violence in Rome 😞
United should have no trouble over the two legs though. Same for Chelsea.
I watched Barca's game with Betis at the weekend and after watching that their tie with Schalke is by no means clear cut. Could go either way but I would still expect Barca to have enough going forward to score more than the many they may let in.
I think Arsenal will have the better of Liverpool.
I'd be surprised if Giggs and Scholes start considering they played the whole game against Villa. However, Carrick looks like he mightn't make it and Fletcher is injured, so that could force Ferguson into playing Scholes from the start. I have no doubt that Fergie will play his usual 4-5-1 formation, with United starting slowly in the first half concentrating on containment, before being let off the leash in the second half. If United turn up and play like they did against Villa, I see us winning 2-0, although as mentioned before, with the containing tactics usually employed, it might be much tighter: with just a 1 goal win.
Totti is a big loss for Roma, although Vucinic has the physicallity to trouble United from set pieces.
United team:
VDS,
Brown, Rio, Vidic, Evra,
Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson, Scholes, Rooney
Tevez
I'd prefer if Rooney started up front on his own, but really can't see Giggs starting.
Man Of the Match: Wayne Rooney if he starts up front, otherwise Ronaldo will come of age tonight and claim his best performance in the CL.
I find it nearly impossible to predict the other games. If Barce underestimate Schalke they could get a big surprise, Chelsea should beat Fenerbahce over 2 legs, although you'd have to bet on Kezman scoring against them.
Liverpool and Arsenal is a lottery. Liverpools strategy of running around like headless chickens may just overcome Arsenal's strategy of pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, etc ad infinitum.
D
Originally posted by CabaI don't think it'll be anywhere near the previous incidents, although there may still be stabbings outside the ground.
violence in Rome 😞
United should have no trouble over the two legs though. Same for Chelsea.
I watched Barca's game with Betis at the weekend and after watching that their tie with Schalke is by no means clear cut. Could go either way but I would still expect Barca to have enough going forward to score more than the many they may let in.
I think Arsenal will have the better of Liverpool.
Hopefully, Uefa's threat of taking the final of 2009 away from Rome will put a leash on the rabid Roman police. Or at least get them to treat both sets of supporters equally.
D
Originally posted by RagnorakRoma 1 - 1 Man U
I'd be surprised if Giggs and Scholes start considering they played the whole game against Villa. However, Carrick looks like he mightn't make it and Fletcher is injured, so that could force Ferguson into playing Scholes from the start. I have no doubt that Fergie will play his usual 4-5-1 formation, with United starting slowly in the first half concentra ...[text shortened]... , pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, etc ad infinitum.
D
I see Roma going for contention, but it's hard not to see MU scoring at least one. I don't think MU will be able to play like they did at AV, mostly because I don't see Roma playing an open game like AV did.
Schalke 0 - 1 Barça
Schalke are pretty poor. They were extremely lucky against a weak Porto and still they only won on penalties and were dominated throughout the two ties. Barcelona may have their troubles but I don't see them tanking THAT spectacularly.
Fener 0 - 0 Chelsea
Chelsea should at least tie the match away and wrap it up at home.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Arsenal
Have to agree here that this is very hard to predict. I'll go for a cagey match with Benitez managing to grind Arsenal down and Liverpool (Torres?) sneaking a goal.
Originally posted by PalynkaOops, just realized that the first match is at the Emirates. Change that to 2 - 1 for Arsenal.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Arsenal
Have to agree here that this is very hard to predict. I'll go for a cagey match with Benitez managing to grind Arsenal down and Liverpool (Torres?) sneaking a goal.
