[Archived] Manchester United Preview

[PAFELL]

Ha Ha. Do you mean the exhausting and gruelling 3-0 "battle" with Fulham. Hopefully they've one eye on Inter Milan.

Hey a man can hope can he not - I must admit fulham were bad, they just let utd do what they wanted. The fact they are points ahead of liverpool and the inter milan game coming up, may work in rovers favour.

[BRFC1995]

can honestly say i've more interest in the matches involving stoke, boro, wba, spuds,pompey and newcastle than rovers this weekend, our game is a forgone conclusion whereas i can root for the opposition in the other games with a reasonable chance of getting a favourable outcome.

3 or 4 to nil united.

[mellison24]

I had a dream on tues night that rovers will win 3-1.

Sounds out of reach but it felt so real! I put a bet on it just

In case!

THAT is the kind of optimism we need!! We need to believe that we CAN get something from this!!! Would you rather our squad accept defeat? or go there with the belief that something can be gained?? LETS SHOW THE LEAGUE WE MEAN BUSINESS!!!!

[speeeeeeedie]

Everytime there's a record/duck to be broken a team does it against Rovers. Not won in 10? No problem. Striker needs 30 goals? He'll get it within half an hour. Not had a penalty this season? Easy. No away wins for 3 years? Ewood is a lovely place to come. Van der Sar is going for the European clean sheet minute record, he's nailed on to get it tomorrow. However that still gives us the chance to score in the 90th minute!

No chance of a win here. They outclassed us at Ewood and have got much better since.

[Ozz]

What happened to the usual preview story, I like them?

[LeftWinger]

No chance of a win here. They outclassed us at Ewood and have got much better since.

They did outclass us at Ewood, but you could also argue that their first goal should never have stood. We were never going to win after that. We were also managed by a clown.

[CAPT KAYOS]

aaaarrrrgh ... look who the ref is .... Howard Webb

but then again

I have taken a look at the referee stats (P/L) on the BBC website and he has been involved in 4 games for each club

Issued - 15 cards to Utd (2 sending offs 2nd bookable offence)

Issued - 10 cards to Rovers (1 sending off 2nd bookable offence)

Only Chelski have more cards than us issued against them in same number of games

Liverpool have only x6 in the most games (5)

Could he be our hidden weapon - or will it be I time to even it up with UTD stat's given the number of decisions that have gone against us at O/T?

[T4E]

Here's a cheeful stat to start the day. Since United lost 2-1 at the Emirates, their League record is:

P14 W12 D2 L0 F24 A0

On the plus side they've scored one goal or less in 10 of those matches. I think the key is just trying to hang on for dear life to a clean sheet and then try and pinch a goal.

Has there ever been a better run of form over a similar timeframe in the history of the Premiership? That is quite incredible.

[LeChuck]

aaaarrrrgh ... look who the ref is .... Howard Webb

but then again

I have taken a look at the referee stats (P/L) on the BBC website and he has been involved in 4 games for each club

Issued - 15 cards to Utd (2 sending offs 2nd bookable offence)

Issued - 10 cards to Rovers (1 sending off 2nd bookable offence)

Only Chelski have more cards than us issued against them in same number of games

Liverpool have only x6 in the most games (5)

Could he be our hidden weapon - or will it be I time to even it up with UTD stat's given the number of decisions that have gone against us at O/T?

To be honest, a bad referee can only work in our favour. If he gives bad decisions going Man Utd's way then it will only add to the inevitable, whereas if they go our way we might have a chance.

Not that whoever is in charge has a cat in hell's chance of being favourably reviewed here with such hyper-analysing, even before a ball has been kicked!

[Stuart]

To be honest, a bad referee can only work in our favour. If he gives bad decisions going Man Utd's way then it will only add to the inevitable, whereas if they go our way we might have a chance.

Not that whoever is in charge has a cat in hell's chance of being favourably reviewed here with such hyper-analysing, even before a ball has been kicked!

I was thinking about the referee whilst watching the re-run of the ManU-Fulham game. It was when Scholes, quite clearly and deliberately, blocked a cross with his hands and neither the ref nor the linesman saw/gave it - despite the lino being right in line with nothing obstructing his view. Anyway, it made me wonder if any referee would give a penalty against United whilst they are on this run of clean sheets. It would have to be absolutely nailed on and even then I'm not convinced they'd have the bottle - especially at OT.

[Manc Rover]

I fear Ooijer's lack of pace will be targeted, certainly by Ronaldo. It could be a slow and painful 90mins but they have to concede at some point and they could always have an off day. Definitely time for RSC to start up front and finally give something to the team.

[1864roverite]

Shited 6-0 Rovers

a painfully sad Saturday night

[Brfcrule1]

that is just the sort of negative attitudes I have come to expect on here who knows we might sneak a draw or even a win not out of the realms of possibility but have to say am worried about Ooijer's lack of pace and don't really think he is an ideal RB we need to stay positive otherwise if the attitude is we will get hammered that's what happens was talking to a friend the other day about this and I have to admit I was a little sceptical not the easiest place to go and this is a lillywhites fan he said you have to remain positive because at some point they will drop points and we might get something out of this game probably unlikely but still a chance and if the player's pick up on this negative karma how does anyone think they will react well they will say they think we will get beat so we might as well not turn up hardly the right mentality to go into a game where we need to get something out of

[92er]

...except that Samba isn't available. Oops. In that case, Givet in the centre, Warnock left back and...err...someone in centre midfield. Mokoena and push Grella forward? We could really have used Emerton for this game.

We'll be in trouble if we play the Axe.

( He's suspended ).

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Still? He's already missed one match, why does he have another?

[Commondore]

0-4.

That's all.

[92er]

Still? He's already missed one match, why does he have another?

It could be I got it wrong!!

[Mr. E]

doom + gloom.

[thenodrog]

If we need a comparison, Coventry came out for the second half with belief, energy and determination last week and it nearly worked a treat for them.

[John]

Not sure why and not really hopeful of any points, but all of a sudden looking forward to this match.

[RevidgeBlue]

Interesting test of Big Sam's credentials tomorrow, I must admit that overall I'm struggling to see that much difference in us from when Ince was in charge (the blame for which I personally place squarely at the feet of the Trustees as opposed to Big Sam)

However I would hope that at the very least we would organise ourselves well, get at them and give them a really competitive game as opposed to the rolling over and having our tummy's tickled against the "big four" that happened with Ince at the helm.

If we can do that it will at least give some encouragement for the matches ahead.

[des]

well for one we have more points under sam then we did under paul

[John]

Interesting test of Big Sam's credentials tomorrow, I must admit that overall I'm struggling to see that much difference in us from when Ince was in charge

Agree with the credentials point, but don't you think we look far more organised under Big Sam? No glaring gaps/spaces between the midfield and defence!!

[Iceman]

1-0 win for Rovers!

[RevidgeBlue]

well for one we have more points under sam then we did under paul

Ince - ten points from first seven games

Sam - ten points from first seven games

??

Agreed that in general we're looking more organised but I was expecting a more marked upturn in the hunger and overall performance of the side.