Manchester United V Crystal Palace Dec 18 (R)

[Father Ted]

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/images/badges/100x100/1.gif V http://skysports.planetfootball.com/images/badges/100x100/31.gif

Manchester United V Crystal Palace
Old Trafford December 18, 2004
Kick Off: 17:15GMT, 12:15EST, 9:15GMT
Live on FSW

Hopefully Ruud will be back to provide the finishing that was clearly lacking against Fulham. Anything other than a win will be a disappointment.

[Robert25]

With Ruud back we are set fr a better chance at winning. I did not see the Fulham game but from what i hear we did not have the closing we have had in the past. Hopefully we get another win and get our run to the top going again.

With CRon on vacation, Fletcher should take his spot on the right wing across from Giggs. He has been the most convincing i have seen there.

[gazza]

I'd like to see Ruud and Rooney upfront with Smith in behind. I really like that line in an earlier match. Anything less than 3 points is a disappointment.

[haven]

Ruud hasn't finished all that well this year. he's fluffed some easy chances. But he does make perfect runs off the ball. That's what we miss most when he's gone. People slam him by saying he only scores the easy goals. Well, Rooney and Smith have already scored more "spectacular" goals for United than Ruud. But I'd bet money that Ruud would have been at the far post for a tap in against Fulham that would have made the score 2-1, whereas both Rooney and Smith were conspicuously absent on several occasions.

I'm not sure Palace are good enough to trouble us even without Ruud. But there's no doubt we need him to make it safe, since a 1-0 lead is never, ever safe no matter who you're playing.

[Cou5]

Ruud hasn't finished all that well this year. he's fluffed some easy chances. But he does make perfect runs off the ball. That's what we miss most when he's gone. People slam him by saying he only scores the easy goals. Well, Rooney and Smith have already scored more "spectacular" goals for United than Ruud. But I'd bet money that Ruud would have been at the far post for a tap in against Fulham that would have made the score 2-1, whereas both Rooney and Smith were conspicuously absent on several occasions.

I'm not sure Palace are good enough to trouble us even without Ruud. But there's no doubt we need him to make it safe, since a 1-0 lead is never, ever safe no matter who you're playing.

Last time I checked, a goal is a goal. No style points are added due to difficulty; whether from 20 yds or 2 inches it's the same. What can be said for RVN is his positioning, he's a poacher. I didn't see the game on Monday, (listened to it on 105.4 out of Manchester) with RVN in the line-up he would have found the space at the back post for the winner. He's a world-class poacher.

[haven]

Last time I checked, a goal is a goal. No style points are added due to difficulty; whether from 20 yds or 2 inches it's the same. What can be said for RVN is his positioning, he's a poacher. I didn't see the game on Monday, (listened to it on 105.4 out of Manchester) with RVN in the line-up he would have found the space at the back post for the winner. He's a world-class poacher.

That's what I was saying :).

You don't really appreciate Ruud until he's gone. When he's playing, sometimes you think "my grandmother could have finished that chance." But when he's gone, and nobody's in position to dink the ball in when it flashes across goal, you realize how valuable RVN really is.

He's the best player in the box that I've ever seen. Alan Shearer comes close, I guess. So does Inzaghi. But I really think RVN is the best I've ever seen at moving off the ball and finding poacher's goals in the box.

[Achtung]

RVN is, in a sense, the Gerd Muller of his generation. A deadly finisher inside the box, a shameless poacher, and able to score loads of goals without looking particularly spectacular. Sadly, it might have been better if Ruud had been German like Muller instead of Dutch. The Dutch tendency towards "style over substance" in football meant that Ruud's abilities weren't as appreciated or exploited really until this summer when he finally got the chance to shine for his national team. No matter, we've known about him since he arrived, and the fact that other teams hate him just makes it all the better.

I hope we see him out there on Saturday.

[Mac_Howard]

Those "easy tap-ins" are not easy at all. It takes considerable skill - intelligent reading of the play, quickness of mind and speed of movement - to be in the position to take advantage of them.

[johno]

Those "easy tap-ins" are not easy at all. It takes considerable skill - intelligent reading of the play, quickness of mind and speed of movement - to be in the position to take advantage of them.

Yup.. the thing with easy tap ins is that if they were so easy, everyone would score loads of them.

