It's a massive massive game. It's more than just a semi final. It's bigger than the final. You wish it were the final! It's a derby game where winner not only take's all, but the final bragging rights this season. United haven't spent the money but have worked on building a great team spirit, whereas City have spent money but they cannot find the unity amongst the players on this pitch - the kind of effort you need to see a game through. Tevez, Rooney and Ferguson all have touchline bans. So that still make's it a competitive game to watch. Both Clubs have a great squad within them in individual players. So who will stand up and be counted. There's no question about the hunger in each team. They each have positives to be encouraged about. But who, in the end, will come out on top?
Manchester City, like I said before, have world class players with good amount of personal experience when you're talking about the game in general but they don't seem to have a closeness about them, any leader as such and without their, talisman Carlos Tevez sidelined with a hamstring injury, who will City look up to for inspiration? Mancini is a great tactician but you need a little more than tactics to win the game. The Discipline and the Will. City are lacking that at this stage of their season by playing some tired legs, not enough of experience in the manager and the players 'within the English game' although they do have individual match winners. If these players can keep their fitness up, and have a long lasting impact on the game, they can grind out a victory. Silva, Toure, Johnson and Hart-their stopper, will be instrumental figures in pushing their team through to the finals. They have a strong squad on paper but if they can turn that paper to pitch, they'll turn that pitch into a party place.
Manchester United have the momentum going into this game. They'll be buoyed by their Champions League quarter final victory over perennial league challengers, Chelsea. They've got a fit squad and an experienced clout of individual players who've spent years together gelling with each other to be disciplined enough to tactically win this game. Alex Ferguson serves his fourth out of a five game ban while Wayne Rooney sits out his second and last game. With Rio Ferdinand back at the back, his formidable pairing with Nemanja Vidic stabilizes the defense. Berbatov, will want to prove a point to Fergi if he starts tonight's game. Hernandez is in good form along with Carrick and and the industrious Park looks to be producing fine displays as always and the mood in the dressing room will be all but confident and positive. They are far more disciplined of the two teams and will pounce when presented with the opportunity. Almost all the players are in good nick but Ryan Giggs will need to maintain his influential displays as Rooney sits out. Scholes might step in in his place to command that midfield with Carrick.
I'm very excited and I cannot wait for this game to begin. United are my favourites not just because I'm a fan but because I do believe that we can outwit, out pace and mentally beat a City team desperately trying to get a first win over United since Sheikh Mansoor's takeover in, correct me if I'm wrong, 2009. Both Midfields will be packed and City will take this game to Extra Time even if they have to win. Not United. They'll take a risk and want to win it within the ninety minutes given that they are fighting in three competitions while their blue counterparts have nothing to lose, but this competition.
MY TEAM LINE UPS
MANCHESTER CITY ( 4-5-1 )
JOE HART
RICHARDS KOMPANY LESCOTT KOLOROV
JOHNSON SILVA DE JONG TOURE BARRY
BALOTELLI
Now, if Richards Is fit, he'll begin. This is a very attacking line up for me and they also have the likes of Milner, Viera - an Old United favourite, Shaun Wright Phillips and Dzeko. Plenty of options if he wants to stay defensive or go all out attacking in the latter stages of the game.
* * *
MANCHESTER UNITED ( 4-4-2 )
VAN DER SAAR
O'SHEA FERDINAND VIDIC EVRA
VALENCIA SCHOLES CARRICK NANI
GIGGS
CHICHARITO
My hunch is that Berbatov will still find himself sitting close to Ferguson but will get his chance later on if nothing productive works for us. He's an experienced striker with bag loads of composure; that to some may looks heavily Lethargic. Were he to come on, he'd replace Nani, with Giggs slotting into Nani's position and Berba playing just behind Chicharito ( Hernandez ). Gibson, Fabio, Smalling ca also deputize when called upon. Ferguson will still want to keep his squad fresh after midweek's grinding result. But in a game of this magnitude, I don't see him disrespecting Manchester City.
* * *
Manchester City, like I said before, have world class players with good amount of personal experience when you're talking about the game in general but they don't seem to have a closeness about them, any leader as such and without their, talisman Carlos Tevez sidelined with a hamstring injury, who will City look up to for inspiration? Mancini is a great tactician but you need a little more than tactics to win the game. The Discipline and the Will. City are lacking that at this stage of their season by playing some tired legs, not enough of experience in the manager and the players 'within the English game' although they do have individual match winners. If these players can keep their fitness up, and have a long lasting impact on the game, they can grind out a victory. Silva, Toure, Johnson and Hart-their stopper, will be instrumental figures in pushing their team through to the finals. They have a strong squad on paper but if they can turn that paper to pitch, they'll turn that pitch into a party place.
Manchester United have the momentum going into this game. They'll be buoyed by their Champions League quarter final victory over perennial league challengers, Chelsea. They've got a fit squad and an experienced clout of individual players who've spent years together gelling with each other to be disciplined enough to tactically win this game. Alex Ferguson serves his fourth out of a five game ban while Wayne Rooney sits out his second and last game. With Rio Ferdinand back at the back, his formidable pairing with Nemanja Vidic stabilizes the defense. Berbatov, will want to prove a point to Fergi if he starts tonight's game. Hernandez is in good form along with Carrick and and the industrious Park looks to be producing fine displays as always and the mood in the dressing room will be all but confident and positive. They are far more disciplined of the two teams and will pounce when presented with the opportunity. Almost all the players are in good nick but Ryan Giggs will need to maintain his influential displays as Rooney sits out. Scholes might step in in his place to command that midfield with Carrick.
I'm very excited and I cannot wait for this game to begin. United are my favourites not just because I'm a fan but because I do believe that we can outwit, out pace and mentally beat a City team desperately trying to get a first win over United since Sheikh Mansoor's takeover in, correct me if I'm wrong, 2009. Both Midfields will be packed and City will take this game to Extra Time even if they have to win. Not United. They'll take a risk and want to win it within the ninety minutes given that they are fighting in three competitions while their blue counterparts have nothing to lose, but this competition.
MY TEAM LINE UPS
MANCHESTER CITY ( 4-5-1 )
JOE HART
RICHARDS KOMPANY LESCOTT KOLOROV
JOHNSON SILVA DE JONG TOURE BARRY
BALOTELLI
Now, if Richards Is fit, he'll begin. This is a very attacking line up for me and they also have the likes of Milner, Viera - an Old United favourite, Shaun Wright Phillips and Dzeko. Plenty of options if he wants to stay defensive or go all out attacking in the latter stages of the game.
* * *
MANCHESTER UNITED ( 4-4-2 )
VAN DER SAAR
O'SHEA FERDINAND VIDIC EVRA
VALENCIA SCHOLES CARRICK NANI
GIGGS
CHICHARITO
My hunch is that Berbatov will still find himself sitting close to Ferguson but will get his chance later on if nothing productive works for us. He's an experienced striker with bag loads of composure; that to some may looks heavily Lethargic. Were he to come on, he'd replace Nani, with Giggs slotting into Nani's position and Berba playing just behind Chicharito ( Hernandez ). Gibson, Fabio, Smalling ca also deputize when called upon. Ferguson will still want to keep his squad fresh after midweek's grinding result. But in a game of this magnitude, I don't see him disrespecting Manchester City.
* * *
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