As the new football season draws closer large numbers of us will know where we will be on a Saturday night. We will be parked in front of the television and welcomed once again by Lineker alongside Messrs Hansen and Shearer to review all the day’s action from the Premier League. It is a cosy, familiar setting in which we will undoubtedly be treated to bad puns and the same nuggets of wisdom as the previous year. Namely, that you can’t win anything with kids, the crucial importance of winning ugly and having strength in depth. But the BBC is arguably at risk of losing viewers if it does not consider re-vamping a format which has remained unchanged for years. In an era of new digital technology, web content and the red button it is surely time to give the viewer greater freedom over the matches they want to see.

The Saturday night MOTD has become something of a footballing institution. Players and managers alike will share a joke in their post-match interview about their team featuring last on the programme again. For devoted football geeks out there said MOTD line-up is still available on Teletext a few hours before kick-off. But does this not feel slightly arcane as we approach the 2010/11 season? Don’t terrestrial viewers of football deserve something different?

Previous critiques of MOTD have centred upon its stilted and reactionary punditry. When Ian Wright quit his role as a BBC football pundit in 2008 he questioned how long a young audience in particular would keep watching the ‘same old jacket, shirt and tie format’ and suggested that viewers wanted something different. Maybe he was on to something as MOTD2 under the chummy stewardship of Adrian Chiles achieved much popularity by inviting current players and managers on as guests and taking a sideways view of the weekend’s action. This however, is not the biggest problem facing the programme as all highlights packages have similarities and the extent to which clothing and appearance is central to viewers’ observations of these shows is questionable.

The main issue facing MOTD is the inherent injustice for the viewer supporting a team outside of the top four/five. During the final third of last season when the title race was wide open, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal consistently topped the schedules. However good punditry will almost certainly involve telling the viewer something new or offer opinions that will spark some debate. This is immeasurably harder when reflecting on a bore draw instead of another thrilling twist in the title race.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Devoted football fans though would surely want in-depth coverage of their team’s game even if it ended goalless. It is surely not beyond the means of the BBC to provide the viewer with more options through use of the red button and its website. By using such media the viewer could be treated to longer highlights of their chosen game accompanied by more comprehensive post-match interviews and analysis from the commentary team who actually sat through the entire game. The BBC is clearly not averse to technological change when it comes to sporting output. The Football League Show is available online and its coverage of the World Cup showed innovation by making highlights available on all platforms, giving viewers more ownership over what they wanted to watch and when. With any such changes come issues concerning rights and contractual agreements with the Premier League but if left unaltered this most famous football show will risk losing a significant portion of its audience to innumerable websites which now offer highlights of any match on demand.

Winger Florent Malouda claims Chelsea do not receive the credit they deserve.

The Blues have started the defence of their Premier League title with back-to-back 6-0 routs of West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic.

However, Malouda, who has himself scored three goals in the two games, is unhappy that title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal continue to take more plaudits for their styles of play.

"It is difficult to know why people still seem to think Arsenal and United play the best football," claimed the Frenchman.

"Even when we finished on top of Arsenal, people said they played better than us.

"If you want to win the league, you have to be efficient, but when you look at how many goals we are scoring, you surely have to recognise there is real quality about us.

"The manager has worked at making sure we control games and you are seeing an evolution in our play. We are keeping more clean sheets but also scoring a lot more goals.

"It is not enough for us now just to go 1-0 up. We have developed a killer instinct and want to finish teams off.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

"There are goals throughout this team and if there is an opportunity to kill a game off, we take it.

"We'll never go easy on teams and it is great for confidence to know just about everyone in the squad is capable of scoring goals."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

1. The Resilience Remains – Over the past two seasons it seems that Birmingham have an acquired taste for comebacks and they possess something not even Manchester City could buy – resilience, teamwork and togetherness. After their comeback last week in the season’s curtain raiser at the Stadium of Light it was again put to the test when Steven N’Zonzi gave Blackburn lead on Saturday. But Blues showed the sort of character that enabled their unbeaten run last term to ensure that the St Andrews faithful will have to cast their minds back to September when trying to recall their last home defeat.

