May 22
O’Shea deserves his place in the spotlight
Before Sir Alex hands over his team-sheet to UEFA officials on Wednesday evening, you can’t be quite sure on the exact eleven that will take to the field in Rome. Will Carlos Tevez be afforded his United swansong? Will Rio win his fitness battle? Will Giggs or Scholes be given the nod? These are all realistic questions that will remain unanswered for a few a days at least.
Although one man that already knows he’s definitely going to be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Messi, Eto’o and Xavi is John O’Shea and boy does he deserve it.
Prior to this season (and on rarities during the current campaign too) I had always struggled to understand just how the Irishman warranted so much playing time in a Manchester United shirt. Defensively I would habitually worry whenever O’Shea faced up to anyone who could dribble even slightly better than the big man himself. Going forward he would frequently be caught in possession, misplace passes left, right and centre and at times he would be guilty of outright rupturing our attacking flow. How my opinion has categorically changed over the past eight months.
If there’s a player deserving of a starting berth on Wednesday night then O’Shea is a nailed on certainty. In a season where we’ve had so many problems at right-back, he has more than capably filled in and excelled in a position that, to be fair, probably isn’t even his strongest.
While Ronaldo makes a career of chucking his toys out of the pram, O’Shea is the perfect example of a player that simply gets his head down and concentrates solely on giving his all for the club. No he won’t offer spectacular 40-yard blockbusters or raking cross-field passes but what John O’Shea will guarantee you is 100% effort in every game, whoever the opposition, whatever the circumstance. You may be surprised to hear this stat but in 2009 I’ll have you know that the Irish international appeared in more matches than any other player at the club, missing just two games. So is he here just for the medals? You bet your life he’s not.
I may have given the impression that I don’t see the Waterford-born star of versatility as a goal scoring threat. Yet who needs to be deadly in front of goal as when you’ve hit the winner against Liverpool, you’ve pretty much earned cult status at the club. Fast forward a couple of years and O’Shea is at it again as he’s in the right place at the right time to hammer home another crucial winning goal against Arsenal. Did I really say he wasn’t a goal scoring threat?
Whilst the 28-year-old may not be the most technically gifted player of his generation, O’Shea is a valuable member of this magnificent United squad – and who would have predicted that a few years back!? I wouldn’t be surprised if he smashed home the winner in the Champions League final. It would certainly be a fitting way to mark a really impressive season for the lad.
Related items from Red Rants:
- John O’Shea – Why He Should Stay. 09/06/11
- Roundup: Saha’s Enlightenment, Nutty Takeover Bids, The Portugeezers’ Romp and More
- United Host Spurs In Premier League Home Opener
- As the dust settles…
- Update on Red Rants
Tags: Manchester United News
Craig Mc (195)
RedDevilEddy (173)
Opti (138)
Ian (97)
Moscow is my heaven (97)
@Traverse:
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This is what we want, this is what the players paly every game for. We play to win trophies, and we as fans watch football to get these games. Unlike fans of Shitty and Fulham we watch our teams to see them lift trophies, like the Premier League and the Champions League. So I beg the lads to put on a show tonight, but most importantly win. I dont care weather we get an early lead and try to defend it for the rest of the, or win 6-0 in the end. I just want us to win. So… COME ON UNITED!!!
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@Beachryan: Come on mate, you gotta BELIEVE!!! Go against your gut, your instinct, logic, God knows what!!! You just gotta believe we can win this one, become Champions of Europe again. Believe mate, believe…
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@Traverse: I really hope Wayne scores today, cause if he does he may well be a candidate to win Ballon DoR or something like that. He has been brilliant this season, and I feel he is underrated, which says something. He has saved our asses on many occasions this season, putting in some displays that Ive only seen Ronny come up with since the days of Cantona and Keane. So I really hope he does well tonight, maybe win the game for us. Cause if there is one player that deserves to do so, its him. BELIEVE!!!
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@Grognard: Reading and Derby play good football mate, but lets move on for at least today
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@ Dan – Sorry, just nerves I guess! Of course I believe in the team, which I do belive to be the best in the world, and I’ll be cheering them as loud as you like tonight. But hey, sometimse the gut has its own voice
I also believe Rooney is due a big goal. He hasn’t really lit up the CL since his debut, though has scored a few. For a central striker and one of the best in the world, you do hope he’d bag a couple more! (even if the poor boy never gets to play there these days!).
Is it me, or is today reallllyyyy ssslllooooowwwwwww
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This day couldn’t be taking any longer, and I thought yesterday was bad enough!
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@Traverse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7IiI_nSGbQ
Funny!
