Manchester United Thread [2007/2008]

[mnj2x]

Ronaldo wasnt missing. He forced the keeper into some good saves but just didnt have the influence that we expect him to have on the team. I thought we could have settled the tie if we had been more positive. Fergie was trying to be cautious but if we had played the 4-4-2 i honestly think we could have won it.

and Yes rooney should start showing more composure in front of the goal.

 

[Fernandez]

I think they completely outshone Ronaldo and Rooney. Ronaldo just went missing for most of the game.

Nobody really shined for us. People may say we dominated the game, but we lacked the cutting edge because the players give away balls like a hot potato or playing an aimless long ball up front to Rooney. It was however, a decent away performance as we restricted them to half-chances and from set-pieces.

In my honest opinion, Giggs should be dropped to the bench. I'm kinda disappointed with his past few performances with his hands on hips after giving the ball away so cheaply. Nani should start until Giggs decides to put in a creditable performance for once. Nani has been involved in 7 goals from the last 5 matches. His delivery of the ball has got to be the best out of the squad. He deserves to get a look in.

I rate Benzema quite highly before last night's match . I've watched all the Ligue 1 highlights this season and although not much, he is a very good finisher and scores all types of goals with his feet. Long-range, one v one, tap-ins and free-kicks. He is very quick and a handful for defenders. He is strong for a 20-year-old. You guys watch how many times he pushed Vidic off the ball. I'd rather sign him than Berbatov, who probably has 3 good seasons left in him and likes to sulk in matches.

For the return leg, I hope we attack them and kill off the tie. They could get a sucker punch from a set-piece from Juninho's boot. Everytime I saw Juninho with a corner or free-kick, I shivered (although the cool temperature contributed as well). I was screaming late night at the screen when one of our players conceded a free-kick within the range. Thankfully, none of them went in. I hope we win the 2nd leg at Old Trafford and not throw away the tie.

 

[Zakov]

if you guys want to sign him, there's hope:


Friday January 11, 2008

Lyon hot-shot Benzema not ready to leave yet

ROME: France international Karim Benzema has insisted he will resist the lure of a big-money move to AC Milan despite becoming the latest in a steady line of world class footballers to emerge from the French League.

The 20-year-old Lyon striker has taken the French First Division by storm on his full league debut this season, and has already become the league’s top scorer on 12 goals.

Benzema: Wanted by several top clubs in Europe
Benzema has also been firing on all cylinders on the European stage, sealing the six-time French champions’ ticket to the last 16 of the Champions League by scoring a brace in the 3-0 away win at Rangers last month.

And he kick-started the New Year on a high when he scored a hat-trick against Creteil in the French Cup, which took his goals tally, in all competitions this season, to an impressive 23 goals.

Already likened to French footballing greats Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry, it is no surprise that Benzema has garnered interest from Europe’s top clubs.

The young striker told Wednesday’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport it would be a dream to move to Italian giants AC Milan, who boast his childhood hero Ronaldo in their ranks, but his future wish list doesn’t end there.

“Milan would be one of my dream clubs. Mainly because Ronaldo, my idol, is there. He’s on another planet.

“And I have always been a keen supporter of Real Madrid,” added Benzema, who admitted that Juventus, Inter Milan, Manchester United, and any other “big teams” would also appeal to him.

However, the French international, who came through Lyon’s youth academy, has insisted he will only be tempted by a big-money move to another major club once the French champions finally conquer Europe.

“I have a contract with Lyon until 2012, and I’ve always told the president (Jean-Michel Aulas) I will stay with the club at least until we win the Champions League,” he said last month.

looks like to sign him, u guys need to let Lyon win for them get a step closer to CL, lolz

 

[1966+2006]

I don't like this cautious 5-man midfield we play away, I really think we sometimes overestimate our opponents. As soon as we played 4-4-2 it was looking a lot better with Tevez coming on as well.

 

[MikeyM]

I don't like this cautious 5-man midfield we play away, I really think we sometimes overestimate our opponents. As soon as we played 4-4-2 it was looking a lot better with Tevez coming on as well.

I'm glad somebody else said that. United are far more effective dictating the pace - I felt we were too congested in midfield with 4-5-1. Once Carlitos and Nani came on, the pace stepped up.

Benzema looked good - but if United chased every player on the strength of a good performance against us we'd have a squad 100 players strong. The acid test for his quality will be Euro 2008. (I believe he's a French international)

 

[adobe_sun]

4-4-2 is the only scheme that worked throughout the years.
If you can recall, SAF tried to use 4-5-1 with RvN infront and Scholes or Giggsy as supporting striker in previous seasons, but it always felt awkward..
It's nice to stick to the good old 4-4-2. If SAF wouldn't wanna risk Tevez or Rooney in every game, then give Saha last chance, won't hurt.

