UCL: Manchester United 1-0 Barcelona [29.4.2008] We're going to Moscow!

[kyan]

Rooney and Vidic are doubts, everyone else is fine.

Evra and Nani our only players a booking away from suspension.

I'm very nervous. I'd still expect us to qualify, but this is by no stretch of the imagination going to be easy - although it's encouraging that Barcelona's form is even worse than our own.

United need to get out of the blocks quickly and try and hit their defence on the counter as much as possible. They're very suspect at the back, even with Puyol, and especially if we're missing Vidic, we've got to go out to score as much as possible (within reason).

[dukeofdavinci]

United need to get out of the blocks quickly and try and hit their defence on the counter as much as possible. They're very suspect at the back, even with Puyol, and especially if we're missing Vidic, we've got to go out to score as much as possible (within reason).

tough call wth out vida but if the defense can reproduce what they have shown in nou camp, i believe we can be safe at the back and its up to our mid field men and forwards to hit them as hard as possible.
we need to be on top no matter what they do or score we need to be above that.

[DB7]

Originally Posted by kyan

Evra and Nani our only players a booking away from suspension.

Is Hargreaves not one booking away from a suspension??

[dukeofdavinci]

yep he is another one.lets hope they all get a clean night game

[kyan]

Sorry you're right, forgot he got booked in the last game...

This is the squad that's travelled:

Van der Sar, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Scholes, Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Fletcher, Rooney, Tevez, Kuszczak, Pique, Welbeck.

[c.ronaldo#1]

Originally Posted by kyan

Sorry you're right, forgot he got booked in the last game...

This is the squad that's travelled:

Van der Sar, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Scholes, Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Fletcher, Rooney, Tevez, Kuszczak, Pique, Welbeck.

Travelled from Manchester to Manchester?

[jlae11]

^ funny post c.ronaldo...

im probably as nervous/anxious for this match as i have ever been before a united match... barcelona are such a quality side, and they have such quality in the attack that it is slightly intimidating...

i think henry will get the start today to be honest... he was nearly a game-changer in the first leg. lets face it, the guy knows how to play in the english style and i would not be surprised at all to see him score today if he gets enough time on the pitch. eto'o wasnt too dangerous near the goal in the first leg to be honest... he has brilliant control but i think he needs a more traditional/goal-scoring striker next to him to be lethal.

united need to win, but we also dont need to "put all of our eggs in on basket" an attack... i think it is most important to control the tempo of the match (rather than to take risks going forward) because we allowed barcelona to boss the match in leg1.

im torn as to how united should play today... 433/451 or 442. against barca, i think433 might be better suited to manage the game and possess the ball... but, i love the 442 at OT... i cant decide... i think i may prefer the 433 to start, maybe bringing tevez on at 60minutes if a goal is needed.

i think i also prefer hargreaves to brown at rb for this match... better pace, more intelligent...

hargreaves rio vidic evra
anderson carrick scholes (i could actually see fletch getting a start... saf always has confidence in him in these big matches)
ronaldo rooney park

prediction: 2-1 united... henry scores for barca early, but the crowd at OT drives the lads onto victory... rooney scores, and ronaldo gets a late winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kyan]

I agree with your team jlae, except that if Vidic is fit Brown should play RB. We don't want to be shaking up the defence that's been so successful thus far, and even though Hargreaves is better going forward I don't think that's so important tonight.

And I'd put Ronaldo through the middle again with Rooney on the left and Park on the right.

It's got to be a 4-3-3/4-5-1 imo. We need to give their midfield as little space as possible, and it would give Ronaldo and Rooney a bit more freedom if Park tracks back as usual.

[Olzy]

this one is too hard to call.

but have a bad feeling that it wont be going man utd's way judging by the first leg and man utd's recent form.

I really hope you guys do it tho.

[usamu]

Damn it, early reports Vidic to start, Rooney misses out.

[Olzy]

rooney would be a big blow.

[russe||]

Confirmed that both Rooney and Vidic are out. Massive blow for us.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra, Park, Scholes, Carrick, Nani, Ronaldo, Tevez
Subs: Kuszczak, Anderson, Giggs, O'Shea, Fletcher, Silvestre, Welbeck

Barcelona: Valdes, Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal, Toure Yaya, Messi, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta, Eto'o
Subs: Pinto, Gudjohnsen, Henry, Edmilson, Sylvinho, Thuram, Bojan

Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany)

Very disappointed to see Park and Nani start again and also that Anderson is missing.

I'm not at all confident now I've seen that line-up.

[Olzy]

ditto with russell.

park and nani in the side mmmmm.

Nani isnt displicined enough not always got the final ball.

Park very hard working but not enough quality to face Barca why no Anderson or even Fletcher.

Looks like a patched up side with Hargreaves as right back altho he will do a good job.

[russe||]

Great start there. Give the ball away in our defensive 1/3 and then conceded a freekick on the very edge of the box.

COME ON UNITED!

[Trim]

GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!

1-0 (14 mins). Scholes!

What a beauty.