Feb 10
Man Utd v Man City: Preview
After weeks of speculation about City fans and the Munich tribute — and the minute’s silence versus the minute’s applause (mooted from some quarters) — we get to the day where we would have to realise that there is a game to be played as well. And, of course, precious three points to be picked.
On that poignant note, we shall preview today’s game.
There is an interesting interview on the Guardian where Ronaldo talks about keeping the shirt. It’s interesting to see him talk about the other shirts that he’s saved after a game. I wouldn’t spoil it for you so go read it to find out. He also talks about the Busby era and comparisons with the current lot. A nice read.
Carlos Tevez meanwhile talks about wanting revenge against City, after feeling ‘hurt’ following the defeat at the start of the season. One of lasting images of that game for us was Tevez’s glancing header that somehow contrived to miss the net. So our Apache has pretty much all reason to want to set things right this time.
He will have a little more responsibility than he has had in recent weeks as Wayne Rooney is suspended today. There have been murmurs that Danny Welbeck might be handed a shock debut. I wouldn’t bet too much on him starting though, although he might be sent on as a sub to give something different to the proceedings. There is a good chance that Ronaldo might be preferred upfront along with Tevez to share the striking burden.
So the starting XI would be more conjecture on my part than it has been so far this season. I honestly feel Scholes and Anderson must start. Scholes, because of the experience and the fact that it’s a derby game, and Anderson, because he’s deserved every bit of it from his performances so far.
Patrice Evra also finds himself out of the side tomorrow due to suspension. John O’Shea would be an able deputy although he wouldn’t have to face the pace of Martin Petrov, who could be a real menace on the left wing — something Brown would have to contend with.
Elano’s injury also means we will see the flying Bulgarian launch their attacks, so our right hand flank would have to be well policed.
Being a derby game our recent form does not count for much, although with the emotions of Munich in the backdrop, one would imagine our players to be extra motivated to go out and roll the bitters over. To be honest, they have been playing a bit crap over the past few weeks.
And before I end this, here’s the kit our players will be wearing for the game. A pity the captain is not playing today.
Prediction: 2-0 to United.
Also see: Manchester United v Manchester City preview.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
- Rooney Out For A Month
- Man Utd v Spurs match thread
- Porto it is then…
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
dont forget the black boots!, is the shirt on sale at the club megastore.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3127341,00.html
seems fergie is a bit tiked off with the fixture.
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I think it will be a 3-0 or a 4-0 win to United. Not only because we have better players and a much better manager, but because of the rememberance of the Busby Babes. Anderson, Ronaldo, Tevez and maybe Scholes to score. Ronaldo will score a cracking free kick, Anderson will finally score from one of his long runs from his own half, and Tevez willbut a wonderfully one-touch move in the goal with a back heel. And Scholes will score with a deflected long range shot. I know it sounds unlikely, but today is a game that everything great should go Uniteds way. Lets honor the Busby Babes!
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Every game that United have won against City since the turn of the millenium have ended in a 3-1 win to United. That is only at Old Trafford though. Still, I think todays game will end in a comprahensive win to United. 3-0, with Brown, Ronaldo and Tevez to score.
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[Dan]
I really hope they don’t sell it at the Megastore. You really don’t want the club to profit from the memory of the babes, do you? Although, I wouldn’t mind it if they sell the shirts at the store and use the proceeds to some charity.
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The busby babes shirt is being sold at no profit///
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WOW, we are such a great club. todat will be a memorable day.
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how about hargreaves in holding role and scholes anderson attacking with tevez a lone striker! That could work
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Team News:
VDS
Brown
Rio
Vidic
O’Shea
Ronaldo
Scholes
Anderson
Nani
Giggs
Tevez
Subs: Kuszczak, Pique, Hargreaves, Carrick, Park
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fuck.giggs again.where the fuck is welbeck?jb
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I think that is our strongest side(Except for Rooney and Evra). But I think Ronaldo will play as a striker, not Giggs. Or maybe Giggs in center midfield and Anderson striker with Tevez. Lets hammer èm!
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thats a shame, no welbeck. seems fergie had to eat his words. he dont like playing ronny upfront, saying welbeck will play.
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Not happy about Giggs playing as a striker, but at least Nani gets to play.
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wasnt the numbers ment to be different
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Numbers are 1 through 11 for the starting line up. Scholes and Giggs are 10 and 11 respectively, O’Shea 3, Nani 6, Ronaldo 7, can’t remember the rest. It’s actually Simpson instead of Pique on the bench.
It might be Ronaldo rather than Giggs up top, we’ll find out shortly.
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why give nani 6? should that not be vidic.
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honestly man. Whats he playin at lyin to evry1? At least put the boy on the bench?
