Aug 22
Fulham Preview
If reports are to be believed Rooney is out with a stomach bug, and is left out of the trip to Craven Cottage. But going by recent trends, he might as well make it to the starting XI bust a gut, perform somersaults and end it with a split. Not that it would make pretty viewing, but since the official site says nothing about him being left out (so far) make of that what you will.
But despite that, it’s a bit odd that I am not worried. I would like Rooney to get more matches to regain his form of last season, but the promise Hernandez has shown means that it gives us more opportunity to see the Mexican international in action.
This can only be good. We don’t have to rely heavily on Rooney’s fitness if Hernandez, Berbatov and Owen (Macheda to a lesser extent) step up to shoulder the burden.
In midfield, we have the familiar problem we’ve had for a while now. Scholes cannot be expected to replicate his brilliant form. (If he does it will be a miracle of nature.) Carrick needs to step in, and, along with him, Anderson. Question marks are over Anderson—we really don’t know what shape he’s in. Fletcher can be relied upon. But Carrick has to shed his indifferent form from last year. But all this is familiar territory.
As for the first XI, I highly doubt Fergie will change from last week, even if he hasn’t really fielded the same XI in consecutive matches for a long time. Park could be selected to play in the wing because Fulham can be a tricky place to be. And if Park is selected it will most likely be a 4-3-3 formation with Nani on the other wing.
But if he were to stick with a 4-4-2—which is what I think he’ll go with—he’ll stick with the same XI (except Rooney, if reports are to be believed.) I would hope Rafael is played at right back from the start.
Prediction: 2-0 to the reds.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Rooney and Evans celebrate winner v Fulham – Wallpaper
- Fulham v Man Utd: Preview
- Porto it is then…
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Stephen (454)
Craig Mc (344)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
You can watch this game using free live streams
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i also would kinda prefer it if rooney dosent make it would love 2 c hernandez play a bit more (not because i have £10 at 66/1 to be top goal scorer)
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when will he play bebe? it is always good to start a new player in a easy match like this…
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@spunky kong: Easy? Really? We’ve lost the last two times we played Fulham.
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@spunky kong: true, seeing hernandez did very good in his debut
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1-1.
Goals from Giggs and Murphy.
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Must Read :
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Zinedine-Zidane-has-admitted-not-playing-with-Paul-Scholes-is-one-of-the-biggest-regrets-of-his-career-article560373.html
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If we go the 4-3-3 route, I think it’ll be Fletcher and Carrick with Giggs in the hole and Nani and Park on the wings. I don’t think SAF will start with Hernandez though. Unless Rooney starts anyway! A 3-1 victory to United!
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@spunky kong:
– good luck with your bet mate, hope it comes up trumps for you! Just out of interest, is your bet of Hernandes top scorer for thie game only or for whole season???
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@Owen: Will you take your Murphy goal prophecy and shove it where the sun don’t shine please Owen?
.
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White Heskey is out of the game.
Great news.
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Traverse or anyone – have you seen anything of this Bebe boy training with United – if so what did he look like – is he going to be a tasty asset to us or what?
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@Craig Mc: You should be thankful to me that somehow i predicted a goal from Giggs also.In fact a draw will be a great result,Craig.But i fear the worst.
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@Craig Mc: Bebe has only joined English learning classes now and doing some shopping (mostly beds and pillows)
.He will start training after 6 months.
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@All, there are two previews today so people are divided…
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@Owen: No way will he start training after 6 months – because 6 months absence will mean it will take another 6 months for him to get fit
. Wonder if he is staying with mi man Nani?
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I’m going to start some posts in here because we have more space and it will be quicker, until RR finds time to put up CL article thread. Am I wrong or have we played Valencia before and never actually beaten them??? Maybe its another Spanish team I am thinking of
. Sorry my brain starts to die this late in the evening. I am not looking forward to the Rangers fans coming back to our City, because last time they behaved like animals – wrecked the City centre and did so much damage. They leave a right nasty taste in your mouth, and they assaulted both police and local people – I can’t stand the drunken bastards! 
