Nov 03
Manchester United v CSKA Moscow: Preview
Darren Fletcher is expected to return to a side beset with absentees — to injuries and personal reasons. The manager took time out to shower yet more praise on Fletcher.
“Most people now recognise Darren Fletcher as a big-game player,” said Ferguson. “We have been aware of that for quite a while. Now he is getting an acceptance that he is a very important player for us.
“Our fans see that he is a key player in major games. That has been very important to the lad because it gives him a confidence. He has been missed in some key games recently and yes, it is great to have the boy back.”
He also intends, like all managers, to ensure we qualify to the next stage top of the table. [Video here]
He was doubtful about Rio Ferdinand even making it for Chelsea but defended him. I expressed a bit of concern for Ferdinand; his lack of pace in the City game — as well as against Torres — was worrying. But I also had a nagging feeling that he wasn’t playing at 100%. I think if it’s one week, two weeks or one month, it’s better if Ferguson sits him down and lets him take a break. It will do us better in the long term that way.
Meanwhile Michael Owen believes the Champions League could be the stage that would propel him on to England team reckoning.
“I can influence my chances by playing well and performing in the Champions League has to help. But I don’t go to bed thinking if I will play for England again. I think about playing well for Manchester United. The rest will take care of itself.”
As far as our starting XI goes, Rooney would be out. I saw Berbatov limp out of the Blackburn match, and he would be doubtful, with Park and Giggs definitely out. Owen would be upfront alongside perhaps, Welbeck. Valencia and Nani would be on the wings then with Fletcher certain to return in midfield alongside either Anderson or Carrick. Brown and Evans should be in central defence, Evra on the left, and there is a distinct possibility that Ferguson will plump for Neville at right back.
Prediction: 2-0 to United.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Manchester United drawn with Besiktas, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg
- CSKA Moscow vs Manchester United: Preview
- Liverpool vs Manchester United: Preview
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Sir Alex’s men for the third consecutive CL final?
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (542)
Stephen (493)
RedDevilEddy (462)
Craig Mc (349)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Grognard: vida should be able to unsettle him early and bring back the old whiny bitch dragqueen that we all know and laugh at. this will be a key match up. Vida should anticipate the diving.
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RedRanter- I don’t see how a defensive approach at the Bridge can be viewed as common sense. We need to blaze guns because whether dogs moonwalk as pigs are singing and flying to “Thriller”, we are going to concede there. It’s plain obvious. Knowing that we will concede we might as well do it the Madrid way. Score more than the opponents. Aim for at least two goals in the 1st half and we’ll score one. That’s not so bad. Obviously we should not be reckless but we should be daring. If we even think of playing for a draw we’re going to be destroyed and we would have revealed to all and sundry that we are the 3rd best team in the League and it will all be over. Drogba is in too good a run not to score at least two, but I see Berbatov getting us at least one and being involved in another. We won’t win but we should play for the win and we’ll get a draw. Aim for stars and fall on the Himalayas. Aim for Himalayas and you’ll find yourself in a deep Mongolian ditch
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@Red Ranter: Actually I am advocating an elitist league that falls away from the rest of the teams below them and doesn’t suffer their fate. When you create an elitist league system like the NFL or the NBA or MLB you close off other leagues below them from participating. It’s still capitalist within the frameworks of it’s own borders. Or call it upper echelon economics and capitalism where only the big boys are allowed to play. A high stakes poker game is very capitalist in nature yet not everyone is allowed to play. Only those whop have serious money are allowed. Nevertheless, it is still capitalist in theory. Luxury tax is just an idea of mine to bring in a little socialism in order to help jump start the lower positioned teams into improving. You have to give and take to make things work.
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@Redrich: It’s no different than the proposed European Super League. Big teams with big money wanting, hell nor, demanding that they play better teams with more potential for big profits. If United, Barca, Madrid and other big teams finally say enough, and go ahead with this league, there is very little the FA or anybody who doesn’t agree can do about it. So who cares about the loud voices who bitch and complain. At the end money talks and that’s all that these teams care about. Tradition and taking care of the rights of minnows in small communities is not Manchester United’s, Chelsea’s, Man City’s or Arsenal’s problem. At the end of the day, if big teams want to create an elitist exclusive league, they will, whether the FA likes it or not. Money controls everything mate, not sentiment and tradition.
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Looks like Hargo is out again
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@Red Ranter: I think the MLS is faces with a chicken-or-the-egg dilemma. Do they raise their cap now and jeopardize the financial stability of the whole league or do they wait until the game itself takes a bigger foothold in NA and thus providing the additional capital to attract better players.
It’s a tough call and one that they themselves are still sitting on the fence over!!
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Eminem is wild!!!
