[bbfan1991]

Manchester United team to play Chelsea:

Lindegaard, Rafael, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Jones, Anderson, Cleverley, Valencia, RVP, Giggs.

[Ryan57]

Lindegaard, Rafael, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Jones, Anderson, Cleverley, Giggs, RVP

Edit: Beaten by bbfan.

[bbfan1991]

Manchester United Subs - De Gea, Buttner, Ferdinand, Scholes, Kagawa, Rooney and Hernandez.

[Brother Leon]

Hmm. Would of liked Chicho and Kagawa, but I'm not really fussed. Just want it to be FT Vs Swansea already lol

[Ryan57]

Just realised, Nani not even on the bench. SMH.

[bbfan1991]

What a frustrating game!

How annoying after their goal and David Luiz (prick) smiling to himself after Rafael got sent off.

[bbfan1991]

**** off Chelsea, grr.

Oh well I am looking forward to the Swansea game now and seeing the lads lift up the trophy!

[Brother Leon]

Not even asked. Fast forward to trophy time please.


Don't wanna see Valencia or Anderson again this season though.

[Ryan57]

Originally Posted by Brother Leon

Not even asked. Fast forward to trophy time please.


Don't wanna see Valencia or Anderson again this season though.

Anderson was our best player today. Rather harsh.

Did Tom Cleverley's excellent five yard passing display escape your vision? Maybe it was that sumptuous 20 yard or so pass back to Lindegaard that had you scream with joy.

[bbfan1991]

Boss bemoans flat display

Sir Alex Ferguson rued a lack of "edge" in his Manchester United team’s performance in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Old Trafford.



The champions fell to a deflected late Juan Mata strike and the disappointment of a first goalless home game in three-and-a-half years was compounded by Rafael’s dismissal for kicking David Luiz soon after.

Rafael Benitez’s Champions League-chasing side had shaded an encounter that produced plenty of chances at both ends, if not the intensity Sir Alex desired.

"There was no edge to our game but I think Chelsea were the better team," Sir Alex admitted to MUTV. "Training was fine this week and there was a nice edge to it, but today it was missing.

"[Being champions] has a lot to do with it. It’s been a long season for the players and their final really big effort was last week against Arsenal.

"Chelsea's goal was a bit lucky as it deflected off Phil Jones, but it was so late in the game that there was not a lot we could do about it."

Referee Howard Webb brandished United’s first red card of the league season with a minute left when Rafael lashed out following a clash with Luiz deep in Chelsea’s half.

Sir Alex insisted the Blues defender was as much to blame for the incident.

"The referee was bought by the fact Luiz rolled about," the Reds boss said. "He actually elbowed Rafael twice but you know what happens when a player retaliates: he’s always punished more.

"Luiz made it look worse. I don’t think the referee saw it, actually, and he was convinced by Luiz’s reaction."

United’s final home game of the season is against Swansea next Sunday, when Sir Alex will demand more from his players before they lift the Barclays Premier League trophy.


Damn right. The performance was flat, although probably because we have nothing to play for now but I hope we can finish the season with some wins!
"We don’t approach games in an easy way as there is an expectation all the time here," he added. "Maybe this will waken the players up."

[bbfan1991]

Evans eyes winning end

Jonny Evans wants Manchester United to finish the 2012/13 season on a high after the Barclays Premier League champions lost 1-0 to Chelsea on Sunday.



Having already sealed the championship crown last month, the Reds were perhaps guilty of lacking intensity at Old Trafford, where the Blues sealed a hard-fought victory via Juan Mata’s deflected finish off Phil Jones on 87 minutes.

Evans obviously felt down about the result, but the Northern Irishman is targeting a positive climax to the campaign via consecutive victories against Swansea and West Brom.

“We will lift the [Premier League] trophy next week against Swansea, which will be a big day for us and we want to win that game,” Jonny told MUTV after the match.

“It’s then the last game of the season against West Brom and we want to win that as well. We want to win every game and, going into these last two games, I’m sure the lads will be up for it and we want to make sure we put on a good performance for the fans.”

