Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow UEFA Champions League Group B
Expectations and Pressure - As I pointed out at the start of this Champions League campaign, is it too much to expect United to make it to a third consecutive Champions League final? I think to get to a semi-final slot will be a good campaign. Once you get there anything can happen. First you have to navigate the group stage, something United have failed to do only once in the Champions League. The group stage allows teams to play with a little bit more freedom, they know if they get caught out and lose a match they have matches and time to recoiver the situation, but we are getting to the stage in the group when pressure starts to grow on teams because games are running out. United have made a good start to the campaign, we won away to Besiktas in a measured performance in a hostile enviroment, we were the better side against a very good Wolfsburg team and won 2-1 in a tight game and we beat CSKA in Moscow, in a mcth we controlled really well without every blowing them away. This means we sit on top with a 6-point cushion. The pressure is very relaxed on the players and I don't epect any complacency because the target of 12 points is just a win today and at a minimum a point will see us through into the knockout round, this is an excellant incentive to the players. "If we win then we should finish top of the group and that’s the right kind of incentive for me. We’re at home and our home form is very good. Hopefully we can continue that way.” said Sir Alex Ferguson. As for CSKA, well it all change for them this season, Valeriy Gazzaev left to coach Dynamo Kyiv, in came Zico. The Brazilian then left in September to join Olympiacos and in came Juande Ramos on a short-term contract. They have now decided to sack him and appoint this guy called Krylia Sovetov. This has really undermined their Champions League season, and after suffering a poor domestic campaign they surly have to write-off any chances of getting out of this group and concentrate on winning their last 3 domestic matches and get into next year's tournament. They have a big domestic match against Rubin at the weekend and I think the players know that match carries a major significance and this could well leave them lcking the nessacasry intensity needed to cause an upset.
Style of Play
United controlled the game against CSKA two weeks ago with an extra man in the midfeild. Sir Alex likes to do this in away matches. I am not a fan of the system because we don't have the players to make it work as well as it can do, but it's hard to criticise it because we are now unbeaten in 14 away matches in the Champions League, it is a system that gets us results. Tonight is a different game and he should revert back to the 4-4-1-1/4-4-2 system. United have not been playing well at home this season and I think that is where the negativity has come from about our performances this season. Burnley and Liverpool game aside we have played quite well away from Old Trafford. You need to play well at home and the sooner United find some better performances the more the fans will beleive that this side can cope without Cristiano Ronaldo. With the fans backing the players will also grow in stature. It is hard to predict how CSKA will approach the match tactically because they have a new manager, so United have to try and play there style of football well. We play in striaght lines more this season, No Ronaldo wandering in from the right flank inter-changing with the strikers. We has some joy down the flanks last time we played them and this system is designed for good wing play and getting around teams. United have put in 67 crosses from beyond the edge of the penalty area this season, I am sure this is alot higher then last season when we had Ronaldo. This means the wingers are really important to us for createing penetration and if they don't play well we can struggle to score more then we should. This is why Nani's inconsistency is really fustrating. Full-back's also have a responsibilty to get forward and provide crosses and penetration with the wingers. Up front the Rooney-Berbatov partnership is developing, but the passing into those players needs to be incisive for them to create penetration in attack. Blackburn did very well at denying us space through the middle to speed up the play around the edge of the area. If Micheal Owen or Kiko Macheda come in, the same structure must be applied. In midfeild we have lack balance, the right partnershiop must be found, Carrick-Scholes is too one paced and lacks aggression and mobilty, Ferguson must find the right balance there. The defensive side of the game is not too bad as a unit, Foster and Ferdinand have made mistakes and we tend not too close down players in front of our defence quick enough, this has to change as well.
Selection
Van der Sar - Neville Brown Evans Evra - Valencia Fletcher Scholes Nani - Berbatov - Owen.
Subs - Kuszcak, Fabio, O'Shea, Anderson, Carrick, Obertan, Macehda.