It is so obvious that Fergie has developed a fondness for a long time adversary, none other than the Gunners' Arsene Wenger. The substitution of Anderson today, by Fergie, led to that immediate lifeline that Wenger may have needed.
For all Wenger's accomplishments at Arsenal, the ever present question of modern times is upon him. Yes, the Arsenal fans and ownership are asking, "What have you done for us lately, Arsene?" It is not enough to have won the league a few times or to qualify for the Champs League every year. It is not enough to have a profitable or one of the least indebted franchises in the EPL. No! No! Silverware must be delivered. In the absence of that, the only thing that can save your hide is the thing that has become the customary saviour to many an EPL Manager, sometimes. Oh yes! It saved Rafa's hide at crucial points in time, for a while. And it has saved the hides of many others over the years that the Prem has existed. Yes, one must beat Fergie and Man U at a crucial point if one cannot win silverware.
So today, as the editorials continued, yes, as the calls continued for folks to hold Arsene accountable or to send him on his way for not giving Arsenal fans a trophy or championship of some kind, Fergie threw him an old familiar lifeline. How else can one explain the substitution of the midfield engine, that starts the defense and starts the offense, for a winger?
The old Fergie would have battened down the hatches and played for a tie and be grateful for a counter attack win. As he worried that his un-needed victory, today, could make the Emirates's future for an old adversary come more into question, he gave him that old lifeline. And Wenger's guys grabbed it before Fergie's own players noticed and adjusted for the remainder of the game.
You see Fergie is confident he can take care of biz with a draw or a win at Old Trafford next week. In fact, that game will be played with a lot more passion and guile than the one the Red Devils played today. So as Fergie shook hands and then gave Wenger that pat on the back after the game, he was really saying to Wenger, 'I did my part to help you hang in there "Old Chum!"
Who knows? But one day, maybe even early next season, it may be Ancelotti who will be counted among those who will need a quick lifeline from Fergie. Yes Tilla.
And that, my friends, is the party line! Lazie, Sickko, Jangle, et al, what say ye?
For all Wenger's accomplishments at Arsenal, the ever present question of modern times is upon him. Yes, the Arsenal fans and ownership are asking, "What have you done for us lately, Arsene?" It is not enough to have won the league a few times or to qualify for the Champs League every year. It is not enough to have a profitable or one of the least indebted franchises in the EPL. No! No! Silverware must be delivered. In the absence of that, the only thing that can save your hide is the thing that has become the customary saviour to many an EPL Manager, sometimes. Oh yes! It saved Rafa's hide at crucial points in time, for a while. And it has saved the hides of many others over the years that the Prem has existed. Yes, one must beat Fergie and Man U at a crucial point if one cannot win silverware.
So today, as the editorials continued, yes, as the calls continued for folks to hold Arsene accountable or to send him on his way for not giving Arsenal fans a trophy or championship of some kind, Fergie threw him an old familiar lifeline. How else can one explain the substitution of the midfield engine, that starts the defense and starts the offense, for a winger?
The old Fergie would have battened down the hatches and played for a tie and be grateful for a counter attack win. As he worried that his un-needed victory, today, could make the Emirates's future for an old adversary come more into question, he gave him that old lifeline. And Wenger's guys grabbed it before Fergie's own players noticed and adjusted for the remainder of the game.
You see Fergie is confident he can take care of biz with a draw or a win at Old Trafford next week. In fact, that game will be played with a lot more passion and guile than the one the Red Devils played today. So as Fergie shook hands and then gave Wenger that pat on the back after the game, he was really saying to Wenger, 'I did my part to help you hang in there "Old Chum!"
Who knows? But one day, maybe even early next season, it may be Ancelotti who will be counted among those who will need a quick lifeline from Fergie. Yes Tilla.
And that, my friends, is the party line! Lazie, Sickko, Jangle, et al, what say ye?
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