Frustrating, But Deserved: Man U 1-0 Arsenal

It was a frustrating match at times, and in the end we never really deserved to get anything out of last night's Champions League encounter at Old Trafford. Shame really, but it happens in football, it did last night, and the important thing will be how we respond to the defeat.

But what a defeat it could have been. In the first 30 minutes, and even a few times in the second half, United could have scored at least five or six goals. The only reason we didn't go down in the same way Roma not long ago here was our fantastic goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia. Whoever doubted this man as the Arsenal goalkeeper ought to shut up right now, because he proved last night that he can be fantastic in goal.

His reflexes have always been good, and even when he was the No. 2 behind Lehmann he could pull off spectacular saves. But last night was something special, perhaps the best game to date in his career. He made saves from shots I thought were doomed to go in, and he is the real reason the score was only 1-0 last night. Thank you Almunia, and may your fine form continue.

Overall, the performance was not good last night. We were pounded in the first half hour, and Man Utd were making us look like a team fighting relegation. But then we slowly started to settle into our passing game, something I always knew would take us a good half hour at Old Trafford, and after that we slowed United right down. We took control of the match and rarely looked threatened after we started the keep-ball, but still we created no clear-cut chances.

I believe we most definitely will create several clear-cut chances at the Emirates in a week, but it's not so much the chances I'm worried about. It's the fact that we always need a good ten to twenty minutes (at home, away it's longer) to get going and get settled into our passing game. We saw tonight that we can be punished for a slow start, so at the Emirates we'll need to get going as fast as possible and not wait around, because if we do we might concede.

And therein lies the problem. Since we didn't score an away goal last night, we cannot afford to concede any goals next Tuesday. If United score just one, then we will have to reply with three of our own unanswered goals to win it. The only way to beat them is to win with a clean sheet. And unfortunately, that's about as likely as Sir Alex Ferguson admitting he agrees with referees and loves the Arsenal supporters.

Over the short history of the Emirates stadium we have won 2-1 twice and drawn 2-2. In short, we have never kept a clean sheet in any of our encounters. And though United haven't beaten us there, the fact that they've scored at least a goal every time means that next Tuesday we will have to set a new record against them. Either it will be the first time we have ever scored three goals against them at the Emirates, or it will be the first time we've ever kept a clean sheet there. Nothing else will get us through to the final.

I'm optimistic, and I believe we can definitely do it, but I would say that the odds are certainly not in our favour, and it's far more likely we will go out in the Champions League to yet another English team. Let's not let this happen, let's get behind the team next week and be the best 12th man we've ever been at the Emirates. The lads need us more than we know. Until next time,

Fab 4

Arshavin Proves Big Spending Can Work

This is an article from our guest writer Chris Rivers, a sports writer and Arsenal supporter.

Arshavin proving to Wenger that spending big can work

With everyone still focused on Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Manchester United perhaps now is a good time to take stock of what has been in my eyes Wenger’s acquisition of the season. Andrei Arshavin came to the Gunners with a big reputation after his performances for Russia in Euro 2008 and for Zenit St Petersburg in last season's Uefa Cup. 12 games and 6 goals later those who doubted the 27-year-old have been proved wrong in guessing that Arshavin wouldn’t be able to cut it in England. Hopefully though the main person that Arshavin has convinced that his price tag was worth it is Arsene Wenger.

The Arsenal boss hasn’t had the best track record when it comes to spending big; nobody will ever forget Francis Jeffers’ disastrous time with the club after his £8million transfer from Everton. We all know Wenger can take a youngster and turn them into a superstar but his ability to manage top talent has been called into question on occasions. The likes of Richard Wright, Sylvain Wiltord and Davor Suker all cost serious cash but flopped at Arsenal, despite Wiltord winning the league with the Gunners.

Those failures seemed to put Wenger off spending big and I know quite a few Arsenal fans were unhappy at the amount of star players the club was bringing in. Arshavin has proved that big name talents can change a side just with that touch of class. Look at Arsenal’s results since the Russian international has come to the club, they haven’t lost when Arshavin has started.

