Apr 10
Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester United: Preview
The last week has been a tough one for many of us Manchester United fans, but look no further as we have a Premier League fixture against Blackburn Rovers to contend with. A visit to Ewood Park is probably not the easiest of tasks considering the last seven days. Sir Alex Ferguson will surely be hoping there are none of these typical Germans in Sam Allardyce’s line up come Sunday.
We have had a terrible time of it recently, first the defeat to Chelsea, a miraculous recovery from Wayne Rooney and then a controversial sending off which led to Bayern Munich snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Surely the lads will be 100 per cent focussed on overtaking league leaders Chelsea.
Patrice Evra certainly is in good spirits:
“At the end of the season I might regret the way we threw our Champions League chance away, but now is not the time for regrets. Now it’s about fighting and playing with heart. Winning the league will be difficult, but I’m confident.”
Going into the match against Blackburn, team selection will be crucial. Some have argued that Ferguson had gotten it wrong in the last two games, but when Sunday comes he must get it right. A good job we have won our last four league and cup games against Blackburn.
Edwin van der Sar will start in goal as in the norm and his defence will no doubt be Patrice Evra on the left, he says he isn’t tired but others may disagree. In the centre will be the pairing of Rio Ferdinand, making his 400th Premier League appearance and Nemanja Vidic. There may be some changes on the right with Gary Neville, John O’Shea and Rafael all gunning for the starting berth.
Will Sir Alex stick with the young Brazilian after an immense showing against Bayern – before the sending off – or will he opt to give O’Shea some more time on the field after a five-month lay off, or will he go with the experience of Neville? It would be testament for the boss to stick with Rafael and an opportunity to see how he reacts to being thrown right back in the mix.
Due to lack of options in the forward department a five-man midfield will against be supporting a lone striker.
On the right side of midfield will be Antonio Valencia, with Nani on the left. The Portuguese has shown what an integral player he can become to United and will look to add more goals to the brace he collected on Wednesday. In the middle will be Darren Fletcher supported by either Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes or Ji-Sung Park.
Carrick’s form of late hasn’t been the best and he is struggling to make his presence known in games, Scholes may be brought in as a result.
Then we are left with the enigmatic Dimitar Berbatov on his own up-front, a position he is clearly not comfortable in, but we know he has the capability to make telling passes and score excellent goals, especially against weaker opposition. Federico Macheda may also get a run out at some point in the match.
Wayne Rooney has been ruled out of the game by Ferguson along with Danny Welbeck (knee), Michael Owen (hamstring), Anderson (knee), Wes Brown (toe) and Owen Hargreaves (knee).
Blackburn though have only lost two league games at Ewood Park this season, the first of which was on the opening day. But Big Sam is glad he doesn’t have to face Rooney:
“They have had 13 own goals in their favour this year. That shows the pressure they put on other teams but it also shows there’s a big gap and a big loss with Wayne not playing and hopefully that can only be a help for us to get a result.”
Doubtful for Blackburn are Keith Andrews, Yildiray Basturk and Lars Jacobsen, as they will all be subject to late fitness tests, while Ryan Nelsen played 90 minutes for the Reserves this week, so will at least make the bench.
The primary attacking threat will come from attacking midfielder David Dunn; he has scored nine goals so far this season and is his clubs top scorer. In-form 18-year-old Phil Jones has become a starter in the centre of defence and looks a good prospect, while Martin Olsson has become a dangerous player for them this season.
Blackburn struggle against teams with pace and with the wingers we have lets hope we can get back on track for a 19th Premier League title.
Prediction: 2-1 United
Probable Line Up: van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael; Nani, Fletcher, Giggs, Park, Valencia; Berbatov
***
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Related items from Red Rants:
- Diouf heads out on loan
- Blackburn v Manchester United – Preview
- Title-Chasing United to Pass Tough Ewood Park Test?
- Will United Run Riot against Rovers Again to Take Top Spot?
- Manchester United vs Blackburn Rovers: Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Stephen (454)
Craig Mc (344)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Real Madrid have already recouped more than €100 million in Cristiano Ronaldo’s first season in shirt sales, having sold over one million CR9 shirts
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@Redrich: I don’t know why you guys are looking for fergie to say that our midfield needs an overhaul and our goalkeepers a German update. We have 4 games to go so why would he disturb the team with such statements.
