City vs United
We’re inviting some of our Twitter friends, and now resident thought sharer Iwan Lenhert, to share some of their ‘Pre and Post Match’ thoughts with us from now on. You can still enjoy my nonsensical, confusing punctuation buffets below their proper good ones…
Iwan (@IwanLehnert):
Hands up if you’re also approaching this derby with audible caution. Both teams have great strikers, and faltering defences. Could be a cricket score, could be a scoreless draw. We could win it, they could win it. It’s far too close to call, and even if it doesn’t end up being a classic, it’ll be almost impossible to tear your eyes away from it. Thing is, it’s so tough to pick a winner because both teams are capable of so much more than we’ve seen this season. Both of us have had a season filled with tight, tense games. City have been getting late winners and United have been coming from behind. And yet even though we’ve flattered to deceive on so many occasions, we’re starting to pull away from third as early as December. To be honest, I’d feel quite proud if I didn’t feel like we were severely pushing our luck every week.
To be honest, despite Lindegaard, Jones and Smalling all getting games recently, the back five should be the same as it’s been for most of the season; De Gea back in net, Rafael, Evra, Rio and Evans. Job done. God knows what we’ll do with that midfield with Cleverley out, though. That’d leave us with only Giggs, Scholes, Carrick and Young fit and available. Doesn’t scream comfort, does it? Maybe that joke about a Ji-Sung Park emergency loan isn’t a terrible idea after all. Anyone know how to get him to channel the spirit of that performance against Pirlo in 2010…?
It’s worth thinking about just where we’d be without Van Persie this season, too. We’ve had large defensive and increasing midfield injuries again this season, but we’re top of the league, and through to the last sixteen in Europe. He’s scored 13 goals, and his presence and hard work has brought goals for those around him, too (that free kick for Hernandez’s goal v Villa. Phwooar). Without that added threat, who knows where we’d be? He’s the real spearhead in our attack, allowing Rooney to pull the strings when he has the space, and for the most part, it’s working. Take him out of the equation, and we’d be in a much more difficult position coming into the derby on Sunday.
All won’t be lost if we lose; we’ll be joint top on goal difference (in December this time, thank eff) with a long way left to try and turn things around. But, after last year’s league derbies, it will be so important to get a performance this weekend. Last season, we were destroyed at home, and at the Etihad, we wilted and lost our grip on the league. If our defence continues its self-imposed awareness hiatus, then we’ll be relying on our attack again. I know; I can’t wait either.
Predictions: 1-1. Too scared to predict a win, too confident to think we’ll lose.
By the final whistle, I hope that: We’ll have seen at least two shots of Joe Hart with his hands on his hips in dismay. Same for Tevez. His celebrations are always, ALWAYS awful to behold against us. Fingers crossed for all involved that no one decides to say “CARLOS TEVEZ BITES THE HAND THAT USED TO FEED HIM.”
Brett:
Have I told you lately, that I love U-nited? Well, I do, and more often than is healthy, this blinds me to reality – this is possibly one of those occasions. *Sharp intake of breath* I’ve got the most wonderful feeling that we’re going to thrash them!! Hold on a second, before all three of you who sometimes skim read this close your web browser … I’M DEADLY SERIOUS!!!!!! Okay, you can close the browser now.
We are struggling a teeny, tiny bit with defence, granted, but with De Gea coming back into the side, and Rio and Jonny at centre, much of those problems (brought about by reintegrating unfit players into the matchday squad) will disappear. THE midfield “issue” has been going on so long, that at some point we’re just going to have to accept Roy’s gone, never to return. Carrick always does well against City’s midfield – barring individual errors. Whoever slips in alongside him will be brilliant (hopefully Cleverley will be fit). Up top we’re devastating at times, and at some point, it’s all going to click and someone is going to feel the full brunt of that (City this weekend).
City are struggling more than the results suggest. They used up much of their individual and collective mental strength (or arrogance, whichever) last season. Their poor defence is currently being held together by masking tape a.k.a a broken Vincent Kompany and even Joe Hart is feeling the pressure of that. Their midfield hasn’t worked, as Mancini’s poor signings have disrupted, not consolidated what they already have. The three big problems, Silva, Aguero and Toure have been bitty, at best, so far.
So, when we’ve stuffed a hatful in the onion bag, and everyone’s saying, “No-one could have predicted that”, point them in my direction.
Prediction: 2 -5
Goals: ORVP 2, Rooney, Danny 2
