Sir Alex Ferguson will return to the Manchester United bench against Bolton Wanderers – baring a last-minute scouting trip to Wolverhampton of course – after his midweek Spanish sojourn. The Scot returns to lead United as the Reds look to maintain Premier League momentum after last weekend’s victory over Liverpool.
The Reebok Stadium has been a happy hunting ground in recent seasons, with United cruising to a comfortable 4-0 win last season and four victories in the last five visits across Lancashire. Dimitar Berbatov struck twice in March, and the Bulgarian, who has scored seven in six games this season, will look to continue the rich vein of form that brought a hat-trick against Liverpool last weekend.
Indeed, with Wayne Rooney suffering under the weight of severe media scrutiny it is to the Bulgarian that United will look as Ferguson’s side faces three challenging away fixtures in the next six days. With the press on Rooney’s tail, Ferguson gives the impression that his star player’s malaise may last months not weeks.
“I don’t believe he has a confidence problem but the boy is starting to realise finally, without any question, what kind of focus is on him as a human being,” said Ferguson this week.
“He is realising what it means to be at the centre of media attention for non-football-related questions.
“I don’t think the boy can turn a corner at the moment without a camera on him. He can’t move without the paparazzi being on him and, for a young person, that is not what you want. You want to play and enjoy your football without that attention on you, because that can be quite exhausting.”
Exhausting is probably a fair description of United’s schedule over the next week as well, with the fixture against Valencia in the south-eastern Spanish city next Wednesday followed rapidly by a visit to Sunderland. With that in mind Ferguson is likely to rotate his resources, despite United fielding a shadow side against Scunthorpe United in midweek.
Meanwhile Ferguson will not consider Owen Hargreaves, who returned to first team training this week after two months rehabilitation in Denver, despite expressing surprise at the Canadian-born midfielder’s progress in the past week.
In defence captain Nemanja Vidic is likely to partner Rio Ferdinand as United look to continue an unbeaten run that has been punctuated by poor defending this season. The undoubtedly talented but out-of-form Jonny Evans will drop to the bench on Rio’s return.
Berbatov meanwhile claims to have overcome the kind of self-doubt that has permeated the Bulgarian’s stay in Manchester. Unfairly labelled both aloof and arrogant, the £30.5 million striker is now benefiting both from a summer fitness programme and a renewed sense of belief that comes with regular scoring.
The former Tottenham Hotspur player now admits what many have suspected: the transfer fee has weighed heavily for the past two seasons.
“You try not to think about it but sometimes you just can’t help it,” said Berbatov.
“You start thinking it’s a lot of money and what’s going to happen if you don’t prove you’re good enough for that amount of money and if you don’t score enough goals.
“These thoughts are always going through my mind and sometimes it can be bad for your concentration because it does distract you from the goal I have to play and enjoy my football.”
Fortunate for United then that Owen Coyle’s Bolton must face a renewed Berbatov without Gary Cahill, the defender who has forced his way into Fabio Capello’s England plans this year. The Trotters will also be without Ricardo Gardner, Andrew O’Brien and Jlloyd Samuel for the local derby.
Opposition
Bolton – Bogdán; Steinsson, Knight, Ricketts, Robinson; Petrov, Muamba, Holden; Chung-Yong, K Davies, Elmander. Subs from: Lainton, Klasnic, Moreno, Blake, Taylor, M Davies, Mustapha, Klasnić, Rodrigo, Cohen, Blake, Davis, Alonso.
Officials
Referee: Phil Dowd
Assistant referees: Bob Pollock & Glenn Turner
Fourth official: Mark Clattenburg
Form
Bolton – WWDLDL
United – DWDDWW
I can’t see anything but a win here, but I’m hoping for a rout, and a real spread of goals from several players.
Love to see Rooney score a cracker… a confidence booster. Another goal or two for Berbs. And a strong 90 minutes for Rio… confirm his fitness.
All our rivals dropped points… We need to take the piss out of them for it.
I hope that Fergie doesn’t start dicking about when it comes to choosing our first 11. We must win tomorrow and therefore need to put out a strong side irrespective of the forthcoming Valencia game.
Our rivals have gift-wrapped for us an opportunity to make up the points deficit in the league table.
I sense more defensive fucks ups
We’ll probably need 3 to see it out
This is my biggest concern as well. I hate Sir Alex’s penchant for putting out sides that should win (only just). Last year, it seemed like every time United had a chance to close with or go above Cheatski (on the same number of games), they bottled it. Please, let this year be different.
Scholes and Rafa, for Carrick and O’Shea.
Guess at probable line up rather than proposed…. I’d have Rafael in the side myself
Yes, that’s what I mean; I agree with you that this a very likely selection. I think I’ve made it clear that I don’t like O’Shea at right back, but I do see Sir Alex sticking with it. Scholes stands a good chance of being rested for the match in Valencia. Anderson for Carrick is a possibility, though I don’t think he did enough at Scunthorpe, but Sir Alex wasn’t there, was he?
