West Ham Utd 2-2 Manchester Utd (17/04/13)

[Ricardo]

West Ham United v Manchester United
Wednesday 17th April 2013
Kick Off: 19.45

Opposition:

Nickname The Red Devils
Founded 1878, as Newton Heath LYR F.C.
Ground Old Trafford
Capacity: 75,765
Owner Glazer family
Co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson
2011–12 Premier League, 2nd



Latest Results

Southampton 1 - 1 West Ham United



Southampton and West Ham moved closer to sealing their Premier League status with a hard-earned draw at St Mary's. Rickie Lambert saw an effort clawed onto the post by West Ham keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen while Hammers striker Andy Carroll volleyed wide from close range. Gaston Ramirez fired Saints into the lead with a clinical finish after his initial shot was blocked.



But Carroll levelled the game with a low free-kick under the Saints wall as both teams moved onto 38 points.
And with the 40-point mark the unofficial target for survival, both sides will now feel comfortable that they will be playing in the Premier League next season.





Stoke City 0 - 2 Manchester United

Manchester United moved to within seven points of securing a 20th league title with a routine win that pushed Stoke further towards the relegation zone. Robin van Persie made sure of the points with a second-half penalty that ended a run of 10 games without a goal. That came after Michael Carrick had given United the perfect start, prodding home from a scrappy corner.

The result leaves Stoke only three points above the bottom three, having won two of the last 17 league matches. This was a performance and victory typical of United's season, one that owed more to perspiration than inspiration. With it, Sir Alex Ferguson's side once again open up a 15-point gap at the top of the Premier League. Stoke, however, are falling down the division.









Travel:

Anyone travelling through central London should be aware that disruption and delays are possible due to the funeral of Margaret Thatcher. Police are preparing for the possibility of large scale disturbances and disorder along the route.

More info can be found here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/n ... 27708.aspx

Weather Watch:

Current weather predictions are for a mild day with temperatures of 15 degrees, with a mixture of cloud and sunshine.

Previews will follow in the match update:

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

After City's win in the Manchester derby Fergie will go all out for a win. He won't want a repeat of last season's closing stages and will put out a full strength side.

Heart says 1-1, head says 0-3.

[ParisTheHammer]

Back to earth after two credible draws with one hell of a bump I feel, 4-0 loss.

[mumbles87]

apart from one moment of skill at OT we kept them to only 1-0..

at UP in the cup we managed 2-2

I reckon we could sneak a 2-1 but would take a draw.

RESPECT THE POINT

[IronsideNZ]

if Pogz starts it could be a long day at the office his turtle like pace will get us crucified, if he is not starting then we have a chance of getting something out of it imo

I would like to see Collison starting for this one and would have no problems if Nolan went to the bench. I imagine BFS will make a few changes given the 3 games in 7 days.

[last.caress]

0-2 or 0-3, maybe. I'd love us to throw the kitchen sink at this one, see if anything sticks; death or glory, 4-2 to us or 0-8 to them while the crowd conga round the ground singing Fandango's theme tune (Der DUP! Dup dup der-der, duh-duh der DUP!). But I imagine we'll go for a bit of "Respect the Point!" in our shuffle towards safety, and get dismantled by a side who mean to strangle this division as definitively as possible, as quickly as possible.

Sod it anyway. We'll win the next one.

[Gator_Hammer]

Sam needs to gamble on this one and throw Cole and Carroll up front to cause havoc on Vidic and Rio.

As well as we have played against Man U in two of the three times we have seen them this year, I think a point might be doable.

[kayahammer]

I have finally admitted to myself we have become very predictable and very boring to watch.

We'll play for a clean sheet above all else and try and nick one. Failing the clean sheet, we'll carry on regardless.

After watcding PDC and his Sunderland last night I feel a bit envious.

Putting the two (Sam and Paolo) side by side, it's like the new racey girl in the office who's a bit mental but you know it would be thrill a minute, good and bad, then turning to see reliable old Maude who will make a nice cup of tea and settle everyone down if they get excited.

We're all attracted to the excitement, but wqe know the sensible thing in the long run is Maude. The new girl will only end up breaking your heart (but before that... )

So I expect a thoroughly drab performance by us and will be hoping for a 1 - 0, but will probably get a good beating.

[fester]

2-1 to th mighty United.

Any West Country Hammers fit me in for a lift back down the M4 to Chippenham? On site in Highgate on Wednesday (I won't be too dirty - I work in the office!)

