A little less than a month after being bounced form the League Cup, losing out 6-2 on aggregate to Tottenham, Arsenal have been booted out of the FA Cup, away to Manchester United 4-0.
The Player Rating Guide has been added to the side bar to help with ratings for this game. Normally, I rely on an abbreviated version of the guide that I've committed to memory: 7 = good game, 8 = really good game, 6 = not so good game. For this game, though, I had to bring back the full player rating guide for help with ratings on the low end.
Eboue - I'd welcome anyone who wants to flame me for being too generous, but Eboue was a liability. If Eboue is one of your favorite players, or one of your relatives, then I apologize for the hurtful comments, but he had a poor game. His tackle that drew a straight red was not smart. His performance prior to that wasn't much better. Arsenal looked a little more stable after he was sent off, not that he was so much at fault for Arsenal being 3-0 down, but you'd like to see your side line up with 11 players they can rely on, and none who so often embarrass the team and its supporters (3).
Cesc - Looked off the pace, like he might be ill (5).
Gilberto - Looked off the pace, as if he might be a step slow for games at this pace. Arsenal were overrun in midfield (5).
Hleb - Was one of very few Arsenal players who looked like he was somewhere near his normal level in the first half, but faded in the second half (6).
Bendtner - Another player who almost looked up for it in the first half, and won a series of headers, but not as good in the second half (6).
Eduardo - Was ok in the first half, and got better as the game went on. Tried to help out in midfield (6).
Traore - Wasn't quite up for it defensively. Was able to get in one dangerous cross. He doesn't look too far away from being ready at this level, and he's still a teenager (6).
Hoyte - Had one to forget. Was terrorized by Nani, who put in two assists to Fletcher, with Hoyte looking terribly ordinary (4).
Gallas and Toure - The defensive organization was a mess. Gallas lost out badly for Fletcher's first goal, and Toure looked a little off the pace (6,6).
Lehmann - Even letting in 4 goals, he was one of Arsenal's better players, coming out of his box to make clearances, and making several saves. The scoreline could have been much worse (6).
Substitutes -
Flamini - Played his normal game (7).
Adebayor - Looked like he could create a consolation goal, but his dive added to the embarrassment of the game, and he was awarded a yellow card (6).
Senderos - Wasn't involved a lot when he came on, but did ok (7).
United looked like they were playing a training match that was designed to boost the team's confidence ahead of a big game. They were troubled not at all by Arsenal. Any number of their players would qualify for the "Man among boys" designation, including Anderson, who ran riot, Nani, Rooney, Fletcher, and Evra with Carrick and Wes Brown not far behind.
2 days ago
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6 comments:
United played a magnificent game. Carrick and Anderson completely bossed the midfield. Gilberto just doesn't have it against those two. Arsenal didn't "have the cutting edge" as the commentator said. When Darren Fletcher got a brace against you, you know you didn't have a good game.
Toure is not match fit. He needs to go back to the training ground and from the way Arsene made his substitutions, it looks like Senderos will be starting in the game against Milan if he is not injured.
Hoyte and Traore were eaten alive. The combination of Evra and Nani coupled with the ineptitude of Eboue left Hoyte seriously exposed. Traore needs more time; he has the talent but is just not ready for the big stage.
Every team needs a dirty player; someone who makes sure the other opponents don't mess around. I always saw Eboue's role as that dirty player for Arsenal but now I see that he's just not smart enough for that role. His foul deserves a straight red.
However, the arrogance of some of United's players, Rooney and Nani in particular was distasteful. When the your team is 3-0 up, show-boating and humiliating the opposing team is uncalled for.
I thought Gallas' action against Nani was stupid. He could very easily have gotten a red card.
Before the game, I thought this would be a very dangerous game because United were like a wounded animal after the Manchester derby debacle. True enough, they came out on fire and played with passion. I hope Arsenal's players will bounce back from this heaviest FA Cup defeat and focus their energy on the PL and Champions League.
Up the Gunners!
Lehman deserves a higher rating. He couldn't do much for all 4 goals because his defense deserted him. He was excellent in the second half and kept out at least three one-on-one chances by MU.
I thought Lehmann could've kept out the opener. Sure it's a lot to ask, but this is Arsenal FC.
Interesting read. There's very little I do not completely agree with. I believe Eboue has had some good games but of course this was not one of them. He's a hothead and has not learned to channel that effectively yet. I am yet to give up on him although he can be very trying. Perhaps he was tired from the cup of nations. Perhaps this will be discussed at a different time.
One person I was not too impressed with is Bendtner. No doubt the boy has talent, but from pronouncements attributed to him earlier on, he should be playing close to the highest level if he wants a starting berth. Well, he showed he cannot hold the ball too well, although he can rise quite well. When he brings the ball down, it invariably goes way back into midfield. Sometimes holding the ball closer and allowing the midfield to move up to support helps the team offensively. I felt we could have been better with a little bit more of that.
When Spurs beat Arsenal, Hoyte, Traore and a long list of the young players played. They all are talented (I'm yet to be convinced by Hoyte) but they cannot handle the big time. What is clear now is that when they crack, they really break down.
Arsene's substitutions seems to suggest that he didn't prepare the players for the FA Cup tie; instead he was preparing them for the midweek CL match against Milan. He gave all of the first stringers some minutes to keep their sharpness while the ones playing 70 minutes just ran around not doing much during their time on the field.
Look at the way Hleb and Eboue played on the flanks; they did not track back to help the full backs even though it was perfectly clear from the get-go that Traore and Hoyte were not up to par against the likes of Nani, Evra, Anderson, and Fletcher. The only one who tried to track back to play some defense was Eduardo - maybe his English is not good enough to understand the boss's instructions to Cesc and Hleb.
Bendtner is not yet ready for the big matches. Despite some flashes of brilliance and all his protestation, He still has some way to go before he can win a starting place in the first team.
I feel Arsene needs to buy one or two players during the summer, not necessarily spectacular stars but players who are solid deputies. But knowing Arsene, I won't get too excited until he announces the acquisitions himself.
I heard Sagna is back training with the team today so that's a great piece of news. Now if Van Persie can get off that treatment table...
kdat - Thanks for your comment. I thought with Bendtner winning those headers early in the game that something good might come from it, but I take your point, nothing did come of it.
Adebayor looked much more dangerous in the short time he was on.
With players like Hoyte, Eboue, and Bendtner not impressing, this side didn't have the depth to win a domestic cup this season. While I accept these cups are a lower priority, I'd like to see Arsene Wenger putting together a side that wins 3, or even 4 trophies. United won the treble in 1999, and I'd love to see the Arsenal go one better one of these seasons. As it stands, a league and Champions League double is still on the cards.
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