[Drew9]

started off so well for us, but again we lose big players how long will rio be out for ? im really worried if he's out for a while tevez didnt really get the chance to grow into the game ? however park was absolutley brilliant again and was probably the man who earnt us the point with an excellent assist. vidic was sorely missed though and with 5 games to go and 3 of them are away from home can we afford to lose any more points between now and the very last day ?

plus two of our last 5 are against arsenal at old trafford (a week today) and chelsea at stamford bridge

what do you guys think after todays game

 

[antdevil78]

Its away that sometimes worries me with United. Blackburn and Chelsea are tough away games and Arsenal at Home wont be a walk in the park.

Today should have been full points and its dissapointing after such a convincing March.

 

[fazman]

I mentioned on another post that was titled who would we miss most that it would be vidic for me we looked all over the place j ' o shea is not the answer if vidic is out wes to centre and j o'shea full back 2 points lost why am i getting a real worried feeling about chelsea

 

[Nemanjaaa]

If chelsea win the prem this season every united fan will feel robbed!
I think the game against Blackburn game is key, as long as we beat them and Arsenal we know a draw would be enough going into the game against chelsea.

 

[Red Devil]

Lets not open too many threads on the state of the league please. The title is still in our hands but only now on difference! IF Chelski win at the Bridge, thats what its down too. Assuming of course that both team win every other game.

 

[Natalie]

i have the same concere
with outvidic we look poor
and if rios out it will be over
i think we will beat arsnal its rovers im more concered about

 

[fazman]

everyone is worried about blackburn an rightly so im worried sick it seems our luck is starting to turn to lose vida and maybe rio is a scary thought

 

[Red Devil]

All Chelski fans are going to church on sunday, praying for an arsenal win. IF we mess up now and hand it to them I am going to be the worst annoyed fan that I have EVER been... really mad!

 

[fazman]

All Chelski fans are going to church on sunday, praying for an arsenal win. IF we mess up now and hand it to them I am going to be the worst annoyed fan that I have EVER been... really mad!

No u aint red d im gettin a bad feeling brewing about the way this season is going first vida now rio please oh please dont let it be serious were done for without both of them

 

[Jazz 16]

I think a draw at Stamford Bridge and even a draw vs Arsenal
(provided we beat Blackburn, West Ham and Wigan) will be enough.
We are in the driving seat and have some tough games coming up
but there is no way that both Chelsea and Arse will beat us.
We are 3 points up on Chelsea and with our good GD gives us a little
breathing space. The games vs the big 2 will decide our season.
Chelsea still have Everton and Newcastle (who have found some form)
away from home so there are tough games for all.
I think its inevitable that all 3 teams will drop points somewhere.

 

[fazman]

I think a draw at Stamford Bridge and even a draw vs Arsenal
(provided we beat Blackburn, West Ham and Wigan) will be enough.
We are in the driving seat and have some tough games coming up
but there is no way that both Chelsea and Arse will beat us.
We are 3 points up on Chelsea and with our good GD gives us a little
breathing space. The games vs the big 2 will decide our season.
Chelsea still have Everton and Newcastle (who have found some form)
away from home so there are tough games for all.
I think its inevitable that all 3 teams will drop points somewhere.

jazz i hope your right mate and if you are im over the moon this would be my fav title win if we do it . Its been a real challenge it went from 4 teams to 3 for a long time now it looks like a 2 horse race its been brilliant the best season i can remember . Infact thats a good thread

 

[dlan4327]

You know it's interesting I'd hate to see Chelsea walk away with the premiership but if they did... Does that mean every journalist would start apologizing to Grant. He's not a super coach but ultimately people were predicting the end of Chelski's reign when he took over but to be three points behind us at this stage of the season shows that maybe he's not so bad as people think. Or maybe Chelski's squad is simply too extensive too truly fail.

 

[reddwarf]

Vidic should be back for the Chelsea game and hopefully Rio's injury is not serious. Why can't we win at Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea have a formidable home record but nothing lasts forever and if any team can end their unbeaten run it's United.

We're still 3 points clear and with 5 games to go I'd have taken that at the start of the season. Due to our superior goal difference we can even afford to lose a game as long as we avoid defeat against Chelsea. I'm still fairly confident we'll win the title, but for now let's concentrate on finishing the job against Roma.

 

[carlyluvsunited]

All Chelski fans are going to church on sunday, praying for an arsenal win. IF we mess up now and hand it to them I am going to be the worst annoyed fan that I have EVER been... really mad!

No u aint red d im gettin a bad feeling brewing about the way this season is going first vida now rio please oh please dont let it be serious were done for without both of them

I just don't even consider all this 'losing' talk ...

To think like a loser is to be a loser ...

I see Pique play Sunday for Rio and he did a very good job ...

Our players have 2 things in common with each other ...

They all love to play for United ...

And they will all run themselves into the ground to secure victory ...

We'll keep the red flag flying high ... !!!!


United are never done for ...

Why can't we win at Stamford Bridge?

Nobody wins at Stamford Bridge ...

Well not for the last 4 years anyway !!

But Arsenal had a good unbeaten run ...

Arsenal also had a record run undefeated at home too ...

And both times they were undone by United !!

Now it's Chelsea's turn to see wht our guys can do ...

We will win at Stamfiord Bridge - I have no doubts ...

This will be the game we all look back on and say ...

"Thats the game that won us the league back in 2008" ...

 

[moondog]

With all the talent in the squad, it shouldn't even be close....but something told me that it would go down to the wire - losing to cideh twice, west ham, bolton - yes bolton!

We would never want it to be easy would we? (ahem)

But have no fear - we have broken long streaks before, and we will break chelski's home streak, should it be necessary.

Before that though, we WILL crush asre this weekend - you can bet on it!

Let's see, I seem to remember an FA cup tie......

ah yes, FOUR-NIL!

 

[versa]

I honestly see it as a two-horse race now.

No matter how defiant or stubborn or hopeful or just plain stupid Wenger claimed Arsenal still have a shout, I have boldly and mentally discounted Arsenal for the titile race after their latest draw with Liverpool. If not for their lack of maturity and still-suspect mental frailty, at least another simple reason should suffice - Chelsea.

Chelsea is not going to drop too many points from the look of things. They have not been playing well at all but quietly chalking up points, even beating Citeh away without Drogba, something we can only dream about. One thing you have to give it to them is their amazing mental strength, weathering from the shock departure of Mourinho to ominously climbing the table slowly but surely to where they are now. And it is certainly something not funny anymore or to take lightly about.

We have the toughest run-in, notably, Chelsea and Blackburn away, and Arsenal and West Ham at home, of which none is a given. And with the distraction of CL in between, the injuries to our first defensive partnership of Rio and Vidic (noticed we started leaking goals and how farcical we leaked them?!), with only 5 EPL games left to go and thus dropping further points is no longer a luxury, every game now is like a cup final and nail-biting for fans alike.

Not that I am proud of it, we are famous or infamous (depending on whether you are United fan or not) for making things hard for ourselves. Unnecessary losses in freak and heart-wrenching defeats seem to be a welcomed tease for the rest of the teams in the league every season. But I DO believe we can do it, as always.

An important mission and thus something we can help our cause in this final stretch of the home run is to end Chelski's unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge. We have done that to end Arsenal's unbeaten record of 49 games so should there be an eventual team to do that at the Bridge, surely it must be us. Not that it is most paramount but beating Chelski wil surely keep our only realistic opponent for the title at least just a little further away.

 

[Jay007]

Why can't we do something the easy way for a change?

Without Vidic our defence is definetely not the same, although Rio and Pique, in my opinion, would do well together. Pique should have played in front of O'Shea. Hes fantastic.

Rio is now out. Which means that the three partnerships which I think would work, (obviously Rio and Vidic work, but also Rio and Pique, and Vidic and Pique) are destroyed.

I think we'll get through the Roma game without too much trouble, but without BOTH Rio and Vidic I would worry against Arsenal, Chelsea, Barca and Blackburn the most (Blackburn because their strikers are big and strong)

Hopefully Rio will only miss one game, but it doesn't look likely.

