United v Spurs - 3/20 [R]

[Achtung]

Match is a 10 ET start, live on PPV.

Spurs are just five points out of a spot in Europe, so they have something to play for. If United don't pick things up, it could be another humiliating defeat. I shudder to think what Robbie Keane could do if given too much space.

Let's get things back on track, mmkay?

[ManUtd R16]

It is important for United to win this game, in order to boost their confidence and morale ahead of the double header with Arsenal. And it's especially important for Van Nistelrooy and other attackers to find their touch in front of the goal. It is okay to concede 2 goals as long as we score 3 ourselves. I remember a time at United (2 seasons ago I think) when this was the case. Sure it doesn't look as good as a clean sheet, but I think you'll agree that any winning result is a good result. We don't have the strongest defense at the moment with missing players and all, but we do have all of our offense intact to make up for it. All the team needs is concentration, patience, and determination.

Come on you Reds!

[johno]

WE WILL LOSE THIS MATCH!!!

If SAF plays players out of position...


We have a shot at winning the match if we play, aggressively and if we hold possesion of the ball for long periods of time...

despite Ruud's impressive tally of goals this season, he has not been the Ruud of yesteryear... he has scored many goals that had to be scored and many tap-ins.... credit to him for being in the right place at the right time. For us to win against teams like Arsenal though, we will need him to recapture the form that he has not seen much of this year, the shots from the edge of the box, the stunning finishes, the long runs shedding tackles and that stellar first touch/volley that he has...

Of course we can win without Ruud regaining this form, but to do so, it will mean possesion... u dont get tap-ins from counter attacks, well u rarely do. We cannot sit back and wait for opposing teams to attack us, that is bad strategy if your defense is weak...

[phishy]

COME on united~~ ;)

[Potomac Red Devil]

Does anyone know where I can find the starting eleven posted before the match starts tomorrow?

I don't wanna pay $16 to watch Fletcher and Butt in midfield, and Giggs on the right and Scholes at DM. If that's the case, I'll just watch the replay.

[delmundo]

Originally posted by Potomac Red Devil
I don't wanna pay $16 to watch Fletcher and Butt in midfield, and Giggs on the right and Scholes at DM. If that's the case, I'll just watch the replay.

exactamudo..

Hey, is Saha available? Can he pair with Ruud?
Can we have a devastating attack for a change?

The writting is on the wall for Giggs, Butt, some of the Nevilles and they are playing like they know it. So why play them.
Lets go with the YOUTH and see some flare, speed and entertainment.

If we lose so be it. We are losing anyway. I can stand losing if I dont have to watch Giggs, Butt, and some of the Nevilles wishing they werent there.

Is there anyone left to play in the back four?

!!ComeOn United!!

[Achtung]

Much as it pains me, I don't think Giggs has that spark this year that he has always had in the past. Maybe its because he's already won everything under the sun at the club level, coupled with his disappointment at Wales not making Euro 2004. But I'm just guessing. He played so well early on, like the rest of the team. But everyone seems to have taken it down a notch.

I would check 4thegame.com, soccernet, and manutd.com before the game for the lineups.

[Motterman]

Originally posted by Potomac Red Devil
Does anyone know where I can find the starting eleven posted before the match starts tomorrow?


Well, at least you all can get off Sir Alex for not playing Kleberson:

Sir Alex Ferguson has seven of his Manchester United players ruled out of Saturday's Premiership match with Tottenham at Old Trafford.

The ailing Red Devils are without Roy Keane (hamstring), Louis Saha (Achilles), Cristiano Ronaldo (thigh), while Eric Djemba-Djemba returned from international duty with Cameroon with a knock and Brazilian Kleberson has an unspecified injury.

Gary Neville is definitely out as he serves the final game of a four-match ban, while Rio Ferdinand sits out the 12th match of a suspension which was on Thursday confirmed at eight months by an independent appeals panel in London - but defender Mikael Silvestre (knee) is available for selection.

Manchester United (from): Howard, Carroll, P Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O'Shea, Pugh, Fletcher, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Lynch, Solskjaer, Forlan, Bellion.

[Rei de Boston]

An unspecified injury to Kleberson. Everyone else has their injuries stated. Humm, I really wonder if there isn't something else going on there.

or maybe his butt is sore from sitting on the bench for so long.

[Motterman]

Wouldn't it be great if we had somebody who could call out other teams like this?

"Someone has to pay for what happened to us against Zaragoza and in Bilbao we have to show that it was just an accident," Carlos Quieroz said.

"We have to concentrate and think about the responsibility we have on Saturday. I don't think a team like Madrid loses two matches in a row."

Oh yeah... :rolleyes:

[Panzo]

Originally posted by Motterman
Wouldn't it be great if we had somebody who could call out other teams like this?In retrospect, it does seem like it may have been best for the club if Ferguson had retired at the end of last season and let someone like Quieroz take over the transition/rebuilding phase, esp. if he's better at handling glamour personalities.

[johno]

Originally posted by Rei de Boston
An unspecified injury to Kleberson. Everyone else has their injuries stated. Humm, I really wonder if there isn't something else going on there.

or maybe his butt is sore from sitting on the bench for so long.