I support Wenger’s policy of bringing through the youngsters but believe you occasionally need to bring in the big names, if only to send out a message to the other members of the big four but also to give those players coming through the ranks something they can’t learn off their current peers. I hope that if given the cash Wenger will go out and bring in another big name during the summer of course to improve the quality on the pitch but also to give the club a lift as a whole and show that Arsenal aren’t a selling club. However, don't waste your next football bet backing this to happen!

This Is The Moment: At Old Trafford

Tonight has finally come. After the comfortable win over Middlesborough at the weekend, all thoughts and preparation have turned to the massive clash with Manchester United tonight at Old Trafford. Luckily the match is two legs and we get to play them back at the Emirates (where we have never lost to them), but a win tonight, or at least a scoring draw, should be seen as essential. In many ways, tonight is the moment.

This is the moment that we all knew must be inevitable coming when we heard the quarterfinal fixtures. Man Utd had Porto, we had Villareal, two sides who were never anywhere near our two sides' level of quality and class. We dispatched of Villareal comfortably once back at home, and Man Utd did it once away. We were to meet in the Champions League for the very first time.

This is the moment for Arsene Wenger to give us another famous victory at Old Trafford. Lest we forget the historic moments that have come there, including the away match there in 2002 which won us league when Wiltord scored. But the last time we won at Old Trafford was two years ago in September 2007, where we won 1-0, the game coming after a spell of one point in our first three league games.

This is the moment then to prove we can still win there. Many critics have said this is the weakest Arsenal side in years. I believe it is one of the strongest. It is young, yes, but we play with more energy, a better style, and more togetherness as a team then we have done since Arsene Wenger arrived. On our day, our style of play can sometimes be even more glorious than the Invincibles.

This is the moment to prove that we have finally grown up. If we take a lead back to the Emirates, we can almost be certain we will be in the final. If the players are mature enough to realise this, they will put on t he performance of their careers tonight at Old Trafford. The final will be the biggest game of their lives, but until they get there, this is it, the biggest and most difficult game many of them have ever played. And we need to prove we are good enough..

Finally, this is the moment when silverware could well be lost for this season. If we lost to Man Utd tonight by any major scoreline, and make it impossible for ourselves back at the Emirates, we will have thrown out our last chance for silverware, much as we seemingly threw away the F.A. Cup back at Wembley. Not too many gooners minded that loss, because we knew the Champions League was a bigger prize anyway, but now the time has come to seize that prize, and I can only hope the lads will do it justice and make us proud of them once again.

This is the moment then that I'll sign off. I was going to do liveblogging on Twitter for this match, but I'd much rather watch it uninterrupted in all its glory. So none today, but we will have a match review afterwards, whatever the result. And don't forget to check the Twitter page for Fab 4 Arsenal updates more frequent than the posts here. Follow us on Twitter to get the updates on your front page. Here's hoping for a great night at Old Trafford,

Fab 4

Confidence & Psychology the Keys To Success

The team's confidence and their psychological profile are the keys to any success we may have this season. Of course, any gooner who hasn't been living under a rock for the last two years and has finally decided to come out will know that the preceding statement is extremely obvious. Of course our young side rely on confidence to win, but the question is, do they have it?

After the Chelsea game on Saturday, I feared our season may have just come apart. In my opinion, at least 50% of the reason behind our amazing form was confidence: the players had been virtually undefeated in 2009 and they knew it; we were playing out of our skin. But then with the terrible loss to Chelsea, a game full of errors, mistakes, and bad style, I feared we may have lost that confidence and we may pay the price.

Well, it looks like the quality of playing style had dropped in part because of Saturday, but on Tuesday against Liverpool, in that match that is destined to be called a Premier League classic, we scored four goals, all from Arshaivn of course, and drew 4-4. Now I believe the real question is which side of the coin are the Arsenal players going to look at? The fact that we scored 4 goals against Liverpool, or the fact that we have conceded six goals in our last two matches?