2. Nikola Zigic needs time – Blues big summer signing (in both senses of the word) is clearly finding the robust physicality of the Premier League difficult to adapt to since his arrival from La Liga outfit Valencia. The Serbian was controlled by Christopher Samba who won the lion share of balls played up to Zigic and the frontman hauled the Blackburn defender down for the penalty. He was replaced by loanee Matt Derbyshire in the second half having looked unimpressive and his body language as he left the pitch bore all the hallmarks of a frustrating day for the 6ft 7” frontman.

3. Ben Foster may just be the perfect replacement for Joe Hart – Blues were indebted to Joe Hart last season after his majestic performances went a long way in securing Blues’ best finish in 51 years and when Manchester City made it clear he would not be loaned out again, McLeish turned to Ben Foster as the ideal replacement. If Saturday is anything to go by the former Manchester United man will vindicate the Scotsman’s decision to sign him as he thwarted Blackburn on countless occasions. Foster denied Morten Gamst Pedersen from the spot with a fine save and even earned a rendition of the same chant sung to Hart last term surrounding England’s number one spot. Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce called him “outstanding” while his own boss, Alex McLeish, said he was “absolutely brilliant, exceptional”.

4. More pace in midfield is required – Not since the days of Jermaine Pennant and Julian Gray have Birmingham been blessed with pace in the midfield and Alex McLeish has made no secret of his desire to add some before the window closes. Take Cameron Jerome out of the Birmingham line-up and trying to pick a player with genuine pace to cause concern becomes an unenviable task for even the most optimistic of Blues’ fans. Charles N’Zogbia has been linked with Birmingham all summer long and if they can bring in a player of his ilk before the window shuts this would be ideal to differentiate the play in the engine room.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

5. Craig Gardner may flourish if rewarded with a regular run – Craig Gardner was used in dribs and drabs last season by McLeish due to the excellent understanding that Lee Bowyer and Barry Ferguson built up before Gardner arrived from Aston Villa in January. McLeish opted to start the midfielder alongside Barry Ferguson on Saturday and the faith shown by the manager was repaid in a sterling midfield display that included two goals. His ability to sit in a pocket of space between the oppositions defence and midfield allows him the time for shots like the one which flew past Paul Robinson in the Blackburn goal, couple this with his commitment and graft, Gardner could make himself a fans favourite amongst his own.

The departures of Alberto Aquilani and Robinho this summer show that high-profile, gifted footballers cannot always flourish in the Premier League. Fans, journalists and managers are divided over the time it takes for a player to adapt to the rigours of the English game. Yet the PL is still an attractive destination for huge swathes of foreign talent and for every flop there is a success story. Here are ten PL new boys to watch out for this season.

Mario Balotelli – Manchester City

Signed from Inter Milan for a fee of £22.5 million, the talented if troublesome striker will team up with Roberto Mancini for a second time. The 20-year old thoroughbred was routinely criticised by the Italian media and his team-mates for being immature and unprofessional. Patently unperturbed, Mancini believes the youngster will soon become a world class forward. ‘Super Mario’ scored on his Manchester City debut against FC Timisoara in the Europa League play-offs. Whether it is for his on or off-field antics, the Italy international will be impossible to miss.

Yaya Toure – Manchester City

David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov may all arguably warrant places on this list but the PL’s first £200,000-a-week player is worthy of consideration. Having moved from Barcelona to play alongside his brother Kolo, this versatile midfielder has already demonstrated his varied skills to the Eastlands crowd. Powerful, physical and technically proficient, the Ivorian has proved a handful for PL defences in recent weeks by pushing forward to support Carlos Tevez.

Chicharito – Manchester United

City’s rivals Manchester United believe they have found the signing of the summer in the form of the youthful Javier Hernandez. The Mexican international had a fantastic World Cup but was actually snapped up in April from Guadalajara. Known for his pace, skill, movement and finishing ability, he has been likened to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian would have told him that every goal counts after his peculiar finish against Chelsea in the Community Shield.

Pablo Barrera – West Ham United

Fellow Mexican international Barrera has been the only bright note of West Ham’s worst start to a PL season. Signed from Pumas for a fee of £4 million this speedy winger glistened during the first half of West Ham’s home defeat to Bolton. Unafraid to run at players, exhibit skill and go for goal, Hammers fans will hoping that this Mexican import can improve their fortunes.