No.. he has been diagnosed with notscottishness also known to laymen as the notscots...

the only cure for this disease is a scottish passport

[Ferris]

Manchester United (from): Howard, Carroll, P Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O'Shea, Pugh, Fletcher, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Lynch, Solskjaer, Forlan, Bellion.

Well. Why not:
--------------------Ruud--------------------
---------------Scholes---------------------
----Giggs---P. Neville---Butt---Solskjaer------
----O'Shea---Brown----Silvestre-----(Lynch)*
----------------Howard-----------------------
*Mark Lynch
D.O.B. 2/9/81 ---Nationality Great Britain (UK)
City of Birth Manchester
Weight 83 kg --- Height 183 cm
Position - Defender
Appearances with Club - 1
Goals Scored with Club - 0
Mark signed as a trainee in July 1998 and turned professional in August 1999. In season 2000/01, he made 14 appearances, 9 as sub, in the Reserve League, and played another 12 matches for the Under-19s in the FA Premier Academy League
http://www.manutd.com/bio/bio.sps?iBiographyID=1632
Although you could put Forlan or Bellion up front with Ruud and have Butt (or P. Neville) with Giggs, Scholes and Solskjaer in the Midfield. I would like to see Ole up front, but I just don't see who would be out wide (I don't know much about Pugh).

[Sofabloke]

Well, SAF will have an excuse of injuries for picking a less than inspiring team. Makes it even more annoying that he didn't pick the players when they were available.

The Djemba injury is galling, he gets a rib injury and looks like he is out the Citeh game, is declared fit so jets of on international duty missing the Citeh game, then comes back crocked.

The Saha injury is annoying too. He is definitely saving himself for Euro 2004 having felt he has done enough. Can't say I blame him given the nature of the injury, but dreadful timing for us.

Re: Kleberson, the mystery deepens. Any speculation would be just that, according to the Man U site he 'got injured in training'. Something very off here ...

For me, Ole has gotta play. Gotta have him match fit for the second Arsenal game.

With Keano injured and Saha injured then Fletcher should get a game in the middle alongside Scholes and either Butt or Phil Neville (please not both of these two!). In a way though, I would like to see Bellion play - just because he is lively and if no Ronaldo we need some spark from somewhere, in which case we would have to go 4-4-2.

Basically, the hat is missing a number of what would be my first eleven. So the lottery that is SAF's team selections has me worried again :( Please, please, please no players out of position.

Whatever the side though, come on you reds, three points in any old style will do for now :)

[manutd02]

C. Ronaldo's gotta play in my mind. He was our best player against City and was unlucky not to have scored. With such a lackluster line-up I don't think Fergie can leave him on the bench. Throw Ole up top with Ruud with Butt and Scholesy in the middle and Giggs on the other wing. We're absolutely shambles right now, but if we're as good as we should and I think we are we'll come through with a win. Title looks a bit out of reach, although anything can happen, but lets lock up 2nd spot and see what happens in the Cup.

[Sofabloke]

Originally posted by manutd02
C. Ronaldo's gotta play in my mind.

Normally I would agree with you 100%, but sadly though he is apparently on the ever growing list of injuries / suspensions which reads;

Roy Keane (hamstring), Louis Saha (Achilles), Cristiano Ronaldo (thigh), Quinton Fortune (knee) Eric Djemba-Djemba (unspecified knock from international), Kleberson (usual mystery injury 'picked up in training'), Gary Neville (last of four game suspension), Rio (suspended over a failed drug test or something?).

Having said that, we were all surprised when Silvestre played after we were told he was injured - so who knows?

[Soccerholic]

Originally posted by Sofabloke
With Keano injured and Saha injured then Fletcher should get a game in the middle alongside Scholes and either Butt or Phil Neville (please not both of these two!).

I don't think that there's any way to avoid playing both Phil and Butt given the injuries, unless Alex wants to bleed Lynch or Pugh, which I doubt he does.

[Sofabloke]

I meant please not Butt and P Neville as central midfield. They are both too negative going forward plus both not on good defensive form. My mum could knit better a defensive cover than these two have been providing :)

I suspect you are right that they will both play, not the right time to be introducing new youngsters. Though I think Phil will play as full back, not central mid.

[haven]

My eyes! The new format sucks.

But not Ronaldo's goal. That finish was sweat - and it's been coming. Couldn't believe he didn't get a goal last weekend. Glad to see OGS involved in a good goal.

We have to find a way to play Ronaldo and OGS at the same time. Get the 11 best on the field.

RVN really needs to break out of this funk, though.

[triplelake]

My eyes! The new format sucks.

But not Ronaldo's goal. That finish was sweat - and it's been coming. Couldn't believe he didn't get a goal last weekend. Glad to see OGS involved in a good goal.

We have to find a way to play Ronaldo and OGS at the same time. Get the 11 best on the field.

RVN really needs to break out of this funk, though.

Agree. But Ronaldo is definitely better than OGS as a right winger. I think we should have played OGS as a striker ahead of Forlan if he is fit.