Manchester United vs Liverpool/Sunday 21st March/KO 13:30 (Mod note: Post #1 & #770)

kryogen

monkey9 wrote: »

It's not media hype ffs. Some people are capable of watching matches without being given their opinion. If you have a striker with pace, then you target Vidic cos he is the weaklink in that instance.

He is sh!t against strikers with pace. That's why Torres creams him. Why Agbonlohar creamed him, (should have been sent off in the Carling Cup final, should have been sent off in the draw at Villa Park last season) Bellamy etc.

Torres will target Vidic tomorrow, so maybe Utd will try to counter that by having Ferdinand keep tabs on him.

But it ain't no media hype. It's just fact!

no way in hell its a fact

i dont wanna discuss this though, absolutely no point

lets just say we disagree in our OPINIONS

ps, no centre back likes blistering pace

Dave!

kryogen wrote: »

and also, what i will hope to see at some stage duting the match

eh, windmill plz

TonyD79

I like the way liverpool club supporters have been saying how **** Lucas is all season and now suddenly think he can boss the midfield on Sunday. He is no Alonso and thats a "FACT"!

monkey9

kryogen wrote: »

no way in hell its a fact

i dont wanna discuss this though, absolutely no point

lets just say we disagree in our OPINIONS

ps, no centre back likes blistering pace

Ok, fair enough. All i'm saying is that you better believe that Rafa has told Torres to target Vidic! I have no doubt about it.

Don't get me wrong, i think Vidic is a fantastic defender. But from what i've seen of him, he can't handle pace.

You're right in what you say, every defender hates pace. But some defenders are quality in having the correct positional sense to counter it, whereas Vidic lacks that at times.

Basically, i'm not that confident for tomorrow, i have to say. But where, imo, i see Liverpool getting anything from this match is for Torres to target Vidic. I think he is the weaklink. He may well have a great game, he may head everything clear, he may put in some great tackles and blocks, but it just needs one chance for Torres to go at him and it's Goodnight Vienna

flahavaj

kryogen wrote: »

no way in hell its a fact

i dont wanna discuss this though, absolutely no point

lets just say we disagree in our OPINIONS

ps, no centre back likes blistering pace

But Vidic used to be much better able to handle it.

But due to his decline, he can't now.

monkey9

TonyD79 wrote: »

I like the way liverpool club supporters have been saying how **** Lucas is all season and now suddenly think he can boss the midfield on Sunday. He is no Alonso and thats a "FACT"!

??????????????? Most Liverpool fans will tell you that Lucas has been one of our better players this season. He's had a better season than Gerrard, imo

And who has been saying he will boss the midfield tomorrow (admittedly, i haven't read this thread)

BERBA

monkey9 wrote: »

??????????????? Most Liverpool fans will tell you that Lucas has been one of our better players this season. He's had a better season than Gerrard, imo

And who has been saying he will boss the midfield tomorrow (admittedly, i haven't read this thread)

Rubbish most liverpool fans on here are always having a go at lucas

Ush1

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2010/03/20/1841241/premier-league-preview-manchester-united-liverpool

Some funny stuff there towards the end in the players to watch.

K-9

TonyD79 wrote: »

I like the way liverpool club supporters have been saying how **** Lucas is all season and now suddenly think he can boss the midfield on Sunday. He is no Alonso and thats a "FACT"!

Alonso wasn't playing in the last game either.

Must add, Nor the game before that!

kryogen

K-9 wrote: »

Alonso wasn't playing in the last game either.

FACT!!

RasTa

Holsten wrote: »

Bring on yer Manchester United......

Cannot wait for this!

It was the strip that day, Vidic couldn't see him.

argosy2006

case of who lets in more than the other, liverpool will concede goal, but i can see torres scoring or making the space for someone else too score.
Draw suits no one,, but we can't afford to lose if we're to make 4th,,
I REMEMBER THESE GAMES USE TO BE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS AT ANFIELD!!! now every season its early saturday or sunday morning borefest ,,why????????????????????????

v3ttel

I don't know if many people have checked this out: http://www.socceram.com/story/0,21644,13873_6039444,00.html, Lucas and Kuyt dishing the dirt on their team-mates.

Lucas wrote:

We don't have a player with a lot of skill

Best. Quote. Ever.

x in the city

RasTa wrote: »

It was the strip that day, Vidic couldn't see him.

seems reminiscent of southamptons kit when they spanked man u back in their heyday, or was that man utd kit that day...ermmmm

Boggles

People on here having a go at Vidic really don't have a clue about football.

