Manchester United Vs Olympic Lyon

Hey you said it

Case and point. You're a total fecking moron.

You're not backing it up with anything other than We haven't done it before so it wont work :rolleyes:

IN THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME SO FAR THIS SEASON.

United will ALWAYS play the United way. There can be variations on this, but the style will ALWAYS have some things that do not change: And one of this is two attacking wingers. Whether they drift inside to help the midfield, drop deep to protect the fullback, or whether they play further up the field to join the front men might change, but United will always, always, always have two wide men.

Last season when we played Roma and beat them 7-1 had we ever played that system with them players before? Answer is no and yet not only did we win we recorded our largest ever victory.

Largest ever victory in the CL. Yeah, I can be a pedantic little prick too!

And we had played that formation before. Rooney had played on the left a fair few times, and Giggs was used to playing off the striker. More importantly, it was a formation United know well. Two centre mids controlling from deep and two wide men. That is how United always play. Certain details change but that never does.

As for playing with no width by giving both Ronaldo and Anderson free supporting roles both could drift wide if need be as Anderson often does anyway and Ronaldo obviously is more than attuned to doing. Plus we've got the width that Evra gives us and at times Brown also.

I'm not saying it wouldn't work. I'm saying it's not worthwhile changing to a whole new style. Tweaking the formation is fine, but making such a dramatic shift is not. Likewise, asking Anderson to get used to playing "a free supporting role" and then in a couple weeks expecting him to play as one of just two centre mids isnt going to be good for the lad. That is the most impotant point I am making, and one you have yet to contest except argue that the formation would indeed work, which is not something I have actually argued against.
 
Likewise, asking Anderson to get used to playing "a free supporting role" and then in a couple weeks expecting him to play as one of just two centre mids isnt going to be good for the lad. That is the most impotant point I am making, and one you have yet to contest

The reason I've yet to contest it is because I keep ignoring it because it's plain and utter shite that your posting

Oh noes how dare we try Anderson in another position it'll surely destroy him completely that :rolleyes:
 
:rolleyes:

ffs, just wasted 5 mins looking through all of this.

that said: while a 0-0 draw will suffice I hope we don't play looking for that. we should take it to them and score 1st. I doubt Lyon'll get 2 at OT.

they're a good side though but 2 strikers should do it.
4-4-2.

with ronaldo, carrick, anderson/scholes, giggs/nani.
and tevez and rooney up front and the usual at the back.
 
The reason I've yet to contest it is because I keep ignoring it because it's plain and utter shite that your posting

Oh noes how dare we try Anderson in another position it'll surely destroy him completely that :rolleyes:

Wow you're a moron.

Why "try" him in a different position in this game? Nani is a far more natural and talented winger, and using Anderson out there is an absolute waste of his main attributes. People get blinded by the fact he can dribble. His best attribute is his passing. SAF has said himself that he is a long term replacement for Scholes whilst Nani is the replacement for Giggs. But yeah, Im sure SAF does know what hes talking about there at all does he? Anderson should clearly play on the left because some retards on the Cafe think so!

What good will it do the team to have players playing in completely different roles each week? The team loses fluidity and confidence.

What good does it do the players themselves? Absolutely none. It can damage a player to be played in too many positions. It affects their rhythm from game to game. Their instincts are hampered, their form is hampered, their decision making is hampered. There are plenty of examples out there. Rooney always looks poor wide left. Sometimes his confidence looks so low that even his passing is poor when wide left. Players like Rosicky or Gerrard, who are naturally centre mids, look uncomfortable when wide. Players like O'Shea or Neville, who found themselves filling in at various different positions when needed, have never fulfilled their potential. Its not fecking bollocks son, its fact.
 
If Giggs gets the start on Tuesday, which he should provided no injury problems I have a feeling he's going to have a massive game.

It's time for him to get a goal and I think he will score in this one.
 
----------VDS
Brown - Rio - Vida - Evra
Fletcher-Carrick-Anderson
Ronaldo-------------Giggs
---------Rooney

Sounds about right.