We never have any problems with the Celtic fans, who are a whole class higher than Rangers fans!
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That was a good idea Craig but the boys aren’t following. Too bad we got Rangers showing up. Uncivilized mob from what I remember. Should be a nightmare over at Ibrox too. Almost glad I don’t live in Manchester or have season tickets for this one. 2-0 for us at home and 1-1 at Ibrox.
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I must say I’m very pleased with the draw.
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So can any of you statisticians come up with games United have played against Valencia and results of those games please?
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Mr David Gill proclaiming again to the media and anybody who will listen – Man United are not buying any more players before end of transfer deadline! No shit! Further goes on to say – we don’t buy older players, we buy young players and make them into TOP TOP stars, like we have done with Ronaldo, Rooney and WAIT FOR IT Nani. Anderson also gets a mention, but a good few of you do not consider Andie at the moment anywhere near a top star, let alone a top top star
. I am just very surprised that Nani is considered to be so 
.
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I hope that there will be a boycott in this thread of the mention of those ‘sinking ship’ businessmen across the atlantic! Schush!!!!
.
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@Craig Mc: Well, Nani is showing some promise (still a long ways to go before being a top star!), as far as Anderson goes…
Should read “We are now buying younger players and hoping to sell them on for a profit”
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Walter Smith is already asking Fergie for big supply of tickets for CL game. Anybody know if Man United can reduce the amount of tickets we give to them after the rampage and destruction in our City centre Rangers fans called last time? United have already had to fork out for double the amount of our usual security according to press reports – which doesn’t surprise me at all. Can we reduce tickets to Rangers fans tho, as clubs always seem to be able to do at will to our fans on some away trips???
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@Craig Mc: Sorry about the profit line then!!
Wouldn’t want another spiral!
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@elvido: Think you hit the nail on the head there though Elvido. Buying young players with the intent that IF they do become top stars and we have to needs must sell on to the Madrid’s etc of this world, well we won’t be doing it on the cheap. Truth is though, IF these players do become top stars, Fergie will keep them regardless at OT because he loves very talented players. He only sold Ronnie because the lad wanted to go after giving us 6 terrific years, and he would have keot Tevez only for his dislike for the behaviour of agents, and players who refuse to be part of a squad system. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the club can make more out of TV and marketing, and image rights of top players, than they can by selling them. So I think Fergie will not sell on unless the player insists he wants out!
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So Cleverly goes on loan…
WOW!
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@Craig Mc: Yep, I got to agree with that, the returns on player sales are not that significant unless we turn these potentials into more Ronaldos! I for one am keen on the youngsters we are stockpiling to get their chances, Ferguson doesn’t out a player he thinks has the talent and mentality to make it here, guess the players have to be okay with the limited game time. Being okay with squad rotation is unfortunately necessary because of the number of games we go through each season.
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@AndyCR7: Where to? Didn’t see any news of that!
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@elvido: Bolton or Wigan. It will be revealed in fergie’s presser today…
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Update on Bebe’s apparent lack of skill http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/42804/Ferguson_clarifies_Bebe_absence_Fitness_issue_not_ability.aspx? AndyCR7, I read an article that said Wigan yesterday but turned out to be a prank. http://www.yeoldetreeandcrown.co.uk/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1582 If he is going I hope he gets enough time on the pitch!
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@AndyCR7: I am definately not going to CUSS at Fergie, although I very much want to do so, because I was so looking forward to seeing young Cleverley get first team football at OT. Like I said in recent post, Tom IMHO is better and has more hunger to succeed than some of our 1st team MF’s. I am just pissed that Bolton or Wigan will get the benefit
. Sooooooooo 
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@Craig Mc: I think the likes of Gibson, Anderson and Carrick will be given this season to cement their places in the first team. If Cleverly going on loan means more first team appearances for him this is a good thing, not ideal, but given that SAF will play two (three in Europe) of Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs, Gibson, Anderson and Carrick more often than not, a loan should work for both.
