Jan 11
Man Utd v Chelsea: Match Thread
The big game today; some would say the defining game for either side, but I’ll leave the building of hubris part to the folks at Sky.
But before talking about the game let me talk about yesterday.
Yesterday was beautiful. The day before yesterday was hilarious. Fat Spanish Waiters should stick to waiting on orders in Spanish restaurants. Not write/give speeches. It would be a stretch to link said fat waiter’s bile with the 0-0 draw at the Potteries yesterday, but there couldn’t have been a better sight for a Manchester United fan.
Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at Stoke was frustrating on only one count: the inability of Stoke’s big men to put one of Delap’s laser guided missiles into the net.
Anyway…
Chelsea have a decent away record this season. However, their early season euphoria seems to have been all but wiped out. Their record against the big sides has been nothing to bleat about, while serious doubts have been cast over Scolari’s tactical nous and ability to influence a game when things aren’t going right.
Their only saving grace is our own poor form this season.
We have struggled with many things this season. ‘Harsh fixture lists’, injury to some of our stars, integrating a new signing, rotating players, sometimes, without apparent regard for tactics. Travels to competitions like the Super Cup and the World Club Championship haven’t helped our fixture cramp either — which is more punishment than reward for our outstanding last season. [Someone must consider having these tournaments before the season starts. It's really odd trying to switch to a tournament that is a reflection of our previous season's achievement, when we are really busy defending our titles in the current season.]
Chelsea would likely start Drogba upfront and follow their usual strategy of playing three men in midfield to cramp our style (rather the lack of it this season). But Drogba starting today would mean we need Rio back in defence. Evans has been an excellent deputy so far, but people the size of Drogba would need defenders of Ferdinand’s ilk. In short, I am not really sure if Evans is ready for Drogba, yet. If Ferdinand is fit, Fergie will play him.
Upfront it’s likely Rooney and Berbatov will play while Evra is, according to Fergie, ‘our freshest and fittest man on the pitch.’ His return is welcome as always.
I am not going to guess how our central midfield will be so I’ll leave the discussion to you lot.
Prediction: 1-0 to United.
I’ll leave you with some quotes from Fergie, before I end this [I'm sure I don't have to elaborate on it's context]:
‘People say every season, it’s going to be three or four teams challenging for the title. But I’m of the opinion it comes down to two teams when you enter the last month. Chelsea have contested the league for the last four years and I think they have the experience to be our main rivals again. You have to think that will count for something. It’s a change for Liverpool fans and players to even be talking about winning the league. They haven’t been able to do that for 19 years, or at least a good few years. It was important for a team like Liverpool to get a good start. They needed it and it has given them a greater expectation. Experience is important, though. It’s been proven every team will drop points. Experience teaches you to not drop as many as the rest.’
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Spurs match thread
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
- Man Utd v QPR: Preview
- Derby Man Utd: Live!
- Aston Villa v Manchester United: Preview/Match thread
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Redrich: If we beat Wigan and Bolton away they will
. Wouldn’t that be nice. Fergie better not mess about making too many changes though 
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@Grognard: Your not gonna start all that Nani stuff again Grog, and get me in trouble are you
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@Fred The Red: I sincerely hope your right Fred, but knowing Fergie this season……………………..
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@Fred The Red: I couldn’t agree more with these comments re Fergie Fred
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@Craig Mc: Just can only imagine that the team selection will reflect the best possible in each game. The Derby game that follows will probably side only the fittest players left. I think now that it’s preferable to be top of The PL than be at Wembley in February.
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@Redrich: Oh dear Redrich I can’t agree mate. It would be embarrasing to miss out on Wembley going down to a team at the bottom of the first division. Laughing stock comes to mind. We need to get our winning mentality back, and that means in EVERY competition, because that breeds confidence. I also don’t agree that Fergie has always picked the best team available this season, he has made some bloomers mate. He is human not divine
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So… hands up who saw that coming? Liars.
Hands up who sank their heads into their hands and proceeded to rant to anyone in earshot once they saw Giggs and Fletcher starting in the middle? That’s more like it.
We learnt a valuable lesson today. Whatever our problems our, everyone elses are worse!
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@Craig Mc: Who aren’t you agreeing with?? Team selection, has definitely been an area of my discontent. But if you think that SAF will save his players for the Derby game, them you are dreaming mate.
However with the second leg being a home game the advantage of a cup tie will be with us and a lesser-than-best selection should suffice.
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@Craig Mc: No mate, I wouldn’t want you to be cut of from the fun stuff.
