Apr 28
Manchester United vs Arsenal – UEFA Champions League semi-final Live Blog!
United take on Arsenal in the crucial Champions League semi-final first leg tomorrow and RedRants’ Stephen Darwin will be here to bring you all the action as we present our brand new Live Blog feature.
Tune in here tomorrow evening from around 19:15 (BST) to follow all the action and hopefully celebrate a United victory!
Make sure you keep the comments coming during the game and Stephen will be sure to respond to as many as possible without distracting his attention from the action too much! I mean we don’t want to be missing another Ronaldo stunner do we!
Comments on this post are off. This is just a place holder so you know where to come for the actual live blog. So continue to use the older thread (and the preview thread when it comes up later in the day) for your pre-match analysis.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Arsenal v Manchester United Live – Champions League Semi Final
- Live Match Blog: Manchester United vs. Valencia
- Manchester United’s tough, tough April fixtures list
- Manchester United v Arsenal: Live Blog
- Man Utd Blog 2007/2008 Home Kit
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Dan: Im not talking about reputation, I just feel that if you consider the season until February Evra was one of our best players. Oshea hasnt been better than Evra overall this season, one goal doesnt make up for it for me. I like Oshea, but there is no way he has been better than Evra! You might point out that Evra has been skinned by Lennon and others this season, but Oshea became dead and buried against Valencia, Riera and Bentley this season.
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@RedDevilEddy: Evra has been poor for 70% of the season, o’shea for me, hasnt been poor all season.
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@Dan: I agree with Dan on this one. O’Shea has been a savior for us many times this year and he deserves to be on the LB spot over the far poorer Evra. Evra has had a poor season and he cannot be put out there on the basis of past performances and past years. Berbatov is a tough one but there really isn’t anyone else but him.
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@RedDevilEddy: Damn straight. O’Shea deserves a lot of respect and some love from many who have ignored his contribution this season. He has had to be Evra, Rio, Vidic and Wes Brown and hasn’t embarrassed himself at all. He also has a knack for scoring some very big and timely goals. Three cheers for the Irishman!
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@Grognard: i think you meant me
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@Grognard: I think you meant Dan, but I get what you are saying.
I dont have anything against Oshea, its just that I dont think he has performed as well as Evra over the cource of the season. But when you mention it, he and Vida were the defenders that played the most games during our clean-sheet streak. So yeah, he may get a place. I was in doubt wether I would choose Evra or Oshea, but my heart said Evra. 
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@RedDevilEddy: No, evras reputation chose evra, not your heart, if you look deep enough, you’ll see evra has been poor, i guarantee it!
evra hasnt performed, period. In the 2 appearances fabio made, he played a lot, lot better then evra all season.
He got forward when he should get forward, and back when he should be back, he can cross the ball (unlike evra) and done something that a lot more “experienced” players couldnt all season, be able to fart on fellaini in his back pocket!
O’sheas positional sense, and abilty to put a clean tackle in is what makes him my choice ahead of fabio and evra. O’shea is a solid RB, better then brown in my honest opinion, but i fear he will always be that bit part player in the squad.
If he was playing week in week out from an earlier age, i reckon he would have been as good as neville at RB and as good as toure in the centre.
Woops, ive been rambling away. night!
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@Dan: We didn’t loose one of the 9 league games Rio missed.
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@Dan: Evra was pretty decent against Arsenal, I feel his bad run of form may go away as he gains more confidence
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@Traverse: 9 out of 9, scored 16 let in 3 without Rio as far as I know. Far from shabby.
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@Grognard: fair call, points to ya mate
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out of place around here but is anyone watching the Bulls and Celtics series? Great games, hope the Bulls can hang on tonight to bring it to game 7.
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@Dan: Evra, with Rooneys help, had a better game. He tried, much harder to attack his man and seemed conscious of his responsibilities. An improvement than of late, and a good sign!! Of course, well see sooner or later how it all pans out, but he’s now going down the right road at last, I think!!
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The big problem with Evra is that he’s now being targeted by the opposition.
Without a clean bill of health (or form) it really has becomes a “dog-eat-dog” situation.
If you were to face this team, you would try to find it’s weakest link, and, Evra, with his current form, is the one they’re all going after. It’s not an ideal situation for someone in his position and it certainly is not helping him regain his form, and I would imagine that his standing within the team is, to a certain point, being protected!
Patrice is a popular member of our very best team, and will be given every chance to recover his “touch”. I do hope that the loyalty shown by his com padres will elevate his performances to the level that we all expect!!
