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

Rewatching the game, the officiating really was worst than it appeared on first viewing. The lack of consistency is really what is disturbing and aggravating.
As explained above, there really is no question about Kos's red for his foul on Lukaku: we've seen those given regularly plenty of time for the same situation. And adding to the fact that if Kos does not foul Lukaku, with the pace of both players, everyone knows he's clearly gone, with just Cech to beat, in all probability.
As far as the Pogba foul on Bellerin, as previously stated, I can accept that Pogba's clumsiness put Mariner in a situation to do something/dish out a card. But it never was a red, especially when Xhaka's foul on Martial in the first half, was more egregious in my opinion as well. And nothing at all was given for it.
Pretty shoddy performance overall for both sides, on his part tbh...

 

Any win against the top 6 has to been seen as a good result, especially away. If it wasn’t for city’s form, we would be very happy with our points at this stage.

That said the performances have been a concern, I’m honestly unsure if it’s the tactics or we just aren’t good enough, when opponents go for us.

Also I’m not his biggest fan but hats off to Lingard for the brace. Lots of unlikely scorers recent with young, Valencia and Lingard. Good to spread the burden around.

Finally - the mix up with DDG and the fax machine continues to pay off, never dreamed he would stay more than one year. World class players are a joy to experience. If only we had more than two in the squad.

 

Watched the game last night, good to get the points but thank goodness for Arse sloppy defending and David De Gea. Better than Schmikes/VDS. Absolutely phenomenal.

 

A day later, it's still impossible to shake off the buzz from one of the greatest United victories of the post-Ferguson era. The early goal by Valencia, the brace Lingard and the heroic team defending against a very good Arsenal side, but above all the preposterous goalkeeping by David De Gea Quintana, without any question at the greatest keeper on the planet.

The win over Arsenal knocks le gunners out of any consideration for the prem trophy and keeps United within touching distance of City, a side which is now being mentioned as perhaps the greatest side in prem history. Obviously premature stuff, but City have earned the high praise they're getting. Yet somehow we're still within reach of City. Absolutely incredible stuff.

 

If he could just distribute the ball better instead of just kicking it aimlessly ....

 

I'd be a little generous about the quality of our attack on the few chances we created. The layoff by Martial was sublime. Pogba was on a mission for the last goal.

As for De Gea, he's absolutely better than Schmikes. Peter had an aura about him that elevates him in the eye of many observers and fair play on that, but on a total package basis De Gea is without any question the greatest keeper in United history. What we owe the man is a CL trophy.

 

Talking points from United's win v Arsenal.

www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/11153889/arsenal-1-3-manchester-united-five-talking-points-as-gunners-stunned

 

We should have put this game away inside the first half. After 2-0 Arsenal were so open. We dis not make the most of all that space.

Everytime Arsenal turned the ball over, in the 1st half we should have murdered them on rhe break. I thought we were going to get 5.

The one break Martial over hit the pass to Pogba should have been a wide open run straight to goal for Pogba. 3-0 inside 20 or 25 minutes and they're finished.

 

Mourinho actually set us up to attack, but once we went up two he unsurprisingly dialed it back. I would have preferred to go for the kill as benni suggested, but what he did is defensible. The problem is we didn’t have the quality defenders out there to do that without giving up chances.

 

You gotta be kidding, benni. Put down your Xbox.

If we're going to play the "we should have scored on every chance" game you can't have it one way and not the other. Arsenal missed 5 or 6 glorious chances.

The truth in football is that no club ever scores on every chance, not even every glorious chance. Valencia's shot on goal "shouldn't" have beaten both the defender and the keeper, but he megged both for the improbable but undeniable goal.

United were the deserving winner and a 3-1 final score is a perfect reflection of how the game went. Arsenal had most of the possession and had their chances but couldn't beat an outstanding keeper. We had fewer chances but made the most of the chances we did create, but there's no denying that we weren't perfect on goal. No one ever is.

 

Glad to see Lindelof stringing together good performances. Sanchez got no change from that side. Had to switch to Rojo, who obviously isnt as nimble/agile/mobile as Lindelof.

 

1-3 score, of course.

 

The tactical change that helped United win vs Arsenal.

www.mufclatest.com/tactical-tweak-reaped-the-benefits-for-manchester-united-says-smalling/

 

BREAKING: Manchester United have chosen not to appeal Paul Pogba’s red card vs. Arsenal—which confirms his absence from Sunday’s Manchester derby pic.twitter.com/HFl01VfdvW

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 4, 2017

 

Might as well get it done and over with as appealing will not change anything in all likelyhood.
Lols at Dermot Gallagher though for referring to the call of sending Pogba off, a "tremendous" one...

www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11156259/decision-to-send-off-paul-pogba-was-a-tremendous-decision-says-dermot-gallagher

 

Lukaku needs to get a red card. He should go knee high on Silva or De Bruyne at the end of this weekends game.

 

Pressuring -- or, "pressurizing" as Brits prefer to put it -- their defenders was key. I've never been particularly impressed with Mustafi or Koscielny, but I had no idea how poor on the ball they were until we saw Lingard, Lukaku and Valencia strip them them clean for the first two goals and put the game effectively beyond all reach before Wenger realized what had just happened.

May Tony Adams be right that Wenger will manage Arsenal for years to come (which Tony, of course, believes will not inure to the benefit Arsenal's trophy cabinet).

 

Wenger, ultimately gets the blame for Arsenal's (repeated) defensive failings.

www.paininthearsenal.com/2017/12/03/arsenal-arsene-wenger-simultaneously-blame-not-blame/

Things like what we saw this past weekend will keep on happening as long as the team's defensive frailties (especially at CB) are not addressed decisively soon. Their backline is almost there with the arrival of Kolasinac at LB/LWB, but the need for a top notch CB has been made evident vs United.
Kos is not getting younger, Mustafi is a #3, 2 at best option and Holding is not fully ready yet. Arsenal, like Pool, should really do just about anything to get van Dijk away from Soton. For Arsenal particularly (Pool has other holes/needs at the back), he would be the final piece of the puzzle at the back. No question about it...

 

Good to see some pundits questioning Bellerin role in terms of the unnatural way he competed for the ball with his leg on the ground. Gray and Platt (decent pundits) thought not a red, Francis & Keyes (useless pundits) thought it was.

 

Stewart Robson from ESPN, who is obviously pro Arsenal under normal circumstances, has claimed that it never was a red card either, citing the lack of intent from Pogba, along with the awkward/unnatural position from Bellerin.
Just very unfortunate (the call) especially considering the implications it could have on the title race.

 

Marriner can be forgiven for getting it wrong in real time, but there's no excuse for anyone seeing the replay and concluding that it was a sending off offense. It's plain as day there was no intent and that Pogba was neither guilty of "serious foul play" nor "violent conduct", the two predicate conditions (that are relevant in this situation) either of which is required for a straight red.

Pogba could, at worst, be reasonably accused of reckless play, an offense which is punishable with a yellow card.

 

Some conclusions from United's win vs Arsenal at the Emirates.

www.mufclatest.com/what-we-learned-manchester-united-can-win-when-it-matters-pogba-blow-in-manchester-derby/