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@Dan: Sorry didn’t see yours…
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Its Time people!!!
BELIEVE!!!
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@Beachryan: You have read my mind exactly bro. I think our team is just so predictable that it just feels wrong. Surely Fergie won’t gift Barca our team sheet before the match even begins. Even with all that “neutralize Messi” talk, I don’t sense having Park in the starting XI will benefit more than having Berba behind Ron. Something tells me that the whole 4-5-1 talk is a big, big ploy. We really could end up seeing a starting XI we would dread (Giggs on wing?), but turn out to be the exact thing we need to beat Barca.
I remember seeing the starting XI against Arsenal, with all the talk of the Fab Four starting, and then seeing Ronaldo play up top alone: I think I went mad. In my mind, I couldn’t understand what Fergie had forseen: if the choice was between Tevez’s power or Berba’s skill, why not have both? Ronaldo had the powerful presence Berba lacked, and the defining ability Tevez desired. I thought that was a masterclass of a tactician’s play.
What I would dread tonight is Tevez starting, because he is actually a fantastic supersub. I believe we need to save him as our trump card come late game, and we’re still deadlocked. His energy would be a valuable introduction come 70min or so. Start him from the first whistle, though, and we get a madman trying to chase the ball. I think Fergie is a much smarter man than Pep is, any day, any time. Those years of experience, and the two European cups and countless European quarter and semi-finals will have given Fergie the ability to read his opponent’s game through and through. Whatever team he plays, I can be sure it has been more than thoroughly thought through and through.
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Here Is my Team……..
EVDS
O’Shea RIO VIDIC EVRA
RONALDO Carrick Anderson Giggs
Rooney
Berbatov.
Thats right! It is going to be 4-4-2 which can later be converted to a 4-4-3…. Just like last year… We thought Fergie was going to be cautious.. But instead.. Hargreaves played on the right!
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@Jon: I just can’t see it mate, Fergie has already pretty much said that Park will start, and he has deserved his chance. As I have said earlier the subs will be massively important if we get them right, I can see Berba and Tevez being used at some point.
For us to go 4-4-2 against the Barca midfield could be suicidal and patience could be the name of the game, with Andy and Giggsy pressing Iniesta and Xavi, both players like popping the ball abou and if we don’t let them we really do open up pandora’s box because they won’t go long, unfortuanlty as that would play into our hands. We need to contain and hit them on the counter.
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@Stephen: Hey mate! I haven’t been posting for awhile, back to the quiet reader/watcher I used to be. But how can I be silent on a day like this?!
I know what Fergie said and all, but don’t you think it’s just really odd that we can almost send in the team sheet to UEFA for Fergie? The old wily Scot may be up to his tricks again. I’m probably going to end up wrong. It’s probably gonna be 4-5-1 with Park, Giggs, O’Shea and the works. But I’m one never to put my money on just talk, and I won’t be surprised if I see Barca getting surprised by an unexpected United lineup.
I’m having the jitters, mate. The whole white kit thing just ain’t sinking in with me. I just can’t see us lifting the trophy in that white USA-like kit. Our history in away kits this year hasn’t been stellar (bar Arsenal s-f 2nd-leg). I’m a really superstitious guy. =p Also, the home team for the final has been winning it for 6 years in a row now. We were the home team last year.
Also, Barca seem unnervingly confident. I haven’t heard a single United player say that “we’re gonna win it”. Call it silent confidence but Barca must have something in store for us to be so confident against one of Europe’s best defences after they nearly tripped up against Chelsea. It’s almost as if they’re playing us into a trap, expecting a hard defense to breach, and having the right tools to do so.
I love United with my whole heart, and I really really hope and pray they’ll do well tonight. I know we have the ability, firepower and will, but I just feel the odds are somewhat against us. With the UEFA conspiracy and all, I just feel the script was written too easy for us to be here, and we’re not ready for a final Barca will be very very pumped up for. Don’t crucify me, I’m just having the jitters.
Come on united! Prove me wrong as you always have!
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Does anyone else get the feeling Anderson is going to shit all over Iniesta today? I think Iniesta is pretty much the best midfielder in the world, but I get the feeling we might see an excellent performance from Anderson tonight.
Did anyone see those photos of the squad getting on the plane? He had a grin the size of…well, something big.
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@Jon: Good to have you back matey
I sort of agree Fergie is as cunning as a fox with two tales, but logic sayes that he will go with the side which beat Arsenal in the semi’s, simply because of the strenghts and weaknesses of the oppersition. But Fergie threw in a curve ball against Chelsea and they came out Ok, but who knows bro.
