My Mark: United against Real ropes

When Mesut Ozil slid through the pass, a thing of true beauty, which led to Samir Khedira’s winner for Germany against France, the commentator blared: “A goal made in Madrid, and scored in Paris!”

With the commentator’s suspiciously euphoric voice still ringing in my ears, the texts and tweets begun to pour in from my gloating Arsenal-supporting mates who have been eagerly awaiting the Real Madrid vs Man United Champions League showdown since the draws were announced late last year.

I momentarily wondered why on earth these guys would suppose that I want Man United to topple Real Madrid (wink wink!), but even if I did I am already on record as saying it is not going to happen.

It is a call I made right here not long after the shaggy-haired Steve McManaman had the balls (out of a bowl, that is) to pit the two modern day European aristocrats against each other. But the selective amnesia on that part allows my Gooner buddies to have someone to laugh at, which is important for their continued sanity as a welcome distraction from their own relatively sorry plight these days.

Guns re-loaded
If it helps, let me assure these Gooners (not goons mind, I wouldn’t dare) that with several weeks having flown by since those predictions I made in early December, a re-assessment has me believing that Arsenal now have a much better chance of ejecting Bayern Munich than United have of bettering Real.

You see, the France-Germany game I referred to earlier was not the only one drawing my attention on Wednesday night when SuperSport was awash with international football, from those dramatic African Nations Cup semis to friendlies involving the minnows and mighty of Europe and Latin America.

Lazily lounging on my couch, it occurred to me as I flipped from one channel to the next that almost all of Arsenal’s first teamers were mixing it with the world’s finest and acquitting themselves quite well, thank you very much.

That France-Germany game had Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna doggedly trying to hold off the world’s second best attacking force, which included their teammate Lukas Podolski, while on the other end Per Metersacker was doing an even better job subduing the determined intent of Karim Benzema, Frank Ribery and co.

Earlier on that same channel, new Gunners left back Nacho Monreal had come on moments after the exit of Santi Carzola as Spain saw off Uruguay, a game into which Mikel Arteta would have slotted quite easily.

Two backward clicks on the remote control and up came Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott slicing through Brazil’s rearguard at Wembley, and I would see a little later on the highlights channel that Aaron Ramsey’s Wales had overcome Wojciech Szczesny’s Poland in Cardiff.

It goes beyond the mere fact that Arsenal are an outfit littered with credible internationals, or that the team’s form has significantly improved from the day of the Champions League draw, a dark time too close to the Black November that perpetually blights their season.

What is even more noteworthy is that, with their individuals and the team’s chosen shape, Arsenal are currently better equipped to compete in Europe than United.

Any three of Abou Diaby, Wilshere, Arteta, Carzola and Ramsey give the team balance, shape and numbers in the very area where European games are not only controlled but won, and the makeup of the three forwards they pick is such that they are naturally inclined to converge in that all-important zone from time to time.

Red quandary
Of course it takes a lot more to win ties and trophies, and United would forge ahead of the Gunners when mental strength, self belief, dogged competitiveness, ambition, the will to win and single minded pursuit of success came into it.

But since they are not facing each other, United cannot count on those qualities to navigate their way around Europe, as they so tellingly discovered against Benfica, Basle and Athletic Blibao last season, teams against which Arsenal would have fared decidedly better.