Sep 23
Manchester United vs Wolves: Preview
I’m sure many of us are still riding high on the peak of cloud nine following the last gasp events of Sunday afternoon and who in their right mind can blame us! In fairness, you could even be forgiven for allowing this evening’s fixture against Wolves to have slipped the mind and altogether dipped off the radar.
Although however seriously United fans may or may not be taking the League Cup this season, you can bet your bottom dollar that the side Sir Alex decides to pick will be hell bent on putting on an impressive performance.
At the end of the day, as League Cup winners last season, the lads certainly have a trophy to defend and you would like to think that they will approach this task with a certain degree of gusto and determination. OK so lifting the League Cup clearly won’t be the pinnacle moment of any of these player’s careers but this competition does present the opportunity for fringe players and youthful exuberance to stake a claim.
Ferguson will undoubtedly want to win the game and his team sheet should reflect that exact point. It is between the sticks that I believe the United boss will have his toughest decision to make with Edwin van der Sar still crocked. Does Fergie opt to continue with Foster despite his somewhat calamitous performance against City in a drastic attempt to restore some confidence? On the other hand is it time the somewhat forgotten man amongst the goalkeeping ranks, Tomasz Kuszczak, was given a chance without the pressure of Premier League points being at stake?
Tonight should mark the return of Wes Brown back into the starting eleven and if Gary Neville gets the nod at right-back, Brown will likely partner Rio Ferdinand (as punishment for his mistake to continue his comeback from injury) in the centre of defence. Patrice Evra should be afforded the night off having played in every competitive game thus far this season so young Fabio da Silva could come in as a direct replacement at left-back.
In midfield Nani should take centre stage on the left wing with Danny Welbeck possibly lining up on the right-hand-side. Darron Gibson will be desperate for a start in the middle of midfield alongside Michael Carrick who will see tonight’s proceedings as the perfect chance to get his season up and running with a polished performance.
After his heroics on the weekend, Michael Owen will be rewarded with a start (although you would think that was part of the plan whether he scored on Sunday or not) alongside Italian Federico Macheda. I’ll apologise now for a team that will no doubt prove to be 99% wrong!
So what have the respective manager’s had to say in the build up to this third round tie? Well Sir Alex has, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, issued a warning to Macheda and Welbeck, urging them to assume a club>country mentality.
“Welbeck has been called away so much with every single England squad [the Under-19s and Under-21s] that I don’t know if he is our player or their player,” Ferguson said as quoted by The Times.
“Macheda has been away with the Italy youth teams all the time and has hardly been with us, either. They are away that much with the youth squads, they have forgotten where their real place is.”
Meanwhile Mick McCarthy has indicated that his Wolves side will look to attack from the off at Old Trafford which will hopefully make for an entertaining encounter.
“We are not going there to sit back,” the Wolves boss is quoted as saying by The Independent.
“We will play 4-4-2 and have a game with them. I have never beaten United at Old Trafford in anything. We want to try to win the game.”
Even with a starting eleven stripped of the likes of Wayne Rooney and the ever impressive Darren Fletcher, a victory should be well within our grasp. Wolves will see this as the perfect opportunity to attempt to get on the front foot which could prove their immediate downfall and with a few United player’s keen to prove their worth, we should end up ultimately having too much for the newly promoted side.
Prediction: 3-1 United
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- ‘Fabio will be one of the greatest left backs for Manchester United’
- Match Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Manchester United
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
- The Manchester United Pledge
Tags: Manchester United News
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@Wink: yea i saw that i think it was a consolation chat and not a chewing out. i wonder if he didnt wear long spikes
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@Gabriel: he may be a striker first and a winger second but in this team right now he has a better chance of getting games on the wing. i think that adding him on at 60min in a game where berba is playing will get him a goal as he can use his pace to get around defenders and play off of and use berba as a target/layoff man.
