Keown: Manchester United have more match winners, Arsenal are looking for characters

Written by Jeffrey on April 27, 2011 – 4:30

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the Gunners need to add experience to the squad to help “inexperienced lads” get over the line.

Asked what is the difference between Manchester United and Arsenal, the 44-year old explained Alex Ferguson’s squad is made up of more match winners, players who can turn a game around at any time.

The Red Devils are hot favourites to win the English Premier League and are very close to reach yet another Champions League Final with the Englishman saying that Wayne Rooney was inspired by all the criticism he received in the summer as his performance against West Ham United this month demonstrated.

On Tuesday, the Premier League leaders secured an important 0-2 lead in the first leg semi-final of the Champions League with Real Madrid and Barcelona set to face each other tonight for the fourth time this season.

Speaking to Sport.co.uk, Keown said:

I think Manchester United have more match winners. When you look at Rooney, who has had a lot of criticism levelled at him, he has been inspired recently.

That inspiration comes from digging deep . They were 2-0 down at the weekend, he dug deep and came good for his team. Arsenal need to have the same kind of response from their players, but at the moment they look tired.

I think Arsenal are suffering from the lack of trophies. When I was playing we won the Double in 1998 but as a group of players we didn’t win again until 2002 – it is difficult when that happens and you feel the world is against you.

You keep working hard, you keep going for it and you suffer disappointments, but it is all character building. Arsenal are looking for characters.

It affects the squad when you don’t have enough players who have won the Premier League. They have those guys at Manchester United.

It is very reassuring when you have title winners around you, they get you thinking in the right way, tell you how to behave and support you. It’s so important to have people saying, ‘Don’t worry, let’s win this one and we’ll win the league.’ It’s those well-timed comments that get the inexperienced lads over the line.

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bearwoman 999 says:

April 27, 2011 at 6:28

According to Wenger it’s the little things that cost Arsenal.Add to his will buy if need be you have a manager who refuses to acknowledege the problems afflicting Arsenal.He thinks he is right all the time and his football with all out attacking allied with beautiful passing and mesmerising dance movement is the way.
The problems affecting Arsenal are not new.They have been there the last five years. Wengers style is one kid after another to be farmed out.This doesn’t work and hopefully he will go and get the battle hardened warriors impact. who can make an

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quanvu says:

April 27, 2011 at 8:24

yes you are right. wenger’s football style doesn’t work anymore. its so irritating to watch players pass the ball around the box and dont even shoot. barca is better than us, thier level is better too but they can score everywhere. they always take chance.

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joe says:

April 27, 2011 at 8:30

To add my voice. As we blame the players, we also need to look at the tactics AW employs. For instance why should they keep the ball in the field of play while under pressure. The logical thing to do would be to kick the ball out for the team to organize it defence.

Also Arsenal players rarely get their strickers behind the opponents defence prefering the tik-tak which has failed to produce goals and points.

So i blame AW more then the players

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Fonz678 says:

April 28, 2011 at 13:26

Funny thing is if we did hold possession successfully in crucial moments we wouldnt have given the opposition these chances which cost us points. For example Home against liverpool injury time. Issue is us giving away possession at crucial moments.

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Norman says:

April 27, 2011 at 9:39

looking at your picture and David Seaman, you are incomparable with the toddler faces we see at arsenal.these are more mature faces, holding a trophy.Yes in addition to these youngsters, there is need for experience.That need not to be over emphasised.

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Ozzy Daro says:

April 27, 2011 at 14:18

What do you expect………We have to many toddlers in arsenal team……as you know..toddlers can not crack bones……they are good at sucking milk (passing game),they can’t deal with pressure properly……..Arsenal need a balance

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Lanz says:

April 27, 2011 at 9:49

Fans are so fickle! I remember the great comments after we beat Chelsea 3-1. Its all different now. Everybody has some advice. EVERYbody!!!

