Match Thread: European Super Cup: Manchester United vs Zenit St. Petersburg

Aquos76

V

Stade Louis II Monaco
Friday 29th August 2008
K/O 19.45
Live on ITV1 & TV3

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves is set to make his first appearance of the season in the Uefa Super Cup after a tendinitis problem.
Gary Neville could also play his first competitive match in Monaco while Ryan Giggs is fit after a hamstring injury.
Portuguese winger Nani is available again after a three-match ban.

Zenit St Petersburg's unsettled star forward Andrei Arshavin may be missing with boss Dick Advocaat saying: "His head is occupied with other thoughts."
Arshavin, who rose to prominence in Russia's run to the Euro 2008 semi-finals, saw a potential move to Tottenham collapse last week.
But Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, who missed Euro 2008 because of knee problems, is ready to play in Monaco.

jaykay74

It could be an uncomfortable night for the Utd back 4 if theres any sign of Arshavin on the pitch, sorry couldn't resist, I like lame gags

Aquos76

jaykay74 wrote: »

It could be an uncomfortable night for the Utd back 4 if theres any sign of Arshavin on the pitch, sorry couldn't resist, I like lame gags

Get you coat;)

Necronomicon

I don't think it will be a completely weakend side as per some suggestions in the United thread, but I think it will be used to give game time to players without much action under their belt; Nani after his suspension, Hargreaves, Neville, possibly Park. Certainly tough to predict the line up.

---

VDS/Kuz

---

Neville

---

Rio

---

Vidic/Brown

---

Evra

Nani

---

Scholes/Anderson---Hargreaves----Giggs/Park

---

Rooney

---

Tevez

---

They may not start, but I'd like to see decent run outs given to the twins and Possebon - perhaps half time or shortly after.

Also, things have been very quiet on the Manucho front - he has his permit so I assume he's eligable, is he back to full fitness?

PHB

I'd like us to win this to make it 2 out of 2 so far. 7 availible this year, I want them all
[Charity Shield, Super Cup, World Club Cup, League Cup, FA Cup, Premiership, CL]
the septuple has never been done before

That said, the team I'd like to see would be

---

Foster

---

--Rafael

---

Ferdinand

---

Evans

---

Fabio-

---

Possebon

---

Hargreaves

---

--Fletcher

---

Rooney

---

Nani--

---

Campbell

---

If that team plays well, it can win the game. Good strong core of Ferdinand Hargreaves and Rooney to provide experience. It'd be great to see

Im_No_Superman

PHB wrote: »

I'd like us to win this to make it 2 out of 2 so far. 7 availible this year, I want them all
[Charity Shield, Super Cup, World Club Cup, League Cup, FA Cup, Premiership, CL]
the septuple has never been done before

That said, the team I'd like to see would be

---

Foster

---

--Rafael

---

Ferdinand

---

Evans

---

Fabio-

---

Possebon

---

Hargreaves

---

--Fletcher

---

Rooney

---

Nani--

---

Campbell

---

If that team plays well, it can win the game. Good strong core of Ferdinand Hargreaves and Rooney to provide experience. It'd be great to see

Yeah Id like that team to be given a go, although Id have Neville in there. Evans really needs a game imo. Whats the odds on Darren "Cristiano" Fletcher scoring in a 1-0 win!

Nalz

PHB wrote: »

I'd like us to win this to make it 2 out of 2 so far. 7 availible this year, I want them all
[Charity Shield, Super Cup, World Club Cup, League Cup, FA Cup, Premiership, CL]
the septuple has never been done before

Id settle for the same two... or at the very least one of them!

DmanDmythDledge

Aquos76 wrote: »

But Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, who missed Euro 2008 because of knee problems, is ready to play in Monaco.

Watch out for this guy, he is better than Pavlyuchenko. Don't know if he is back to full fitness yet though.

SantryRed

Should be a cracking game.

Both teams can play brilliant football.

jaykay74

As long as no one gets injured I'II be happy and a couple of backups and players on the way back from injury get games. As i remember the pitch in Monaco is built on top of a car park and is notorious for picking up injuries. Hopefully its a good game but its just a friendly tbh.

SantryRed

There's a fcukin European Trophy to be one. I can't believe how anyone would say it's just a friendly:rolleyes:

Spud83

Looks like it wont be that weakened a team. According to Manutd.com the travelling squad is

United squad: Kuszczak, Van der Sar; Brown, Evra, Ferdinand, Neville, O’Shea, Vidic; Anderson, Fletcher, Gibson, Hargreaves, Nani, Park, Possebon, Scholes; Campbell, Rooney, Tevez

---

Kuszczak

---

Neville-Ferdinand-Vidic--O’Shea
--Hargreaves---Possebon

---

--Nani

---

Rooney

---

Park

---

Campbell

---

Subs: Van der Sar, Brown, Evra, Anderson, Fletcher, Gibson, Scholes, Tevez.

