FA cup Review- Manchester United vs Arsenal

The gunners were outgunned yet again in their FA cup match up against Manchester united. The depleted Gunners now have to do without the much improved Johan Djourou who has been a revelation this season. When the two teams were announced I thought to myself “No this cannot be right, SAF’s picked 7 defenders in his first 11”. It was not an error by the broadcaster Fergie did indeed pick a second string team except for Rooney, VDS, Vidic, and Evra. Second string the united team might have been but they put up a very good performance because whatever the gunners threw at them they had an answer for and punished them on the break, twice but it could have been more. Especially in the second half when Antonio Valencia came on and had a very good game as an outlet for united. Mr Wenger has fooled people into believing that defensive football is anti-football .Italy has won so many titles that way. This type of football might be a remedy for people who find it hard to fall asleep but it is football none-the-less.   

There’s one question that no one has answered to my satisfaction “Why is Arsene Wenger the best manager of the past decade?”.What ever your answer is Mourinho and SAF beat him on almost all categories I have come up with to try and justify him being elected for this award. So at least Arsenal has the best manager of the past decade according to the International Football Federation of History & Statistics (IFFHS) and they can build on that. I do not mean to sound hypercritical of Arsenal but no one will remember how well they play 50 years from now if they do not get the proof in the form of trophies.

For the first time I really felt sorry for the professor as he sat there looking dumbfounded with Arsenal trailing by two goals with a couple of minutes left to the final whistle. What does he have to do to make this team deliver? May I offer a suggestion to Mr Wenger? Stop living in lala land and build your team from defense going forward and not the other way round. Arsenal might go on to win the title(EPL) but that will not change the fact that this team is not good enough to beat the likes of Manchester united or Chelsea when they are on form. I say this because every time Arsenal has beaten any of the big teams in the last couple of seasons they have done so when these teams have had a dip in form. Some people might argue that for one team to win the other has to be poor on the day but when you are considered one of the best in Europe you should able to beat a Manchester United playing at their best and only then can you proudly proclaim to be one of the best. Right now I do not think Arsenal can beat the red devils playing at their best because they could not beat them playing average football on Saturday.

Arsenal has a lot of work to do but at least they have great fans backing them. The gunners’ faithful were still in full voice up until the final whistle. March has been terrible for them but there’s no time wallow.

Man city is up next for United and whoever goes through between the two will be firm favorites to win the FA cup. It has been a good weekend of football and here’s to another week of the world’s most beautiful game before the dreaded international break.    

Thandaninkosi  Moyo

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