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Dan why does Fergie have to eat his words? I said this already, Ronaldo will play as a striker when needs must, but I think he’ll be playing right with Nani on the left and Giggs trying to drift about finding space, dissapointed not to see Welbeck at all since I definitely feel Tevez will struggle up front on his own.
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The defenders are numbers 2 through to 5. I think Vidic was 4.
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conor no point arguing, he already has eaten his words.
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still early doors but it aint lookin great. shit balance in the team. Cannot understand why scholes and andy are playin so fukin deep??!!
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giggs has to prove himself…he aint even close to doing that still in this game…
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my god giggs is terrible. terrible
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Fuckin disaster this is
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what now?? city on the defensive….our defense sux today…SAF to the rescue..pls do something!!!!!
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speechless, WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY DOING!
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we uld pull off an everton but i cant see it happening, i mean this is are best team, whats happening.
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Credit to city, they deserve at least to be level, though 2-0 flatters them. We’ve looked poor upfront, despie Tevez showing his skill. Ronaldo and Giggs have been awful, Brown and O’Shea don’t have the pace to deal with City’s counterattacking style, they’re consistently being caught out on the break. We’ve looked shaky on each attack from the blues, whether that’s because neither anderson nor scholes is protecting I’m not sure.
We need a goal fast…
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…
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BROWN. OSHEA, GIGGS need dropped pronto. so lethargic n clumsy- its so frustratin. This is gettin a bit worryin.
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Lets wait for a 2001 spurs lads! Im an optimist, and I cant see why we cant win this game…Okey, were down with two goals, but this is United…WE NEVER DIE!
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fergie,if u want to accomodate giggs,it should be in saudi arabia.2-o now.is there any rabbit in the hat left?nani is a left winger,he has to play on the right for giggs to play.welbeck would have meant ronnie right,nani left.playing ronnie as a striker yakes away half the teams attacking power.say bye to the title now.so much for giggs matching sir bobbys record.
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Donibrasco wat are you on about ‘say bye to the title’ football is a game of two halves… You just watch. I still believe in the players SAF is gonna give them an amazing team talk and they are going to come out raring to go.
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tevez must be gettin sick of the sight of richards already. why the fuck is giggs hittin r corners?!!?///
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Enough with the long shots already! Our control is crap we are giving the ball away all the time, overhitting every pass, and how the hell is Park going to help?
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scholes has to come off too man. hes so innefective. no energy
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Donibrasco, no need to be so negative man. Every team goes through hard times, the fans just need to stay behind the team and its players.
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gets back to early days of the season. a team that can score no more than a goal in a match….how the hell did they get so bad..importance of evra & rooney on the pitch realised…the game is a dead one, nothing in it….
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thats are premier league season over
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We’ll keep the red flag flying high.
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you guys have to remember that even with a defeat against city and asuming arsenal beat blackburnwe are only 5 behind with 12 games to go. 36 possible points.
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we shuld be thankful that we can finish up second this week.
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the only way we can win the league if us and chelsea win every single game from now i.e we beat arse.
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Carrick! Some hope.
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fuck this!
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Couldn’t even watch till the end. First match I have shited on… Don’t know how a good sunday afternoon went all wrong? We need some attacking and defensive cover. The flanks and striker force were exposed today…
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Decent goal by Carrick but we were never threatening.
Without Evra and Neville, and with Ronaldo playing further forward, we lacked a threat on the wings and obviously crosses were wasted with Richards towering over Tevez. Tevez got shut out by Richards and we needed another striker for the game. Anderson wasn’t on his game and did not provide the attacking threat we needed. I hate to say it but Carrick should have been introduced earlier.
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ferdinand, giggs possibly vds all need to be dropped. are strongest formation today would have been a 4-3-3 ronny and nani forward with tevez, hargreaves carrick and anderson at mid. ferdinand is a lucky tosser, if he wasnt a CB he would be dropped.
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Calm down, football’s not a simple game at all. We knew that City had a water tight defense, particularly against us as was seen last year. So we should have set up to not concede and build up pressure. Instead we gave balls away, we were sloppy and we always looked like we’d have trouble creating something against one of hte best centre back combos in the premiership.
Personally I think today was example of Ferguson’s lack of tactical nous. No doubts he has the right mentality for United purists, but today he needed to recognize that Tevez alone up top would never work against City’s 2 CB and 2 DMF, and that we had to put someone else up there just to move arond the defense. Instead everyime a ball was near the edge of hte City box, there were the 2 city midfielders, and not a single red shirt.
As has been the story this year, Giggs was utter crap. Ronaldo may have been even worse, but I can understand leaving him on. Scholes is fine if he doesn’t have to leave the centre circle these days, but he and Anderson were to similar. It was a tactical failing that anyone could see, but Ferguson didn’t change til the 75th. I don’t understand that.
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Oh good. Here’s a disaster to remember that other one by. Let the United bashing begin…
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i just feel like swearing non-stop right now.
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