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@Grognard: I agree, JOS has become the very rock of utility men. I don’t mean that with any disrespect at all to him. Being utilitarian, really is his mark on this club, and without that kind of versatility we’d be stumped to fill in for the absences to our key players!
But wait a minute now, isn’t he just about becoming one of those? A key to our team success! Because of his adaptability he has edged a vital role that, for this season especially, has been as important as that of any of his teammates.
O’Shea is carving out a legacy for himself, and for his team this season. A man that just makes his contribution and then lets his presence be known for that.
I cannot think of another player that, has so selflessly served our cause. Player of the Year? No. Man of the Year, Possibly!!
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@Redrich: Championships are won buy the power and ability of your bench. O’Shea is the model of a true professional and a player who is a cut above the average rabble that sit on the bench and do similar work for other teams. If you took a poll amongst the United players and coaches, I’m sure to a man they would vote him as a team MVP for the role he so capably handles.
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@Liam: that’d be awesome if the bulls pulled pass the celts, Derrick Rose is definately looking a future star for the bulls.
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Macheda to start against boro?
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5261779,00.html
Tevez set to leave?http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5262131,00.html
I’m starting to get annoyed by his “I’m-the-victim-for-not-playing-,I-have-the fans-on-my-side,-so there!” stance.
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@NicoQB: Berba needs to start in my view, our record against Borough is simply poor.
We need three points and gambling with the side could well be title sucicide.
With Carlos love him to bits, but think we either have to negotaite the transfer or pend £32m more wisely.
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@Stephen: To be honest Macheda delivered against Everton even though he did not score. He played better than Tevez or Berbatov that day. He’l certainly be involved. Boro being in the thick of relegation battle will be a harder team to beat than another team having nothing to play for – at least that’s usually the case.
For carlos’s contract we only have to spend about 22 million, but even that’s expensive in my opinion. His attitude on the pitch is admirable but for his lack of tangible contribution, but I’m questioning the fact that recently he’s been shouting out loud his dissatisfaction for not playing -some of our past strikers, even when they were dissatisfied with lack of playing time, did not go about crowing about their situation for all to hear. It seems that he’s adamant that he’s in the right having been comforted in his opinions by the affection he receives from most united fans.
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@NicoQB: He seems to be putting himsself well and truly on the market for other clubs, we need unity throughout the squad and not shake heads when taken off, an all round purchase of £32m is simply not good value, his effort is great but I like strkers who can score and certianly we that sort of money.
Macheda is a superb talent but I feel we need to pick our best side now until the end of the season, we cannot afford to drop points and as I have said our record against Borough isn’t great.
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Team of the season? The first ten names virtually pick themselves: EVDS, Rafael, Rio, Vidic, O’Shea, Giggs, Fletcher, Carrick, Rooney, Ronaldo
But for the eleventh position in my view it is a tie between Park and Berbatov. Park had a huge part to play in helping us keep all those clean sheets during a time when our strikers (including Berbatov) could barely muster a goal a game. But then again going forward Park has been ineffective providing neither goals or assists.
Really Berbatov should have walked it into the eleventh position on my team. But given his quality his season has been disappointing. There have been no goals against the top teams, and most of his goals have been goals against weaker opposition or goals when the game was already wrapped up. The assists he provided at the start of the season have dried up. And on occasion he has showed lack of commitment and while his link-up play and ball retention has been useful for us on occasion, he also slows us down. First half against Arsenal was the sort of high-tempo vintage United stuff we were playing last season. Any coincidence Berbatov was off the pitch? I think not.
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@colver: “There have been no goals against the top teams”
He scored against Chelsea, plus nemerous winners.
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@colver: Second half against Spurs was “the sort of high-tempo vintage United stuff we were playing last season.” Berbatov was on the pitch.
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You can see Fergies thinking a mile off. It’ll cost us another £22mil ontop of the £10mil we’ve already spent. If Lyon don’t qualify for the Champions League, Benzema will leave, and £22mil would do it. If Lyon qualify for the Champs League, then Tevez may have a chance….
I think this summer could be our biggest for a long time. Tevez and Nani could be out, the Ronaldo out rumours will continue.
It looks likely that we will get Valencia from Wigan for £5mil and Fraizer Campbell.
Ribery and Benzema are both players Fergie would love to have (and should have signed up cheaper, sooner), and with both their teams looking like missing out on Champions League football, the players will be itchy, and the clubs will have a gap in their accounts.