Of course gooners this season have tended to look at the glass-half-empty side of our fortunes, and no doubt will be extremely worried about our recent defensive performances. But here's the class-half-full view.

Arsene Wenger is a fantastic motivator and always has been. He understands better than most the psychology involved in football, and has learned spectacular man management techniques. He can make players believe in themselves and their abilities to the point that they can think they are far better than they actually are. But then, by that same process, they become better than they were.

It's all about mind over matter, or in this case mind over body. The more you tell yourself something is true, the more it becomes so, and soon the very thing that was just a dream not so long ago has become reality. Arsene Wenger uses this fact of psychology to motivate his players and make them better than they should ever really be at their age or level of technique.

Perhaps no finer example of this is in Flamini and Hleb, the two players that left us last summer. These players have gone from perhaps the peaks of their careers, a time when both were playing magnificently, to sitting on the bench for most games and not playing at all as well when they come on. Some have called this the "curse of Arsenal," but is perhaps this curse nothing more than a lack of psychological conditioning.

Arsene Wenger is no longer there to motivate them, to tell them how wonderful they are at football, to make them feel better than they are so that they can thus become better through this psychological phenomenon. And since they have lost that precious gift, available at few other clubs besides Arsenal, they have realised just how lacklustre they are without it, and have shown that accordingly. It is perhaps the reason why seemingly every player who leaves us fails to play as well again: the psychology at Arsenal.

So is our state of confidence and psychological conditioning high enough to beat Middlesborough at the weekend? I believe so, and if it isn't right now, we can rest assured that Le Professor, in my opinion the greatest psychological motivator in modern football, will do everything in his power to restore it to the side. Arsene always looks on the bright side, and thanks to that, so will our players.

Here's hoping for an excellent return to our winning ways this weekend. Don't forget, you can now follow us on our new Twitter page; we'd love to have you follow! You can find us here:
http://www.twitter.com/Fab_4_Arsenal

Fab 4

Fabianski and Bad Tactics Cost Us the FA Cup

I have to start by saying I am gutted, absolutely gutted. Our first real loss of 2009, and it comes to Chelski in the the FA Cup semifinal. We worked so hard to get to this stage of the competition, to get to Wembley for the first time, and then once there we threw it all away. And there are two major reasons why it happened.

First was Fabianski. I'm a big fan of the lad, and he's been doing well so far, but this was his first major game as a starting keeper; the biggest game thus far in his career. And he bottled it. The day started with a ridiculous attempted clearance from a Drogba chance that missed and Gibbs had to save our butts. Then he was caught at his near post for Chelsea's equaliser, and finally his major blunder that led to the second goal.

Why in the world did he come out like that to clear the Drogba chance? Yes, he was going to be in one-on-one, and he had beat the defenders, but why come out and make such a ridiculous challenge on Drogba only to miss the ball completely and let him stroke it into and empty net? It's utter stupidity, and I know the lad will be feeling it all the way home. He literally cost us the game, but to be fair he wasn't the only reason we lost.

When I saw the team sheets before the game I could hardly believe that both Arshavin and Nasri had been left on the bench with Diaby playing instead? What in the world was Arsene Wenger thinking? And then when it was clearly not working at halftime and Chelsea were controlling the game, the Boss still made no changes. In fact, not until about the 70th minute were any subs put on, and then who does he take off for Arshavin? Van Persie!

And then shortly after that Adebayor is taken off for Bendtner. Not until we're down 2-1 and there are five minutes left does Wenger throw on Nasri; what is the lad supposed to do in five minutes?!? It was frankly shocking, and I don't know what in the world was going through Arsene Wenger's head, nor do I want to: it was just plain bad strategy. It seemed to me like he was throwing the game and conceding defeat. And that is unacceptable.

