Manchester United vs Arsenal

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UEFA Champions League Semi-Final First Leg
Wednesday, 29th April
Old Trafford, Manchester
Kick Off 19:45 BST
Sky Sports 2 / Setanta Ireland / RTE 2​
 
Vds

O'Shea
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra

Fletcher
Anderson
Giggs

Ronaldo
Rooney
Berbatov

Leaving Carrick on the bench may surprise a few, but I think Fergie will go with this. Rio, Vidic and Evra need to get their acts together if we are to keep a clean sheet.

I say 2-1 for the Champions of Europe.
 
Very excited about this now, have to play all the attacking big guns now. The away leg second is probably a blessing in that goals should be easy to come by in this one. Hence, the ideal result here would be a 2-0.

VDS

Evra
Rio
Vida
Brown/Rafael

Rooney
Anderson
Fletcher
Ronaldo

Berba
Tevez

Note: Carrick is ommited because I think Fergie tends to drop him for ones like this, and Anderson is in good form.


Post-Script: CANNOT WAIT.
 
Am I right in thinking Arsenal's team, because of their injuries, should end up looking something like this?

--------------Almunia
Sagna --- Toure --- Silvestre --- Gibbs
--------------Denilson
Walcott--Fabregas--Diaby----Nasri
-------------Adebayor

If this is correct then there are some very obvious weaknesses in this team, most notably the defense and lack of physicality in the midfield. Really the team should pick itself apart from the midfield and right back positions based on previous top 4/Champions League matches where we always seem to play a 4-3-3 variation. I reckon we have to match their 3 in midfield with Anderson and Fletcher along with either Scholes, Carrick or Giggs to play a less energetic role. Really I have no idea about the fitness of our right backs but if Brown is fit, I fully expect him to play as he proved last year he is #1 in that position.
Hopefully we can keep a clean sheet but Arsenal do have 4 potential matchwinners in Fabregas, Walcott, Nasri and Adebayor who on their day can cause any team problems.
 
VDS
O'shea-Rio-Vidic-Evra
Fletcher-Carrick-Anderson
Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez

Yes please
 
van der Sar

O'Shea
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra

Fletcher
Carrick
Giggs

Ronaldo
Berbatov
Rooney

Seize the momentum, lads!
 
Team should be...

GK: VDS

RB: O'Shea
CB: Ferdinand
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra

RM: Ronaldo
CM: Carrick
CM: Giggs
LM: Rooney

CF: Tevez
CF: Berbatov

Subs: Foster, Rafael, Brown, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Macheda

Unfortunately I dont see us doing this the easy way so I'm going for a 2-2 draw with us doing the business at their place
 
My prediction:

VDS

O'Shea - Rio - Vidic - Evra

Carrick - Flandoles

Ronaldo - Giggs - Park

Rooney
 
--------Vds--------
O'shea-Rio-Vidic-Evra
-------Carrick--------
--Anderson--Giggs----
Ronaldo--------Rooney
-------Berbatov------
 
im hoping its:
-----------VDS
--O'Shea-Rio-Vidic-Evra--
Ronnie-Carrick-Ando-Rooney
-----Berbatov-Tevez------
 
-----------------Van Der Sar-----------------


--O Shea---------Rio----Vidic---------Evra---


-------------Anderson---Scholes---------------


--Rooney------------Giggs---------Ronaldo-----


-----------------Berbatov----------------------



Sub: Foster, Evans, Tevez, Carrick, Da Silva, Park, Macheda
Prediction:2-1 win for us with goals from Vidic, Scholes
 
Huiffe said:
Am I right in thinking Arsenal's team, because of their injuries, should end up looking something like this?

--------------Almunia
Sagna --- Toure --- Silvestre --- Gibbs
--------------Denilson
Walcott--Fabregas--Diaby----Nasri
-------------Adebayor
Click to expand...

--------------Almunia
Sagna --- Toure --- Djourou --- Gibbs
--------------Song
Walcott--Fabregas--Diaby-or-Denilson----Nasri
-------------Adebayor

that's more likely imo. The only real question is which two of the dcms play. The one possible wrinkle would be Bendtner starting up top. In that unlikely case, I think Song'd start.

I guess we'll learn something from the team we field v. Boro.
 
You can afford to field a shite team in the league as fourth place is well safe with Aston Villa totally capitulating over the last 9 matches.
 
VDS

Brown
Rio
Vida
Evra

Anderson
Fletcher
Giggs

Ronaldo
Rooney
Berbatov

Subs: Foster, Evans, O'Shea, Carrick, Park, Tevez, Scholes.
 
