West Ham United vs. Manchester United

Got a bad feeling about this, hopefully are lineup, whatever it is, is effective from the get go
 
I hate West Ham. Always raise their game especially at Upton Park.

I have a couple of West Ham supporting mates. Their fans consider us as rivals or something. :wenger:
 
--------------VDS----------------

Fabio----Smalling----Vidic----Evra

Valencia---Carrick--Fletcher--Nani

-------Rooney---Berbatov--------
 
has rio no chance to play?? - he's been back in training for a week hasn't he?
 
After the Arsenal & Chelsea games, I think this is the hardest game we have left. I think we might lose but, even if we do, think we'll win the league anyway. Hopefully we'll sneak a win.
 
Team should be...

GK: VDS

RB: Brown
CB: Smalling
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra

RM: Valencia
CM: Carrick
CM: Fletcher
LM: Nani

CF: Rooney
CF: Berbatov

Subs: PIG, Fabio, Gibson, Giggs, Obertan, Owen, Bebe

I assume Fletcher must be back if he was just ill prior to the international break? I assume Anderson, Park & Rio are all still injured?

Very nervy of this game, think we'll lose 1-2 :(
 
Team should be...

GK: VDS

RB: Brown
CB: Smalling
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra

RM: Valencia
CM: Carrick
CM: Fletcher
LM: Nani

CF: Rooney
CF: Berbatov

Subs: PIG, Fabio, Gibson, Giggs, Obertan, Owen, Bebe

I assume Fletcher must be back if he was just ill prior to the international break? I assume Anderson, Park & Rio are all still injured?

Very nervy of this game, think we'll lose 1-2 :(

That implies we will win
 
Bit early to say, but this is what I'm expecting / hoping to see depending on fitness:

van der Sar
Brown Smalling Vidic Evra
Nani Fletcher Carrick Giggs
Berbatov Rooney
--
Kuszczak; Fábio; Gibson, Park, Valencia; Hernandez, Owen​

Assuming it's just a bit too soon for Rafael, Ferdinand, Hargreaves, and Anderson. While Evans and Scholes are suspended I believe. I expect Vidic and Fletcher back, which will be a massive boost. I'd play Brown again from the start as he's played a good few games in a row and I don't think his form has been too bad at all. Berbatov and Giggs will have no international duty so I'd like them to start.

If all goes well, bring on Park and Owen. Then one of Valencia or Hernandez for more game time.

I'm still hoping for what I said earlier, but Anderson could make the bench now as well. Valencia might get a few minutes, but I think he's almost guaranteed to start on the right against Chelsea - he's always had Ashley Cole in his pocket, so hopefully he can do this again. I'd expect a similar team to play Chelsea, just with Berbatov dropping to the bench for Anderson or Giggs in the middle (with Park or Nani playing on the left) and if Rafael or O'Shea are fit, they might get the right back slot over Brown.

I have mixed feelings about West Ham. Early kick off, international duty (though this seems to have effected us less than it normally would), and our poor away form... But at the same time, our recent record against them is good (to my surprise) and maybe we will finally turn it on? We've been waiting all year, surely we'll have a run of games where we're by far the better side at some point?
 
On Skysports site, listened to Jamie Redknapp's preview of this game and he said that Rio was in training this week.

For CB thought we have Smalling/Vidic and they've looked good together so for this game my biggest concern is who is going to play RB? Brown left last game with an injury and no news on Rafael so that leaves Fabio. He's good but, it's a big pressure game so am slightly concerned.

Overall though I think coming through this International break - we've been fortunate. Rooney at least played 1 game in two weeks, Vidic got a game to get a bit of ring rust off coming off injury, Giggs got a much needed rest, Park should be available, Evra I think got a rest as well mid week, Berbatov is fresh (can't be much fresher and just come scored a vital goal for us), Carrick is fresh and only other concern is state of Fletcher - has he been training and ready to go. We'll need him I think against a fire up W.Ham and to battle a confident Scott Parker.
 
Clashes with the cricket world cup final. Decisions, decisions .... Only way around this is to record it on sky+ and the watch straight after he cricket, hoping Sky don't put the score up on the cricket channel. Cant think of any other way around it.
 
Berbatov and Rooney will start upfront, Chico isn't injured but will be drained from long-haul flights away in the US, only returns to Manchester Friday morning.
He may be benched but we could see Owen make an appearance from the bench which is pleasing.
Berbatov has a good record versus West Ham (at OT anyway) and I hope the international break hasn't dented his stride after the Bolton goal, we really need him on song for this game, a big three-pointer will take us well clear at the top with Arsenal having to make up ground.
 
Bloody hell I'm excited for the next couple of weeks.

Me too mate.
The matches in Sydney time are;

West Ham tomorrow at 10.30 pm (we haven't out our clocks back yet til next week).
Chelsea Thursday at 5.45am
Fulham next Saturday night midnight
Chelsea next Weds 4.45am
City in FA CUP Sun 17 2.15am - gutted about this one as it's my daughter's third birthday party that day at 2pm, so planning to go to bed early as possible and wake up at 1.30 am for it because I'll be drinking and will crash out or be too drunk to register come midnight.

