EPL ~ Manchester United v Bolton - Mar 19
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Originally posted by Dead_Man_Inc:
sian i thought tonight!
I woke up at 4am just now to find out it was in another 24 hours hahahaha. -
Originally posted by sand king:
I woke up at 4am just now to find out it was in another 24 hours hahahaha.
LOL i tot it was this morning 4am 2..untill i went to manutd.com to check again lucky
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Ferguson warns United that minds must not wander against Bolton
Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his Manchester United side that they cannot be distracted by the impending challenge of Liverpool as they seek to bolster their title prospects against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford tonight.
United will establish a three-point lead over Arsenal if they beat Gary Megson's relegation-threatened side in their game in hand. But Ferguson, who has expressed concern at his team's profligacy in the FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth and Saturday's league win at the basement club Derby County, admits there must be an improvement on the Pride Park performance to fully exploit Arsenal's stumble, before the meeting with in-form Liverpool on Easter Sunday.
"There are big games coming up and Liverpool is one of them, especially when you consider Chelsea are playing Arsenal on the same day," said the United manager. "But when you see what happened at Derby on Saturday, not taking our chances, you realise you can't take anything for granted. Sure, there are big weekends ahead but the other matches are just as important. If we perform well and take our chances then we'll win the match against Bolton. But it's important we respect our opponents.
"Some of our football recently has been terrific and there's good penetration in the team. It's encouraging that we're making so many chances. Perhaps the forwards just need to relax a little in front of goal."
Bolton are one of only three clubs to have beaten United in the league this season, Manchester City and West Ham United the others, but the architect of November's victory - Nicolas Anelka - has been sorely missed since his departure to Chelsea and four consecutive league defeats have left Megson's team languishing third from bottom of the table.
"Obviously they are missing Nicolas Anelka's goals but they have Kevin Davies up front and he will do everything he possibly can to unsettle us," added Ferguson. "He's a physical lad and we have to deal with that but I think Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have the height and ability to do that.
"They [Bolton] are fighting for survival and any team fighting for survival have to fight. That's the name of the game. I thought they had got themselves clear of trouble but in this league if you lose a couple of games you are back in the mix. Everyone expects Derby to go down, Fulham are the next one and then it is a scramble. You've got a lot of teams down there."
Ferguson may bring Gary Neville back into the first-team fold tonight after 12 injury-plagued months and is expected to keep faith with Ben Foster after the 24-year-old's encouraging display at Derby. Edwin van der Sar is likely to miss out with a groin injury and although Tomasz Kuszczak has completed a one-match suspension the United manager is likely to reward Foster with only his second appearance of the season.
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Man United keeper Foster expected to keep place
Goalkeeper Ben Foster is on course to keep his place in the Manchester United team when Bolton Wanders visit Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Edwin van der Sar's groin problem is likely to keep him out again and although Tomasz Kuszczak is available after serving a one-match ban Foster's excellent performance on his debut against Derby County should persuade Sir Alex Ferguson to keep faith with the 24-year-old.
Foster was expecting to go out on-loan after recovering from surgery on his knee at the start of the season, but he was unexpectedly thrust into first team action at the weekend.
United assistant coach Carlos Quieroz described Foster, who spent last term on loan at Watford during their battle against relegation from the Premier League, as one of the best players at Old Trafford.
The former Stoke keeper has also been tipped to become England's No1 when he is fully fit.
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Ferguson knows with Bolton's physical approach to this game, He will need to add some steel to the midfield... Scholes and Giggs should not start... Maybe not even on the sub bench... And given their match against Pool coming up on Sunday, Ronny may be rested...
My take on tonight's match line-up.
Manchester United :
Kuszczak or Foster,
Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Fletcher, Hargreaves, Anderson, Nani,
Rooney, Tevez
Sub: Ronaldo, Carrick, Saha, O'Shea, Kuszczak
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Originally posted by sand king:
I woke up at 4am just now to find out it was in another 24 hours hahahaha.
haha i was kinda sian when i found out the match not last night! -
My pick:
Foster
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Fletcher Hargo Carrick Nani
Saha Tevez
Subs: Kuz, Oshea, Park, Rooney,Ronaldo
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ALEX FERGUSON warned Kevin Davies, the Premier League’s dirtiest player: You won’t kick us out of the title. Fergie faces Bolton tonight, saying: “Davies will do anything he possibly can to unsettle us. “He’s a physical lad and we have to deal with that but I think Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have the height and ability to do that.”
Davies has committed more fouls than any other Prem player for the last FOUR SEASONS — and tops the current dirty league, with 78 offences. United defender Patrice Evra got a kicking from him when the sides met last November — and is expecting more of the same in this evening’s clash at Old Trafford.
The Frenchman recalled: “I had more bad tackles in that game than I have in my ENTIRE career. “His first tackle on me should have been a red card. “It was the same last year. When Davies kicked me, I said to him ‘Why do you tackle like that?’ And he said ‘It’s because I don’t like you!’
Trotters boss Gary Megson has called on hardman Davies to get stuck in again. Megson said: “Kevin is a good player. “He can cause any team problems and I want us to get back to that in-your-face attitude you normally associate with this club. “We needed that fighting spirit against Wigan at the weekend and didn’t get it.
“But I want to see it back again at Old Trafford and in the eight games we have to play after that.”