Could also be Hargreaves in for Fletcher and Nani for Giggs.
 
GK: VDS

RB: Brown
CB: Ferdinand
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra

RM: Ronaldo
Cm: Fletcher
CM: Carrick
CM: Anderson
LM: Nani

CF: Rooney

Subs: PIG, O'Shea, Giggs, Scholes, Tevez

Same team as against Arsenal, but with Ronnie in for Park. We'll fly at em from the off & they won't have a feckin clue what's hit em! At least 4 for us, maybe 1 for them on the break.
 
Lyon looking unsettled ahead of Champions League match against Man United

The Associated PressPublished: March 2, 2008

Lyon striker Karim Benzema is unhappy with the way he is being used, and coach Alain Perrin is upset with the French sports ministry for making several players undergo doping tests after Saturday's match.

None of that is making things any easier on a team that visits Manchester United on Tuesday in the second round of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Perrin put Benzema on the left wing against Lille on Saturday for the second consecutive league match.

"I think I have proved myself enough since the start of the season," said Benzema, who has scored 26 goals in all competitions. "That's two matches that I have played on the left. This time it made me angry playing in a position which I don't like."

Lyon won the match 1-0 and still leads the league, but the game also re-exposed Benzema's feud with teammate Hatem Ben Arfa.

Benzema was replaced by Ben Arfa in the 60th minute, but as he left the field, Benzema walked straight past Ben Arfa without offering to shake hands.

"These two players have already declared that they are not the best friends in the world," Perrin said. "It's a story which concerns them personally. I will speak to them, but these are matters between men, they are not linked to a problem in the game. It's their private life, their personal life."

Benzema said he just doesn't like playing on the left side.

"I do it sometimes to help out the team. But all the injured players were back (against Lille)," Benzema said. "We have Kader Keita, Hatem and others who are trained to play on the left."

Perrin also criticized the French sports ministry for the doping tests after the match against Lille.

Benzema was among six players tested, and Perrin was furious that the trip back to Lyon was delayed because of the doping control.

"The benefit of playing in the afternoon and getting home early was lost by the fact we had an anti-doping control from the minister," Perrin said. "Urine, blood, hair, the whole works. There are other matches to perhaps do this rather than (three) days before a European Cup match."

Perrin said 10 players had already been tested recently by UEFA.

"Perhaps the ministry does not trust UEFA, so they have added another layer this time," Perrin said. "I don't see the interest in multiplying the testing with matches so close together."

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/02/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Lyons-Turmoil.php
 
Hopefully the unsettlement between both of them will make them out of focus for their return trip to OT. Either way I think we should have the win locked up for Tuesday and we should move on to the quarterfinals without to many issues on the pitch. I look at the score to be 2-0 more and likely, maybe 3-1.

We'll once again get great play from our midfield and should lock it up with great free kicks provided through mistakes in their back line caused by them not having Cris back for the replay. Personally, I can't wait for this match on Tuesday because once and for all I think we'll finally shut Perrin and his Lyon squad's mouth!
 
Man Utd's Evra: Champions League elimination would be catastrophic
tribalfootball.com - March 02, 2008

Manchester United fullback Patrice Evra says defeat to Champions League rivals Olympique Lyon this week would be "catastrophic".

After victory against Fulham, Evra said: "We are Manchester United and that means we simply have to go through. If we go out, it would be a massive blow for the club. It would be catastrophic.

"We know we can beat everybody at Old Trafford. On European nights, it is a very special place. But I have big respect for Lyon. As a Frenchman I know they are a very good team.

"But we've got our full squad now. It's amazing to think we could go to Fulham and win 3-0 so easily, with Ronaldo and Rooney only on the bench."
 
