Dec 18
United Visit QPR in Search of Consecutive Wins
For all that’s gone wrong, or seemingly gone wrong, for Manchester United over the last few months, things are suddenly looking brighter than they have been in one area for some time. With a win this afternoon at QPR, United will go top of the Premier League table for at least a few hours, and if the right result happens later in the day when City host in-form Arsenal, United will end the weekend in the best position they’ve been in since…you know when. For a side that’s dealt with so much recently, that would be a fantastic way to kick off the busy festive period, wouldn’t it?
RECENT HISTORY
The last time United faced QPR in the Premier League was in the 1995/96 season, when United notched a 2-1 win at home and drew 1-1 at QPR.
The most recent meeting between the two sides, however, was in a Carling Cup fourth-round tie in November 2008. In that match, Carlos Tevez’s 76th-minute penalty was all the difference in a 1-0 home win for United.
TEAM ANALYSIS
1) QPR currently sit 15th in the Premier League table with 16 points from 15 matches, having won four, drawn four, and lost seven.
Of those four wins, only one has come at home, where they’re 1-4-2 thus far. But that one win was a big, big one, as they stunned Chelsea 1-0 in late October.
2) QPR have scored only 15 league goals so far this season, with six of them coming from Heidar Helguson. Also, they’ve scored only six goals in their seven home matches.
On the other hand, they’ve surrendered 26 goals, a total that’s inflated somewhat by heavy defeats against Bolton (4-0 at home in August) and Fulham (6-0 away in October).
3) QPR invested in some established Premier League talent in the summer, landing Joey Barton, Shaun Wright-Phillips, DJ Campbell, Danny Gabbidon, and Anton Ferdinand, and just as importantly, they managed to hold onto their prized asset, Adel Taarabt, who looked to be on the verge of a move to Paris Saint-Germain at one point.
However, the Barton-SWP-Taarabt trio hasn’t performed as some might have expected, though Barton is off to a fairly good start individually.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Here’s a look at today’s United lineup:
Starting XI: De Gea; Smalling, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Valencia, Jones, Carrick, Nani; Rooney, Welbeck.
Subs: Lindegaard, Fryers, Giggs, Park, Young, Berbatov, Hernandez.
Related items from Red Rants:
The_Philosopher (402)
Redrich (217)
Opti (207)
Moscow (147)
Stephen (146)
Great to see Rooney off the mark again. If he goes on a goal scoring spree over Christmas it will keep us in contention until Hernandez comes back. Clearly Eddie’s article inspired him!
Jones again as a defensive midfielder. It looks like Pogba does not have a chance. It is great to have a utility player when we have injuries. But I cannot help feeling Jones is destined to be jack of all trades and master of none. Whereas Pogba by all accounts has the potential to become a world class player and at this rate we are going to lose him as Ferguson gave an cavalier interview saying he was under no rush to sign up Pogba .
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Mmmmm – once again making fookin hard work of putting the ball in the net. Should have been well up by now. WTF does Johnny Evans need to get all the opportunities he gets in the box – to land on target. He is the master of missed opportunities in the oppos box. I truly hope this is not going to end up as a draw! We need that 2nd goal.
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Carrick is playing some of his best football in a few years.
RIP Evra..
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Jones’y is brilliant – if he only had composure in the box at the end of his runs forward, and a thinking brain to finish – he would be the greatest MF. Good on you Jones’y.
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Yeah that is the thing Craig. Jones has a great engine and is a real athlete. But when it comes to having the composure or the skill to make that decisive pass or decisive shot he messes up. Composure you can learn. Skill is a bit harder.
And Oh My God. Carrick is a new man playing in a more advanced role. Splendid goal.
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Hey Colver mi man – hold that thought of yours, because Jones’y almost CURLED one in but missed by a fraction as he just clipped the post – so he is getting there! Fookin love Jones’y all fire and passion the lad! He hardly ever comes out of his consistent well times tackles without the ball – he is a glorious ball winner! -
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Jonesy reminds me of Keano to be honest, especially his attitude. It’s not as brutal as old Roy, but moments like when he complained at Welbeck for a poor pass sums it up. He won’t tolerate less than perfection. Even when he missed his one on one in the first half he went to the ground screaming, really impressed by his attitude.
