Man U v Arsenal ucl semi final 1st leg

[Tony Adams]

predictions, line ups ect.....

i think it will be 1-1 first leg with adebayor and ronaldo scoring

arsenal should line up like

---------almunia-----------
sagna-toure-silvestre-gibbs
walcott--cesc--song--nasri
----------diaby-----------
--------adebayor----------

fabianski
djourou
eboue
ramsey
denilson
bendtner
vela

[diegom]

man u to win at home!

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

well, if we play like we did in the 1st half against totts,

i think we will have a hard time getting back in front against arsssssholes...

come on uuuuu redssss......

[chelsea91]

0-0 first leg.. 1-0 to Arsenal 2nd leg

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

0-0 first leg.. 1-0 to Arsenal 2nd leg

[delfino_1936]

0-0 first leg.. 1-0 to Arsenal 2nd leg

hope so

[haywood djablowme]

predictions, line ups ect.....

i think it will be 1-1 first leg with adebayor and ronaldo scoring

arsenal should line up like

---------almunia-----------
sagna-toure-silvestre-gibbs
walcott--cesc--song--nasri
----------diaby-----------
--------adebayor----------

fabianski
djourou
eboue
ramsey
denilson
bendtner
vela

I hope its

---------almunia-----------
sagna-toure-djourou-gibbs
walcott--nasri--song--diaby
-----------cesc----------
--------adebayor----------

fabianski
silvestre
eboue
ramsey
denilson
bendtner
vela

diaby will give us more cover on ronaldo on the left. I thought nasri looked good on sunday in the middle + cesc is in some scoring form

BUT i reckon Wenger will go with

---------almunia-----------
sagna-toure-djourou-gibbs
----denilson--song------
---walcott-cesc-nasri---
--------adebayor----------

[Football_lad]

all u arsenal scum are dreaming if u reckon youll beat man u at the Traf!

COME ON U REDS!

[simoo3]

yeh u said that when liverpool went there to didnt you dumb champagne

[CFC10]

yeh u said that when liverpool went there to didnt you dumb champagne

lol, owned

Arsenal are more than capable of it and I have a feeling they will do it over the 2 legs. Can't wait for kick-off, this week is looking very sleep deprived lol.

[Football_lad]

Well if John O Shea is scoring i reckon yous are in trouble

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

we should have scored 5 goals, y god!!!!

tevis comming for berb, not fkkkkkkkn good at all, he was on fire.

fergie, lighten up,

arssholes now will hit us hard at there home...

good win, thou im doubtfull we will take it all the way....

come on red devils fkkkkkkknnn

[The Joker]

Very pleased with this result. I would have taken a one goal lead anyday before a ball had been kicked, but now the way the game turned out I think we were unlucky that we didn't score at least one more. Going to the Emirates is still going to be very hard even with a one goal lead, I'm predicting a 0-0 draw at the Emirates.

[King Of East]

Man Utd should have pumped them, Arsenal were practically non existent but they will be happy with a 1-0 score line going into the Emirates. Can't predict it but i can imagine it being a 2-1 to Arsenal but Utd going through on away goals.

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

Fitter. Harder. Faster. Stronger. United outfought and outclassed Arsenal on a European night to remember at Old Trafford. Yet the Reds take only a one-goal advantage to the Emirates Stadium next Tuesday, and the road to Rome is not as straightforward as it perhaps could have been.

Sir Alex said before the game that he would happily take a 1-0 victory in this Champions League semi-final, first leg. And United can take heart from this outstanding display of vigour and verve. But after the mauling Arsenal received, the Reds boss will surely only conclude that the winning margin should have been greater.

Right from the off United’s players, backed by an absolutely incredible support, were revved up and right in the faces of the beleaguered Gunners. Carlos Tevez was rewarded for his match-changing second-half display against Tottenham at the weekend with a place in the starting line-up against the Gunners – and he played like he had a statement to make.

Sir Alex’s team selection suggested speed and energy were of the essence. And, spurred on by a fired-up Old Trafford crowd, the Reds made a blistering start, with Wayne Rooney forcing an excellent save from Manuel Almunia after just two minutes. Then Cristiano Ronaldo flashed a cross-shot across the face of goal. It was upbeat and high-tempo stuff, as expected. But Arsenal were nowhere to be seen early on against a hungry-looking Reds team.

