Manchester United vs. Liverpool

I'm actually quite concerned about this match now. Some of my concern eminates from superstition and some is based on actual footballing reasons.

Firstly, Liverpool owe us one. Pure and simple. The balance of probability dictates that the run has to end sooner or (hopefully much) later.

Ferdinand's injury is critical. Our confidence is stemming the threat of Torres was borne out of the fact that Rio is the best around. Without him, our defence has no where near the same aura.

Ronaldo's record in the big games is not great. Now granted, he gets double and sometimes triple marked - problem is that he will really be in for the treatment on Sunday. They are likely to play the more defensive Riise instead of Babel to complement the left back Aurelio. Then you throw Mascherano into the mixture and it is hard to see Ronnie getting the space to breathe. It is likely that Hargreaves plays for us on Sunday and tries to play a similar role in nullifying the likes of Torres and Gerrard. I hope it is not the case, but I fear we will see the gulf between Mascherano and Hargreaves.

Now the flipside of Ronaldo's special treatment is that you would think it will free up space for the likes of Rooney and Giggs/Nani/Tevez - we really need these players to step up if we are going to get the victory.

Finally, I hope that Saha starts. I doubt he will, but by all accounts he is fit. He should play as he will unsettle Carragher and Skrtel, both of who I would wager will feel more comfortable against Rooney than Saha.
 
Feed Me said:
I'm actually quite concerned about this match now. Some of my concern eminates from superstition and some is based on actual footballing reasons.

Firstly, Liverpool owe us one. Pure and simple. The balance of probability dictates that the run has to end sooner or (hopefully much) later.

Ferdinand's injury is critical. Our confidence is stemming the threat of Torres was borne out of the fact that Rio is the best around. Without him, our defence has no where near the same aura.

Ronaldo's record in the big games is not great. Now granted, he gets double and sometimes triple marked - problem is that he will really be in for the treatment on Sunday. They are likely to play the more defensive Riise instead of Babel to complement the left back Aurelio. Then you throw Mascherano into the mixture and it is hard to see Ronnie getting the space to breathe. It is likely that Hargreaves plays for us on Sunday and tries to play a similar role in nullifying the likes of Torres and Gerrard. I hope it is not the case, but I fear we will see the gulf between Mascherano and Hargreaves.

Now the flipside of Ronaldo's special treatment is that you would think it will free up space for the likes of Rooney and Giggs/Nani/Tevez - we really need these players to step up if we are going to get the victory.

Finally, I hope that Saha starts. I doubt he will, but by all accounts he is fit. He should play as he will unsettle Carragher and Skrtel, both of who I would wager will feel more comfortable against Rooney than Saha.
Click to expand...

Good points there. Theres no chance Saha will start, absolutely no chance. Either Tevez or we'll play Rooney up top alone. SAF obviously played Saha last week to give Rooney a rest, but yet again, he's failed to stay fit for 90 minutes. I do hope he can be involved in the game on Sunday somehow though, coming off the bench.

Personally, I think it'd be more of a concern if Babel starts, he's starting to be a regular for them causing havack on the left side with his pace and goal threat, and depending on who we play as a RB, Babel could prove to be a real threat.
 
Feed Me said:
I'm actually quite concerned about this match now. Some of my concern eminates from superstition and some is based on actual footballing reasons.

Firstly, Liverpool owe us one. Pure and simple. The balance of probability dictates that the run has to end sooner or (hopefully much) later.

Ferdinand's injury is critical. Our confidence is stemming the threat of Torres was borne out of the fact that Rio is the best around. Without him, our defence has no where near the same aura.

Ronaldo's record in the big games is not great. Now granted, he gets double and sometimes triple marked - problem is that he will really be in for the treatment on Sunday. They are likely to play the more defensive Riise instead of Babel to complement the left back Aurelio. Then you throw Mascherano into the mixture and it is hard to see Ronnie getting the space to breathe. It is likely that Hargreaves plays for us on Sunday and tries to play a similar role in nullifying the likes of Torres and Gerrard. I hope it is not the case, but I fear we will see the gulf between Mascherano and Hargreaves.

Now the flipside of Ronaldo's special treatment is that you would think it will free up space for the likes of Rooney and Giggs/Nani/Tevez - we really need these players to step up if we are going to get the victory.

Finally, I hope that Saha starts. I doubt he will, but by all accounts he is fit. He should play as he will unsettle Carragher and Skrtel, both of who I would wager will feel more comfortable against Rooney than Saha.
Click to expand...

Very good points.

I think it will be up to our strikers and how they perform, cause I doubt that Ronaldo will again be the one to win us the match, cause, as you said, he will be marked from 2 or 3 players.

Well we will see.
 
------------------PIG---------------

---Brown---Vidic-----Ferdinand---Evra

--Ronaldo--Carrick---Anderson---Nani

----------Rooney-----Tevez----------
 
---------------Kuz---------------
--Hargreaves-Brown-Vidic-Evra--
-Ronaldo-Carrick-Anderson-Giggs-
---------Tevez--Rooney---------

Subs: Foster, Pique, Fletcher, Scholes, Park/O'shea.


