stoke...

[floyd the barber]

with the mancs playing Chelsea...

This is the ideal chance to take advantage and create a gap between ourselves and one of the enemies..

Of course a draw probably suits us best....

 

We have to go stoke and make a statement.....do what we did against newcastle...

 

Stoke look a mess at the moment so it should be a forgone conclusion...still we have came unstuck against these types of sides this season, as im sure rafa will make the team aware..

 

line up....reckon rafa will go for..

 

 

----------------reina--------------

carra-----hyypia--carra---aurellio(if fit)

------------------------------------

kuyt----masch---alonso-----reira-

-------------gerrard---------------

--------------keane----------------

 

Though can we really predict Rafas line ups? alot will depend on alonsos fitness...if hes not available, then im sure lucas will step in.....

 

Torres? well he looked sharp when we saw him in the fa cup....reckon Rafa might leave him on the bench for this game, bring him on with 20 mins to go.............then have him start the next league game...

[Gunga Din]

its a big weekend. beat stoke and we pull further away from either the Mancs or Chelsea or possibly both.

[Farmer's Tan]

with the mancs playing Chelsea...

This is the ideal chance to take advantage and create a gap between ourselves and one of the enemies..

Of course a draw probably suits us best....

 

We have to go stoke and make a statement.....do what we did against newcastle...

 

Stoke look a mess at the moment so it should be a forgone conclusion...still we have came unstuck against these types of sides this season, as im sure rafa will make the team aware..

 

line up....reckon rafa will go for..

 

 

----------------reina--------------

carra-----hyypia--carra---aurellio(if fit)

------------------------------------

kuyt----masch---alonso-----reira-

-------------gerrard---------------

--------------keane----------------

 

Though can we really predict Rafas line ups? alot will depend on alonsos fitness...if hes not available, then im sure lucas will step in.....

 

Torres? well he looked sharp when we saw him in the fa cup....reckon Rafa might leave him on the bench for this game, bring him on with 20 mins to go.............then have him start the next league game...

i think every prem game we play between now and the end of the season is the most important game of the season.once this game is done then the next will be the most important until its over.united are gaining momentum,hopefully a draw with chelsea with us winning would give us a sniff of breathing space which im sure we will need,we can then go to united and still be on top no matter what th result then there is nothing united can do to stop us,its all on us from there on in.

[mathewbet1]

Know what you mean, we could open up a 5 point gap between ourselves and Chelsea, which will put a lot of pressure on them over this busy period. If we have any hope of winning the league then we need a good performance and a win, otherwise the momentum will be lost.

 

I think it will be a trickier game than people are expecting, but think we will play it almost like a home game..... getting an early first goal is vital then hopefully the fludgates will open, Ill go for 3-0 to us.

[Red]

This lot deserve a good thrashin' for having the temerity to hold us to a draw in the previous match... and I think they will... be thrashed that is.

 

I have a feelin', (don't ask me why), we'll see Keane and Torres up-front, particularly if Xabi is still "feeling it" and Gerrard is moved back into midfield. Riera should give us another entertaining 60 minutes, Kuyt will sweat more than any other premier league player since the game began in the early 90's, then he'll crawl back to the tunnel at full time with a "Sure" tick where his shirt used to be... and Carra', God love him, will continue hopping everytime he crosses.

 

So now we're seemingly "back in that funky groove thang", I think we'll be much too good for Stoke - I'm not as nervous about this one as I have for a lot of games anyway - twelvety-nil to us.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2009 by Red

[Swagger]

I have a feelin', (don't ask me why), we'll see Keane and Torres up-front, particularly if Xabi is still "feeling it" and Gerrard is moved back into midfield.

 

We don't know the full extent of Alonso's injury, but it doesn't look like he'll be available against Stoke, and in that case I agree that we'll probably see Gerrard moved back alongside Mascherano and Torres and Keane start upfront.

[Molby]

We don't know the full extent of Alonso's injury, but it doesn't look like he'll be available against Stoke, and in that case I agree that we'll probably see Gerrard moved back alongside Mascherano and Torres and Keane start upfront.

