Arsenal v United @Villa Park - FA Cup - 4/3 [R]

[Achtung]

I don't think I have to restate the significance of this match. Huge for both teams, and obviously there is a lot of baggage around these two squads right now. Plenty of words have been flying back and forth this week between the two sides. The world will be watching... will you?

Saha is cup-tied, but hopefully Giggs and Ruud will be good to go after suffering minor knocks. We can do this, let's keep faith in our team that they can make it happen.

THE REMATCH IS ON!!!

Live on PPV at 6 am ET

[Sofabloke]

Yep, our season boils down to this one game.

I think it should be a good game to watch, being the cup means if you go behind you might as well go for it. I would go for the following;

.................Ruud
...............Ronaldo
Giggs - Keane - Scholes - Ole
O'Shea - Silvestre - Wes - Gary
.................Howard

Only slight risk with this is neutralizing Pires and not having any attacking class to bring on. But if Ronaldo drifts wide right to double-up with Ole on Clichy (or Cole) then Pires will have to spend a lot of time on the back foot. Also Ole is good enough defensively for me.

[bigtoga]

I vote we put the same squad out there that tied at Highbury and hope for the best 60 minutes we can. The subs can be difference makers on both squads. 1-1 at Highbury against an unbeaten team; its hard to change that lineup in my book (even though we sucked in certain positions lol).

[Anteaters FC]

................RvN
...........Scholes.........
Giggs-Keano-P.Neville-Ole
O'Shea-Silvestre-Wes-GNev
.............Howard

Bring on C.Ronaldo for OGS around the 65th or so, and have Djemba-Djemba close by in case Phil Neville plays like he did today...

[Achtung]

I'm pretty sure SAF has said that Howard will be out for the FA Cup clash as well. He might make his return in our next league match, against Birmingham at St Andrew's.

On a side note, did anyone read that article in Time about Timmy?
http://**************.com/timmytime

Seems that his Tourette's has been acting up, possibly as a side effect of all the pressure he's been under lately. SAF probably didn't mention it as a reason for benching Howard to avoid embarrasing the guy even more. Get well, Timmy!

[billyireland]

Yeah Timmy, get f.u.c.k.i.n.g well soon!

Sorry, that was in poor taste, I actually do feel for the guy... especially since I have some dyspraxia & a VERY, VERY slight bit of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (just when it comes to things like crossing the t's, etc - nothing insane)... those 'funny' disabilities aren't so funny when you've got them.

[johno]

Yeah Timmy, get f.u.c.k.i.n.g well soon!

Sorry, that was in poor taste, I actually do feel for the guy... especially since I have some dyspraxia & a VERY, VERY slight bit of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (just when it comes to things like crossing the t's, etc - nothing insane)... those 'funny' disabilities aren't so funny when you've got them.


This gets my nomination for post of the day...

[johno]

I vote we put the same squad out there that tied at Highbury and hope for the best 60 minutes we can. The subs can be difference makers on both squads. 1-1 at Highbury against an unbeaten team; its hard to change that lineup in my book (even though we sucked in certain positions lol).

I think that this holds true most occasions, especially you never want to change formations once you can accept the result you got.. however, Fletcher really was utter crap so at the least put OGS in his spot where he can do the same defensively and much more attacking...

[bigtoga]

Fletcher did one thing well: he kept Clichy's runs to a minimum. Once Fletch came off, IIRC, Clichy pushed forward more and more. That might have been a function of the 1-1 scoreline too but, in any case, I doubt Ole is going to play any more defense than Bellion would.

[Sofabloke]

What team will we be facing??

Apparently Wenger has ruled out Cole, Gilberto and Cygan, so I think it is highly likely to be the same team as last week.

Speculation about Bergkamp for Henry is just that I think. Yes the CL game against Chelsea is more important than this one, but it is more likely that TH will be rested in one of the prem games that follows.

Reyes and Bergkamp would be a decent pairing, but far less dangerous than an Arsenal attack with Henry.

[haven]

Please let Alex Ferguson realize that his "brilliant" tactics are a poor substitute to simply playing his best players. Which means:

----Ruuud---OGS---
Giggs----Scholes----Ronaldo
--------Keane----------
O'Shea--Brown--Silv---G Nev.
--------Carroll (only because Timmy's ill)

Bench: Howard, Neville, D2, Bellion, Butt

Those are the 11 best. And it's not close, with the possible exception of Brown. But P Nev has been such a ************ fullback this year, it's not worth moving O'Shea to the center (where he isn't so great) to accomodate him.

