With the score balanced at 0-0 after the first-leg stalemate on Tyneside, we simply must score at least one goal if we are to progress to the last 16 of the competition.
Extra time could be used but only if the score remains 0-0 after 90 minutes in Kharkiv. If it ended 1-1 at 90 minutes United would progress on the away goal ruling with the same principle applying after extra-time if we need it. A penalty shootout could only take place if the score remained 0-0 through 90 minutes of normal play plus the additional 30 minutes of extra time. I think that just about covers what could happen in terms of results…
Team news:
United named a 19-man squad for the trip to Ukraine and should have arrived at around 1pm this afternoon UK time. There was no room for Hatem Ben Arfa in that squad although Dan Gosling was surprisingly named after being out of action since last Autumn with an ankle injury. That full squad is as follows:
Tim Krul, Rob Elliot, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor, James Perch, Cheik Tiote, Sylvain Marveaux, Massadio Haidara, Gabriel Obertan, Dan Gosling, Moussa Sissoko, Gael Bigirimana, Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Papiss Cisse
Yoan Gouffran is cup-tied as is Mathieu Debuchy sort of while Ryan Taylor, Sammy Ameobi and Haris Vuckic all remain sidelined.
Previously…
United have never won on Ukrainian soil albeit that history only stretches to two games against Dynamo Kiev in 1997 (2-2) and 2002 (2-0 loss). This will be United’s 130th game in Europe. Of the previous 129 we’ve won 72 games, lost 30 and drawn the other 27 matches.
Stats and facts:
Mike Williamson will make his 100th appearance for United if he plays some part in the fixture.
Final thought:
It would appear that a strong side will be named for the game tomorrow so hopefully they can get the job done and return from Ukraine unscathed to tackle Southampton on Sunday.
I won’t get into how I feel about it all. We’ve been there before, you all know where I stand on the matter and we should be looking forward to the game rather than bickering about it.
Howay the lads!
Date: Thursday, 21st February, 2013
Time: 6pm UK time (8pm local time)
Venue: Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv, Ukraine
P.S. Apologies for the relative shortness of this article. I spent last night in hospital watching my ten-month-old son hooked up to oxygen machinery and breathing apparatus so I’ve not had a lot of time. However the boy is fine and just has Bronchiolitis and should be right as rain by this time next week hopefully.
Blimey Toonsy ,your poor lad , my best wishes to you all ,hope he’s on top form soon.
10 out of 10 for getting the article up too mate considering the circumstances.
Looks like a pretty strong team for tommorow night so lets hope we get just rewards in the game as by rights we are 2.0 up already. 🙄 .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Not suggesting he should be playing but no Mike Williamson in squad?
Bob smith(Quote)
Hope the boy is alright Toonsy. Is he still in hospital? Is that a stupid question? Don’t know much about infant illness and hospital procedures 😕 .
Andymag(Quote)
Bob
Maybe he’s injured or perhaps he’s had a fall out with Pards over getting pushed back in the pecking order.
Andymag(Quote)
Andy ,I don’t think Willo will get a look in anymore mate tbh.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Only just – belatedly – watched the first leg highlights…
…is it just me or did their attacks only look threatening down our left? I’m guessing this is because Santon was somewhere in their half.
blip(Quote)
Blip ,most likely 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
The starting team for tomorrow as AP will wish to start
——Krul——
Mbiwa — Saylor –Coloccini–Haidara
—Cabaye — Tiote————-
Gutierrez– Sissoko — Marveaux/Gabriel
————-Cisse———————
so its gona be only 2 changes Santon out and Haidara in and Gabby out n marvx in…
I think its just a mistake and we will loose this game as our opponent can read this formation.
Max-T-Million(Quote)
Feel slightly sorry for willo that simmo is included 😯 and gosling – where did he surface from? It appears the southampton game gets due respect after all.
Tsunki(Quote)
Best wishes to the little un Toonsy, nowt more worrying than seeing them hooked up to all that machinery like.