 

 

I don't like it

 

and it also means Kuyt at right mid in a 4 man midfield, assuming he plays

 

so that's two things already that fail more often than they succeed

 

needs a rethink

[Magic8Ball]

its a big weekend. beat stoke and we pull further away from either the Mancs or Chelsea or possibly both.

Please let us win and have Chelsea & Man U draw with Ronaldo and Terry being sent off

[Swagger]

Please let us win and have Chelsea & Man U draw with Ronaldo and Terry being sent off getting severely injured.

 

Fixed it for you. You're welcome.

[Jarg Armani]

Chelsea are a bit of a mess. We could really do with them getting something but i can't imagine it.

[Stevie H]

Chelsea are a bit of a mess. We could really do with them getting something but i can't imagine it.

think it's got draw written all over it. depending on who the ref favours, like.

[Jarg Armani]

The week off is in Chelsea's favour, but other than that they aren't playing with too much confidence and if United get a good start they'll struggle to recover.

 

A draw in this match and a win for us would be great. I'm tempted to think a win for Chelsea suits us even better though.

 

A two horse race between us and United is the last thing we need.

[Stevie H]

The week off is in Chelsea's favour, but other than that they aren't playing with too much confidence and if United get a good start they'll struggle to recover.

 

A draw in this match and a win for us would be great. I'm tempted to think a win for Chelsea suits us even better though.

 

A two horse race between us and United is the last thing we need.

if we are to finally win the league again, do you think that any other scenario other than us and the mancs duking it out on the run-in is likely? it's nailed on isn't it?

[Hassony]

A two horse race between us and United is the last thing we need.

 

It would certainly be very tense, but I wouldn't say its the last thing that we need

[Jarg Armani]

It would certainly be very tense, but I wouldn't say its the last thing that we need

 

picky picky picky.

 

The last thing we need is relegation, while Everton win the treble.

[uppsala]

I just got a feeling,that this stoke game is going to be a bit tricky.

They are 3rd from bottom,but i have seen them play at home, and in a lot of the games, they have played verry well,

And lost to a late goal.

We should not take a win in this game for granted!

[psl]

I'd stick with Gerrard and Torres up front with Lucas and Mascherano in the middle.

[Stevie H]

I'd stick with Gerrard and Torres up front with Lucas and Mascherano in the middle.

yep. kuyt and bert wide, back four of carra, sami, agger/skrtel and aurelio. that's a damned solid away team that is.

[Conrad]

yep. kuyt and bert wide, back four of carra, sami, agger/skrtel and aurelio. that's a damned solid away team that is.

 

Yep, that's the team although definitely Agger for me - I think his runs from the back will cause Stoke problems, plus he's been getting back to near his best recently.

[shaq]

carra-----hyypia--carra---aurellio(if fit)

 

Is this a first step in the grand plan to have a teamful of Carras?

[Ben 23]

I reckon Skrtel might start in place of Agger.

[Stevie H]

Yep, that's the team although definitely Agger for me - I think his runs from the back will cause Stoke problems, plus he's been getting back to near his best recently.

actually agger gets the nod over skrtel on match fitness alone. if we're already picking aurelio and torres who aren't match fit yet.

[matty]

Wouldn't play Lucas in this one. Too important.

 

I'd go

Reina

Carra Sami Agger Aurelio

Kuyt Gerrard Masch Riera

Keane Torres

[Woodsyla]

Wouldn't play Lucas in this one. Too important.

 

I'd go

Reina

Carra Sami Agger Aurelio

Kuyt Gerrard Masch Riera

Keane Torres

You'd put our least effective CM partnership in against Stoke. Lucas is plenty good enough for the like of these, drop Gerrard into a slightly more defensive role if we are getting out fought.

 

Reina

Carra Sami Dagger Fabio

Kuyt Lucas Masch Riera

Gerrard

Keane

 

Torres on the bench

[Woodsyla]

if we are to finally win the league again, do you think that any other scenario other than us and the mancs duking it out on the run-in is likely? it's nailed on isn't it?

Absolutely 18 all or 19-17 Sky would wet themselves every match from March onwards.