If we go 1-0, then puting Djemba-Djemba on for one of our attackers wouldn't be a bad idea.

[bkn0528]

I think it's a bit of a misperception to say that Howard is 'ill' (and I don't mean this to be a jerk - just mean to explain) - Tourette's is a condition that he will have all his life and it's well known that stress will amplify the tics. As is mentioned in the article, there are medications that are useful for controlling the tics but because these have the side effect of psychomotor slowing, they're no good for a professional athlete. Regardless, they have no effect on his performance on the field.

[Achtung]

I think it's a bit of a misperception to say that Howard is 'ill' (and I don't mean this to be a jerk - just mean to explain) - Tourette's is a condition that he will have all his life and it's well known that stress will amplify the tics. As is mentioned in the article, there are medications that are useful for controlling the tics but because these have the side effect of psychomotor slowing, they're no good for a professional athlete. Regardless, they have no effect on his performance on the field.

I don't think that its his condition per se that is pushing SAF to rest him, but just think about this--Howard hasn't really had any sort of rest in over a year. He got back to training with the Metrostars around early March 2003, played with them until the summer when United were interested, went to France to play in the Confederations Cup, came back and continued with the Metros, transferred to United, began training with them, played in the USA pre-season tour, went back to England and played nearly every match in all competitions from August through the FC Porto second-leg match. He is getting a well-deserved break.

Some time off the pitch will help him gather himself, and allow him to not get burned out. I would like to see him back for the B'ham match, but he should take off as much time as he and SAF agree is best. For the long term, this break will definitely be a positive.

[Anteaters FC]

Absolutely. Howard's performances and number of appearances this year has been so far beyond anyone's rational expectations...I bet Roy Carrol wasn't expecting to be sitting out most of the season!

[Mac_Howard]

I hope, but doubt, that Alex will go for a more attacking lineup than we saw last week.

Although Alex would never admit it, he was happy with the result he got at Highbury. To retain any sort of respect he had to avoid a bad defeat and played for that.

But this game he has to win. No draws here and, as the saying goes, "It's defence that wins leagues and attack that wins cups." Go for it, Alex, play to your strengths. You have five world class attacking players available and four very ordinary defenders. Give the attack its head and stop compromising your attacking game to protect your defence.

But he won't! :(

[Sofabloke]

I hope, but doubt, that Alex will go for a more attacking lineup than we saw last week.

"It's defence that wins leagues and attack that wins cups."


How true. I hope we play attacking too.

If you haven't seen it already, this is worth checking out;

Who is the Highbury screamer?

http://www.manutd.com/fanzone/default_fanzone.sps?rv010404

Plus I expect Henry and Carrol can't wait to play each other again too :)

http://www.manutd.com/downloads/carroll_800x600.jpg

[bigtoga]

Ruud "very doubtful" to make this match - SAF

Saha cup-tied

THat means - TA-DA! Diego "He made the Gunners cry" Forlan

Ok - maybe the nickname is a future nickname :D

Oka - here's a stab at a projected lineup now with the assumption that Ruud is out:

-- Carroll
Gazza Brown Silvestre J'Osh
OGS Keane Butt Scholes Giggs
Diego

I think Ronaldo is the second coming but I just don't see him cracking the starting lineup. I guess though that it all depends on OGS' fitness...

[delmundo]

which is the *home* team for this match?
Who will be wearing "their" colours?

[gildarkevin]

Ruud "very doubtful" to make this match - SAF

Saha cup-tied

THat means - TA-DA! Diego "He made the Gunners cry" Forlan

Ok - maybe the nickname is a future nickname :D

Oka - here's a stab at a projected lineup now with the assumption that Ruud is out:

-- Carroll
Gazza Brown Silvestre J'Osh
OGS Keane Butt Scholes Giggs
Diego

I think Ronaldo is the second coming but I just don't see him cracking the starting lineup. I guess though that it all depends on OGS' fitness...

Of course, Diego also doesn't get back from international duty until this afternoon, which puts him in stellar shape to start his first big game in months.

[bigtoga]

I know - SAF said he was going straight to the team hotel lol!