Match Day Man Utd v Arsenal, Saturday 19th November 12:30

[SALTIRE]

Match chat.

 

[Pagnell]

Draw please. And I reckon it's the most likely outcome.

If this was at the Emirates it's obvious what we'd see, a repeat of the Anfield game. But United are at home, so it will be interesting to see if Mourinho has enough confidence in his players to send them out with an attacking strategy, or if he will settle with a point. I hope we see the latter, I can't imagine United fans would be happy about it. But we really should see United try to win it, it will be a sad indictment of what Mourinho and United have become if we don't.

2-2

 

[JimJams]

Red card happening in this game.

 

[Stevencc]

This is Wenger's best chance in a long time to get one over on Jose and he'll probably still find a way not to manage it.

 

[smat]

1-0 United. No danger whatsoever of us getting anything, we are absolute wusses.

 

[SALTIRE]

Wenger to get his revenge.

Man Utd -0 - 3 Arsenal

 

[thespus]

Carl Jenkinson to score a screamer in the 85th to win it.

 

[Stevencc]

Wenger to get his revenge.

Man Utd -0 - 3 Arsenal

Is minus zero good or bad?

 

[SALTIRE]

Is minus zero good or bad?

Bad. Very bad.

 

[Renegade]

0-0

Mourinho to park the bus and get a result, though I think United will be better to watch on the counter than in the Liverpool game with Rashford up front. A Martial sighting would be nice.

 

[Pagnell]

0-0

Mourinho to park the bus and get a result, though I think United will be better to watch on the counter than in the Liverpool game with Rashford up front. A Martial sighting would be nice.

It was bad enough at Anfield but Manchester United parking the bus at Old Trafford against any team isn't acceptable, surely? I'd be interested to see the crowds reaction if he does this. Will he get less stick than LVG would have gotten had he used the same tactics last season, purely because he's Mourinho?

 

[The Iron]

It should be a good game this and hopefully quite a few goals for Arsenal in each half.

 

[Stevencc]

That's it, from now on I am certain that The Iron is impersonating Saltire.

 

[SALTIRE]

Mourinho parked 6 men in defense at Anfield, will it be 7 or even 8 at the back at home against Arsenal?

Just saw a preview of the game on CNN where they had a map of Europe showing the big games over the weekend, but had this one hovering over London!

 

[Stevencc]

Good question Saltire/The Iron, we don't have long to wait.

 

[Nilsson]

Will he get less stick than LVG would have gotten had he used the same tactics last season, purely because he's Mourinho?

The problem with van Gaal wasn't that he was too defensive, it was that he had no coherent plan and was content with keeping with ball and doing nothing with it.

 

[Pagnell]

What's worse? Doing nothing with the ball at home and ending up with a point or setting out to get a point in the first place?

 

[Nilsson]

What's worse? Doing nothing with the ball at home and ending up with a point or setting out to get a point in the first place?

It's not like Mourinho is playing defensive every week, he's adapting to different game plans for the better sides in the division, I've got no problem with that and am willing to give him time to build his own squad.

 

[Stevencc]

He did it against Liverpool as well.

 

[Pagnell]

I find that amazing Nilsson. As a United fan you seem to be content with the prospect of your manager potentially being happy with a point at home. Arsenal are above you. These are exactly the types of games the manager, players and fans should be looking to win to get that top 4 spot United desperately need.

 

[Pagnell]

Just to say, I don't think he will set up for a draw. It will be cagey, but United will be rightly going for the win.

 

[Stevencc]

Just to say, I don't think he will set up for a draw. It will be cagey, but United will be rightly going for the win.

I'm not sure - I think Mourinho is perverse enough to set up negatively and hope to nick a goal so he can show Wenger's more expansive style up as being impotent and get one over on him that way.

I suppose that is still going for the win, actually.

 

[Nilsson]

I find that amazing Nilsson. As a United fan you seem to be content with the prospect of your manager potentially being happy with a point at home. Arsenal are above you. These are exactly the types of games the manager, players and fans should be looking to win to get that top 4 spot United desperately need.

I don't believe that playing on the counter attack with men behind the ball means that he'd be "happy" with a point. He's beaten Arsenal many times playing that way.

 

[Pagnell]

At the very least its viewing not losing as being more important than winning. That's Moyes territory.

 

[Nilsson]

At the very least its viewing not losing as being more important than winning. That's Moyes territory.

Not really, it's viewing that staying compact will give you the best chance of winning. I'm not saying Mourinho will play this way tomorrow.

 

[Renegade]

It was bad enough at Anfield but Manchester United parking the bus at Old Trafford against any team isn't acceptable, surely? I'd be interested to see the crowds reaction if he does this. Will he get less stick than LVG would have gotten had he used the same tactics last season, purely because he's Mourinho?

Probably, but the football that United have played apart from the big games has been far more attractive than the football under Van Gaal. I think after 12 years of Mourinho, we know what he does in the big games when his side is over-matched.

 

[Bilo]

I don't believe that playing on the counter attack with men behind the ball means that he'd be "happy" with a point. He's beaten Arsenal many times playing that way.

Maybe a few years ago you'd have a point. But today football is very much about controlling the game -- pretty much every big team, well bar you, want to control the midfield as much as possible. So basically, when you set up to defend, you're already playing the games on their terms somewhat, fighting an uphill battle.

So long you set up specifically to defend, I'm sure you'll get a few draws like the one at Anfield but you will definitely finish with less wins than losses. And that hurts you in the chase for top four, because you'll have to compensate for that in the other games which you haven't so far.

Best of luck though! I'm sure I'll enjoy any result but were I to pick one I guess a 0-0 draw would be fine.

 

[JimJams]

Surely Leicester winning it last season shits all over that theory. Same goes for Atletico.

 

[smat]

Elneny-Coquelin double pivot.

 

[Storzy]

Elneny-Coquelin double pivot.

Really?

I think that partnership is our weakest and without a Cazorla or Xhaka in the middle we struggle to get the ball into Sanchez and Ozil's feet quick enough.

The last time we started those two was Middlesborough and Liverpool wasn't it?