Castastrophic is correct, United had better run these Lyon bitches right back to France
 
-----Simpson------
-----------------
PIG--Rio---VDS--Eagles
----------------------
-----Tevez--Evra------
----------------------
CQ------Eboue-----SAF
---------------------
----Giggs-------------
-----------Van Der Vaart
 
-----Simpson------
-----------------
PIG--Rio---VDS--Eagles
----------------------
-----Tevez--Evra------
----------------------
CQ------Eboue-----SAF
---------------------
----Giggs-------------
-----------Van Der Vaart

:lol:
 
Personally:

-----------------VDS----------------
---Wes------Rio------Vida-----Evra--
--------Fletcher-----Carrick---------
--Ronaldo-----Anderson-----Tevez--
---------------Rooney--------------

But I reckon Hargreaves will probably play instead of Fletcher and Giggs will play on the left wing (which may or may not push Tevez into the centre instead of Anderson).
 
I hope we start with the team that got us the draw in the away leg. 4-4-2 with Rooney and Tevez upfront, Nani and Ronaldo on the wings and Anderson with Carrick in the midfield.

I expect we'll see 4-5-1 though and a very similar side to the one that went 1-0 down over there. Giggs, Scholes and probably Hargreaves starting, Rooney on his own upfront etc.

That Benzema article is pretty interesting, fingers crossed they play him on the left against us. He gave Ferdinand and Vidic a torrid time in the first match.
 
I reckon we will line up 4141 :-

-------------VDS--------------
-Brown--Ferdinand--Vidic--Evra-
------------Carrick------------
-Ronaldo-Scholes-Anderson-Giggs-
------------Rooney------------

Carrick will pick up Benzema when not in possession whilst Anderson will keep Juninho out of the game.
 
I believe we should play

VDS

Wes
Rio
Vidic
Evra

Ronaldo
Hargreaves
Anderson
Nani

Tevez
Rooney
 
When we played Lille at this stage last season at home, Larsson played alone up top with Rooney wide on the left.
 
I've got a feeling Lyon will score first, but we will wake up and hit them back with 2 goals. Seems like everytime on European nights, we seem to play badly besides the 7-1 thrashing of Roma
 
I hope we start with the team that got us the draw in the away leg. 4-4-2 with Rooney and Tevez upfront, Nani and Ronaldo on the wings and Anderson with Carrick in the midfield.

I expect we'll see 4-5-1 though and a very similar side to the one that went 1-0 down over there. Giggs, Scholes and probably Hargreaves starting, Rooney on his own upfront etc.

That Benzema article is pretty interesting, fingers crossed they play him on the left against us. He gave Ferdinand and Vidic a torrid time in the first match.

Umm no he didnt...

That goal was a brilliant piece of magic from him, apart from that Ferdinand and Vidic handled him well.
 
wtf is going on with some of you. Bitching like a bunch of feckin women!

We don't have to play players out of position, our entire squad is near back to fitness. We play our best players in their natural positions. With Scholes and Hargreaves playing the full 90 minutes, i'm expecting an Anderson, Carrick midfield.

We'll play Ronaldo with Giggs and have Rooney and Tevez upfront. Normal rearguard, with the same defense as Saturday if Vidic doesn't make it.

We shouldn't need to play Hargreaves in this match, we should take it too them. No point fecking about at home, play our natural game and take them out.
 
I'm not even going to attempt the line up, as I honestly don't know who'd I'd play. I think Nani deserves a start, and with Anderson and Carrick left out maybe there'll start too. But the way Scholes rolled back the years on Saturday makes me think I'd start with him.

I just hope we play with 2 Strikers.

Also, can we get Mods to start these threads now? I sick to the back teeth of children complaining about non sensical things like "OMG where is the badges!" or "Let Vida do this, you bring bad luck". We've even got people calling each other names over which line ups to play. Annoying.
 
Giggs doubtful for Lyon clash

United could be without their most experienced player for Tuesday's crucial match against Lyon.

Ryan Giggs is still feeling the effects of a calf injury he sustained in the away leg, when he made his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance against the French league leaders.

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted on Monday afternoon: "The one doubt (for Tuesday's match) is Ryan Giggs. The blow he took in the Lyon away game has proved a bit more complicated than we first thought.

