United v. Benfica

bobbobray said:
about 5 years back, maybe more remember when we were inches from going out against relative minnows at OT? George Demertradze was the man, who from six yards out, should have dumped us out - but he choked. NO MORE REPEATS PLEASE LADS!
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Against which team? I cant remember a thing about Demertradze.
 
December_16 said:
Head-to-head results.
We won 3-2 at OT, they won 1-0 at Celtic Park, so the GD of head-to head games cancel out. They scored 2 goals at OT, when we couldnt at Celtic Park, so they're ahead. Away goals rule and whatnot
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Which means if Celtic win in Copehagen, then for us a win is basically the same as a draw, i.e. we will finish 2nd in each case.

However, it is far better to win the group because of a team like Olypique Lyonnais lurking. We really don't want to play them in the next round.
 
manusteve said:
Which means if Celtic win in Copehagen, then for us a win is basically the same as a draw, i.e. we will finish 2nd in each case.

However, it is far better to win the group because of a team like Olypique Lyonnais lurking. We really don't want to play them in the next round.
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Is that already confirmed that we will play against team either Madrid or Lyon?

It will be nice to see Becks and Ruud back again in Old Trafford. I must say that the frenchies is really at their form recently at europe.
 
midfieldred said:
Is that already confirmed that we will play against team either Madrid or Lyon?

It will be nice to see Becks and Ruud back again in Old Trafford. I must say that the frenchies is really at their form recently at europe.
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In our recent form we can beat the living crap out of Galacticos's arses.

I would like to see Ronaldo making a jack ass out of Becks by his dribbles full of tricks.
 
I hope that Fergie plays with this team..

.........Rooney..Saha.............
Giggs..Carrick..Scholes..Ronaldo
Heinze..Vidic..Ferdinand..Neville
............Van der Sar...............

Subs
Thomasz Kuszczak
Wesley Brown
Mikael Silvestre
John O'Shea
Darren Fletcher(is he ok?)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Patrice Evra

Result
Manchester United - FC Benfica 1 - 0
1 - 0 Ryan Giggs

And we're through to the second round :D
 
Evra deserves to play this one. Heinze had a little miss last match and this is at home so we need an attacking side.


----------VdS-----------

Neville-Rio-----Vidic-Evra

Ronaldo-Scholes-Carrick-Giggs

-------Saha--Rooney------


Pred: 2-0 Rooneyx2
 
The draw is actually on the 15th of Decemeber, next Friday that is, at 12.00 CET.
 
I agree Evra should play instead of Heinze for this game. Also we need Richardson on the bench ( I know it sucks) but he is our only attacking player who is a sub.
 
Desert Eagle said:
I agree Evra should play instead of Heinze for this game. Also we need Richardson on the bench ( I know it sucks) but he is our only attacking player who is a sub.
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These matches could be Richardson's last in United so maybe it's time for him to wake up and his big talent to take control of the left wing... BTW Park is almoust at full health....

Good to have Fletcher or Carrick in midfield... So our freshness in midfield will remain for 90 minutes of the match.

I would choose Evra against Benfica, too. He deserved it. Heinze propably would play against Man City, fresh and with full stamina.
 
Van Piorsing said:
I would choose Evra against Benfica, too. He deserved it. Heinze propably would play against Man City, fresh and with full stamina.
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I agree, Heinzes been at fault for our last 2 goals anyway :nono:
 
United's destiny comes down to this.

By Justin Palmer

LONDON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - After a blazing start Manchester United find themselves trying to crawl across the finish line and secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League at the expense of Benfica on Wednesday.

Three successive wins, including a 1-0 victory over Benfica in Lisbon in September, had looked set to secure United a comfortable passage through to the knockout stage.

But 1-0 away defeats to FC Copenhagen and Celtic, games in which the English side dominated but failed to break through, have left the 1999 winners needing to avoid defeat at Old Trafford to qualify from Group F.
Benfica eliminated United at the group stage last season and manager Alex Ferguson is wary of the Portuguese side's threat.

"It won't be an easy game but with our form and as long as we remember to finish teams off will we be OK," Ferguson told the club's Web site. "That's going to be an issue, when we get chances we've got to take them in this one.

"This is a game you can't trifle with," he added. "It's too important for us. If we get chances we have to take them, but I think we've got a chance."
United have failed to score in nine of their last 14 Champions League matches. But their fine Old Trafford record of only one defeat in their last 29 European home games, points to United securing at least the point they need.

Ferguson was in Lisbon on Friday and watched Benfica's 2-0 win over local rivals Sporting, secured with goals from defender Ricardo Rocha and midfielder Simao Sabrosa.

RICH HISTORY

The match marked the return from injury of Brazilian defender Luisao who had been sidelined for three weeks.

"It can be considered a real final, a game of all or nothing," coach Francisco Santos said of the Old Trafford showdown.