I genuinely feel sorry for ye.

Moronic in the extreme.

There isn't a club in world football where he wouldn't walk into the first team.

kryogen

x in the city wrote: »

seems reminiscent of southamptons kit when they spanked man u back in their heyday, or was that man utd kit that day...ermmmm

was our kit, disgrace that was tbh

how could our players be expected to compete when they couldnt see each other cause of the weather and the effect it had on the kit

TonyD79

argosy2006 wrote: »

case of who lets in more than the other, liverpool will concede goal, but i can see torres scoring or making the space for someone else too score.
Draw suits no one,, but we can't afford to lose if we're to make 4th,,
I REMEMBER THESE GAMES USE TO BE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS AT ANFIELD!!! now every season its early saturday or sunday morning borefest ,,why????????????????????????

More like one of the games was a noon kick off and the other midweek. Guess we will have to wait for a cup game for a later kick off.

How much a factor will United having a whole week to rest effect this game?

jesus_thats_gre

monkey9 wrote: »

It's not media hype ffs. Some people are capable of watching matches without being given their opinion. If you have a striker with pace, then you target Vidic cos he is the weaklink in that instance.

He is sh!t against strikers with pace. That's why Torres creams him. Why Agbonlohar creamed him, (should have been sent off in the Carling Cup final, should have been sent off in the draw at Villa Park last season) Bellamy etc.

Torres will target Vidic tomorrow, so maybe Utd will try to counter that by having Ferdinand keep tabs on him.

But it ain't no media hype. It's just fact!

You forgot Andy Johnson of Fulham in that list should have been sent off then also.

jesus_thats_gre

TonyD79 wrote: »

I like the way liverpool club supporters have been saying how **** Lucas is all season and now suddenly think he can boss the midfield on Sunday. He is no Alonso and thats a "FACT"!

I would read the Liverpool thread if I were you..

argosy2006

TonyD79 wrote: »

More like one of the games was a noon kick off and the other midweek. Guess we will have to wait for a cup game for a later kick off.

How much a factor will United having a whole week to rest effect this game?

carra has had long hard season, bit of a liability against rooney,
our key players are fresh torres,.gerrard.,yossi, babel, maxi ,johnson.., their reason we might have a good finish to season, their all fresh

evil_seed

i honestly don't know if i'm nervous about or looking forward to this game. we could give them another spanking or get spanked ourselves. so all in all it'll probably be a draw

bUILDERtHEbOB

Whatever about Torres and Vidic, the real battle could be between Valencia and Insua, and how well Mascherano or Lucas come across to cover him.

kryogen

cant sleep!

jesus_thats_gre

bUILDERtHEbOB wrote: »

Whatever about Torres and Vidic, the real battle could be between Valencia and Insua, and how well Mascherano or Lucas come across to cover him.

Indeed. Tis our major weak point and Valencia will likely do some damage there.

Ush1

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Indeed. Tis our major weak point and Valencia will likely do some damage there.

Aerial balls seem to cause them bother aswell, and it's Rooneys new fav thing to get his head on Valencias crosses.

As others have said, centre midfield battle will be the key I guess.

kryogen

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Indeed. Tis our major weak point and Valencia will likely do some damage there.

Carragher is another weak link imo, and if Johnson exposes him by getting caught up field it could go very wrong for him

jesus_thats_gre

kryogen wrote: »

Carragher is another weak link imo, and if Johnson exposes him by getting caught up field it could go very wrong for him

Our defense was pretty damn poor for a large portion of this season but things aren't so shakey of late. Still susceptible of course but we have stemmed the flow significantly.

JPA

Some very generous odds on Liverpool winning if you were confident about it.

Liverpool winning 4/1
1-0 Liverpool 12/1
2-0 Liverpool 33/1
2-1 Liverpool 14/1
3-0 Liverpool 125/1

3-0 Man United 11/1

dfx-

I might just go and unearth my copy of last season's win - from the 27th minute anyways. Will almost certainly be the last watchable game from Old Trafford for a while.

Added bonus that because of Rovers' game, the final few minutes will not be watched tomorrow

kryogen

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Our defense was pretty damn poor for a large portion of this season but things aren't so shakey of late. Still susceptible of course but we have stemmed the flow significantly.

i would put that down to the team taking a more defensive approach though no?

jesus_thats_gre

kryogen wrote: »

i would put that down to the team taking a more defensive approach though no?

