Just over a year ago, Nani scored his second goal of the game to put United 3-0 up against Bayern Munich. After Nani’s improved form, I remember thinking how nice it was that he would get the credit for putting us in yet another European Cup semi-final. We had given ourselves a lot to do in the first leg, after leading 1-0 until the 75th minute before conceding two late goals, so I was made up we had shown the strength to come back and blow our opposition away.
Then just before half-time, Michael Carrick was covering at the back in the centre of defence alongside Rio Ferdinand after a quick break from Bayern. Olic made him look a fool, outmuscling him with ease, before slotting the ball in the far corner. Honestly, at 3-0, it hadn’t even crossed my mind that we couldn’t get to the semis. It was awful timing to concede and whilst I was still confident, I wasn’t half as cocky as I had been.
Less than five minutes after the restart, Rafael showed his inexperience and got a second yellow for a stupid and needless shirt pull. Having been booked earlier he was in no position to be doing such a thing. It wasn’t as though Ribery was leading a break, as United had plenty of players back, so what was he thinking about? I was furious. The crowd applauded him off the pitch but I was in no mood for that. There was no way we were going to keep Bayern out for over 40 minutes with ten men and momentum with them. With 15 minutes to go, United switched off for a Bayern corner, leaving Arjen Robben unmarked on the edge of the penalty area. He hit the ball so sweetly and that was United out of the European Cup on away goals.
After our brilliant display away to Schalke this season and 2-0 lead, it was hard to try and think sensibly at the final whistle. Surely we were going to book our place in a third Champions League final in four years. We were so much better than them and it could have 10-0. That’s not being smug, we really were that much better than them.
At 3-0 up it was plain sailing last season but you can never predict what is going to happen. One or two individual errors can make all the difference, so whilst I’m very confident ahead of our game tonight, it is mindful to remember we do have 90 minutes to play before we could say we’re going to the final.
It is for that reason I’m slightly nervous about the team selection, given that Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed he will be resting players today ahead of the Chelsea game. I understand the reasons for that and I completely agree. Even without our comfortable position in the Champions League, I’d argue that Sunday has to be the priority. Winning the 19th title is more important than booking our place in a final against Barcelona. That doesn’t mean I’m not aprehensive about the line-up we might see.
The manager said after the first leg that Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen will play tonight. I do wonder whether both will be on from the off or whether Fergie will want to take the cautious approach of a lone striker. He should have learnt his lesson from the City game but who knows. Wayne Rooney maybe injured, but if fit, I’d want to see both him and Chicharito on the bench. Whilst Schalke didn’t have much to offer in the first leg in stopping our attacks, Manuel Neuer played out of his skin and I wouldn’t expect anything different tonight.
Paul Scholes will start and you would like to think he would be the experienced head out there but who knows these days. It will be good to see him linking up with our strikers though, as well as spraying balls out wide, and his contribution can’t be underestimated. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Nani start tonight, with his declining form making Ji-Sung Park and Antonio Valencia favourites to start on Sunday. Will Gibson start? Anderson? Maybe Fergie will give Giggs a start but make him the first sub when hopefully the game is wrapped up. Darren Fletcher should also play a part after being sidelined with a flu, and the weight loss that came with that, since the Liverpool game on the first weekend of March.
Rio Ferdinand will probably be rested, given how injury prone he is these days, with O’Shea giving Patrice Evra a rest at left back and Rafael hopefully returning to right-back. There has been some whispers of Tomasz Kuszczak starting ahead of Edwin Van der Sar too. But whatever the line-up, we should have enough to get a result tonight.
“We live in exciting times,” said Fergie in tonight’s programme notes. This week could be the worst in years but it could also be the best. It’s an agony waiting for these big games ahead but I would much rather have the buzzing/sick feeling then have nothing to hope for, like so many other fans. Win, lose or draw, we’re fortunate to be fans of this great football club, but I really do fancy us to do the business tonight. Come on United!
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Come on you Reds!
will be there at old trafford cheering for united tonight! march on to wembley lads!
IN FERGIE WE TRUST! BELIEVE
just havn’t been able to concentrate at work today, infact for the past week or 2 i ain’t. love the end of season when every game is a bigun.
hopefully gettin beat by le arse is the gee up we need for these final few weeks. nothing is won yet
still think we’ll beat chelski on sunday though
MU
MUF
MUFC OK
I think we will see Gibson today along with Scholes and anderson in the MF… berba the lone striker
No problem
Manchester United will be in the CL final before I turn up on Sunday – I’m coming home United – hang on I’m coming
imagine if we’d beat bayern last yr gibbo would of got alot of plaudits, but we didn’t and hes been panned ever since, maybe this is his night for redemption? i hope so after some of the shit hes had to put up with and thats from our own so called fans
Looking forward to it! Hoping it’s a repeat of the 7-1 magic from 2007.
Btw, if you guys want to chat live during the game on your iPhone/iPod Touch, check out http://bit.ly/tunedinapp
Oh I forgot to mention… Gibbo will score today
Yeah, it’s hard to not be nervous all fucking week…
I think the line-up has been announced. This is what I found. Can anyone confirm it?
