The Big Showdown
An hour and a half to go and I am already nervous. COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by United We Stand @ 9:34 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
An hour and a half to go and I am already nervous. COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!!!!!!!
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
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77 Comments:
The Teams:
Van Der Sar
Neville
Ferdinand
Vidic
Heinze
Ronaldo
Carrick
Scholes
Giggs
Rooney
Saha
Bench: Fletcher, Silvestre, O'Shea, Evra, Kuszczak
Not extactly a bench to scare people.
Now the other lot
Cudicini
Carvalho
Terry
Cole
Geremi
Essien
Makelele
Ballack
Lampard
Shevchenko
Drogba
Bench: Robben, Cole, Ferreira, Boulahrouz, Hilario
I'm here with you, mate. I promise no abuse today, whatever happens.
Btw, Newcastle have picked up an important win while Spurs and Wigan are currently drawing 1-1.
And as I was typing, Berbatov has stuck in a second goal for Spurs. They're 2-1 up at the break.
Thank you,
Spurs have gone two-one up
Spurs scored two goals in two minutes
What are your thoughts about the big match?
On talksport they have been asking lots of people.
Ron "Chopper" Harris thinks Chelski will win 2-1.
One of the presenters think United will wallop them.
United have to take their chances.
Bugger, Lazio v Ascoli has FIVE minutes of injury time. Get the bloody game off!!!!
I think your boys are at full strength while certainly Drogba and Ballack are not fully fit. Ronaldo should get some joy out of Cashley, who hasn't been in good form since his move. I expect a tight ManYoo win today.
Thanks for the good thoughts.
I think Giggs and Ronaldo can punnish Geremi
I'm just going to be following the match on FSC because of the delay issues. I hate hearing about a goal before seeing it.
From the Beeb
1555: How significant is the showdown between Manchester United and Chelsea? It is 11 years since the loser of a match between the Premiership's top two went on to win the title.
Wonder what match they are talking about?
1995? Blackburn Man Utd? I know we beat them at OT.
The game is over, stop talking and go to commercial
Come on!!!!
GET TO THE GAME
Finally,
I am not going to comment as much as normal. I don't want to be bumped off
I took a quick peek, the game has already started!!!
Here we go, here we go, here we go!!
I love you Sir Trev
See you at half time
Quite extraordinary sentiments from Trevor Brooking. It must be the anti-Chelski sentiment that's sweeping the nation.
Good early signs that both sides seem up for it. I hope it's not just niggly. And that the ref lets the play flow.
I'll take that anti Chelsea
That was nasty from the German
Oh dear, some play acting there from Vidic might have Ballack in trouble here. Good, the referee's taking the sensible route of calming Ballack down. They seem hyped up - there could easily be argy bargy here today.
I agree about the acting but he did go in with the arm
Not a lot of space for players to work in out there. Did you see how quickly Roon was knocked off the ball there.
United keeping the ball well
I'd like to see Ronaldo attacking the fullback more often rather than passing inside to Scholes every time.
Oh dear, now Roon's in trouble. It's getting too hot out there already.
Stupid by Roon. Good refereeing though
Run to the ball Saha!!!!!
I want to see Ronaldo attack the player without all the tricks
Rooney needs to settle down
That's better from Ronaldo but the final ball needs to be better.
A rash challenge from Cashley. But I don't like how every challenge brings howls of protest from fans and players alike. The ref's been sensible so far.
It's hard to settle Roon down, isn't it? That's just his natural temperament. If you try to change that, you lose what's good about the kid.
Where did you lot get Vidic from? He's a great player.
I really like him. They got him last year and then he got hurt for the WC. I don't know where he came from
Come Ronaldo.. have a crack
OOOHHHH, great strike
Dangerous free kick to come.....
And wallop! Well tipped over by Cudocini.
I like what I am seeing so far
That is an interesting stat. Chelsea have taken the lead in every game in the Prem this season.
since when has the name Claude been pronounced Cloud?
Yellow card for Makelele for deliberate handball. A bit harsh in my view. I think he was genuinely trying to bring it down on his chest.
Yeah, that's a bit silly. I hate when commentators try to be all multiculti. Either get it right - the French would say "Clode" - or do it the Anglo way - "Clawd."
Saha has been invisible. Still thinking about Wed?
Come on Roon. He's not going to beat three Chelski defenders on his own, is he? Lay it off to Saha or Ronaldo once in a while. He tends to play with his head down like a thirteen year old too often.
Lamps and Ballack cannot play on the same pitch. Either one or the other is anonymous. Today's it's Lamps who's not on the pitch, while Ballack's playing useless balls like that last one.
