West Ham United vs. Manchester United Football Club [R]

[Dark Savante]

http://www.premierleague.com/javaImages/20/bc/0,,12306~3324960,00.gif
vs.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d1/Manchester_United_Badge_1973-1998.png


29 December 2007
Upton Park
KO: 15.00 GMT
10.00 EST

[Dark Savante]

Real big game this. It's about consolidation of our newfound #1 position whilst actually having a chance to pull even further clear given a win here plus an underperforming Arsenal at an away to Everton could see them drop more points. West Ham are one of our bogey sides and with Tevez going back there plus it being quite a solid hunting ground for them this term, it's a game which won't surprise me in the slightest to see us drop points in.

Fortunately, Sunderland where a cakewalk and will definitely have given us the best possible chance for freshness in this fixture. We need all our big guns back for this one as this is a side and a fixture with history of us dropping points. Le some of the lads rest in the fixtures after this one.

Tevez being rested today almost certainly means he'll start at Upton Park. Hopefully Hargreaves is fit :rolleyes: and there's no doubt that Anderson will be reinstated.

Dean Ashton is definitely a player to watch out for and I think he's got that awkward style, combined with his strength, positioning and intelligence to really get at the holes Hargreaves and Anderson will leave behind themselves. Rio will have to be switched on for this one.

The only way they stop us from scoring is if we have a collective off day. They've a good against record at home, but it only takes us a lapse or two to score...

Fingers crossed we come out of this with all 3.

---------------Koozy
------------Rio-----Vidic
Brown------------------------Evra
-------Hargreaves-Anderson
Ronaldo-------------------Giggs
----------Tevez
----------------Rooney

Heaton, O'Shea, Carrick, Park, Saha

Ta.

[holytoledo]

This one's on Setanta again for those of us Stateside.

[israbeckham]

Players have a habit of scoring against their old clubs. I wont be surprised if Tevez does.

We need revenge! They are a strong side when they are up for it, which goes without saying considering they are playing the champions. They did the double over us last year. Revenge. Humiliate them. And I can say that now because Yossi left them:)

[benni...]

Was just going to say, would like to see some revenge as we were not able to even take a point off them last season. I agree with DS' line up. Parker vs. Hargreaves is going to be a good duel. Their defense has been pretty bad lately. We need a good thrashing please...

[dan01]

Is Hargreaves being rested for this match?

[BlackPearl]

They done the double over us last season. We only lost 1-0 at Upton Park last season but we probably should have won. Robert Green was in unbelievable form and we never really clicked at all. They will be up for this as they got booed off yesterday. I think we'll need an early goal to settle us down.

[sdotsom]

I want revenge for last season as well, and hopefully Carlitos wants to get the goal there as well. Robert Green is in spectacular form this year, and West Ham have actually had a relatively solid defense. All the big fellas should be out there, and DS rightly pointed out Dean Ashton as a dangerman.

0-2 to us, Tevez and Ronaldo.

[Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10]

want Wazza to keep scoring

3-0 will do nicely

[yikchi]

We usually have a tough time at Upton Park. I will be happy if we win by one goal. I expect a 1 nil win.

Tevez will definitely be up for this one so I expect him to be very influential.

With Carrick's horrible, I want to see Anderson/Hargy at CMs.

How long is VDS out for? Koozy is making me more and more nervous everytime there is a back pass...

[Invincible]

West Ham couldn't even beat Reading so why should we fear them? They have the capability to score on us, yes but we could do them some severe damage as well, and they'd be naive to attack us constantly when we can hit them on the break. Actually I hope this is an open game because I don't think we've lost an open game this season.

[Twix]

West Ham's defence has been really solid this year so I want to rip them to shreds and score a couple on them. I want revenge for what they did last year so I would be satisfied with another away 4-0 win.

We haven't lost when Rooney or Ronaldo play this season so the Hammers are nothing to be afraid of.

A brace for Rooney and Tevez and Ronaldo to get on the scoresheet too.

[alincoln]

We should be fairly refreshed for this one. SAF managed the rotation very well for the Everton and Sunderland fixtures, which should prove telling in the second half.

Evra, Rio, Anderson, Giggs, Tevez and Hargreaves all sat out at least one of our last two matches while Ronaldo and Vidic got a breather during the latter half of the Sunderland match. Rooney and Saha needed full matches to regain fitness and they got them.

Given the freshness of the squad and the movement to the top of the table, this may be the match where United really make a statement to the rest of the league.

[leafdolfan]

Park looked effective against Sunderland, he looked like he doesn't need to get back up to speed, with him on the left and Ronaldo on the right, West Ham's fullbacks will be in for a lot of pace. Giggsy would be more effective coming off the bench if we need him to pull something off late in the game.

[lynne]

---------------Koozy
------------Rio-----Vidic
Brown------------------------Evra
-------Hargreaves-Anderson
Ronaldo-------------------Giggs
----------Tevez
----------------Rooney

Heaton, O'Shea, Carrick, Park, Saha

Ta.

This is fun! (picking among a squad of healthy players -- knock on wood!)

I'll say:

---------------Koozy
------------Rio-----Vidic
Brown------------------------Evra
-------Hargreaves-Anderson
Nani-------------------Giggs
----------Tevez
----------------Rooney

Heaton, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Park, Saha

Bring on Park and Saha at the 60th minute. Bring on Ronaldo if you have to.

How long is VDS out for?

[Right Foot Planted]

Players have a habit of scoring against their old clubs. I wont be surprised if Tevez does.

We need revenge! They are a strong side when they are up for it, which goes without saying considering they are playing the champions. They did the double over us last year. Revenge. Humiliate them. And I can say that now because Yossi left them:)

Speaking of former players, Spector had a stellar game against us last season, and he's starting to work up some good form in a central role. Always nice to see former youth players go on to build careers somewhere.

[Amdrag]

There is no way Ronaldo doesn't start.

[lynne]

There is no way Ronaldo doesn't start.

Probably not, but it would be nice if he and Rooney weren't worn out by March of this year (like they were last year). There's no point in having the 'world's best squad' if you don't use it.

[sdotsom]

I thought Park came on and did very well. I'd love to see him get a start, but it may be a bit too soon to go straight to 90 minutes.

[Amdrag]

Probably not, but it would be nice if he and Rooney weren't worn out by March of this year (like they were last year). There's no point in having the 'world's best squad' if you don't use it.

The problem is West Ham can be very annoying. Sir Alex will risk it in the FA Cup (Which he may not want to advance to far in) but he won't just after getting to the top of the table for the first time this season.

And Rooney has had more then enough time off this season so far.