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What a goal by Carrick. That’s the way to end a goal drought!
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I feel vindicated by Carrick’s performance today. I always kept my faith in him and I still maintain that he is our best midfielder by a country mile. Great performance, great goal. Less aggressive and imposing than our previous No 16 he may be, but his stylish passing and football intelligence is amazing.
C’mon
Robin van PersieArsenal, kick some bitter blue assLike?
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Great to see Valencia back as well. Valencia on the right, Nani on the left. It would give any team nightmares.
Our away record this season is really impressing me.
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sounds like I’m missing a heck of a game because FOX in the US decided they need to make as much money as possible off people and not broadcast the game on one of their cable channels but on their “online” channel which you have to subscribe to for an extra $20 a month…ugh…wish United would just launch their own online channel which i would gladly pay $20 a month to watch all our games and i would gladly cancel this FOX nonsense…
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Mate why don’t you watch online? Just ask on the day and I think there are a few on here who watch online and can give you the sites! The free view sites that is
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looks like Berbatov is an afterthought yet again..i guess that’s what happens when you have 7 strikers,,even if 3 get injured you still have 4 in the pecking order and Berba is still last! And when the likes of Hernandez make miraculous recoveries from apparent ligament injuries…i guess Berba will be seeing some Europa league game time and possibly the FA Cup
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there’s a polish fan site somewhere that could help me in future..anybody have the link to that?
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Here you go!
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I think you are talking about Redlog.com – anybody????
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Don I also think Eddie Griffin recommended first row sports live streams
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Yes, first row sports always has streams, and ice(dash)sportz(dot)eu always does as well. Not as good quality as you’ll find on your TV, but it’s much better than missing out on the game!
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Yeah first row sports has really quality streams. Hardly ever lags. At least for me!
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Yeah I feel bad for Berbatov but unfortunately we always look best when we play a game at a decent clip and that is where strikers like Welbeck and Hernandez come in. Shame really because his attributes such as creativity, intelligence, great touch, great vision etc are very rare. It is a shame we are not a team capable of utilising his talents. Really we should have given him a move this summer. He is too good to be warming the bench.
All in all though a great team performance and it helps take the edge off our European failures. Especially good to see Rooney on form. As always when Rooney is at his best he lifts the entire team.
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Carrick did a Messi there!
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Oh Manchester United, how i have missed you and your sexiness <3
christ. Put this lazy, arrogant big mouth in the reserves and give fryers a game asap i say.
Great performance, still startling the fact we only got 2 goals from about 20 bloody genuine chances, but it was just nice to see the return of the old manchester united we all know and love.
Jonesy, carrick and vally were all top class, and have really given our midfield an upgrade these last few weeks (still not enough though).
Evra, well i dont know what else i can say about him that hasnt already been said before. Fookin captain today
A good win, cant believe were top tbh, and a nice return to the summit in style. Lets just hope we stay there a while yet, continue to see this kind of football being played most weeks, and also an addition or 2 in the next few weeks in the transfer window
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Agreed great performance from Wazza, Nani and Vally, but Evra was a disgrace. Great result though, Carrick again was superb as was Rio, Come on Arsenal…..
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Evra made Mckie (or whoever he was) look like Fu**ing C RONALDO of this world… I dont know why he keep on getting starts and to add to insult he is Standing Captain in Absence of Vida… Total disgrace in my books…
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Again I felt Welbeck was poor, great shot towards the end but is he really United quality??
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Agree Stephen. For me Welbeck is Saha without the aerial ability or ability to finish. It is true his link-up play is superb and his movement can stretch defences and he has pace. But his dribbling is poor, his finishing is poor, he is scared of the penalty box, lacks aggression and is weak in the air despite his height.
But then Hernandez for all his finishing ability and instinct in the box is terrible at passing and link up play and is a midget and we always seem a bit lightweight with him up top.
I still think Rooney of 2009/10 was the most complete forward we’ve had but doubt he can keep up that sort of consistency every season.
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Totally agree with all of that.
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