Reading vs Man Utd in Fa Cup Replay
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27 Feb at Reading own den for Fa Cup Replay, I think Man U will field a team of reserves plus a few regulars, cos Sat is the crunch tie with Liverpool at Anfield.
How will fergie prioritise next week? fa cup impt or liverpool more impt?
will Man U win both and eat the cake? -
Long live Reading!
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should be 2nd string man u player with a few senoir and pool match is a must win match...should be seenig alan smith playing
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007
vs
Reading v Man Utd
Ch 24 - 4:00 am - (Live) -
I think Fergie will field in his strongest team against Reading just to prove a point and win the game they should have won the first time.
As for the crunh against 'Pool, I believe Fergie will make few changes to the strongest team, with a draw-sufficient-mindset perhaps in his mind.
Though I'm hoping of course they will win both games!
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I think on SAF's mind, he will want to win Tue's match & progress further in the competition.
don't forget, there's still the return vs Lille that Fergie wants to ensure that Man U won't lose.
Hence, the priorities are:
a. win Reading,
b. ensure no loss to Lille
c agst Liverpool.
As such, if I am in his shoes, I will field strongest side against Reading. Rest key players against Liverpool in anticipation of Lille.
A draw or loss to Liverpool won't be such a dent. The most we fall back on 3-point lead. -
the rivalry and hatred for liverpool and vice versa, will make fergie play reserves against reading.
i think maybe the likes of rooney and ronaldo are in the bench if they are needed against Reading, but rest assured fergie will put out his strongest squad for sat match at anfield -
Hmm... If up to mee, I field strongest team against Reading and give up 3 points against Liverpool and rest key players for the return leg against Lille. But I am not manager of Manu.
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Kns.. draw with them.. waste time n effort.. lidat make them tired for nothing.. tch..
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reading said they will play reservers.. cuz they wana concentrate on the league to try for europe. read in the sports from straits times i think.
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its an unwanted game man u dun need, but what to do, cos of poor finishing, shd have killed reading while leading 1-0, but alas, poor finishing and reserves playing maybe not gelling as a unit lar
I reckon against Reading shd be reserves again, with rooney, ronaldo and saha on the bench if they are needed to save or win the game.
saturday is the main game I felt, so fergie will be going all out to win the anfield match, cos if they win, could extend gap to 12 pts and also not to mention the fierce rivalries between the 2 sets of fans. a draw at anfield is not the end of the world -
ALAN SMITH will return to FA Cup action.
Smith, 26, broke his left leg just over a year ago in the fifth-round tie at Anfield. He has made only one full first-team appearance since — in the Carling Cup win at Crewe back in October. But boss Alex Ferguson has been impressed by his work and determination to return to the side and he will be in the squad for tonight’s fifth-round replay at Reading.
Smith even rejected a chance to go out on loan in January to stick to his quest to get back in a United shirt as soon as possible. Ferguson declared: “At the time I said going away on loan would be a good thing for him. “But he had the ambition and drive within to say ‘I want to get back in the team’. That showed great faith in himself.
“The one thing you know about Alan Smith is he has great courage and enthusiasm to play football, which always gives him a chance. “Alan has been unfortunate not to get his chance sooner, because of the form of the team. Yet he still has a long-term future at the club.” Ferguson is likely to bring Smith on from the bench at the Madejski Stadium. But he is intent on giving him some first-team football soon, as he prepares to lose Henrik Larsson from his striking department on March 12.
Another little-used player this season has been Kieran Richardson, who is set to start this evening. Ferguson added: “There’s no question our options are better than last season. “Alan Smith and Kieran Richardson had another run-out in the reserves last week and enjoyed it. “I’ve been saying for weeks that the more football I can give them, the better it will be for us if the time comes that we need them later in the season.”
With United firing on three fronts, Ferguson is assuring all his squad they will be playing a part at some time. He said: “Things can change with the team. Louis Saha is not in the side at the moment but a few months ago I couldn’t see my team without him.