Regards,

Fester..

[westham,eggyandchips]

Any chance of Reid being back (or at least on the bench) for this one?

[HammersBiggestFan27]

I reckon we could keep them to a draw, a good defence recently. It'll come down to who needs it more, which is Man Utd. We could keep them to a draw but I think its 0-1 Man Utd

[Puff Daddy]

2-1 West Ham

[the pink palermo]

A big thanks to Ricardo who prepares the match thread info .

Manchester United are the Champions elect with half a dozen games remaining - they're decent but by their standards this is not a vintage side , with possibly, on current form, only Vidic making a Fergie era all time team for them .That shows how poor the Barclays Premier league has been this season .

Having said that they have in RvP a 20 goal striker and in Rooney the best English player in the game currently .Away from home they have dropped just 10 points from a possible 48 all season , being beaten on just two occasions .

In that context a point would not be a disaster for us, on the contrary, a point would be a good result . That's not to say we should set up for a draw but thoughts of Joey O'Brien and Guy Demel bombing forward to a chorus of attack attack attack should be quashed .

Where we can cause them problems is at the back .Hopefully Sam will select two up top, Carlton and Carroll, and target the ageing Rio, although it wouldn't surprise me to see him slip Jones in to CB ahead of the former Hammers hero .However with Tomkins and Reid both a doubt we will be struggling to get a pair of CB's on the field at all so fitness concerns dictate a 3 at the back shape .Whether Sam risks both Potts and Spence in wingback roles I'd doubt .


----------------------------------Jussi--------------------------

-------------Demel-----------Collins-------JoB------------

GoN------------------------------------------------------Jarvis

------------Nolan--------Collison--------Diame-----------

-------------------Cole--------------Carroll------------------

Bench - Potts, Spence, Taylor, Wellington, RvT, Henderson, someone from the stands .

With the ball we go to 3-4-3 with Collison pulling the strings for the dynamic duo up top, without the ball we go 3-5-2 , and ensure we have two out balls to relieve pressure .

1-1 with the ( sadly) soon to be unemployed Cartlon Cole to bag ours .

[sendô]

They're going to be all over this one, looking to get three points every match and sew the league up with game to spare, lest they repeat last season and let Man City sneak up on them at the death. Even without this game, it's almost certainly Man Utd's title, but that wont stop them having a bloody good go at us.

With that in mind, it'll be a predictable defensive home display from us. None of that piling forwards looking to score goals b*llocks we had to put up with in the cup fixture at our gaff in January, it'll be sit deep, keep it tight, look to nick one on the break or from set pieces.

Hear says we'll come out and go for it after falling behind and win 2-1, head says 0-2 loss.

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Is it true we've only given them 1,500 tickets ?

[Yea Why Not]

If Tomkins & Reid are both out I do fear for us


......................Jussi................
Spence... Demel..Collins...Joey
.............Diame....O'Neill..........
Jarvis............Nolan........Collison
..................Carroll.................

[Clacton-ammer]

This is the poorest side to win the league for a few seasons, Mancini should be ashamed for not raising his players for their "day" job, as when they do raise their game they are the best team in the league by a stretch, they have pretty much gifted the title to an average Man U side this season, says alot about a poor PL this season.

Saying that, we have too many of our better players out, Tomkins now looks very doubtful according to DG, so that leaves the Pog I guess :shock: Our lot have surprised me a few times this season, I hope they do the same Wednesday, I just can't see it this morning, but it is Monday morning and I have the hump.

[prophet:marginal]

Attack! Attack! Attack! Attack! Attack!

[sendô]

they have pretty much gifted the title to an average Man U side this season, says alot about a poor PL this season.

I don't really buy this poor PL myth that seems to be accepted as wisdom recently.

As a league overall the PL is still probably the strongest in Europe. What has happened is our top teams have lost a few very good players to foreign sides, and have struggled in Europe. Currently the top Spanish and German, and perhaps Italian, sides are as good as or better than our top sides.

However beyond that the rest of our division, at least in my humble opinion, is probably better than all the rest.

Man Utd are not as good this season as they have been, but they've consistently grounded out results - a hallmark of the best Fergie teams over the years.

[RyanWHUFC]

Cheers to Ricardo on another cracking match thread.

Pinkys formation is a good compromise highly doubt we will see it though.

Reckon we can give this lot a game, I would love us to go for it and get at them, again I doubt we will see it.