Manchester United vs Arsenal

Lets hope..

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RedSky At Night said:
Personally we should play our strongest attacking lineup (with common sense in midfield) and let Arsenal worry about trying to contain us rather than the other way round.

Arsenals defense will be stronger in their home tie, so lets sieze the momment and hurt Arsenal hard.
I'm also agreeing and going with a 3-1 scoreline to Utd.
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that was my initial thought. we never have a better time to play them so we should try to kill this off.
I hear SAF is saying he'll be cautious. Last year he said we'll attack Barca at the Nou Camp.
 
VDS

O'Shea Rio Vidic Evra
Fletcher Anderson
Ronaldo Berbatov Giggs
Rooney

My guess, although it could be Carrick in for Fletcher and/or Park in for Berbatov, with Giggs moving inside.
 
Never known a game when I've swung from being so positive to negative so many times.

Can't see this being a low scoring match - its got goals written all over it.

Positive - Utd in good goalscoring form, depleted arsenal defence - could be 2 or 3-0.

Then my head kicks in (after all they are unbeaten in the PL for 19 odd games) and I see us conceding on the break.

Midfield three of Carrick, Anderson and Giggs

Forward three of Berbs, Rooney and Ronado.

We cannot concede possession in midfield and let arsenal dictate the flow and tempo of the game.

Need to recreate the best of CL nights at OT, play with pace, up and seriously give their midfield no time on the ball, their depleted defence a seriously good going over from the start, early goal and we could be well on our way by half time and pick them off in the second half; or we could start nervously, letting arsenals youngsters settle and then let them get a foothold into the game.

Great if we could win the tie at OT scoring a few with a clean sheet - returning Arsenal players, Utd fixture congestion, resting players etc. Although being Utd, we never do it the easy way and I see a 2 or 3-1 scoreline.
 
REDMULLERS said:
Never known a game when I've swung from being so positive to negative so many times.

Can't see this being a low scoring match - its got goals written all over it.

Positive - Utd in good goalscoring form, depleted arsenal defence - could be 2 or 3-0.

Then my head kicks in (after all they are unbeaten in the PL for 19 odd games) and I see us conceding on the break.

Midfield three of Carrick, Anderson and Giggs

Forward three of Berbs, Rooney and Ronado.

We cannot concede possession in midfield and let arsenal dictate the flow and tempo of the game.

Need to recreate the best of CL nights at OT, play with pace, up and seriously give their midfield no time on the ball, their depleted defence a seriously good going over from the start, early goal and we could be well on our way by half time and pick them off in the second half; or we could start nervously, letting arsenals youngsters settle and then let them get a foothold into the game.

Great if we could win the tie at OT scoring a few with a clean sheet - returning Arsenal players, Utd fixture congestion, resting players etc. Although being Utd, we never do it the easy way and I see a 2 or 3-1 scoreline.
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I feel the exact same way, one moment its the 4 nil in the FA cup the next its the 2-1 defeat earlier in this season...
 
I'm not sure how many goals there will be! Arsenal are going to be very cautious, this is the only completion they have a chance of winning, they won't want to blow it or it will be another poor season for them. Plus we have Vidic and Ferdinand back in defence meaning our back line should be pretty solid! We will see.

I think the fans will play a massive part tonight, they need to be at their best and there early!
 
I'm very nervous now, been like that since yesterday... Champions League Semi-Finals, potentially three games away from our fourth star... does it get any better for us supporters? I don't think so!

COME ON UNITED!

 
Christofaux said:
Wenger has been Denilson's biggest fan this season especially after he has played almost every game this season. Nasri played a whole game as well. IF Cesc gets bossed too much i would mind seeing Diaby come in to add some balls. Denilson is just a more sound player infront of the back 4 then Diaby is at this point in time.
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true and fair. just so you know, that wasn't a backhanded swipe at Denilson, who I think has done pretty well this year, all things considered. I was just going from three considerations:
1. the rest patterns, especially since Denilson has looked knackered recently
2. the fact that I expect Song (rested v Boro) to play the primary dm role
3. the fact that AW will probably be going for away goals and good Diaby* adds more to the attack than Denilson.


*bad, slow, and stupid Diaby obviously adds less than Gunnersaurus
 
some pre match build up:

Wayne Rooney is the key to exposing Arsenal's shaky defence, says Oliver Kay

The Times Football Correspondent previews tonight's Champions League semi-final at Old Trafford . He talks to Ben Smith

From Times Online
April 29, 2009

Is there a danger that United could be caught in two minds tonight?
Sir Alex Ferguson hinted at this dilemma in his press conference yesterday. He talked about going all out to attack but stressed the danger of conceding an away goal. He said a 1-0 win would be a fantastic result and you'd have to agree with him as it would deprive Arsenal of an away goal.

Ferguson has often said that it is not in United's nature to play conservatively. Leaving aside the 2-2 draw at home to Porto, they have developed a nack of approaching European games in a very disciplined manner, ensuring that they can score goals without conceding.

