UEFA Champions League QF L1 - 7/8 April ***Spoilers***

Villareal were embarassingly poor at the weekend and their main striker(i think he was their main striker) broke his leg, Pires got a red and they conceded 3 in the first half though managed to keep that score through the 2nd with 10 men for the final 30ish. So it wasn't exactly the best setup game. We REALLY have to play all out though and we need to play 2 strikers and get an away goal or wrap up the tie. If they sit back(which they well might) and defend solidly and we have the terrible duo in midfield along with a lazy single striker scoring could be an issue leaving us highly vunerable to a single goal and a heavily defending team in the second leg.

Considering we just played 1 upfront against maybe the worst team away in the league this year, while at home, chances we'll play 2 upfront away from home is almost non existant. I remember the good old days where 4-5-1 was basically unheard of under Wenger :(

Scholes and Carrick have been crap offensively, defensively and just all around for several games now. Passing, tackling has all been poor, but then again, you're playing Porto so who knows.
 
To be honest, I've always thought it'd be a good idea since Berkamp and Henry stopped playing for us. We've not really had good enough strikers and at the same time the midfield behind them to really churn 4-4-2 out. 4-5-1 becomes 4-3-3 with the right players very quickly.
 
I think...

3-1
0-1

3-0
1-1

Ripper said:
VdS
O'Shea - Evans - Vidic - Evra
Ronaldo - Carrick - Scholes - Park
Rooney - Tevez

Would have to go with this really, although I think Tevez needs the break. I think the only real option in that case is to put either Giggs or Ronaldo upfront with Rooney.

Either way I think we should be okay tonight.
 
Not looking forward to the Chelsea game. Beaten them twice in the league this year and expect them to come out looking for revenge.

Having said that, the only players that have worried me when we've played in recent years have been Robben (gone), Cole (injured) and Drogba (off form).

Think it'll be decided by the one goal and I expect whoever wins to progress to the final.

Don't care about any of the other games.
 
To be honest, I've always thought it'd be a good idea since Berkamp and Henry stopped playing for us. We've not really had good enough strikers and at the same time the midfield behind them to really churn 4-4-2 out. 4-5-1 becomes 4-3-3 with the right players very quickly.

I think Nasri and Walcott will be given a bit of a license to roam about. Can see it being quite attacking really especially with Cesc pinging balls about.
 
I think Nasri and Walcott will be given a bit of a license to roam about. Can see it being quite attacking really especially with Cesc pinging balls about.

Aye, it's a pity that Arshavin's cuptied, as if there was four in midfield then we'd actually have our strongest line up tonight.

Hopefully if this weekend sees no injuries, then we might have Nasri, Cesc, Arshavin and Walcott.

No. The most important team is always in bold. :p:D

It's a Champion's League side by the English, show your support for the other teams and bold them haha! :p
 
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Aye, it's a pity that Arshavin's cuptied, as if there was four in midfield then we'd actually have our strongest line up tonight.

Hopefully if this weekend sees no injuries, then we might have Nasri, Cesc, Arshavin and Walcott.

that would be an awful midfield, and would end up with Cesc covering defensive duties which he's actually quite good at, but still takes him out of his best position.

We've also got MORE than enough strikers to cover 4-4-2, all of our wingers pretty much are strikers. Nasri has always looked better as a withdrawn striker that he's been playing recently. Theo looks better upfront, Vela is better upfront, Eduardo is better upfront. As for packing the midfield, with the current squad he's adding either Diaby or Song to Denilson, which isn't remotely helpful.

We'd be playing Nasri/Walcott however the team setup, the only difference is if we were playing 4-4-2 we'd be dropping Song or Denilson for a actual striker, which would be far more offensive, and give us better numbers of people running into the box, something we have lacked all season we playing a single striker, especially like at the weekend where he got all cocky after his goal and decided he'd play the wing, where he did nothing.
 
Why the hell did Utd play on Sunday if they are playing today?! Who fixed up that fixture, 1 day rest is taking the ****.

its 2 day's rest - sunday to monday - then monday to tuesday

so no excuses there - plenty of rest - especcially when professional footballers train everyday and in spain they train 2 times a day, so i think they could handle playing a game everyday - its only 90 minutes of hard work every few days / week
 
Why the hell did Utd play on Sunday if they are playing today?! Who fixed up that fixture, 1 day rest is taking the ****.

They had the option of moving it back to Saturday 12:45 but chose not to, probably because of the internationals on the wednesday before.

Doesn't matter much anyway, most of the players who will be playing tonight will have been well rested: Vidic, Rooney, Scholes, Park.

Looking forward to this tonight, hopefully it will stay sunny and we may head down there early ! :)
 
believe it or not there is a reason why the season is so (relatively)

Footballers (or anything equally exhausting) can not be done every few days - Would you expect Paula Radcliffe to do a 1/2 marathon every day - or Bolt to run the 100m/200m every day flat out

they would never break records or win medals that way - they do lots of short sprints or different exercises and rarely (in comparison) do the distance they run in races to keep themselves fresh

anyway

Rumour that Rio is fit enough to play this evening so probably

VDS
OShea Rio Vidic Evra

Ronny Carrick Scholes Park

Rooney Tevez


Giggs will be on bench alongside the newest OT hero and hopefully the twins who should both be ok along with Evans
 
Big game, for the first time in the competition this year I don't feel particularly confident though. Hopefully Cesc will be brilliant and Arsenal can grab a goal or two, all rests on Adebayor imo, hope he's got his shooting boots on.
 
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