There has defo been a move back to basics alright. It had to be done as well as we were a tragic mess.

kryogen

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

There has defo been a move back to basics alright. It had to be done as well as we were a tragic mess.

oh i agree

i have defended Rafa on this, it was obvious ye had to get back to the basics and try to build from the back again

v3ttel

Good God, I hope that Vidic is man of the match tomorrow.

2-0 to United is my prediction. Rooney and Fletch. Heres hoping!

jesus_thats_gre

kryogen wrote: »

oh i agree

i have defended Rafa on this, it was obvious ye had to get back to the basics and try to build from the back again

In the last quarter of last season, I had serious concerns that we had gone too offensive and sacrificed too much at the back. The matches against CL matches against Chelsea and the league match against Arsenal sum up perfectly the malaise that had set in in our backline.

He now has the rest of the season and pre-season to get us up to the point where we were Jan/Feb last season so that we have the best chance possible of mounting some sort of a challenge next season (certainly improve on this season anyhow).

5starpool

I can forsee some pain tomorrow the way Liverpool have been playing all season away from home. Hopefully it won't be a Utd cakewalk, and I don't think it will be that, but I still think utd will win, either 1-0 or 2-1.

ParkRunner

argosy2006 wrote: »

carra has had long hard season, bit of a liability against rooney,
our key players are fresh torres,.gerrard.,yossi, babel, maxi ,johnson.., their reason we might have a good finish to season, their all fresh

They have played two games since United last played, although against Lille they weren't really tested too much. If Liverpool can bring their recent momentum into today's game it should be a very good game, but I can see United's pace and agression being the deciding factor today, seeing as they have had a whole week to prepare for this.

kryogen

Getting closer!

kryogen

Support cast set stage for unstoppable Rooney


More forward thinking is allowing United ace to flourish, writes Paul Wilson
Sunday March 21 2010

Cristiano Ronaldo was an unstoppable force the season he scored 42 goals for Manchester United, just as Wayne Rooney is proving to be this season.

With Alex Ferguson's none-too-tacit encouragement, United's leading scorer is being backed to pass Ronaldo's mark -- he currently needs 10 more goals to equal it, or nine if you count the one he scored in the Community Shield -- yet in a real sense it is academic whether Rooney takes his goal tally into the 40s or not.

United have already scored more league goals this season than in the whole of the last one. After 30 games they have 70 goals, and you have to go back to 2001-02 to see that total bettered. Last season's final total was 68, and the season before that, the one where Ronaldo chipped in with 31 league goals as part of his overall contribution of 42, they ended on 80. So if Rooney or anyone else in a red shirt can add 10 or more goals from their last eight league matches, beginning with Liverpool at home today, the idea that they are still missing Ronaldo will be statistically exploded.

Liverpool won 4-1 at Old Trafford last season with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard traumatising the home defence, yet, even if the pair are now back in harness and returning to full fitness, it is no secret that Rafa Benitez relies on his golden duo to an almost unhealthy extent. What United have proved since the turn of the year is that they are no longer reliant on Ronaldo. The team has moved on.

The season United most missed Ronaldo was the last one, when they still had the player in body but hardly in spirit. A pale shadow of the previous season's incarnation, Ronaldo still managed a highly creditable 25 goals, but United's final league total was the lowest it had been since the meagre 58 in 2004-05, the season after he arrived when, operating very much as a winger, he contributed five goals.

The most remarkable thing about Ronaldo's 42-goal season was that it represented a prodigious total for a winger, although by that stage Ferguson was giving him free rein to come inside, and sometimes selecting him in central positions. While nothing ought to be taken away from Rooney's impressive scoring record this season, it is much more natural for a centre-forward to score the majority of the goals, especially one frequently employed as the sole striker.

Rooney has proved he is capable of carrying the United attack on his own, and is clearly enjoying exploiting the space and responsibility left vacant by Ronaldo's departure. It is not all down to Rooney, though such a lion-hearted performer deserves a lion's share of the credit.

After a necessary period of adjustment, Antonio Valencia and Nani have stopped looking like over-promoted bit parts and begun to deliver. Park Ji-sung has been in excellent form and United have benefited enormously from the depth of experience they possess in midfield as well as the still under-utilised Dimitar Berbatov, though it is the quality of service from the flanks that is helping Rooney have such an outstanding season.

