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Off-topic: Manchester United 4 Arsenal 0 (FA Cup)

Arsenal

Matt Asay Contributing Writer
Matt Asay is a veteran technology columnist who has written for CNET, ReadWrite, and other tech media. Asay has also held a variety of executive roles with leading mobile and big data software companies.
Matt Asay
2 min read

The best that can be said for today's match was that I knew Arsenal would lose going into it. With 10+ first-team players injured or otherwise unavailable, it was never going to be a good game (for Arsenal, anyway). It wasn't made any better by those Arsenal stars who did play - Fabregas and Gallas, in particular - deciding not to show up on the pitch.

Painful, painful match. Bendtner is rubbish. He gave away nearly every chance he had in the first half, which wasn't all that many since a midfield bolstered by Gilberto leaks like a sieve. Gilberto has had his day - he needs to go.

It's hard to figure out who played the worst, however. Traore might well get that honor. He may be good some day, but he's not a viable backup for Clichy. Hleb inexplicably couldn't hold onto the ball today. Eduardo never saw the ball. Toure and Gallas saw it plenty...as they were chasing Rooney or Nani or Saha as they weaved past the Arsenal defenders at will.

Oh, well. Arsenal were always going to lose this match, though I wish it wouldn't have been by so much. Arsenal has been crashing out of the various cups in grand fashion this year. I just hope it won't hurt our consistency in the League, which is all I really care about. I'm not expecting much from the AC Milan Champions League match this week - AC Milan plays the ball in the air a lot and Arsenal showed today how weak they are in the air, with three headers tapped past them.

By the way, on that note, did you notice how sodden the field was? It looked like the pitch that Mourinho prepared for Barcelona last year in the Champions League. While it can't be blamed for Arsenal's poor display today, I'm sure it was part of Fergie's plan: drown the pitch to stop Arsenal's passing game then go to the air. It worked.