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Thats hardly a setback. It was 3 days. This is nothing serious.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Stop scaring people mate. I already reported on the setback which was very minor. He’s fine and on schedule in his comeback plans.
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@Footy4Eddy: He is the real Slim Shady.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Not holding my breath for his return. The headline “Hargreaves makes successful comeback” would bring about the same elation as “Essien unhappy at Chelsea, United move imminent” though… how we miss him.
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@Anders: Its bullshit mate.
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“We had to change our ideas about pre-season training because we always had this vision that it was more important to make sure the bandwagon was rolling in the second half of the season”, said Fergie
Can someone explain what that means and how he changed whatever he changed and how pre-season has an effect on what we do in May? I am very curious. Grognard or Traverse or anyone else?
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@Dan: Wasn’t really referring specifically to this latest setback news, although it’s hardly reassuring. I haven’t considered him a part of our future for a while, and if he could truly get back to full longterm fitness and at the same level he was before the injury, it would be like a brand new top-shelf signing.
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@Grognard: Now it is OK for YOU to say I am scaring people??
“hopefully we can get him back into training within the next 10 days or so” is not good news, but hardly am I scaring people. I am just informing them.
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News: Man Shitty < < Burnley
0-2
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Unless you wanna fuck me, why do you care what I look like?!
…
Very excited about tomorrow.
BTW, RR, would be good with a new thread as this one is getting very slow for me… 
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Piuuqqs10
This chick makes Materazzi seem fair!
A must watch for all people liking football, my God we do not want thses types of people in the game! 
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@Footy4Eddy: I saw that a few days ago
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@Dan: Its fucked up, women shouldnt be like that! Football shouldnt be like that!!!
Another reason to be against female football…
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@Footy4Eddy: those girls she was beating up are hot why are we not watching more mormon girl footy.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Sorry mate, I never meant it in a malicious manner. I just meant it like you were spooking people over Hargo well after the fact that I and others already reported that his setback was really nothing. I mean a three day setback isn’t exactly worth reporting now is it?
Sorry if I upset you with that comment as when I said in my head I was smiling and meaning it in a joking manner but it never came across like that to you. My apologies.
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@Aditya: I think what he means is that they take training much more seriously now before the season starts due to some very slow starts for the club over the past several seasons. More effort in games and stricter discipline and effort in training trying to get match fit sooner. Still, I’m not sure what he means either because their pre season training has become nothing more than a long jaunt to Asia to promote and sell the brand and nothing more. The games are not very competitive and players are picking up silly injuries and viruses along the way.
I have always been a believer in a shorter but more intense training period where you practice games are a lot closer to home. My theory is simple. Why fatigue the players and burn them out with long travel, foreign food and accommodations, steamy hot weather and a great possibility to pick up all kinds of viruses or forms of food poisoning all in the name of selling the brand name? It means millions for the Glazer’s but as we seen now, it means nothing for the team or for money made to make the team better. Just the marketers way of making what will be an already very long season, that much longer and grueling.
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Well for all those who disagree with me about the fact that United’s major problem is their midfield, I feel encouraged that one of the truly great managers out there, one mR Ancelotti seems to agree with me and that his studying of the Liverpool game seems to make him very confident that the way to be us is to put pressure on our midfield. DUH! No shit Sherlock. Man I am so sure Chelsea is going to hand us a major ass kicking tomorrow. There is no way in Hell we can match their midfield. I almost don’t feel like watching.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2718689/Fergie-is-soft-at-heart.html
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I think we can match them tomorrow . Valencia, Fletcher, Anderson and Giggs in the middle with Rooney and Berbatov..
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@[OPTI]Madschester United:
If Hargreaves ever comes back to play one ENTIRE season for us, I will be pleasantly surprised. By saying this I am not trying to scare anyone or incite fear/panic; it is my personal opinion based on what I have witnessed.
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@Grognard: I dont think anyone disagrees with you on the midfield issue. Infact everyone feels exactly the same.
I think we can get a decent result at chelsea tommorrow now that fletch is available but only if carrick and scholes AREN’T on the pitch together. We energy and hussle. And lots of it. But at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised if Fergie chose a pedestrian midfield. Hopefully our lesson at Anfield will be remembered.
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Right, new post up – finally! Preview will be up later in the day.
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@jpg: Fletch needs surgery and is not 100% And sorry to disagree with you mate but plenty on this blog seem to think that our midfield is fine and that the problem is Berbatov or our forwards in general. Watch the Ballack steamroller from Chelsea totally lay them to waste tomorrow as Lampard scores again and the midfield feeds a couple for Drogba to net as well. Energy we have in the midfield. What we don’t have is a lot of talent there as well, our manager continues to play chicken shit with the two central midfielders playing them so far back as to be useless in attack.
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@Grognard: It’s not just the MF, mate, and not just the forwards, it is sadly both!!
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