Wolfsburg's strking duo: Edin Dzeko and Grafite
After nicking three valuable points on a volatile opening day fixture at Istanbul against Turkish champions Besiktas, Manchester United now turn their attention to the champions of Germany on another European night at Old Trafford tonight. While largely defensive tactics were adopted in Turkey, I would expect a more attacking approach playing at home. With VLF Wolfsburg in free-scoring form themselves, a thoroughly entertaining encounter looks to be in the offing.
United have hit a purple patch of sorts after the demoralizing Burnley defeat early on in the season. Successive victories against the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City and Stoke have ensured a return to the top of the table for a squad that was labeled our weakest in years. However, inspite of our recent amelioration of form, complacency needs to be avoided at all costs. Wolfsburg are potentially our greatest rivals in this group and as such pose a genuine threat to our prospects of finishing top of the group. Much has been said and written about Wolfsburg’s strike force of Edin Dzeko and the Brazilian Grafite. I am told that between themselves, these two scored a phenomenal 71 goals last season bettering the record set by Gerd Muller and Uli Hoeness during their heydays at Bayern Munich. With such prodigy in front of goal, Wolfsburg are bound to create problems for our defence which, to be frank, has not inspired much confidence in most supporters lately. In the continued absence of Van Der Sar, Ben Foster will continue to assume the goalkeeping mantle. After having admitted to being given a dressing down after the City game, Foster retained his place in the Stoke game inspite of Kusczcak’s brilliant showing against Wolves. While Foster didn’t have much to do against a disappointing Stoke, he will have his hands full tonight. Another jittery performance and the whole wide world would be calling for his head. Vidic and Ferdinand will have to be at their best to negate the aerial threat of the 6-foot-5 Dzeko and the precociousness of Grafite. Fletcher will continue his role of being the engine of this side with Anderson likely to be his partner in the middle of the park.
With an attacking team like Wolfsburg, usually it is attack that is the best form of defence. As such, Rooney and Berba will need to be at their potent best. With Park Ji Sung ruled out due to an illness, Nani and Valencia are likely to get the nod for the wide roles. Nani, in particular, will have plenty to prove after coming in for some scathing criticism (including from this blog) after his poor showing against Stoke. This will be a wonderful opportunity for him to show his character and true class.
Tonight is going to be Wayne Rooney’s 50th European outing for Manchester United. On such an anniversary moment, people are bound to get nostalgic and I am no different. That wonderful hat-trick on his European debut against Fenerbahce keeps getting played in my mind and, needless to say, fills me with unadulterated happiness. Sir Alex Ferguson has taken this moment to express his admiration for the ‘Boy Wonder’ and has stressed that Rooney has the ability to be in the same league as the likes of Messi, Kaka and Ronaldo.
“Wayne could easily get to that level. He is blessed with some ingredients only great footballers have. When we signed him as a kid, we thought he would become a really top player. He has a great determination and hunger to win every match and every training session. That will never change. He plays as if he means it. It is a wonderful thing to have.”
“Sometimes there is criticism about the amounts footballers get paid. But when you see the effort he puts in, he is worth every penny. He plays as if he means it. It is a wonderful thing to have.”
Meanwhile, Obafemi Martins, who left Newcastle for Wolfsburg over the summer, reckons we are more unpredictable and potent without Ronaldo, a point with which most of us obviously agree.
“United are playing much better than before. When Ronaldo was on the pitch, everyone looked to him, expecting him to change the game when his team most needed it. But now United have a lot of players who can change a game, like Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov. Even the defenders can score goals, so we must watch out for them all over the pitch.”
Wolfsburg’s manager Armin Veh is obviously up for it and believes that his side has every chance of beating United today.
“Playing Manchester United is a special game. They’re a special club, they’ve played many times in the Champions League and we’ve played only a couple of games. It will be a very special game but we’re certainly not going to hide. I don’t lose sleep before games but we’re going to have to play a tight game and be well organised. Manchester United play a fast game and we’ll have to be wide awake for long balls and put in the hard work, not just in attack, but play tight patterns throughout the pitch.”
The stage is set. Let the games begin.
Prediction: 2-0 to United
Kick Off: 1945 GMT
In other news, Hargreaves looks set to return in the early part of November while Carlos ‘The Cunt’ Tevez has declared that he will celebrate scoring against us inspite of being warmer towards the West Ham supporters. Yeah right. As if there is any chance of the cunt scoring against us.