Saha injured again...VDS still doubtful, as well as Ferdinand, Simpson loaned out. Neville and Silvestre played reserves, but doesn't guarantee anything, just the fact that they are regaining their match fitness.
 
My team:

-------VDS--------
-Brown-Rio-Vidic-Evra
-Ronaldo-Carrick-Anderson--Nani---
------Rooney---Tevez-------

Predicted team:

-----VDS-----
-Brown-Rio-Vidic-Evra
-Hargreaves-Scholes-Giggs-
Ronaldo Rooney Tevez
 
-----Who knows-----
Brown-Rio(please be fit)-Vida-Evra
Ronnie--Anderson--Carrick---Giggsy
Carlos-----Rooney

Subs - (GK), Scholes, Nani, Oshea, Saha
If no Rio I wouldnt be surprised to see Pique thrown in to the lineup

2-0 United
Rooney and Carlito
 
I'm thinking it'll be Brown at RB and Pique in the middle. Rio will not be risked with so many other big games coming up. I think we tried Hargreaves at RB in case we need cover and so we could rest Brown. Hargreaves will play in central midfield I am sure. He had his best performance for us at Anfield and Fergie will take note of that.

We better have VDS back if this is the case. Having Pique in the middle and PIG in goal will be much too big a risk.
 
charleysurf said:
I'm thinking it'll be Brown at RB and Pique in the middle. Rio will not be risked with so many other big games coming up. I think we tried Hargreaves at RB in case we need cover and so we could rest Brown. Hargreaves will play in central midfield I am sure. He had his best performance for us at Anfield and Fergie will take note of that.

We better have VDS back if this is the case. Having Pique in the middle and PIG in goal will be much too big a risk.
Click to expand...

feckin hell Pique as CB, against Pool?, against Torres? :nervous:
 
Godfather said:
feckin hell Pique as CB, against Pool?, against Torres? :nervous:
Click to expand...

I reckon Fergie would rather gamble on that then gamble on Rio being rushed back soon and missing a month of massive games. He has to look at the bigger picture.

I'd happily take a draw from this game if Rio does not play though, as I think we are bound to concede.
 
charleysurf said:
I reckon Fergie would rather gamble on that then gamble on Rio being rushed back soon and missing a month of massive games. He has to look at the bigger picture.

I'd happily take a draw from this game if Rio does not play though, as I think we are bound to concede.
Click to expand...

And i would rather have brown as CB.
Lets play Sheasy or Hargreaves as RB then.
 
Godfather said:
And i would rather have brown as CB.
Lets play Sheasy or Hargreaves as RB then.
Click to expand...

O'Shea was awful in his last game at RB. I'm sure Fergie will want Hargreaves in central midfield.

. We looked dodgy at the back against Bolton so I would have to doubt our chances of keeping a clean sheet against the hated enemy if our defence is as weakened as it seems it will be.
 
Really hope Rio starts. O'Shea isn't good enough at full back.

I have a feeling we'll see this, with no Rio

------------VDS--------------
Fletch/Harg ---Brown--Vidic---Evra
----------Harg/Fletc---Carrick---
Ronaldo----Scholes-------Giggs
------------Rooney-------

Rooney is due a performance.
 
I'd be very dissapointed if we palyed a 4-5-1 against the dippers at home.
 
McLovin said:
I posted this in the noobs when we played Liverpool at Anfield this season. So in keeping with tradition, I'll post it here too.

Should fire us up, and the matchgoers even more:

Remember ALL of Anfield singing munich songs
Remember the Kop doing aeroplanes
Remember the Munich 58 banner on the Kop
Remember scousers slashing straight members and scaffers home AND away
Remember Main Road 85 & what was at stake
Remember that we stopped them doing the "Impossible" Treble
Remember ALL those flags mocking Munich at Heysel in '85
Remember 39 dead Italians and how they tried to blame everyone but themselves
Remember the b*****ds throwing CS Gas at our players at Anfield
Remember that utter UTTER c**t Kenney Dalglish
Remember Anfield 1992 & how you felt after Rush scored
Remember 3-3 in 1994 & how it felt like a defeat
Remember the c**t spitting on Eric as he went to lift The FA Cup
Remember Robbie Fowler and his four (now five) finger salute every time he scores against us
Remember that giant FC Bayern München flag at Anfield in 1999
Remember Paul Ince (and all of Anfield) thinking he had denied us the Title
Remember loosing Five on the trot against them 2000-2002
Remember The BBC hailing the plastic treble as some sort of achievement
Remember them breaking the silence in honour of Georgie Best
Remember rick parry bleating on about the NY honours and Paisley & all that other s**te, the f**king w****r!
Remember scousers complaining on 5Live that Sir Matt only got knighted because he survived the disaster
Remember how you felt on 29 May 2005

Remember all the reasons we hate them so much.

