The first thing that I would like to do is remind you that Ryan Giggs hates Arsenal as much as anybody you could meet. The look on his face when we play United reflects the anti Arsenal sentiments of every United fan in the stadium. Our players need to understand that when we play against Manchester United, it is very, very serious and personal.
Yesterday's match has served two very important purposes; the first being that we have shown which is the better team. The objective United fan will admit that a dodgy penalty and an own goal are not good enough. Yes, a win is a win but United were there for the taking yesterday. The second thing that I have taken from the match is confirmation that despite the large global and domestic fan base of passionate, loyal Arsenal fans, the club and Arsene Wenger are hated by even greater numbers, not least English commentators and match officials.
The match was entertaining. Granted the score is a downer but if you are an Arsenal supporter who watched the game yet still fears United or feels inferior to them, you are a hopeless pessimist.
I feel bad for Abou Diaby. It was not the best decision to even attempt to play that cross but I wonder if the keeper has told him to just let it go. The flight of the ball was the best defense against the cross. It looked to me that no United player would have been able to play it. It is the keeper's job to command his box and communicate with his players at all times. Further evidence that the communication must improve was in the second half when a ball was played in Sagna's direction. He played safe and headed it into touch because Nani was not very far away. Upon realizing that he could have made a better decision than to just turn over possession, he looked over his shoulder and gestured to Almunia to talk to him.
A shot once grazed the upper 0.025µm of the longest strand of hair on my head on its way into the net. The contact with the ball was so minimal that nobody watching could suggest that it was an own goal. Still, I felt like shit. I can only imagine how Diaby feels.
The image of Arsene Wenger above will stay with me forever. It is a symbol of the way people go out of their way to humiliate him. Well into the five minutes of injury time that were added (a surprise in itself, really) the man who issues more yellow cards than any other in the league, Mike Dean, sent Arsene Wenger to the stands. After realizing that Robin's equalizer was waved off, Wenger kicked a water bottle. It didn't strike or harm anyone. And with so little time left on the clock, why has fourth official Lee Probert found it necessary to report the action to Dean? Well, it's his job I suppose. Then the question is who is being more pedantic here, Dean or Probert? Dean has decided to send Wenger away with less than a minute left in the game for an act that did not provoke an opponent or the crowd. Wenger has every right to be frustrated.
It was a ridiculous move on the part of Mike Dean. The dismissal was academic at best. So much so that it seems an apology will be issued to Arsene from Premier League chief of referees Keith Hackett. I might find it hard to prove a conspiracy exists where Arsenal are concerned but if you try to tell me that there is no bias against Arsene Wenger and Arsenal in general, I will excuse myself from the discussion because I remain convinced that there is. The injury time dismissal is just one example. Moreover, if you listen to English match commentators you will hear the evidence yourself. Here are just two examples from yesterday's match commentary by Ian Darke and John Gregory:
1 -Nani falls from a non-existent foul by Bakary Sagna. Free kick is given. As the replay shows that there was absolutely no contact, suddenly the previously chatty Darke and Gregory go silent. Not a word was mentioned about the incident.
2 - The two commented on how a pitch-side reporter had sent them word of Wenger's "moaning" to the fourth official about Darren Fletcher. Fletcher was getting away with foul after foul without intervention from the referee. Well, shortly after the second half started, Fletcher fouled Clichy. As the referee talked to the United midfielder, the two, in a very 'oh, by the way manner', glossed over the foul.
Losing the way we have to United can't do anything but help strengthen us. Mocking and humiliating Wenger (at least they tried to) will only make him more determined to complete the mission.
The real losers yesterday were not the team in blue.
Finally, the aforementioned breakdown(s) in communication must be sorted out. The keeper must play a very big part in that. For all the shot-stopping heroics Manuel Almunia is capable of, he must control his box better than he has. Another big disappointment came in injury time - the boys were spent, little to no energy left. They tried to gain and maintain possession, to mount that final attack. Almunia throws the ball directly to an unmarked Wayne Rooney.
He still worries me.
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