Maybe Arsene really does want the Champions League more, and if that's true then he's got his wish. We are now out of the FA Cup, and with it, in my opinion, our best chance for silverware. Now all we have to fight for is the UCL, and that's a much more difficult proposition indeed.

I am gutted, and I should stop before I get to far ahead of myself. But it was truly a disappointing performance, riddled with mistakes, and full of bad tactics. I can only hope Arsene Wenger tries a little harder against Liverpool on Tuesday, because two huge losses in a row will, I believe, take the heart and momentum right out of the team and kill off our season. Here's hoping for the best; I'll be off to calm down from this loss.

Fab 4

Will Villareal Win Carry Over To Chelsea?

It was a great win Wednesday night at the Emirates, a win that not only spells progress in the competition, but also ensures we will be up against Man Utd for the first time in our history in the European Cup. But this is not a preview of that match, this is a preview of Chelsea. Arsene Wenger said about the Man Utd game that the form of the day will determine the winner, and I believe the same might be true of tomorrow's game against Chelsea.

And whether or not it's any indication of how we'll do, our form is the best of any club in Europe. In the entirety of the year 2009, we have only one loss, and that was followed five minutes later by a penalty shootout which we won. So if that is counted as a win as well we are undefeated in 2009. How's that for form?

Add to that the confidence that a big European win always gives us and the ingredients are there for us to attack very very well. But that's just the problem: whilst our attack is on fire right now, our defense has collapsed almost as fast as our title challenge last season.

Sanga has been ruled out for the weekend, and Gibbs will have to pass a last-minute test to play. This leaves us with only one first-choice defender in Toure; thank goodness the man has been able to stay fit for us, he's been a rock in our defense so far in 2009. But that leaves us playing Eboue, Silvestre, and if Gibbs is not fit then Song in the centre of defense.

The Sanga injury, as rocking to us as it was last season, won't be as hurtful this I don't believe. Eboue, who played back in his natural position (and I believe only true position) at right back on Wednesday night looked superb. I was reminded why he was called one of the best right wing backs in the world a few years ago. So that's one crisis solved, but what about the rest of the defense.

Let's assume the worst and say Gibbs does not pass fit to play. That will mean playing Silvestre at left back, which will almost completely diminish any attacking threat we'll have down the left via an overlapping fullback, and if he does go forward, he will certainly not have the speed of Clichy or Gibbs to get back in defense fast enough. As far as playing Song at centre half, we all know he can perform there, and indeed he seemed to be being bred for the role last season, but he has since moved up to midfield. Regardless, I think he can do the job, but he's not perfect, and will need to follow closely the instructions Toure gives him during their partnership.

Fabianski is a spectacular keeper in my mind, so there's not problem there, and there are no problems up the pitch attacking-wise. Eduardo may return, and Diaby definitely will. Add to that Arshavin will be available to play for us and we will have a very potent attacking force. And I think that if we are to win tomorrow, that will have to be what we take advantage of.

We need to go out not to defend but to attack, non-stop. If we concede three then so be it, as long as we score four in response. Since this a cup game the goals against tally is irrelevant as long as we have more goals for. So here's my score prediction for Saturday: 3-2 to Arsenal. Chelsea will be dangerous going forward but they have been lacklustre in defense in recent weeks. We have exactly the same story. So 3-2 sounds about right.

Hopefully the Villareal win will carry over to the Chelsea game, but only in that it affects our attacking force to make them stronger. We will try to cope defensively to be sure, but only our attack will, I believe, win us the day. Expect a cracking game tomorrow afternoon.

I'm planning on doing the liveblogging thing again via our new Twitter page, so those wanting to follow it with Fab 4 Arsenal can head right over to http://twitter.com/Fab_4_Arsenal and watch it with us for free. Also, if you've got a Twitter account yourself you can "follow" us and get the updates right to your home page. See you then!

Fab 4

Get Updates Live on Fab 4 Arsenal Twitter & Villareal Preview

I was never going to have the time to write a full match preview for Villareal tonight, but I feel as though I have a duty to do a small one. But first, the news of this post.

