So i'll start with an admission. I originally started writing this post about how the big six this season have failed to produce in a number of games this season. However, the more I looked into the results and the stats, the more I realised this just had to be a piece that focuses mainly on Manchester United. So without further ado:
Another weekend, another match where two of the big six face off in a battle to see who's further along the road in the race for the title. The way the fixtures have matched up this season, there seems to be at least one of these matches every week at the moment and I can't be the only one that is becoming more and more disillusioned with this. We have all the build up from the broadcasters, fan channels and pundits compiling combined XI's and talking through how each team can get at the other. Yet predictably, we were subjected to yet another dull affair last night between title challengers Man United and an Arsenal team that looks like they're on the rise once more.
Maybe I'm being a little harsh by addressing this as dull. Both teams did have reasonable chances. If United's attackers in particular had been that little sharper, there may have managed to nick this. But regardless, we still ended up with another 0-0 and more importantly, another example of the big six and United in particular being so desperate not to lose the game that they give up most of their ambition and drive to actually win the thing. Just look at the results we've had so far this season between the big guns:
Chelsea 0 - 2 Liverpool
Liverpool 3 - 1 Arsenal
Man U 1 - 6 Tottenham
Man City 1 - 0 Arsenal
Man U 0 - 0 Chelsea
Man U 0 - 1 Arsenal
Man City 1 - 1 Liverpool
Tottenham 2 - 0 Man City
Chelsea 0 - 0 Tottenham
Tottenham 2 - 0 Arsenal
Man U 0 - 0 Man City
Liverpool 2 - 1 Tottenham
Arsenal 3 - 1 Chelsea
Chelsea 1 - 3 Man City
Liverpool 0 - 0 Man U
Tottenham 1 - 3 Liverpool
Arsenal 0 - 0 Man U
I think it's pretty fair to take out the first three results of the season, as we had that crazy period at the start of August where teams were settling in after a busy transfer window and seemingly forgot how to defend leading to that absolute goal fest to open the season. Those were better times right? Liverpool getting pumped 7-2 by Villa? The same Liverpool edging Leeds 4-3? Leicester trouncing City 5-2. What we wouldn't all give for that level of entertainment once more. The argument could definitely be made that without a proper pre-season, all these results do represent pre-season like scorelines as players attempt to reach full fitness. Now they've settled in we're getting far less goal fests, except when West Brom play of course. So much for Big Sam providing defensive stability and making his teams hard to beat ehh?
Since those first 3 results, we've had 14 games between the big 6. We've averaged a pretty poor 1.5 goals a game. 6 match ups that ended up all square, with 5 of these being 0-0 draws (4 involving Man United) and 8 victories. But even a few of these victories should have an asterisk against them. Arsenal beating Man United 1-0 with a late penalty in what was really dull affair. Tottenham and Man City edging past a free falling Arsenal. Arsenal themselves, along with City, taking the sword to a Chelsea side who had about as much confidence as Abramovich obviously had in Lampard himself. What I'm trying to get at here, is that far too often this season the big six have done battle with blunted swords and shields large enough for a whole team to socially distance from each other.
It was evident again yesterday that neither side was really willing to take a chance in the fear that they may end up losing the game. The best chances either came from set pieces or interceptions high up the field. Not from any form of progressive pressing of the opposition, just loose 5/10 yard passes. I have to admit, I myself got caught up with the hope that maybe this game would be different. Arsenal missing their two most impressive players this season in Saka and Tierney along with Aubameyang who is undeniably talented despite some patchy form this season. United, after an impressive run as of late, were coming off a shock loss to bottom of the league Sheffield United and would surely be looking to respond and ensure the gap between themselves and their top of the table local rivals didn't increase any further. There was even added hope after an uneventful opening when Scott McTominay was forced off in the first half and replaced by Anthony Martial. But in reality, United only really looked like they had intent for the final 10 minutes of each half and Arsenal relied mainly on on the pace of an impressive Pepe on the counter attack. I'm slightly hesitant to blame Arsenal for their approach considering their issues going in to the game, but it feels like United really blew an opportunity on Saturday evening. Not the first time we've said this of United this season of course...
They've scored 1 goal in their 6 games against the big six, that coming in a game they also conceded 6. Since that first trouncing they scored 0 and conceded 1. Solskjaer had gained a reputation for managing to get one over on his rivals and in the big games in previous seasons. Think of that wonderful night in Paris. Sticking 4 past Chelsea on the opening weekend of the 19/20 season. Doing the double over City last year. For all the stick that Solskjaer has received over the last couple of years, some unfair and some warranted, he did seem to have this knack of setting his teams up to play some devastating counter attacking football when playing the big teams. But this year all has changed. Have we got to the point now where Ole is so worried about United's rivals gaining ground or pulling away that they're happy to just settle for no points gained or lost by the other team? It seems particularly odd considering how well they played in the last two games against big six opposition in cup competitions. There was last week's performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup 4th Round which was genuinely thrilling and even in their defeat to City in the Carabao Cup semi finals, United played pretty well and you got the sense that they really did want to win that game. Why is that same freedom not being afforded to league fixtures?
All of these questions leave me wondering, if there were more points on the line for a win, would Ole be so ready to sit back and take a share of the points? This year is 40 years since Jimmy Hill proposed the three points for a win system we see adopted almost world wide, in a bid to ensure teams were more willing to take risks to go for the win rather than sit out for a draw as was the case in the original 2 points per win system. If there were 4 or even 5 points for a win, would this change United's philosophy when playing the bigger teams? Would it leave all of the big six more inclined to go out and win the 'big games'? I for one want to be one of the first on the 'five points for a win' bandwagon as I believe this for at least a little while would ensure we witness a far more entertaining approach to the games. However maybe most importantly, 40 points would no longer guarantee safety; it would be a lot closer to 69 points and I, as a mature 20 something professional, believe this is far too hilarious of a chance to pass up.
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