On a cold December night, Old Trafford will provide a red-hot atmosphere, enough to make any player sweat under the pressure. As the Day of Reckoning beckons for the young Gunners, Manchester United will prove to be a tough test, questioning several aspects of the side currently topping the Premiership. Guest author Suhail Seedat is on the case (follow him on Twitter).
Manchester United
Predicted team: Van der Sar; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Nani, Carrick, Anderson, Park; Rooney, Berbatov.
United haven’t started in their vintage way - shutting attacks out and scoring by the hatful (the Blackburn game being an anomoly) - and yet they lie in third with a game in hand on leaders Arsenal. The defensive problems seemed to have been resolved with the fully fit Rio Ferdinand being restored to the side, partnering Nemanja Vidic, though questions will be asked about Rafael and the opinionated Patrice Evra.
Evra’s words may provide Arsene Wenger with some powerful material for his pre-match talk but the duty will fall upon the much-improved Samir Nasri to silence Evra in more ways than one. Evra’s constant drive and and persistance causes many oppositions’ right sides problems but the responsibility will be more to track and keep Nasri on the outside. International team-mates on the pitch, resentment off of it; this is a battle which could be key to one of these teams gaining the three points.
The midfield will be competitive and aggressive, as Alex Ferguson would demand, but the creative burden will fall on Nani and Ji-Sung Park to provide the ammunition for the attack. Michael Carrick will assume a deeper role, trying to dictate the tempo though he may need to play a more pragmatic game to stretch Arsenal’s midfield.
If there ever was a game for Wayne Rooney to break his open-play duck, it would be against Arsenal. His immense record indicates that he has the voodoo sign over Wenger’s revolving defence, but it is up to the Arsenal back-line to try and break the hex hanging over them. Rooney has been playing a more familiar deeper role in recent games alongside the vibrant Dimitar Berbatov, regaining that magical touch but still unable to find the net.
Arsenal
Predicted team: Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Wilshere, Rosicky, Nasri, Arshavin; Chamakh.
It was thought Wenger chose to buy Sebastien Squillaci as he would perfectly slot into a Francophone defence. However, having seen Arsenal’s defence at times, it seems communication is the last thing they seem to be getting right. Laurent Koscielny has a very cultured game to dovetail with Squillaci’s combative style but has illustrated a lack of discipline in his defending, being sent off twice in his short career at the Emirates thus far.
Composure will be needed where the marginal decisions will be contested by the United players. Arsenal’s full backs will give huge energy and hustle, and some may say they are the best full back pairing in the league, though their final delivery is still lacking the quality of the creme-de-la-creme.
Alex Song will be pivotal for Arsenal playing in the anchor role. Not only does he have to keep the triangular shape, which Arsenal need for their pattern work, but he has to also keep Rooney in check. Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere have the technical ability to carve open any defence but more will be asked of them against a tight four midfield like United’s. Wilshere, especially, must not be overawed by the atmosphere and the sheer cold-blooded approach from United. The teenager definitely has quality but this match will test his mental strength in being able to stand up to Anderson and Carrick.
One of the criticisms that has been leveled at Arsenal is their predictability in the final third. The play, it seemed last season, would be congested, with all balls heading straight towards goal, rather than penetrating through the wide areas, mainly due to the lack of perceived height of the centre forward. That seemed to have changed after buying Marouane Chamakh, but Arsenal have still reverted back to their old ways.
As mentioned, one of the intriguing battles will be Nasri v Evra, as it will show how confident Arsenal are in allowing their wide players to travel and bypass the full backs in order to lure the two United centre backs into territory they may struggle in. Chamakh wont win most headers against Vidic and Ferdinand, but he does have some pace to counter that. However, United may play a deeper line to protect Ferdinand’s dip in pace.
These matches never disappoint in style and sometimes full-blooded action. Wenger kicked a water bottle in disgust last season - this time will he finally get to finally open a champagne bottle in celebration?
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Tags: Arsenal, Manchester United