Man Utd 3-1 Chelsea

[Madmax 9,219]

Less than a year ago Manchester's favourite Scouser was openly questioning the ability of his teammates and the ambitions of his paymasters. But of course, you'll never be reminded about it.

[daBlackMamba7 174]

Yep....That is dead and buried....

[eldo 868]

So he gets praised for running like a dog around the pitch for 90 minutes?

[Guest justin_3d]

Coming to the boil

Torres might just come good in first real test for United and Chelsea

Jamie Redknapp Posted 15th September 2011

I can't wait for Super Sunday. This is the first real test for Manchester United and Chelsea.

I've always said that for the big guns in the Premier League, the season starts on this weekend. Once that first Champions League game is out of the way, we will really see what they are all about.

Moody blue: Torres does not look happy, but that might all end at Old Trafford, says Jamie

Yes, United have had a brilliant start to the season and I'm not knocking anything they've done, but as I've said before, it is too early to get carried away. They scraped past West Brom, Tottenham had no midfield and kept it tight for an hour and Arsenal, as bad as they were, were decimated by injuries.

The first result of any significance was the win at Bolton because they played so well. But I think we all expect Chelsea to give them their hardest game of the season.

Sunday is also the first time we will really find out what Andre Villas-Boas is all about. Does he go to Old Trafford to contain them, knowing United have had the edge in this game recently, or does he go there looking to win, to make a statement?

He has done okay so far, but like United, they have not really played anyone you would expect them to struggle against. And of course, he has been battling to solve the big conundrum that is Fernando Torres.

He should be happy with his contribution against Leverkusen with those two assists, but of course, any striker - never mind one who cost £50million - is going to be judged by goals. Torres' record since joining Chelsea has been woeful and you can't really say people have been going overboard; that sort of form has to be a worry.

He looks to me like an unhappy boy. I know from people around Liverpool that he is not what you would call a laugh-a-minute kind of guy, but he has had the air of a player who thinks the players he is playing with are not good enough for him. Compare his body language to Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero; they are loving every minute of their football

I don't hold too much in the 'slow and old' comments because these things often get lost in translation, but the irony is that if anyone looks like they have lost that sharpness, or yard of pace, it is Fernando Torres.

I am beginning to wonder if there is something behind it, an illness or something, because I have seen plenty of players in the past who have been like this and there has been an underlying reason.

Exceptional

Sooner or later though, a player has to start looking at himself. And maybe Torres has, because although the goals have not come, I have seen flashes lately of what we know he can do.

Those assists, a couple of runs, a disallowed goal, maybe it is finally starting to fall into place for him. If there is one game, one team, he would love to put it right against it isManchester United - and for everything I've said, I really wouldn't be surprised if that happened on Sunday.

He won't be up against Nemanja Vidic though! I would expect Rio Ferdinand to come back in, but either Chris Smalling or Phil Jones will slot in alongside him no problem at all.

Both of them have been exceptional so far in the middle or at right-back and, even if I am repeating myself, I love watching the lad Jones. He reads the game so well, is so comfortable on the ball and although he is known for playing in the middle, he's been playing at right-back and looks like Carlos Alberto.

It's a shame Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck are injured, but I always had a feeling Sir Alex Ferguson would end up with his tried and trusted players for the big games. Whether Darren Fletcher, Ji-Sung Park and Ryan Giggs can do it twice in four days remains to be seen, but I don't think it matters as much.

I just hope Fergie sticks with Javier Hernandez and Rooney up front because the Mexican is so lively and no-one drops deeper better than Rooney; he makes that 4-4-2 become so flexible, a 4-5-1 or a 4-3-3 and of course, there's no one in better form in the country.

Searching

I will be more interested what side Villas-Boas sends out. I think he has to stick with Torres and it's clear to me that Juan Mata is going to be the key player for Chelsea, the one who links it all together. Then there's Daniel Sturridge, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda andDidier Drogba to fit into that front three. The fact that Frank Lampard was rested in midweek suggests he might start on Sunday as well.

It is a problem Chelsea managers have to live with but there are two players for almost every attacking position and I think it's fair to say that Villas-Boas is still searching for the right recipe.

I do think they have a weakness in central midfield where, for me, Jon Obi Mikel just slows their play down. But by the same token I think United have a problem with David de Gea in goal, so I hope Villas-Boas takes the positive approach.

