FA Cup: Middlesbrough vs Manchester United - March 11th
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- Star Sports, CHANNEL 24.
FA Cup: Middlesbrough vs Manchester United
- Sunday, 11th March 2007
- 01:00AM – 03:30AM
Paul Scholes will start his first ban from this match onwards. -
Boateng ready to see off Man Utd
Middlesbrough skipper George Boateng has promised Manchester United another rough ride when the two sides face each other in the FA Cup sixth round. Boro have beaten United five times in just over five years and Boateng has targeted win number six on Saturday.
"They are the best team in the country so there is no shame in us being the underdog," he told BBC Sport. "But United know this fixture is not an easy ride. I know for a fact they don't enjoy coming to Middlesbrough." The 31-year-old Boateng added: "I do sense in this team that everybody is trying harder in the Cup matches because they realise it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"We are now two games away from Wembley. Getting Manchester United at home with the chance to get to the semi-finals - it doesn't happen very often and the whole team realises that. "We are the underdog and Manchester United must live up to the expectations that it has created, so the team is buzzing at the moment."
"This match is the reward for our hard work. Some teams would have given up but we fought our way back and earned a massive game against Manchester United. "Now we start to think that it might be our year."
United's Middlesbrough misery began in January 2002 when they exited the FA Cup at the Riverside. Since then Boro have also beaten them four times in the Premiership. All five victories came under their previous manager Steve McClaren, the current England boss who enjoyed a hugely successful period as United coach before taking the managerial reins at Boro.
Dutch international Boateng, who McClaren signed from Aston Villa in the summer of 2002 for £5m, said: "The background of Middlesbrough-Manchester United really started when McClaren came here after so many years at Old Trafford. "He was always talking about Manchester this, Manchester that. After a year we thought 'shut up with your Manchester' but then when we played them he gave us the key areas, the tactics and what to do exploit them and to beat them.
"There is a rivalry there. In the past when Ruud van Nistelrooy was at United he always said he never fancied coming here because it is always hard. We give them a rough ride and we play good football. "They are not used to that because most teams set up against them with one striker and defend, hoping to nick the odd goal. "But we attack them and they don't like it. It's a lot harder for them."
For Boateng the mind games started as soon as the draw was made, he received a text from fellow Dutchman and United keeper Edwin van der Sar. "He said he is really sorry as he wants to have the FA Cup on his CV," said Boateng. "I texted him back saying I don't mind him wanting it, but he will have to work hard to achieve it."
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Cattermole, Morrison, Boateng, Arca, Euell, Downing, Viduka, Yakubu, Lee, Jones, Xavier.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, O'Shea, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo, Park, Carrick, Giggs, Richardson, Rooney, Larsson, Smith. -
i farking like this
" he received a text from fellow Dutchman and United keeper Edwin van der Sar. "He said he is really sorry as he wants to have the FA Cup on his CV," said Boateng. "I texted him back saying I don't mind him wanting it, but he will have to work hard to achieve it." " -
Mee Rubus was United's boogie team since MacClaren took over them. But after he left, Mee Rubus seems shaky becos Southgate is still a newbie.
3-1 victory to United~
Cheers.
C.K -
+1Originally posted by CKeer:Mee Rubus was United's boogie team since MacClaren took over them. But after he left, Mee Rubus seems shaky becos Southgate is still a newbie.
3-1 victory to United~
Cheers.
C.K -
Man U lately struggling to perform leh.. so i'll go for the conservative. 2-1.
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e match so late..
anyway i tink Boro might upset MU.. -
larsson's last game
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Middlesbrough v Man Utd
Dong Fangzhuo has been called into the Manchester United squad for the first time ahead of tomorrow's FA Cup.
Dong Fangzhuo
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evra, Heinze, Park, Ronaldo, Carrick, Giggs, Richardson, Rooney, Smith, Larsson, Dong. -
WE muz be very very desperate.
Time to buy players liao.. -
Cos Larsson is leaving. We need to train and give other strikers a run-out to boost their match fitness.Originally posted by Gackt247:WE muz be very very desperate.
Time to buy players liao..
Cheers.
CK -
Like Dong will be perm 1st team striker..Originally posted by CKeer:Cos Larsson is leaving. We need to train and give other strikers a run-out to boost their match fitness.
Cheers.
CK
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Originally posted by Gackt247:Like Dong will be 1st team striker..