Nani's part in Rooney's second goal against Milan, the one that killed the home leg just after half-time, could hardly have been bettered by Ronaldo. There was an electric burst of pace down the left then the subtlest of passes inside to put the ball in the exact place where Rooney wanted it and the Milan defence did not. Much of Rooney's new-found heading ability is due to the quality of the crosses Valencia has been putting in.

As Ferguson said of the goals against Milan at the San Siro, the crossing was so good it would have been harder for the striker to miss. Valencia seems to have taken a while to settle, perhaps not finding it easy to step up from Wigan and certainly not relishing comparisons with Ronaldo, but, without ever being a like-for-like replacement for his singular predecessor, he is now doing precisely what Ferguson says he expected him to do. He brings strength, skill and a certain amount of style to the United wing and, while he may never threaten any goalscoring records, he knows how to make goals for others.

Statistics based on the last couple of seasons show that Valencia tackles more than Ronaldo used to, and more successfully; he crosses more, and more successfully, and creates around twice as many chances. He does not shoot as often and does not score as many goals but that simply makes him a more conventional winger. He is still a very good one.

Risky as it is to make forecasts after last season's upset, while both United and Liverpool have exceptional strikers, United's support cast appears to offer more attacking promise.

Manchester Utd v Liverpool,

Sky Sports 1, 1.30

Sunday Independent

The Muppet

kryogen wrote: »

Support cast set stage for unstoppable Rooney



Sunday Independent

Good read.

Looking forward to this one. United are in good form and will want to put a halt on Liverpools recent winning streak over them.

A hat trick today for Rooney would set him up nicely to surpass Ronado's
42.:)

antod

i reckon this will be our line up today

---

VDS

---

Rafael

---

Rio

---

Vidic

---

Evra

---

Scholes--Fletcher

---

---

Park

---

Valencia

---

Rooney

---

Nani

kryogen

my team is

---

VDS

---

Nev

---

Rio

---

Vidic

---

Evra

---

Carrick

---

---

Scholes

---

Fletcher

---

Valencia

---

Park

---

Rooney

---

that is how i think we will line up anyway

not necessarily my first choice line up!

Quandary

kryogen wrote: »

my team is

---

VDS

---

Nev

---

Rio

---

Vidic

---

Evra

---

Carrick

---

---

Scholes

---

Fletcher

---

Valencia

---

Park

---

Rooney

---

that is how i think we will line up anyway

not necessarily my first choice line up!

I agree thats a very likely line out. I hope Carrick doesnt go missing in this one - that midfield is layed out to give him some breathing room which he needs.

Also hope the Neviller still hates scousers as much as always :P

kryogen

who doesnt hate the scousers?

spockety

May the best team on the day win.

I hope following the final whistle that this thread becomes the downright dirty, abusive, sarcastic, filthy cesspit that it is truly has the potential to be.

When Neville plays I worry. He'd make me fear Accrington Stanley FFS. Also, lets hope Vidic doesn't get sent off this time. So here's hoping its VDS, Brown, Rio, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Valencia, Park, Rooney.

Ush1

spockety wrote: »

May the best team on the day win.

I hope following the final whistle that this thread becomes the downright dirty, abusive, sarcastic, filthy cesspit that it is truly has the potential to be.

I'm sure it will be that long before the final whistle.

MagicMarker

Deleted User wrote: »

When Neville plays I worry. He'd make me fear Accrington Stanley FFS. Also, lets hope Vidic doesn't get sent off this time. So here's hoping its VDS, Brown, Rio, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Valencia, Park, Rooney.

Brown has a broken foot.

MagicMarker

MagicMarker wrote: »

Brown has a broken foot.

Balls. I'm out of the loop! Ok Rafael. If not him then Berbatov. Anyone but Neville!

The Muppet

The Muppet wrote: »

Good read.

Looking forward to this one. United are in good form and will want to put a halt on Liverpools recent winning streak over them.

A hat trick today for Rooney would set him up nicely to surpass Ronado's
42.:)

Talk about making a hangover worse!!

At the moment he's the best player in the world with Messi imo. He's the one united player I genuinely enjoy watching play. He's complete as a footballer.

Torres when fit and on form is the best striker in the world imo- the ultimate centre forward., the best since Rush we've had. He has the taste for goals at the moment which is dangerous for united, wheter he gets the supply or not is another story.

Fascinating match up. Can't wait, getting nervy as fcuk now. Always do before this match, always have , always will I guess.

Best of luck to all.

Dave!

Deleted User wrote: »

Balls. I'm out of the loop! Ok Rafael. If not him then Berbatov. Anyone but Neville!

Berbafullback?