I think he needs to as well. So far it has all been about Manchester United and Manchester City and although there is still a long, long way to go and anything can happen in football, if you were asking me to put money on the Premier League I would go for United and City to finish one and two.

Everyone else is looking at third and fourth right now, but Chelsea can make us all think again on Sunday. It couldn't be set up any better.

skysport/blog

-------------------

I love Jamie articles. He is very neutral compare to anybody else.

[bigbluewillie 1,859]

i've got a good feeling about the game, i like the way Andre's going about things, and believe me Torres will come good, we'll win this 1-2

regards: JBD

[steve5221 91]

We are 3/1 to win this game with some bookies - amazing...I think we have a good chance but I would be happy with a point. For me Anelka should start ahead of Torres and let Torres come on in the last 30 mins, look at him at the start v Bayern, caused them real problems....

If Luiz plays at Centre back for this game then we will lose, for all his ability he is not a centre half.....i would also leave Mikel out of this as he is likely to pickup 2 bookings, as rememeber the ref is always ManUre's 12th man at the theatre of wank...

Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mierlies, Lampard, Ramires, Mata, Anelka, Sturridge...

[diskoviolente 425]

Gotta test their goalie with loads of crosses and long range shots. More than likely that he spills them.

Tough match but we won´t be swept aside like they did agaist all the other teams. We are much stronger than Arsenal and certainly Bolton.

Cech

Bos - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Ramires - Mereiles - Lamps

Sturridge - Torres - Mata

for me. Ivanovic is always in trouble against their wingers. Bos might out-pace them.

[Guest justin_3d]

Just saw this article and decided to share....If y'all have read it my bad....http://news.bbc.co.u...ll/14930577.stm... That dude Alan Hansen, moaning as Rooney comes all over is face and he is saying thanks boo, you are d greatest...lol.....So irritatingly bias that it is worse than annoying, i really dont know how you guys in Englad put with the constant media bull....

"Villas-Boas has freshened Chelsea up by bringing in younger legs and a bit more pace. Juan Mata looks a very good player and Daniel Sturridge gives them an extra dimension with his quick feet and eye for a goal. There is still the problem of Fernando Torres getting back to his best but Villas-Boas still has plenty of quality to work with." I think this was the best thing he could come up with about Chelsea....

Now time for the almighty ass sucking, shit licking, piece of shit Manure.....

"Having said that, United have looked superb in their first four Premier League games. New signings Ashley Young and Phil Jones have settled in instantly, while the catalyst is the same person it has been for years - Wayne Rooney.

I remember watching him play for England in the World Cup against Algeria in Cape Town last summer. He looked as if he had never seen a football before. It was as bad a performance as I have seen from a top player - but I never doubted he would come back to his best.

It's not just because of his ability but his attitude. His work-rate is phenomenal and he has got more guts than almost everyone else put together.

Continue reading the main story

Rooney will the key figure on Sunday. This may only be their fifth league game of the season but the stakes are already high, especially for Chelsea

To prove my point, I recall

United's 3-1 defeat at Liverpool last season

. Wayne was having a nightmare but he was trying as hard in the 91st minute as in the first - even with the game lost. I have huge admiration for that.

It lifts team-mates when they see their best player trying like that and sets an example. Supporters and colleagues will say to themselves, "Well if he's our best player and he is doing that, then I should be as well".

It creates solidarity among a team and gives it a sense of presence and self-belief plus a feeling that everyone is in it together. That is is the importance of Rooney to Manchester United, apart from his wonderful natural ability."

For real?....Please people do note that in the page long article, there are no mention of Torres's assists and his attitude...If it was an out of form Rooney that produced two assists, i am sure the NFL channel will be singing is praises....Damn.....United can suck their balls over a Torres goal on sunday...In ya face A holes...Am out (Ranting Over)....

Careful boy, that they are lucky to have not discovered the wonders of Fox News and its team!

Can't get any better then Bill O'reilly!

[steve5221 91]

I like the way Redknapp implies that Torres has a "mystery Illness" in this article....

[DYC. 7,542]

For some reason I feel quite confident about Sunday's match.. bring on Utd .

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Draw is a good result for us.