For tonight's match and some other select fixtures, you will be able to read some Fab 4 Arsenal liveblogging on our Twitter page. I'll be posting small updates and thoughts on the match as it is in progress, and if you're interested, there are three ways to see the updates.

First, you can follow us on Twitter. As long as you're signed up for the service (registration is free and fast), you can "follow" us and see all our updates on your home page. This includes not just the liveblogging action, but also all the other posts in between matches. So if you've got a twitter, follow us at http://twitter.com/Fab_4_Arsenal.

Secondly, you can simply visit the page and see the updates by reloading the page whenever you fancy it. The Twitter page is completely public, and everyone can see it, member or not. So visit the site and enjoy!

The third way to follow the action is simply to visit the blog itself. On the right-hand column underneath the blog archive, you can see (with Flash) a small application which shows all our twitter posts in real time. Also, you can see every update we make by the same method.

So hopefully you'll take advantage if this new thing we've put together for the blog, but in the meantime, let's have a look at the fixture tonight.

We take on Villareal at the Emirates, and it should be a cracker. As much as I wish we would sit back and take a 0-0 draw, I know it won't happen. And Arsene Wenger seems to agree with me. So since Villareal must get a goal, and we will be trying to get a goal, I expect an entertaining affair. Hopefully we will prevail, but there are reasons why I fear we may not.

First of all is the obvious reason: our defense is in tatters. Sure, Toure and Sanga are still on form, and Fabianski has bee good, but Silvestre and Gibbs are two players I would never want to depend on to keep a clean sheet. The comedy of errors from the two of them over the weekend at Wigan has made me wonder how they'll play against a decent attacking team like Villareal. I'll admit, I'm worried.

I do think we'll concede, but I also think that with the attacking players we've got we should score a few against a Villareal side lacking the services of Marcos Senna (now out injured). The scoreline? 2-1 to the Arsenal I expect, but I sincerely hope it's more (or less goals conceded!). Here's hoping for the best, and hoping to have you following us during the liveblogging on Twitter!

Fab 4

The Score Flattering, The Performance Outstanding

We probably didn't deserve 4-1, but who could deny the team a rampant scoreline when they mounted such a spectacular comeback Satuday afternoon to win at Wigan. The lads turned a dreadful match into one to remember, and gave us probably the best comeback win so far this season.

For those who remember last season, this game against Wigan was the Bolton match of this season. Last season of course we travelled up north to Bolton, when 2-0 and a man down by halftime, and somehow pulled it back to get a memorable 3-2 win. Saturday's game against Wigan was very much the same match.

We were lucky to only be one goal down at halftime, and indeed very lucky not to be a man down as well. To be honest, Gibbs' professional challenge deserved a red, but the referee was feeling lenient on the day, and thank goodness. So at halftime we were down, couldn't put three passes together, and our plans of simply sweeping aside this match in preparation for the week to come were ruined. Wigan were going to make us fight for it.

We started badly in the second half as well and I genuinely thought we were headed for yet another loss this season when Theo Walcott grabbed us an unlikely lifeline as he equalised. Then on came Adebayor and Van Persie, and we were a changed team. The passing was crisp and smooth, Adebayor was taking on everyone in his way and playing with great confidence, and that confidence rippled through the team.

Before we knew it we were 2-1 ahead, catching everyone (including the goalscorer Silvestre) by surprise, then we added two more at the death to give us the flattering scoreline. But we had to fight for this, and at the final whistle I couldn't have been more proud of the team. Just five months ago a result like this would never have been possible, and we probably would conceded another goal and lost. But now the team is so sure of themselves and full of confidence that they are able to turn it around in such spectacular fashion and snatch a victory.

There were those over Christmas who said that we would never be anything like the invincibles. That to ever be like them we would have to scrounge wins out of nothing and get all three points on the days when we deserved to lose. Against Wigan it was just such a day, and we not only got all three points, but we did it in style. Perhaps this side have finally grown up. Perhaps there is the potential for greatness after all; the same potential that Arsene Wenger has always seen and we are now being treated to as well.

