Author Topic: Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0 (13.12.10)  (Read 813 times)

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Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0 (13.12.10)
« on: 10:14:51, 14/12/10 »
By Henry Winter 9:45PM GMT 13 Dec 2010 Henry's Twitter
19 Comments Ominously for the rest, Manchester United went top of the Premier League without hitting top gear. Ji-Sung Park’s clever header separated the two sides but the gulf in belief and goal threat was far greater. Heaven help the rest when United really click. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men visit Chelsea on Sunday for the next leg of this fascinating, if flawed title race. Related ArticlesManchester City and Tottenham Hotspur also harbour Premier League ambitions but there is something about United in this mood, canny and controlled, that should worry all their rivals. The unbeaten run will end at some point but United exude the confidence and experience of being able to set off on another run.
Ignore the scoreline. United were head and shoulders above Arsenal, physically so when Park rose in front of the sluggish Sebastien Squillaci to settle the game it was not unexpected.
Victory would have been more emphatic had Wayne Rooney placed a penalty into the net rather than into the Stretford End.
No matter. The ground-staff despatched a search party for the ball and the watching David Beckham will have finished his beard by the time they find it. Unfazed by the miss, United simply saw out the game, finishing deserved winners.
Sir Alex Ferguson outwitted Arsène Wenger, swamping midfield with a 4-2-3-1 formation, denying Arsenal any time in possession. Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher anchored, Anderson kept charging forward in support of Rooney.
Sound performances spiced United’s collective strength from Rooney’s relentless running in the target-man’s role to the energy of Park and Nani on the flanks. Nemanja Vidic was the model of reliability at the back, while Ferguson’s full-backs, Rafael and Patrice Evra, pushed on at every opportunity, ensuring that Andrei Arshavin and Samir Nasri were constantly looking over their shoulders.
Wenger moaned about the quality of the surface, which seemed a lame excuse, and he could more legitimately have pointed to the continued absence of Thomas Vermaelen, one of the squad’s few leader types.
But a familiar tale was told here. Once again, Arsenal were reminded that silk is nothing without steel. Once again, they froze when faced with their major rivals. The image of Anderson powering through Jack Wilshere, leaving the English youngster floored, captured the evening’s theme. Arsenal lack the resilience for the heavyweight bouts.
As Howard Webb’s final whistle hung accusingly in the air for Arsenal, the numbers men were rushing out damning statistics showing that Wenger’s side have lost 10 and drawn one of their last 11 games against United and Chelsea in all competitions.
A miserly return of only five goals demonstrated their need for a poacher. This season’s arrival, Marouane Chamakh, dithered when presented his one chance and Vidic slammed the door shut. If there was one positive for Arsenal on an otherwise chastening evening it was the confident performance of the young Polish keeper, Wojciech Szczesny, who so impressed on loan to Brentford last season, on his Premier League debut. He came for crosses, though standing no chance when Park came calling.
From the start, United had sensed a vulnerability in the visitors. Ferguson’s men sought to test Szczesny with early shots but he dealt well with efforts from Nani and Rooney. When Squillaci cleared poorly, Szczesny was relieved to see Nani’s first-time shot speed just wide.
Never a classic, the game still had Old Trafford transfixed. Freight-loads of controversy are never far away from this fixture and the latest shipment duly arrived midway through the half. As Chamakh drifted towards Nasri’s cross, Rafael patently blocked his path, leaving the Moroccan open-mouthed at the offence and Webb’s decision to wave play on. Chamakh himself was then fortunate that Webb deemed his handling offence in the Arsenal box an accidental act.
United protestations were met with invective from the away corner, the Arsenal fans reserving particular venom for Evra. United’s feisty full-back had enlivened the pre-match period by making disparaging remarks about Arsenal being a “training centre” and bereft of trophies. Ferguson and Wenger may have declared a truce, but nobody informed the players or supporters.
For a while, the chants were spikier than the football. The Stretford End seething with frustration when Carrick lost possession. Rooney then aimed a sly kick at Gaël Clichy.
Fletcher, enraged by a Alex Song trip, shouted at Webb, even pushing the official and remarkably escaping a caution. Channeling his energy more positively, Fletcher set the scene for United’s goal, flicking the ball towards Rooney, who swiftly transferred play to Nani. As Nani began cutting in from the right, Park embarked on a lengthy sprint in from the other flank.
Nani ran at Clichy, working the ball on to his left foot and shaping for a shot. As Clichy dived in, Nani’s strike deflected off the defender’s foot, looping up towards Park, who scored with the type of twisting header seemingly Javier Hernández’s preserve.
Arsenal awoke at the break. Nasri briefly became more involved, dribbling at Rio Ferdinand, who backed off, inviting the Frenchman to shoot. Edwin van der Sar saved but the ball fell to Chamakh, who really should have scored but hesitated and was denied by Vidic’s block.
Wenger acted, withdrawing the hobbling Wilshere, who will have better games here, and the ineffectual Tomas Rosicky and sending on Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
If there’s bonhomie between the dug-outs, the tension between the teams was seen in some nasty challenges. Ferdinand leapt into Bacary Sagna, his right boot ripping open the full-back’s shirt.
Arsenal were far from shrinking violets, Van Persie body-checking Evra.
Still the challenges flew in, Park somehow negotiating an assault course created by Song and Laurent Koscielny. United menaced on the counter. When Nani darted in from the right, his attempted pass raced into the right arm of the sliding Clichy.
Arsenal pleaded with some conviction that this was ball to hand but the experienced assistant referee, Dave Bryan, signalled a penalty. Rooney’s run-up was an exaggerated version of his successful spot-kick against Rangers, as if approaching the ball from around a corner, but his finish was wretched.
He almost made amends with a spectacular chip but Szczesny’s reflexes stopped the ball’s regal progress into the net. United continue to look unbeatable without looking imperious
All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing