[red_devils4life]

vs

UEFA Champions League (Semi final, First-Leg)
Venue : Camp Nou, Barcelona
Date : Wednesday, 23 April 2008
KO : 19:45 BST

[Grif SA]

I'd like to see a 4-4-2 considering the fact that Barcelona use a 4-3-3, but I suspect despite the fact we could still control the midfield with a 4-4-2, we'll use a 4-5-1.

---------------------van der Sar
------Brown---Ferdinand-----Vidic----Evra
Ronaldo-Anderson-Hargreaves-Carrick-Nani
-----------------------Rooney

And Carrick, Nani, and Rooney might be switched up with Scholes, Park (maybe Giggs...), and Tevez respectively. But I'd like to see Tevez and Rooney up front in a 4-4-2 with Anderson and Hargreaves behind them. Honestly, anything is possible in this tie, but I think we stand with a good shot of winning the first leg, or at least drawing. This is where Hargreaves will show what we were missing last year, a person to shut down their attack. Kaka was let loose, nobody to stop him. This year is different, Messi will have to be fed from the midfield, Iniesta, etc, and with Hargreaves there, it will be much tougher. I think that we could win both legs here.

[Drew9]

if anyone has prooved his worth it's tevez, he's got the killer instinct when you really need it, im not talking about ronaldo banging them in against a joke of a newcastle team (not slaggin ronnie by any means) but tevez does it time and time again ... liverpool away spurs away lyon away roma home chelsea home and now blackburn away he for me is our biggest game player and has to start in barca ? :S

[yangch0000]

vds
brown ferdinand vidic evra
park carrick anderson scholes ronaldo
rooney

fergie would still prefer tevez and nani as impact players.

[Lucky7]

I like this Formatin Againts Barca:

-----------------Van Der Sar-------------------
--Brown-----Rio--------Vida----------Evra---
-------Anderson-----Scholes-----Carrick---
----Ronaldo---------------------Nani---------
--------------------Rooney--------------------

In Second Half:
Scholes off
Tevez on.

[Jazz 16]

Barca drew their weekend game 0-0 vs Espanyol.
They had all the possession but couldnt take their chances.
Messi played the second half and looked sprightly enough.

[akash_reds]

this gonna be a very tough game for both utd and barca......we are going ino this game with a not so good perfomance against b'burn and barca had a tough game against espanyol eventhough they played good...
will be surprised if we get a result at nou camp.....so saying a 1-1 draw or 2-1 loss....but we need the away goal anyway it goes....1 goal is very important......
hopefully they have a bad game....

[red_devils4life]

By Stewart Robson
20/04/2008

Last Season's semi-final defeat by AC Milan was hard for Sir Alex Ferguson to stomach because United were playing brilliantly until that tie.

They failed to cope with the superior technical and tactical ability of the Italians' midfield as well as the movement of a certain Kaka. As a result of that 3-0 reverse in Milan, Ferguson realised his priority was to reinforce his midfield with more athletic players, hence the signing of Owen Hargreaves and, to a lesser degree, Anderson.

Hargreaves has had a frustrating time at Old Trafford, largely due to injuries, but he has found form at just the right time. Yet his performances against Roma and Arsenal were in different positions to the one he was bought for. At the beginning of the season his intended role was to sit in front of the back four, use his energy to cover for full-backs and patrol the areas vacated by the other midfield players as they made forward runs. In recent games though, from a position advanced of Michael Carrick, it has been his running off the ball, crossing ability and all-round dynamism which have been so impressive.

Anderson has surprised many with his competitive edge. We all knew he had ability on the ball but it has been his willingness to tackle and win individual battles that has influenced matches. His introduction against Arsenal last week changed the tempo of United's performance. Cesc Fabregas has out-played most opponents this season but Anderson is one he has failed to dominate.

With last year's humiliation against Milan still in his mind, I'm sure Ferguson will want both these players in his side to stop Barcelona dictating the pattern of the game. But how will he structure his midfield considering it was Carrick's defensive deficiencies which were so exposed by Milan?

How United came unstuck in Milan last year



Ferguson will also have been alarmed by Paul Scholes's showing against Arsenal last week because he has reportedly been promised a starting place if United get to the final. He was poor in possession and unable to stop Arsenal's midfield from dominating the first half. His withdrawal coincided with the game swinging back in United's favour. Scholes has given some excellent performances this year but, as happens to players as they get older, he cannot perform at the same physical level consistently.

I believe United will play with a three-man midfield at the Nou Camp, with a holding player in front of the two centre-halves and players either side of him who join the front men when United are in possession. Carrick seems the favoured holding player at present but Hargreaves is the better option in the away tie.

Playing three in central midfield will allow United to play with three players strung across the front but Ferguson could have a problem over who to play. Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are sure to start but who will be the third man - Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs or Ji-Sung Park? Tevez was brilliant as a substitute against Arsenal but if he plays, Rooney would have to play in a wider position. If either of the other two start, Rooney could stay in the middle. Park had a great game against Roma with his energy and movement but against Arsenal he looked tired. As with Scholes, Giggs's diminishing athleticism has led to inconsistency.

The player United will be most pleased to have back following injury is Nemanja Vidic. His partnership with Rio Ferdinand has made a major contribution to United's recent success. Between them they have pace, aerial dominance and a good understanding.

If United can contain Barcelona's expansive style of play, it will probably demonstrate why Ferguson's acquisition of Hargreaves has been money well spent.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sfntac120.xml

Do you agree with what the article says? Who do you think Fergie should field against Barca in Nou Camp? I have also highlighted some major points in the article which I believe should be worth some attention. Tell me more about it, fellow Mancs.

[red_devils4life]

Source: Goal.com



Despite his side's slipping further behind in the race for the Liga title, FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi remains in high spirits ahead of Wednesday's Uefa Champions League meeting with Manchester United at Camp Nou...

Lionel Messi made an immediate impact as a second-half substitute against RCD Espanyol on Saturday, but his presence was not enough to prevent a 0-0 derby draw.

The Argentine has now urged the fans and squad to look ahead to Wednesday's CL match, though, and to rediscover their winning touch.

"We tried by all available means, we created many chances, but we just couldn't score - we had no luck," he told Sport.es of the Camp Nou fixture on Saturday.

"The Liga? There are still chances, so we'll continue fighting for it.

"I felt good after the game, matching the pace, so I finished happy. But now's the time to be united. The fans have returned to be with us and surely they will be so once again on Wednesday."

Víctor Valdés added, "We know that the fans will be on our side and we hope to give them an enjoyable game.

"It's going to be tough - as the one against Milan two seasons ago was - because they're on a streak of good results.

"The Liga? If we fail to get three points, that makes it difficult."

Gianluca Zambrotta chimed in, "It's important that Messi has returned, because the United game has our season at stake.

"We're experiencing difficulties in the Liga, but I think that things will be very different in the Champions League, and we're going to fight right 'til the end for the title."

Finally, Touré Yaya added, "The Liga has been very difficult, but I'm convinced that we'll win against Manchester [United].

"It's going to be a great rivalry, but ultimately it'll be a match that favours us.

"My fitness? I played smoothly [against Espanyol], but the coach will decide what happens on Wednesday."

[7CANTONA7]

In my opinion, i think we all know thae back for picks itself like it has been all season and Rooney upfront alone.

However, in midfield, we should have Anderson, Hargreaves And Scholes. Hargreaves being the holding player and anderson and scholes supporting Rooney when we are on the attack. And obviously Ronaldo And Nani on the wings.

At the home tie, we should the revert to the normal 4-4-2 that was fielded against Blackburn.

Let me know wat u think people :-)