UEFA CL - Manchester United vs Arsenal - Apr 29

• zocoss

  26 Apr 09, 20:14

  

   

   

      VS     

   

   Manchester United vs Arsenal 

   

   

  Chanpions League Semi-Finals (1st Leg) 

   

  Wednesday, 29 April 2009     

    

  Channel 23:  2:45 am  "Live"  (Thur Morning)

   

   

   

   

  Manchester United :

  Van Der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evans, Evra, Gibson, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Park, Possebon, Giggs, Ronaldo, Tevez, Rooney, Nani, Anderson, Berbatov, Macheda, Welbeck.

• Chris88110

  26 Apr 09, 20:54

  Win them 2-0 i happy

• zocoss

  27 Apr 09, 11:09

  

  

  JOY OF CESC ... Gunners skipper Fabregas goes wild as he destroys Boro 

   

  ARSENE WENGER shook hands with Champions League rival Alex Ferguson yesterday — then delivered a stark warning to the Manchester United boss. 

  The Arsenal chief and Fergie met before a double from Cesc Fabregas gave his team a 2-0 win against Middlesbrough — and a perfect lift ahead of Wednesday’s Euro semi-final at Old Trafford. 

  Wenger said: “What is important against United is that we are at our best. When we are at our best we can beat everybody. 

  “If you go to Old Trafford without belief you make it very difficult from the start for yourselves. We’ll go there with belief, with desire and with enjoyment. We will give absolutely everything to do it. 

  “We will be faithful to the game we play. We go, like we go everywhere in Europe, to score or win.” As for Fergie attending yesterday’s match, Wenger added: “I thought he was coming to watch Middlesbrough! 

  “Or maybe because we have good red wine in the directors’ box. “He will think this will be an exciting game between two teams that will try to play and who know each other well. The talent on the pitch always surprises you and I believe both teams will really go for it and it will be an exciting game.” 

  Arsenal coasted past Boro but were hit by yet another defensive blow as Mikael Silvestre was forced off after suffering back spasms. Wenger added: “He’s 50-50 for the United game.”

• marcteng

  27 Apr 09, 21:43

  I be happy with any win. even a draw is not a bad result as Man Utd need to win at Emirates, go all out for a win.
• zocoss

  28 Apr 09, 00:01

  WENGER PONDERS NASRI ROLE

  

   

   

  Arsene Wenger is considering playing Samir Nasri in central midfield against Manchester United after a successful experiment against Middlesbrough.

   

  Nasri partnered Denilson at the base of the Arsenal midfield against Boro, freeing Cesc Fabregas to score two goals in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

   

  Middlesbrough offered little to trouble Arsenal, but Manchester United would be a very different prospect at Old Trafford, though Wenger admits he is considering using a similar system.

   

  "Usually Fabregas plays deeper and Nasri higher," said Wenger. "I wanted to test how it works when he plays deeper and Fabregas higher.

   

  "I could do it again because it was quite convincing. It is open and we have 48 hours to study that and make a decision.

   

  "Fabregas gets sharper and sharper from game to game. He was out for three months and you can't come back at your best straight away. But now he gets better in every game.

   

  "Every player who plays in midfield, who thinks he's an offensive player, creative player, needs to score goals and what happened to him is important."

• zocoss

  28 Apr 09, 00:01

  My guess...

   

  Manchester United :

                           Van Der Sar

            Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra,

  Ronaldo / Anderson / Carrick / Park / Rooney

                             Berbatov

   

   

  Foster, O'Shea, Evans, Giggs, Fletcher, Tevez, Macheda.

   

• iceFatboy

  28 Apr 09, 11:01

  Just my two cents,

  Giggs was left out, so he should be playing.

  Unsure whether SAF will use the 4-5-1, with Rooney pin in the left to guard against Walcott.  Anderson did well against Fiberglass the last time they play, and MU needs to keep him quiet to have chance of winning.

• charlize

  28 Apr 09, 11:05

  I think Arsenal might cause an upset and win convincingly.

• iceFatboy

  28 Apr 09, 13:05

  Originally posted by charlize:

  I think Arsenal might cause an upset and win convincingly.

  sure, or MU will kill Gunners off...

• SandmanX

  28 Apr 09, 13:09

   

  I'm guessing a hard-fought draw and a trademark United comeback during the second leg.

   

  OR

   

  Although unlikely, we bow out if SAF tries to experiment with Fergie's Fledglings again.

• jgho83

  28 Apr 09, 13:14

  Arsenal only way to win Man United is to score late goals.

  Do not score early becos Man United will do a comeback. LOL

• ctstalin

  28 Apr 09, 13:40

  go go united!

• Sienx

  28 Apr 09, 16:24

  my team

  VDS

  Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra

          Anderson Carrick

            Ronaldo Park

           Rooney Berbatov

• omgukilledkenny

  28 Apr 09, 18:19

  United look strong for Gunners tie

  

  Although Gary Neville is out of the semi-final first leg with a foot injury, Wes Brown was among the first-team squad that trained at Carrington on Tuesday, with Ferguson still to decide which four of the 20 outfield players on duty to leave out.

