CL: Olympique Lyonnais vs Manchester United F.C

This will be giggsy's 100th game in Europe, the surprising thing is the Welsh wizard has only 1 winners medal to show for it, so far....
 
This will be giggsy's 100th game in Europe, the surprising thing is the Welsh wizard has only 1 winners medal to show for it, so far....

eh not really, we've bottled it in europe time and time again. 9 semi final appearances, from which we went to two finals in our history. out of the top 10 clubs in terms of appearances in semifinals of the european cup, we have by far the worst winning percentage. to put into perspective, we're 2 in 9 in semi's, whereas liverpool is 7 wins in 8 times in semis. hopefully this group of players can get over that mental block and run off multiple CL trophies.
 
eh not really, we've bottled it in europe time and time again. 9 semi final appearances, from which we went to two finals in our history. out of the top 10 clubs in terms of appearances in semifinals of the european cup, we have by far the worst winning percentage. to put into perspective, we're 2 in 9 in semi's, whereas liverpool is 7 wins in 8 times in semis. hopefully this group of players can get over that mental block and run off multiple CL trophies.

so giggsy has more than 1 European cup winner's medal?
 
--------------VDS-----------------
--Brown--Vidic---Ferdinand--Evra--
--------Scholes**--Carrick--------
-------------Anderson------------
-Ronaldo-------------------Giggs*-
--------------Rooney--------------

*Or Nani
**Or Fletcher or Hargreaves

You could be on to somthing there i see it as a 424 rather than a 451/433. youve got carrick and scholes controling things with the front 4 causing havoc. also anderson could play where giggs is.
 
no just saying how it isn't realy that surprising, given that we keep losing in semi's. just means we amass a lot of games in the CL but don't finish the business.

I know mate, but that's surprising thing, us not being able to finish the business time and again after getting so close. Giggsy's been playing in Europe for 15 years, just 1 winner's medal seems a bit of an underachivement and surprising considering we've been among the best in Europe for all this period. Hopefully, this year we'll be able to go one step further...
 
I'll go with the 433

---------------Vds--------------
--Brown----Rio----Vidic----Evra-
-------------Carrick------------
-----Hargreaves---Anderson----
Ronaldo---------------------Nani
--------------Tevez--------------

but knowing saf our team will end up playing like this

-----------------Vds---------------
Brown------Rio-------Vidic------Evra
-------Hargreaves--Scholes----------
-----------------------------Rooney-
Ronaldo----------------Giggs---------
--------------Tevez----------------
 
-----------------Van Der Sar------------------

--Brown-------Vidic---------Rio---------Evra---


---------------Carrick---Hargreaves-------------


--Ronaldo------------Tevez----------------Giggs-


-----------------------Rooney-----------------------



Fergie will probably play Hargo as (DM-Gattuso) and Carrick (DM-Pirlo). Hargo to do dirty job of tracking back to cover overlapping fullbacks, and fouling opponents to stop their rhythm. Carrick to get ball from DM and spray the ball to flanks for Ronaldo and Giggs to wreak havoc from the wings. Tevez and Rooney to bulldozz and barrage their way through the centre.

Key players for us would be Hargreaves and Carrick. If they deliver, we will win comfortably. If they play like shit, we will be in for a tough match all night soaking up the pressure with few attacking forays.
Subs: Kuzczak, O Shea, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Saha, Anderson
Prediction:1-2 in our favour with goals from Rooney and Tevez
 
Houillier on United chances

Former Liverpool and Lyon boss Gerard Houllier has warned Manchester United that the French club are still a formidable force on home soil. Alain Perrin's side had a mixed group stage in the Stade de Gerland.

They were stunned by a 3-0 home defeat in October to Rangers but then beat Stuttgart 4-2 and drew 2-2 with Barcelona.

And Houllier believes United will discover in Lyon tomorrow that they are getting tougher to beat in France.

"Lyon are good at home. They are not as good away from home as they were before but they are strong in front of their own fans," he said.

"United will have to be careful though because Lyon have a very good offensive quality. In attack they are powerful.

"I won't say where the main dangers come from because I will be betraying the French but United will have done their homework and they will know they have to be good defensively."

Houllier is now a technical director for FIFA and watched United beat Arsenal 4-0 at Old Trafford last Sunday where he was doing work for French TV.

"I was impressed by the commitment and quality of United's play," he added.