I would like to see Anderson, Gibson, and Fletcher get a run out.

Disappointed the twins haven't travelled, Giggs isn't being risked, no idea why Foster didn't travel.

jaykay74

SantryRed wrote: »

There's a fcukin European Trophy to be one. I can't believe how anyone would say it's just a friendly:rolleyes:

Okay its up there with the Charity Shield (being the european equivalent). Neither will get a mention when it comes to deciding if the season has been a success or not. Save your rolleyes for an opinion more deserving.

wheres me jumpa

jaykay74 wrote: »

Okay its up there with the Charity Shield (being the european equivalent). Neither will get a mention when it comes to deciding if the season has been a success or not. Save your rolleyes for an opinion more deserving.

Im of the same opinion. While it is an event I will watch, Im not too pushed about the result. It will prove valuable this time though as there are many players in the squad who need games badly.

SantryRed

You've won it only the one time. Would you not want to win it? Why not put out the full squad? Am I right in thinking yous have no game for two weeks!

It's idiotic to give subs a run out for a European Trophy.

Will it be the same for the World Club Championship?

jaykay74

SantryRed wrote: »

Will it be the same for the World Club Championship?

Slightly less so as the club would like to market itself as world champs I'd imagine. More money in winning that than euro super cup.

for me the priority is :

1 League
1 Champ League
3 FA cup
4 CC
5 World Club Champ
6 super cup
7 charity shield

When it comes to judging success for Man Utd (where they are right now) only the top 2 count. the rest is window dressing. in my opinion it would be a bad season to win 5 trophies and not win either league or champ league.

Tom65

I don't think VDS will play. Nani definitely will, as will Park (assuming he's fit). I don't think Fergie will risk too many senior players. Something like:

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Foster/Kuz

---

Neville---Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
----Anderson----Hargreaves

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Nani

---

Rooney

---

Park

---

Tevez/Campbell

---

SantryRed

Yous haven't got a game for two weeks!

Why wouldn't he play the first team?

herbieflowers

in fairness that team Tom65 posted will probably be, more or less, the first team until Ronaldo comes back from injury

Spud83

SantryRed wrote: »

Yous haven't got a game for two weeks!

Why wouldn't he play the first team?

Because there is a lot of players coming back from injury that missed a lot of preseason and this is the perfect opportunity to get them some "competitive" games.

Mitch Connor

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

Because there is a lot of players coming back from injury that missed a lot of preseason and this is the perfect opportunity to get them some "competitive" games.

Also, football is a squad game - we need to give players game time if they are to maintain match sharpness and remain happy at the club. Games like this are ideal for rotating the squad a bit. Also, not have a game for two week is not really true. United don't have games, but a lot of the players will do - potentially 2 international games.

PHB

Because the development of youngsters is more important than the supercup. And its a great opportunity to mix a strong 4/5 players with young potential players.

Also some players need to get back to fitness so they should play, Rooney needs another 60 mins imo.

Aquos76

hargreaves out of the match, I hope we dont have another Saha here:mad:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/29/manchesterunited.englandfootballteam?gusrc=rss&feed=sport

eagle eye

It really is a joke of a trophy. It used to have some meaning when all the best sides did not get into the Champions League but now its nothing more than a European Charity Shield.

jaykay74

Aquos76 wrote: »

hargreaves out of the match, I hope we dont have another Saha here:mad:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/29/manchesterunited.englandfootballteam?gusrc=rss&feed=sport

FFS, the last few weeks all the talk was that his problems were over. Getting more pessimistic about him re injuries as time goes by. not convinced at all.

Aquos76

line ups

ROCKMAN

UTD TEAM

VDS
NEVILLE
RIO
VIDIC
EVRA


FLETCHER
SCHOLES
ANDERSON
NANI

TEVEZ
ROONEY

Bobalicious93

DmanDmythDledge wrote: »

Watch out for this guy, he is better than Pavlyuchenko. Don't know if he is back to full fitness yet though.

+1 Was gonna put my money on him to finish top-scorer in Euro 2008 until i heard he was gonna miss the whole tournament:(
Completely underrated and I wouldn't be surprised to hear that 1 or 2 Premier League teams have put in bids for him by tomorrow assuming he plays tonight

PHB

That is a v. strong team, nice to have some width back with Nani.

