May 05
Arsenal Away: Champions’ League Preview
It’s hard to talk about other things without getting the obvious rumour out of the way. The Guardian broke the news of United making an offer of £63m for Franck Ribery. Now before we get ahead of ourselves, let it be known that we just made an offer — assuming the story is true. (Raphael Honigstein did the exclusive, and although he’s one of the better journalists around — and among the nicer chaps based on my sources — you never know with so much time between now and the transfer window.)
All we know right now is that the club have made an offer. And that fact has been confirmed by some unnamed officials. I have only this to say: Transfers of major star names are not discreet affairs. Other parties will also be interested. An initial price is usually that — an initial price; it’s bound to go up. We are Manchester United. We always end up paying a United tax on these kind of transfers.
(You would notice, I haven’t even mentioned Ronaldo in all this. Well, I don’t think we have the funds to blow money on one player without selling one of our own of a comparable value.)
End of talk on that.
Let’s move on to what we have today.
Yes. The Champions’ League semi final against an old enemy. A rivalry that’s mellowed on all levels; be it between fans, players and even managers to more of mutual respect. Some United fans would chalk this down to a lack of challenge presented by the Gooners in recent times in the title challenge stakes. Some others would put it down to a lack of characters in either side who would be protagonists in the drama that unfolds on the stage.
But rivalry or no rivalry, United-Arsenal games have rarely disappointed in the quality of football. You’d always see both sides going for it or, at the least, one side dominating the other. What one rarely sees is a cagey match where either side is scared of losing.
That said, I have a sneaking suspicion that Ferguson might go for a safety first approach. It’s acceptable if we make good use of our counters. But if Fergie intends to play it like Camp Nou of last year, I’d be concerned. Just as we seem to be hitting the right notes as the season winds down, I’d expect a positive mentality going into today’s game. A positive mentality does not mean going hammer and tongs at the opposition, mind, but making a better than a token effort on the counter when we have possession; not dribbling our way to a corner flag.
Anyway, on the pre-match trash-talk press conference, the manager has stressed on the importance of going to the Emirates with the intent to score. Meanwhile Wenger is extremely confident of a ‘magnificent’ performance from his side. I must re-emphasise: he is extremely confident. Like he knows he’ll make it. A bit disturbing, I must say.
In their team news, van Persie is back, which is something to fear. They have a full strength squad in their attacking end (minus a cup tied Arshavin). A majority of their side has had a good week’s rest. Something we must be wary about.
We’ve had our own clutch of rested stars. The biggest boost for us is obviously the news that Rio is fit. In midfield we’ll possibly see the same line up as last time: Anderson, Fletcher, Carrick. In attack it is anyone’s guess, but Rooney and Ronaldo will occupy the left and right respectively, whilst it’s always going to be a toss up between Berbatov and Tevez. Being an away fixture it could be that Tevez’s endless running might tempt Fergie to go with him, but I’m no good at these prediction games. So I’ll let it be.
Anyway, I’m excited about today. I’m sure most of you are too. Prediction: 1-1.
Come on you reds!!! (Although we won’t be wearing red today. So I don’t mean the red team… but you know…)
Related items from Red Rants:
- Porto it is then…
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Manchester United vs Arsenal – UEFA Champions League semi-final Live Blog!
- Teams Start Talking Big As Champions’ League Clash Looms
- Portsmouth Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Stephen (454)
Craig Mc (344)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Apologies for not going straight into game talk but I really doubt that we have bid for Ribery. Even if we wanted him that badly we wouldn’t open the bidding at 63 million and I don’t think Ronaldo is going to Real Madrid either.
Confirmed by unnamed officals suggests that Ribery’s club is just trying to start a bidding war. They are fairly sure that he is going to leave so they put it out that United have already bit 63 mil. This won’t ensure they get more than 63 but it will help ensure he doesn’t go on the cheap and it looks like Honigstein has fell for it.
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Massive cliche – but how important is the first goal in this one? If United can hold out to 0-0 at halftime, they have a really good chance. I don’t expect to us attack, I expect us to keep it tight, hustle them and minimise the chances. We’re not nearly as good on the counter as we were last year, so I’m fearful of relying on that.
Ideally we’ll set out very slow and methodical, keep possession in the midfield and try to nick a goal, but deny them. I would start Tevez to keep pressure up, and if we do get a lead, bring on Berbatov for Rooney (assuming he’s not already booked) to prevent a keane/scholes 99 fiasco.
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£63m is ridiculous. If we could have him for £30m I’d take it, cause I think he’s great, but anything over that is just stupid.
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Exactly. 63m is ree-dee-koo-luz! The only player I would even imagine trying to get for that fee is Messi, but even that is stretching it too far. Not a penny above 35m for Ribery.