"Offensively, United are very, very good. Against Arsenal it was a very high performance. You could say Arsenal were not at the office and things like that but I think United made Arsenal poor. That's the difference.

"Nani has improved a lot and can be a big danger. I like Anderson's drive and Darren Fletcher also had a very good game.

"I liked the system Sir Alex Ferguson played on Sunday. It is a system I like with three players in the midfield forming a triangle.

"It gives the team a good balance but you cannot do that all the time because sometimes you have Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. When you have two forwards it has to change.

"But when you think United rested the likes of Tevez, Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes and Hargreaves against Arsenal yet still produced that kind of
performance Lyon will know they are in for a tough game."
 
United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, O'Shea, Simpson, Pique; Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Eagles; Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Saha


Seems that Fletcher and Park have been left out of the squad.
 
United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, O'Shea, Simpson, Pique; Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Eagles; Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Saha


Seems that Fletcher and Park have been left out of the squad.

Are you sure about what you're saying ? I heard Sir Alex Ferguson took a group of 21 players, including Fletcher and Park, but without Eagles. Maybe Eagles came later ? Can you cite your sources please ?
 
n507874599_296304_5346.jpg

:lol::lol::lol::lol:
 
Are you sure about what you're saying ? I heard Sir Alex Ferguson took a group of 21 players, including Fletcher and Park, but without Eagles. Maybe Eagles came later ? Can you cite your sources please ?

Squad from United's site:

United:
Van der Sar, Kuszczak; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, O'Shea, Simpson, Park, Pique; Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Eagles; Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Saha
 

Squad from United's site:

United:
Van der Sar, Kuszczak; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, O'Shea, Simpson, Park, Pique; Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Eagles; Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Saha

Thank you for the precision.

So I think the team for the game will still be : 11 + 7 substitutes, so 3 players will be left out, right ?
 
Lyon 's form:

February 16 vs Le Mans (A) LOST 1-0

February 09 vs Sochaux (H) WON 4 –1

February 03 vs Croix de Savoie (H) WON 1 –0 (Coupe de France)

January 27 vs St Etienne (A) DRAW 1 –1

January 23 vs Lorient (H) WON 2 –0
 
I'll go with the 433

---------------Vds--------------
--Brown----Rio----Vidic----Evra-
-------------Carrick------------
-----Hargreaves---Anderson----
Ronaldo---------------------Nani
--------------Tevez--------------


No Rooney? :eek:
 
Lyon will take the lead and put a few people on ednge, wake us up too. We'll make a comeback and the end result will be 1-2, perhaps 1-3.

Well that's what i think. ;)
 
He wasn't at Lyon for long he spent ages at Lille where he was just average, as soon he came to prominance he fecked off. "That good," what because he plays for Barca? No.

Who said it's just because he plays for Barca? I've watched him, he's a quality full back who can defend and attack very well. He is built physically and knows how to play as well. Top defender.
 
Three home wins and one scoreless tie from the 1st 4 games (Tues. 19th)
Only one team managed the elusive and all-important away goal.

This, despite the fact that the home teams had all finished 2nd in their groups
in the qualifying stage and won't be favorites over both legs.

Gonna be tense and tight tomorrow I reckon.

A score tie would be just fine. Wouldn't mind a win either.
I think they'll have trouble keeping us off the scoreboard - and we may have difficulty with Benzema also.
 
Cris is fit but wont start cause he isnt on form. That means Boumsong on center back. Thats good news for us cause Cris is an awesome defender.

I think Cris will be ready for the second leg.

He's not that good, he wouldn't be there if he was.

Ermm, Lyon is a great team, what is your point? Benzema is there, Ben Arfa and Bodmer, all great players, does that means that they are not gonna be great until they move? Thats silly mate.
 
We've played quite well away from home in Europe this season. Let's hope the trend continues.

I'll stop short of predicting the result, 'cause I always feck it up.
 
Lyon 's form:

February 16 vs Le Mans (A) LOST 1-0

February 09 vs Sochaux (H) WON 4 –1

February 03 vs Croix de Savoie (H) WON 1 –0 (Coupe de France)

January 27 vs St Etienne (A) DRAW 1 –1

January 23 vs Lorient (H) WON 2 –0

So they've been winning at home - that ends tonight.

I can't pick a team,because we've got two teams that we could put out, and both could do the job.

Either way, I predict a 1-3 win for United