Utd Preview: Time to come out fighting

Afternoon Gooners,

Is anyone else bricking themselves about tomorrows game? I am a bit but mainly because I work in an office full of Utd fans. With our current squad status, this is the most nervous I have been going into a big game in the Premier League.

Manchester United haven’t won their three opening games since the 2006/07 season, when they beat Fulham, Charlton and Watford and by coincidence the 2006/07 season was also the last time Arsenal failed to win any of their opening three games, a feat which will be matched if they don’t win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The European result midweek will lift spirits of everyone involved with the club which will be vital going into this game. Even with our vastly incomplete squad, if the players we do have put in the right effort and show the same spirit they did against Udinese then we may be able to get a result.

Our biggest concern for this game is the obvious void in the defensive midfield department with both Song and Frimpong serving their suspensions.Wenger has very little options open to him but has hit a bit of luck with the likelihood that we will have Vermaelen, Koscielny and Djourou all available which means Wenger's first choice pairing of TV5 and Kos can watch our defence and Djourou can move up a little into the DM role. I think this could work as Djourou likes to stride forward, has the pace to cover the whole pitch and is defensively aware enough not to leave the back four unsupported. It would be a huge task for Djourou and his ability to adapt and put in a performance will be vital to any result we get. Gibbs is still short for the game so I'd  expect Jenkinson to keep his starting place.

Wojciech Szczesny is now beyond doubt Arsenal’s number one. It's hard to believe that he only made his league debut at Old Trafford last season. Ji-Sung Park’s header sealed a 1-0 win for the home side that day in a tight game but I get the feeling that many people involved with Man Utd are expecting a bigger margin this year.

The rest of the midfield is honestly anyone's guess. Ramsey could continue his run of starting spots or Rosicky may well have done enough on Wednesday night to secure the start himself. Maybe both will start. Maybe Arshavin will be moved centrally?  Honestly I have no idea which combination Wenger will go for.

I am personally gutted that Gervinho is suspended tomorrow. I would have loved to see him running riot against Utd's depleted defence. His skill, pace and trickery would have been too much for Rafael or Fabio or Smalling and he would have provided a massive chance of picking up a result.

Captain RVP will lead the forward line hoping to pick up the first points of his official captaincy with Walcott and probably Arshavin supporting him from each side. As the game goes on, due to our limited numbers I think we will see a debut for either Ryo or AOC at some point, maybe even both.

My Line-up

                        Szczesny

Sagna - Vermaelen - Koscielny - Jenkinson

                        Djourou

                Rosicky - Ramsey

Walcott                 -                     Arshavin

                          RVP

As much as I am not looking forward to this game, I have a little feeling that we could surprise a lot of people at Old Trafford. We always perform best when the odds are stacked against us and no one can see us pulling out a result, if I'm honest I would happily take a draw today but if we are to achieve it there will be a lot of hard work and commitment from everyone in an Arsenal shirt.

As pessimistic as it sounds the key to tomorrows game is not to over react, whatever the result. If we lose we are only on the third game of the season, plenty of time left and we play all the big boys at home in the second half of the season. If we win, again, we are only 3 games into the season and unless we pick up other results during the rest of the season it'll mean very little but what the hell, lets enjoy it.

This is the last game of the month which means by the time we play Swansea in our next game we will know our squad. Whoever is in that squad it is our job as fans to support them as best we can. It is our club so lets show it in what will probably turn out to be our most difficult season of recent times.

Till next time,
Goonerfish