Lille v Manchester United

v

Following their 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on 18 October, LOSC Lille Métropole play host to Manchester United FC at the Stade de France in Paris - the stadium where France won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and a recent club rugby match between Stade Français and Stade Toulousain attracted a crowd of 79,542, a record for a club match in any sport in France. The draw on Matchday 3 has kept the group wide open with just two victories - both by the odd goal - and four draws in the six previous games played.

Source - www.Uefa.com

I really, really hope that Lille win. Man Utd got demolished this weekend, they're ripe for the picking by a French side coming off a draw and hungry for a win. United is very strong though, so it might be a draw again 1-1 maybe. But I hope 2-1 for Lille, as that would keep the group unpredictable and really close like it is now.

I prefer a draw out of this match, for if Benfica wins we will be in first place and in a good position to advance.

We should get up 2-0 away from home, I hope the boys pull their finger out after the weekend.

Scholes is out suspended, what will we line up like?

Oh ya, I forgot about Scholes' prior red card. I guess Smith and Fletcher it is then in central midfield; not like we have many options going for us at the moment anyway. Damn injuries. At least Rooney's supension is done.

An important must win for me. We need to get back on track. End of.

-------------VDS--------------
--Bsley--Rio--Tweety---Richie
--Ronaldo--Smith-Fletcher-Park--
----------Ruud--- Rooney------

I have half a mind to drop Rio but Im pretty sure thats the lineup the Gaf will put in France. Either that or have brown in there somewhere. Fuck the weekend, lets win this one.

I guess Man Utd will get a low win or even a draw. Based on their weekend performance against Middlesborough, they looked really bad and the run might continue with their weak central mid pairing of Fletcher and Smith cuz Scholes is out injured. United need a quality mid general(Ballack ?? ).
If im Sir Alex Ferguson now, i would have a big headache whether to drop Rio Ferdinand cuz other than Wes Brown, there is not any CB left (except for silvestre who is likely to start this one). Wes Brown lacks match fitness and Rio is suffering from a dip of form.

In a nutshell Man Utd need 3 points but there might be doubts if they can get it from a spirited home side Lille. A lose from Man Utd would made the Glazers busy by looking for Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement.

Ruud will be captain

Reds Jet Out To Paris

United have flown out to France for their must-win Champions League clash with Lille.

With Saturday's crushing defeat at Middlesbrough still fresh in the mind, Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be aiming to prove a point in Paris.

The Reds currently top Group D with five points from three games, but could slip to third if they lose on Wednesday night.

Claude Puel's Lille currently prop up the rest of the group with two points, but showed great resolve in their last outing - a goalless draw at Old Trafford.

The main talking point of the drab affair was Paul Scholes' sending-off which rules him out of the Paris clash.

Scholes joins a long list of absentees which contains injury victims Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Gabriel Heinze, Gary Neville, Quinton Fortune, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The lengthy list means a call-up from the Reserves for Richie Jones, Jonny Evans and Luke Steele, who all make their first appearance in a Champions League squad.

United Squad
Goalkeepers: Howard; Steele; Van der Sar.
Defenders: Brown; Richardson; Ferdinand; Bardsley; Silvestre; O'Shea; J Evans; G Pique.
Midfielders: Smith; Fletcher; L Miller; R Jones; Park.
Forwards: Rooney; van Nistelrooy; Ronaldo; Rossi.

Report by Steve Bartram. (manutd.com)

Omg Man Utd midfield are looking very fragile without Scholes, Giggs and Keane.
An upset is possible especially when playing at Lille home.
But i hope that they will pick themselves up after getting mauled 1-4 during the weekends
and gear up for the Chelsea match during the weekend.
Come on Manchester United !!

I think united should go 4 attack attack attack and try to outscore lille.
Looking at our fragile squad the only silver lining is rooney coming back from suspension.

Man United Need a win badly
If they come hoem empty handed , they have some serious problems i think.

man utd will win, if lille want any chance of going through they will try to win this game after the 4-1 result and there point at old traford they will believe they can take the 3 points so it will be a more open game i think, ronaldo and rooney (stating the obvious i know) will be the key, if both play well it should be a good 2-0 or 3-1 win. ronaldo will probably score as well.

