Man Utd XVI: Quest of the Title - Return to winning way.

[melvin]

Di Maria injury fear ahead of United-Chelsea clash

Manchester United are waiting to see if Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera will be ruled out of Sunday's game against Chelsea through injury.
Di Maria, the most expensive player in United's history, was substituted during their 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Monday and was pictured with ice on his thigh.

He will reportedly be sent for a scan, although the injury is not believed to be serious and manager Louis van Gaal was not asked about in his news conference.
The £59.7 million winger has scored three times in six appearances for Manchester United since leaving Real Madrid in August.

Midfielder Herrera was removed at half-time at The Hawthorns and was replaced by Marouane Fellaini, who grabbed United's first equaliser.
The Spaniard was making his comeback after suffering a cracked rib and played in a corset, but struggled to make an impact against West Brom.
United will be without captain Wayne Rooney, who completes a three-match suspension after Sunday's game.

Di Maria n Herrera injury

 

[melvin]

Van Gaal: Chelsea are another biscuit

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal claims Chelsea are "another biscuit" compared to Monday's opponents West Bromwich Albion.

Goals from Marouane Fellaini and Daley Blind secured a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns and, while the boss was pleased with most aspects of the display, citing stats for possession and shots on goal as positives, he lamented his team's inability to secure three more points in the Barclays Premier League.

Speaking after the match, the Dutchman used a phrase from his homeland to explain why United's performance levels must improve ahead of Sunday's encounter with Jose Mourinho's pacesetters at Old Trafford.

"Now e have to play against Chelsea and in the Netherlands they say 'that is another Kuche', or another 'biscuit'. By that I mean another level," van Gaal told reporters.

"You cannot compare West Bromwich Albion, which I say with great respect as it’s fantastic to play here, with the stadium and the fans. The pitch is fantastic and West Bromwich Albion are also playing a positional game - not only long balls.

"I have great respect for West Bromwich Albion, but Chelsea are at another level and Manchester City are as well. We have to see if we can beat them and after the two matches I can say yes or no."


Chelsea another biscuit

 

[melvin]

Van Gaal and Mourinho set for tactical battle

Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho will lock horns on Sunday and many are expecting a tactical battle between the two master technicians.

The pair worked together at Barcelona when van Gaal was in charge of the Catalan giants and there is enormous mutual respect between them. Despite coaching some of the biggest clubs on the planet, they have only met once in a competitive fixture - the 2010 Champions League final.

Mourinho came out on top on that occasion as his Inter Milan side defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 with a brace by Diego Milito at the Bernabeu. The win secured a Treble for the Serie A side but van Gaal will be determined to come out on top this time around at Old Trafford.

The duo also faced each other in the Franz Beckenbauer farewell match soon after Mourinho joined Real Madrid in the wake of his Inter success. Real won on penalties in Munich after a draw in the exhibition game.

Both men are deep tactical thinkers and it should make for an absorbing encounter this weekend when the Portuguese coach brings his Barclays Premier League leaders to Manchester. Despite their friendship, the high stakes mean a real battle should unfold at Old Trafford.

Reds midfielder Daley Blind explains to United Review, the official matchday programme: "We have to play our own tactical game and then we have to play as a team to win. Maybe it will be a tactical affair. I think both coaches are very strong at that point, so maybe it will be a tight game."

Award-winning author Jonathan Wilson analysed the upcoming clash in some detail during an interview with this month's Inside United magazine and feels the United boss could have something up his sleeve. "In some ways, having a bad start could be a good thing in the long term," Wilson explained. "It has happened a few times in his previous roles and it makes him think, and he'll think of something utterly ridiculous and brilliant which will work, because that's what he always done. Van Gaal always finds a way to make it work.

"I think Chelsea will play it tight again, as they did against the top teams last season, and look to strike on the break. The pace and strength they have is built for that approach. It would seem an extraordinary position to take, but sitting deep could work for United."

The opposing managers know each other inside out and this only adds to the intrigue surrounding how the two teams will line up. "We have been observing each other ever since [Barcelona] and been sending text messages," revealed van Gaal. "Little did I know he would be such a great coach. He was an excellent coach then but now he is one of the best in the world and I don't think many coaches can make that declaration."

Similarly, the Chelsea chief hailed his former boss as the best coach at the World Cup finals: "He did a fantastic job with a [Netherlands] team that, in my opinion, was not strong enough to arrive where they arrived. He is a very, very good coach and he'll be great for United. We are both great coaches; it's what we were born to do."

For all of the swaggering self-confidence of this statement - and we have grown to expect nothing less from the successful Blues manager - any football follower on the planet would surely have to rank van Gaal and Mourinho among a very small group of elite coaches in the game. The world awaits a strategic tussle of epic proportions. Let battle commence.


