FA Cup Quarterfinal clash, starts 7:30 AM Eastern Howard and McBride should start; Boca is serving the 2nd of a 3-match red card suspension. Man Utd vs Fulhamreview
* * *I'm William, and this is the news* * * As the good man here said, kickoff's at 4:30 a.m. PT/7:30 a.m. ET, and 11:30 a.m. Melbourne time for me here. Fulham's official site should have free live streaming audio, but may likely do as they did in the last round against West Ham, and mirror the BBC's Radio Five Live webcast. No idea of TV coverage-- I'll presume that it's on PPV in the USA; we have nothing here in Australia on either of the Fox Sports channels or on SBS. Maybe that wild Eastern European feed will have something? In any event, the Radio Five Live link and/or text updates from the usual suspects (Soccernet, sportinglife.com, the BBC, etc.) will be the sure way to follow this one. And now, the news... [*]Moritz Volz on United -- Fulham's official site Somewhat of a match preview for this F.A. Cup quarterfinal showdown [*]Fergie faces injury crisis -- Manchester United's official site [*]Tim Howard: "I'm not the finished article yet" -- Manchester United's official site Includes some photo gallery and video clip action [*]Team News -- sportinglife.com News front and centre is that Quinton Fortune is out for United... as if their defence didn't need any more bad news [*]Manchester United v Fulham: Key Battles -- sportinglife.com [*]Ferguson goes for all-out attack -- sportinglife.com [*]Howard ready for Fulham -- sportinglife.com [*]Walter Smith gets Old Trafford role -- sportinglife.com [*]Smith delighted with Old Trafford move -- sportinglife.com [*]Neville hits back at critics -- sportinglife.com [*]Coleman hopes to watch Cup clash -- sportinglife.com [*]Pressure is on United: Clark -- sportinglife.com [*]Clark set for Fulham return -- sportinglife.com [*]Match preview & OPTA stats -- skysports.com [*]Ferguson dealt blow -- skysports.com [*]Man Utd suffer more injury woes -- Yahoo's UK site, via Reuters [*]Howard fit to face Fulham -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Davis happy to stay a Cottager -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Match preview, complete with competition facts & figures -- The BBC [*]Ruud resists rest cure -- The BBC [*]Coleman may miss Cup tie -- The BBC [*]Van Der Sar warns Fulham -- The BBC [*]Yankees' Cup clash can generate new respect for game in America -- The Independent Feature column on Timmy vs. Macca, and possible implications in the States (in the writer's opinion) [*]COMMENT: Fergie will come out fighting -- London Evening Standard [*]Fulham bank on soft option -- London Evening Standard [*]Coleman waits for verdict -- London Evening Standard [*]Old Trafford gives Fulham grounds for optimism -- The Times of London Massive list... absolutely massive. And with a few articles on McBride and Howard, too. Should be a fantastic match tonight, the battle between the two Yanks... let's roll.
Re: * * *I'm William, and this is the news* * * One talking point from this article discussing matchups-- as it pertains to Howard vs. Van Der Sar... After a hugely impressive start to his United career, Howard has finally suffered the dip in form Ferguson thought would come far sooner. The American has not been helped by recent changes to the back four but has already shown enough class to come through his present confidence crisis. And Macca's mentioned, too... Wes Brown v Brian McBride Brown has been fiercely criticised as United's defence has slumped in the absence of suspended Rio Ferdinand yet Sir Alex Ferguson remains a huge fan of the injury-plagued Mancunian. In Porto 10 days ago and again at Loftus Road on Saturday, Brown looked as though he was getting back to the form which has earned him seven England caps. Two lots of cruciate ligament surgery do not appear to have taken away his speed and agility. Brought in to replace cup-tied Louis Saha, American striker McBride became an instant hero at Fulham, scoring on his debut against Tottenham at the end of January. He added another in the FA Cup replay win over West Ham and that eye for goal, coupled with his undoubted pace, means the fragile home rearguard must concentrate fully if they are not to be breached again.
i'll come in and post about big moments. I'm at my parents so i can't bring my laptop in the same room as the TV.
I plan on listening in on the webcast and providing some PbP, so between the two of us, I think we have it all covered.
Timmy and Brian start for their respective teams, to no one's surprise. Lineups, per sportinglife.com's matchtracker... MANCHESTER UNITED 14. Tim Howard 3. Phil Neville 6. Wes Brown 16. Roy Keane 22. John O'Shea 24. Darren Fletcher 8. Nicky Butt 18. Paul Scholes 7. Cristiano Ronaldo 10. Ruud van Nistelrooy 11. Ryan Giggs Subs 15. Jose Kleberson 19. Eric Djemba-Djemba 20. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 21. Diego Forlan 13. Roy Carroll (GK) FULHAM 1. Edwin Van der Sar 2. Moritz Volz 16. Zat Knight 24. Alain Goma 30. Adam Green 14. Steed Malbranque 23. Sean Davis 5. Sylvain Legwinski 10. Lee Clark 11. Luis Boa Morte 8. Brian McBride Subs 12. Mark Crossley (GK) 7. Mark Pembridge 15. Barry Hayles 17. Martin Djetou 26. Bobby Petta
I have spent the 16 bucks for the PPV on Directv. I'm just hoping for a replay at home for us. Keep the dream alive baby.
The story in the Independent is a very good read.Sensible and realistic. Don King is doing ads on telly for the FA Cup?I dont want to hear another word about how bad US commercial television is .
But really, Russ, how far has American TV gone downhill in the last couple of years since I arrived on Australian shores? Ummmm, nevermind. That was indeed a great read in The Independent. And the webcast from the link above is sounding fantastic. For best results, in the box that pops up from clicking on the link, click on the "BBC GMR" audio link-- that sounds loudest and clearest, IMO.
The game is on! United dictating the attack early-- RVN with an early chance from which the BBC GMR announcer said "should have scored" from. And Boa Morte shoots wide of HOWARD's righthand post-- all this in the opening two minutes...
Fulham "looking comfortable on the ball" as McBRIDE gets his first touch. Butt lucky to escape a booking, say the announcers... Free kick does not trouble HOWARD at all. 9th minute here...
13th min. -- Keane with a strong challenge on McBRIDE, but Brian reportedly "gets up quickly" after winning a free kick in midfield.
16th min. -- RVN skies the ball into the crowd from short range, after Cristiano Ronaldo set him up nicely.
Looks like Fulham is starting to figured out how to use McBride. They are playing balls in the air to him and making some runs off of him.
Speaking about Man Utd's defensive record of late, the announcers quip, "Rio Ferdinand's becoming a better player with every game he misses"... a lot of truth in that, apparently. But not so far today. The back four is keeping its shape quite well.