VDS

Rafael
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra

Anderson
Carrick
Giggs

Ronaldo
Berbatov
Rooney

Subs: Foster, O'Shea, Scholes, Fletcher, Park, Tevez, Macheda
 
VDS
O'Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Fletcher or Carrick
Giggs
Anderson
Ronaldo
Berbatov
Rooney

Anderson to shine.

Tevez as super sub.

Giggs 800.

Evra needs to raise his game.
 
How class would it be to see the fab 4 start. Not that i expect that to happen but you never know with fergie.

I doubt Rafael will start so i expect it to be O'Shea
 
-------------VDS-------------
--Brown---Rio---Vidic---Evra--
Rooney-Carrick--Anderson-Ronaldo
-----Berbatov---Tevez--------
 
Many on here seem to want our fantastic four to start, but I think a three man central midfield is a must against the bigger teams. Our best performances in Europe (against the better teams) have been with a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation.

If all of them starts, we won't have as strong bench if we are in need of a goal in the second half.
 
So we finally play our first two-legged tie vs. an English team in the Champions League... bring them on!

Van der Sar
O'Shea - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra
Carrick - Giggs - Anderson
Ronaldo - Berbatov - Rooney​

Giggs and Anderson were rested yesterday, I bet they'll start. O'Shea could be chosen over Rafael for being the 'safer' option vs. Nasri (I expect him to start on Arsenal's left wing), Evra needs to raise his game against Walcott. Wenger might choose two from Song, Diaby and Denilson in central midfield, so this is the place where the game will be won. Song has been in fine form recently, we need to take care of him.
I'd take any win without an Arsenal away goal, 1-0, 2-0... but even a 0-0 would be fine, looking at Arsenal's defence I'd say we will most likely score at the Emirates. Ahhhhh I can't wait, it's the Semi-finals of the Champions League!! Come on United!!!!
 
---------------VDS---------------
O'Shea----Rio------Vidic------Evra
Ronnie---Anderson--Giggs---Rooney
--------Berbatov----Tevez--------

Subs: Foster, Brown, Evans, Scholes, Carrick, Park, Macheda.


Giggs was rested yesterday so I expect him to play, and his 800th appearance and all. Anderson up against Fabregas, plus Anderson has played brilliant lately and he's fresh. Rooney yesterday was superb on the left wing and also given the fact Walcott will be against Evra (also Lennon killed Evra at times yesterday with his pace), so I think Rooney on the left to try and help snuff out Walcott. Tevez upped the energy yesterday so I think him and Berba up front could cause Arsenal's defence problems.
 
Van Der Sar

O'Shea
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra

Giggs
Carrick
Anderson

Ronaldo
Berbatov
Rooney

Foster
Brown
Evans
Gibson
Nani
Scholes
Tevez

4-5-1 to start, Anderson and Giggs will look to get forward and Rooney will shift onto the left... snagging an outright result would do wonders but a scored draw wouldn't hurt too too much. I see more of the same at the Emmy, so if we come out on top here, we're pretty much through.
 
Personally:

---------------VDS---------------
--O'Shea----Rio----Vidic----Evra--
--------Fletcher----Carrick--------
--Ronaldo----Anderson---Rooney--
---------------Tevez-------------



But I think Fergie will play:

----------------VDS---------------
--O'Shea-----Rio----Vidic----Evra--
--Ronaldo--Fletch--Scholes--Giggs--
---------Berbatov---Rooney--------
 
VDS

Rafael
Rio
Vidic
Evra

Giggs
Anderson
Park/Fletcher/Scholes

Ronaldo
Berbatov
Rooney



Admittedly it doesn't have to run true that because the likes of Giggs and Anderson have been out means that they'll play, but a good part of me views it as Fergie keeping them on ice for this moment.
 
BahamaRed said:
In the away game
Click to expand...

The thing to remember is Rooneys a booking away from missing a game so if we get a healthy lead, I'd rather we put him on the bench for the away tie IF he doesn't get a booking in the first and then misses the return leg

I know he might not get a booking at all but we don't want to risk losing him for the final. Think Evras in a similar boat but am not sure
 
Striker10 said:
The thing to remember is Rooneys a booking away from missing a game so if we get a healthy lead, I'd rather we put him on the bench for the away tie IF he doesn't get a booking in the first and then misses the return leg

I know he might not get a booking at all but we don't want to risk losing him for the final. Think Evras in a similar boat but am not sure
Click to expand...

If we are fortunate enough to get a healthy lead, better though to the dislike of a few people that Rooney um...intentionally acquires himself a yellow shall we say?
 
----------Fabianski
Sagna-Toure-Silvestre-Gibbs
--------Song-Denilson
----------Fabergas
Walcott -----------------Rvp
----------Adebayor


Last i heard Almunia is out for the first game. As always our attack looks good but defence not so. Hopefully Sagna can give Toure less to worry about this game.
 
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