Asamoah Gyan – Sunderland

It is an old adage that you should never buy a player off the back of a good World Cup. However another player who shone in South Africa has been signed by an ambitious club. On transfer deadline day Sunderland paid in excess of £13 million for the Ghanaian striker. Gyan has moved from Ligue 1 Rennes after the departure of Kenwyne Jones and the serious injury suffered by Frazier Campbell. Gyan missed a penalty that would have taken the Black Stars to the semi-finals in South Africa but was the team’s best player of the tournament, scoring three. The 24-year old is already said to be looking forward to the Tyne-Wear derby.

Continue to Page 2 to see some more brand new foreign talent…

Hatem Ben Arfa – Newcastle United

Ben Arfa is another Ligue 1 import eagerly anticipating that fiercely contested derby. The French international has moved to St James’ Park on a season long loan from Marseille. The winger/attacker is a prodigious talent who has 8 senior caps for France and rather stereotypically went on strike from training in an attempt to force through his protracted move. Are Newcastle ready for yet another abrasive dressing room character?

Marouane Chamakh – Arsenal

The French top flight has been a fruitful source of talent this summer, particularly for Arsene Wenger who has also added Laurent Koscielny to his squad. The Moroccan striker had been linked with a move to the Emirates from some time but was made to wait until his contract with Bordeaux had expired. He scored his first PL goal with a header against Blackpool, despite missing a hatful of chances throughout that drubbing. Sporting a suspiciously oily hairstyle, Chamakh is seen as an intelligent, strong centre-forward who is aerially adept. Arsenal fans will be relieved that in the absence of Robin van Persie they will not have to solely rely on Nicklas Bendtner.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Nikola Zigic – Birmingham City

Another striker who will undoubtedly catch the eye is Birmingham’s 6ft 8in Zigic. The 29-year old Serbian international did not have the best World Cup nor did he boast a good scoring record at Valencia. But he did prosper on loan at Racing Santander last season and subsequently made the switch to St Andrews. With his giant frame, the Serbian target man will seek to intimidate and out-muscle defences.

Raul Meireles – Liverpool

After the unsettled Javier Mascherano eventually left Anfield for the Camp Nou, Roy Hodgson did well to swiftly swoop for Porto’s Meireles. Signed for an £11.5 million fee, the player who has 38 caps for Portugal has said he is no Mascherano clone. Presumably he would not take kindly to being talked of as a replacement to Xabi Alonso either. If the combative midfielder is somewhere between the two Liverpool fans will be satisfied.

Moussa Dembele – Fulham

This Belgian winger moved from AZ Alkmaar to join Mark Hughes’ Fulham. He scored 10 and assisted many in the Dutch side’s 2008/09 title winning season. Fulham hope to have secured a bargain who can perform in the PL. He found the net in their 6-0 victory over Port Vale in the League Cup and set up both goals as Fulham drew 2-2 with Blackpool at the weekend.

Follow me on Twitter

Red Sox proprietor John W.Henry has been cast as the new saviour of Liverpool Football Club after his company’s £300m bid for the Anfield club was accepted last week.

This is however dependent on a High Court ruling going against American duo Tom Hicks and George Gillett who have launched a legal battle against the board’s decision to accept a bid from the New England Sports Ventures, a deal which would see the pair lose a combined £140m.

Yet despite the relief and buoyancy which greeted the news of Hicks’ and Gillett’s impending departure, the Merseyside champagne is still on ice until the despised co-owners have disappeared back across the Atlantic. It will also be up to W.Henry to convince the club’s fans that he was Liverpool’s best interests at heart, following three-and-a-half years of broken promises, debt and dissension under the two previous despised incumbents.

On the surface Henry appears to be the right candidate to rejuvenate the ailing club and bring the good times back to the Red half of Merseyside. Within two years of taking control of the Boston Red Sox in 2002, Henry ended the club’s 86-year wait for a World Series title and repeated this success to win a second, just three years later. It has now been over two decades since the Reds last won a league title and Henry knows he can automatically increase the value of the club with success on the field. The parallels between the two sides are striking, with both failing for decades to find success on the pitch despite their rich heritage, tradition and vast, outreaching fanbase.