Like Lamps and Stevie G
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Screw Wednesday
GOAL!! Lovely finish from Saha. Kept his cool.
Very cool finish
I have been impressed with Carrick so far.
That's exactly what the game needed. Chelski cannot let that stand. It would put them six points behind you lot. They'll have to come out and attack now.
Keep it tight
Great noise from the OT faithful.
Oh, Saha should've pulled the trigger there rather than squaring it. At least he would've forced a save from Cudo and may have produced a rebound.
Drogba needs to get up off his arse. He's a big boy - he needs to get on with it.
I'm really tired of all these "flash points," with players and fans baying for blood. Just play the game, why don't they? There was nothing in that challenge.
Dave's been bumped off the blog once again. I'm really tired of this anti-spam crap on Blogspot. I've tried to sort it out with the moderators several times but nothing's quite worked yet.
Tremendous pile-up in the center circle there. I think the ref's done an admirable job so far settling the tempo down. It's being played at a furious pace and there's a lot of pride at stake.
Coming up on half time. I don't think Chelski have been in this one. Drogba's at least been lively but Sheva just isn't up to the pace. What are their options for turning it around? Robben? SWP?
Half-time: very satisfying for United so far. Their game plan has worked out well. They've created a lot of pressure and, but for a lack of guile from Roon, they might have had two or three there. Chelski just aren't the same team this season with Sheva up front with Drogba. I'd yank him quickly and stick Robben in for some width. I also think Lamps is surplus to requirements right now.
Second half starting - Robben has, as expected, replaced Geremi. I think Robben's the one to bring off but I would have pulled one of the midfielders. They still have four central midfielders - Makelele, Essien, Lamps and Ballack - masquerading as a diamond. I still don't know why they seem to think that Essien is an attacking midfielders. He isn't. I'd have him as the holding mid and drop Makelele. I'd have also had Lamps off in favor of Joe Cole at this point.
Good recovery work there from Cashley with Ronaldo on his bike. If that ball had reached Saha it might have been curtains for Chelski.
Oh, that could have gone anywhere. It started with Robben coughing up the ball, a great ball from Carrick and then Roon playing a dangerous cross that just eluded everyone.
That last wild effort from Sheva says everything about the Ukrainians form these days. The commentator reckons that it's not what we're used to seeing, but I beg to differ. He's been rubbish all season and I have a feeling that there's no way back for his career. More of the same and he'll be on his way to coaching some obscure side in Kiev.
Carrick goes into the book for a late challenge. There have been relatively few cards brandished today, to the betterment of the game, methinks.
Oh, I thought Ronaldo might've been slightly held back there when he chested the ball down. I'd like to see that again, but there were no complaints.
Half an hour left and it doesn't look as if the Robben change has really made much of a difference. Lamps has shifted out wide left, but I'd prefer to see Joe Cole out there.
Chelski are just not going to get anywhere we hopeful balls like that last one from Essien. That's meat and drink for Rio.
Lamps still hasn't found his shooting boots since last season. It reminds me of that comic "Billy's Boots" where the titular character was rubbish unless he was playing with the magical boots once worn by some older player that somehow showed him how to play. Lamps needs to find them again.
Great play tracking back by Carrick. He's been man of the match today for my money. I used to think he was a lightweight, but he's proven himself today.
Why stick Essien out wide right when you've got SWP on the bench? It doesn't make sense. Chelski need some real width to their play.
GOAL! It's one-one after a terrific header from Carvalho that somehow snuck in under the bar. Twenty minutes to go.
I agree - and so does Dave - but it's always a hard call to make in those situations. If he'd let it go, the inquiries might have gone against Saha for not making an effort to block it.
The commentator is claiming that the goal was down to Jose "the master tactician." I'm not buying it. That had nothing to do with any tactical changes. It came from a bad mistake by Giggs and then a bread and butter corner. Typical English premiership style goal, really.
Joe Cole has replaced Sheva. About time too - he's been absolute rubbish today.
What a waster Robben has become. It's clear that the squad rotation crap at Chelski has ruined several careers.
Lamps and Vidic squaring up there. No need for the handbags really. Vidic had every right to go for that header.
This game has been excellent. All credit to the referee who's let it flow despite the potential for niggliness. It just needs a late goal to transform it into a classic.
Looks like Cashley's crocked Ronaldo and has picked up a deserved yellow for his efforts. Ron's coming off...and Fletcher's come on. O'Shea too.
O'Shea for Saha - looks as if Ferg's pleased with a draw at this point.
Into extra time now - a point each - a fair result?
Final result: 1-1 - probably a fair result and definitely one that will suit the neutrals. It keeps things nice and tight at the top of the Premiership. Great match.
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