The game was scrappy at times, both sets of players not having enough time on the ball. Denilson and Diaby continuously showing positives and negatives in the space of seconds

Manchester United 2 Arsenal 1 – Premier League

I was going to write about the game yesterday but I am glad that I didn’t. Like most Gooners or even supporters of a football team, I hate to lose, I am usually annoyed after drawing so losing is something I do not do very well. The gut wrenching feeling at the final whistle is something we have to expect when donating part of our lives to the team we choose to follow. Yesterday I would have written a more emotional driven view of the game but luckily I can think a little clearer, I have a much better sense of perspective.

The line up was pretty straight forward, a case of building a hard working, physical base that was still capable of creating goal scoring chances for the front two. Eboue was deployed on the right to add pace and defensive balance, especially with Patrice Evra bombing down his side of the pitch.

Large parts of the game went pretty much as I expected. Two teams pressing and matching each other’s numbers in midfield. Alex Ferguson was not as brave as he was last season by only playing Rooney in attack. Last season he would have switched Rooney to the left, especially at Old Trafford.

The game was scrappy at times, both sets of players not having enough time on the ball. Denilson and Diaby continuously showing positives and negatives in the space of seconds. Giving the ball away cheaply and then winning the ball back. This was the same for a majority of the Manchester United players.

With Van Persie, Arshavin and then Diaby joining we looked much better in the final third. Rooney was non existent for huge chunks of the game.

Van Persie had a good chance to get on the score sheet in the first half when his faint and cut inside allowed him to get a shot away on his left which flicked off Evra and away for safety.

Arshavin almost scored with a side footed effort just wide of the far post. Great composure, just a little too much direction on the shot.

William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen continued their impressive start to the season and that is something very exciting. They were the main reason for a quiet showing from Wayne Rooney. William Gallas was simply superb, and didn’t put a foot wrong.

The pair have gone to the team who have won the league for the last three years and is probably statistically the most difficult place to go and get a result and the pair have proved that they can stand up and handle anything that is thrown at them.

Our new collective defensive play has meant that they playing field is now level, we will no longer get bullied, no longer allow teams to come onto us and that puts us in very good stead.

I Arshavin penalty, was exactly that but it wasn’t given as we have come to expect at Old Trafford. I knew straight away that he didn’t connect with the ball, probably because Fletcher cut down Arshavin and the ball didn’t move. I wonder how the referee didn’t see that. It doesn’t really matter because Arshavin probably would not have been in the position to blast in our opener.

That is the benefit of having someone like Arshavin and the reason why Rosicky and Nasri are missed. They are players who can strike the ball from distance. I expect our team to continue to score goals like that as those players return, especially given the fact that our midfielders have more licence to venture forward outside of the penalty area.

After the break we should have killed the game. Ben Foster pretty much stopped them from losing the game with that close range Van Persie shot. At 2-0 we could have picked them off, they didn’t not create enough in the game to have scored three goals, instead we gifted them a free ticket back into the game.

Almunia rushed out to Rooney’s feet when the ball was on its way off the pitch. Almunia committed himself and Rooney took advantage. I was praying that Almunia would get a hand to it but it wasn’t to be. 1-1.

I have stuck up for Manuel Almunia this season but so far this season his performances haven’t been good enough, he needs to step his game up and remain consistent. There was no reason to come that far out when Rooney was going nowhere, he could have come out and stayed on his feet and Rooney would have had to chase the ball away from our goal.

Van Persie struck the cross bar from a set piece, a little more angle on his flight and the ball could have sailed underneath Foster’s hand into the far corner, with the crossbar still shaking Manchester United broke forward, won a free kick and Gigg’s free kick was headed into his own net from Abou Diaby. Diaby had got his bearings all wrong and looked as if he wanted to head the ball out.

One moment we are hitting the crossbar, almost making it 2-1 in our favour the next minute we are walking back to the half way line with our heads down.

Nani could have wrapped up the points when we were pushing forward but a combination of Almunia and poor finished saw the Ronaldo wannabe blast high over the bar.

In stoppage time we had the ball in the United net but unfortunately Gallas had strayed offside by a whisker. I thought the old saying was that these decisions even themselves up? If this was the case then Arshavin’s penalty shout would have been compensated by the assistant referee not noticing Gallas’ marginal infringement.

So that was that, I felt sick to my stomach but we had the better of Manchester United all over the pitch. They didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves. It was Arsenal 2 Arsenal 1. Two individual errors cost us the game but the positives are there for all to see. Gallas & Vermaelen continue a great partnership. Song and Denilson are warriors ahead of them.

We were missing Cesc, Rosicky, Nasri, Walcott and Carlos Vela. Five attacking players of massive collective quality. Had Cesc Fabregas played ahead of Diaby then I am confident that we would have come back with all three points.

This result will spur us on to make us focus for the coming games. If we continue with the hard work and discipline defensively then we will beat most that come our way.

Watch out Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor, we are coming for you.