When asked why his United team-mates struggled to perform against Chelsea, Evans was at a loss to come up with an answer, simply stating his disappointment: “I don’t know; it’s hard to put my finger on why we weren’t up to our normal standards.

“We’ve had a hectic couple of weeks but Chelsea have been our rivals and we’re disappointed not to get three points against them. Maybe they had more intensity in their play because they are pushing for a Champions League spot, but it is hard to say. I think they deserved their victory in the end.

“We got into good crossing positions, especially in the first half, but we didn’t quite find our men in the box – maybe we should have got more men in the box. I think Chelsea set up to counter-attack us and they hit us on the break and we got away with it a few times.”

As for Mata’s winner, a finish which might go down as a own goal as a result of a slight deflection off Jones, Evans was on hand to take some blame, admitting his clearance could have been better.

“I had a bad clearance myself, they found a bit of space in midfield,” Jonny admitted. “They had quite a few men forward at that time and the ball has crept in past Anders, who had a very good game today. We don’t want to lose any game and the way we conceded the goal was disappointing.”

[bbfan1991]

Vote: Man of the Match

Manchester United may not have been in top form against Chelsea but there were still some individual performances worthy of a mention in our Man of the Match vote.



Three of our nominated quartet are defenders which probably suggests there can be few complaints that the Blues snatched the points with Juan Mata's deflected 87th-minute winner.

Rafael had produced an accomplished display up until his late dismissal for kicking David Luiz following a tussle with his fellow Brazilian. Referee Howard Webb saw it as a red-card offence but will that cost the full-back our star man accolade?

Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans were effective at the heart of the defence and mopped up the majority of Chelsea's attacks. Vidic made one superb interception to thwart Mata after a slip by Phil Jones in midfield and popped up on the left wing in the first half to set up a headed chance for Robin van Persie.

Although the Reds struggled to impress in an attacking sense for much of the game, Anderson offered some drive and invention before being substituted for Wayne Rooney. Although not always at the centre of things, he was involved in a number of the brighter United moments.

http://www.manutd.com/en/Fanzone/Com...-966874916A80}

[bbfan1991]

Januzaj eyes big stage

Adnan Januzaj is hoping to play a key part as Manchester United's Under-21s aim to finish the season on a high with Liverpool visiting Old Trafford on Monday night.



The highly-rated teenager has been shouldering much of the attacking responsibility this year and, with the Reds already safely qualified for the Barclays Under-21 Premier League semi-finals, he will looking to impress at the Theatre of Dreams in the highest profile game of his fledgling career.

Januzaj helped Warren Joyce's side defeat West Brom 1-0 at the famous stadium in his last outing and is likely to relish an opportunity to catch Sir Alex Ferguson's eye after being handed a first-team squad number.

"The FA Youth Cup [against Burnley] was the first time I’d played at Old Trafford, which was great," he told ManUtd.com recently. "It will be even better with all the fans there. I was very motivated by it and it was a good feeling to play there. We will try to win everything this year as well [like last year]. I like to win so we will do everything to win the Barclays Under-21 championship, as well as the Lancashire and Manchester Senior Cups. I hope we win it all again this year."

The talented forward also played at The Hawthorns, the venue for United's final match of the top-flight campaign, for the Under-21s. "It was nice to play there and it’s another experience so you are a bit prepared if you might get to play there for United’s first team in the future," he added.

I think this guy has the potential to make that breakthrough into the first team and would be another option in our Midfield if SAF plays him next season.

[bbfan1991]

Valencia's trophy claim

Antonio Valencia insists a club like Manchester United cannot go two seasons without winning a trophy.



The winger admitted to MUTV that he is only reasonably happy with his personal contribution but elated to take the Barclays Premier League title back off Manchester City.

“We enjoyed it the best we possibly could," he said of the celebrations. "It’s a fact now and you can’t take that away from us. We’ve won the title after a very long season and we managed to achieve our aim.

“Last year was terrible – a trophyless season. We can’t go two seasons without bringing home some kind of silverware so the aim was to win something and winning the title fits the bill perfectly.