If we he begins stating what his tranfers ideas are you will see rumors abound and prices sky rockets. However, if he keeps it all to himself until season end or completes secret deals (like Chicharito) the “value” will be much better – both for buying and selling.
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FERGIE HAS BEEN CHOOSEN FOR THE LIER OF THE YEAR AWARD
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Benzema available for €17 million
Red Knights takeover bid soon finalised
Some fans are turning their backs on United…
Berbatov to be sold
Exciting times ladies and gentlemen!
Exciting times indeed…
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@Redrich: you are maybe right, but two or three players would be a good start.
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COME ON SPURS!!!
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: He could have said nothing as well, couldn’t he??
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@Redrich: or maybe he has an agenda — make people think that any signings are not out of desperation… remember he wouldn’t sell madrid a virus either and Ronaldo is not a virus.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Jeez, mate you’d had to be living under a rock in the Australian outback not to know we need MF’ers.
I’m not sure I see the connection between his comment and a the trading smokescreen you talk of. If anything an outrageous comment like that draws attention to our needs.
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@Redrich: I agree it is obvious that we need MF’ers hence Fergie saying we’re fine seems to be nothing but a poor smokescreen… I will be infinitely surprised if we do not sign at least one midfielder of considerable quality – with Rodwell being the lower bar.
If we do not buy a quality midfielder and agree a fee for a goalkeeper (maybe loan him back for one more year), it is completely obvious to me (for now I give Fergie the benefit of the doubt) that Glazers (BASTARDS! BASTARDS! BASTARDS!) have shut the transfer purse. If that is the case, United needs to be taken over by the fans ASAP (by whatever means necessary!) or the club will crumble.
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Well that was unexpected. Spurs thoroughly deserved their win. Gives us something extra to play for against Citeh. We aren’t completely out of this race yet.
If Spurs play like that against Chelsea they’ll win. Chelsea have been poor the last couple of weeks, and without the aid of referees would have drawn with us and lost to Bolton.
We, however, have to beat Citeh. If we loose to them then Chelsea will be buoyed and come out and batter Spurs. Then it’s league over.
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well, well, well… le arse have fallen off as usual. should we beat city and spurs beat the scum at weeks end we will all be pool fans for 90 min of our lives
if our boys can pull wins out the rest of the season i will be proud of that and if the scum drop enough points and give us the title i will tattoo SAFs face on my ass and a red devil on my schlong
cmon UNITED
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19! BELIEVE!
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Yeah, I think that’s more to the point.
SAF is getting us all ready for another Summer of inactivity in the transfer market. Shackled by the Glazer’s debts and a market that doesn’t deal to the big teams for less than triple the players worth, we’ll be lucky to get a replacement for Berbatov(if he’s sold).
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@EduardoDaVinci4: Any fans turning their back on United are only the fans United never needed and don’t need now. Trust me United will always have their die hard fans, and the rest can fuck off as far as I am concerned.
True fans – win or lose, win or lose we will still be on the booze,
.
As long as we’re not dead – chanting for the reds
You with us Eddi?
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@CraigMc: Oh I’m in!
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What has happened here???Why it is so quiet???
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huge exam coming up in May and I have to finish some work and write a report
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@EduardoDaVinci4:
good on you mate!
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: English exam tomorrow here.. Hope I’ll do well!
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@Owen: It’s great weather here in Norway, so ain’t in the house so much. Plus, got schoolwork and football training as well, so not a lot of time to discuss with you happy fellows.
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Who thinks Berbatov will be playing in the Man Shitty game? Or will it be Rooney and Macheda? Anybody got any ideas?
I wonder if it will be back to the favourite Fergie one up front, and 5 MFS. But who will those MF’s be eh?
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If Rafael is in at RB, he better not be all hands against Bellamy again, because Bellamy is another one who knows how to con ref’s for penalties, and to get players sent off!
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@CraigMc: I hope it will be Gibson in midfield along with Fletcher and Carrick and Rooney alone upfront with RedNev at RB
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uhh lets see, its gonna be park-nani-carrick-fletcher-giggs, now carrick should not play any games till he is sold in the summer, because he is that bad but fergie keeps playing him i have no idea why.