VDS
Evra, Vidic, Rio, Fabio
Nani, Scholes, Carrick, Valencia
Berbatov, Owen
Spot on Scott, feeling sick but love it. This is what its all about. Trust SAF, trust our squad.
All we need is an early goal and this tie is over. COME ON UNITED!!!! Do not underestimate the germans they can turn it on at anytime. We must play like our lives depend on it. When they have the ball get back and defend. Do the simple things right and i think we will qualify tonight. COME ON UNITED!!!
Yeah, this is the week to feel a bit of nausea…..it could be the best week or the worst summer.
But in the end, thank god for United!
Not nervous at all about tonight but I am nervy ahead of Sunday. Agree with previous comment that it is hard to be nervous for a whole week.
Sad that I have become so hated on here where it seems one cannot have ones own views on things. I thought United fans were bigger than that but I guess the real United fan on the street is one thing and the United fan online is something else.
I still hope Man United will stay German-free forever and we do not need any germans players at our great club. They bombed our ground but then again I know plenty of Man United fans that are part of the English Defence League setup so they might think otherwise.
Down at Wembley I wonder if Grimsby’s Cleethorpes Beach Patrol lads will help United out once again.
We’ve got to learn from our poor performance against the Arse to take nothing for granted. I’m nervous as fuck despite our magnificent display in the first leg and I’ll want our players to be on it from the first whistle.
(on a pedantic note we went out on away goals to Bayern not goal difference but either way our players should also bear that game in mind tonight)
Come on boys!
this is what i reckon he will play
———VDS——–
O shea–Smalling—VIDIC—evra
Nani—Scholes—Anderson—Park
————Giggs————————
———-Berbatov——————-
Lets get this over with. And then time to hammer Chelsea. Prediction for tonight:
VDS – Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Evra – Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani – Berbatov, Owen.
Scott; You suggest Rafael was at fault for the 2nd yellow? He barely made any contact with Ribery and infact scarface turned around after being frustrated that he’s been in Rafaels pocket all game long and shoved him for it. Next thing you see a bunch of cunt Bayern players surrounding the ref and all we have is a red from nothing. It was ridiculous…
http://youtu.be/aa_4sfw0Gwk This is my brainwashed 2 year old
I see the troll is back, with more nonsensical garbage.
Scott the Red I voted once, how many times can I vote? 38+% and in the lead.
Come on boys play like champions! Play like Man Utd !
3 points up in the league.
The CL Semis. With a 2 away goal lead.
Rooney has found a home in the hole and a strike partner and teammate for years to come.
The twins put a smile on my heart.
Smalling has proved a first team player with world class upside.
Lil Pea was the best transfer of the summer.
SAF ready for a shake up from an eyebrow raiser to a WHAT THE FUCK!
SAF says he will add 2-3 players and maybe some CM fantasy!
Wow what a club what a team! GLORY GLORY MAN YTD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why do you people call me troll?
I just don’t see why my views are so extreme and questiond. had enough if this webshite and wil piss off for good to other United websites and places instead.
Why is it no-one in charge here punish this bully behaviour on here?
Never mind…….
@davepistol nice brain washing.
Now look what you did willie. Cedars won’t have anyone to play with.
swede assumed he was the troll.
I guess I’m more an O-ger thats why I like Rooney so much.
GO ROONEY BE HEALTHY AND KICK THE RENT BOYZ ASSES!!!!!!!!!!
See you under the Bridge.
Costas – I didn’t even mention anyone by name, funny that?
Scott it only let me vote once, I tried a second but it said my vote was already counted.
Whoever plays tonight, should be able to finish the job, otherwise it would our worst European failure ever.
I hope we do not play for a draw. Attack will be our best defense. Need to keep things nice and simple and not do silly things, like on Sunday when by needless passing back and forth in our half we lost possession and they scored.
Let’s get over this, and Chelsea on Sunday, and then we will have enough time to think how to beat Barca, who are not as invincible as we are led to believe!
@willie lol at swede he knew it was him hehe.
@willie
You didn’t have too apparently.
KICK THE GERMANS ASS TODAY!! MAKE IT A FUN WATCH FOR PARTIAL FANS!!!! AN EARLY GOAL FOR MAN UTD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Play like your Man Utd future is on the line!!!!! Play like you want to earn a spot for Sunday and beyond!!!
Raul said Man Utd played so good the first game “We could not even kick them today” played so well they could not even foul them.
Full of changes today but we should go through.
Can’t believe the comments Swede has just made. It’s obvious that he is not a Man Utd fan with such small minded views.
Line-up confirmed:
VDS
O’Shea – Smalling – Evans – Rafael
Nani – Anderson – Scholes – Gibson – Valencia
Berbatov
Bench: TK, Evra, Vidic, Fletcher, Giggs, Owen, Chico
Whoa! Big gamble with the defense!
The swede isn’t a swede, he’s a fucking wum. Ignore the clown.
HUGE GAMBLE AT THE BACK OMG!!!
Even more nervous after seeing the lineup
also dont like germans. thing is having german players would only make us stronger. they have some of the most talented individual footballers in the world. hoping we get neuer and schweinsteigger
16:48
What did I say?
What? Fucking What?