Barca seem over confident, they keep reminding us what great football they play, but they were not that great away at Chelsea and since drawing against the Rent Boys they have drawn one, won one and lost two, but obviously that doen’t mean an awful lot as they won the league.
All we can do is hope and pray mate, if you are superstitious bro get you lucky rabbits foot out and bring it on!!!!!
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@michael: I would rather Fletch playing I must say, actually ideally both simply for their leg work.
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@Jon: No need to be supersitious about the white kit mate. Last time we played a European final against Barca in white we won.
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@Eric the Red: That kit was nice though!
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Liverpool Liverpool how did you fair?
You beat us twice but no trophy was there,
Dont be bitter, dont have a moan,
Tune in tonight and watch us in Rome.
18 times and thats a FACKT,
Champions league finals back to back.
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@michael: I feel like that will happen!
Of cource I am an Andy fan, and most people give a fuck all in my opinion of the player. But I just feel that Andy can be the player that stands out for us tonight! He has taken care of the likes of Fabregas, Gerrard, Lucho and De Rossi in his time here at United, and I believe that he is the kind of player that can make Iniesta lose his head of frustration. And if he gets used on counter attacks, his speed and accurate through balls might be just the recipe for victory! At least I hope so, because playing Andy today can make people talk about him as the perfect succesor to Keane, or craving Fergie to cut his head off. I hope its the first thing… 
BELIEVE!!!
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HOW LONG CAN A DAY BE?!!!
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@Jon: I can recall Giggsy, Ronny and Wayne saying they fully believe they will win the final, and bring the cup to Manchester. Other than that, BELIEVE!!!
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Phew. Well, here we are – BIGGEST match of the season and the last one too. I feel like there are 10,000 roman butterflies fluttering around in my stomach today! 5 hours to go!!!!!
If my afternoon nap dream is true, we’ll win 1-0. Though I would take any kind of victory..anything…just win!!!!
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@RedDevilEddy: I love that word mate, BELIEVE! “Believe is a beautiful armor, but makes for the heaviest sword.”
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am I the only one who has a slightly bad feeling about this game? Virtually all the english speaking press is tipping United to win by 1 or 2 goals. I preffered it when we were the under dog and Barca were the unstoppable european juggernaught.
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@johnsom33: I am sure all the Spanish press are tipping Barca, it’s horses for courses, do what we all should do with the media ignore.
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Where the Hell is everybody??? Christ.. We’re 3 hours away.. AWAY FROM A FUCKIN UCL FINAL!
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@Darth Red Diablo: Im walking nervously back and forth, back and forth in my room because it feel like time stands still. 4 hours left now, come on! I wish I could take a drug that made me sleep unworringly for 3 hours, then I wake up exactly before kick off. When are people gonna make that?
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@RedDevilEddy: They have, it’s called sleeping tablets!
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@johnsom33: Englishmen expect United to win. Spanish press expect Barca to win. Norwegian, German and Italian press says its gonna be the closest ever final in living memory, and that a bad refereeing decision will win the game for one of the teams. So not viritually everyone is predicting a United win, although I BELIEVE we will win it. And if we take an early lead, I can see us scoring a few… Hopefully!
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@Stephen: But it isnt possible to decide exact how long Im gonna sleep, is it? Cause if it is, ship me some will ya?
Honestly, Im fucking dying here!
My head hurts, I feel like throwing up and I need to shit every half hour. Oh well, its final day so… 
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@RedDevilEddy:
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big game tonight people, big game, this is probably uniteds biggest game in their history, win they become immortals, lose, well you can throw around any derogatory adjective you want.
I have a good yet bad feeling about this game, i don’t know whether we will play well but have no luck, or we will play shite with all the luck in the world, either way what i do know is tonights referee will favour barcalona, the last thing platini and uefa want is an english team becoming the first team to win the CL back to back
Good luck to the boys today
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Was seriously bricking it before, but then walked around with the Roses on repeat for a while and I’ve got my swagger back! So off to the pub, good luck to the lads, and Glory Glory Man Utd!!
“This is the one I’ve waited for!!!” – the Stone Roses
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Ok, I’m back, and up with a preview. See you there!
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@RedDevilEddy: Read what I wrote asshole, “Virtually all the english speaking press is tipping United to win by 1 or 2 goals.” I did not mention the norwegian or german press.
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@Dan: Dan, sometimes you do an incredibly great job just trying to piss me right off with some of your asinine comments. Fine, you are welcome to think that nothing will change in England because of tradition and because of age old stubbornness and wanker injected stupidity but please stop making idiotic statements like American sports and it’s fans have no passion. You do not live here mate so please shut the frak up OK. You know nothing about our sports and our passion because you choose to close off your mind to and because you are not interested in it. Typical ignorant statement made from emotion and not one ounce of logic or intelligence.