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Cleverley on loan makes sense as we play 4-4-2 most of the time and Fergie is always going to select two of Scholes, Carrick, Giggs and Fletcher, and in Europe Fergie is more likely to play Anderson or Gibson simply because they have more experience.
If Cleverley is as good as people say then he will get games when he goes on loan and then next season when Giggs and Scholes bow out and (I hope) Anderson is sold then he can give Carrick a run for his money!
As for Bebe I find it difficult to believe he has fitness problems considering he had a pre-season with Vitoria, the Portuguese club we signed him from, and was supposedly so good in the pre-season that we decided to sign him.
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@colver: I think not being up to the fitness levels required here was the issue with Bebe more than his lack of fitness. I guess pace, stamina and strength wise he still has to get up to the English league standards.
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@elvido: This is exactly this. The first thing players talk about when they join United (Valencia spoke of it when he joined, and he came from another Prem club) is the level of fitness demanded at United being higher than anywhere else. For his that was a step up, so imagine the step up from Portuguese division three to the Premiership.
Fergie has had a go at everyone talking about it. Said Bebe was never going to play in this match. Just wait until he’s ready, and then we’ve seen him play. Then let’s judge.
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Fergie never mentioned anything about Cleverley going on loan in his press conference, and so I am wondering whether in fact Tom is leaving us for the season. Anybody got any concrete proof of this – Traverse have you???
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@Traverse: Absolutely, like some one else here made the point earlier, that is also one of the reasons we score so many late goals (the fitness that is). I think they will give him a lot of time to settle in.
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@Craig Mc: I don’t think they will let him go, I haven’t read anything that suggests he is leaving.
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This thread is a breath of fresh air and escapism – you all know why, right ?
.
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FIFA 11 is pre-ordered!
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Michael Owen to play for Liverpool in Carragher’s testimonial. Fergie allows him to play for 45 mins
http://www.footytube.com/news/guardian/michael-owen-to-play-for-liverpool-in-jamie-carraghers-testimonial-366121485
Not sure how I feel about Micky Owen playing in this game. Part of me is, “Meh, it’s just a testimonial game and we have one of their legends
” and another part of me is “OMG! It is Liverpool. He better not get injured! 
”
What you think?
Any score/lineup predictions for tomorrow’s game?
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: 3-0 United.
Four changes
1.Oshea – RedNev/Rafael
2.Park – Nani
3.Fletcher – Carrick
4.Chicharito – Rooney.
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Give Gold.Rafa will turn it into Dung.
Ath.Madrid 2 – O Inter Milan.
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United to win 4-0! Berba, Nani and Giggs to score!
1.Oshea – RedNev/Rafael
2.Park – Nani
3.Scholes (Not sure he can play continuous games) – Carrick
4.Chicharito – Rooney.
Would have loved to have either Brown or Rio with Vidic after Evans’ flailing around last game!
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@elvido: Rio is out for this match.He may return against Everton.After this match,there is 15 day gap for next one.So expect Scholes to play.Fletcher was really bad.So may be Carrick comes in the side.
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@Owen:
Give Gold.Rafa will turn it into Dung. Bless his soul, i miss the absolutely asinine goatee and the Mishtah Fergushon pearls of wisdom!
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@Owen: I know Rio’s out mate, just wishing for horses!
Far as Fletcher goes, even on a off day he contributes more than Carrick has the last year! Would rather have Scholes and Fletcher play.
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Utd to win 4-0: Rooney, Berba, Nani, and Chicharito scores
—– VDS —–
Rafael-Vidic-Evans-Evra
Nani-Fletcher-Scholes-Valencia
Rooney-Berba
Subs: Chicharito, Owen, Giggs, Carrick, Park, Brown, PIG
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