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@Onkar: its on espn as well they are not quite as dodgy
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So on the over-debated Foster discussion – this analysis makes me feel a bit bad for the lad:
Goal 1: Robbie Blake – Near post but no real chance of saving it, wonderstrike – In MOTD Goal of the Month comp
Goal 2: Arshavin – Maybe could have done better, but not half bad strike. In MOTD Goal of the Month comp
Goal 3: Defoe – A firm bicycle kick from 8 yards, into the top corner – In MOTD Goal of the Month comp
Goal 4: Barry – 100% Foster’s fault
Goal 5: Bellamy – Wonderstrike. Will win next months goal of the month barring a miracle
Goal 6: Bellamy – Should have stood up better, but still a 1on1.
So of the 6 goals the guy has conceeded, 1 was blatantly his fault, and 4 of the other 5 were once a season efforts.
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@spizzy: @Wink: +1
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@gator: I recognise that and that’s why I understand Fergie playing him on the wings. Besides, I reckon Fergie is trying to make him into a Ronaldo+Henry combo.
U’kno, a striker who can function as a winger too. Provides versatility when fergie decides to adopt his eye-guaging 4-5-1 european away tactics. 
Plus, the lad’s not doing half bad on the wings either! He’s well capable of beating a man. Strong, quick feet and has a good shot on him. I reckon he’s becoming a more versatile ‘forward’ the way fergie is utilising him, plus, he hasn’t lost that sharpness in front of goal as he showed last night. Could be a big player for us, moreso than the rest of our budding prospects, I feel.
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@Beachryan: Yeah, very true.
Van der Sar would never have got the mauling Foster is receiving for the same goals conceded.
I think much of it is due to fleet street looking to for stories to write.
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@Beachryan:
BUT, there are many other times when his flopping and weak clearances can/could have led to goals…So, we shouldn’t just judge him on the amount of goals he has let in.
It’s like saying that drunk driving is alright as long as you don’t kill anybody…
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@Beachryan: What about the two errors in the community shield? Foster isnt good enough for manchester united. We shouldnt settle for this injury prone, error prone. Maybe fulham but not united. Do you see reina, bufoon or cech making his errors as frequently as he does? They just dont. Van de Sar makes about two errors A SEASON…thats a quality goalkeeper. He will walk back into the side and that says it all
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@Lars: Well said mate…he was warned when tevez blocked his first clearance but he couldnt take a hint….Hes the luckiest man on earth foster to be playing for united
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Nanio once again proves his worth (i.e absence of…) very poor performance plenty of skillz but little end product, poor decision making and crossing was abismal.
RedNev – this is about our Nevs level of play now unfortunately – elder statesman providing solid support fot the up-and-coming reserves, experience was everything.
Gibbo – another solid performance great passing, solid tackling always available and ready to put a foot in – a good amount of shots on goal – nearly there i think
DeLaet – great performance very solid and aggressive, good feet, good in the air very calm under pressure definately want to see more first team appearances from this fella DeLaet>OShea me thinks….
- one more point i had mixed emotions that young Eikrem didnt get to show, i expect big things from this fella – very impressive for the reserves. always performs well very attacking great with ball at his feet and with an amazing array of passing. think this fella is the future of the utd attacking midfield, future scholesy i recon
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@Beachryan: Shhhh! Dont speak sense! Its wrong to be fair on foster!
@Taehr: Bullshit, van der sar has been average at best for the last 2 seasons, and that run last season was to more to do with our defence rather then VDS himself. VDS has a flap a match but because he is more established he doesnt get criticised nearly as much as foster!
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@Dan: 2 seasons?the season in which we won the double? He was fantastic that year…and a defense gets its confidence from its goalkeeper if you didnt know. Ofcourse he dont critised as much as foster, he dont give away goals as much, foster is capable of making an outstanding save but that is just not enough. He needs other things to make him good, kicking for one but he cant.
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@Taehr: Uuhhh….
Champions league final?
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@NicoQB: Yea he messed up…the final before he won it for us
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@Taehr: So what? My point was that Van der Sar mistakes are not a non-existing entity.
I’m starting to sound like an old stuck record, but it seems no one remembers the time when before our record setting defense went into history books, Van der Sar was attacked on many different fronts, namely his kicking, coming up for crosses, and reactions.
Is it any wonder when end of year awards for the past two seasons recognise Vidic and Rio first and foremost as the main reason for our watertight defence, and Van der Sar as something of an afterthought?
