QF- Man Utd v Arsenal - 9th March

[Hams]

Man Utd take on Arsenal live on the BBC on Monday night for a place in the FA Cup semi finals.
The Red Devils have been caught up in a spitting storm in the last few days involving defender Johnny Evans.
Cup holders the Gunners bounced back from the Monaco set back with victories against Everton and QPR in the PL.
Any comments or predictions?

[Pickleman1967]

I suspect this will pretty much top the BBC viewing figures on Monday, the games between these two are usually good watching. I think Arsenal are probably favourites on form coming into this, because they have been playing with reasonable consistency except for the Monaco game, while Man Utd have been winning ugly (lets be honest they were really lucky against Newcastle). However, it was 2007 the last time Arsenal won at OT, they seem to have a bit of a hex over them in recent years.

I'll go with 1-1, Arsenal to win the replay.

[Hams]

Did you know that the wonder goal scored by Ryan Giggs in the 1999 semi final at Villa Park
was the last time there was a replay at that stage of the competition and the 2005 final was the first time a penalty shoot out decided the winners.

Any more predictions for Monday nights match? RVP is still out injured but Wayne Rooney has a great scoring record against the Gunners with 7 cup goals in 8 games.

[specnur]

If we start Ozil we will lose and only total capitulation form Man U will get us a win or a draw with that player and/or Mertasacker on the pitch.
We haven't been playing with the same energy as a month ago ,but with the right players i think we could rekindle that performance level .IF we do that Man u have no chance .
If we go with this line up below , we should make easy work of United .

Goalie -take your pick

Bellerin Koscielny Chambers Gibbs
Coquelin Rosicky
Walcott Cazorla Sanchez Ox
Welbeck

We win with this line up, i'd put money that.

However i predict any if not all of the following start this game.

Ramsey, Giroud, Ozil
And that would be suicide.

[specnur]

i read today that Arsenal have won only 1 of the last 15 games against Man United.

pretty dreadful record that they simply have to put right.

Yep ,but if we play like we have at our best this season Man U don't stand a chance .
I gone into every game previous to this one expecting a loss because of our personnel ,but this team have the players and the strategy to blow this current Man U team out of the stadium.

[Hams]

TEAMS:

Manchester United:
De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Shaw, Blind, Herrera, Di Maria, Fellaini, Young, Rooney.

Subs: Valdes, Rafael, Jones, Carrick, Januzaj, Mata, Falcao.

Arsenal:
Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Alexis, Welbeck.

Subs: Martinez, Gibbs, Chambers, Ramsey, Giroud, Walcott, Akpom.

[specnur]

This game will be made tougher with Ozil's inclusion IMO.
He needs a big game here just to PROVE that he has a future in this team if not league ,he has no excuses if he's as good as everyone says he is.
They can't complain about position or lack of ability around him .
I honestly do not think his teammates have faith in him and that could translate early if he doesn't contribute to the cause with as much effort as everyone else.

[Pokers]

This is a massive game for me because for years we've been undone by Utd and made to look like absolute mugs. And even in the last two seasons when the've been shite, we've still not been able to get a result or even put in a decent performance.

The reason can only be at the fault of the manager and and another example of why I don’t think he can classed as an elite manager anymore.

For seasons Ferguson knew the tactical game plan on how to mastermind and beat Wenger's team with minimum effort. Just keep back, allow them to tippy tabby around for a bit, then, destroy them on the counter. Then, same again...and again...and again. Then what followed with that Champions League semi final in 2008 was just embarrassing, the flags at the Emirates went down as quickly as they went up.

The fact Wenger never tried to use different approaches is further evidence of his failings and is why we have consistently failed to win against big teams.

Hopefully tonight will be a different story....

[specnur]

We got the worst possible ref outside of Phil Dowd.
I hate this clown reefing this one!

[Hams]

HT

Man Utd 1-1 Arsenal

Monreal put Gunners ahead with close range effort but then Rooney leveled a few minutes later with a header.

Decent first half from both sides.