"It’s held him back from training as much as we’d like. He did a bit this morning, and on Saturday morning - he had Sunday off for treatment - so he is a doubt."

Giggs has missed both of United's domestic matches since the 1-1 draw with Lyon, the 5-1 victory at Newcastle and this weekend's 3-0 win at Fulham.

Sir Alex was speaking in a pre-match press conference at Old Trafford. More to follow...

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=537707

Hmmm.... Anyone else think this might be a blessing in disguise?
 
If he isnt ready wont be a problem.

Nani is the on form player and we still have Park on bench.

If Giggs isnt ready we can start like this.


...........VDS

Brwn..Rio..Vida..Evra
........Carrick..........
Ron.................Nani
......Andy...............
Tevez....................
.............Rooney.....

Scholes, Kuzckzack, Oshea, Park, Saha, Hargreaves, Pique.
 
Giggs doubtful for Lyon clash

United could be without their most experienced player for Tuesday's crucial match against Lyon.

Ryan Giggs is still feeling the effects of a calf injury he sustained in the away leg, when he made his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance against the French league leaders.

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted on Monday afternoon: "The one doubt (for Tuesday's match) is Ryan Giggs. The blow he took in the Lyon away game has proved a bit more complicated than we first thought.

"It’s held him back from training as much as we’d like. He did a bit this morning, and on Saturday morning - he had Sunday off for treatment - so he is a doubt."

Giggs has missed both of United's domestic matches since the 1-1 draw with Lyon, the 5-1 victory at Newcastle and this weekend's 3-0 win at Fulham.

Sir Alex was speaking in a pre-match press conference at Old Trafford. More to follow...

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=537707

Hmmm.... Anyone else think this might be a blessing in disguise?

Maybe, I honestly think I'd have started Nani over Giggs purely on form before this news. If he's carrying a knock and only had limited training over the last 10 days or so it makes even more sense to start with Nani.
 
I'm a bit surprised about Benzema speaking out about playing in a position he doesnt really like. I'd hate to see Rooney do that with us.

He does have a point though, he's by far and away their best striker and even though he could play from the wing on the left its a little bit unnecessary.
 
Hmmm.... Anyone else think this might be a blessing in disguise?

Yes. Nani is more deserving of starting than Giggs this season and he provided some decent width and excellent crosses when he came on in the first leg.

Or maybe we can even play Anderson on the left wing which I've been wanting to see for a while, he sort of played there for a bit against Fulham, admittedly when the game was over, so Fergie must consider it an option.

It will probably be Nani though and that's fair enough.
 
Giggs doubtful for Lyon clash

United could be without their most experienced player for Tuesday's crucial match against Lyon.

Ryan Giggs is still feeling the effects of a calf injury he sustained in the away leg, when he made his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance against the French league leaders.

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted on Monday afternoon: "The one doubt (for Tuesday's match) is Ryan Giggs. The blow he took in the Lyon away game has proved a bit more complicated than we first thought.

"It’s held him back from training as much as we’d like. He did a bit this morning, and on Saturday morning - he had Sunday off for treatment - so he is a doubt."

Giggs has missed both of United's domestic matches since the 1-1 draw with Lyon, the 5-1 victory at Newcastle and this weekend's 3-0 win at Fulham.

Sir Alex was speaking in a pre-match press conference at Old Trafford. More to follow...

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=537707

Hmmm.... Anyone else think this might be a blessing in disguise?

I would have played nani anyway, so I personally dont see any probs there, still I hope he is fit for tomorrow's game.
 
Fergusons quote about changing his mind about his team for Lyon half way through the Fulham game may imply that either Scholes or Nani have forced their way into the team.

I can't remember a big game like this for a long time where I have absolutely no clue what team the manager will play. Rooney, Ronaldo, VDS and the usual back 4 are definites, but any 4 out of Anderson, Scholes, Tevez, Nani, Saha, Haregreaves, Carrick and Fletcher could fill the remaining places.