Two Capital One Cup semi-finalists come face-to-face on Saturday as Manchester United welcome West Ham United to the “Theatre of Dreams”. West Ham staged a final few moments comeback versus Tottenham mid-week whereas on the same day, Manchester United defeated Stoke City.
Stats
Despite the vast difference in quality between the two sides, both have had similar problems in the league so far this season. Man United sit in 8th, and by their standards, that’s a big disappointment. However, life under David Moyes was never going to be plain sailing, at least to start with. They have picked up just 11 points at home from a possible 24, in which their local rivals Manchester City have collected all 24 possible points. Manchester United’s home record is sincerely lacking and much like West Ham, have enjoyed getting out of the pressure dome of their home ground, with Manchester United having lost three times at home already this season. West Ham have just one win on the road so far this Premier League season (Tottenham Hotspur), and have lost their last 3 on the bounce – Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Norwich City.
Manchester United talisman – Wayne Rooney, is a doubt for the match. Rooney has been in fine form of late and has scored 32% (8) of Manchester United’s goals this Premier League season. He has also assisted 6 times, making a total of 14 goals that he has directly contributed to, out of his team’s 25.
Preview
With Robin van Persie confirmed as definitely out of the clash, it will be up to Danny Welbeck to continue the form he showed at Aston Villa in Manchester United’s last league outing, where he netted two pure poachers goals. Ashley Young will also be looking to continue from his performance mid-week, where he got a goal and an assist to his name.
As for the Hammers, the fans, manager and players got a much needed confidence boost mid-week following the spirit showed in a fight-back with a weakened side. Mark Noble played no part in the victory and so will be fully fit and raring to go come Saturday – 3 o’clock. Adrian, Modibo Maiga, Matt Taylor and Matt Jarvis all played a pivotal role in the victory mid-week and will all be hoping to be given a start versus Manchester United. Maiga’s long awaited goal instantly filled him with confidence and he skipped by the Tottenham defence late on to crash a left footed strike against the crossbar from 25 yards. West Ham fans and manager alike will be hoping for a similar performance from the Mali international.
The best way to beat this ‘new’ Manchester United at Old Trafford seems to be, to almost bore the home fans. Shutting out the fans early optimism, really takes the steam out of Manchester United, and it would only take one goal for the fans to be back to their quiet ways under David Moyes. When they get into full flow, they are as good as anyone, however, unlike City and Arsenal (to name just two), they need to be allowed to take control of the game. If City and Arsenal play to their best, they can beat anyone even if the opponent is having a good day also. Manchester United need the opposition to allow them to take full control of the situation, something Sam Allardyce will hopefully stop from happening.
Team News
James Tomkins could well return to action after missing the quarter-final win, but West Ham will certainly still be without; Andy Carroll, Winston Reid, Ricardo Vaz Te, Mladen Petric and Stewart Downing through injury, along with captain Kevin Nolan who is to miss his third and final game through suspension.
Michael Carrick joins the previously mentioned van Persie in the missing list for Manchester United, which may grow, with Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Marouanne Fellaini all doubtful.
Prediction
As proven by West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Newcastle United, the chance of winning at Old Trafford has not been so high in a long time. Two of those loses have come on the bounce and they will not want to lose three in a row. That doesn’t mean – however – that the Manchester United following will not be expecting a traditional win for their team. This works in the opposition’s favour, because although this isn’t the same quality side of old, the fans still expect the same performance and results.
I fancy West Ham to nick a low score draw. 1-1.
Man U 3 – West Ham 1, an absolutely emabarrasing capitulation.
Absolutely pedestrian defending West Ham. You cannot hope to stay in the premier League if you continue to defend like that! Man Utd are nothing great. They are nothing near the team they were last year, and yet you let Man Utd run right through you. It was absolutely embarrassing to watch. In fact the café where I was watching the game turned the channel over at half time to watch the Man City game, so I had to return home, but I’d seen enough by half time anyway, as there was no way you were going to win that game. Man Utd are nothing special, they just run at people with pace and you just couldn’t handle it West Ham. I mean the 1st goal appeared to be no danger and yet you just let them run right through you, and Januzaj, the little jerk, well he just turned you inside out James Collins. I’m sorry James Collins but I think your use by date has come. Last year you were the mainstay in defense. This year you are not. You are just getting beaten for pace and are getting turned inside out. Both of those 1st 2 Man Utd goals were like child’s play. There appeared to be no danger, just men running at pace. They are nothing of the team that they were last year when you defended heroically when it was only a flukey deflection of off James Collins that cost us a 1-0 defeat. As I say, this Man Utd team is nothing of what their team was last year, and David Moyes is nothing of the manager that Sir Alex Fergusson was. It’s no wonder David Moyes has never won a trophy (I don’t call him grabbing a Charity Shield from Fergusson’s team as winning a major honour). All the time you kept losing out on 50% 50% balls, and then when you did win the ball you lost it again. It was just so embarrassing and frustrating to watch to watch in front of other people at the venue of where I was watching. I almost smashed my glass in anger, but refrained because it wasn’t my property. You can’t blame big Sam for not jumping off of the touch line and shouting himself hoarse & dumb in the face. If you haven’t learnt what he had been drumming into you in the lead up to this game, then it’s not his fault. Sam is not out there on the field, trying to play alongside as well coach this lot. So is that all teams have to do to beat you West Ham. That just run at you with pace when they have the ball, and they do the same when they don’t have the ball, and you get done. As I say, this Man Utd team is nothing of the team they were last year, and yet you were unlucky to lose 1-0 last year. Christ, pull yourselves together, this the Premier League, not the B league.
Oh and Toby, West Ham did not control the game at all. Not at all. They do have the players but once again they just fell apart. Why? West Ham could have beaten this Man Utd team who are a shadow of the team they were last year, had West Ham got their act together. The points are just to too valuable to throw away like this. The one thing that the northern teams have that West ham don’t is the hunger. The absolute hunger and driving passion to win is not there. It sometimes never used to be there in the old days either, as Jimmy Greaves said when he left West Ham, that he could just not continue playing for a team that does not have that hunger and driving ambition for success. A team that does not have that killer instinct is gone. Have West Ham learned nothing from their failings of the old days???