Matchday 1: Manchester United vs Arsenal - Sunday Aug 19, 16:30 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Matchday 1: Manchester United vs Arsenal - Sunday Aug 19, 16:30

Klaus

First game of the season is fast approaching so I took the liberty of creating the match thread! There's gonna be a lot of buzz going into this one. First of all, we have to mention Benjamin Sesko.

Moving on, let's have a look at recent fixture history, because it's flattering to us. We've won 4 of the last 5 Premier League meetings:

United's transfer window so far:
In: Sesko (Leipzig), Mbeumo (Brentford), Cunha (Wolves), Diego Leon (Cerro Porteño)
Out: Lindelöf (free agent), Eriksen (free agent), Evans (retired because old af), Rashford (Barcelona)

Garnacho, Sancho and Anthony have been frozen out and probably won't be in the stadium, let alone the matchday squad.

Prediction: 3-0 to Arsenal (Gyökeres x2, Saka)

invisibleman18

Nice first match thread.
Nervous. I know on paper we should be confident, but it's always a tough game there and don't win there very often even when we should. Would be a big boost to hit the ground running with a good result and somewhere that's usually a bogey ground.

Asterix

I think I read somewhere this is the 9th year in a row Man Utd have been given a home game first up. Statistically fine. I think this will be close. Would take a draw (but be a bit disappointed) but hoping @Klaus is spot on.

TambourineMan

Want to beat them and want it to be convincing.

Lukazan

TambourineMan Will take anything but as I said in last seasons away to Man U match thread.. It really, REALLY is about time we showed up there and gave them a spanking as Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea have in the past.

Meatwad

convincing would be great, but not necessary. i'll take 1-0. 3 points is the only acceptable result against that shit show.

MistaT

Are they really going to play Casameiro and Fernandes as their midfield?

Feels light, and if we don’t over run that I’ll be disappointed.

Mbuemo - Sesko - Cunha certainly has some goals in it, but we should be severely lifting their ability to get on ball.

TambourineMan

MistaT

I think they'll go with Ugarte alongside Bruno. Regardless, we need to dominate whichever two players to go with.

However in Fernandes, Cunha, and Mbuemo, they have output monsters - but these guys aren't going to help them control games. So if we're ruthless, we'll have too much for them. The problem will be if we fanny about and don't capitalise on our control, because they have the players to hurt us from low xG opportunities going the other way.

Klaus

TambourineMan I think they'll go with Ugarte alongside Bruno.

Yep, so do I. Ugarte-Mainoo or maybe Ugarte-Bruno, depending on whether Bruno starts as an attacking mid. Hinges on Mbeumo's match fitness I think. He has looked like a lil fatty in preseason.

Player for player we have a much better team than they do. I'm trying to be fair and I still can't find many United players to include in a mixed XI. Bruno possibly going by last season's form, Cunha out of position at a stretch. This United team is the kind of shitshow you need to steamroll to make an early statement.

Burnwinter

It'll be one of those matches against opposition that's desperate to damage us.

They seem to still be in chaos and I don't rate Amorim's chances of fixing any of it, but I'm sure as individuals they'll all be raising their games like crazy until we put getting a result beyond them.

It'll be the right day for """control""" provided we can hurt them after we've pocketed them.

Speedster

Burnwinter

Back in the day city were shit but would often take points of ManU as they knew they could dine out on it all season.
It's the same now with ManU Vs arsenal and ManU Vs city.

Qwiss

Speedster its also day one of the season in their own stadium. Every team in the league is a threat in that situation.

banduan

That 3-2 win is still fresh in my memory. We need one at OT by now.

flobaba

Qwiss especially US!

FEBravo

I have to say if it was possible to have a live cam on Sicario I'd almost be tempted to wish for a Sesko last minute winner to witness the meltdown. But I don't care enough and hope we smash them.

awooga83

Lukazan yeah they haven't been anywhere near good recently but our approach has seemed to struggle against them. But I think if this is a different Arsenal ready to win titles we should be going there and winning to show we are something different.

RocktheCasbah

Wary of the Old Trafford tax we always seem to either have inflicted on us, or inflict on ourselves, but I'm really looking for a statement win to start the season. Be huge for us if we can pull it off - unless, of course, we don't sign Eze. In which case, obviously, we might as well not bother turning up this season.

lorddulaarsenal

😂😂😂

Big Willie

lorddulaarsenal who the fuck is Licha?

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Is that Martinez?