Do you think United have put the recent blip in form behind them?
Most would accept that there are still weaknesses to their performances. They have continued to win games and kept three clean sheets in a row before the weekend. But they then went back to the uncertainty of earlier weeks and conceded two pretty awful goals against Tottenham on Saturday, confirming that they are still vulnerable defensively. They have conceded ten goals in their past five home games and kept only one clean sheet. That would suggest they have not put the dip behind them.

Will United, then, struggle to keep a clean sheet?
The game could go one of two ways. If United hit the heights they did in the second half on Saturday then they will be seriously dangerous. If they don't, and they play as they did in the first half against Tottenham, Arsenal will score and probably feel as though they could win the game. Either way, I expect the tie will still be very much alive going to the Emirates next week.

How do you expect United to deploy their forwards tonight?
It remains to be seen who Ferguson will pick. He has plenty of options but he could well go with Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, with Carlos Tevez on the bench. I am not sure exactly how the three will line-up but this season Ronaldo has played much more on the wing, in his traditional position, rather than through the middle.

In the odd game when United have needed more defensive cover for the full back, Rooney has played wide, for example against Porto, when Ronaldo went through the middle. But they could also adopt a 4-3-3 with Anderson or Darren Fletcher as the extra man in midfield.

Some people have questioned Ronaldo's commitment this season. Does he owe the supporters a big performance tonight?
I have got serious doubts over Ronaldo's commitment to United. He has scored a lot of goals this season but I'm not alone in thinking his overall contribution hasn't been as strong as it was last season. Tonight is not about Ronaldo alone but, yes, Ferguson will want a big display from him.

Are there areas Ferguson will target as Arsenal weaknesses?
United will look to expose the centre of defence. We don't know whether Mikael Silvestre will be fit - if not, Johan Djourou is likely to deputise. Either way, even though their defensive record in the second half of the season has been much improved, Arsenal will have a soft centre.

But whether Dimitar Berbatov is the player to expose that weakness is hard to say. United might be better playing Rooney through the middle. His work rate and ability on the ball could really hurt Arsenal there.

Will Ferguson be worried about any weaknesses in his side?
It seems odd to say that Patrice Evra might be a weakness given his form over the past three years, but he has been much less certain of himself over the past few weeks. So that is an area that Arsenal will look to exploit and I expect Theo Walcott will ask serious questions of Evra tonight. Depending on Emmanuel Adebayor's mood, he could give Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic problems, too, by dragging them wide.
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I can't help but feel after all the hype and build up for tonight's match on how attacking these 2 sides our and what a feast it will be for football fans that it will a huge letdown..... lets face it We're gona play a cagey game so that they don't score an away goal.... but if we go all guns blazing then this will surely be a match to remember.

Comeonnnnn United !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Anduin said:
I'm very nervous now, been like that since yesterday... Champions League Semi-Finals, potentially three games away from our fourth star... does it get any better for us supporters? I don't think so!

COME ON UNITED!

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Nani in this game :drool::drool:
 
I'd start with this tonight. though I don't think Fergie will:

Van der Sar
O'Shea Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Ronaldo Carrick Fletcher Rooney
Berbatov Tevez​

If that team clicked into gear like it did against Tottenham (although that was Scholes in for Fletcher when it really got going, but Fletcher is a big game player), I think we could put Arsenal's injury hit defence to the sword.

Normally, Park would probably be a guaranteed starter but I don't think he has played well since the last International window, so I'd have Rooney on the wing to put in a usual workmanlike performance, but give us another goal threat too.

Cmon United.
 
If I were the boss:

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

---O'Solid - Rio - Vidic - Evra---

--------Carrick -- Ando ----------

Ronaldo-------Tevez--------Rooney

-------------Berba-----------------

Front 4 moving around...11-0 win

BELIEVE is kind of gay
 
Tibs said:
If I were the boss:

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

---O'Solid - Rio - Vidic - Evra---

--------Carrick -- Ando ----------

Ronaldo-------Tevez--------Rooney

-------------Berba-----------------

Front 4 moving around...11-0 win

BELIEVE is kind of gay
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this, would be fckin immense!!!!!!!
 
See how full of themselves they are on Facebook. Thats what I have to deal with.

ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!! When I look into Manchester United fans faces and eye I see the fear of the gunners...they know in their hearts that we play better football...ARSENAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS 2008/09 BOW DOWN AND SALUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Arsenal will be the better side and will give Man Utd a good beating. Shame Andrey (4 goals against Liverpool.. lololol) Arshavin aint playing tonite. It will be squeaky bum time for Fergie, but not for Ronaldo and his hidden lifestyle... HAHAHAHAHAHA
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has been waiting for this game for over ten years! Cant fecking wait! So glad Man United 'BOUGHT' players that can play Arsenal style football. Makes the game even better!
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Raven_Blade said:
See how full of themselves they are on Facebook. Thats what I have to deal with.
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That last one is why i hate Asnl fans more than any other! They brag about things they really shouldnt, i mean didnt they nick all their best youngesters from other teams youth teams?

Man-United said:
From where?
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I have a friend at the game today and he said everyones saying they've heard they are all starting, could be a wind up thats why i said "rumour" - i should note that hes a Asnl fan so thats why it could be a wind up
 
Don't you just love pre-match tension.

I'm so nervous, yet not in a bad way. The anticipation is a fecking buzz.

Come on!!!!
 
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