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Coming to the topic…today’s match…I’m already having goosebumps! (And there’s 9 hours to go!) Perhaps it’s the feeling of not having the odds stacked against us that making me feel worse…since a knockout would be catastrophic! I just keep thinking to all those chances in the 1st leg…hopefully we won’t regret not getting another goal.
Basically I want us to win today. 1-0 is my prediction.
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Have a really good feeling about this game with them arses. Although we may have lost there earlier, we created a couple of gilt-edged chances that we did not put away when the score was still 0-0.
Whichever line-up Fergie put out will surely get the job done. I am personally wishing that we play a pressing game and not just sit back and let them dictate.
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Fergie will probably play it safe tonight as we have tendancy of doing away from home, probably starting the same eleven as in the first leg, is it only Rooney who is in danger or a ban tonight?
With Ribery, good player not worth the money, I am bored already with the summer transfer speculation and we are only just in May!
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Comfortable 2-0 win
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@Stephen: Evra is definitely in danger and I believe Tevez as well.
If SAF is going to play it safe would he not then play Berbatov instead of Tevez hoping to control possession??
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@Eric the Red: Cheers matey, maybe I am getting ahead of myself and should concentrate on tonight but I can see 1999 scenario.
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@Eric the Red: I think Tevez would offer more defensivly if you see what I mean, hustling back the midfielders Berba and hustling don’t go together, Carrick is key to controlling possession.
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@Stephen: Stephen where the feck have you been Bro? Are you travelling to the Emirates tonight then, or will you be armchairing it with a large bottle of Vino?
.
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@Craig Mc: Ha ha bloody bank holiday weekend matey, the Mrs got her claws into me unfortunaltly, I will be on my sofa with a bottle of red wine tonight mate, can’t wait!
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On the Ribery story, I think the offer has been made, but a) it’s not necessarily contingent on Ronaldo leaving and b) it’s much less than the 63m figure being bandied about.
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@Babyface: If it was the players Agent making these things public I might agree Babyface, but it seems the claims are actually coming out from officials at Bayern Munich themselves, so if true, Bayern Munich board are not into LYING. If they have gone public that United have made such a bid, then I am sure we have! Thing is though, has it come from Bayern themselves???
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£62.5mil must be a misread number. £26.5mil sounds much more like an opening salvo, with a view to paying around £30mil. Lets hope, if nothing else in the article seems believable, that we are genuinely interested in Ribery. The more I hear about it, the less it seems like Ronaldo is going anywhere. For one, Madrid are tripe, and with their defence would get relegated from the Premiership no problems.
To today’s game, we will most likely line up exactly the same as last week. If we do, lets hope we mirror our first leg performance (and Almunia doesn’t get as lucky).
VDS
O’Shea Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Fletcher Carrick Anderson
Ronaldo Tevez Rooney
I think the major plus for us last week was our pressing from the start. Arsneal can’t help but play tippy tapy football from the off. We got right into them early, and they collapsed under the pressure. If we can do the same for the first 20 mins the crowd will silenced (even more than usual) and we may well get our away goal early. This is a perfect scenario for us, as Arsenal will be forced to attack us with everything, leaving plenty of space in behind. Almunia can’t get that lucky again.
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@Ahmed Bilal: What is the actual true bid United have offered then Ahmed, do you know anything else about the offer Bro?
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@Ahmed Bilal: I think not.
link
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A 62.5m bid does not make sense. Especially if Barca already opened the bid at 30m.
What is this about Real being interested in Evra? I love Evra, but it might not be a bad thing for him to leave for Madrid because I saw Fabio in the reserves and he looks awesome. Also, I think with Evans and O’Shea as cover, we are pretty much covered in that area.
By playing it safe, I would like SAF to play with Evans, Rio, Vidic and Brown. Same midfield as last week (Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher) and then Ronaldo, Rooney and Berbatov. I think Tevez should come on when we need to chase the game to provide the necessary energy. With this being the case, SAF might as well drop Anderson for Scholes and only bring Ando on when we need to chase the game. This sort of line-up will ensure us lots of posession…albeit playing boring as hell.
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@antsBoy: “The club have deemed the rumours not worthy of comment.” So that’s a no comment. Not a denial, which usually happens when it’s 100% bollocks (aka the Kaka denial last week). It looks alot like a story put out by Bayern to hike the price. Which seems a bit desperate, basically comparing him in worth to Ronaldo. If Ribery were Ronaldo, Bayern wouldn’t be so precariously placed with their Champions League qualification. They could well be playing the Europa League next year. Ribery certainly will not be.
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@antsBoy: that link sounds like SkySpeculation… how many times have United actually commented on a transfer saga?
With that in mind, I don’t think that Ribery is going to come over. Especially not for the reported 60 mil.