Battle of Tactics

 

[melvin]

Transfer news: Free agent Victor Valdes to train with Manchester United after knee injury


Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes is training with Manchester United as he recovers from a serious knee injury.

The 32-year-old damaged a cruciate ligament in March and missed out on a place in Spain's World Cup squad.

He had already announced he would be leaving Barca in the summer and remains a free agent as his rehabilitation continues.

And the remainder of that rehabilitation will be done with United following an offer from United boss Louis van Gaal.

A United statement read: "Valdes will have his recovery supervised by the United medical staff before training with the first team, as he bids to regain full fitness."

United, who have Anders Lindegaard as back-up to No 1 David De Gea, did not say whether they intend to offer Valdes a contract.


New Keeper?

 

[melvin]

UNITED V CHELSEA
27 October 2014 12:00:00 am

With Di maria and Herrera will be fit for this clash. we need to collect the 3 points.





Boss: Di Maria fit for Blues clash

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has confirmed Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera will be fit to face Chelsea on Sunday.

Both summer imports were substituted during the 2-2 draw at West Brom on Monday but are available to take on the Barclays Premier League leaders at Old Trafford this weekend.

"Ander was already fit for the last game and, with Di Maria, I said after the match that normally it [the injury] should not be so heavy and it's not heavy," stated van Gaal at his pre-match press conference at the Aon Training Complex.

"So he has trained. It was only the first day that he didn't train so he has trained from Thursday, no problem. I'm sorry to say no other players are returning. Even, for example, I let Michael Carrick play this evening in London for the reserves [at West Ham] because I believe that he needs that. He needs to play matches, especially when you are five months injured. He told me it [will be] his first appearance in the second team.

"Antonio Valencia and Jonny Evans are not fit enough, I think," added the boss on MUTV.

Di maria fit

 

[Jerry Chan]

We can do it - beat chelsea by 1-0. it will be sufficient. GO MU GO GO GO. will watch the game.

 

[zaren]

should be a good game.

 

[vengels]

One of the best attack vs a mediocre defence..

United is in for a long night..

 

[melvin]

United team to play Chelsea (16:00 GMT): De Gea; Rafael, Smalling, Rojo, Shaw; Blind, Fellaini, Di Maria; Mata, Januzaj, van Persie.

Subs: Lindegaard, Blackett, Fletcher, Carrick, Herrera, A. Pereira, Wilson.

 

[9V-Orion Images]

It's nice to hear the roar of screams early in the morning echoing across the neighbourhood from the coffee shop beneath your block especially when it was your team that scored an equaliser at the very last second.

:rbounce::rbounce::rbounce:

 

[vengels]

Quite a good performance from the team.. Especially surprised by Afroman's performance..
What I enjoyed about the match was the 2 goalkeepers.. They were really good and had good levels of concentration.. De Gea made a great save b4 the goal and showed that he is a very good shot stopper.. While Courtois showed that he can boss the penalty area and a very good shot stopper too..

 

[Hitman]

Agree it was a good game, what's missing from the Red Devils is the killer instinct.

 

[Jerry Chan]

I think someone up there gave us blessings. We were just a hair line away from a loss. This is not the time to be happy yet. There is still a lot of work to be done by VG on the current squad. Like I said before, we need to score goals and not concede any. Getting back to Champion League is compulsory. I have full confidence in the team ability to achieve it this season.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Finally, if MU can earn something out of nothing, it showing good sign...at this level....this 1 point can be very crucial at the end of season for Champions League qualification

 

[melvin]

Well guess the lads are getting better by the days just that we lack a finisher upfront to kill off the game and a commanding back-line to grill the back four ... come this Sunday will be our Derby Day ... hope this time round will collect the full 3 points ... its been a long time since we collect full points...

 

[richiemccaw1]

Not confident enough against Man City. United has a propensity to implode against City in recent years and turn soccer into rugby.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Just need to mark out yaya papaya. ...he always found the net against the red

 

[zaren]

Well guess the lads are getting better by the days just that we lack a finisher upfront to kill off the game and a commanding back-line to grill the back four ... come this Sunday will be our Derby Day ... hope this time round will collect the full 3 points ... its been a long time since we collect full points...

will be rooting for Man U to collect 3 pts against City

 

[melvin]

will be rooting for Man U to collect 3 pts against City

lol... so that you all can widen the gap right ... thanks for rooting we will do our best and you guys should be a stroll in the park next game!

 

[melvin]

Not confident enough against Man City. United has a propensity to implode against City in recent years and turn soccer into rugby.

They came to the derby with 3straight losses so ...