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@Grognard: You also forgot our 12th man – the OT Crowd. They also get a 10/10 for the fantastic atmosphere!
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@Grognard: you took my comments about passion and emotion all wrong, of course people should be passionate during games, you wanna check me out at times, but what Im saying is, sometimes people say things when they are pumped up that on further reflection they think differently about, especially right after a bad performance.
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@Fred The Red: I got you.
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@Fred The Red: The problem about watching it on tv some twenty thousand plus away is that you don’t always get the benefit of great sound. The crowd sounded good but I’m sure being there was a completely different experience. Funny thing was that I had a dream that I was at OT just the other night. It was weird. Manchester looked a lot more exotic than I’m sure it is.
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@Grognard: Manchester and exotic, are not two words that really go together mate, not that I can talk, Im from Belfast which is something similar.
Bedtime, sweet dreams everyone, and may The Lord keep you safe.
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Fergie on midfield combo
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@Grognard: Sorry mate, but you know very good yourself that many here, me included, see you as the “negative” guy who is here to bring us down to earth. Its not hte Doom and Gloom that I think of you as, its the realism! You have been positive sometimes, I remember because I too have had fun and have laughed over many of our conversations. When I say you are all Doom and Gloom, I dont really think so. YOu are more of a realist in my eyes, someone who can bring me down to earth if I am like high or talking about going rest of the season unbeaten.
YOu are funny, positive sometimes and intellectual. But forgive me if I look at you as someone who is realistic and someone who brings us down to earth.
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@RedDevil: you havent been on in a while have you!
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@dan(u-ol): Dan, Im RedDevilEddy!
Its just that I use this name when Im at school. FUcking school…
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after watching the match, i will hardly ever doubt fergie’s selection in a game to be played at old trafford. Giggs and Vida were Men among Boys.
hands off to rafa though for going mental and drawing with stoke! that’s right you fat spanish rat bastard, go berserk and help us win the league. 
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@RedDevil: Actually that is a very accurate and good interpretation of what I am mate. I am a realist and I honestly call things the way I see them. Yesterday I was extremely positive because there was a good reason to be. But last Wednesday at Derby was one of our lowest moments as a team and for the supporters where one could honestly question the team and it’s current direction. Amazing what can happen in a matter of four days. Right now it’s hard not to be optimistic and sound fickle as Hell. Actually, I have more negativity towards the League and the game as a whole than I do towards United. And that viewpoint comes from many years of experience watching and studying the evolution of the game.
I actually think our first half record has been fantastic considering the brutal schedule we were handed and due to the fact that the League and most of it’s teams presently play a very depressing and ultra defensive style. As poor as the offense has been, one has to be delighted with our great defensive record. Now if the offensive side of our game starts to click, then I honestly think that winning most of our games is very possible. 19 games to go and all our tough games at home. I now like our chances because we have weathered a potential disaster creating first half very well despite not scoring at our expected prolific rate. I could be wrong but I think it’s a easy path to a third straight EPL title now. I just can’t see us losing more than another game, possibly two all season. The key is not to drop points on the road and minimize the loss of points to poor clubs on the road. If we keep the hunger and motivation up like today, not only can we win the League, but we should win it comfortably.
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berba’s goal was like a basketball play, a pick and roll between berbs and vida and kaboom! goal! haha fuck off di santo you cant guard a bitch!
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@john freakin’ o’shea: Today was a very reassuring performance. Fergie got it alright. I have to say that I never found his squad selection surprising at all. In fact the starting lineup was exactly what I thought it would be. I knew Fletcher would get the start due to his past strong games against Chelsea. Chelsea posed a threat wide that I knew would cause him to start Park, Neville and Giggs. Three players I have picked on all season but players who not only offer experience in a game like this, but vital defensive skills that we would not have had with Rafael, Nani, and some others. Carrick was a surprise but selecting Giggs over him turned out to be a master coup. Lets hope that Fergie continues to get it right. This game will be a great confidence boost to the entire squad and especially the players who have struggled this season but who played fantastic today. Man it feels good to be thinking positively for a change. This season up until today has been a real drag. So lets forget about the past and look forward to a resurgent and awesome second half.