And penalties are a lottery for me. I’d take square, clean final victory anyday over penalty shootouts, which are for me something of an anti-climax.
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@Taehr: You want examples?
After Van der Sar screwed up our unbeaten defensve record with some dodgy goalkeeping (my memory disserves me here, but he did make a silly mistake in that case), we somehow became very permeable at the back and conceded instead of the usual clean sheet.
Van der Sar was very dodgy at that point but I didn’t blame him as I know that confidence, even for a goalkeeper, can be very cyclical. Heck, why do you think Schmeichel went to Sporting after 98-99?
Even he was bombarded on all fronts with respect to his performances and his penalty save against Bergkamp did not mask an underwhelming season (for him personally) by his standards.
THis year Foster had two poor performances (City and Charity shield). Most of the other goals he conceded were wonder strikes. We are only 6 matches in the season.
Looking at cold, hard facts, I would not say that the defence has been as catastrophic as some would like us to believe it is.
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@Beachryan: I believe SAF and Foster himself said that a better effort could have been mustered against Arshavin’s thunderbolt. And, frankly when you look at it, he was very late reacting to it, and made a poor decision not fist it away.
So by your reckoning, we could pin 3 of the 6 goals on him and couple that with a very, very dodgy performance in the Charity game, and you can see why folks are wringing their hands and shrugging their shoulders when his name is mentioned!
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@Beachryan: It’s not just about the goals. Honestly, I am more upset about the constant examples of poor decision making, not coming out to challenge a cross, poor footwork and balance and not preparing well for shots, lack of focus and poor communication with his teammates. He is actually very lucky to not have allowed another half dozen or so goals due to his ineptitude. Nobody is blaming him for the Defore goal or the first Bellamy strike. But then again, it’s not like he has wowed consistently with breathtaking saves that defy explanation. You see, great goalkeepers do this all the time. Csillas, Buffon, Neuer, Adler, Akinfeev, Frey are always defying logic and making great saves or series of saves to keep their team in games.
Manchester United is a great team. Great teams don’t ask their keepers to make a dozen saves a game like Given had to do the other day. They are good defensively and so a keeper has to have strong focus and concentration and be ready for those two or three chances he may get in a game. Foster is terrible at this. He’d be better off with a poor club where the ball is rebounding off him like a pinball all day. At least he would stay awake.
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@Grognard: Shhhh! Dont make valid arguments against foster Its not fair to his supporters.
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@Grognard: Great comment, mate. Manchester United are considered one of the best teams in the world and to be messing around with a maybe (at best) at goalie makes no sense at all.
We all know that VDS is coming to the end of his career, and you see it in his play once in a while. But we are not looking at displacing VDS with Foster, we are looking for a goalie to put between the posts for the next 5 years or so.
Is that person Foster?? Could we do better in the transfer market?? – these surely are the questions we need to ask ourselves, and not whether or not we give this guy a fair chance!!
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@johnsom33:
we can’t make any valid arguments against Foster/Nani/Berbatov/insert-another-player-here . It would be unfair to their supporters. 
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@Red Ranter: Funny how you grouped those three together, mate!
Perhaps a package deal for Sanchez, Silva and Villa, is what you have in mind!!
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I’ve only watched United in 2 pre-season games this year, in 1 ofthem, Foster conceded a goal (from a backpass of course) vs a Malaysian selection packed with junior players.So Kusczak > Foster. Foster hasnt improved at all.
On more cheery news, any concrete info on the beloved Hargo?
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@Footy4Eddy: hey mate, is this your friend? there’s an article on a Joshua King: http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2558/news/2009/09/25/1521472/manchester-united-debutant-joshua-king-happy-with-league-cup
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oh wait for it: http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BB4CEE8FA%2D9A47%2D47BC%2DB069%2D3F7A2F35DB70%7D&newsid=6640249
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@miele: Do you have a hard time watching the games where you live??
In any event, the pre-season is no way to judge the players or the team, mate!!
The season, proper, has been interesting to say the least. It’s not yet time to summarize because we really haven’t played enough yet. In a few weeks (maybe a month) we’ll have a handle on the players, individually, and the team as a whole.