“That’s two medals in four years and it’s really special for me. When you work hard throughout your career to win trophies and, when you’re at a club that you adore, like I do, then it makes it even more special to win somewhere where you’re happy."

When asked to analyse his own game, the 2012 United Player of the Year feels injuries have prevented him from consistently discovering his top form.

“I suppose it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for if you make a comparison with last season," he replied. "I’ve maybe not been able to recreate the form from that year. Maybe not the same level fitness-wise and certainly form-wise.

“But looking back, I’m reasonably happy with my contribution. I’ve managed to feature in more than 27 games which is special.

“I think when you’ve suffered a couple of injuries, sometimes it’s hard to get back to those fitness levels where you can play full of confidence and you can show your ability in its best light. Sometimes it takes a while if the recovery from injury is longer than you think. It’s hard to get back to top form and the rhythm of how you normally play but hopefully pre-season will be a chance to get fit.

“When things are not going particularly well and when I’m not on my best form, I tend to be a bit harder on myself because, all the time, I want everything to turn out perfectly. So you do think about your form at these times.”

Tony V being honest about his disappointing form and hopefully once the season is over and he can have a break he can work on improving it for pre season and try to get last seasons form back!

[bbfan1991]

Rangers legends beat Reds

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe...d-legends.aspx


All for good causes.

[bbfan1991]

Robin van Persie says his decision to swap Arsenal for Manchester United can no longer be questioned as he prepares to lift the Premier League title this weekend.

Van Persie's hat-trick in the recent league win against Aston Villa sealed a 20th league crown for United, which will be lifted after their home clash with Swansea on Saturday.



The Netherlands forward made the controversial decision to leave Arsenal for rivals United last summer, after a barren spell of trophy-less seasons at the Emirates. Instant success with United, says Van Persie, justifies the departure.

"I wouldn't have moved if I'd had doubts," he told United Review. "Instead, from day one I was almost certain we would win trophies - not in a couple of years but this year.

"I saw the players in training. I saw the way they behaved, the way they lived, their mentality, the way the staff worked, the way the manager and the staff acted.

"When all those elements combine you end up with a team of champions. It also helps when you have so many players who know how to win.

"There were some great pictures taken after the Aston Villa game, but there was one thing missing from them all; the trophy. That's the picture that will be framed in my house; me, lifting the Barclays Premier League trophy. I can't wait for that moment."

Van Persie says he enjoys stopping goals as well as scoring them and revealed his team-mates judge him on his efforts defending corners. Since his £24 million move from Arsenal, Manchester United's 29-goal top scorer has been stationed at the near post when opponents have had set-pieces.

"That's part of my job. I'm not judged on that by outsiders but, I can assure you, I'm judged on that by my team-mates and the manager," he said. "That's something I've agreed to do for the team, so it's just as important as scoring goals. I have a very important role when it comes to defending corners, free-kicks and set-pieces. I love to do it, too,

"It gives me a buzz when I clear a corner with a nice header and then we launch a counter-attack. I'm not a player who only thinks about scoring goals - football has so much more to offer than just goals."

Van Persie endured a two-month goal drought from February to April but said he took solace from helping out with his defensive duties.

"You get spells that don't go so well, when you don't score so many goals and I had one of those this season," he said. "Even so, I kept clearing headers from corner kicks, I cleared balls off the goal-line, I set up team-mates to score goals."

This guy.

[bbfan1991]

Edit: Just found RVP's interview on the United website.

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe...er-united.aspx

[bbfan1991]

Sir Alex Ferguson: David Luiz like a 'dying swan' over red card

He is so right. I can't stand Luiz.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...iz-diving-swan

[Ryan57]

Valencia being kind to himself. The guy has been an utter joke this season.

[bbfan1991]

Youtube video

[bbfan1991]

Sir Alex's best £20m signing

Sir Alex Ferguson has described United’s recently-renovated Carrington training headquarters as akin to “a £20million signing”, and the Reds boss believes that not only will it help his current players prepare and recuperate before and after matches, but it could also attract new talent.



