Mar 27
Bolton Wanderers vs Manchester United: Preview
Manchester United make the short trip to the Reebok Stadium today to face Bolton Wanderers, knowing that by the time they kick off, both Arsenal and Chelsea could have leapfrogged the reigning champions due to their three o’clock starts. It is therefore imperative we get the three points against the Trotters and reassert our dominance over our title rivals.
A period of four fixtures that will probably define our season are coming up. Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all after a tricky tie with Bolton. With these fixtures in mind, Sir Alex Ferguson may shuffle his pack and give a few fresher faces the chance to shine today.
Saying that, Edwin van der Sar will be the starting goalkeeper no questions asked. The 39 year old has looked back to his best since returning from injury and will look to keep a clean sheet after conceding last weekend.
At the back, Jonny Evans may get a run out in place of Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic with Rafael in line to take over from Gary Neville at right-back. Patrice Evra doesn’t seem to get a break at all and he will no doubt keep his place against Bolton.
United are without long-term absentees Wes Brown and John O’Shea, though the Irishman is back in training and should return to first team action soon.
Many would expect Sir Alex to go with a four-man midfield against Bolton, who are a weaker side, no disrespect intended, but it is more likely he will line up with five.
Nani will be buoyed from his contract extension, and should replace Antonio Valencia on the right side of midfield. Ryan Giggs only managed a cameo against Liverpool but should start here alongside fellow veteran Paul Scholes.
With so many big games on the horizon, Darren Fletcher should get a breather, so Michael Carrick will join the ginger ninja in the middle and Ji-Sung Park will no doubt continue to play in the attacking midfield role he has made his own in recent weeks.
Ferguson tried to play down fears that Wayne Rooney is carrying an injury,
“Wayne is fit and there’s nothing wrong with his knee,” Sir Alex stated.
Despite this, Dimitar Berbatov should lead the line today and will look to give a repeat of last season where he scored a 90th minute winner against Bolton at the Reebok.
Out for Bolton are Chris Basham, Gavin McCann, Sean Davis and Joey O’Brien, thought the do possess Kevin Davies who is a handful Chung-yong Lee and Jack Wilshere are young, technically gifted, and a joy to watch but keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is likely to be given a touch day by United.
Manager Owen Columba Coyle has the Trotters organised in defence and playing some excellent football. He’s also made the Reebok Stadium a fortress, as Bolton have lost only once there since he took over and that was his first game in charge – a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
“We are in terrific form at the Reebok and if we show our spirit and desire and our undoubted quality, then that will serve us well,” he told reporters.
Interestingly, Bolton have scored the joint-highest number of goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season – 21. Whereas, United have conceded the fewest number of set-piece goals in the league – 7.
However, United have won nine of the last 10 meetings against Bolton, and lost only one of their 10 Premier League games at the Reebok, so we have some good omens but a tough match will no doubt ensue.
Prediction: 1-0 United
Probable Line Up: van der Sar, Evra, Evans, Vidic, Rafael; Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Giggs; Berbatov
***
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- Bolton vs Man Utd: Preview
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- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Stephen (454)
Craig Mc (344)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@[OPTI]Madschester United: m8 chelsea will not beat liverpool at anfield ( my opinion)
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@RicoTheRed: I do not think Liverpool’s defense can handle Malouda, Drogba, Anelka… Carragher is pants. High scoring game, I think?
Speaking of which: How will we stop their deadly trio? VIDIC!
BELIEVE!
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@Dominic: Listen mate, he’s not some dunce bag Englishman who likes to go out on the pitch and run a hundred MPR with his chicken suit trying to impress the nine to fivers in the stands who couldn’t recognize art if Davinci Painted their asses. Berbatov has skill, not speed. He doesn’t waste his time running at full speed because that’s what idiotic Englishman think makes up a good footballer. Get out of the 70′s and realize that the game today is about skill, finesse and the use of speed and pace at the right time. Berba is not your cup of tea, fine, but I’ll not have you defame his abilities because you would prefer the talents of Nicky Butt or JS Park who haven’t got an ounce of skill but who ran their socks off. Big fucking deal. No wonder England fucking sucks in international football. With that kind of mentality and being stuck in a time warp, the game has passed all of you bye. Perhaps you should convert to rugby if you like a bunch of mindless neanderthals running their guts out.