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Originally posted by Dead_Man_Inc:
haha i was kinda sian when i found out the match not last night!haha i was even more sian hahaha, nvm its tmr morning! sleep early!
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Originally posted by Sienx:
LOL i tot it was this morning 4am 2..untill
i went to manutd.com to check again luckyhaha sad for me, nvm i will wake up again! haha
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my pick.. Foster evra brown vidic ferdinand carrick hargreaves <- both did'nt play much park nani
tevez rooney...
subs : ronaldo,kuz,giggs,oshea,fletcher
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no saha on starting line up pls.. hes not match fit... and hes gone pretty slow and clueless... i'd prefer rooney and tervez..and then rest either one or both of them if we lead comfortably..and bring on saha..
Foster
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Ronaldo/Park/Giggs Hargo/Scholes Nani/Park/Giggs
Rooney Tevez
Re :Saha , Kucz -
Maybe Hargreaves and Carrick in the middle and Anderson come on as a sub for one of them... The team need some steel tonight. Therefore Hargreaves, Anderson, Fletcher, Rooney and Tevez would come in handy... Read somewhere that possibly Nolan could be out... That would be good news. But i think Bolton will play 5 in midfield... Then Rooney have to help out the 4 in midfield...
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Originally posted by sand king:
haha i was even more sian hahaha, nvm its tmr morning! sleep early!
hmmm cannot sleep le la, just came back from soccer with friends.. -
anyone watching?
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Teams:
Man Utd: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Pique, Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson, Nani, Saha, Tevez
Subs: Foster, Evra, Brown, Rooney, Scholes
Bolton: Al Habsi, Steinsson, Meite, Andrew O'Brien, Gardner, Diouf, McCann, Guthrie, Joey O'Brien, Taylor, Davies
Subs: Walker, Hunt, Giannakopoulos, Campo, Rasiak
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
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Fletcher at right back, interesting.
and its Pique vs Bolton part 2.
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we got a completely different back four except for vidic...
ronaldo first time captain the team?
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a very one sided game.
its half time now, man utd leading by 2 goals. both goals were scored by ronaldo, 1 is from corner kick and the other one is from free-kick.
bolton had a few chances but one of them was being saved by kuszczak.
lets see how the second half goes..
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Final score still 2 : 0..
getting tired, got to sleep!
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anderson did'nt score
...nani was good today..except he was abit too selfish -
2-0 :S haha i went to sleep at 40 min, my left eye now dam red la...
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wo hoot! 3 points clear from arsenal, 5 from chelsea due to their draw with spurs.. xD..
come super sunday... can hardly wait man!
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Wah this match was nice... and to top it all off, chelsea cannot win at Spurs.
That match also seems very exciting... First time i turn the channel to check the score i saw 1-2 to chelsea, aiya sad... Then second time i turn the channel again the score was 2-3 again to chelsea... Then i thought to myself wah lau aa... how come Chelsea keep leading one... Then the 3rd time i switch the channel again, just in time i saw Joe Cole scoring to make it 4-3 to chelsea... Then i thought to myself, Oh man... 80mins already and Spurs let in another goal... I thought what a waste... if only chelsea had not won today how nice it would be...
So when the Man utd match was almost over, i switched the channel again to check the scoreline but honestly wasn't expecting much... Then suddenly, i saw Spurs had a freekick deep inside their own half and one of their player send a long ball towards the Chelsea box and the ball somehow struck the back of Carvalho (Don't know what he was doing running away from it rather than attacking it with his head)... It was kind of strange... Everyone running one direction then the ball drop on his back and bounce off it and drop nicely for Keane to curl a very good shot pass a Cudicini... Wah i like so happy man... wasn't expecting it kind of thing... especially almost 90 mins up already...
But cannot be too happy yet cos 8 matches is still a long way to go, and as i say previously... United need a lead or 5 to 6 points going into April cos they have a very difficult run in to the season... Middlesbrough always give us problems, Arsenal and Chelsea no need to say, away to Blackburn also tough especially with all the extra pressure come season end... And West Ham also going to be very difficult... i think we lost to them in our last 3 meeting already if i am not wrong... And finally away to Wigan... I wouldn't want to go there needing a win to top the table... Cos they could be fighting for survival and also their pitch would make it difficult...
I think Chelsea and Arsenal have a much easier run-in compare to United's... So United need a few points handicap going into April or we won't stand a chance...
Man United:
22 Liverpool (H)
29 Aston Villa (H)
April2 Roma (A) - CL
6 Middlesbrough (A)
9 Roma (H) - CL
12 Arsenal (H)
19 Blackburn (A)
26 Chelsea (A)
May
3 West Ham (H)
11 Wigan (A)Chelsea
22 Arsenal (H)
29 Middlesbrough (H)
April2 Fenerbahce (A) - CL
5 Man City (A)
9 Fenerbahce (H) - CL
12 Wigan (H)
19 Everton (A)
26 Man Utd (H)
May
3 Newcastle (A)
11 Bolton (H)Arsenal
22 Chelsea (A)
29 Bolton (A)
April2 Liverpool (H) - CL
5 Liverpool (A)
9 Liverpool (H) - CL
12 Man Utd (A)
19 Reading (H)
26 Derby (A)
May
3 Everton (H)
11 Sunderland (A) -
One thing i was quite happy about this match was, Fergie gave quite a number of his first team squad players a rest... Was worried a bit at first when i saw the starting line-up...