The Trafford Training Centre, or Carrington as it’s known by players, staff and fans, will become the Aon Training Complex from 1 July, a partnership that points to the investment made in United’s training facilities.

But it is the recent revamp of Carrington, including new medical and sports science facilities, that Sir Alex feels is a significant addition to the club.

Speaking to Inside United in his regular monthly interview, Sir Alex says: “As I said last year, it could be our best signing. It’s working out at about £20million that we’ve spent, but it’s given us a training facility where all the players are saying, ‘Wow, this is some training ground now.’

“It’s one of the best. And I think if any player were to come here with any doubts about where they should be, they’ll soon find out that this is a fantastic set-up.”

Sir Alex has seen the development of United’s training facilities as a key part of his job as manager during 26 years in charge of the Reds, and while he recognises the historical importance of places like The Cliff, United’s former training ground in Salford, evolving with the times and ensuring the players have state-of-the-art equipment and expertise to work with is essential.

“The Cliff played its part in the beginning – there’s no doubt about that,” Sir Alex adds. “Sir Matt had The Cliff built back in the 1950s, but [by the 1990s] it was too small for the progress that the club had made. Although we did a lot of development of the indoor space in terms of dressing areas for the Reserves, it still wasn’t big enough.

“For quite a while [former secretary] Ken Merrett and I used to hunt around Manchester looking for old bits of ground – we looked at Heaton Park, actually we looked at where City’s ground is now – until we got a wee break and a lad called John Tomlinson, who was in property, worked out a deal with Shell for this place [Carrington], and it’s been fantastic.”

[bbfan1991]

German sides impress Vidic

Manchester United skipper Nemanja Vidic admits he has been impressed this season by Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.



The Bundesliga sides defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid in the last four of Europe's premier competition and will compete at Wembley on Saturday 25 May for the trophy.

Vidic watched the games with a heavy heart following United's controversial exit at the hands of Real in March but feels plenty can be learned by analysing the German teams' style of play.

"It's hard to watch these kind of games as you know maybe we could be there," he told MUTV. "But I think, at the end of the day, we should be satisfied with our season. We won the title, which was our priority this season, but we he hoped to do better in the FA Cup and Champions League. But this is life, this is football. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.

"Credit to Bayern. I think they play very good football. They play as a team and they closed down the Barcelona players very quickly, going in groups. It's hard to play against these kind of teams. Dortmund played against Madrid in a similar way to show this is the tendency in Germany football.

"I think it's something we should look at. Maybe this is the way other teams have to improve. Over a few years, people were watching Barcelona and saying this is how you should play. If you look at Dortmund and Bayern now, you see that they work as a team and individuals and this is why they are having success."

Well said Vida! Bayern and BVB have been awesome and have really set the benchmark in the Champions League this season, which other clubs will be hoping to follow in the future now.

[bbfan1991]

Landslide win for RvP strike

In truth, there was little doubt which strike would scoop Manchester United’s Goal of the Month award for April.



So it was just a question of how many votes Robin van Persie’s sumptuous first-time volley against Aston Villa would pick up in the polls across our seven official language websites.

In the end it was a landslide 96% for the Dutchman’s breathtaking effort, which will also be a shoo-in for the Reds’ Goal of the Season shortlist when it is revealed later today.

Van Persie’s hat-trick clincher on a glorious night against Villa came second in our polls with just over 1% of the votes, followed by Sam Byrne’s superb strike for the Under-18s against Southampton.

You can watch van Persie’s goal, and his reaction to it, again in our video above.

Paddy Crerand and Andy Cole are discussing and agreeing the nominations for United’s Goal of the Season in a special MUTV programme at 19:00 BST tonight, Tuesday.

After the ex-Reds have made their choices, the poll will be opened at manutd.com/awards for you to make your choice, and the winner will be announced at the club’s Player of the Year ceremony on Wednesday 15 May.

[bbfan1991]

Podcast: Rio and Nemanja

http://www.manutd.com/en/Fanzone/New...d-podcast.aspx

[Ryan57]

Vidic should be pleased in a way. At least it's Barca, and in the first leg Real, getting the raping and not us.