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@RicoTheRed: 2-2 is what I am smelling. Gomez will be back and i think Bayern will breach our defense being at home. Problem is their defense is pants of late and i think we can score a couple on the counter. A great result for going back to OT I would think.
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@Grognard: I don’t think I would recognize art if Da Vinci painted their asses
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Opti – are you a local Bro, because IF you are a Manc how can you say that you would rather City got 4th eh? It wouldn’t be good going into work with City fans frothing at the mouth and ‘tick tocking’ all over the place again
.
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@Grognard: Gosh Grog you have really got a bug up your arse about the English and blue collar etc etc etc. Read back thru the posts, a lot of Berba dissenters are NOT English. Also why should we be apologetic about LOVING fast paced, high octane football and players that are willing to cover every blade of grass and bleed for us? You need those kind of players. I wonder why you watch the PL football at all, if you believe what you have written in this post comment I’m answering, because the kind of football you seem to be talking about is in the Spanish (SLOWER) leagues. The English and everyone else around the world who love PL football, love it because it is fast paced, exciting, gushing stuff – or should be!
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@RicoTheRed: Mmmmmm I think the opposite Rico
. I hope the scousers at least draw, but I think they could well win, because the Chelsea defense is not all that and Torres is firing on all cylinders! I see Zhirkov has learnt the Chelsea art of diving, especially in the penalty area! Chelsea will cheat or try to cheat their way thru every game until end of season to get the title!
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@Dominic: I love Sweinsteiger Dominic, and I am so glad that he is banned from 1st leg because he can be lethal
.
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@CraigMc: im not a local manc and hence find liverpool the greater of the two evils. Plus liverpool will hurt badly from lack of ECL, whereas City will continue spending regardless.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: I see where your coming from Opti. The scousers still have a chance of making the CL by winning the Europa cup don’t they? Or am I wrong about that?
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@CraigMc: Never heard of ECL spots for Europa League winners…. unless it is something new, it is merely one of Rafa’s wet dreams.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United:
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@Grognard: I know what he is and I know what he isnt….please stop projecting your own inadequacies on me and making ludicrous assumptions about me.
Shall we go back to all the crap you wrote about United in the Summer to see the extent of your knowledge on football……hilarious.
Also please keep the conversation civilised. Are you from the colonies? Do we have to teach you how to converse in a civilised manner again? Have you not learnt how to behave yet?
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@CraigMc: The thing is he doesnt know anything about me, hes making lots of assumptions. I really cannot be bothered conversing with people like that. I couldnt give a toss about England or all this other xenophobic nonsense he is spouting so will chose to rise above it.
Of course I could blow him into the next century if he really wants to talk football…..given I actually play the game for starters…but I will leave the big head stuff to the people with the inferiority complex.
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@CraigMc: m8 i cant see them winning at anfield, and i will go a step further and say i think we could win the league that day, chelsea seem to slip up on the run in examples, wigan 1 each, bolton 2 each, and liverpool will be deep in a battle for forth, get a result next week against chelsea, and city is our toughest ask, but then again every season someone drops points unexpectedly in the run in.
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@Grognard: Also heres a little English tip; I’m not your ‘mate’ if you write crap like that…OK dude?
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@RicoTheRed: That would be beautiful for us to win the league that day! Liverpool helping us to our 19th record breaking title whilst they are in a dog fight for 4th…but like you say there are lots of twists and turns between now and the end of the season….its a nice thought though!
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@Grognard: And finally don’t talk to me about art…especially when you can’t even spell da Vinci correctly….makes you look a bit stupid….a bit like saying you could do a better job than fergie or that we should sell Evra
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@Dominic: Dominic, you couldn’t care less about England
, so can we take it you are from one of the English satelite countries Ireland, Scotland or Wales then 
.
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@Dominic: Come on Dominic, everybody in England is everybody’s mate aren’t they? Or do we all just call each other mates because it is English pub banter?
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@RicoTheRed: I hope so Rico, but we are certainly going to find out now, if all the Berba bragging that United will win the PL again is just that – bragging, or if Berba himself can get us the goals and wins we need in the BIG games!
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