Man Utd Thread:

[Minder]

Well he has yet to score against Chelsea or Liverpool so if he does score on Sunday it will go against the formbook.......

I see Torres is doing well for Liverpool, but what 'big' teams has he scored against?  The mighty Inter and one against Chelsea.  Is that it?

What would you class big teams as? Los Angeles Lakers? Average height of 6 ft 9", i think it is unwise on your part to compare Torres's very impressive scoring record from his first season in English football to someone who has been at United for 5 seasons now and has yet to score against Chelsea or Liverpool........

Do you count Liverpool as a big team then?

I have never went in for all this "big team" s*ite and nowhere did i mention his scoring rate against "big teams", i merely noted a stat i saw few weeks ago that he had yet to score against Chelsea or Liverpool, two strong defensive units, well Chelsea were before last night............Some people would class Spurs as a "big team", enough said....

[magpie seanie]

Newsflash - you get 3 league points for beating ANY team in the Premier League. I can live with the boy being tightly marked against Chelsea and Liverpool (why are we not including Arsenal - surely they're better than Liverpool?) and leaving the scoring to Rio or JOS so long as he keeps destroying the other team. 24 league goals for a winger (in 24 starts I heard them say last night) is a ridiculously good return and to suggest otherwise makes a person look like a complete idiot.

The weekend will be interesting and hyped to hell. What price two draws? Would do me.

[nrico2006]

Two draws would not be bad, but hopefully United can do another double over the scousers.  I expect Vidic/Rio to keep Torres in their back pockets and feed him on farts just like they did at the smash and grab at the council house.

[Hound]

Worry about Liverpool game with Tommy K in goals. He stays on his line too much and the whole back line seems to play deeper and more like headless chickens when he is there (John O'Shea and Wesley thrive!)

League must be put away now when you consider the dropped points against Reading, Bolton, West Ham and City it is criminal how difficult they are making the championship.

Team selection has been bizarre the last few league games as well. No room for complacency, its time for minimal rototation

Just as the commentators last night were saying how everybody was surprised at the decision not to play Foster, and how Foster could be being saved for Liverpool, Kuscack made a great save from point blank range from Kevin Davies with the score at 1-0. I'd say Kuscack is strong favourite to play v Liverpool.

Central midfield will be very interesting. At the time of Liverpool v ManU, Hargreaves-Anderson was clearly number 1 choice, and they played well that day. The return of Scholes, coincidentally or not, has coincided with less impressive ManU performances. Anderson's form has dipped recently too, while Hargreaves hasnt yet delivered consistently. Meanwhile Carrick who was firmly number 4 in the pecking order is probably in the best form of any them. Ferguson may also be thinking of playing a 4-5-1 type of formation to counter Liverpool's current formation. But for sure Ferguson's main tactic will be the usual one when they play Liverpool. Objective 1 is not to concede and if they score a goal on the break all the better. 

[magpie seanie]

Agree with that assessment Hound. Scholes has been terrible since he has come back. I would personally pick Hargreaves and Carrick in the middle of midfield for Sunday. Back 4 picks itself. Hard to know with keeper. As you said Kuszack did himself no harm last night but I just think Foster is a better keeper and I'd pick him.

[Hound]

Agree with that assessment Hound. Scholes has been terrible since he has come back. I would personally pick Hargreaves and Carrick in the middle of midfield for Sunday. Back 4 picks itself. Hard to know with keeper. As you said Kuszack did himself no harm last night but I just think Foster is a better keeper and I'd pick him.

Every ManU fan I know would also prefer Foster. Therefore I'm hoping for TK!

[Norf Tyrone]

Is it fair to see Scholes' better days are behind him? Not that United's had a bad season by no means but their one issue, which has never been one in the past, is the variance of goal scorers.

These days its Ronaldo, Rooney or Tevez, and no one else making a significant contribution. Giggs and Scholes in the past would've bacnged in 8-12 goals, but have not done so.

If a defence can smoother Ronaldo and Rooney especially, there isn't as much of  threat from the box to box type players anymore. It's probably the main weakness that United have, but stopping Ronaldo is easier said than done.

[Uladh]

It looks like tommy in goal for sunday. otherwise he'd have played foster last night as the fella needs games.

[AZOffaly]

I think ye can change the title of this thread lads. 2007/2008.

[nrico2006]

Scholes best days behind him?  Probably so due to his age, but he is still as good a midfielder as there is in the premiership.  He has not been great since returning from injury, but he was immense last year and was good up until the Kiev game when he picked up the injury.

[Goats Do Shave]

The style of football the team plays now has changed. Before UTD teams got the ball down the wing & played crosses in to the box with midfielders gettign a lot of goals this way.

Now the midfield is simply backing up the front 3 - & there are very little scraps been left for them!

[Hound]

Scholes best days behind him?  Probably so due to his age, but he is still as good a midfielder as there is in the premiership. 

[Square Ball]

heres the run ins

Sunday, 23 March 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Arsenal, 16:00

Sunday, 30 March 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Middlesbrough, 13:30

Saturday, 05 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Chelsea, 15:00

Monday, 14 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Wigan, 20:00

Saturday, 19 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Everton v Chelsea, 15:00

Saturday, 26 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Man Utd, 15:00

Saturday, 03 May 2008
Barclays Premier League
Newcastle v Chelsea, 15:00

Sunday, 11 May 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Bolton, 15:00

Sunday, 23 March 2008
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Liverpool, 13:30

Saturday, 29 March 2008
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Aston Villa, 17:15

Sunday, 06 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Middlesbrough v Man Utd, 13:30

Sunday, 13 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Arsenal, 16:00

Saturday, 19 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Blackburn v Man Utd, 15:00

Saturday, 26 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Man Utd, 15:00

Saturday, 03 May 2008
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v West Ham, 15:00

Sunday, 11 May 2008
Barclays Premier League
Wigan v Man Utd, 15:00

Sunday, 23 March 2008
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Arsenal, 16:00

Saturday, 29 March 2008
Barclays Premier League
Bolton v Arsenal, 15:00

Saturday, 05 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Liverpool, 15:00

Sunday, 13 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Arsenal, 16:00

Saturday, 19 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Reading, 15:00

Monday, 28 April 2008
Barclays Premier League
Derby v Arsenal, 20:00

Saturday, 03 May 2008
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Everton, 15:00

Sunday, 11 May 2008
Barclays Premier League
Sunderland v Arsenal, 15:00

gonna be a lot of twists and turns to come, cant see anyone putting together 8 wins

[magpie seanie]

Would agree with that. With so many games between the top 4 in the last 8 it is very unpredictable. United are in a good position but it is very, very tight.

[nrico2006]

Would agree with that. With so many games between the top 4 in the last 8 it is very unpredictable. United are in a good position but it is very, very tight.

Exactly.  Nobody can predict how the top 4 will fare against each other.  Each of them can beat each other.  The good thing is United have the 3 point lead and the goal difference and a two of the big games are home.