Except Foster, who has generally stunk up the place!!
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@johnsom33: Poor babies. AWWWWW!
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@Redrich: @Grognard: I totally agree with you guys on the foster issue, I mean, his supporters asked us to give him time and he’d prove us wrong, and being the sane and open minded people we are,we did that and sadly he proved us right. Now when we point out his inadequacies, we are told to shut up. It’s this kind of attitude that really annoys me more than anything.People expect you to listen to their point but when you ask the same person to listen to your point of view they castigate you and belittle your arguments.
You would think that anyone with a serious desire for united to prevail this season would be crying for a better keeper, but the guys i see supporting foster in this blog are the same people who see this as a transition year and don’t expect united to win anything, so I guess that’s why they support this mediocre keeper because with him between the sticks it makes it a hell of a lot difficult for us to win anything.
But some of us are still hungry for more and want the scousers of the top with a 19 and a third consecutive CL final.
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@Redrich: Exactly mate. People just don’t get this. United is a massive team and we are not in the habit of giving long drawn out auditions to keepers in the hope that one day they cut the mustard. What are we supposed to do in the meantime, suffer and sacrifice the season so that we are fair to poor little Ben Foster? I don’t think so. He’s lucky as he got his chance due to EVDS injury, but I seriously doubt if he will get another crack at winning the job as Fergie is not about to throw in the towel so that Ben Foster supporters get their jolly’s. Look for a big signing in the summer. Fergie will not buy a keeper in January unless he feels EVDS has not come back well enough.
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@spizzy: Yes but they will say that we never gave him a long enough chance. They will argue that seven games is not a fair enough time to judge his abilities. They will argue that a more fair time period to assess his capabilities would be………………………………….5 years perhaps.
I am sick and bloody tired of arguing with this delusional group of optimists. They continue to see Foster as a glass half full and I see him as a glass empty and shattered on the asphalt outside of Old Trafford. It’s time to give up on this rancid piece of human refuse and move on. Fortunately I think Fergie is coming around to our way of thinking. Once EVDS returns, I seriously doubt if we shall ever see Gentle Ben again.
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@spizzy: Since the beginning of the season I have come around a lot more in regards to being more optimisitc and feeling this team can accomplish something. No I do not think they have a hope in Hell as far as Europe is concerned, but I do feel domestic trophies are possible and the league can also be won if Chelsea fall apart. If Chelsea continue to play well and believe in Ancelotti, they will be tough to beat. Liverpool and Arsenal cannot be ignored but I think they lack the depth to contend. Ferguson can count his blessings that Michael Owen has shown great promise to improve and be a real coupe for the Gaffer. But the reason I feel more optimistic is because of the play of Darren Fletcher and the impending return of both Owen Hargreaves and EVDS. Fletcher has proven to me that he is truly a difference maker and that he is truly a Roy Keane Lite version 1.0. As long as he and Wayne Rooney stay healthy, we have a shot of winning the whole thing. Bu tto win in Europe we need an out of this world talent like Ronaldo. And last time I heard he no longer plays for us.
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@Redrich: @Grognard: @spizzy:I agree guys…
I mean I don’t know why so much fuss about this foster guy.. I never ever imagined in my wildest dream as well that one day we will be debating about who’s better Foster or Pig. Not what you expect from Man UTD fans…..
I mean buck up guys. We should fight about whose better fit for us, that is Nuerer or Adler or any one else rather than fighting for incompetent back up keeper we have…..