Fab 4

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Introducing the new Fab 4 Arsenal Twitter page! For those of you who are into the new internet phenomenon you'll already know that this is a great way to share your thoughts on any subject instantly. And true to the blog, you can find my (Fab 4)'s short 140-character thoughts any time a day on this blog's Twitter page.

So now you can see far more frequent smaller updates and my brief thoughts on Arsenal news before I ever post a full article. Plus, you'll find links to new full articles posted whenever I finish them and have them up.

So if you have Twitter, or are thinking about getting one, then please "follow" us and show your support. And even if you don't have or want to get a Twitter page, you can always bookmark it anyway and still read the updates whenever you fancy doing so.

Please visit: http://twitter.com/Fab_4_Arsenal or see the twitter application on the left-hand side of the page for more. See you there!

Cesc & Ade Are Magicians, No Doubt About It

Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor are no doubt the two players who have been the most influential over the last two games: and they were of course the first two games back from injury for the pair. And they have been absolutely magical. Now the question is twofold: where might we have been at this point in the season had these magicians been available, and will they do the job again on Saturday?

In answer to the first question, I honestly don't think it would've made a tremendous difference, mainly because neither player was on form when they were fit earlier this season. Fabregas was, to put it mildly, simply dismal and looked out of sorts early in the season. After he got the armband in November his performances started to pick up, but he still wasn't the same Fab 4 we all know and love.

I think the injury actually saved his season. He's come back as the Cesc Fabregas of old, placing perfect passes, killer through balls, and scoring assist after assist. Two games, three assists: tells the tale.

Adebayor has simply been lazy this season. His antics over the summer seemed to have really gone to his head: he believed he was as good at Theirry Henry, and so he didn't even try. And his performances suffered. He was caught offside surely more than anyone else in the Premiership, he was missing sitters, and was rarely in a good position to score.

But then the injury happened, and now that he's back he has played two games and scored three goals, all the type of goals I always knew we could get from him. The first was a classic Adebayor header, the second a cool and calm finish reminiscent of last season, and the third a spectacular bicycle kick that will live long in the memory.

So I think the injuries did both of them good as now they have returned and are back to playing the way they did last season when both were in imperious form. Just look at the stats to see that it's true: two games, three goals, three assists, and all from these two magicians. There can be no denying it; they're back, and we've missed them.

Will they perform again Saturday? I see no reason why not. I remember the 0-0 draw at Wigan last season, and if I remember correctly we almost had the ball in the back of the net within a minute; and it was due to a Fabregas pass and Adebayor shot. They did it last season, they have been doing it over the last two matches back from injury, and I see no reason why they can't do it again on Saturday.

Maybe all we needed was a little magic in our season, and there can be no denying that we've got it now. in Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas. Don't forget, you can get all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service! Until next time,

Fab 4

Questioning Theo Walcott? Unbelieveable.

This is an article from our guest writer Chris Rivers, a sports writer.

Questioning Theo Walcott? Can I be reading this right?

Taking my normal tour through the Arsenal forums I came across a thread that caught me off-guard. Someone had posted a message with the title ‘Is Theo Walcott good enough?’ The message got me to thinking whether other people felt like this about a 20-year-old lad who is currently at one of the biggest clubs in the world trying to make a name for himself.

Since moving to Arsenal in 2006, Walcott has enjoyed a remarkable rise to stardom, coming through the reserves to become a regular starter for both his club and country. To improve so quickly in such a high pressure situation is vastly impressive for a boy who has really only just become a man. To question whether Walcott is good enough shows just how impatient some of the Arsenal supporters have become.

Those Gunners who are demanding instant success from our current crop of youngsters are dreaming. Players rarely reach their peak until their mid-twenties no matter what position they play and for Arsenal to currently have youngsters who are better than a lot of seasoned professionals is incredible. Those who follow Arsenal have been blessed to see some great talent come through the ranks but previously there seemed to be a lot more patience amongst the supporters for a player to become good enough.