We need a win tonight and a solid performance, not sure about Ruud being captain, cos he can disappear out of games especially if the midfield arent firing. A clean sheet and a confident performance would do very nicely, set us up for the chelsea game . Hopefully C Rons can push on and start turing in some valuable team performances.

2-0, Ruud and Rossi.

Exactly. I feel United sat back and let the game flow vs Lille, as did they, explaining the relative poor quality of that match, with neither side really getting any good flow going with good spells of possession. I feel, like you do, that if United are to be truly succesful then they must go out looking for the 3 points right from the kick-off, as they will have the proper mentality and will right away have Lille on the their heels, which is right where United want them.

yes im looking forward to a draw this match as well, im thinking 0 - 0 game and then I hope benfica wins and puts us first in the group

-------------VDS--------------------

O'Shea--Brown--Rio----Silvestre---

---------Fletcher--Smith----------

---Ronaldo--Rooney--Richardson---

--------------Ruud-----------------

Subs
Howard
Park
Miller
Bardsley
Piqué
Rossi
Jones

does someone have a link to a livestream???

please

maybe keane is right after all.

1-0

rooney and smith both asleep

lille are 1 ahead

From BBC Sport:

United's misery continues as Milenko Acimovic runs straight between Wes Brown and Mikael Silvestre to fire Gregory Tafforeau's pass into the roof of their net to put Lille ahead.

Good finish by their player for the goal. That was good stuff.

We look so unthreatening in attack. It seems to be getting worse. The only way i can see us scoring is from a set-piece or a mistake by one of their players.

Ruud is the most isolated ive seen, and thats saying something. One perfect example was Rooney playing a great ball down the line to him, he collected it well, looked up to see whos on for the pass...nobody. I feel kind of sorry for him. He ended up giving it to Fletch. I dont think i really need to tell you that he lost it.

We're going to loose this one i reckon. We're just not good enough at the end of the day.

Were really missing Neville and Henize in full-back. How many times in the match so far has Ronaldo/Rooney crossed the ball in?

i can see man u losing heavilly tonight.

We just dont have that leadership quality anymore, and definitely missing the likes of Heinze, Brown isnt do bad considering first competitive game, but Rio...!!

another shite performance. I take consolation in the fact that at least we are not 3 goals down.

I think it will either stay 1-0 to Lille or 1-1 .. I dont see them losing heavily simply coz Lille have no reason to attack and I think they will sit back and defend the lead they have

I think we should make a triple Substitution, Rossi, Park and Miller on. We need some urgency and lets face it i dont think Fletcher and Smith are going to change a match by attacking. Im still confident though, i predict a 3-1 win.

Or lets give Richie Jones a chance, some young enthusiasm is exactly what we need.

I think we need Park to come on asap, urgency is needed.

It'd have been 2-0 if it hadn't been for VDS.

wtf mate!!!!
cant believe we lost, this is bullshit

this loss really makes the game on sunday a must win 4 man u, otherwise the pressure mounts even more

What can be said about the game, except for that United sucked plain and simple. There was no spark or creativity that's associated with United and i wonder whats going through SAF's mind. No excuses can be made from the game, the only positive thing IMO was VDS keeping United in the game with that amazing save from the free kick. Lille basicly out worked/played United today i give full credit to them.

$10 says Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool fans will come in and start to gloat on how crap United is.

CALL THAT A PERFORMANCE AFTER SATURDAY?

absolutly rubbish!
im honestly worried bout not qualifying now having taken 1 point from the two easiest games of the group!

a kick up the backside is needed for everyone!

Shocking and pissed off, we need to step up on saturday.

Stunning crap!

Lille, Lille, Lille?? Everyone could beat that team, no offence to Lille fans tho, but still!..

Attacking is so poor, no idea whats so ever in that.

Very nice build up for the Chelsea match, which can turn into some terrible evening........

Arsenal win comfortably and are officailly in next stage while Man Utd lose for the second time in a row - great day . What sucks for Man Utd fans is that come sunday, it'll be another loss (even though i honestly want Chelsea to lose). ESPN 2 was showing the game so i watched it - pretty boring to be honest for a neutral. Man Utd kept losing the balls and the midfield/defence was crap. Especially Wes Brown and Oshea. Same goes for Fletcher....i don't get how he's in a top club. Lille's main attacker was also poor...he missed many chances and especially that clear heading chance. Park missed the only real chance from Man Utd. Credit to Lille's midfield (especially captain) and VDS.

