United host bottom Sparta Prague on Wednesday. United are 2nd in the group behind Lyon after drawing both their away matches and winning their home match against 3rd spot Fenerbache. Keane may have been rested against Pompey in anticipation of this match, especially after P. Neville's good showing against Arsenal, and any lingering affects from the viral infection that kept him out against Arsenal. The only other forced selection change was Ruud's suspension which proved costly as United squandered chance after chance in front of Pompey's goal, but the Dutchman is available for this Champions League match.
I am fairly confident going into this match... Rooney has had a few sub-par performances lately (he was not great against Arsenal until the 75th minute or so) and its time for him to step up and have a good game. All this talk about him being able to set up players has come to naught. He has not created a goal for any other United player that comes to my mind right now - he needs to show that he can do this and hopefully Ruud can score some goals... we will need him in his best form when he is available for matches in the prem again.
I have to say this entire team has yet to gel. I just hope Ruud starts playing like the Ruud of old because he hasn't been on fire either. I hate to say it but it might be time for Giggsy to step down.
I hope that all the anger and emotion forces some United players to dig down deep for their best games. Rooney was almost sent off against pompey, they got to take their anger out on the Sparta Prague goal. MtKill you are right Rooney needs to perfom more. He had that great first game against fener now he needs to get back to that level. Giggs, Scholes, CRon, I single out also as needing a challenge. They are the ones we're going to need to help set up plays so the strikers can bury them. They have not done it. Time to get out of idle and into destroy mode!
hey guys, i got a webstream right here: mms://222.52.68.14/ben rep would be nice good luck vs the czechs, show arse that they still are not the best reps of england in europe!
Really trying to figure out whether I'll be sneaking away from work to watch this at Lucky Bar for a late lunch or whether I'll be listening to a webcast.
I'll be at the pub... er... watching on the huge screen tv in the lounge between classes... the good thing is I have managed to convince one of my professors to end class early because he is a blaugrana and i have managed to convince my other professor that class needs to be started later... I am a genious!!!
Well, we'd be more apt to believe you if you knew the correct spelling of "genius". As for me, stuck at work, following on MatchTracker.
I'll be looking for you lot to win tomorrow. It's at this stage of the competition, when points are a plenty to be won, that all of our clubs need to rack 'em up to keep up our co-efficient ranking. You can go out in the quaters
You guys will be a tough draw for someone once Drogba comes back because with Drogba and Robben you have a thunder and lightning attack and of course there is the small matter of Franky and Damien... when on form there aren't many teams that match you guys player for player... but then, the games are won on the field... congrats on your win today... we will be celebrating a bigger victory tomorrow though...
Provisional squad: Manchester United (from): Carroll, Howard, Ricardo, G Neville, P Neville, Heinze, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Keane, O’Shea, Ronaldo, Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Bellion, Fletcher, Giggs, Scholes, Smith, van Nistelrooy, Rooney, Saha.
We really do need to get it in gear. It is getting too far into the season to be consitently drawing opponents. We have done pretty well at home in Europe and we need to keep that up. We also need more offensive production out of the midfield. Hasn't happened yet and it needs to start soon.
Me thinks you lot will pull a fenerbache on these boys from prague.... score buckets of goals and gain some confidence after the performance down in pompey... i know im 'ardly goin on a limb 'ere, but the goals should be pouring in~ cheers
ronaldo with a hatrick, he wants to score and he opens his account here, it could happen. i think 4-1.
I'm hoping for Saha up with Ruud, Smith sitting behind them, and Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo in Mid. Unfortunately though, with Keano fit, I doubt I'll be allowed to see this.