After yet another international break, the final one of the Autumn, with the return of domestic we welcome Manchester's second biggest team. Both teams come in to the match following a poor set of results prior to the break, with pressure mounting on ex-Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskaer; who unlike with his previous employment may just avoid the drop. However having not won the league since 2013 when Ferguson retired the locals (sic) are getting restless as they dream back to the glory days. As things were getting a bit stale of just making it to Europe (see Arsenal for details) the club have started to shake things up a bit by bringing back an old favourite to increase shirt sales in Singapore and maybe score a penalty or two. Unfortunately they found that Teddy Sherringham had retired so plumped for Ronaldo instead. Currently you never know what you are going to get with a Man United team, they will either play top form and sweep you away, fall over a lot and grind out a hollow one goal win, or play like headless chickens. We certainly would make the last one our priority so don't expect a classic. Previous visits For many year from the late 80s through to 2016, in the handful of times Man United visited the Vic, it was a happy hunting ground. Then enter Mazzarri who chain-smoked his way to victory, courtesy of goals from Capoue, the lesser-spotted-Zuniga and an obligatory Deeney penalty. Then two seasons ago, we had gone all season until the last match before Christmas without a home win, when De Gea transpired to Vaseline up his gloves for a laugh which massivelt backfired when Sarr scored followed by an obligatory Deeney penalty. Where will the goals come from? Since promotion in 2015 every visit of Manchester United had resulted in a home penalty put away by Deeney, who incidentally felt it wasn't fair so on one occasion scored an own-goal two minutes later to keep the big boys happy. Other than that, to answer the question, some shots on target may help. Suspended I'm sure Pogba and Kucka can amuse themselves in the Wenzels on Vicarage Road while the match goes on.
I think I detest Man Utd's fans' more than the side. If you want to see a home game full of plastics, that is where to go. Goldbridge can be pretty entertaining, especially when they lose. This is game number 2 of our month of death run of fixtures, and against Arsenal we did "ok" as far as damage to the GD goes. United can be plain Jane average at times, hence there is no real reason to sit back for 90mins and hold out for a point. We are capable of winning this, but Ole under pressure means a united win most of the time (Spuds). If we play well on the counter, hope Sarr is over his post season sulk and get the midfield balance correct, then it's not a game I am terrified of getting a Liverpool-esque slapping in. However, having lost our last two matches, and not won since opening day at the Vic (cup excluded) - it's more for them to lose than us to win for rep sake. Let's hope "Ole's not at the wheel" at full time after we send his boy's packing. 1-0.
Personally think it's an excellent time to play them. I certainly don't hold them as a massive threat. Get in their faces from the start and we could see a positive result.
If they don't sack Ollie between now and Saturday and Maguire plays we must stand a good chance. Then again, with Troost Ekong/Cathcart/Massina/Rose up against even an ageing Ronaldo, I'll settle for a point
Play like we did against Arsenal and we have a good chance of getting something out of the game. Stick Sarr on the left please as he is half decent there for Senegal and was for Rennes.
For me Sarr has to play on the left in this one, he’s become way too predictable on the right, and they won’t be expecting it. (This idea has been influenced from his goal against Congo).
You raise a good point, which is that we'd have to be fuccking insane not to start Sierralta given Ronald's aerial prowess and knack for scoring jammy last-minute headers.
I think and to some extent hope we put in another half decent performance like we did at the Emirates. However I think we will end up losing just like in North London. Watford 1-3 Manchester United
Hopefully this will be the game will mark the start of a strong, premier league quality centre back partnership between Nkoulou and Big Fran. Surely we won’t see one of WTE or Cathcart start again.
Lose and OGS will go. There is no way such a big team will stand losing to little old us. Ill plump for a standard Utd victory. They'll get the lions share of ref decisions as well. Our powderpuff and rapidly decaying defence making at least 1-2 mistakes. I will be at a wedding for this match with brother and father in law who are Utd Fans, neither have ever been to old Trafford and live in north Essex obviously
I think people are massively underestimating Man Utd. Yes they've been **** recently but they have Ronaldo, Cavani, Fernandes, Rashford, Greenwood, Sancho, Martial and Lingard. It could easily be another thumping at The Vic.
Couldn't we have dressed Cathcart in a wig and sent him to South America and played Sierralta ourselves?
Fuccking hell; just checked the fixtures entirely in hope rather than expectation, and their last game kicks off at what will be 00.15 on Wednesday morning. There's no fuccking way he's going to make it, is there. Shyte. Looking forward to Ronaldo rising high like a salmon against Cathcarthorse's dribbling waterfall in the 92nd minute to score his fourth headed goal of the match.
Cathcart against his former club, he'll put in an epic performance to show them what they missed out on.
Fun fact, out the 59 centre-backs in the league that have played more than 300 minutes - Cathcart ranks 40th for aerial win % (with 61%). Also interestingly WTE is 5th best which surprised me (winning 80% of his aerial duels) - only Thiago Silva, Federico Fernandez, Lindelof and Jonny Evans rank higher.
In total fairness from me, WTE's aerial prowess is not one of his main areas of calamity by any means, but yeah, that still seems really quite surprising. Serious question - is there a scenario in which he chooses not to challenge aerially as much in the first place, or only goes for duels that he would appear to have a higher chance of winning in the first place, that might go some way to explaining that ratio? Even though it's not one of his problem areas, I don't at all have an idea of WTE as aerially impressive or dominant - is that purely my own false perception, or are there other factors at play?
They'll be there won't they, sitting amongst us. We all see them at these type of games. The people who whip their camera phones out everytime a United player is near them on the pitch. The people who don't go to Old Trafford as you "can't get a ticket" or "it's too far". The people who have a thoroughly southern accent. People who get a semi because they are actually watching a team they claim to be "theirs" in person. The people that United fans in the north west look down on in disgust. The people who look petrified about sitting near actual football regulars. At least our shambolic ticketing system will probably reduce them to tears as they are stood outside long after kick off, missing vital minutes of a very rare occasion to see and breathe the same air as their heroes.
Should Ronaldo play against us - the last time he would have played us would have been 14th April 2007 in the FA cup semi final. That's 14 years since he last played a game against us. I wonder if there has been a longer gap between two single games for a player to face the hornets.
Ronaldo might be a bit demoralised after they lost their automatic place in the WC and Sarr scored 2 past Congo yesterday so he might be in a good mood for once. 1-0 Watford
Nah, that'll happen when the other half of Manchester visit in early December and as per usual we collectively $hat ourselves and roll over to see how anyone can get Pep to sign off on Ben's Youtube channel the fastest.
I find it bizarre when I see Manchester United and Liverpool fans who have never even been to either of the cities calling each other manc bastards and Scouse ******* etc... My housemate is a United fan from Manchester and we had a chat recently about United fans. He said southern United fans piss him off and are part of the reason he don't like attending home games anymore. He says the atmosphere is **** because it's full of tourists.
Jonathan Moss will be the official on Saturday. Not sure what we've done to deserve Kevin Friend and Moss back-to-back, but now I know he's in charge, there's no point in even taking interest in this game. Be another match we have to write-off because of referee result manipulation.