FC Twente/ Arsenal, Setanta Sports 1, tonight, 7.45pm
This is the moment Steve McClaren has been waiting for. It’s his chance to show the world that it’s not his fault that England are a bit poo, and what better way to do that than by beating the mighty Arsenal with an unfancied Dutch team who appear to accept garden furniture in lieu of a subs bench. Winning over two legs might be too much to ask, but he stands every chance of winning the first bout…
The five reasons why FC Twente will triumph in the UCL 3rd qualifying round first leg
1. Arsenal have a poor record against Dutch opposition in the Champions League, winning just three of their last ten.
2. The last time Arsenal were eliminated from the Champions League by a foreign side, it was by the Dutch - PSV in 2006/07. On that occasion, the windmill lovers won the home leg 1-0 and drew 1-1 at the Emirates in the return.
3. McClaren boasts an impressive European club record, with 13 wins, four draws and eight losses from his 25 previous games.
4. And the former England boss’ home European club record is even more impressive, with ten wins from his twelve home ties.
5. The umbrella-wielding moron also won two of his last three home matches against Arsenal while managing Middlesbrough.
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15 responses so far
1 gooner4ever // Aug 13, 2008 at 1:44 pm
A lot of rubbish
Arsenal will beat Twente 1-3 tonight and 2-0 at the Emirates.
Mc Laren who is he ??????a Manager ? What?
2 Mattuso // Aug 13, 2008 at 1:49 pm
One reason why he wont, hes Steve McClown
3 Upminster Iron // Aug 13, 2008 at 1:56 pm
McLaren is a manager who has beaten Arsenal three times with an average team that he also took to a UEFA Cup Final. Hope that answers your question gooner4ever.
4 Tuza // Aug 13, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Sheer nonsense. If he could why would he do it with the English national team.
McClaren is a reject.
Arsenal gonna win today 2-0.
5 LondonGooner // Aug 13, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Upminster Iron - The other 13 games aganst Arsenal he got stuffed with an average of nearly 4 goals per game, including a 7-0 thumping last time he managed against us, thats why he’s McClown and thats why we’ll knock Twente out of the cup over 2 legs. Try and know what you are talking about before you spout off!
6 Upminster Iron // Aug 13, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Arsenal also beat David Moyes’ Everton 7-0 once and Moyes has won three games of 15 but that doesn’t stop him being one of the best managers in the Premier League or diminish the fact he has beaten Arsenal three times when underdog, much like McClaren did.
McClaren also won one of his four encounters with Mourinho (3-0 no less!) whereas Wenger won none of eight with a much more talented squad. McLaren won five of 12 encounters against Man United while Boro boss -42% - compared to Wenger’s 5 in 17 over that period - 29%. A ridiculous success rate considering who he was managing while Wenger was a Premier League champion for two of those five years! Mock McClaren’s England accomplishments but don’t mock his club record!
7 LondonGooner // Aug 13, 2008 at 2:19 pm
No none mocked his club record, you seemed to think because he beat Wenger 3 times out of 16+ games we should be “extra” worried about him, when obviously respect is due to any CL team, but not overly concerned at facing a manager we usually batter comprehensively!
8 Upminster Iron // Aug 13, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Nobody mocked his club record? Here’s some quotes from the comments above:
Mc Laren who is he ??????a Manager ? What?
One reason why he wont, hes Steve McClown
McClaren is a reject.
7-0 thumping last time he managed against us, thats why he’s McClown
__
Yes you beat him a lot and when you beat him you beat him good but you lost two of your last three away games against his side so that implies he knows how to do it now. The article doesn’t say he will knock Arsenal out just that Twente could win tonight.
9 LondonGooner // Aug 13, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I meant myself, badly worded not anyone else. They are big enough and ugly enough to look after thier own comments. Still If I had a 3 in 16+ success rate that would indicate i’m pretty ccrap at working things out….wouldn’t it. Also he had a much better quality of player at Boro than he does at Twente! His club record includes Boro’s first ever trophy proper and euro final also, thats great, but he IS small time at the top level and always will be, you’ll never see a big club come knocking on his door askig him to manager thier team and that is why respect, albeit only minimal should be given to McClaren!
10 Afc1 // Aug 13, 2008 at 2:52 pm
mclaren is a decent manager but that’s not what’s going to be his downfall in the cl, he did wonders with m’boro but for England he was appaling and that’s with a good set of players. Twente are an unheard of team in England and the expectations are that arsenl will win. Of course there is a chance twente will win theres always the chance the underdog will. But arsenal do boast a team which has 7 international players starting there is no doubt in my mind arsenal will win it might not b as easy as we would like but I believe they can do it. However for the rest of the season I believe a dmf is needed denilson needs time and diaby is way to injury prone
11 Upminster Iron // Aug 13, 2008 at 3:08 pm
LondonGooner, I understand your points and respect what you are saying - I just feel this is perfect territory for an upset. Yes, Arsenal beat him more often than not but the fact that two of his three wins came in his last three home games renders the overall record less relevant in my opinion.
There’s the fact that this is a one-off for Twente to be in this position, the fact McClaren has a point to prove to this country and the fact Arsenal have a depleted squad just make me think they have a good chance tonight - I could be proven very wrong I admit.
Either way, by the end of our debate you switched from saying ‘Mcclown’ to saying ‘McClaren’ so at least you maybe respect him more :)
12 LondonGooner // Aug 13, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Possibly, possibly! I’ll give you that one! have a good one Upminster
13 Upminster Iron // Aug 13, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Just don’t laugh at me if you win 5-0 tonight, that’s all I ask!
14 LondonGooner // Aug 14, 2008 at 8:39 am
2-0, not too bad eh!!!
15 Upminster Iron // Aug 14, 2008 at 9:39 am
I was wrong but it soundsd like he gave you a run for your money. Maybe he’ll win the second leg 3-0. On second thoughts, there’s only one team that can beat Arsenal at the Emirates!