Celtic v UNITED - 21st Nov, 19.45

[danishred]

could Kuzcack get the job between the sticks instead of VDS?

I am hoping for a draw and then a win against the chavs (duh!)

[Kamilo]

kuszczak vs boruc the polish keeper showdown.. i dunno bout you but thats a big attraction for me.resting players isnt a good idea either we saw how celtic came out last match.. zurawski is fit and has been scoring goals frequently for them and vennegor too. no resting please field our strongest side get the job done

but i think im gonna have to catch a rerun im working at honda till 4 EST time nooooooo

[Red Yank]

east7euro7united said:

kuszczak vs boruc the polish keeper showdown.. i dunno bout you but thats a big attraction for me.resting players isnt a good idea either we saw how celtic came out last match.. zurawski is fit and has been scoring goals frequently for them and vennegor too. no resting please field our strongest side get the job done

but i think im gonna have to catch a rerun im working at honda till 4 EST time nooooooo

We have a busy fixture list towards the end of the month so I think we're going to see some players rested for the Celtic match as we have Chelsea and Everton shortly thereafter. I don't like the idea of fielding anything less than a strong side but we can't wear them out either.

[stonecarver]

I'm sorry to say....but, if we play an under strength team, we will be beaten.
Celtic are a bloody good side and are on top form at the moment.
I dont think Richardson is the answer ( to any question ). Infact if he dosent pull a few good performances out the bag.....he'll be leaving in the summer.
I would prefer to see our top team at Parkhead. Even with the Chelsea game on Sunday.
These are vital games, we have to win. So full speed ahead with the strongest team. I see no alternatives.

[missunited]

stonecarver said:

I'm sorry to say....but, if we play an under strength team, we will be beaten.
Celtic are a bloody good side and are on top form at the moment.
I dont think Richardson is the answer ( to any question ). Infact if he dosent pull a few good performances out the bag.....he'll be leaving in the summer.
I would prefer to see our top team at Parkhead. Even with the Chelsea game on Sunday.
These are vital games, we have to win. So full speed ahead with the strongest team. I see no alternatives.

Completely agreed. We cannot afford to under estimate them, even when they're in a slump they never play badly against us. This is an important match, and of course so is the one against Chelsea, but all matches are important.

[schmeichelstarjump!]

i have a bad feeling about this game if we dont play our 1st team i think we will be beaten even if we do play our 1st team this game will not be easy celtic are very hard to beat at home with their fans behind them it will be a fantastic atmosphere i only wish i was going or even playing

[Carlito's Way]

stonecarver said:

I'm sorry to say....but, if we play an under strength team, we will be beaten.
Celtic are a bloody good side and are on top form at the moment.
I dont think Richardson is the answer ( to any question ). Infact if he dosent pull a few good performances out the bag.....he'll be leaving in the summer.
I would prefer to see our top team at Parkhead. Even with the Chelsea game on Sunday.
These are vital games, we have to win. So full speed ahead with the strongest team. I see no alternatives.

I totally disagree. He is most certainly the answer to who is the worst player in Man Utd's first team.

[JoshReddevilz]

i think this will be a tight one, 2-1 to united.

[Scott]

This is our toughest game in the CL. Celtic are no mugs, and they certainly aren't at home. They've seen off some of Europe's finest over the past few years from home.

I'd love for us to win this game, qualify, but then just beat Benfica for fun. See who's smiling then.

[jay87]

Hmm im not expecting to see many starting 11 regulars in the team due to the fact we have chelsea on sunday. I expect Fletcher, Richardson O'Shea Brown Heinze to play big parts as well as VDS in goal. Upfront, no prizes for guessing who the 2 men are going to be. But i hope we win and qualify and no injuries are the result of this fixture \o/

[Busby Boy]

He's said he's only resting three players. I reckon they are Giggs, Evra and Neville and in their place will come Fletcher (going to the right, Ronaldo to the left), Heinzé and O'Shea.

[Rais.n.Hell]

Source: TheTimes.com

The Times November 21, 2006

Forget the beautiful game, United are vulnerable in the air
Tony Cascarino

If Southend United can beat Manchester United, so can Celtic. It is a tall order, but this is still a match to relish. Plenty of big clubs have visited Celtic Park over the years in Europe, but none will whet the appetite quite like United.

To add more spice, Celtic fans will know that their team need at least a point from the game, that this is a group they are capable of qualifying from and that Rangers reached the knockout stages last season.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, will be aware of the atmosphere Celtic Park generates. Inspiring to the home side, intimidating to opponents, Celtic Park on a night such as tonight can transform a Coca-Cola Championship-calibre player into one worthy of the Barclays Premiership. It might need to.

Celtic’s weak point is their below-Premiership-standard back four. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo will probably prove too much for their defence, so Celtic will need to score. Their best hope will come if Patrice Evra plays for United. He is vulnerable in the air, as Sheffield United showed on Saturday, when Keith Gillespie scored.

If Celtic pump diagonal balls to the far post, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink can peel away, distract his centre back and beat Evra in the air and either head for goal or knock the ball down for Kenny Miller, if he plays, or someone rushing in from midfield, to pick up scraps and create mayhem in the area. Ferguson may prefer Gabriel Heinze to Evra to try to cut out such a danger.

Not many teams try hitting long diagonal passes against United, but it is a tactic that can work and it is probably Celtic’s best hope because United are otherwise solid all round; although I have reservations about Michael Carrick’s defensive ability — it is below par for a holding midfield player. Thomas Gravesen or Shaun Maloney might be able to get beyond him without much difficulty.

The personality clash between the managers is well-known. Outwitting Ferguson would look great on Gordon Strachan’s CV, as well as bringing personal satisfaction. At least the Celtic manager does not have to fret about his team talk. This is the kind of game where you do not need one, the sort of extra-special occasion that I experienced perhaps ten times in my career.

In the money

£106 million
Annual income from the seven-year television rights deal that Real Madrid signed yesterday

£30 million
Manchester United’s annual income from present TV deal

£50 million
Projected yearly income for United when new television contract is signed next year

Sources: Real Madrid, FA Premier League

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Well that is the latest idiocracy from the media. Yes United are vulnerable and yes its gonna be a tough game. But dont count us out yet. and Chustki...u better watch out for we'r gunning for you!!

2-1 my prediction (Giggsy n Neville out)

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EDIT:

Source: The Telegraph

Team details (probable)

Celtic (4-4-2): Boruc; Telfer, Balde, McManus, Naylor; Nakamura, Gravesen, Lennon, Maloney; Vennegoor of Hesselink, Miller.

Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze; Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs; Rooney, Saha.

[stonecarver]

You have to laugh at some media comments....."vonrable in the air" we have the best defensive record of any side in the premiership ! Media dick heads !
Looking forward to this.... #yahoo# #unitedbanner# #clap# #yahoo#

[Red Yank]

This should be a great match and as we've seen Celtic turn it up when they play against us so at home it will be a challenge. I really hope we put a strong a team as possible because where Celtic may lack in skill they will make up with heart.

[Buliwyf]

I'm fuckin buzzing with excitement for this one
#unitedbanner# #boxing#
bring it one....... bring it one..... four bloody hours to go