However, this worrying example with Walcott shows the mentality of the supporters today, not just at Arsenal but at a lot of clubs. What are the football odds Federico Macheda, the 17-year-old striker who scored Manchester United’s injury time winner against Aston Villa on Sunday, will now be expected to become a world beater overnight?

Having watched Walcott’s progression carefully, the difference between the young boy that arrived from Southampton three years ago and the player we see today is impressive. He has moulded his game to suit the Arsene Wenger way of playing whilst retaining those elements that make him a fairly old-fashioned English winger.

I lost count of the number of times he used to get his head down and run with the ball before ending up down in a cul-de-sac, so to speak. Now he gets his head up early and there is a sense of purpose about his runs. Certainly Walcott is not the finished package yet but for fans to expect him to be ready by now is just silly.

For those supporters who question Walcott’s ability all you are doing is adding to what is already a pretty heavy burden to carry. England expects Walcott to be great, as do Arsenal fans, and that is a lot to deal with. So I ask you to keep giving him a chance and keep faith in him because given a chance he will become a legend.

The Media Turn Manchester Utd...Can You Believe It?

In a shocking turn of events today, the usual anti-Arsenal media have turned on Manchester United and given them the same sort of stick as we always get. Following are just a few snippets of this remarkable occurrence.

Apparently the recent bad run of form by Man Utd has prompted some players to start planning for next season. The international break has given them the time to fraternize and talk with representatives from other clubs, and it has done some damage. We all know about the C. Ronaldo to Real Madrid stories, but now it appears the Spanish giants have begun talking to Rio Ferdinand, the so often stand-in captain.

"They're a massive club," said Ferdinand. "I was called by them last summer but I didn't respond, however with our current run of form I'm not sure how high our ambitions still are and if we don't win something else this season I'll be off to Madrid."

And that wasn't it. Apparently AC Milan are lining up bids for Berbatov and Vidic, with 30m Euro to spend on them. And Barcelona have now entered the race for Ronaldo according to reports in the Spanish media. Whether either of these clubs will get their men is still to be determined.

And not even speaking of transfers, injuries have struck. Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney have both been injured on international duty, Ben Foster has come down seriously ill, Gary Neville is injured again and may not play for the rest of the season, Carrick and Scholes are major doubts for this weekend, and Rio Ferdinand picked up a virus which may not be cured in time to play on the weekend either.

So with all these players disturbed and injured, and the recent bad run of form, Red Devils fans are starting to question the manager. Many are asking if they need to take a hard look at Sir Alex Ferguson and assess whether he is the right man for the job. Said one supporter,

"Mr. Ferguson has been a wonderful manager for us, but we're beginning to wonder if he's lost his touch. Trying to build this squad around a core of young players while at the same time holding on to the rotting carcases that are Giggs and Scholes is clearly a seriously flawed strategy."
The unnamed supporter went on, "We think it's time for change. Ferguson may be a good manager, but when someone spends forever in one position they tend to stagnate. We feel it's time for some new blood in there to win us trophies, because Fergie has lost it. He doesn't know what he's doing anymore."

Even the supporters are losing faith. Add that to the players injured and wanting away and Liverpool closing in every week and Man Utd are a club in crisis.
...............
Sound familiar? April Fool's Day! If only the media did treat Man Utd the same as us, this is what it might look like right now, even if some of the stories are just recycled versions of Arsenal stories. The point is, we need to see through the bias and not let it get to us. Don't let the media make you think we're a team in crisis and Arsene Wenger is a duffer. There has been a lot of optimism in the last few weeks, so let's not let international break and the stories that go with it ruin that spirit of optimism.

Enjoy yourselves and be happy that it's almost over. And remember, you can always get an article on Arsenal's side right here at Fab 4 Arsenal! Don't forget, you can get all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service! Until next time,

Fab 4