Manchester United vs. Chelsea

[gainesvillegreen]

Huge game on Sunday for those that follow the Premiership.  If Man U win, they'll go six points clear.  If Chelsea win, they will draw level on points (although I think Man U will still be tops on goal difference). 

The game is being televised on Fox Soccer Channel for those that get it.

I think it will end in a draw, but perhaps Manchester can bounce back after their loss yesterday and kick the crap out of Chelsea.

What are other folks predictions? 

[tet]

i'm a fan of Chelsea because our good friend (and driver while in London) is a season ticket holder of theirs.  i'll try to watch if it doesn't conflict with our inferior brand of football...  :evil:

[gainesvillegreen]

Not to worry - you'll get to watch the game, or some of it at any rate.  I think it comes on at 11 AM ET on Sunday. 

Chelsea have match today, so I'm sitting here with fingers crossed that someone gets injured  :evil:

Not that they can't replace an injury with some other superstar of their "bench"  :?

[jedifunk]

well since i'm sort of a man u hater, i guess i'm for chelsea, although i'm not fond of teams that are bought :roll: (go yankees)

and i think sheva is the shit, even with his off year... and drogba is tearing up the premiership...

i say chelsea 2-1.

[mattstick]

All I know is that Man U got beat by Celtic last night!  Glasgow was going crazy.

[gainesvillegreen]

All I know is that Man U got beat by Celtic last night!  Glasgow was going crazy.

Yes, they did.  And if they play like that on Sunday, they'll get their asses handed to them.  Only one other team has beat Celtic in the CL, so I guess we are in good company (but not the right company). 

well since i'm sort of a man u hater, i guess i'm for chelsea, although i'm not fond of teams that are bought :roll: (go yankees)

No, you are a fan of a team run by the (ex) president of the country.   :-P

2-1 is not a bad bet.  Just the other way.   :-D

[jedifunk]

yeah, but at least milan's got the scandal to draw attention away from the actual football they are playing right now (which at present is really not good )

[gainesvillegreen]

I'm OK with this outcome (although Saha should have had a brace...not sure what happened in the second half where he just watched the ball roll right in front of him  :?).

Biggest telling point of the match: Chelsea brought on Robben and Cole (although Robben was woeful) and Man U brought on Fletcher (me pukes) and O'Shea in the second half. 

It is going to be a long month coming up, and the bench is our biggest problem.  And probably why we'll get pipped to the title. 

[tet]

great match, really enjoyed watching that in fact.  glad to see a rivalry almost on par with Yankees-Red Sox!  well ok, not quite...  but it was exciting from start to finish.  i can't believe Saha headed that Chelsea goal in, if he wouldn't have moved the goalie might have made it in time for the save.  instead, bounced off his head onto the crossbar and in.  i guess that's how the cookie crumbles...

chelsea had a great 2nd half, not sure what they changed but it worked.  with all the time ManU wasted in that half, there should have been +6 minutes of stoppage time at the end...  too bad for Ronaldo though, any word on his injury? 

[gainesvillegreen]

Not sure the extent, but I think Ronaldo is out for Wednesday's match against Everton.  He needs a rest anyway, I thought he was the best player on the pitch (with Essien a close 2nd - although he only played a half). 

Yes, I think Van Der Saar had it covered as well (Carvalho's header).  But, if he wasn't telling Saha that was the case, then Saha can't be faulted.  Nonetheless, it wouldn't have mattered if we would have sunk either chance we had in the second half. 

The rivalry will get there if Man U and Chelsea stay 1-2 for a season or two more.  Man U and Arsenal are already there (although it is beginning to wane since Arsenal are not what they once were).  Plus, Ferguson and Mourinho have a great respect for one another (also a difference between Man U and Arsenal), so they won't let it get out of hand. 

[tet]

Ronaldo was clearly the best out there, he's a few steps faster than everyone else, especially when sprinting - though Cole made a fantastic challenge coming back into the box in the 2nd half (was that against Ronaldo?).   

[gainesvillegreen]

Yes, that was Ronaldo.  Don't get me started on Ashley "A-Hole" Cole.   :evil:
Too much history with Arsenal for me to rate him correctly or fairly. 

Carrick was probably our other "best" player.  Not discounting Saha's contribution(s) to the game, but Carrick was excellent yesterday.

Always nice to see Lampard take those 20-25 yard shots into the stands behind!

[tet]

Always nice to see Lampard take those 20-25 yard shots into the stands behind!

yeah, he should have at least gotten 1 on goal...  frustrating that he was open enough to hit it so hard but couldn't aim!