  Brown, who has managed just a couple of substitute appearances since injuring his foot in October, is likely to be one of those, although the Scot may consider using the experience of a player who was part of the side which won the Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow last May.

  Ferguson also faces a delicate decision up front.

  Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov all scored in the 5-2 win over Tottenham at the weekend - but it was the half-time introduction of Carlos Tevez which set the Red Devils on the way to victory from 2-0 down.

  The Argentinian has already expressed his dissatisfaction at the number of appearances he has made this season but now may be hopeful of facing the Gunners.

  It also seems highly likely John O'Shea will be handed the right-back berth, his greater experience preferred to Rafael De Silva, who signed a two-year contract extension yesterday.

  United (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, O'Shea, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Rafael, Ronaldo, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez.

• skythewood

  28 Apr 09, 18:21

  will Tevez play?

• omgukilledkenny

  28 Apr 09, 18:24

  Arsenal sure play 4-5-1.

  Is Diaby available? Remember him doing quite a good job when Utd visited the Emirates Stadium earlier this season.

• zocoss

  28 Apr 09, 22:20

  FERGUSON HAS KEY AMMUNITION

  

  
  

   

  Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson looks like having all his key players available for Wednesday night's Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

  Although Gary Neville is out with a foot injury, Wes Brown was among the first-team squad which trained at Carrington on Tuesday morning, with Ferguson still to decide which four of the 20 outfield players on duty to leave out.

  Brown, who has managed just a couple of substitute appearances since injuring his foot in October, is likely to be one of those, although the Scot may consider using the experience of a player who was part of the side which won the Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow last May.

  Ferguson also faces a delicate decision up front. Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov all scored in the 5-2 win over Tottenham at the weekend - but it was the half-time introduction of Carlos Tevez which set the Red Devils on the way to victory from 2-0 down.

  The Argentinian has already expressed his dissatisfaction at the number of appearances he has made this season but now may be hopeful of facing the Gunners.

  It also seems highly likely John O'Shea will be handed the right-back berth, his greater experience preferred to Rafael De Silva, who signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday.

  Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre (back) hopes to be fit to face his former club after training on Tuesday. Captain Cesc Fabregas (ankle/knee) and defender Johan Djourou (knee) also completed the session but leading scorer Robin van Persie (groin) and left-back Gael Clichy (back) remain sidelined, while Russian midfielder Andrey Arshavin is ineligible.

  Centre-half William Gallas (knee) and long-term absentee Tomas Rosicky will miss the rest of the campaign.

   

  Teams

  Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, O'Shea, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Rafael, Ronaldo, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez.

  Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Silvestre, Gibbs, Nasri, Song, Denilson, Fabregas, Walcott, Adebayor, Fabianski, Djourou, Eduardo, Bendtner, Diaby, Vela, Ramsey, Eboue.

• omgukilledkenny

  29 Apr 09, 01:35

   

  Vela given all-clear

  Mexican striker Carlos Vela has been allowed to join the Arsenal squad ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester United.

  Fears over the swine flu outbreak had forced the young striker to spend 24 hours in quarantine following a recent visit from some of his friends back home.

  He was advised to stay away from training on Monday and was viewed as a major doubt for the midweek trip to Old Trafford.

  However, he has now been given permission to travel with his team-mates for the crucial first leg of the Gunners' European semi-final.

  Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "It looked to be a massive problem because we were asked yesterday to keep him at home and not get him to the training ground.

  "Now he has the all-clear and today he was free again to attend training."

  Wenger added: "It was basically down to the fact he had visitors from Mexico, friends who came to visit him last week."

• omgukilledkenny

  29 Apr 09, 01:36

   

  Fergie - Evra will stop Theo

  Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Patrice Evra can nullify the threat of winger Theo Walcott when Manchester United meet Arsenal on Wednesday.

  United welcome the Gunners to Old Trafford for their UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg and the Scot has challenged his side to take a clean sheet down to Emirates Stadium in a week's time.

  If they are to shut the North Londoners out they will need to keep the lightning quick Walcott quiet, a responsibility that is likely to fall on Evra's shoulders.

  The Frenchman has been given a torrid time by Tottenham speedster Aaron Lennon whenever the pair have come up against each other this season but his manager believes he is up to the task.

  "Patrice Evra is quick enough," he said.

  "He has played against Theo Walcott a few times and been alright with that.

  "Walcott is very quick, probably the quickest forward in England at the moment, so we will have to prepare in the right way."

• zocoss

  29 Apr 09, 11:36

  Shouldn't be too difficult lah, just put Park to double team on Theo can liao... Cos all along Evra has been doing it on his own so a little harder but if got another helper, the moment Theo beat one, the other will come in and reach the ball first...

• zocoss

  29 Apr 09, 12:20

  

• omgukilledkenny

  29 Apr 09, 16:48

  Most people are predicting a United win, but Arsenal to nick an away goal.

• HeiHao

  29 Apr 09, 20:02

  United to win this 3-1 ! anderson to score ~~~

• sand king

  29 Apr 09, 20:47

  I hope Anderson bags a goal.

• Scania N113CRB l0v3r

  29 Apr 09, 20:49

  If Man Utd win , gratz
  
  
  If Arsenal Win, Gratz
  
  If Draw, Good