Arsène Knows: 2008-02-10

We will be the ones laughing after the Champions League Match

Wenger Downbeat After United Thrashing

Arsene Wenger said his side were bitterly disappointed to crash out of the FA Cup, but accepted the Gunners' performance just wasn't good enough.

Arsenal were trounced 4-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford, delivering an awful performance in this FA Cup fifth round tie.

Speaking after the match, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admitted that his side were very much second best. "It was an off-day for us - we were beaten everywhere," the Frenchman told BBC Sport.

"We never looked like coming back and when we tried in the second half we had Eboué sent off straight away and then it was of course game over. It's disappointing but this team has given a lot and we were up for it before the game, it just didn't work for us today and Man United were better.

The only positive news is that we have no new injuries and we can now prepare for Wednesday (against AC Milan). We know we need a top class performance then to be in with a chance."

Cup Is Important, Defeat Does Hurt

Asked by the reported whether the FA Cup was not considered important by Arsenal, Wenger refuted the allegation. "Not at all," he said. "We just had a bad today and United were better. We're all very disappointed in the dressing room - we had a good enough team today to have a chance to win here," he added, defending his team selection.

'Harsh' Dismissal

As for Eboué's dismissal, the Frenchman remarked that it looked harsh from where he was sitting. And regarding his player's petulance near the end of the game, such as the heavy challenges on Nani when the Portuguese started showboating, Wenger stressed that his players' reactions were entirely understandable. "It's normal," he protested. "It's difficult enough to swallow when you're three or four-nil down. You don't want to be teased for humiliated."

Fabregas' twin Hero

What Arsenal Should Have Done

Arsenal 0-4 Man United

Today we witnessed a fiery and horrible side of arsenal that we would have liked not to see. But hey, what would you have done if you've already lost the match and have got a team man united players just waiting to be beaten up, if I was in that position I would have gone Nani hunting.
He proved he is arrogant and has got no respect for anyone.

The Clash of the Titans

Arsenal v Man U FA Cup 5th Round Preview

Arsenal

On the back of a five match winning streak Arsenal travel to Old Trafford with the aim of knocking their main rivals from the Premier League out of the F.A.Cup. Much has been made of the fact that neither team will field a full strength team because they have one eye on the midweek Champions league fixtures.

Manchester United

Diaby says that Arsenal will go for a win. Is this the attitude which the Man United camp will employ? Will Man U fight for victory or will they do the dreaded defending. Ronaldo will be their main threat.

Star man/ man of the moment

Arsenal: Emmanuel Adebayor. He has scored consecutively in the last matches along the way bagging twelve goals. The Togolese has been traumatizing defences for fun lately. He says he doesn't care about the goals he scores. As an Arsenal fan I hope he is lying.

Manchester United: Ronaldo. The slimy super 7 has never had doubters over his skills but he did he some people questioning their effectiveness. This season he has silenced his critics scoring 19 goals in the league so far. Adding this element into his game means he is in a strong position in the race for the golden boot.

Dream Arsenal, ManU eleven

Almunia

Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy

Ronaldo Fabregas Flamini Giggs

Adebayor Rooney

The mind games

This time the two managers have been relatively quiet. Perhaps they are saving the war of words to unleash just as the first dive from Ronaldo is done. Adebayor has praised Ronaldo describing him as a playstation character and Giggs has praised Adebayor.

Key battles

Ronaldo + Rooney + Teves v. Lehman

Ronaldo versus Clichy

Gallas versus Rooney + Tevez

Senderos / Toure versus Rooney + Tevez

Flamini versus everyone

Fabregas versus Anybody with short vision

Adebayor versus all defenders

Walcott/Eboue versus Evra + Van der Saar

Sagna versus Giggs.

Big match facts

The outstanding tie of the fifth round is Sir Alex Ferguson's 100th as manager of Manchester United.

The top two in the Premier League are also the most successful clubs in FA Cup history; United and Arsenal have won the world's oldest football knockout competition 21 times between them and have appeared in a combined 35 finals.

This is the 35th time Ferguson will have come up against his opposite number Arsene Wenger. Of the 34 previous encounters United have won 11, Arsenal 13. Eight of the 10 other games finished level and two were decided on penalty shoot-outs; United won the 2003 Community Shield, and Arsenal the 2005 FA Cup final.