The following news article was added to www.red11.org/news on Sat Sep 20 @ 07:53:03 GMT
UNITED TO ADD TO WENGER'S WORRIES - RODNEY MARSH First and foremost, when the Premier League was founded, this was the type of game they had in mind - two tremendous teams, with no hint of mis-match for the neutral, full of fireworks, great football and always a surprise in store. It is already a much bigger game for Arsenal. I was shocked at how easy Inter cut through them on Wednesday and Arsene Wenger will need to sort that out for a start. None of the back four looked comfortable and they weren't helped by a very poor midfield performance - a repeat of anything like that and they will be in trouble again. I'll say now, I do think United will shade it on Sunday. Arsenal are usually at their most potent on the back of a bad European result, but I just think that this time the hangover may be too much to cope with. They need to improve throughout the side. There was nothing that their fans could pin any hope on against Inter and they need the likes of Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and Thierry Henry to come good when it matters... and boy does it matter on Sunday!Some people are saying a trip to Old Trafford is the perfect game for them to bounce back in, but sometimes when you analyse football, you have no idea about what is going on in a dressing room. I don't know how badly Arsenal will be affected and I don't know how Wenger will be motivating his troops right now. I know that when you look at their squad and the players they have got, you couldn't possibly imagine them getting mullered as they did against Inter. But they did, and they will be desperate to silence their critics. There was so much wrong with the performance against Inter, that it may well take more than a few days to put things right, or it could just be a complete one off. We will know come 4pm on Sunday. I would be amazed if Martin Keown does not play at Old Trafford. Sol Campbell has had his problems and may not play on Sunday, while Kolo Toure, for me, has looked all over the place. He may have pace and Wenger may be determined to make a central defender out of him, but right now he looks like a midfielder playing out of position and United will be ready to expose any more uncertainty at the back. Even if Campbell does play, I would expect to see Keown in there to take care of Ruud van Nistelrooy, which will of course, renew their rivalry. In complete contrast Manchester United could not have had a better build-up. If they had beaten Panathinaikos 2-1, then there would would have been one or two rumblings, but to thrash them 5-0 - and it could have been a lot more - just goes to show what a good side they are. Time and again, they get the big results, when it really matters. I've always said they are a leviathon and a law unto themselves. Even without the likes Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes injured they keep picking up the wins. It makes me laugh when people say they lack creativity now that David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron have gone - that is complete and utter tosh! They may well end up missing those two, but how can you say a side lacks creativity when they win a European Cup game 5-0, with five different scorers? Basically Manchester United in great shape again. Tim Howard has settled in very well and young Ronaldo looks a hell of a talent - and they're supposed to be the new lads, who were bought with the future very much in mind. Both sides' contrasting form only adds to what is now the biggest game in the domestic calendar - and one which never disappoints. I disagree when people say the games are anti-climactic. Even the games that don't have goals are very tight and brilliant chess matches - especially for the neutral. This time around, we've got Keown v Van Nistelrooy, the Community Shield left-overs and the midweek matches, which all add to the cocktail that will make it an irresistible match to watch. PREDICTION: I'm going for a United win. Of course it will be tight, but I just think this is one European hangover that may linger longer than the others as far as Arsenal are concerned. www.skysports.com http://www.red11.org/news ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> ReplayTV: Control live television Special Sale: 50% off ReplayTV CNet Ranked #1 over Tivo! http://us.click.yahoo.com/aUMW7B/A6qGAA/ySSFAA/GtUolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Subscription info WWW http://red11.org/list Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] = subscribe to the list. [EMAIL PROTECTED] = unsubscribe from the list. Post message [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