Tevez was snap-at-your ankles enthusiastic, Ronaldo and Rooney both looked lively and Darren Fletcher maintained his excellent recent form in the heart of midfield. For Arsenal, away from home and with Emmanuel Adebayor up front on his own, theirs was always bound to be a more patient approach. But even when their first spell of possession eventually arrived, they were booed and barracked into submission.

United pressed on and after 16 minutes Almunia again came to Arsenal’s rescue. A brilliant interchange from Tevez and Ronaldo saw the ball worked out to John O’Shea, and the Irishman’s cross found Tevez’s run, but his shot was stopped at point-blank range by Almunia.

United soon got their just reward, but in the form of the most unlikely hero. Carrick was lurking at the back post from the resulting corner, and his deflected pull-back found O’Shea, who thumped the ball home. As if the noise levels weren’t loud enough, the deafening celebrations carried far into the Manchester night. There was barely an opportunity to catch your breath, such was United’s ceaseless efforts, and the Reds certainly weren’t resting on a 1-0 lead.

Arsenal’s first attempt came just before the half-hour mark when Cesc Fabregas’ low shot was well held by van der Sar, but other than a five-minute spell of possession towards the end of the half, that was largely it.

Seconds after Fabregas’ effort, Almunia was called upon again; Tevez scampered down the right wing, skinned Kieran Gibbs and crossed for Ronaldo, whose powerful header was palmed away by Arsenal’s Spanish goalkeeper. Moments later he denied Ronaldo again, this time from a curling effort from the edge of the area. Were it not for Almunia, this tie could have been out of sight inside the first half.

The start to the second half was not quite as frenetic, and Arsenal certainly had more of the ball than they had in the opening 45 minutes. The danger for United was that a quick Arsenal counter could yield an all-important away goal, and Adebayor went close just after the hour with a arcing volley from 30 yards out, but fortunately it went over. It was, if
Sir Alex decided on a change with a little over 20 minutes to go, replacing Tevez with Dimitar Berbatov, and Anderson with Ryan Giggs, making his 800th United appearance. Tevez was shaking his head in disappointment at coming off – a gesture that will no doubt be interpreted negatively in the press, but would surely be the reaction of any player withdrawn from such a high-profile game.

Shortly after the swap, Ronaldo sent a rasping 30-yard shot crashing off the bar. Then minutes later an effort from Carrick fizzed wide; Sir Alex must have been scratching his head with bemusement as to how his side were not more than one goal to the good.

The baying Old Trafford crowd shouted: attack, attack, attack… it was plain to see that the Gunners were there for the taking. United kept on surging forward, and Giggs had the ball in the back of the net on 78 minutes, but he was adjudged to be offside. It was a tight call, and the officials had not been kind to United all evening, but this time it was probably correct.

Arsenal will see containing a rampant United as their main plus point – and they have much to thank Almunia for – but if the Reds play anything like this in North London next week, a trip to Rome surely awaits. This was a job well done, but only half done.

[Litmanen]

Man U too physical this morning, Tevez, Rooney, and Anderson really set the tempo. Personally i thought Berbatov ruined the flow when he came on, but i've never liked him at Man U. Ronaldo needs to stop being a brat and stop diving.....

Almunia played very well, I thought Walcott and Diaby were exceptionally poor, no run from the wings, there was no spark or intention to there play. Bendtner looked to lift them a bit at the end but it was too late.

Will be interesting to see what happens, Wenger has to starve united of space more.

[DOC]

sounds like arsenal went out there and used a different game play, they just wanted to shut up shop and take a nil nil game to the emerates, i think if they came and played football the way we know arsenal can could have been a different score, they should have played 2 up front and pushed for an away goal, that annoys me about away ties in europe, teams play 4-5-1 shut up shop and will take a point.... at least now they have to come out firing in the second leg...

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

sounds like arsenal went out there and used a different game play, they just wanted to shut up shop and take a nil nil game to the emerates, i think if they came and played football the way we know arsenal can could have been a different score, they should have played 2 up front and pushed for an away goal, that annoys me about away ties in europe, teams play 4-5-1 shut up shop and will take a point.... at least now they have to come out firing in the second leg...

they will, we had our chances to put them away,

now its opened up.....