As for the Arsenal game: 1-0 for us with a rather dominant Arsenal midfield performance but lack of edge up front. In other words, same old.
–
Rooney: better than Ronaldo!.
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I never see the point of speculating about transfers, who knows whats going to happen really, lets just wait and see what unfolds, we have more pressing issues to be getting on with like tonights game.
Lets hope the game is controversial free, the press are looking for any little scrap of rubbish to have a dig at us at the moment and I really hope nothing happens and we win fair and square.
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Can’t wait for tonight’s game! I wouldn’t be surprised if Sir Alex picks a very busy team full of industry. We’ll be chasing the ball a lot as Arsenal, being at home will probably dominate possession.
With that in mind I would expect players such as Rooney, Tevez, Park, Fletch, Anderson and Carrick to play. Probably in a 4-5-1.
My prediction – Score Draw (1-1? 2-2?)
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@Andrei: “Rooney – better than Ronaldo” Haha, I remember the days when that line used to unleash the mad fury on this blog. No one’s speaking up these days eh?
Wazzaaaaaaa to score today!!
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I had a dream United won 1-0 with a Ronaldo free kick.
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@antsBoy: I know great isn’t it
maybe still some disagreements though 
Also for anyone who missed it last night (don’t know what I was doing up that late) hilarious video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B6ucoSoIy4 legend uttered 4 times in the 1st 30 seconds
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@antsBoy: In my book, on his day Ribery is as good as Messi…
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i’m pissed off to the max as I’m going to miss at least the 1st half tonight because of work
ah well at least I get to see the business end of things
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@Andrei: Where the fudge have you been!!!
I missed those “Rooney better than Ronaldo” comments!
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@Craig Mc: sorry for starting off topic but to you and Grognard, i don’t have to be to the terraces week in week out and don’t claim to know all the people who post here and i needn’t be an Old timer hear to give my view for the club i cherish most. As a matter of fact ask RR for the archives dating back early 2007, you’ll get amazed. lets be fans NOT supporters.
As for today’s game, i think the task or team strategy at hand is to finish the first 45 minutes not lagging behind. Perhaps we be on level at any score or ahead. Per the starting eleven, i would like to see the same team that started on first leg. Carlitos’ work rate will be the best to keep them at bay and reduce the pressure they throw at us. Not forgetting the most important part will be the “battle for the midfield”.
Come on United, Rome is awaiting us.
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@NicoQB: That would mean Messi was having an off day bro.
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@NicoQB: I don’t miss those comments one bit. I still remember when people were delusional enough to believe that bullshit.
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@Johnsom33: Which shit Johnsom Bro
, the delusion that Rooney is better than Ronnie 
. Ronaldo top scorer in PL and CL – says it all 
.
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@Craig Mc: sure Craig, if they had made a public announcement I would agree, but this is a journalist being briefed on the quiet. I would have thought officals at the club would have wanted to drive the price up. Anyway whatever happened, there is no way it could have been 63 million…
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@Craig Mc: Dear Craig, you didn’t want a Nani shit storm..so let’s please not start a Rooney storm now alright?
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Right, i like ribery, i want him at united, but we could buy 2 £30mil players for that, david silva and eto’o? i would rather that then £60+mil for ribery, and thats why i think this story is fake.
Time for dans PREDOS! If Ryan Giggs starts, ill change my name to “Dan wanks over kuyt pictures” for 24 hours.
And heres an interesting one, if we sign ribery for £60mil+ i will change my name for a whole week…
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In my opinion all this crap about ribery is exactly that, its crap. In my opinion its all immaterial anyway cos ronnie is going nowhere for now so we wont even need to buy a replacement like a ribery. The whole thing with madrid is that their absolute crap displays over the years has maybe lead ronaldo to see what they are, an old ageing team that is absolute cack and hasnt been any good for over 5 years. Take away their league successes which they won over a very poor barca and what have they done, nothing, in europe they do about as well celtic, why would any1 in their right mind want to go there.
Anyway this wasnt meant to be about ronnie or madrid my emotions over how i hate real just got the better over me. Anyway as for tonight kick off is approaching and we have a game at a place we seem to always struggle. Will it be different today, i hope so. If im honest i cant see us winning but we dont need a win, maybe just a single goal will be enough, it will mean they have to score 3. We are in the box seat but we need to get the tactics right, no sitting back inviting pressure like we did in the last 30mins against porto, lets go get a goal and then for me in effect its over. They wont score 3 in my opinion anyway.
As for the team today i reckon fergie will go like this:
vds
oshea rio vidic evra
ronaldo fletcher carrick park
rooney berba
I can see us going with the 4-4-2 because fergie will want park on and he cant really fit him in a 4-3-3 without taking rooney to the centre but that would mean tevez or berba would be left out and i cant see us leaving 2 of our main strikers out to be honest.