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toni says:

April 27, 2011 at 12:02

@ Lanz, Fans like you are more delusional than AW. Tell me in your home or personal life, will you allow same problem with same symptoms to persist for 6 years before you proffer a different remedy or will you continue same remedy that never worked for the past years? even a blind could see what has been missing all season. Almost every fan get it right when it comes to positions we need to strengthen and players we need to get rid off. what does that tell you? the whole world cannot be wrong while AW and few confused fans like you will be right. Dont get me wrong I love what he has done at arsenal and the beautiful football we play. I also have not forgotten the trophies he won too. but if your fair to your self you will agree that the has brought the underlisted to arsenal too of recent
a) arsenal crumbles when it matters
b) arsenal cannot win big matches
c) arsenal cannot defend set pieces
d) arsenal cannot keep a lead
e) arsenal cannot withstand pressure
f) arsenal are not matured and are not strong physical
g) arsenal are inexperienced
h) arsenal lack mental strength
and the list could go on. THESE ARE WHAT WE ARE NOW KNOWN FOR BY OTHER FANS AND CLUBS. Whether you agree or disagree that will not change the fact. Even coaches tell their players same when the come up against us and you can tell from their behaviour , tackle and actions. These my dear are also product or arsene and all of us (fans) are subjected to these mockeries by other fans day in day out.

Mind you , arsenal fans are decamping. what could be worse than that. Since he cares about business and money only am sure he (AW) agrees this is bad for business . so he should do what all clamour for or move on. If he finds any short cut as usual this time around, that will guarantee us 6th- 8th position finish next season. In case any one did not notice, this season has witnessed poor performances by the top clubs. next season will be tougher and our weakness will be more glaring.

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Pat Rice says:

April 27, 2011 at 12:52

@toni, i was about to write a comment by you just took each and every word out my mind when you just reply to lanz there. Thats the best comment i’ve read since logging on to the gunninghawk. People like lanz don’t get that we aren’t saying wenger must go but we’re asking or tired of asking why the same problems haven’t been adressed, and why does wenger get the same type of players that do the same thing when he buys.

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Uz says:

April 27, 2011 at 16:46

And if he is unrepentant and refuses to bend what next?i say he leaves,period

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Disappointed fan from Singapore says:

April 27, 2011 at 17:25

AW just doesn’t understand the feeling of fans. 6 freaking passes after passes trophyless seasons, and it pisses you even more When Alex’s men are winning season after season with “ease”. Arsenal games are so predictable to most fans lately – 65% possession, result either 1 pathetic point or none. Watching lazy or simply care Less player like diaby is even more sickening. Ball in 6 yards box got passed out again & again. Worst than school grade goalkeeper like Almunia pondering to be or not to be, simply make you sick. Stupid mistake like fxxking another player behind when the ball is running away from the goal. Throwing away 4:0 lead. These are the things AW doesn’t understand how we feel. When are these players going to learn? I petty players like Cesc, RVP, Wilshere & Nasri who have to put up with bunch of LOSERS & cheater like AW.
But please stay. The fans will count on you folks when we hv a stubborn coach and few dead woods.

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tommy says:

April 27, 2011 at 18:42

@toni above. Well said mate. THAT is what most fans are upset about. They are not stupid, they know that trophies are not guaranteed, even if Wenger went out and spent 100 million. The fans simply want Arsenal to be respected again instead of being the laughingstock of the EPL. I personally think we do have a few match winners on the team, but not enough. We desperately need some veteran leadership on the pitch, because without it the team is a mirror image of Wenger on the touchline, nervous and panic-stricken and petulant. The few match winners we do have know this, despite what they say in public, and players like Cesc have been waiting since 2007 for Wenger to do something about it. I personally think Cesc’s poor performances this season are because he played with Spain in the WC. He got to see how a real team operates, and what it takes to win. Then he came back here and saw that we did NOT have that.

Make no mistake. Changing this is a huge task, and the only way Wenger will be able to keep his best players and get the most out of them is to overhaul the defence. Cahill, Sakho, and a DM, all battle tested, not kids. People forget Vermaelen is not that tall, no one knows if he will even recover from injury, and even with him last season we were still poor on set pieces so when Wenger trots out the “We will have Thomas back, it’s like new signing” do NOT fall for it.

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kenny says:

April 29, 2011 at 20:20

Y do we keep mentioning players to be signed? We know very well Arsene will never sign exceptional talent. Even when he does, they turn average and they start passing the ball round the box. Look at Arshavin. It’s a pitty.

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Keown: Manchester United have more match winners, Arsenal are looking for characters

Written by Jeffrey on April 27, 2011 – 4:30

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