I mean the thing here is I am seeing again again the point is made that he only conceded ‘N’ goals of which ‘N’ goals were unstoppable… Fuh…get it. Please try and understand 1 thing you take any damn team. The rebuilding starts from back to front. Its always defense first… And that’s why GK is so imp that he is last line of defense. When Defenders are moving up the pitch along with MF they should have confidence in their keeper that if they fell to make some clearance then GK is there to sort it out…Do everyone feels that Foster gives that confidence to our defense. I really doubt he does… Sometimes I even feel that he doesn’t seem to have any confidence in his own ability forget about passing it to defender…
Some one pointed out that last year’s clean sheet run was not up to VDS it was more to do with Ferdi-Vidic. I agree that it was also down to our great defense but, it wasn’t up to Ferdi-Vidic. As, if my memory serves me right then we had 10 different Back 4 combinations in 13 matches where Vidic and VDS were only two faces who were constant present. And that’s says a lot about the ability of VDS to marshal his back four…
See the point with GK is simple. You have to have qualities like shot stopping and great reaction abut along with that you should know how to marshal and control your back 4, confidence, clearance, distribution and most of all proper decision making to bail his team out of any situation. Can any one of Pro Foster person here say that he commands all the qualities (or even most of it for that matter)…
Secondly, the argument always about his great reaction saves… I have a honest opinion it is easier to pull of a reaction save than to act in a decision making circumstances. As the point is simple, what you need to make a reaction save is quick body reaction… In reaction saves you don’t have any time to think. So all you do is to react to the situation it’s more of a impulsive thing (More like a slip fielding in CRICKET rather than outfielder)… where if you are quick enough then you are good enough. But when you are called on to make some decision then it shows what you have in your bag. Decisions like to hold on to ball or punch, what to do with cross, corner or high should go and catch it or stick to your line and let your defenders deal with it. And I think all these things give confidence or lack of it to your defenders to act on. And for me that’s where Foster lacks. I mean he is quick enough to pull of classic reaction saves (RVP in Arsenal games) but, his decision making is not that great (Man Shitty Barry goal). I think that’s the problem.
As it is, I think my point is clear. You need to be more than just a good shot stopper which Foster I am afraid is not…
And Goal keeping is not just about the GA column (even though that is one of the most imp columns) it’s far more than that… Nuff said now. I rest my RANT on FOSTER Issue….
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@Grognard: As far performence in the domestic competition is concerned I was always sure that it won’t be as bad as you were anticipating it to be. I think we had few debates about it as well.
But, even the progress from Fletch is really me so happy and surprise as well. The boy has come a long way from what he was.. Brilliant…
And if OH is coming and EVDS is to come back soon I think thing are not looking as bad as they first appear..
But I see one problem in this… The problem is Fergi himself.. He should do what is best suited to our team be it in Europe or Domestic Competition i.e. play 4-4-2 rather than snooze football.. If he does that than we are in a good exciting season…
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@Grognard: Yeah Europe does seem like a dream several nights away from happening but I have seen glimpses in this team which indicate if the football gods smile our way we might make it to the final with lucky draws and the odd away goal, if we can avoid barca,real,inter, bayern, chelsea,liverpool and any other strong team we can make it.Now you will notice I said “make it to the final”, not win it because even if the gods prepare the path for us, the other side of the draw will contain a very,very strong side.
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@spizzy: I won’t have any problem facing Liverpool or for that matter Bayern as well.. As I see us getting past them not with ease but somehow surely….
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@ All: I agree Foster isn’t good enough to be our number one, but also acknowledge that we’re a bit stuck for the forseeable future. Until January at the very earliest we’re stuck with him or EVDS, assuming Edwin has a good comeback. So I’m taking the optimistic route and hoping that Foster doesn’t cost us too much in that time, and may even prove to be a useful backup as he gets some experience.
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@Beachryan: Foster can be useful back up.. That says it all.. He is a Back up Keeper and can never be No. 1. At least in my mind for sure….
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@Onkar: I dont think ribery and robben will be cowed by aou lackluster wing play and our famous 4-3-3. I’m just waiting to see the formation fergie plays against wolfsbug next week at OT.
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@spizzy: Thats why I say I feel we will some how go through.. And I think we do to have those somehow wins regularly. I think Bayern will fall in that category. What we typically call that “They were not convincing but win none the less and its all that matters”.
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@spizzy: Yeah but it will be interesting definitely to see what he does against wolfsbug. I hope FFS.. He will play simple 4-4-2. After all the match is at OT. But i won’t be surprised to see him going back to his SNOOZE football….
