Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2008 13:14:10 GMT
and i hope Fletcher keeps his place. woah woah...slow your self down son! he's had his one good game this season
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Post by kokka78 on Feb 19, 2008 13:22:51 GMT
RYAN GIGGS believes Manchester United will be driven on by last year’s Champions League semi-final heartache as he prepares to do a ton tomorrow.
The Wales wing wizard, 34, will make his 100th appearance in the competition if he features against Lyon in the Stade Gerland.
Giggs, part of the winning line-up nine years ago, admits he still thinks back to the devastating 3-0 defeat by AC Milan last May which gave the Italians a 5-3 aggregate triumph.
But with a much stronger squad to choose from this year, he is sure United can banish that memory once and for all.
The long-serving veteran said: “I think the players who experienced that disappointment in Milan will be helped by it.
“The Milan match was tough. We came up against a very good team when we were down to the bare bones and still going for the Premier League title.
“Milan weren’t really going for anything else and were able to rest players. It was just different circumstances for different teams.
“Their main aim was the Champions League, while we were probably still split on which was the better trophy to go for. A lot of our players hadn’t won the Premier League before. This year we’ll hopefully be wiser.”
Giggs reckons the squad is in much healthier shape than it was 12 months ago, thanks to the arrivals of Nani, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez.
Boss Alex Ferguson was able to rest the likes of Giggs, Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo for the FA Cup rout of Arsenal.
Giggs added: “I think the attitude and temperament of the players who we’ve brought in suit the continental game.
“I don’t think playing in the Champions League will faze them. It hasn’t done so far. I hope factors like that will help us fare better than last year.”
Winning in Europe this year would be all the sweeter as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
And Giggs is quietly confident United can pay their own tribute to those who died by bringing home the trophy on May 21.
He told Inside United magazine: “There’s always pressure to win the European Cup and there will be more this year because of the anniversary.
“All we can do is our best. If we play well and get a bit of luck, yes, we can go all the way.”
First, though, they must get past the French champions. And having faced them in 2002, Giggs knows they face a battle.
He declared: “It was a tough game then and will be hard now.
“Lyon have won the French title for the last six years in a row, so have plenty of experience in the Champions League.”
United boss Ferguson was delighted to get another home draw in the FA Cup quarter-finals against Portsmouth.
He said: “It’s a home draw, so it doesn’t matter who you get. But it’s typical we have another Premier League team.
“The good thing about the FA Cup, though, is the opposition bring an increased number of supporters. That makes for a great atmosphere.”
TheSun. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Im sure we're going to win it this year i say 3-0 United and will be another amazing show
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lauralou
United Reserve Player
Posts: 449
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Post by lauralou on Feb 19, 2008 14:31:02 GMT
this is going to be a tough game for us.. lyon are certainly no mugs, they take the piss in the french league, and will play us full of confidence at home. i really am lookin forward to seeing benzema and ben arfa though, cos theres been lots of talk about them and ive seen very little of them in action.
cant even guess which central midfield pairin fergie will go with, but i hope its anderson and hargreaves.
id take a draw quite happily.
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Jak
United Bench Warmer
Member of the Month - January 08
Posts: 846
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Post by Jak on Feb 19, 2008 15:23:33 GMT
From the lads at Chicken Dinner blog today: Man United plan to eat Lyon pour le petit dejeuner Rooney and his pals might be interested to know that Lyon is the third biggest city in France, yet it is the world's centre of gastronomy - the place where food and culture become one. Where food is not just about what's on the plate, but where you are and who you are with. It's important that you enjoy your meal, they say, and they don't come much more succulant on the Manchester United plate than the juicy people of Lyon. Bibs on, folks...
LYON Last six: LWWDWL Last six Champions League games: WDWWLL Last six home games:
MANCHESTER UNITED Last six: WLDWWW Last six Champions League games: DWWWWW Last six away games: DWWLWW Injuries: Silvestre (Knee, 22nd March); Foster (Knee, 23rd Feb) Suspensions: none
» Manchester United have an impressive record against French opposition in European competition having only lost twice in eighteen matches. They have won nine and drawn seven of the other sixteen games. The two defeats came against Marseille and Lille (both away from home).
» The two teams have met previously just twice, both times in the group stage of the Champions League in the 2004/2005 season. Manchester United won 2-1 at home and drew 2-2 in Lyon.
» chickendinner superfact: Manchester United faced french opposition (Lille) at this stage of the competition last season and won both legs 1-0.
» That said, Manchester have lost six of their past seven away knockout ties, only managing to beat Lille last year. They were knocked out at this stage in 2005 by AC Milan, and in 2004 by FC Porto.