And so on and so on - my sleeping pattern is gonna be knocked about but I always get up for them at this time of the year, don't let anyone tell you we're armchair supporters because it's exhausting work at times being a United fan overseas!
 
Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin has revealed that he spoke with West Ham United manager Avram Grant yesterday and cheekily requested that the Hammers do the Gunners a massive favour in the title race by beating Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

The Russian international also believes that Arsene Wenger’s squad are well placed to mount a serious challenge in the Premier League with their run-in, on paper, looking a lot less difficult than that of the Red Devils. Out of the Champions League and FA Cup the Emirates outfit have just nine league matches to focus on before the May 22nd climax.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the 29-year-old attacker revealed:

“I met with with Avram Grant yesterday, we had a chat and I have asked him to steal some points from Manchester United this weekend!"

"I think our schedule is not so bad, that is why if we win all our games we have a good chance to be champions.

"I think everyone in our team would prefer to have more possibilities than only one trophy, but everything is in the past, that is why we have to concentrate on the Premier League matches.

"Straight after it was very difficult for everyone, but now we have come back after the internationals and have refreshed our minds and maybe it will help us.

"I think we are in the race."

Arshavin reveals Avram Grant meeting 01 April 2011 - 09:12 | Sport.co.uk


sly cnut Arshavin....
 
I think we need to play a notional 3 in central midfield to match up with West Ham's Parker, Noble, and Hitzelsperger. We are short of pace as it is so playing 2 in there would be very risky.

Then Nani, Rooney, and Valencia can do the business up front.

Really need Vidic to be fit for this one.
 
Me too mate.
The matches in Sydney time are;

West Ham tomorrow at 10.30 pm (we haven't out our clocks back yet til next week).
Chelsea Thursday at 5.45am
Fulham next Saturday night midnight
Chelsea next Weds 4.45am
City in FA CUP Sun 17 2.15am - gutted about this one as it's my daughter's third birthday party that day at 2pm, so planning to go to bed early as possible and wake up at 1.30 am for it because I'll be drinking and will crash out or be too drunk to register come midnight.

And so on and so on - my sleeping pattern is gonna be knocked about but I always get up for them at this time of the year, don't let anyone tell you we're armchair supporters because it's exhausting work at times being a United fan overseas!


oi Johnno - you've got it easy mate. I'm off to Alice/Red Centre on Thursday afternoon. Get up before 6 am, watch the Reds - pack the car for a 3.5 day drive. Satellite dish out at an overnight/layby/rest area for the Felhem game on Satdee and juggling the rest into the itinary between Ayers Rock/Kings Canyon/Alice. It'll be a change from the beaches but seeing the Reds in the middle of the outback on Foxtel.......sometimes even get a bit of extra support..... fookin gloryhunters.
 
Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin has revealed that he spoke with West Ham United manager Avram Grant yesterday and cheekily requested that the Hammers do the Gunners a massive favour in the title race by beating Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

The Russian international also believes that Arsene Wenger’s squad are well placed to mount a serious challenge in the Premier League with their run-in, on paper, looking a lot less difficult than that of the Red Devils. Out of the Champions League and FA Cup the Emirates outfit have just nine league matches to focus on before the May 22nd climax.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the 29-year-old attacker revealed:

“I met with with Avram Grant yesterday, we had a chat and I have asked him to steal some points from Manchester United this weekend!"

"I think our schedule is not so bad, that is why if we win all our games we have a good chance to be champions.
"I think everyone in our team would prefer to have more possibilities than only one trophy, but everything is in the past, that is why we have to concentrate on the Premier League matches.

"Straight after it was very difficult for everyone, but now we have come back after the internationals and have refreshed our minds and maybe it will help us.

"I think we are in the race."

Arshavin reveals Avram Grant meeting 01 April 2011 - 09:12 | Sport.co.uk


sly cnut Arshavin....

He's not that bright is he.
 
Rio, Fletch, Raf, Brown, O'Shea all out of the game tomorrow.

Anderson is apparently fit.

(Stewart Gardner on Twitter)

Back line of Evra, Vidic, Smalling, Fabio?

Not too confident in that - don't like the inexperience of the right side.
 
I fear for this game becuase of all our injuries, massive blow that Fletcher is still out and no other defender will return. Vidic we all knew would be fit for this.

West Ham in great form as well.
 
Rio, Fletch, Raf, Brown, O'Shea all out of the game tomorrow.

Anderson is apparently fit.

(Stewart Gardner on Twitter)

Back line of Evra, Vidic, Smalling, Fabio?

Not too confident in that - don't like the inexperience of the right side.

At least that's a line-up of recognised defenders. My worry is that if any one of those four pick up an injury at West Ham, we're really stuffed for the CL game at Chelsea.
 
At least that's a line-up of recognised defenders. My worry is that if any one of those four pick up an injury at West Ham, we're really stuffed for the CL game at Chelsea.

Evans is only suspended for the PL so he'll be there, I presume.
 
At least that's a line-up of recognised defenders. My worry is that if any one of those four pick up an injury at West Ham, we're really stuffed for the CL game at Chelsea.

Not necessarily, maybe Fergie expects to have at least one of Rafael, Brown or O'Shea back for the Chelsea game.
 
According to the United website, Carlton Cole has tweeted that he's been left out of West Ham's squad for this weekend... great news if true.