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I need to say something today about Nemanja Vidic’s performance yesterday. After having watched the game again for the second time I still marvel at how awesome Vidic was in this game. I gave him a perfect 10/10 after watching the game live. But now I watch the game for a second time and i honestly feel like giving him and 11/10 rating. He was super human out there. For all the great performances Rio has given for us over the years, I cannot recall a performance by a defender that was more awesome than this. Not a wrong move, pass, marking decision, clearance the whole night. I would call it the training guides ultimate blueprint performance on how to play the position. The only time I have seen as good or as close to as good a performance was Jaap Stam in the FA Cup 1999 Semi-Final replay vs Arsenal. He was massive that night but still did not play as well as Vidic did yesterday. And lets not forget that Vidic scored a goal and was instrumental in the third goal as well with his fantastic basketball style pick that freed Berbatov. Truly an awesome performance by what must be the best central defender in the world at the moment. And I’m not trying to be disrespectful to the great Rio. Vidic has been great, a hard player out there who takes no nonsense and who shows equally as strong leadership as Neville or Rio. Dare I say that he too is great and very inspirational captain material. I say Fergie needs to extend his contract so that he plays out his career at OT.
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@Grognard: i hope this performance will open the floodgates. time to bang goals and get the W’s
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yesterday someone used the whole packet of condom in 90 mins, we did them good..oooh gosh
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@john freakin’ o’shea: I sure hope so but unfortunately we won’t come up against enough teams like Chelsea who try to attack and don’t park the bus. Where we struggle is against teams that shut of all our attack lanes by playing ten men behind the ball. If we could figure out a way to beat that, we would be virtually unstoppable.
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Gotta be a huge confidence boost for everyone at the club. Has also brought us a lot closer to Chelsea’s goal difference which has been a REAL cause for alarm given our normal stats in that regard.
Grog, I’m totally with you mate. Your posts are as objective as a fan can make them. They have raised issues based on team selection, the difficulty in scoring and the defensive nature of so many of the tactics employed in the EPL this season. To be fair to you also, you have stuck by Fergie, calling him the ‘glue’, when I for one recently raised questions about his continued suitability based on what we’ve seen this season.
Like me, you’ve asked that Berbatov be given the time his genius deserves ( have you noticed how much joy he is showing when we score of late?)
You also pepper your posts with parallels from other contact ball sports as well as football across the continent. Above all,your love of our club shines through. You also take time to respond personally to comments, whether they agree with you or not and beg to differ on occasion.
I apologise for not being nearly as prolific as yourself but enjoy thinking about what you write. It was no surprise to see you write favourable comments because the team played well and beating Chelsea so soundly was wonderful. I can understand you being somewhat dismayed when thinking you’d been ignored because we post, I think, to stimulate discussion.
One thing I love about this blog is that people of differing ages offer a lot of insight and after a period of time it does feel like being part of a family. There can be heated discussion but it’s the blood tie that holds us together.
We have not had an easy first half of the season and that followed a shit summer with all the crap surrounding Ronnie. That allowed other supporters to take the piss and did take the gloss off our great triumphs of last season. Then the city refused us our open top victory parade to pile shit on top of the dung heap. Play has been spasmodic and very rarely have we sparkled. Let’s hope we can kick on with fans and players alike walking around with big smiles on their faces.
But also let’s remember – these rants keep my cat safe.
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Superb result and performance all round, but the real key is keep this level of play up, we cannot afford to drop points to Wigan or Bolton. The ascendancy is now with us, but we use this to kick on.
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you gotta love this
http://i43.tinypic.com/20b1j5i.gif
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Guys, Ive checked some stats. Yesterdays game broke many Chelski records from the past.
Number 1: That was the first time Chelski lost a game by 3 or more goals since April 2002, when its was United who beat them 3-0 on their pitch.
Number 2: Chelski had not lost an away match in the Premier League since December 2007, when they lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates.
Number 3: First time Cech(up) conceded 3 goals for Chelski in his whole career there.
And some facts for us United fans:
Berbatov has scored all his goals with his first touch, with his right foot, and all inside the 18 yard box.
Wayne Rooney is the first player for us to reach 11 goals this season. He is our top scorer now.
Nemanja Vidic is only 1 goal away from becoming the first United defender to score more than 5 goals in a season since Steve Bruce in 1994. Blanc, Oshea and Johnson have all managed 5 goals in one season before.
Cristiano Ronaldo has now flewn high up in the our assists charts, his free kick to Berbatov was his 10th assist this season.
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@the three Rs:
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@the three Rs: Awwww your poor cat
, stay away from it three R’s, or should I be telling the cat to stay out of your way on match days 
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Berba seems to be showing a bit of fervent passion when he scores I agree, oddly for the Berb as he is a real languid type personality. I was noticing yesterday though, that I think one important thing he lacks, he NEVER really mixes it does he, and gets STUCK IN where it hurts. He needs to start dishing it out a bit when going for 50-50 balls or loose balls etc. To show opponents he wants it more than them. Otherwise GO Berba. Tell me if you think I’m wrong on this point, as I am sure some of you will. I just think if he mixed it with those who want to easily dispossess him or beat him easily to the football, then he would be so much more a magic player. Come on Berba, let the Lion in you OUT.