As for predictions, well we need to score, should we do that we should win anyway, i dont know i guess a 1-1 or something but this game is gonna be bloody tough.
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Does anyone else think that Ribery looks like a 14th Century medieval peasant?
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He looks like G Neville me thinks
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Red Nevs twin…
anderson MUST start, hes our only midfielder that can shut out arsenal.
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@Traverse:
Anyone joining me for the Live Blog tonight guys?
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Gary ribery, frank neville?
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@Johnsom33: @Craig Mc: I don’t want to brew another shitstorm but Individually Ronaldo is better, but for the team, there is no doubt that Rooney is!
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@Dan: Anderson does have a history of doing well against Arsenal. I mean, he really shits over Fabregas at times. However, I feel that he might not be as effective today as he was before, simply because Arsenal would have studied him long and hard, and will find ways to trip him up.
But I’m quite sure Fergie will go 4-3-3 with the same line-up, perhaps Berba instead of Tevez. And I forsee Anderson playing in between Carrick and Fletcher, or alongside Fletcher in a slightly more defensive role. I think Fergie would be telling Anderson and Fletcher to alternate between chasing down the man with the ball, and the nearest option he has to pass it to. Then just spray it to the wings when we’ve retreived possesion. Well, that’s what they did last week anyways.
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Honestly, if I didn’t know any better I would say the Ribery story got it’s beginning from the boardroom of Real Madrid, then through the Spanish Media and somehow found it’s way to Bavaria via UPS or Federal Express and then got released to the press just outside the Alliance Arena in Munich.
It stinks of Spanish corruption because as usual it offers no quotes from anybody and because the name Ronaldo being linked to Real is the special contingency in the story.
Then today the Spanish media decides to go hard core and publish stories like Vidic makes himself available to Barcelona because his wife hates Manchester. Another claims wannabe Real president Florentino Perez is promising Ronaldo, Fabregas and Xabi Alonso if elected and that Ibrahimovich and Kaka are on their way to Real as well. Apparently there is still no shame in the Spanish media or at Real Madrid but that Barcelona is also not immune to such rubbish. And this shit continues to grow every week and the reason, because players like Ronaldo and now even Vidic do not come out in a special press conference and absolutely deny these claims. Make a point of categorically pointing out that they are all shite.
By keeping quiet or occasionally throwing vague comments like “my Real dream may be dead”, you always leave the door open for more of this Spanish rubbish. I tell you, teams need to get more demanding with their players under contract. There need to be stipulations in their contracts that state you cannot negotiate any kind of deal or speak to the enemy about a move and that if a rumor comes out, you must respond to the media and give an emphatic denial for the good of the team and it’s harmony. All these distractions cannot be good just hours before a major life and death clash at Arsenal. Fergie’s got to come down on players who allow family members and agents to stir up the pot and remind them that they have a contract they need to live by and stop these greedy examples of sleazy politics.
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@UnitedUnited: I clearly said on his day.
And as much as Messi is good, Ribery is still underrated in most of the media. His shockingly low ranking in the golden ball just shows the general view of him. The guy understands that he has to move away from Bayern to get full recogniton for his talent. I’m not saying he’s as good as Ronaldo or Messi on top of their form but he’s one player who can get there.
And remember that at Bayern he’s mostly surrounded by tools (sorry grog – feel free to contradict me) whereas United and Barca have teams that can allow the creator to shine.
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@Matt: Knowing Fergie, I think he’ll go more for a 4-3-3/4-5-1 than an outright 4-4-2.
Assuming this is his 4-3-3 lineup:
VDS
O’Shea Rio Vida Evra
Carrick Fletcher Anderson
Ronaldo Berba/Tev Rooney
He might start the game on a 4-4-2, with Rooney pushing up and Fletcher filling into RW and Ronaldo switching to LW. Doing so might push Arsenal onto their back foot, and hopefully stagger them long enough to prevent them getting a good grip early on. Then we might revert back to 4-3-3. I doubt Sir Alex will go guns blazing for even the full first half. He’ll turn it on and off once in a while, maybe in the first 15 minutes. By the looks of things, we are up for a suck up the pressure and counter type of tactics. Just an idea that came up. Your thoughts?
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@Stephen Darwin: Duh! I’ll be watching on TV.
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@Eric the Red: The difference though is that there is nothing unsafe about playing Tevez. His ball control may not be as good but he is much better at tracking back and supporting the team defensively and his work ethic is second to none. Berbatov is not a a player I would start if I was thinking of playing a defensive game where I am protecting a lead, and that’s what I feel United are going to do. That is why Berba started on Saturday and Tevez didn’t. I could be wrong of course because Fergie is no the easiest to predict.
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@Dan: You’re definitely Maso, guy!!
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