The fact is that sports in North America are passionate and the fans love their teams every bit as much as Mancunia loves United. The fact we don’t act like drunken bastards and wreck the town or our opponents over our sports allegiance only speaks for the UK’s problem with alcoholism and not being able to handle one’s liquor intake. That element is the only thing that makes you guys show more passion than us. The fact that most of you cannot enjoy a game unless you are drunk in the stands or in the pub says a lot about your culture and your inability to enjoy something sober.
Don’t tell me that people in Boston and New York have no passion when the Yankees and Red Sox play, or if the Calgary Flames take on the Edmonton Oilers in the epic Battle of Alberta. When the Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packer or the Celtics take on the Lakers etc etc etc. And those are just rivalries in pro sports. You want passion, noise and lunacy? Try going to College football or basketball games. I doubt you will see the 100,000 passionate and crazed fans take in a English college rivalry in any sport like the US and say an Ohio State vs Michigan grudge match.
No of what you speak because up to now you have not countered my argument with one valid reason as to why my idea has no merit or why it cannot work. All you are seemingly good for is to put it down with your closed minded pig headed and seemingly ignorant stance that you use in most of your argument. “Ah it won’t happen because I said it won’t”. That is a typical reply from the Dan Man when he is cornered and has nothing with any substance to offer.
Fine you disagree with my opinion. That’s OK, you are entitled but before you shit all over what I took the considerable time to write about, consider the amount of time I have thought about it, debated it and analyzed and stop and think and ask yourself, rather than putting Grognbard’s theory down like a ignorant moron, let me come up with valid reasons as to why it won’t work and I’ll try not to insult his homeland in the process by assuming they are not as great in anything like England?
Just a suggestion from one friend to another so that you try harder not to piss him off n the next time.
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@Beachryan: I find it kind of funny and interesting that you think we will lose 3-1 while we have a full and healthy roster other than Fletcher and meanwhile Barcelona which does not have a deep side at all has Alves, Abidal, Marquez missing and possibly Henry and Iniesta not 100% fit. Why you seem to think that with all that firepower missing or hurting that you would think they will destroy the best defensive team in Europe and an English team to boot. Have you forgotten how poor Barcelona were against us last year and how embarrassingly bad they were this year against Chelsea? What is it about their lack in graft, grit, size and testosterone that makes you believe that they will kick our asses?
Is it the historical proof of Messi not showing up for a big game, or Etoo falling a sleep when being marked by world class defenders or is it Henry who to his admission has had a problem elevating his game for the big occasion? Is it the confidence you feel with whoever Pep places at CB to replace the woefully out of place Puyol at RB? Are you so confident that Barca will be able to play their fast flowing overlapping game when Alves and Abidal are not there to trigger the effect? Or is it because you really are foolish to believe that we aren’t as good as them considering we are defending champions, three time defending English champions and acknowledged throughout the world as the best team in the world from the strongest league in the world?
Bottom line, I feared Chelsea who we manhandled this season. I feared them because of their size, graft, grit and ability to play a system and style that could give us trouble. Unlike the one trick pony show that comes out of Barcelona where I saw a team continue to play their one style of football against Chelsea even though it was clearly not working. And thanks to an inept referee, they managed to fluke it off.
Barcelona has enough quality players that can cause us a lot of problems and yes, they can beat us, but I honestly and truly believe that they have no chance against us. They look great because their league is so watered down in talent and because the league does not play physical hard football like England. God man, take a look at how much space Iniesta and Xavi had to play with when they played the second place Real Madrid and beat them 6-2. United could only fantasize about that kind of space to move in and think in while playing any team in the Prem. No mate, they scored 104 goals in La Liga. They have hardly blown anyone other than Bayern Munich away in the Champions League and by the time they destroyed Bayern at home, Bayern was going through an internal mess and were not up for the match. I have news for you. Today Barcelona goes up against Manchester United. They are not Bayern Munich and this is the Champions League final, not some lame ass game in La Liga, which they managed to lose their last two contests in. We couldn’t even lose when we put our reserves in. It will be a close tight nerve inducing game but we have the class and the players to win the game and also because we have Ferguson and the depth in quality and strategy to defeat some punk named Pep. I could see Lippi, Ancelotti, Hitzfeld, Mourinho, Wenger and even Benitez have the capability and experience to out manage the great Sir Alex Ferguson in a final. I do not see the Pepster being that. That brash young punk is hopefully going to be taught a big lesson in humility today.