» First goalscorer: A Manchester United defender has grabbed the first goal in half of Manchester United's European games this season.
» chickendinner glimmer of hope: Lyon do not have the most impressive record against British clubs in European competition, having won just two of their eight games against British clubs since the turn of the century. Furthermore, they have only manged to win one of their four home games (Celtic in the 2003/2004 season). They lost to Arsenal in 2001, and Rangers earlier this season.
» There has been an average of just under three goals per game in Manchester United's European games so far this season, and an average of 3.5 in Lyon's matches. Neither team has drawn 0-0 this season.
» Benzema and Juninho have contributed six of the eleven goals that Lyon have scored in the competition this season.
» Ronaldo has been on fire for Manchester United in the competition this season, scoring five goals in their six games. But despite scoring in four of the six games, he has only been the first goalscorer once.
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Post by jigglymarina on Feb 19, 2008 16:38:41 GMT
Oh - oh!
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien I'm Mancunian in Lyon! GO UNITED!!!
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Post by schmeichelstarjump! on Feb 19, 2008 16:45:06 GMT
as highly as i rate scholes i would not start him in this game he looked off it in his last couple of games i would stick with anderson.
-----------------Van Der Sar
-------Brown - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra
Ronaldo - Hargreaves - Anderson - Giggs
------------------Rooney - Tevez
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mufcjoe
United Bench Warmer
Member of the Month - March 08
Whos that comin over the hill?Is it Nemanja?No, wait its a scouser on my bike!Get here you lil twat!
Posts: 736
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Post by mufcjoe on Feb 19, 2008 17:34:26 GMT
Scholes should start as his experience may be useful and his slower game nowadays suits europe!
Going with 1-1 Benzema and Tevez.
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Post by Jack Bartrem on Feb 19, 2008 18:43:54 GMT
and i hope Fletcher keeps his place. woah woah...slow your self down son! he's had his one good game this season LOL My starting elev would be Van Der Sar Brown - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra Ronaldo - Anderson - Hargreaves - Giggs Rooney - Tevez
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Post by Manc Fever on Feb 19, 2008 19:06:12 GMT
----------------Van Der Sar------------------
--Brown-------Vidic---------Rio---------Evra---
---------------Carrick---Hargreaves-------------
--Ronaldo------------Tevez----------------Giggs-
-----------------------Rooney-----------------------
2-1 to United !
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Post by Stew on Feb 19, 2008 19:25:37 GMT
Scholes will start tomorrow night.
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Post by tomo on Feb 19, 2008 21:08:07 GMT
Scholes will start tomorrow night. Agreed. As will Hargreaves I think.
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Post by Busby Boy on Feb 19, 2008 21:30:50 GMT
3-1 To Utd. Lyon aren’t as good as everyone makes out. Their not as good as they used to be when they had a midfield of Malouda - Essien - Diarra - Juninho We got at 2-2 draw away and a win at OT back then so I’m confident this time around. Any win would be good though or even a draw as long as we score at least 1 away goal. Even Gary Neville scored against them last time.
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Post by moxdevil on Feb 19, 2008 21:35:15 GMT
On present form it should be Anderson + Carrick or Hargreaves in midfield. Though i wouldn't be surprised if Scholes is there because of it being a European tie.
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Post by 7even on Feb 19, 2008 22:06:12 GMT
Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed Ryan Giggs as an 'absolute model' as the Manchester United winger prepares for his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance.
The veteran Welshman will reach the notable landmark when he features for United in the first leg of their last 16 tie with Lyon on Wednesday.
His contribution to the Red Devils' success over the years has earned a glowing tribute from his long-serving manager.
Milestone
"Only a few players have reached that milestone," said Ferguson ahead of Giggs' impending achievement.
"Ryan has produced many great moments for us.
"It's a great occasion for him and we're all proud of him. For me, Ryan has been an absolute model in his time with us.
"Even at 34 years of age we expect big, big things from him. Obviously, we don't play him every game, but that's natural for someone of that age.
"We want him to play in the games that really, really matter to the football club and one of them's tomorrow."
Giggs will become the eighth player to make 100 Champions League appearances, joining Paolo Maldini, Roberto Carlos, Oliver Kahn, Raul, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Clarence Seedorf in a select group. -------------------------
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Post by adexkola on Feb 19, 2008 22:30:29 GMT
Fletcher did not even make the trip. I am disappointed. Why the fuck would Eagles go in place of Fletcher? I'm not taking anything away from Eagles, but after that performance, he merited at least a bench spot. Did Dong go?
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