Originally posted by Angry BoyNo Totti so Roma 0 - 2 Man Utd (and a repeat score in the 2nd leg)
Roma 1-1 Man U (2-0 to ManU in the return)
Schalke 1-2 Barca (2-0 Barca in the return)
Arsenal 2-1 LFC (1-0 LFC in the return, LFC through on away goals)
Fenerbache 0-1 Chelsea (2-0 Chelsea in the return)
Schalke 2 - 2 Barca (and Barca compfortable in 2nd leg 2 - 0)
Arsenal 2 - 0 Liverpool (1 - 1 in the 2nd leg)
Fenerbache 2 - 1 Chelsea (and Chelsea through on away goals)
Arsenal to avenge 1/4 final defeat a few years ago and beat Chelsea with a jammy goal from one of the full backs in injury time and Barcelona to turn over United on agg 5 - 4....
Arsenal to come from a goal down against a 10 man Barcelona side to be crowned Champions of Europe.......
Originally posted by RagnorakYeah it looks like they won't cause if they were Fergie probably would have rested them.
[b]I'd be surprised if Giggs and Scholes start considering they played the whole game against Villa.
Think we should play:
EVDS,
Brown, Ferdinand, Vida, Evra
Nani, Hargreaves, Scholesy, Ronaldo
Rooney supprting Tevez
Probably won't though cause fergie likes to play 4 5 1 in away matches in Europe
Originally posted by RagnorakGreat performance for United apart from 20 minutes at the start of the second half. Fair play to Ferguson for changing the system and reverting to 4-4-2 to stop the problems at that stage, which directly led to relieving the pressure on Brown and allowing him to advance and ultimately get the cross in for the second goal.
I see us winning 2-0
Man Of the Match: Wayne Rooney
Ultimately, the evening could be a huge disappointment. I haven't heard anything official, but Vidic may miss the rest of the season. I have a feeling that he may just have tweaked his medial ligaments which would rule him out for 6 weeks, which would mean he comes back after the end of the PL season, but just before a possible CL final. Fingers crossed its not his cruciate.
Rooney was phenomenal in both attack and defence. He's looking as fast as he did preseason before breaking his foot against Reading in the first game. He made a complete fool of Mexes for the first goal, and did some absolutely superb work in defence.
D
Originally posted by PalynkaWhen I look at Barce, I see 2 superb midfielders in Xavi and Iniest. I see Henry up front alongside Etoo. I see the unreal Messi. I see Yaya playing the holding midfield role perfectly. I see the ever reliant Puyol. I see the second best player in the last World Cup: Zambrotta.
Schalke 0 - 1 Barça
Schalke are pretty poor. They were extremely lucky against a weak Porto and still they only won on penalties and were dominated throughout the two ties. Barcelona may have their troubles but I don't see them tanking THAT spectacularly.
And yet, Schalke should really have beaten them tonight.
The only thing I see wrong with Barce is their lack of balance. What's going on?
D
Originally posted by RagnorakI didn't see the games yesterday, so I can't analyze that single game. However, here's what I think of Barcelona.
When I look at Barce, I see 2 superb midfielders in Xavi and Iniest. I see Henry up front alongside Etoo. I see the unreal Messi. I see Yaya playing the holding midfield role perfectly. I see the ever reliant Puyol. I see the second best player in the last World Cup: Zambrotta.
And yet, Schalke should really have beaten them tonight.
The only thing I see wrong with Barce is their lack of balance. What's going on?
D
Rijkaard has lost control of the dressing room. No team can function properly if there is so much internal turmoil. Ronaldinho is the obvious case, but I think that Deco's demise has even hurt them more. He was once described by Ronaldinho as the 'heartbeat' of the team. Now he's a shadow of what he was and of what he can be. And the midfield is unbalanced and much less solid and less fluid without him (or with him playing like he is at the moment).
Iniesta is good but I think he's quite overrated, to be honest. Barça needs a functioning midfield and that's not happening at the moment. For example, Schalke against us were utterly dominated in possession. I honestly don't understand how could Barcelona could let them set the pace that they wanted (from what I understand from the match reports).
Rijkaard needs to go. He had a great cycle, but something needs to change dramatically in that dressing room and I don't see him to be capable of turning that around. He was great when the team was getting along, but I think his cycle at Barcelona is over.