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If some club came with an offer of 100 million pounds for rooney. Can the Glazers accept and force Rooney to leave United? Or would rooney’s contract have the last say on whether he could be forced to leave?
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Liverpool is for sale!
Let’s get Glazers to buy them after they sell United to RK!
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: If the Glazers FORCED Rooney to leave, I think you will find that Not a SINGLE UNited fan would be left inside OT to watch any of the games, and I genuinely believe that. Glazers would shoot themselves and their raping paws in making that kind of decision. Anyway, United fans have to make sure that the Red Knights get control of the club, by boycotting everything that has the name Glazer on it. If they get no money, and we boycott the clubs advertisers, the Glazers will have to fuck off or go bankrupt!
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Hopefully the Red Knights takeover will go through before those sorts of questions become serious. I would not bet against the Glazers trying to push this through as a last desperate act. Rooney, however, doesn’t want to leave, and as he has a contract here they can’t make him.
In other news, Scholes has signed a 1 year extension. Boring hell. Every match he played this season and next is a match Gibson or Anderson should have played. Scholes didn’t become a great player by playing once every 2 months, yet we are expecting that of our young midfielders.
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Seems 2012 is two years too early!
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i hear crickets, where is everyone!
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Is there any strike going on here….
Come on everyone…
This site and United needs everyone of us….
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Tosic has scored again
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Tomorrow:
EVDS
Rafael – Evans – Vidic – Evra
Nani – Fletcher-Carrick-Scholes Vally
Rooney
All we have to do is shut down their wings. Their central midfield is average and slow. And, of course, score!
Prediction: 0-2 Rooney, Nani
Pretty amazing week this could be if
1. United win
2. Tottenham win
Two flies with one weekend!
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@Owen: Link it – quite good goals too. Why the powdy face? He is still a United player!
Cheer up!
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@Traverse: Wow, that was a suprisingly well thought out post from you.
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@Traverse: Wow, that was a suprisingly well thought out post from you.
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4-1 in favour of Shitty
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@Owen: I’ll bet my OPTI tag that that score won’t happen! Like spurs, City will crumble under too much pressure. Mancini lost the game when he said – this game is the most important in club history.
Glory glory Man United!
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Well I see were still laboring under the Blackburn banner. No wonder after a game like that, we are not flocking. Is there not someone who could put up a new thread, …please.
Tomorrow is a derby day!!
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Interesting day on Saturday.
Spurs really, really need to win – and we really, really need them to win too!!
The same could be said from a Spurs perspective. They need us to beat Citeh, with about the same amount of fervor.
With that said, it really boils down to a must win game for us. I just don’t see Rooney not starting this. He’s our only chance and saving him for another day would be fucking dumb.
I say 5 man MF, Rooney upfront and Neville to do battle with the little cunt, Tevez.
Fireworks at the Eastlands, boys, and I hope we’re lighting our Roman Candle to shove it where they least want it.
Oh, and if you’re interested, Ronaldo thinks Manchester will win the game!!
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@Owen: Only if Berbatov plays!!
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Comments, today, from SAF about Citeh’s spending power (“they could buy a whole new team if they wanted to”), and Scholes’ new contract, starts making me think that we’ve seen the best of our signings – with Smalling and the “Little Pea”.
Come what may, for the rest of this season, we better start sharpening our pencils for a very, very annoying off-season!!
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Who is actually going to the game??
You lucky bastards, you!!
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@Redrich: Nothing a world cup and FM2010 cannot fix
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: I’ll watch the WC, you play FM, and we’ll see what happens on the other side!
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@Redrich: agree, though I will join you with the WC
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Well I’m reaching deep into my optimistic side for this game.
And why the fuck not??!!
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FYI: Last time at wastelands we owned City in the first half with the following team:
EVDS
Rafael-Brown-Evans-Evra
Vally-Anderson-Fletcher-Carrick-Giggs
Rooney
I think we are better with Vidic and Nani in the team.
United to win it.
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Oh yeah… I totally forgot about the shoddy penalty claim given to Bellamy by Mike Dean…what a garbage ref. Mike Atkinson is stuck in europe due to Icelandic volcano fumes.
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