We were so subdued against United, it's not even funny. The performance was well below par and that Vermaelen had gifted that early goal didn't help at all.
But to be honest, this has been happening when we played them in the last few years. Arsenal look toothless and unable to hurt opposition like United. There was that CL semifinal when they trashed us at our place, and then that mauling last year.
The truth is that Siralix knows how to demand performances from his players and he knows how to adapt to opposition.
On the other hand, Wenger seems lenient with players under performing - there's no French version for the hairdryer treatment or no football boots kicked around in the dressing room.
But most importantly Wenger never adapts. You always know what the starting line-up will be regardless of the opposition. And even as events unfold during a game, he refuses to rectify mistakes or prevent catastrophes. Jack Wilshere was going to be sent off at some point. Why not put on Coquelin and move Arteta up?
Wenger is too rigid in some ways, yet he experiments with mind blowing stuff: using Gervinho as a CF, Ramsey as right winger (and Bendtner as right winger when he played for us). This is mind boggling stuff.
United already have a stronger squad than ours as it is. But it doesn't help that Siralix knows exactly how to neutralise us, and he won't stop short from adapting his team. He has players willing to do the "dirty" work in an unfamiliar roles if needed to. Rooney played a bit behind, practically as a midfielder, and he spent the whole game pestering Arteta, because they knew how important an outlet Arteta is for Arsenal. Not once Mikel Arteta felt comfortable on possession and had to look over his shoulders constantly.
This is the kind of stuff we just won't do.
As much as I admire Arsene Wenger, it pains me to say he has not modernised his style. Either that or he's a bit arrogant and even deluded, thinking he can still stick to his philosophy of "winning with style" with a squad that no longer is one of the most expensively assembled in the league.
Saturday's game was painful to watch, was the kind of thing that exposes us, just how toothless and innocuous this Arsenal side is most of the times. The score line flattered us, 2-1. Could have been more, and certainly wasn't pretty to watch.
Roll on tomorrow, because it will be a big important game in Germany.