Henry knows the importance of gate receipts and hospitality revenue in increasing finance and his first priority at the Red Sox was to begin redeveloping the club’s hugely iconic Fenway Park ground with an investment of $250m. The stadium was gradually expanded and in 2008 the club broke the Major League record by selling out for the 456th consecutive game in a row. For Liverpool, a new stadium at the club’s Stanley Park site has long been mooted, however Henry will be keen to asses his options and the club may yet stay at their Anfield headquarters. The improvements to Fenway Park have come at a cost however and the club’s ticket prices are now amongst the most expensive in the league.

Despite his reputation as one the most respected owners in the Major League, Henry has not had absolute success in the sports investment business since first dipping into the market with the purchase of Minor League side the Tuscan Toros in 1989. Before taking control of the Bo Sox his reign at the Florida Marlins was a complete and utter disaster. After it became clear his plan to build a publically funded stadium failed, Henry immediately began looking for an exit route from the club, while star players were sold annually to balance the books. After three unsuccessful years Henry left the club and is still widely loathed by Marlin fans today.

With an estimated worth of £540m, Henry’s finances are dwarfed by more than half of the current owners in the Premier League. Even outgoing owner Hicks is estimated to be worth more than his compatriot. After chairman Martin Broughton confirmed the club had tried, but failed, to find the next Roman Abramovich, he conceded that there are simply ‘no more Romans out there to be found’. Henry does however have the backing of fellow NESV investors, who between them do have the finances to compete at the top end of the transfer market and shake things up in the boardroom.

Another major positive is Henry’s insistence that all acquisition debt will be removed from the club, leaving the Reds with an external debt of £37m, the second lowest in the Premier League. Broughton has also eased fans concerns about more debt being placed on the club further down the line, by claiming NESV do not believe in borrowing high-interest loans from the banks as Hicks and Gillett did, insisting:

“They [New England Sports Ventures] are not leverage people.”

It is clear Henry is likely to be much more considerate and understanding of Liverpool’s traditions than either Hicks and Gillett. He will also have learnt not to make the same basic mistakes as his compatriots who promised everything and delivered very little. The bottom line is that Henry will want to make money and has secured himself a bargain investment which will allow him to rid the club of its debt, should things go his way in the courtroom this week.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It certainly appears that Henry’s main priority is increasing the fortunes of clubs on the pitch and this is positive news for the 18 time league champions. There are many similarities between the Red Sox and Liverpool and Kopites will hope that these parallels can continue with the revival of the club and a return to winning ways.

You can read more of my blogs HERE or follow me on Twitter.

Top Ten- One Club Men

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is confident that star striker Fernando Torres is beginning to find form after a difficult start to the new season.

The 26-year-old Spain international has scored just twice in 11 outings for the Reds this season, but Hodgson was enthused by Torres' goalscoring display in the 2-1 win at home to Blackburn Rovers last weekend.

He told the club's official website:"I think his desire and his wanting to do a good job have been there from the very first day.

"It is just a combination of things – maybe the team is playing a bit better and their extra confidence is giving him extra confidence.

"Football is always a big amalgam of a lot of factors.

"You do need, if you are going to have a good team, your good players in good form producing what they are capable of producing.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

"With Fernando on Sunday we definitely saw that. I see it in training every day and I just hope he keeps going and we have a good few months of it."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov anticipates that he will not be playing any football until February.

The Bulgarian midfielder is currently recovering from the partial medial knee ligament tear he sustained in last month’s defeat at Sunderland.

Villa boss Gerard Houllier had initially hoped that the 31-year-old former Celtic star would be able to return to action over the festive period, but Petrov is being more circumspect in his prediction.

He told the club’s official website:“I’m bitterly disappointed not to be involved. I feel okay but the knee injury I picked up against Sunderland means I will be out for around three months.

“It was one of those things and you have just got to accept that sometimes these things happen in football.

“It is the first time I have been out for such a lengthy period since I suffered a broken leg when playing for Celtic ten years ago. But I have every confidence in the boys to go out there and perform to the best of their ability.

“The team have been working really hard under the new manager and we have been playing well recently. We’ve been creating a lot of chances too so hopefully we can start putting a few more of them away.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“But it will take time and that is something that every team needs under a new manager.”

Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

These are my favourite “gobby gaffers” in the English premier league. They are well known for their outbursts. It’s what makes football, what it is today and the influences these men have on the game are unbelievable.

Harry Redknapp

Known as an excellent man motivator and an accomplished trader in the transfer market, Arry is working it seems on distancing himself from the whole wheeler dealer image as per him blowing up live on Sky a few months back. The England job beckons and while the barra boy wants to polish his image, he’d be better watching what he says, rather than other people.

“Samassi Abou don’t speak the English too good.”

“John Hartson’s got more previous than Jack the Ripper.”

“I sorted out the team formation last night lying in bed with the wife. When your husband’s as ugly as me, you’d only want to talk football in bed.”

Mick McCarthy

The Wolves boss is notorious for his sarcastic remarks and these quotes clearly show what he’s like. He’s a very good manager who often ends up getting into mischief with the F.A.

“I was feeling as sick as the proverbial donkey.”

“It’s the usual one – a manager leaves, somebody else comes in and they get the result. Well, balls to that.”

“We have got the drug testers here today. They shouldn’t be going to see the players – they should go to see the officials instead.”

Sam Allardyce

Big Sam is renowned for his long-ball approach, 11 men behind the ball and smash-and-grab victories which has worked well especially leading Bolton to two top six finishes and now beginning his life at Blackburn in decent fashion. He’s very open in the media as these quotes suggest……

“We are going to need a double-decker in front of our goal rather than the team coach!”

“He didn’t get anywhere near the ball. If that had been a defender, it would have been a penalty, but goalkeepers have this protection.”

“The handball was an absolute definite – a screamer, a 120 per cent penalty.”

Ian Holloway

He lead relegation favourites Blackpool up from the championship and has started life in the premier league steadily. He speaks his mind and his off-cut jokes has made him a favourite among fans and many people have compared him to the “special one” Jose Mourinho.

“Right now, everything is going wrong for me – if I fell in a barrel of boobs, I’d come out sucking my thumb!”

“When my mum was running our house, when I was a kid, all the money was put into tins. She knew what was in every tin and I know how much I’ve got in my tin – that’s the way we’ll run this club.”

“I love Blackpool. We’re very similar. We both look better in the dark.”

Arsene Wenger

He has built a reputation in the media as a “moaner”. Wenger is the most successful Arsenal manager of all time and his comments to the press always create talking points.

“When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent”

“The penalty decision was Old Traffordish.”

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“You ask 100 people, 99 will say it’s very bad and the 100th will be Mark Hughes.”

Alex Ferguson

Possibly the greatest football manager to ever grace the planet Earth? The statistics back him up and it’s not just his style of play and success that makes the man 100% entertainment. He’s always at the centre of pre-match or post-match action.

“We’re suffering because of what happened against Arsenal… one of my players would have to be hit by an axe to get a penalty at the moment.”

“We will only be in trouble if we listen to Jose too much.”

“The crowd were dead. It was like a funeral out there.”

An exhilarating and record-breaking Premier League weekend was set in motion by a spectacular 6 goal thriller in Birmingham, brought to us courtesy of Arsenal and Aston Villa early on Saturday afternoon. The 4-2 win for Arsenal was all the more impressive when put in perspective of the week they have just had. A midweek defeat at Braga was served as an unwelcome dessert to the main course of a 3-2 loss to north London rivals, Tottenham, last weekend. After taking a 2-0 lead into the half-time break at Villa Park, Arsenal fans must have been praying that lightning couldn’t strike twice in the space of a week, and when Ciaran Clark rifled home shortly after the break, there must have been heads in hands across north London. But instead of Arsenal dropping off and allowing the opposition time and space as they did with Spurs a week prior, the goal seemed to galvanise Arsenal’s spirit, and their performance gave weight to the old adage that attack is the best form of defence.

For the vast majority of the match Arsenal looked in control, especially when Marouane Chamakh restored their 2 goal advantage in the 56th minute, and even though the 21 year-old Clark halved the deficit once more, Arsenal didn’t look in danger, and always looked the more likely to score, vastly contrasting to the match at the Emirates last weekend.