As for the match – anyone know if its on ESPN or another channel?.
The team I’d go with is:
—————– Krul —————
Simmo – Colo – MYM – Haidara
———- Anita —- Tiote ———
—- Oba — Gosling — Marv —-
————– Cisse —————-
Just noticed – nee Santon?
Subs would be Elliott, Saylor, Perch, Sissoko, Cabaye, Jonas, Shola.
I think the starting 11 have enough to win the game but if its not happening then there’s enough on the bench to come on and get a result, especially when you consider a score draw would be enough to progress.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy
ESPN again 🙁 , Spurs & Livershit are both on itv4 😡
Andymag(Quote)
Andy – bloody hell man, that means another night out :razz:. And the missus has Dallas on Sky plus so there’s me sweetener 😉
It’s a bit cack that ITV only show those 2 tho. I miss Channel 5 footy tho with Stan Collymore and Pat Nevin pretending they know what they’re on about.
Andy – you’ve normally posted ya team by now, still mulling it over like? 😕
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy
Thought about it earlier but decided against if for some reason.
Just for you 😉
——————————–Elliot————————-
-Simpson—Yanga-Mbiwa–Colocinni—Haidara-
——————Bigirmina———–Anita—————
—-Obertan————-Marveaux———-Jonas—-
——————————Cissé————————-
Subs:
Krul
Saylor
Perch
Sissoko
Cabaye
Tiote
Shola
Andymag(Quote)
Andy – not bad mate. I think as long as he goes with that back 4 we should be pretty solid. I’d go with Tiote to get him some match practice and fitness. I’d also go with Gosling, purely to get a proper look at him. For me he’s a more natural through the middle midfielder but I also think that he’d be one for the potential chop in the summer and this would be a good game to prove himself with Cabaye and Sissoko waiting on the bench to replace him if he isn’t doing it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Probably the side I would have sent out, my only issue is Cabaye-we really can’t have him getting injured. That being said, Anita had some great games for us when he was filling in for him
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy
Tiote should be fit enough and Bigi deserves more game time as he’s impressed when he’s played. Gosling is incredibly mediocre and I don’t see what he’ll contribute.
Andymag(Quote)
Newkie
That’s why I put him on the bench, don’t want him injured again. He can come on if we’re struggling to create anything.
Andymag(Quote)
Andy – from what I’ve seen of Gosling I’d agree he’s mediocre, but I haven’t seen that much so I’d want to be sure before getting rid in the summer.
Re Tiote, I know he’s been to the CoNs so I’d hope he’d be fit but I’d want a look at him in a match before the Saints game. Bigi only 18 and will get his chance.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Best wishes to your little boy toonsy. I know how worrying it can be to have a child in hospital.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Sharpy
True but Pards will probably know from training and what like what each player can do. Gosling WILL leave in the summer in my opinion, he’s injury-prone, hasn’t impressed and is very far in the pecking order.
Andymag(Quote)
TOONSY all the best mate with baby,dont worry to much kids are a lot stronger than they get credit for 😉
icedog(Quote)
SHARPY from what ive seen of gosling he is very one paced and loses the nut quick 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Andy-Good lad, some of my common sense is rubbing off on someone at least.
Newkie(Quote)
http://mobile.nufc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=3083239
Sounds like he’s going to put a full strength side out ie with Cabs and Sissoko.
Andymag(Quote)
Newkie – I’m not sure whether Andy or me should be most offended!! 👿 😆
Ice/Andy/Newkie – I totally agree about Gosling and as it is now, I hope he is off in the summer. As a fan I’d just like one last look at him to be sure, I know that sounds daft but I’d also like to be able to give Cab and Siss a rest. I just think Oba, Jonas and Marv are wide players and thru the middle would be out of position for any of them.
Ideally I’d love to put Vuckic in the middle.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Pardew on HBA `Sunday is too early, but I am certainly looking at the next round of this competition is we get through and a cameo role on the bench for Swansea if he progresses well.’
