United squad: Howard, Carroll, G Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fortune, Forlan, Fletcher, P Neville, Scholes, Butt, Keane, Kleberson, Ronaldo, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Bellion Howard may be rested, look for a bit younger of a squad selection since both teams have already qualified for the next round...
I just found out that I'll be at the game. I can't, however, seem to find a hotel with a room in Manchester at this point. Any suggestions or help would be nice.
United v Stuttgart [R] 12/9, 2:45pm ET Both teams tied with 12 points going into the last match of the group stage. United need a win to finish first, while Stuttgart will do so with a win or a draw. United have not lost at home in their last 16 European matches. PPV only in the US, as ESPN is showing Milan v Celta.
I see the need, but we still need to win this one to avoid some of the other big teams in the first round...
Here are some online places to try. http://www.manchesterhotelstoday.com/ http://www.clickmanchesterhotels.com/ I've stayed at the Brittania Hotel near the City Centre, which is close to the rail system in town as well as Piccadily Train Station. Nice enough place, don't have any other recommendations at this time, however. Good luck and have a great time!
Since first place teams will play second place teams, I think United will push hard for the victory to try to avoid the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus in the next round.
Re: Re: Manchester United - Stuttgart [R] 12/9 Fergie has tended to go young with the starting XI and keep the more experienced players on the bench to come on if needed. However, I'm hoping he'll start with the best XI and bring on the youngsters AFTER we get a comfortable lead... Fergie is probably also counting on Stuttgart being a little intimidated playing at Old Trafford as well...
You misunderstand me. Those sites are all well and good, but all of the hotels are When I say I'm having trouble finding a place to stay, I mean I can't find any room at the proverbial Inn. Anyone with any info - or an empty couch - in Manchester would be most welcome at this point.
I bet Timmy will start. This game would be his 6th Champions League game and he needs all the playing time he can get, espically against top teams.
Man, that sucks. All I could recommend to you at this point is to try a youth hostel. If you're in the Manchester area, look for a tourist center that might be able to guide you to one. Or if you can find a bookstore, look for a travel guidebook by Lonely Planet or Let's Go, which should list some of the hostels in the city. Worst case, if you can't find anything else, ask someone seated near you if you can crash at their place, I suppose. Hope something works out for you, and enjoy the game!
SAF has said he cannot figure out if it would be better for us to win the group or to place second because of how close things are in certain groups winning the group doesn't mean u wont face a great opponent. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=131693&cc=5901 This I take it means that we will go for the win but I suspect that Kleberson and that Scholes might be eased back in by comming on at the half. I would really like to see Ronaldo get the start.
Ronaldo got shut down pretty effectively last time we played them. Giggs is going to have to have a great game, and I think we should look for Kleberson to make a start over Scholes at this point. Scholes might be subbed (as you said) if the game is close. I wouldn't be surprised to see Forlan starting (even though we all know he's not any good and especially isn't any good with Ruud ). Fletcher needs another run out as well. I think if I was going to have a young squad I might go -----------------------Ruud------------------ -------Giggs---------Kleberson----------Ronaldo --------------------Fletcher--------------------- -------------------Keane----------------------- ---Fortune----Ferdinand-----Silvestre----G. Neville ----------------------Howard-------------------- Keane in the D/holding mid position. If you want to rest Keane for the derby slot Fortune (or DjDJ) in his spot and bring on O'Shea (is Brown back yet?) in the LB position. It might seem crazy to have Fletcher in the middle but in IMHO he is a natural there and if he gets into trouble you can always bring Scholes in for him. Kleberson looked too good playing off the striker not to give him another shot. My two cents.
Alex seems to think it doesn't matter much whether we face a first or second place qualifier in the next round - we're playing for pride, he says. I'd like to see how Kleberson plays against quality opposition after his display against Villa but it may be better to let Scholes get back into things in a match that perhaps isn't that important though I have to say I'm not fully convinced that this match is that
I'm not sure that I believe Alex here. It looks as though Madrid, Milan, and Juve will win their groups - these are clearly teams that you want to avoid in the second round. I suspect that Alex is up to his old tricks of playing mind games. Stuttgart has been playing well in the CL, and I think Alex wants them to think that this game is not important to United. Then when Stuttgart show up with less than full intensity, United can take it to them.
This isn't the League Cup -- you want to avoid as many as the bigger teams as possible in the next round. Play your best 11 and play aggresively (a loss is no worse than a tie). Save your reserves for a second rate squad like City.
Derby games are never easy (look at our loss to them in december of last year) and the Premiership race is tight enough that we can't afford to drop points by slagging off. Apparently Manchester is at least going to rest Keano... http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=131693&cc=5901
Looks like SAF is trying to play off the resting-of-Howard as a thigh injury - - from http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=1712/match=1056886/index.html Does Tim-MAY have a thigh injury? First I've heard of it
I'm not sure about the thigh injury, but in the interview on BigSoccer radio he was coughing repeatedly...hopefully he's not coming down with something.
Here is the lineup: 13 Carroll 2 Gary Neville 3 Phil Neville 5 Ferdinand 10 Van Nistelrooij 11 Giggs 18 Scholes 22 O'Shea 24 Fletcher 25 Fortune 27 Silvestre
Bench 14 Howard 8 Butt 12 Bellion 15 Kleberson 16 Keane 19 Djemba-Djemba 21 Forlán Ronaldo isn't even on the bench.
Fergie from Rednews.co.uk: I'm not worried. He might be getting a rest for the Citeh match, or he could see a few weeks off. With Scholes coming back and Kleberson coming on, we can afford to give him a rest right now... Keane and Forlan on the bench are enough firepower if needed late on, IMO.
I am a little surprised that he didn't make the bench. It seems SAF has been giving Bellion some opportunities for playing time as well. I am also a little surprised to see Fletch out there instead of Kleberson. I guess Scholes and Kleberson have been playing the same position.
I don't know what its like in Europe, but whne players move up a level they tend to hit a wall mid season when their body starts to break down from fatigue. How far has Butt fallen that he didn't even make a start today? Does anybody think he will be on this team after the window opens?
No surprise at the Ronaldo ommission, but a bit at the lack of Kleberson. He's been playing great, lately. Fletcher hasn't had a good game the lats few times out. Not like Kleberson could be tired, yet...