I'm always very nervous before Champions League games, especially away legs, and this time is no different. Away legs are always very tense affairs, and I see no reason why this one should be any different. The presence of Jose Mourinho obviously adds something else to the tie, but even without him the tie would be a close, tense one.
For all Mourinho's talk of how Inter will play their usual game and we will play more defensively than usual a brief line in The Independent reminded me of the FA Cup final in 2007 when "Mourinho admitted he had deployed negative tactics to stop United playing." I see no reason why Mourinho should not use a similar tactic in both legs against us. He was also talking of how the game will be close and will probably go to extra time at Old Trafford, surely a sign that he intends to set out to stifle us more than win the game by playing attacking football. If the game does become open, there could only be one winner, us.
As to our team, the defensive problems will hopefully resolve themselves, a few of the papers are optimistic that both O'Shea and Evans will play, with the BBC quoting Sir Alex as saying:
For all Mourinho's talk of how Inter will play their usual game and we will play more defensively than usual a brief line in The Independent reminded me of the FA Cup final in 2007 when "Mourinho admitted he had deployed negative tactics to stop United playing." I see no reason why Mourinho should not use a similar tactic in both legs against us. He was also talking of how the game will be close and will probably go to extra time at Old Trafford, surely a sign that he intends to set out to stifle us more than win the game by playing attacking football. If the game does become open, there could only be one winner, us.
As to our team, the defensive problems will hopefully resolve themselves, a few of the papers are optimistic that both O'Shea and Evans will play, with the BBC quoting Sir Alex as saying:
"Obviously we have some injuries and we won't know until Tuesday (whether the players will be fit). O'Shea did a light session on his own and Johnny Evans didn't train. Everyone else who travelled trained," he said.
"With Gary Neville and Wes Brown injured and Nemanja Vidic suspended for the game it is a worrying moment for us.
"I hope one will be OK, probably O'Shea. But that leaves us with a problem at right-back, probably young Da Silva (will play)"
While it would of course be preferable for Evans to be playing, as long as O'Shea is fit I'm not sure we'll have too many problems. If Fabio comes in at right back it would give us his pace on the wing to occupy Inter. The problems begin if neither O'Shea or Evans make it. I'm not going to contemplate that scenario...
The probable team that The Telegraph gives is: Van der Sar; O'Shea, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Berbatov, Rooney, Ronaldo. Which, assuming defensive fitness I pretty much agree with. The only possible difference I see is that Scholes may not start - whereas Giggs has been rested the last few games, Scholes has been playing, possibly an indication that he won't be playing tonight. Park, probably, or Fletcher (assuming in he's not filling in at right back) to come in instead. We'll no doubt play our more normal European formation with Berbatov up front by himself with Rooney and Ronaldo joining from wide, although one paper (and there were so many articles to go through this morning I can't face doing it all again to find the specific link) suggested that Ronaldo could play in behind Berbatov with Park and Rooney on the wings.
Some stats: Sky Sports point out that:
They also have one worrying, but ultimately meaningless, statistic:
The probable team that The Telegraph gives is: Van der Sar; O'Shea, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Berbatov, Rooney, Ronaldo. Which, assuming defensive fitness I pretty much agree with. The only possible difference I see is that Scholes may not start - whereas Giggs has been rested the last few games, Scholes has been playing, possibly an indication that he won't be playing tonight. Park, probably, or Fletcher (assuming in he's not filling in at right back) to come in instead. We'll no doubt play our more normal European formation with Berbatov up front by himself with Rooney and Ronaldo joining from wide, although one paper (and there were so many articles to go through this morning I can't face doing it all again to find the specific link) suggested that Ronaldo could play in behind Berbatov with Park and Rooney on the wings.
Some stats: Sky Sports point out that:
United knocked Inter out of the Champions League en route to their historic Treble in 1999 and Ferguson will be hoping it proves to be an omen as his team chase an unprecedented Quadruple.The Telegraph have a comforting fact on Inter's home record:
Inter have scored only two goals in their last four Champions League home games and won only once, a 1-0 victory over Anorthosis Famagusta.And we'll beat a record if we avoid defeat:
United would break the Champions League record of 19 unbeaten matches in succession they currently share with Ajax and Bayern Munich if they were to win or draw in Milan. They would also equal Juventus' record of 20 unbeaten matches in all European club competitions.The Mirror point out we have the joint(with Juventus) best defence in The Champions League, we "have allowed ... opponents just 14 shots on target, conceding only three goals".
They also have one worrying, but ultimately meaningless, statistic:
In the last four years, the title holders have gone out at the Last 16 stage in the following season.Prediction; a tight game which will end in a draw. See us grabbing an away goal and it finishing 1-1 to set us up nicely for the second leg at Old Trafford.
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I think Mourinho is likely to sit back a little, as he did against AC Milan. Milan had plenty of possession around Inter's area but could not break them down. Of course Kaka was missing from that match.
With Zlatan and Adriano up top, Inter has tremendous counter attack capabilities as both can hold the ball quite well and provide a serious challenge to any single defender.
Or to change it up, Zlatan will flick the ball on for a runner. Not the sort of team you want to leave marked lightly at the back.
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