Let's thrash those bastards !
Click to expand...

That was one of the darkest moments of my life. Great post!
 
INF-AMOS said:
This will be a high energy game, Scholsey looked ok against a Bolton team who were backs to the wall but i would go for Hargreaves or Anderson with the Ginger lad coming on later when legs tire. Same for Giggsy.
unitedvliverpool.jpg

P.S Had to make Nani's head bigger myself, didnt need to much :D
Click to expand...

:lol: Luv it
 
Rio in race to be fit versus Reds

Rio Ferdinand is doubtful for Manchester United's Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday (1.30pm) but Edwin van der Sar could feature.
rio_ferdinand_679131.jpg
Ferdinand: Pique on standby



The pair have both missed United's last two matches, defender Ferdinand with a back problem and goalkeeper van der Sar with a groin injury.


Sir Alex Ferguson was due to assess both players in training on Friday, along with striker Louis Saha.
The Frenchman sustained a knock in Wednesday's defeat of Bolton but is expected to be fit.
Spanish defender Gerard Pique could continue in Ferdinand's absence.
England full-back Gary Neville, who has been out for a year with groin and ankle problems, is close to a return after another run-out for the reserves.

United (from): Van der Sar, Hargreaves, Pique, Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Anderson, Nani, Saha, Tevez, Brown, Scholes, Rooney, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Evra, Ferdinand, Kuszczak, Foster.
 
It all depends on the fitness of Rio for sunday.

If Rio plays we can have Carrick and Scholes on midfield.

If he doesnt play then we need to protect the defence and play 3 men on midfield. We can go with Fletcher/Hargreaves, Carrick and Anderson.
Brown would be the center back and Oshea the RB. Pique just doesnt have what it takes for that match.
 
i think liverpools centre midfield may be to strong for us and we can win the game with quck and incisive wing play. Ronaldo and nani to streych it, if we play with 3 in the middle we will be overwhelmed and be plaing to pools strenghts. so id say traditional 442 with a good set of dynamic passing midfielders.

------------------VDS---------------

---Brown---Vidic-----Ferdinand---Evra

--Ronaldo--Carrick---Anderson---Nani

----------Rooney-----Tevez----------

If ferdy cant make it id bring oshea to the right and tell brown and vida to be very physical to disrupt torres' game, and also if rio is out bring hargreaves in for anderson to neutralise the torres threat even more. But to win this we must stretch them and use the wings, we need to create space and for us to drag out macsherano. Come on lads, and plz rio soldier through
 
Lawro's predictions


Man Utd v Liverpool 1330 GMT

This has got draw written all over it because against all the top teams away, Mr Benitez picks a team to stop the opposition playing.

He'll be banking on Fernando Torres to nick him a goal because I don't think Liverpool will have many chances.

I don't buy this talk that Cristiano Ronaldo can't perform in the big games. I think it's just one of those strange things. He hasn't done it yet but he will do. He's far too good not to. Maybe it will be on Sunday against Liverpool...


Match preview
Verdict: 1-1
 
Feed Me said:
Firstly, Liverpool owe us one. Pure and simple. The balance of probability dictates that the run has to end sooner or (hopefully much) later.
Click to expand...
No, it doesn't. Previous results have no effect on the probability of us winning this game.
 
im also beginning to really hate liverpool again and would make the victory even sweeter, the feeling had kind of drifted during their period of shiteness but now they are looking a bit better the fury has reformed. If our forwards stand up and show what we know they can produce liverpool will have no chance, ive got a feeling we will be really up for this too AND i put my money on hargreaves having a blinder
 
Scholesy said:
I have grown on Hargreaves so much, that I would love him to start! Would love Carrick too...
Click to expand...

We can do that but Anderson will be needed to open spaces and attack.

We can go like this.


-------------------GK-------------------------
----------------Defence-----------------------
---------------Hargo--------------------------
-------------------Carrick---------------------
Ronnie-------------------------------Anderson
-------------Tevez----------------------------
----------------------Rooney------------------
 
Just to cheer everyone one up, according to the BBC the ref for Sunday is Steve Bennett. Hasn't he sent Ronaldo off twice already? He isn't exactly one of our favourite ref's is he!!!
 
I'd go for Carrick and Fletcher in the middle, O'Shea right back - Hargreaves on the bench.

The match day thread will be interesting if Mascherano plays well.
 
Rio and VDS look fit and happy in those training photos, hopefully that's the case come Sunday
 
-----------------VDS---------------

--Owen-----Brown-----Vidic----Evra

--Ronaldo--Carrick---Anderson----Nani

----------Rooney-----Tevez----------


Sub: PIG, O'Shea, Giggs, Fletcher, Scholes

1-0 at HT Rooney to score. Babel equalizes at the oppening minutes of the second half then dippers feel it's on, but no way Ronaldo pen 76" then a Scholsey screamer 87" to end 3-1 for us
 
You must log in or register to reply here.