If Ronaldo goes, we have £85mil to play with. We’ll need a superstar to replace him (if not positionally, then for shirt sales…..) And Kaka would be a brilliant get (could also miss out on champs league). I know I’m playing fantasy football a bit, but this is the team if Ronaldo goes, and we buy our targets. Even if Ronaldo doesn’t go, his name for Kaka would still look awesome.
VDS
Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Hargreaves Carrick
Kaka Rooney Ribery
Benzema
Foster, Raphael, Fabio, Anderson, Scholes, Valencia, Berbatov
I’d love that team. That team’d pass Arsenal to death, and still have enough physical ability to compete with the Chelsea’s and Bolton’s of this world. Ribery has a workrate similar to Tevez, and Benzema is no push over or slouch. Plus he is a striker with a genuine ariel threat.
Ah a man can dream….
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Fergie has confirmed Rio HAS NOT cracked a rib, and should be available for the Emirates. Just bruising. Thank fuck for that.
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@Traverse: I think its likely that we get Benzema. Lyon arent even the top team in France currently, and Benzema isnt even top scorer!!!
And I tell you, I have watched many Lon games this season. Its not because he has been bad, oh no! Its because except for Juninho and Benzema Lyon are practiacally worse than Derby going forward this season! And if Marseille hadnt been so shite themselves, they would have walked away with the title! I tell you, had it not been for Benzema Lyon may not even have been in the spot to qualify for the European League(as the UEFA cup is gonna be called next season). To spend more than £30 million on a striker which isnt top scorer in the country, isnt playing for the winning team in France, hasnt reached his peak yet, and for a team that is so far away from winning the Champions League that Villa would look like Champions of the world if they met them, its li¨kely that if we go for Benzema he wont cost more than £25 million.
Some people may point at Torres, because he didnt play for Barca or Real, wasnt top scorer and hadnt been playing for a team qualifying for the Champions League. But he was playing in Spain, he was first choice striker for his country, he had reached his peak. And Spain is a better fotballing country than France, we all know that. I bet that if Fergie goes for Benzema, we will get him. He will only cost £23 million, not £30 or £40 million as predicted. So I see no reason why not going after him…
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Tevez is leaving…
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Stephen, the game was wrapped up against Chelsea when Berbatov scored.
ErictheRed, yes Berbatov was playing second half but it was the Tevez substitution that really moved us into top gear. Obviously it is not feasible to play Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov and Ronaldo….but when we play Ronaldo, Rooney and Berbatov the play hasn’t been as sparkling as last season.
I hear Ribery will leave Bayern if they don’t qualify for the Champions League. Although Barcelona must be favourites to snap him up, if we make the highest bid it may weight things in our favour.
I like the idea of signing Benzema. But firstly would he join when he’s made it quite clear he likes Spain. And secondly there is no way he’d play second fiddle to Berbatov.
Tevez understandably does not want to either. So it is probably easiest to rely on our young strikers as back-up, and spend our money on someone like Ribery, Silva etc.
Actually a cheap option Id be interested in is Santa Cruz. I think he’d be available on the cheap from Blackburn and at his age he’d be happy to be a third striker for us.
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Incidentally the Tevez quote “I need continuity to play my best” is telling. Players like Tevez need to be playing every game to keep their match fitness and touch. So from that perspective he is not a good option to have as a third striker. Compare that to someone like Fletcher or Solkjaer who could not play for months and still come into the team and produce a performance.
I think if we had not bought Berbatov and had played Tevez every game this season, Tevez would be playing five times better than he has in the appearances he’d made, and we’d be more like the side we were last season.
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@colver: We have won two pots already, on the verge of a getting to the final of the Champions league and could be 6 points clear in the league, I think we are doing Ok.
Also so that goal doesn’t count then? Carlos has only scored 3 times this season in the league in 25 games, Berba has 9 in 28.
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We could probably get Ribery for a similar price to Tevez this Summer and as much as I love Tevez, his time may be up. I just wish we had’ve signed Ribery instead of Nani 2 years ago
god damn Queiroz
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@Liam: It was Fergie’s decision to sign Nani, also give him a break he has had a troubled second season but he has hardly had a consistant run in the side, and he is still only 22.
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@Liam: We would have won fuck all if not for Nani, and you should know that. He has been a vital asset to this team, and I am confident he still will be. Unlike Tevez he isnt sucha huge fan-favorite, but he is probably more vital for us. Tevez doesnt give us anymore than Alan Smith did, but Nani gives us something Park doesnt. CROSSES!!! I just wish he would do that more often.
