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Match Preview
Subject: Pre Man Utd
Cure for a Hangover
Peter Gilbert 12.3.00
Well that was a pretty disastrous week which ended up losing
our concentration at Wimbledon and paying the price by conceding
a goal in the last few minutes.
Oh well let's have a look at the old fixture list then shall
we. Who have we got coming up ah yes Man Utd, Leeds Utd, Derby
County and Liverpool, not necessarily in that order. Well if
that little lot doesn't shake us out of our hangover nothing
will.
So this coming Saturday it's a Red Devil Cocktail which is the
proverbial hair of the dog if I ever saw it.
Man Utd are on fire at the moment and we'll have to put the flames
out very quickly if we are to come out of this encounter inspired.
I watched bits of their game against Derby last week. Derby had
a hatfull of chances before Man Utd wrapped it up. That's the
thing about the reds, they are very likely to score and so to
counter act that you have to score first. They are so experienced,
have such a wealth of talent and frankly are so good that they
are awesome opposition.
However this is just the kind of fixture we are likely to do
well in. It's in our nature to confound our critics and we'll
certainly be up for it.
Much depends on our strike force getting it together on the day
and taking the game to them, putting their defence and goal keeper
under pressure, that has to be the area where they may have a
slight weakness. Stam and Silvestre do not work well together,
they don't cover each other although individually they are excellent.
Their goal keeper whoever it is will be under pressure for his
place and will be anxious to impress, we need to tap into that
anxiety. Their Neville brother full backs are good crossers of
the ball but are defensively naive and don't seem to be learning
quickly.
In midfield they are volatile and will become easily upset if
strongly challenged. Beckham though seems to have a new ploy
these days, instead of going round kicking people he now pretends
he's been kicked.....it can't be condoned and it's called cheating.
In midfield he lacks genuine partners with Scholes and Giggs
preferring to get forward. Oh I forgot to mention Keane and Butt(a
slight oversight)
Up front they have a Pandora's Box of riches to choose from will
it be Yorke, Cole, Sheringham or Solksjaer? They could have a
slight edge there.
I well remember Ian Marshall scoring two against them a couple
of years ago at Filbert Street and they didn't like it, we've
also been a pain in their side at their ground. So we'll be up
for it and so will they.
One thing I do like about Man Utd is that they have some English
home grown players and they beat Bayern Munich in The Champions
League Final which made my summer holidays in the sun that much
more enjoyable. There's nothing worse than Krauts strutting about
with their clobber on..
It could be a great game this, and it'll stir the heart of all
Leicestershire back into life.
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