF, with Welbeck next to him (the better pick if he's fit, over Giroud, because of his speed and movement). See Giroud coming on at some point in the second half. That's the role he appears best suited for nowadays.
I really would like to see us playing with 3 midfielders, as to relieve Pogba of some defensive duties, and add an extra protection to the backline. We probably will not see it, but the team I would go for (provided Matic is not good to go):
Dave
Lindelof. Smalling. Rojo
Tuanzebe
Valencia. Herrera. Pogs. AY
Lukaku. Martial

Tuanzebe plays in Matic's stead, providing the anchor in midfield we definitely need vs a pretty dynamic Arsenal attack. Herrera can be free to primarily look after Ozil and mark him out of the game. That will reduce to some extent Sanchez and Welbz's supply and force either Xhaka or Ramsey to step up creatively.
Playing a mid 2 of Herrera and Pogba is courting disaster. Would not be so worried if Arsenal were not in the form they are at the moment, yet they look very sharp attacking wise and if they adopt the same gameplan as Tottenham, we can expect a high and aggressive pressing game from the start (Smalling and Rojo's presence alone at the back would warrant that approach).
Rashford and Zlatan coming on the second half after Lukaku and Martial hopefully have run their defense ragged, could reap major rewards.

 

A massive ask of Axel, but a potentially brilliant solution to the problem of having so many players out with injury. It's reasonable to assume Ander, who's underrated as a defensive midfielder, will sit back with Axel to cope with the onslaught that Mourinho will invite.

Anthony has to do his fair share, however, and not just wait for the game to come to him.

 

Wenger may be leaning towards Welbeck for tomorrow's game.

www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/11/30/danny-welbeck-may-get-nod-olivier-giroud-arsenal-against-manchester/

From our point of view, if Giroud got the start tomorrow, it would be the best case scenario, with Arsenal's game becoming more direct, slower and predictable (and best suited to Smalls and Rojo).
As previously noted, pressing us high should be the tactic Wenger should looking to use, as he did to good effect vs Tottenham.
United may be able to take it, but the risk of troubling them would certainly be greater also.

 

Tuanzebe wouldn't even be in the squad, let alone starting.

 

I should have used the word "would", rather than "will", as there's no chance Jose will start Axel against Arsenal tomorrow. But it would be great to see it happen nevertheless. I don't recall seeing young Axel putting in a poor performance and sometimes you get crazy breakout performances from highly regarded young players...as we saw with Macheda several years ago. Okay, it was a one-off for Kiko but the point is that sometimes your young players bring an x-factor that leaves you speechless, as Martial and Rashford have done over the last two seasons.

More likely is this:

De Gea
Valencia/Lindelof/Smalling/Rojo/Young
Lingard/Herrera/Pogba/Martial
Lukaku

Assuming Matic is out, of course. At this point all we know is that he's doubtful for the match.

Call it a 91 formation if you must. We're going to defend with everything we've got and be happy to take an ugly 0-0. This is a match where we cannot reasonably expect to come out with the win.

 

Bold, yet welcome words from Jose.

www.si.com/soccer/2017/12/01/jose-mourinho-vows-attack-11-players-when-man-utd-face-arsenal-saturday

 

I would drop Rashford for Lingard. We need someone that can drop and help the RWB and RCB.

 

Outside of the odd goal, I do find Lingard rather useless. I think he runs around a lot without actually contributing.

With that said, I don't understand this myth that he helps out defensively. He helps defensively the same way that Miki does, which is to say he attempts to get behind the ball and get in the way a little. He doesn't actually do any defending.