Throughout the week Arsene Wenger has been defending Arsenal against accusations that his side have a ‘soft centre’, and he has been proven, for the time being, correct. Although Villa didn’t trouble the Gunners in the first half, they did come at them in the second half and Arsenal had to show resilience, self-belief and character, after the week they’ve had, to pick themselves back up again and claim all three points.

One of the major differences between the Spurs match and the Aston Villa game was that when Villa attacked them, Arsenal responded with a like-minded approach and reaped the rewards. This was important because at times Arsenal’s defence does look fragile, especially in the centre.

Wenger noted, when questioned about the strength of his back line; “They are sharp, good on the ball, defend well. What can I say? You are entitled to your opinion but for me Koscielny, Squillaci and Djourou are great defenders.”

Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny started against Villa and it isn’t that I think these players aren’t good enough, I just believe, like most players, they need time to settle into life at Arsenal, and English football in general. Through Arsenal being on the front foot, this gives the defenders time to settle, without being constantly under pressure, like they were against Spurs in the second half, and they performed dutifully for most of the match as a result.

Against Aston Villa, this Arsenal side showed that perhaps they are made of sterner stuff than teams of the past, and if they continue with their attacking endeavors, we may well find they are made of the stuff of champions.

If you liked this and would like to read more, then why not check out my blogs, or follow me on Twitter, where you can also keep up to date with the latest Arsenal news!

*

Click on Giorgia Palmas below to see her in all her glory

The dust has settled on Manchester United’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal, what have we learnt about the two teams? Manchester United have taken control of the Premier League and look a good bet to regain their crown. Have we seen the most pivotal moment in the Premier League season? We examine 5 things that we have learnt from both Manchester United and Arsenal following last night’s game.

Anderson is finally living up to the hype

After Paul Scholes failed a late fitness test it was difficult to see who would be United’s midfield creative threat. Anderson stepped up to the plate last night – like he has in the last few weeks. He was superb. He drove Manchester United forward with speedy counter attacks as well as tracking back well. Anderson is now showing Manchester United fans what a talent he is and long may it continue

Nani is a special player

He may not be Cristiano Ronaldo, but Nani is something special. He gave Gael Clichy a torrid time last night, and sprung on Arsenal brilliantly. Going into the game United knew Nani would be their match winner and in the battle with Samir Nasri he won hands down. He set up Park’s glorious header and his persistence in the corner of the box led to Manchester United’s penalty. Last years game at the Emirates was the tuning point for Nani, and he hasn’t looked back. The favourite for player of the season?

Manchester United won the battle of the mind games

Did Patrice Evra’s comments have an effect on the Arsenal players? Arsenal played within themselves, almost scared of what they could have achieved last night. Whether it was a task too daunting for them or Evra’s words made them think – Manchester United know how to get under Arsenal’s skin. Evra was superb last night, without doubt his best performance this season. It was this performance that summed Manchester United up. They wanted it, they believed they would win. Did Arsenal concentrate on beating Evra and not Manchester United? Furthermore, did Arsenal truly believe they could win last night?

Arsenal are not a million miles away

Although Arsenal didn’t play great last night, they certainly have closed the gap on Manchester United. They kept the ball better in the second half, and had Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie been a 100 per cent match fit, they would have threatened Van Der Sar’s goal a lot more. Jack Wilshere is different class, making Michael Carrick look pedestrian until his substitution – which was forced after a strong challenge from Carrick. Arsenal are not a million miles away, but they have to start winning these games if they are ever going to re-claim the Premier League title.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Praise Arsene Wenger’s brave call on Wojciech Szczesny

He may have the hardest name to spell in the Premier League but he showed last night why Arsene Wenger has talked him up for some time now. It was a toss up between the Pole and the rubbish Almunia, but Wenger could have opted for the more experienced Spaniard. Szczesny was excellent, making two high class saves, first from Anderson and then from Rooney late on. The Anderson save kept Arsenal in the game – a goal then and United could have taken over the game. Wenger made the right call last night and fair play to him for that. If last night’s performance is anything to go on, Arsenal may have a top class keeper for along time to come.

Comment below and follow me on twitter

Holy Crap – it’s live fantasy football! Become part of Brentford v Charlton and play Picklive for FREE Watch and bet live – spices up any game!