"We will face a great team but I believe we can win. With a little luck, which is also necessary in soccer, we will be able to score and move ahead."

Benfica, who have seven points and need to win to remain in the competition, are no strangers to winning on English soil having stunned then holders Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield last season to reach the quarter-finals with a 3-0 aggregate success.

United only have to look back to 2004 for another reminder of the capabilities of Portuguese sides on their travels.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Porto, a Paul Scholes goal looked set to send United through to the quarter-finals on away goals before Costinha's equaliser in the final minute put the Portuguese side through instead.
Still, a glance a little further back in history should give United cause for optimism.

Benfica have a special place in United's story for two of their most famous matches played in the 1960s -- United's stunning 5-1 European Cup quarter-final win in Lisbon in 1966 when George Best scored twice and their famous 4-1 victory in the 1968 final when they won the trophy for the first time.
If they are inspired by those epic old victories, United will go through.


Probable teams:

Manchester United: 1-Edwin van der Sar; 2-Gary Neville, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 15-Nemanja Vidic, 4-Gabriel Heinze; 16-Michael Carrick, 18-Paul Scholes, 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 11-Ryan Giggs; 8-Wayne Rooney, 9-Louis Saha

Benfica: 12-Quim; 22-Nelson, 4-Luisao, 33-Ricardo Rocha, 5-Leo; 6-Armando Petit, 8-Konstantinos Katsouranis, 25-Nuno Assis, 21-Nuno Gomes; 20-Simao Sabrosa, 30-Fabrizio Miccoli

Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany)

Source :: http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6259033,00.html
 
RedSky At Night said:
I agree, Heinzes been at fault for our last 2 goals anyway :nono:
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That's harsh. The goal against Chelsea was one of those things. It's always easier for the attacker to "attack" the ball because they are running in towards goal and the defender is usually reacting to the attacker's run (in this Carvalho). It just happens that Carvalho go there just before Heinze.

As for the Boro goal, if you watched the game properly, you will see that Vidic lost his man and therefore Heinze felt obliged to come in to cover, thus leaving Morrison free. If Vidic has not left his man free, then Heinze would have been further out and been able to clear the ball properly.

You really should take circumstances into account instead of apportioning blame so directly onto Heinze. After all, I don't hear you criticising Saha for not clearing Carvalho's header, or Neville diving in on the Boro's left wing before the cross came in.

Incidentally, I think Evra should play left midfield. Giggsy looked very lethargic against Boro, apart from setting up Fletcher's header.
 
Why do you want Evra instead of Heinze?
Heinze is a much better defender than Evra, but Evra is a better attacking defender.

We will go through with a draw, why don't play Heinze then and be safe in the defence?
And IF Benfica take the lead and we are in the second half, then we should take Evra on.

what do you guys think?
 
I just feel that we need our best left back for this game. Usually that would be Heinze IMO, but at the moment Evra is still in front of him. Evra is better going forward but he he`s still a great defender as well.

So for me he would be the best for tomorrows game. I`m not sure about the city game though, physical games like that one might be better for Heinze.
 
We won't go for a draw, we'll go for a win. And it's at OT so there's nothing less than gung-hoo football we should witness, hence Evra as first choice.
 
Man-United said:
Why do you want Evra instead of Heinze?
Heinze is a much better defender than Evra, but Evra is a better attacking defender.

We will go through with a draw, why don't play Heinze then and be safe in the defence?
And IF Benfica take the lead and we are in the second half, then we should take Evra on.

what do you guys think?
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We should look to win this game, not again try to get a draw or else we will get punished. So play Evra, who's better right now and offers more going forward. We need goals!
 
Park and Ole are in the squad btw. Dont expect them to get any play time or even make the bench, but good to have them back
 
Yes but don't you think we got enaugh of attacking options?

Rooney, Saha, Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes.
 
Man-United said:
Yes but don't you think we got enaugh of attacking options?

Rooney, Saha, Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes.
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Evra's playing better than Heinze, at least right now and his form is better too, so obviously I'd pick Evra. We should play the strongest team and not the players who have the most simpathy
 
I do expect this game very much. It's going to be absolutely magnificient! Benfica game is one of those big games why we watch football. Big chance for both teams to show their quality and earn money, stakes are very high and the story of David and Goljat is one of the most thrilling ones.
 
I hope Barca get's knocked out tonight!

Who's with me!?
 
Barca can't play without Eto'o. I just want that to be recognized globaly.
 
Jacob said:
Barca can't play without Eto'o. I just want that to be recognized globaly.
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They've played most of the season without him and still they're top of the Spanish league
 
Epic said:
They've played most of the season without him and still they're top of the Spanish league
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Closely followed by Real and Athletico. Sorry it's just my way to hate Barca, because 99% of the world love them.
 
i'm gutted, because before the celtic game, the tickets for this match were on general sale.

this will be a heck of a game/atmosphere IMO.
 
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