I think a draw at the Al Emirates stadium will be a good result

I think we'll be lucky to get a draw. Carrick's utter shit - average at best. We'll be lucky to finish 4th. Arsenal are ace.

I would most definitely would take the draw.

Arsenal have been playing some quality stuff of late,and will be tough to break down,though the loss of Silva will be a bonus,all things going to plan.

I'd imagine Fergie will bring Saha back into the side instead of Larrsson,with Giggs coming in for Park.

Just watching sky now and Fabregas has his foot bound up with ICE,though i would expect the £#%&!er to be fine come Sunday.

I have my reservations but with Gilberto out, I think we'll come away happy.

Giggsy and Saha back fresh could be key also.

Solskjaer and Larsson to come off the bench if we need a different dimension.

Originally Posted by Carrick

I have my reservations but with Gilberto out, I think we'll come away happy.

Giggsy and Saha back fresh could be key also.

Solskjaer and Larsson to come off the bench if we need a different dimension.

He's been their best player, this season. A big miss, for them.

Who comes in Flamini? Batsita? Not the same quality, especially against Scholes.

The same result as Feb 05' will do me.

One thing is for sure: we can't afford to hand out soft goals at the Al Sami yippi qaeda stadium like we have done recently.

I really think we need to keep it tight with lots of pressing.

Originally Posted by Lazarus

One thing is for sure: we can't afford to hand out soft goals at the Al Sami yippi qaeda stadium like we have done recently.

I really think we need to keep it tight with lots of pressing.

Same as the semi in 04'.

5 in the middle, tackles going in and a fine defensive showing (eventually).

Ronaldo is the key, as two years ago, against Hoyte/Clichy/E'boue, he should prosper.

Be close, though......

Why the fear of Arsenal, 2 wins against a shite Liverpool team and they are the Invincibles again? Good passing side, plenty of pace but they have a soft center. Plenty of teams have taken points there, no reason we should not.

Originally Posted by Lazarus

I actually wonder if we should start with 4-5-1 (Arsene did against us)

you still have time to delete that post...

can't delete the quote, though.


the major source of our problems over the past few years, imo, has been fergie trying to get to clever with his tactics and to come up with a cunning plan and a new formation for playing a particular team - it's the reason, i think, we've tended to go out at the 1/4 and 1/2 cl stage after crap away results.

back in the treble season we knew the 1st 11 and we played it against any good side. we played our game and we challenged them to find a way to cope. that's what we should be doing now: width, movement, pace and two up front. let arse worry about us.

we're united. we don't do cagey.

Lazarus on this one.

A point would do me nicely to be honest.

However.......

I think we should set our stall out by a really attacking 4-4-2.

Sod their 3 in the middle - the way Carrick is going we will do them anyway.

REALLY can not wait for this game, I will be watching it in a pub with beer for the first time in ages - get in there.

It's not a title decider so i'd be happy to go there and get a draw. The way chelsea are wobbling, both on the field and behind the scenes, makes me think we can probably lose a couple and draw a couple without it holing us below the line.

a draw would be good result.

Losing wouldn't be the end of the world either - got to keep beating the average teams, IMO thats the key to winning the prem, we could lose to arse and chelsea and still win the league with consistent wins against the rest.

In the past too many dropped points against average teams has been the difference...

Originally Posted by tatty

The way chelsea are wobbling, both on the field and behind the scenes, makes me think we can probably lose a couple and draw a couple without it holing us below the line.

That kind of thinking is very dangerous, hope none of the players are thinking along those lines. Dont think chelsea wont come out strong this second have of the season, all this stuff in the media may well have been drummed up on purpose by chelsea just to plant a few seeds etc...

I guarantee Fletcher will start.

The Emirates isn't an intimidating place to go.

Yes, they're unbeaten but how many have they drawn?

Highbury was a tough place to go but we had a good record there and never feared it.

I have every confidence we will win, and win convincingly.

The pitch is large, the fans are far away and confidence is high.

The way we approach this game all depends on how Chelsea do at Anfield. The main thing about next Sunday is keeping at least 4 points clear.

united 1-0 win.

Originally Posted by borsuk

you still have time to delete that post...

can't delete the quote, though.


the major source of our problems over the past few years, imo, has been fergie trying to get to clever with his tactics and to come up with a cunning plan and a new formation for playing a particular team - it's the reason, i think, we've tended to go out at the 1/4 and 1/2 cl stage after crap away results.

back in the treble season we knew the 1st 11 and we played it against any good side. we played our game and we challenged them to find a way to cope. that's what we should be doing now: width, movement, pace and two up front. let arse worry about us.

we're united. we don't do cagey.

I did stipulate not the 4-5-1 with three central midfielders.


We have never played 4-4-2 ...certainly not during in our glory years anyway. We have played with split strikers; Cantona and Yorke played in the hole and often dropped deeper into midfield.

I remember matches where Eric was almost a sweeper!

It is not hard for 4-4-1-1 (our glory formation) to become 4-5-1 when the man in the hole comes back to help the midfield - even if it's just to close down space.

I would agree that Fergie's experimentation has been unsuccessful and his strength is playing the same formation with width,pace and attacking football. However,in big aways he often started with a more cautious and careful approach as we worked our way into the game and began mounting increasingly deadly counter attacks.

We have also gone out in Europe playing the gung ho stuff.


I think a careful approach is needed against Arsenal - they get frustrated with tight,physical marking. This is an Arsenal specific thing,I wouldn't advocate we always play this way.

Maybe we should just go for it...but eventually you get cut to ribbons...we don't want to end up like Keegan's Newcastle.

Ironically,we were playing 4-5-1/4-3-3 the time we took them apart 4-2.

Originally Posted by borsuk

you still have time to delete that post...

can't delete the quote, though.


the major source of our problems over the past few years, imo, has been fergie trying to get to clever with his tactics and to come up with a cunning plan and a new formation for playing a particular team - it's the reason, i think, we've tended to go out at the 1/4 and 1/2 cl stage after crap away results.

back in the treble season we knew the 1st 11 and we played it against any good side. we played our game and we challenged them to find a way to cope. that's what we should be doing now: width, movement, pace and two up front. let arse worry about us.

we're united. we don't do cagey.

Don't mean to pick a fight, but that's rubbish!! Put another way, it's a total myth. Why not peruse these interesting (?!) details borsuk:

In the league vs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leeds, home and away, and Spurs away United showed at least 1 change to the recognised best XI.

In the CL, so did the games against Barca and Bayern home and away, and the game in Milan.

In the FA Cup there was at least 1 change vs Liverpool, and in both games vs Chelsea.

On top of that, all four semi-final games, the Spurs home game, and both finals showed at least one change.

These 24 matches also showed various tactics, formations and substitutions.

The only game that United genuinely fielded their best XI, arguably in a standard 4-4-2/4-2-4, and really went for it was Inter Milan at home.

Team (obviously): Schmeichel, Neville G., Irwin, Stam, Johnsen, Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Cole, Yorke, Giggs.

If can win at the Emirates, we will win the league.

We will win at Anfailed cos we always do. Stamford will be the test but that is no longer a fortress.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Don't mean to pick a fight, but that's rubbish!! Put another way, it's a total myth. Why not peruse these interesting (?!) details borsuk:

In the league vs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leeds, home and away, and Spurs away United showed at least 1 change to the recognised best XI.

In the CL, so did the games against Barca and Bayern home and away, and the game in Milan.

In the FA Cup there was at least 1 change vs Liverpool, and in both games vs Chelsea.

On top of that, all four semi-final games, the Spurs home game, and both finals showed at least one change.

These 24 matches also showed various tactics, formations and substitutions.

The only game that United genuinely fielded their best XI, arguably in a standard 4-4-2/4-2-4, and really went for it was Inter Milan at home.

Team (obviously): Schmeichel, Neville G., Irwin, Stam, Johnsen, Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Cole, Yorke, Giggs.

fair enough - there was some exaggeration going on there. i'm certainly not suggesting that the team never changed. still, the formation changes that fergie has done in the last few seasons have been much deeper and more fundamental than in the past, particularly up front. it was two strikers from four viable options, where it has been one and support quite often in the last few years. or are you suggesting that our style of play has not changed over the last few seasons?