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dont talk about berba stick with nani
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@Grognard: I was just going to say Grog after reading your post “how long is Vid’s contract.” I bet the Real Madrid’s of this world will be coming in offering all sorts of incentives for Vidic and Evra. Suppose it depends how much they love United really, and want to play for us. I was reading a newspaper article given by Tosic our new serbian player. He was saying that he is determined to be a LEGEND for United, and it was his dream to be with us. So it does seem like the Eastern Europeans are made of harder stuff, and not put off by the cold as some of our whining Latino’s
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Other thing is Grog, the basketball blocking in the area by Vidic as you call it, came after Vidic spoke with Berba in their mother tongue, so Chelsea players had no idea what they were up too. I do believe that kind of blocking defenders is illegal, but quite a few defenders do it.
What United need to do to beat the ‘parking of the bus’ defences, is move the ball more quickly, and WORK on their FINAL ball. Boro parked the bus really, but we had 26 chances against them, and didn’t take one Fergie said. So we need to sharpen up in the box etc.
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@Craig Mc: Vida is top draw matey, also was really impressed with Jonny Evans, he was superb, is Drogba still in his pocket?
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@Redrich:
I wasn’t agreeing with what you said about Fergie not putting out a strong team against Derby, because of his PL desires having priority. I think Fergie will not want to lose this semi, even if he was playing for an egg cup, because by nature he is a winner, and wants to win EVERY competition United enter. In it to win it, even if it is just a game of golf, is Fergie’s nature mate 
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@Stephen: Hell I hope not Stephen, because his pocket would get INFECTED
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@Craig Mc: I agree, he will put out a strong side, he has never lost a semi final has he?
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@Craig Mc: Whoa, where did you get that info about Vidic and Berba conversing in their mother tongue? Is interesting no doubt…but did the players confirm it or is the usual media waves? Reminds me of cricket though..you always have this sorta thing happening between the keeper, bowler and the close-in fielders speaking among themselves.
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@ROOOOONEY: I have always routed for Berba since he came to OT, something that latecomers like yourself only get into on the aftermath band wagon. Grog and I were supporting and shouting Berba’s praises and talent a long time before you decided to join his club. By the way, the Berba club comprises only of the elite members of this blog, of whom I believe your not one – sorry.
And Roooooney, you do seem to mention Nani a real lot, as I see you want to get my attention. You do love to talk to me don’t you
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Going by Fergie’s usual tactics, we’ll see Nani, Andy and Tevez start on Wednesday no doubt. They will start again next Wednesday and will be rested for Bolton on Saturday. I’m worried about resting Ronaldo and Vidic for a bit though…Vidic especially deserves a game off with the monster effort he’s been giving every game.
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@antsBoy: Too risky we need to win the next two, and Vida is vital to that, Heskey and Zaki will be a handful.
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I wouldn’t mind seeing Tosic on wed night though!
Toxicity time!!!
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@antsBoy: Antsboy mi man, you didn’t know I was an expert in ESP, I can read minds even from afar
. Just jesting mate. I heard that the team United, get into their little groups for conflabs in their mother tongues. Ronnie gave the game away a bit in his interview on MUTV. He said they all like each other, but besides the banter between all the players in training etc, the different groups of players also get together to enjoy their mother tongue. Natural isn’t it?.
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@Craig Mc: So was I!!
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@antsBoy: I think Wes Brown is almost ready for returning, so that should give Vidic a break. In some games Vid doesn’t need to expend so much energy as he does in the high octane games like yesterday, so he should be okay. My fear is if he ever got injured – God forbid. By the way, any news on Evra’s injury yesterday?.
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@Stephen: Stephen mi man, I know you have always been a fully paid up member of the Berba elite club. Fret not my friend
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By the way, are you trying to start a scrap?. Are you intimating that we will not beat Wigan if Nani, Andie plays. I know where you live
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@Craig Mc: Ha ha probably down the road from you!!
Carrick will start on Wednesday for sure, and maybe Carlos, Andy and Nani seem to be really out of favour at the moment, but still thinking about yesterday Viva John Terry!!
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i didnt dislike berbatov ever , i even ordered his shirt as soon as he signed only two shirts i have are rooney and berbatov! I WILL ORDER NANI SOMEDAY
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@ROOOOONEY: Christ, who took the jam out of your doughnut?
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