[Robert25]

You have to admit Ruud would be a headache for a defender as well. He is dangerous in the air, always lurking for a good pass, etc...basically so mucheffort must be deployed to covering him. So maybe an extra chance or two opens up for Rooney, and others.

In another post the idea of a trade for Ruud for Gerrard is mentioned. But all that he brings to United is incalculable I think. i am glad he is back and will surely do his part for a United win.

[Cou5]

That's what I was saying :).

You don't really appreciate Ruud until he's gone. When he's playing, sometimes you think "my grandmother could have finished that chance." But when he's gone, and nobody's in position to dink the ball in when it flashes across goal, you realize how valuable RVN really is.

He's the best player in the box that I've ever seen. Alan Shearer comes close, I guess. So does Inzaghi. But I really think RVN is the best I've ever seen at moving off the ball and finding poacher's goals in the box.


I was just making sure the trolls understood what you were saying!

[Bluto11]

i believe you will do somthing we could not do this year, and that is kick the snot out of Palace. Utd can get there crap together when it matters and I think you've got a pretty easy schedule coming up

[50 Euro]

Here's the squad -
Carroll, Howard, G Neville, P Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fortune, Brown, Bellion, Keane, Scholes, Djemba-Djemba, Fletcher, Giggs, Rooney, Smith

Guess we'll see the same lineup as last week, with Fletcher and O'Shea slotting in for Ronaldo and Heinze, who are both on break.

[bigtoga]

Its good to see Phil and J'Osh getting a few minutes. I hope Howard gets in the pipes here - if he doesn't start this game, that's like Al telling him "You suck"

[sch2383]

With Ruud back we are set fr a better chance at winning. I did not see the Fulham game but from what i hear we did not have the closing we have had in the past. Hopefully we get another win and get our run to the top going again.

With CRon on vacation, Fletcher should take his spot on the right wing across from Giggs. He has been the most convincing i have seen there.
Ruud is out for another month or so...

[sitati_kituyi]

I've been away on "holiday" in Norway (don't ask me: I live in the warmth of the tropics and choose this of all seasons to visit northern Europe!) for a while (explains my recent absence from the boards which i'm sure nobody noticed ;)) and haven't been able to catch a single minute of United's last 2 games live, so today is very big for me.

Ruud is out for AT LEAST a month of 'complete rest' according to Fergie, and the boss is even setting the Feb CL action as a reasonable return to full fitness. Awful, terrible news for United. With Saha also out, this winter could see quite a goal drought if any of our English strikers get a knock. At least we have two quality strikers available (as we all agreed upon signing Roo, I think we'd all be comfortable with any pairing up front from the 4 we've got.

Then comes more bad news: Smith aparently picked up a knock in training and might not make the starting line-up! That leaves us with the prospect of playing a 4-4-1-1 with scholes behind rooney, but Rooney's style isn't one that I predict would fit here well. In fact, he's probably better playing as the -1- behind the striker. So what's to do? Bring our League Cup goalbanger Bellion in? I actually think this wouldn't be such a bad idea, he deserves another prem chance.

Anyway, let's hope it won't be necessary and we'll start with the England strike force of the next world cup (by which time the England staff will have realized Owen isn't nearly as good as they think he is) and hand it to palace this evening!!!!

[MikeyM]

Here are the teams according to the BBC.

Man Utd (from): Carroll, Howard, G Neville, P Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fortune, Brown, Bellion, Keane, Scholes, Djemba-Djemba, Fletcher, Giggs, Rooney, Smith.

Crystal Palace (from): Kiraly, Speroni, Boyce, Hall, Popovic, Granville, Leigertwood, Sorondo, Routledge, Torghelle, Riihilahti, Andrews, Watson, Hughes, Kolkka, Lakis, Johnson.

[nicephoras]

Boy, exciting stuff here. Any of you folks want pbp? I'm feeling generous. :)

[Achtung]

Boy, exciting stuff here. Any of you folks want pbp? I'm feeling generous. :)

Probably don't need to trouble yourself, since most of us (I think) have FSW. Good to actually see us on live for once.

[MikeyM]

Team:

Carroll
Neville
Ferdinand
Silvestre
Fortune
Fletcher
Keane
Scholes
Giggs
Rooney
Smith

Subs:

Howard
P. Neville
Bellion
O'Shea
Miller