I think Ribery is currently a better player, but I have faith in youth. And I know what quality Nani has, so I wouldnt be surpries if he became one of our best performers next season.
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Lets just hope when Tevez goes, he disappears to Spain and not Liverpool. That would be too much to bare, and he’s bloody perfect for them.
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@RedDevilEddy: Alan Smith was for a better word crap, as for Carlos give us anymore than him well Tvez has scored 17 goals on 59 compared to Smiths 7 in 61, so he gives a lot more goals for starters, also he is twice the player.
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If Carlos really leaves and we buy Benzema, I think this may be a much-used team:
VDS
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Hargreaves Carrick
Ronaldo Berbatov Rooney
Benzema
From what I have seen, Benzema is better when he leads the line. He is the ultimate lone-striker, as he is strong, good in the air and has a really good shot with both feet. Rooney has proved that he is really good as a LW, Ronaldo is best as a RW and Berbatov may not be best as CF, but has been used there a lot this season. Why not?
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@Stephen: When Smudge played for us we won 2 trophies in 3 seasons. With Tevez we have won 5 trophies in 2 years… And Alan Smith played the majority of his games as a CM instead of a striker, while Tevez has been used mostly for the Cup games this season. 3 goals in the Prem this season is far from good enough for a United striker playing over 20 games…
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@RedDevilEddy: Mate but the trophies we won were hardly down to Smithy, he only played one season in midfield, and that badly he was at best a poor player and it sayes a lot that he a, has never scored for Newcastle and b, is on the bench for them.
He isn’t fit to lace Carlos ‘s boots.
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i think we will get benzema and a winger(either ribery or valencia) in the summer.
I would much, much rather us spend £22mil+ on the moody git then £22mil+ for a striker that has scored 3 goals in the league all season!
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@Dan: Good point but why buy Benzema, surely we should give Welbeck and Kiko a go, we could save ourselves £20+ million.
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Also Ribery is going to Barca, unfortunatly.
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@Stephen: Yep, would much rather prefer that, but we all know fergie hasnt got the balls to do it!
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@Dan: Probably
but in my view we have the future with those two lads, they look like they have “it” whatever it is and really worth giving them a decent run instead of doing what we always do, fork out shed loads of money for a player.
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Just finished an article on Nani guys. Hopefully RR will put it up before the match tomorrow. I’m sure I will have ruffled a few feathers but I tried to keep it nice and balanced!
Is the game live on Sky Sports tomorrow by the way?
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@Stephen Darwin: Yes mate.
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@Stephen: Excellent, thanks for that!
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@Stephen: We have had Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov and Ronaldo as first choice strikers this season. Welbeck and Kiko have played some games. I dont see why replacing Carlito with Benzi would change that. We all know Rooney is gonna be injured for some parts of the season, Berbatov dont have the stamina to play 3 games in one week, and Benzema will probably have his fair share of rests during the season. So Kiko and Danny will get games even though we buy a top class striker… They are still below 19 both of them, and with Berba reaching his thirties it might onlly need one more season until they become first team regulars. I wish that they both play many games, but I just feel they aint ready yet.
And about Ribery, it would be great if we could get him! But I really doubt it, mostly because of his admiration for Barca as well as him being too expensive if we buy Benzema. Besides, I feel that we could use Rooney as a left winger next season. I know its very out of position, but he has played there many times! When Nani is out injured or isnt in top form, Wazza should usually get some games there. I remember his fair share of assists from the left hand side.
Fulham 5-1(Ronaldo)
Liverpool 3-0(Brown)
Inter 2-0(Ronaldo)
Sunderland 2-1(Scholes)
Spurs 5-2(Ronaldo)
Of cource, these are only the ones dropping into my mind right now. He has got many more from that position.
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Ive noticed that we have played a different formation for the last few games. Against Villa, Sunderland, Porto, Spurs and Arsenal, we have played a 4-2-3-1. At Porto we had Ronaldo as ST, with Berba, Rooney and Giggs behind him. Then Spurs we had Tevez up front with Berba, Rooney and Ronaldo as the 3 offensive midfielders. And against Arsenal it was Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo and Anderson switching positions up front. We see that this has worked out, because 3 of those games have been some of our bests this whole season! I think we should carry on with this for the reminder of the season, because it really has worked out. And next season, we can play with the team I put this comment: @RedDevilEddy
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BTW, check out this vid: Scholes vs Bradford, by RedDevilEddy
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