Aquos76

This is what we are playing for tonight lads

jebuz

good chance for Rooney there, best chance so far and Tevez is easily uniteds biggest thread at the moment...great save VDS just now. So thats my commentary for anyone who's tuned in

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

MementoMori

The horrors The horrors - watched the first thirty minutes of this on TV3 before realising it was on UTV- forgot how painful TV3 was - Jim Beglin > Big Cas.

Need more tinnies but the fridge is miles away.

Not much in the way of any excitment from the match.

Seems no-one told Tevez it was a makey-up cup a la the Charity Shield and just like then he seems the only Utd player bothered. Rooney looks like he couldnt really be arsed and Ferdinand giving a similar performance.

Ooh tasy goal from a corner as I type -flick on at the near post - Pavleuncyko(SP) might have stole the goal credit.

NOw some Argy Bargy Handbags - Someone needs to tell Anderson tis a makey up cup too. Getting a bit riled up. Scholes yellow

Aquos76

Half time and Man Utd are losing 1-0. Zenit are a decent side. look very good and quick on the break. Tevez has been United's best player in this first half. Cant really understand why Gary Neville put that ball out for a corner which lead to their goal.

herbieflowers

he didn't know what was behind him, did the right thing. why yer man was allowed to flick it on virtually unchallenged was more of a concern imo

niallk

Someone needs to tell Michael Jackson he's terrible. He's having a shocker.
Not the first or last time. I think United are a much better team without him TBH. He annoys me.:mad:

Peyton Manning

No point putting out such a strong team if the players cant be bothered. They dont look interested at all. Definitely missing a Hargreaves/Carrick type player in midfield. Dare I say John O'Shea? No, no I wont. Bring on Possebon instead.

herbieflowers

the goal will probably wake them up, though Tevez has been excellent

MementoMori

Aquos76 wrote: »

Half time and Man Utd are losing 1-0. Zenit are a decent side. look very good and quick on the break. Tevez has been United's best player in this first half. Cant really understand why Gary Neville put that ball out for a corner which lead to their goal.

Id blame Rio for the faffing around as opposed to Neville - I think Neville didnt know if there was any Zenith players lurking - Could have put it out for a throw I suppose - Always remember "if in doubt, put it out"

Was a poor goal for the defence to give away.

Zenit seem much more interested than Utd.

Peyton Manning

niallk wrote: »

Someone needs to tell Michael Jackson he's terrible. He's having a shocker.
Not the first or last time. I think United are a much better team without him TBH. He annoys me.:mad:

I dont think United would have been much better off without his 4 goals and 14 assists last season.

Aquos76

herbieflowers wrote: »

he didn't know what was behind him, did the right thing. why yer man was allowed to flick it on virtually unchallenged was more of a concern imo

Not so sure, he could have cleared it out field. There are to many passengers on this United team tonight. Tevez is a beast of a player and has yet again been class. Rio, and Rooney look like they dont give a damn, Nani has been wastefull on numerous occasions.

herbieflowers

I think that's a bit harsh, Fletcher and Scholes have looked good.

niallk

Archimedes wrote: »

I dont think United would have been much better off without his 4 goals and 14 assists last season.

4 goals/476,000 attempts (official Premier League stat). He disrupts way too many plays. I know Ronaldo wasn't too much better in his first couple of seasons but I hate when people make this point in relation to Nani. They are not the same player. Nani is not ready for the first team yet IMO.

Aquos76

herbieflowers wrote: »

I think that's a bit harsh, Fletcher and Scholes have looked good.

Scholes has been good and Fletcher put in one excellent 40 yard pass but hasn't done much else, Nani has been dire and the game seems to be passing Anderson by.

Hopefully the goal will be after waking them up and we see a far better performance in the second half. Arse shavin is on for the second half

MementoMori

Arshavin on - Hurrah!!!

Come on folks amuse me with puns

MementoMori

Aquos76 wrote: »

Scholes has been good and Fletcher put in one excellent 40 yard pass but hasn't done much else, Nani has been dire and the game seems to be passing Anderson by.

Totally agree - Fletcher has been a bit missing.

Ooh Arshavin goes by Vidic in the box [Dont see that often.]
- Arshavin puts in a ball to no-one accross the box in the end

MementoMori

No one know any Andrei Arshavin puns?

More argey-bargey after a head clash involving Vidic

Anderson yellow card

Does anyone know if yellows in this game count in Europe or are they for this game only?

zAbbo

These ruskies are alright

Aquos76

2-0 down now. United were cut open there

MementoMori

Oooh Tasty from Dani - 2-0 - shocking marking - no-one challenged him at all
Neville and Ferdinand the main perpretrators

Aquos76

United Subs coming on
O Shea for Anderson
Park for Fletcher