I’m happy to hold my hand up and admit I was wrong about Berbatov; I thought he was too weak mentally to make a difference at United; turns out his injuries were dragging him down and taking the edge off his performances.
I’m pleased that his running on and off the ball is finally starting to add up to goals for United; it’s been a long wait for the sleeping Giant to wake up; could this be his year?
Is Carrick fully fit? I’m enjoying this Scholes inspired revival of 4-4-2, but for these kind of away games getting Rooney to play in the hole in between Berbatov & the midfield might be something to look at. Will be really interesting to see what happens when we play City. Can’t believe Mancini spends all that money just to play with 3 holding midfielders!
Bill – looking at the average positions on the heatmap, Rooney and Berbatov have both been playing right up top. There’s certainly no suggestion Rooney’s playing any deeper right now and to be honest I don’t think it’s going to happen. Looking at how Fergie’s team has been set up over the past 18 months there’s really only two options: a straight 442 or 433, with – scarily – Darren Fletcher as the most advanced central midfield player. But who’d second guess Fergie?!
Vidic is key today. Davies always is trouble.
01 Van der Sar
03 Evra
15 Vidic
22 O’Shea
23 Evans
11 Giggs
17 Nani
18 Scholes
24 Fletcher
09 Berbatov
10 Rooney
Substitutes
29 Kuszczak, 12 Smalling, 21 Rafael Da Silva, 08 Anderson, 13 Park Ji-Sung, 07 Owen, 27 Macheda
is that the actual lineup? i like it, apart from the obvious right back spot
yea thats it.. bolton without cahill and a few others
Ed – fair enough, maybe when Rooney gets on a bit we might see in the role further back. We have enough quality to beat most sides 4-4-2, good to see them going old school, may the best side win!
fuck the best side. we better win with ease.
rooney can be shunted out to the left and that team can play 433 aswell
LINK FOR STREAM CUNTINOS
bolton will obviously raise their game today and will be looking to shunting long balls into our area – evans needs to be alert otherwise definite problems to come
still, with porn star looking like a new player, i’m hoping for a few goals today
LINKS ??
if anyone has a decent stream please lets have it otherwise i’m going to have to listen to talkshite sport with the expertise of collycunt
espn you cheap welsh fuck
early chance for berbs but should have squared to giggs
http://entertainmenow.net/channel1.php
FFS GASH
ffs do it the hard way why don’t you
Can’t be straight forward can it
Who didn’t jump, Evans?
come on united
Was Evans FFS when will he stop fucking up and landing us in the shit
Giggs you Welsh cunt that was shite!!
great start ffs.
FUCK ME ROONEY IS WAY OFF…..
http://www.atdhe.net/24808/watch-bolton-vs-manchester-united
NOT BRILLIANT BUT……
Getting in behind them a bit, just need to create a chance and finish it
naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaani
1-1 nani
CAP MUCH BETTER
http://www.liveskygames.net/
that was special from nani
Great goal
Hate to make the comparison but that was a proper Ronnie goal
Did it all himslf from the half wa line
Sopcast 6818 is very good.
Great goal from Nani but we do look shite at the back.
Fuck me… Knight is a big cunt.
Rooney is so wank at the moment.
Come on lad.
why are we so shite at corners???????
These are here for the taking if we pull our fingers out!!
Gotta get Scholes more involved.
pressure building.. evans has been wank recently
needs dropped
unlucy roo…
rooney close
someone put their arms round him and give him a hug
for who though. Rio is crocked and Smalling is not yet ready.
What about Brown?
Where’s Ferdinand?
He crocked again?
come on reds
evans is good but he always makes 1 almighty fuck up a game. brown should start ahead of im but i suppose its better to give evans the games.
Our passing is excellent, but for the killer ball.
Ferdinand was the same once.
Yep shambles for first goal. Nani jumped under it, Evans let Knight get to the ball first & Evra abandoned the post. Apart from that ok!
berbs a little too quiet in the 1st half
rooney needs some love
Carlos “first touch” Rooney needs to come off for a striker who’s head will be in the match.
park on?
OH fuck off, with your “touchy feely” crap Han.
Rooney’s hard as nails… try that crap on him and he’s kick ten bells out of you.
What he needs is a proper threat. Bench him for a game or two, and then watch him wake up.
Oh, f*ck no!
theres nowt wrong with a hug alfie
not all of us guys eat the pavement for breakfast
Oh god
Park… oh great.
Well to be fair, Giggs wasn’t very good today anyway.
No movement in the box
Everyone’s just waiting for something to happen
getting bogged in again
need the zip back
Rooney off for Macheda
Rooney off… that will give him summat to think about.
berbs close
nice link up from macheda for berbs there
come on ffs
make one of these corners count for something
bollox
cunts
this is shite
Vidic just doesn’t attack the ball at corners like he used to.