Don’t know if he’s having us/opposition on with these comments or if we have to wait another week to see the awesome attack together. 😕
Andymag(Quote)
Sharpy & Andy – the team u picked was ur choice and not what AP would send out. i guess we all want a different team as we all have different opinion and thats where a good manager comes in and we all hope AP is good enough for the task.
Max-T-Million(Quote)
It’s irrelevant who plays really as any player can get injured in training and the real issue that will leave us with a disadvantage against Southampton is the lack of prep on the training ground for the game against Southampton. But this would be the case whether we played a full strength side or whether we rested the whole best 11.
Let’s just play the game, win and move onto to Sunday.
Stuart79(Quote)
STUART – u nailed it bang on… I guess if AP dont deliver results this week then he is not adequate to the job.
Max-T-Million(Quote)
Max-T-million
Pardew’s team then
—————————Krul—————————-
-Simpson——Saylor—–Colocinni———-YM-
–Jonas——Cabaye—–Perch—–Marveaux–
———————Shola—–Cissé——————
Andymag(Quote)
I would be very surprised if Taylor starts tomorrow night with us having another game on Sunday. I also don’t think he will risk Cabaye from the start. I’d guess….
—————–Elliott—————–
Simmo-M’Biwa-Collo-Haidara
————-Tiote-Anita————
——-Jonas-Sissoko-Marv—–
—————–Cisse—————
Subs: Krul, Saylor, Perch, Bigi, Cabaye, Gosling, Obertan, Ameobi
I think that team should be good enough to win the game. Hopefully if all goes well we can get Gosling a run out late on for Sissoko. Bigi for Tiote and Shola on for Cisse.
Easy this management lark 😆
Oblong(Quote)
Sorry for the delay, bedtime for the boy.
Max – aye I know you’re right mate, it’s just fun to speculate isn’t it. I fully expect that when he names his 11 though that there will one or maybe two who I disagree with, but that’s our perogative as fans I guess 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Campbell should come on last 20 instead of shola. Hate it when he comes on.
Coutts(Quote)
Coutts – Campbell is even traveling to this one :evil:. I know we need to ease him in gently but it would have been good for him to have travelled I think anyway.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Coutts
Campbell didn’t travel mate, he just got back from a youngsters tournament in Italy.
Andymag(Quote)
COUTTS atleast we might get something different from young Campbell rather than what we get from Strolla ? which isn’t a lot 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
It’s interesting to note how the absence of Debuchy and Santon has made it so difficult for everybody to agree on a ‘best back 4’ for this game.
So far we’ve had a number of different suggestions, eg:
@ 8 MYM – Saylor – Colo – Haidara
@ 10 Simmo – Colo – MYM – Haidara
@ 30 Simmo – Saylor – Colo – MYM
It wasn’t so very long ago that the team used to virtually pick itself, even with a few absences/injuries among one or two of the regular starters, so it’s obviously a good sign that we’ve now got so many different permutations that are possible.
Feel a bit sorry for Pards though. Whatever side he puts out tomorrow, nearly everybody is going to find something to disagree with 🙁
Chris G(Quote)
Spot on Stuart79 – you play em one game at a time, prepare for the next game – cross bridges only when you get to them.
I’ld still like to see AP experiment with three CBs and play WBs, though with Santon and Debuchy unavailable, options are reduce to Haidara & Jonas (Simmo’s lack of loyalty should see him left in the reserves IMO, adds nothing creative anyway). I’ld reward Anita with the DM role and stack the AM position with Sissoko, Cabaye & Marv, with Cisse up front trying to get that kick-starting goal to transform his and NUFCs fortunes.
Peter(Quote)
Peter
So do you want Sissoko to play RW or RAM?
Andymag(Quote)
It’s not the same officials its some Belgian guys
Andymag(Quote)
Best wishes for your son dude..
Rinton man(Quote)