Lets see if he has the smarts and composure to counter the surprises that Fergie has up his sleeve.
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@RedDevilEddy: Are you joking mate. He could score four goals tonight and he has no chance of winning the Balon D’Or this season. One game does not make a season. He’s been very good but not in the top ten in the world this season.
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@Stephen: Reading and Derby are tosser sides playing crap football in a crap division. And yes, lets drop the topic because I cannot make any progress against stubborn biased people who are unwilling and inflexible to change and progress. The subject is officially dead.
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@Jon: This is a first but I have to strongly disagree with you Jon. If there is one thing I can say after watching Ferguson manage for over 20 years is that he is far from predictable. He has many tricks up his sleeve and trust me, he knows what the Hell he is doing. I have challenged him, questioned him and even criticized him in the past only to end up with egg on my face and looking the idiot. The man is a footballing genius and he will out manage that punk named Pep.
For half a season I questioned the way he was playing Berbatov, the fact he wasn’t playing Tevez and most importantly asking why he was preferring the offensively limited Park over the far more skilled Nani? It’s because the style of play he has slowly and successfully brought to this club over the past three years requires a player like Berbatov to hold the ball up and distribute (not necessarily score goals) and the style we play which is ball possession with defensive traps designed to cut off passing lanes and to neutralize fullbacks and wingers is more suited to the style of play and abilities of one JS Park over one Mr. Nani. And yet, we are far from predictable. The last thing I ever expected was for us to waltz into the Emirates and play a fast free flowing counter attacking game like we did by destroying Arsenal that night.
And let me say one more thing about predictability. In American football there was once a legendary coach by the name of Vince Lombardi. The famous coach of the Green Bay Packers and the man the Super Bowl trophy is named after. His game plans for Green Bay were oddly very simple and predictable. The difference was that his teams were so well coached and fine tuned at pulling off each and every play like a well oiled machine, that it did not matter how predictable they were. Other teams could not stop them. That in my opinion is the very definition of awesome. Tell them what you are going to do and have them try to stop you. Well, I think I for one have a pretty good idea what kind of game plan Fergie will come up with because after so many years of success and failure at this level, he knows what it takes. He will come out with a cautious and safe approach but with a fast and viper like counter attack that will exploit the fullbacks of Barcelona on the counters. But we will play defensively and cautiously waiting for our breaks.
The key to beating Barcelona is not doing what Real Madrid tried which is to go toe to toe with them in attack. No, you must frustrate them, cut off their passing possession game and rough up Messi enough to get him frustrated and off his game. And lets not forget that in the end we have match winners in Ronaldo, Rooney and even Tevez or Berbatov coming off the bench. But today I am predicting a 1-0 victory and I feel it will come off a corner kick because that is a major Barcelona weakness. And who will score the goal One of two players. Ronaldo or how about this, Nemanja Vidic with a header.
Fergie isn’t concerned with winning with style and he never makes it easy, but I do feel very confident that we will win. We are better defensively, more physical and we have a healthy full squad with a deep bench. Barcelona are no pushover, but they are a one dimensional and easy to predict side who are stubborn and never change their style or shape no matter what. They also lack size, graft and grit and can be bullied off the ball. And the loss of Abidal, Marquez and especially will hurt them, not so much defensively like most people think, but offensively, The two fullbacks are a trigger mechanism for their entire attack and Alves also is a danger man in free kicks. I am just salivating over the comedy act of watching Puyol who has been in poor form of late, trying to play the role of Alves on the right. Fergie is smart, and he will send Ronaldo and Rooney into that area to skin the Spaniard alive.
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Teams up. No surprises!
Im really hoping we test Barca’s defence: Puyol, Pique, Toure and Sylvinho. We should be able to put two or three goals past that defence. Then it doesn’t matter if Barca have a moment of brilliance (or luck!).
But I worry that we will give Barca too much respect, not put their defence to the sword and lose to a lucky goal just like how Chelsea got robbed
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@Grognard: oh my gosh, you just dont get it, its not because I say it will never happen, its because of the fact it will NEVER happen, england made football, the most popular sport in the world, and its system has been used for over a century, why the feck would we suddenly change it to another system, to be like someone else? football is the most popular sport on the earth, all other sports should be trying copy its system, but you know why i dont go to NHL, NBA NFL etc sites and say they should change their system? because i know, its a system that they grew up with, and to change it would be like killing a family member, i can respect them enough to blatantly say “your systems wrong, change to ours because its better and sounds better”, its not bloody nice and its bloody annoying. Unlike you grognard, i would respect them enough to know not to say things like that.
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[...] O’Shea deserves his place in the spotlight [...]
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