[DOC]

sounds like arsenal went out there and used a different game play, they just wanted to shut up shop and take a nil nil game to the emerates, i think if they came and played football the way we know arsenal can could have been a different score, they should have played 2 up front and pushed for an away goal, that annoys me about away ties in europe, teams play 4-5-1 shut up shop and will take a point.... at least now they have to come out firing in the second leg...

they will, we had our chances to put them away,

now its opened up.....

yeah hopefully it makes the second leg a spectacle with lots of attacking football from both sides... i think united will want to kill it off early with a first half goal...

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

sounds like arsenal went out there and used a different game play, they just wanted to shut up shop and take a nil nil game to the emerates, i think if they came and played football the way we know arsenal can could have been a different score, they should have played 2 up front and pushed for an away goal, that annoys me about away ties in europe, teams play 4-5-1 shut up shop and will take a point.... at least now they have to come out firing in the second leg...

they will, we had our chances to put them away,

now its opened up.....

yeah hopefully it makes the second leg a spectacle with lots of attacking football from both sides... i think united will want to kill it off early with a first half goal...

if yah watched it, we did try to get as many, arsenal goaly done really well, an as soon as berb came on, we were lucki we didn't concede, as the game changed once tevis came off..

im worried we won't win over there..

[pires7]

top-gun-tard-scum go back to supporting muscat ya clown! Melbourne scum!

[OldRedback]

Ronaldo needs to stop being a brat and stop diving.....

Very well said - with the exception of the shot that hit the cross bar he was pretty disappointing but that seems to be his way in big games. Very poor form with his falling over and hissy fit when he cut in from the right across the top of the box in the second half - must be embarrassing for his team mates to watch and put up with.

[Le King]

woulda taken 1 nil any day
2 important things, we won, and didnt concede
now we can go 2 ermirates with our attacking power n get that away goal

tie is far from over
almunia saved the gunners 2nite

rons shot was shiraz class, wat dip on it, almunia was in no mans land

[chunky-monkey]

Just have to remember United are not like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, we are never involved in big high scoring draws for the fact that we can defend. I think 1 goal away from home early will seal it, cant see Arsenal scoring 3 even though they were very poor this morning. Almost thought it was West Brom in disquise!

[Litmanen]

Just have to remember United are not like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, we are never involved in big high scoring draws for the fact that we can defend. I think 1 goal away from home early will seal it, cant see Arsenal scoring 3 even though they were very poor this morning. Almost thought it was West Brom in disquise!

Will be interesting to see what happens to Ferdinand. Is he actually seriously injured? just looked like bruised ribs maybe.

[CFC10]

It was like Arsenal didn't know what to do with the ball once they got to the 18 yd box. They were lucky they didn't get pumped.

[Le King]

rio will b out of nxt weeks game
they rkn there might be a crack in his ribs
but lets hope its not right
he was able to walk off and was keen 2 come back on so thats positive sign
still confident in evans

[Litmanen]

rio will b out of nxt weeks game
they rkn there might be a crack in his ribs
but lets hope its not right
he was able to walk off and was keen 2 come back on so thats positive sign
still confident in evans

Therein lies the strength of Man U, there second XI could play in the EPL and be mid-table.

[The Joker]

Ronaldo needs to stop being a brat and stop diving.....

Very well said - with the exception of the shot that hit the cross bar he was pretty disappointing but that seems to be his way in big games. Very poor form with his falling over and hissy fit when he cut in from the right across the top of the box in the second half - must be embarrassing for his team mates to watch and put up with.

I don't think he was as bad as he used to be at the start of the season, but there was a few incidents where he milked some challenges. The one where he cut in from across the box I would have thought should have been a foul, and if it was another player from any team it would most likely be given. I think Ronaldo's reputation of diving makes referees sometimes not give anything his way.. anyway, he had a pretty good game, he is definately picking up from where he left of last season, maybe not as good but he is getting there at the right time of the year, which is good

The part that's in bold, I think people stopped calling him a "none big game player" when he scored against Chelsea in the UCL Final last year.

[MESSI_10]

COME ON U REDS!!!!

need to get a quick away goal in the 2nd leg and defend the rest of the match.