We don't have a choice don't we? Solskjaer and Saha out injured. Larsson's loan deal runs out. The only recognisable strikers we have: Rooney and Smith. Rossi is out on loan so Dong is the only option left.
Unless you wanna see Ronaldo being pushed forward and Richardson on the left.
Cheers.
CK -
Dun buy torres la.. get david villa.. me big fan of tt fella.
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I think Villa's physical size is not suitable for the premiership. I'd like to have Tevez though.Originally posted by Gackt247:Dun buy torres la.. get david villa.. me big fan of tt fella. He'll come cheap, no doubt about it and he provides an excellent foil for Rooney.
p.s Did you see that wicked freekick he scored against Tottenham? Although that is his first goal in 20 games for the Hammers.
Cheers.
CK -
ya.. but it helped bcoz Robinson made n amatuer mistake of poor positioning.Originally posted by CKeer:I think Villa's physical size is not suitable for the premiership. I'd like to have Tevez though. He'll come cheap, no doubt about it and he provides an excellent foil for Rooney.
p.s Did you see that wicked freekick he scored against Tottenham? Although that is his first goal in 20 games for the Hammers.
Cheers.
CK -
Agreed. Robinson is getting fatter and fatter. I miss the days where he was still at Leeds. Same goes to Kirkland. He was phenomenal at Coventry but became a thrash when he went to Liverpool be cos he was always injured.Originally posted by Gackt247:ya.. but it helped bcoz Robinson made n amatuer mistake of poor positioning.
But Tevez's workrate can be compared to Rooney's. He's pacey and strong as well(and cheap!). I like to see them play together.
Cheers.
C.K -
In my opinion.. rooney disappointing leh.. poor passer.. poor control of ball.. gets dispossessed so easily..
Only once in a blue moon smack a hat trick or an outstanding cross.. tt's it.. -
buy our SG version of Alam Shaher..
cfm cheap -
Boro wins.
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Ronaldo is certain to be a key figure at the Riverside tomorrow as United look to seal an FA Cup semi-final slot and again next month when the Red Devils take on AS Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals. Although Ferguson's side have previously encountered Lazio, it is the first time they will have met Italy's 'capital club'. And, having knocked out his own fancy Lyon this week, the United boss knows Roma are an opponent to be respected.
'The great excitement in Europe is playing teams you have never played before,' said Ferguson. 'They have some great players, like De Rossi and Mancini and we are looking forward to it.'
By the time United head to Rome for the first leg on April 4, Ferguson should have striking duo Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer available again.
Both men miss Saturday's trip to Teesside with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, leaving Wayne Rooney and Henrik Larsson - who is making the final competitive appearance of his 10-week loan spell - to shoulder the burden in attack.
Alan Smith is likely to be on the bench, while China international Dong Fangzhou will be in the United squad for the first time. However, it is Rooney who will be required to find the spark in front of goal. Ferguson admitted he took a calculated gamble with the 21-year-old England striker in midweek, playing him with a strapping to protect his injured knee.
However, despite a below-par performance, the United boss is confident Rooney will be back to his best against Boro. 'Wayne was not quite on top form against Lille,' said Ferguson. 'He was a little bit restricted because he played with a strapping on. 'Also, we played him wide, which is not his best position. 'Maybe we did take a chance with Wayne but I asked him if he wanted to come off at half-time because we have such a long season in front of us and he said no.
'He worked his socks off and showed fantastic application, which is a credit to him but once we scored, I was delighted to get him off.' -
Man u to win
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Larsson to score again!!! -
Gareth fired by double agony.
GARETH SOUTHGATE has been trampled over by Manchester United before in the FA Cup. The Middlesbrough boss wants to pay back the Red Devils for destroying his Cup dream twice.
Southgate watched as a Crystal Palace reserve as United beat the Eagles in a replayed final in 1990. And he suffered a more painful experience five years later.
Southgate said: “We were a young side in ’95 really. We had it in our grasp and didn’t have the knowledge to see it through.
“Unless you’ve won lots of things, you have to cling to semis and finals you’ve lost. “Once you’ve been there and experienced defeat, they are not things you look back on glowingly until people bring it up.”
Southgate is excited about tonight’s FA Cup quarter-final. He added: “Taking on a team that’s the best in the country has captured the imagination of the whole town.
“In one-off games we have a great chance.” -
something very weird abt this match.
manutd dont seems to have that eagerness to win it