[Sheva. 5,373]

So AVB has 4 midfielders to select for 3 positions - if we do play a 4.3.3. of course - Ramires, Meireles, Mikel and Lampard.

I would like to see the first 3 start, with Lamps coming off the bench!

[zolayes 14,489]

we have nothing to fear but fear itself... have a go at them ,,their defence is vulnerable,, so attack them

[Fabriccfc 21]

I dont want to talk too much about United. We all know that Rooney is the dangerman. He's the most talented English footballer I've ever seen. There's not much he can't do. If we were really able to contain him we would give ourselves a real chance of winning the game, but they will have at least two other fast, skillful forwards playing with freedom upfront. One this is for sure United will give it 100%. Carrick is a weak link in my opinion we need to pressure him massively. If he doesn't have time he crumbles.

A lot of people talking about the Benfica performance last night and I think it's very valid. I think there were 3 reasons they were able to perform so well.

They are used to winning. They have a winners mentality and they were not going to let United turn up and walk all over them. We have this.

Second, they had the players technically capable and fast enough to hit United hard on the counter. Do we have enough of these players? In my opinion were probably missing at least one in midfield, and unfortunately Modric would have helped massively.

But most importantly they closed United down relentlessly. Their work ethic was spot on. They didn't let them play their football. I thought United started the game in exactly the same fashion as most of their games this season. But after 10 minutes Benfica decided they weren't going to sit back and let United play their football and this shocked United and they lost confidence on the ball. They eventually abandoned trying to play football in the first half and decided to go long to Rooney.

Do we have the players to do this? Anybody has the players to do this. It's just having the bravery and fitness to do it. We're starting to see more pressing of the ball under AVB. Compare this to Ancelotti's Chelsea where the players were too positionally disciplined, which is why we saw very slow football lacking any sort of creativity for the most part. AVB has talked about playing without fear and were going to need to do this with and without the ball. I would love Drogba to be available to lead this from the front, but unfortunately he won't be so AVB needs to demand that Torres works hard without the ball.

I'm not saying these tactics will win us the game. I still believe they will have a few more moments of real quality than us and lets face it they are likely to be much more clinical than us. I just think that other than an ultra defensive performance these are the best tactics to employ and lets face it, were not going to do that.

Go there to win. Go hard or go home.

-----------Cech

Bosingwa-Luiz-Terry-Cole

--------Lampard----------

Meireles-----Ramires

Sturridge-Torres-Mata

I've gone for Lampard holding over Mikel, as although I rate Mikel in certain situations, I don't think he has the required intensity for this game, so I've gone for Lampard holding to move the ball quickly and to allow him more time on the ball. I also think Lampard is good defensively. Meireles as 'playmaker' and Ramires as the ballcarrier/winner and for his all round explosiveness.

Sturridge needs to really get at Evra and he'll have the chance to because Nani is unlikely to trackback much. He's the danger man for me. Mata just needs to keep doing what he's doing. Torres NEEDS to work hard. There will be no use whatsoever of him getting frustrated if a run doesn't get spotted or United's defence shuts him down. He needs to give it his all from the start. I'm backing him to do it. I think the stick he's going to get at OT will fire him up.

We need to go all out for the win. I'd take a draw. It's the only game of the season I ever would but we can beat them. They aren't that good unless you let them play.

2-1 Chelsea. Ramires, Mata.

And for anyone who's making the journey up for OT, sing loud, sing proud. The atmosphere in the way end is usually incredible.

[zolayes 14,489]

excellent post ..much of what I was too lazy to write

[Fabriccfc 21]

excellent post ..much of what I was too lazy to write

Cheers mate.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

-----------Cech

Bosingwa-Luiz-Terry-Cole

--------Lampard----------

Meireles-----Ramires

Sturridge-Torres-Mata

Good post, but there's no way Lampard has the defensive capabilities or positional discipline to play as a holding player

[Rambo 1,729]

I've gone for Lampard holding over Mikel, as although I rate Mikel in certain situations, I don't think he has the required intensity for this game, so I've gone for Lampard holding to move the ball quickly and to allow him more time on the ball. I also think Lampard is good defensively. Meireles as 'playmaker' and Ramires as the ballcarrier/winner and for his all round explosiveness.

I think you've got it the other way around mate, Mikel's strength and discipline in the holding position will benefit us a lot more vs. United.