Before i comment on our performance, i have to talk about their sportsmanship. Fucking disgraceful.

It wasnt just there crimally over the top dives, rolls etc. all night long, 3 incindents stand out much worse for me. The first was when they were awarded a free kick, silvestre ran 15 yards to pass them the ball as they were wasting time, just as soon as the player got the ball, he took a quick free-kick and passed to the player Silvestre was marking.

Then, that Greek bastard who was jumping with his arms all over the place all night, jumped straight into the back of Smith. Realising there was a great possibility of a red card, he falls down Essien style holding his face, was stretchered off and came on again not a mintue later to continue his antics.

Then, the worst of all, was them trying to get Rooney sent off at the end. Rooney was very harshly booked, then he went to close down the ball, their player lost his balance and went down and the ball went out. Rooney has his foot and his ankle, but in no way malisciously, and lifted his foot off as careful as you like. That player then spent the next 2 minutes rolling around on the floor. What saddned me was that not only did the Lille players gather round the referee to call for a red card, so did their manager and their coaching staff.

Then to the game. We are an embarrsing shadow of our former self. No creativity, no passion, no heart. Keane was right about everything he said. Some players just arent good enough for United. I wont bother naming them because you all probably no. Its gotten to the point where im relly not bothered if we dont make the knock-out stages. We wont win the thing anyway, and if it takes something like not getting that far in the competition to make certain people at this club realise something drastic has to change, then so be it.

Maybe they are just a little overconfident about qualifying and put all thoughts ahead of this weekend vs Chelsea which is more important. No matter how bad it can turn out, Manu would still qualify

i guess credeits should giv to wes brown and smith though... OHHHH come'on SAF is he blind or deaf????? Fletcher plays like a noob.. he and o'shea are the worsts man u players.. keep losing possesion... i wonder y sir alex like using osea he is damn slow in the game and keep losing the ball its a kind of irritating man...

how about van der sar's brilliant save? i thought for sure that was going in? But overall neither team played good, the passing was awful too.

Pissed is not the word!!!

Not exactly the best preparation for the match on sunday against one of the hardest teams to play against in europe right now! Im thinking it'll either be one of those times that we raise our game for a big match (like against arsenal in recent years) and end up getting a good result against the run of our recent form....or we'll be annhilated by a chelsea team who rarely seem to lack desire to win.

As for tonights game though, its pretty shocking to lose especially when we drew two weeks ago at home in the CL. You'd think that the players would be fired up, ready to prove themselves again and rid themselves of the shame they should feel for their recent efforts. It's all very well having talented players, but its been proven many times that determination and desire can overcome a gap in talent.

I also hope they won't censor Keane's opinions after this game, because he's got the right idea and its interesting to hear what he thinks.

Was probably the worst second half performance i've ever seen from a Man Utd team, the midfield were non existant, Smith is not up for the task of being a defensive midfielder, he should have been tracking back for Lilles goal. As for John O'Shit he has been shocking for the last 18 months and the quicker we get rid the better.

I fear for us against Chelski

Compare the both midfields

Essien Maks Lampard

Fletcher Smith

Its laughable to be honest.

As Ruud Guilt said on sky there all played as individuals and not as a team.

Unless we sell throw out flecther silvestre oshea and all average players.. and buy world class players, we will never be back to the top.

Fergie needs to get a head examination, he's getting old and stupid, doesnt know when to make subs, cant control the team.

Well done Lille

If things continue this way, I wont be suprised if Chelsea roll us over in our own yard. disgracefull shite, that was. I feel for the fans who flew out to France watch that shite.

Chelsea are not so hot at the moment, so I doubt a walkover will be in order. It will be an entertaining match though. Well done Lille. This is probably the most interesting group, United are involved in.

Congratulations Lille! I fell asleep watching this match (wayy too tired after school), but I did get to see most of it...great passing in midfield and they have a pretty decent keeper in that Syl-something guy