“Mikael Silvestre and Gabriel Heinze have been fantastic players for this club. Yet they are not in the side at the moment either. “We will use our squad and it is so important I do that in terms of getting minutes on the clock for all the players. The most important thing, though, is to play a team that wins.”
Ferguson will field a much-changed line-up from that which won at Fulham, as he has a key Premiership visit to Anfield coming up on Saturday.
Captain Gary Neville, axed at Fulham after a bust-up with his boss during the match in Lille, is expected to return and Cristiano Ronaldo should play after his stunning weekend winner at Fulham.
Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Larsson are likely to be rested. But Ferguson still expects to see off a Reading team which will also not be at full strength.
The Scot said: “Reading will play the same type of team as at Old Trafford. The interesting thing for me is whether they will play one up front or two.
“I expect a difficult game, because Reading are the team of the season so far. “They and their manager Steve Coppell have done fantastically.” -
My take would be a few non-first team players. Cup matches are not as important, 3 points is more important than even winning the cup.
Possible team:
Van der Sar
Gary Neville
Rio Ferdinand
Silvestre
Heinze
Park
Carrick
Fletcher
Richardson
Rooney
Solskjaer
Sub:
Kuszczak
Brown
O'Shea
Smith
Saha -
Cannot la.. i tink SAF will rather forgo FA cup n field more 2nd stringers n rest a few 1st teamers. 6 pts not alot considering there's liverpool n chelsea to overcome. Considering how Man U laboured against Fulham, losing to Chelsea n Liverpool might mean everything gone liao.
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i dun think SAF will forgo this, come toofar to forgo aleady, if he wanted to forgo, he would already done so and not wait till this stage. if we proceed further, its even more chance to have second string players have more games in hand expecially Alan Smith and Saha(he need his sharpness back if we are to go any further in the ECL)
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Wah.. 4am. Coffee time.
I think it would be a 2-0 win for United.
Cheers.
C.K -
sidwell!
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Van Der Sar not playing from what i heard
My take would be a few non-first team players. Cup matches are not as important, 3 points is more important than even winning the cup.
[b]Possible team:
Van der Sar
Gary Neville
Rio Ferdinand
Silvestre
Heinze
Park
Carrick
Fletcher
Richardson
Rooney
Solskjaer
Sub:
Kuszczak
Brown
O'Shea
Smith
Saha[/b] -
FT :
Reading 2 : 3 Man Utd
3' [0 - 1] G. Heinze
5' [0 - 2] L. Saha
6' [0 - 3] O.G. Solskjær
23' [1 - 3] D. Kitson
84' [2 - 3] L. Lita -
Time to rule out one of ur sources.Originally posted by Dead_Man_Inc:Van Der Sar not playing from what i heard -
3-2 = a narrow escape. I din watch the match, got to work, but blowing 3 goals in a spree of 6 min. is no joke. But i am not sure, is it poor defending once more that let in 2 goals from Reading?
Reading is surely a strong horse this season - lets hope it can maintain its momentum - don't end up like Wigan, strong last season & this season flirting with relegation. -
it is a good wakeup call to MUFC team.
well, a win is a win.
let's prepare for the game at anfield. -
I was expecting this kind of result when United go 3 up in 6 minutes becos it's their tendency to take their foot off the pedal when they are 2 goals in front before halftime.
Credit to Reading who put on a brave fight despite being 3 down in the opening few minutes.
But den again, United field mostly their reserve team (apart from Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Heinze and Saha) and Reading were at full force when Lita was introduced. United team last night lack match fitness and experience becos they seldom play (together).
Cheers.
C.K -
Yet another nail biting finish for United.. we could have had more chances if not for some selfish acts of our players..who'd rather go for glory than pass it on to team mates who are more open.. guess tats the difference between first 11 and reserves..
nice work VDS.. you saved us yet again.. -
thats why you gotta love united...always making sure u get your starhub bill's worth with nail biting matches...