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Agree that we seem to have all but abandoned the 442 in Europe. The last time I recall it vividly was the first half against Chelsea in Moscow, when we tore them apart. He has definitely switched from the ‘however many you score we’ll get more’ to ‘we won’t let any in and 1-0 will be enough’. But I guess you could argue it works best in Europe, look at Chavski and Liverpool’s success in that competition. (overall, obviously not just winning it)
What annoys me is when we go somewhere like Besiktas and play like that. The only logic I can think of is that he is using it as training for when we play a class team away, and we’ll need to go 433. Like Wolfsburg for example.
On a side note, does anyone know if it’s true that Wolfsburg were once maanged by someone called Wolfgang Wolf?
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@spizzy: I really hate this time of the day.
I mean I leave in the part of time zone that, when I am awake no one else is around. See now only two of us are around (I suppose).
I hate this bloody thing. But… Can’t help it… Have to leave with it…
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@spizzy: Anything is possible but that is just too many good teams with too many world class players to stop. We have a few but lets face it, with Ronaldo we weren’t just good, we scared other teams into submission. We’re still good but I doubt we instill as much fear in our opponents anymore as well, our tactic in Europe are not going to scare anyone and our leaky defense and very suspect keeping is going to make many more teams attack more rather than defend and play for a draw and penalties. Honestly, if Fergie allowed the lads to play the same style and tactics as we employed on Sunday, we would be fine. But we know Fergie will press the chicken switch eventually.
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@Beachryan: I think its the same team did not get time to read but this what I found on Wiki….
If you want to have more info then refer to this link on wikipedia…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VfL_Wolfsburg
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I agree that we have a chance at domestic glory. The African Nations could well screw up Chelsea’s season. After all Chelsea started very strongly under Scolari but then fell to pieces. Once the new manager effect wears off the usual infighting will start and the old players will see their legs wear out. If we drop out of Europe early (which im anticipating) we’ll be able to concentrate on th league while Chelsea will have one eye on Europe.
For me the key factors for our season are:
1. Our defence stays injury free and avoids the bloopers it seems prone to. In particular Rio’s injuries worry me as does Brown’s and we need to blood a new centre back for cover.
2. Rooney continues his goalscoring form. Rooney has to be our main goallscorer this season because Berbatov just doesn’t ever look like being prolific for us and Owen isns’t going to be able to play every game. If Rooney gets thirty goals a season that will go a long way to giving us a good chance this season.
3. Anderson and Nani-with Carrick more mediocre than ever and Valencia looking average at best and Scholes and Giggs on their last legs and no certainty that Hargreaves will ever make a full comeback, we need Anderson and Nani to give our midfield some attacking thrust.
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@Beachryan: So far we have been more than fortunate despite Foster screw ups. If we can survive another few weeks of his gaffs and get away with wins we will be in good shape. EVDS on a bad day is ten times better than Foster at his best. If we are indeed going to go after a keeper like Neuer or Akinfeev, I doubt it will be in January. Neuer for example would not be easy to get from a club contending for the Bundesliga title as Schalke probably will be doing and further more, no #1 keeper is going to want to be a bench player for half a season because EVDS will not be benched in what is probably going to be his final year. Not unless he is playing poorly, and I seriously doubt that. So we will have to pay heavy post World Cup price for a keeper I’m afraid. But as I see it, it’s a must do deal as this position needs solidifying ASAP.
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@spizzy: Wolfsburg is an ok team but they are not the same team without their former manager Felix Magath. Their midfield is ok but certainly nothing Darren Fletcher on his own can’t neutralize. The key is to stop their two forwards Dzeko and Grafite. Stop them by cutting off their supply and they are easily beaten.
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@Onkar: Grog seems to be up late
. It’s got to be 2 am in canada right now. 
.
But like women, can’t live with it, cant live without it 
Fergies tactics in europe keeping you up grog?
The annoying thing is when you wake up and find comments questioning your arguments and you wish you had been around to answer them.
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@Onkar: The group stage has never been a worry for me. I predicted we would win 4 and draw 2. It’s the knockout stage that scares me because that is when we will be facing the big clubs from England, Spain, Italy and Bayern Munich. Personally, I think we will be very happy if we get past the round of sixteen and ecstatic if we make the semis. I just do not see the final as doable this season, unless we were to get a David Silva in January and he was not cup tied.
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