We'll definitely need to play Hargreaves as a holding midfielder against Arsenal, as without the above three partnerships, the defence will definitely need protecting. (Some people would say Carrick, but I don't class Carrick as a DM)

We could do with Jonny Evans, as the Evans-Pique partnership would be best in the current situation.

I know the results make for a more exciting title race, but I would rather win it without too much trouble tbh.

I'm also hoping, considering we win our next 2 games, Chelsea draw a game, so that we can still win the title at the Bridge

But I definitely want to win it on or by the second last game of the season, because a) I want the trophy presentation at home and b) I don't want it to go down to the last game, especially if Wigan are still in the relegation fight.

 

[Drew9]

so you would rather have evans that the experience of o'shea or brown ? dont forget neville will be part of the squad for wednesday nights game and i wouldnt bet against neville slotting in at rb against arsenal with brown comming in to the centre with either rio (if fit) or pique ...

 

[Jay007]

so you would rather have evans that the experience of o'shea or brown ? dont forget neville will be part of the squad for wednesday nights game and i wouldnt bet against neville slotting in at rb against arsenal with brown comming in to the centre with either rio (if fit) or pique ...

I was talking about partnerships.

O'Shea doesn't convince me as a CB and we need someone big and strong (like Vidic) And Brown and Pique have hardly played with each other, where as Pique and Evans have played with each other quite a lot.

Also throwing Neville in, whos only played a couple of reserve games, plus possibly a game on Wednesday in a year, is extremely risky, considering he is also in his mid 30's. He may come in against Arsenal and put in a MOTM performance. He may come in and be dreadful. But we can't take the risk.

 

[versa]

Defensive crisis at Old Trafford evokes memories of Chelsea's downfall

Probably not a nice read but just another harsh reminder of the reality and hard tasks ahead of us. And we just have to dig really deep into our resources to pull through this most critical yet trying period. If we do, then we will truly be "worthy champions", the champions that weathered through storms but emerged proud and victorious.



Source: Footballing World

Alex Ferguson was handed another defensive headache yesterday as his captain Rio Ferdinand left the Riverside Stadium last night with his foot in a protective plastic case after the 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough.

This news comes hot on the heels of the news that Nemanja Vidic will be sidelined for two to three weeks and will miss a crucial period of the season.

As much as the attacking flair of Manchester United is the focus of media attention, their success this season has been built upon a defence that had conceded only 15 league goals in 32 games. In fact, United took to the field on Sunday having played 461 minutes without conceding a goal, but the loss of Vidic was instantly noticeable.

With John O’Shea filling in for long-term absentee Gary Neville at right back and Wes Brown alongside Ferdinand in central defence, the Red Devils looked a far more vulnerable proposition than they had for a long time. Rio Ferdinand’s injury compounded the issue further.

Manchester United’s uncharacteristic fragility was generously described by Ferguson as ‘haphazard’ and will be a concern at Old Trafford. Especially as they could easily have conceded more than the two Afonso Alves goals which enabled their major rivals Chelsea to move within three points of them at the summit of the table. Ferguson will know that they can not afford to defend as they did yesterday if they are to retain the title. He will also know that if they drop further points before the trip to Stamford Bridge on April 26th, Chelsea will have their destiny in their own hands.

To use the vernacular of Ferguson himself, it is now “squeaky bum time”.

United face Roma this Wednesday, host Arsenal next Saturday and then travel to Blackburn and Chelsea on successive weekends. Ferguson will have identified these as matches where points could so easily be dropped and he will need Wes Brown, Gerard Pique, John O’Shea and even Owen Hargreaves to gel instantly in the new-look back four.

A strange symmetry can be drawn to last season here when Chelsea lost points when they suffered a comparable succession of injuries which included their centre back pairing of Ricardo Carvalho and Captain John Terry. Manchester United took advantage last time and it is feasible that Chelsea could return the favour this time around.

If United come through this period unscathed, then they will be worthy champions. If they fail, then they will berate their own bad fortune to have suffered such injuries. The will need look no further than the Chelsea fans for empathy if that scenario were to come to fruition.