I am confident for the second leg. at least 2+ win.

 

[coach]

Ya, until Saha gets hurt again. As for the 4-5-1, why is it always brought up in Europe??? To give Lyon a false sense of hope?

 

[thelordspawn]

Lyon were S*** that match Man U Completly dominated that match and Lyons goal was extremly lucky and came out of nowhere. lyon had the luck and we had the bad luck. we should've scored like 5 goals. and they just took random crappy shots and 1 of them managed to go in.

bad luck/injuries/our bad luck combined with other teams massive good luck (and paying refs) *cough* milan *cough* has caused us to get knocked out of the CL these past few years

everything is going fine then eventually something goes wrong like injuries to all our defense or for some strange reason the entire team has a bad game./bad luck. just always something has to go wrong.

lyon did pay pretty good but definetly didnt deserve the goal they got.

 

[thelordspawn]

id like 4-3-3

Tevez----Rooney---Ronaldo
Giggs----Hargreaves---Nani
Evra---Vidic----Ferdinand---Brown
VDS

that formation would be really good tevez and rooney alway work good together ronadow orks good with anyone nani complements ronaldo very well so its a nice formation to use.

 

[1966+2006]

Moron...
Anyway, Newcastle away this week, what do you all reckon? They still haven't won so this would be the perfect opportunity for them to throw a spanner in our works(which they have in past visits to St. James Park).

 

[goal_machine84]

we love playing at St. James Park so should be good fun

when i play the same fixture in PES6, its a thrashing for the magpies

 

[1966+2006]

Well while we've had some great games there, we still have dropped points there in the past, for instance last season.

 

[ladylover]

It wouldn't suprise me at all if the Barcodes raised their game against us

 

[adobe_sun]

this 4-3-3 the guy posted above is not a 4-3-3, but the usual 4-4-2 with Ronaldo put as a third striker, whilst he would always be the perfect right winger..
Just no chance of putting him that further upfront, because nobody will operate on the right wing.. I can't imagine Wes B owning that part of the pitch for himself

As of the upcoming EPL fixtures - now's the time to decrease Arsenal's lead.
They have to spill a point or two somewhere.

 

[Dipanjan]

Newcastle are very unpredictable....therefore it could be a tough task for us......i.e thrashing them.....but I am pretty sue we will be able to beat them......

 

[rony31]

was Tevez wearing a wig against Lyon?

 

[rhizome17]

this 4-3-3 the guy posted above is not a 4-3-3, but the usual 4-4-2 with Ronaldo put as a third striker, whilst he would always be the perfect right winger..
Just no chance of putting him that further upfront, because nobody will operate on the right wing.. I can't imagine Wes B owning that part of the pitch for himself

As of the upcoming EPL fixtures - now's the time to decrease Arsenal's lead.
They have to spill a point or two somewhere.

Who did you support in the derby?

 

[adobe_sun]

don't be cheeky rhizome. stick to your favs and don't discuss mine.

 

[rhizome17]

don't be cheeky rhizome. stick to your favs and don't discuss mine.

So that'll be a bob each way then? Guess it means you never end a game disappointed. See you back in the City thread if we make it to fourth place again.

 

[adobe_sun]

You will definitely see me in the City thread in case Petrov and/or Bojinov do something special in the next games and i f00kin can't see anything wrong with that. Same i can write whatever i want in whatever thread i want, so stop annoying and stupidly misunderstand every post of mine.
I am f00kin terrifying glad to watch people from my nation to play in the EPL, so whatever team they are from i support them. I have not a single clue where Aotearoa might be, but in case it's in USA - then imagine Dempsey, Bradley and Oguchi playing in big EPL clubs - surely you will follow their performances, won't you?
End of the childish discussion.


Ontopic:
how about the fifer today, eh?
Even Saha got on the scoresheet. I hope he gains some motivation/and becomes more self-assured , cos we need strikers to lift the 3 tropheys.
ROO-VEZ duo won't be enough. Just remember the past season of greatness - there were usually at least 3 top-forms strikers. 1999 there were even 4 of them Yorke, Cole, Teddy and Ole. And Jordy Cruyff came up in a few less important games..

Good thing is Arsenal started slipping points. Not that i can say i am happy of Eduardo being injured, cos being injured is **** overall for a human being, but i am .. contended that Arsenal lost a key striker.
and Rooney stepped up again just proving how big he is. This season's trashings over the Toons do need to be remembered. This 5-1 is even better than the good old 6-2 at St James' a few season ago where Scholes scored a hat-trick...