We are shit
20 mins to score 2
come on reds ffs
Oh Fuck… that is rubbish!
Where are so shite!!
No chance of Prem this year lacking talent!
Said we’d need 3 to see this out
Utter shit
we can score
focus u fuckers
Ice pack on Rooney’s leg/ankle
Might be fucked for Valencia
What exactly do the United players practice in their training sessions, contract negotiations? The evidently don’t practice passing, the taking and defending of corners, or defending of any kind, actually.
too fucking busy thinking who to go out with in the evenings
oweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
2-2
Should have been 3-1
Evans is just fucking horrible, what a total cunt, get him out of he team asap ffs
What is the point of Michael Owen
Owen… lol… well it had to be didn’t it?
come on united
they will be coming on to us last 10 mins no doubt
fuck them on the counter
If we win here, we have a chance to win the Prem.
These are the games that we have to win, especially since our rivals have slipped up.
O’Shea makes me sad.
Nani you fuckin cunt… just pass…
Ferguson will be furious if we don’t win.
Scholes isn’t allowed to tackle anymore
Even if he wins the ball the fans want a foul FFS
he should be mad with the defending
give the ball to berbs and see some magic appear
another fcking corner wasted
Oh Scholesy.
that stream has fucked up too
come on united
Excellent pressing from Bolton.
Not good enough.
Even if we get out of jail today we’re not gonna win many games defending like this
nani is so fcking infuriating
Oh come on!
3 mins reds
Bolton after the winner, not us
O’Shea…
come on reds ffs
Fuckin cunts!!!!
point gained rather than nowt
should be looking at our final ball which is pretty poor
shite we cant defend
Awful. Never looked like taking the lead, only did enough to get level
No fight, not even in the final 5/10 minutes. Talk about letting Chelsea off the hook FFS
Should have strengthened in summer
Rooney might sit out the Valencia match n all
give credit to those nobs who could have really turned us over before we ever got going in the 1st half
defence is shite at the mo
fletcher dipped badly
even scholes cant be expected to carry the middle on his own
nani is still piss poor at decision making 90% of the time
sort it out SAF please
On the bright side: at least it was United coming from behind to gain the away draw. Should have won, though.
MIDFIELD MIDFIELD MIDFIELD
That’s the problem.
Luckily I have missed this but it it doesn’t surprise me that we drew same as last season main opponents drew or lost and we failed to capitalise.
That awful fucking defence of O’Shea & Evans needs protection from another midfielder even if it means leaving out a forward
But Sidney the team is fine Sir Alex Ferguson says so Trust in Fergie he knows best and all that
He needs to realise the team isn’t as good as he thinks it is and/or the opposition aren’t as shit as he thinks they are
Park = Shite
Evans = Shite
O’Shite = Shite
Fletcher = Shite
No wonder we dropped points. Maybe I was wrong about us having sufficient quality to win the title after all. There really is so much dross in our side.
We don’t even look like we have the hunger to win the title. They should have been at the races from the off.
I had a feeling that this weekend’s results were too good to be true.
3 points:
1. Midfield lacked a creative spark
2. Michael Owen showed again that he knows where the goal is, and thus his value to United
3. Evans really needs to be benched. Ferdinand will be back soon, but I’d have Brown ahead of Evans even if he wasn’t fit. Smalling is an unknown quantity.
the last 10 mins were fucking ridiculous. we barely managed to get the ball on the ground and get a couple of passes together. a foul every 20 seconds. what a shit game.
nice goal by nani though.
After that, there’s no question that we will play 451/433 in Valencia.
Midfield was bypassed leaving our shaky defence exposed.
If we’d have had Obertan or Bebe on the other wing to Nani, I think we would have created a lot more. The last thing you want when you’re chasing the game is Park.
If the defence is going to be that error prone, we may as well play Rafael – at least he offers something at the other end.
Macheda had 30 mins today and did nothing.
What’s happened to Fletch? His form has gone south since about Feb last season.
sick of this team
You know that mate and I know that but SAF doesnt appear to.
thing is in fergies whole reign weve always had shit squaddies like phelan mcclair philnev etc who fergies been loyal to but they never became more than squaddies when it came to the crunch, now theyre first team regulars, and theres so fuckingmany of em, theyre not fucking good enough
Well obviously football is much more of a squad game because there are more matches being played in a season than in the era of Phelan, McClair et al.
I’m only now beginning to see that we have too much shit in the squad, though. I can’t believe Fletcher didn’t try to close Petrov down for that second goal and chose to stand still. Evans is a fucking liability. He can’t pass the ball for shit. How O’Shite can get in the team ahead of Rafael is beyond me. I don’t get what Fergie sees in Park. It seems that if you run around a lot but still can’t do anything else, you’re still good enough to get in the team.
Well… I got two things right.
…
“I can’t see anything”.
…
and…
…
“We need to take the piss”.
we need gibcunt on i guess
john fucking oshea.
FFS
What is the fucking point?