MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: The Manchester United players line up for a team photo prior to the UEFA Champions League Group H match between Manchester United and SC Braga at Old Trafford on October 23, 2012 in Manchester, England.
A few years ago, before a certain oil-rich club came into the mix of things, this fixture was the one that would predict where the title would go. The excitement surrounding this game is once again at its epitome since Chelsea, revived by RDM and the current European champions, face Manchester United, who could be seeing the twilight of their great manager’s career.
Chelsea have spent a lot of money in the summer and their investments seem to be spot on. With players like Oscar and Hazard coming into the squad and although Marko Marin and Moses are still yet to shine, we know their time will come. With such talent at his disposal RDM has been successful in converting his team into a dangerous triangle consisting of Hazard, Mata and Oscar.
Mata has been like a new singing for Chelsea with his newly found form and this triangle behind Fernando Torres may well be responsible for the top spot in the table that Chelsea hold. But the problem for Chelsea will not be in attack. It’ll be their defence and momentum. They will be without their inspirational captain John Terry due to his suspension and with the firepower that United pose, that is going to be a problem. They are the reigning European champions and a loss in Europe is but a small blip when you are preparing for a big match. Still, with United’s defensive dilemmas, Chelsea have the ability to get one over the Red Devils.
DONETSK, UKRAINE – OCTOBER 23: Chelsea team group during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea at the Donbass Arena on October 23, 2012 in Donetsk, Ukraine.
United’s transfer window is summarized by the arrival of Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa. Such an amount of money for someone entering into his 30s might have raised eyebrows but the Scot knows his business. RVP, Rooney, Welback, Kagawa and Hernandez is a mouthwatering attack, which rather fortunately, gives Sir Alex his selection headache because even his third choice striker knows where the goal is. Although the rotation seems to have worked in small games he will be given a worrisome task when it comes to picking his best side for such a big game.
With Kagawa ruled out of the match due to injury it will be interesting to see if sir Alex plays all his attackers together for the first time, with Hernandez being the target man and the other three drifting wide and playing behind him. He could also place Welback on the bench and play the other three in a triangle and choose to strengthen the midfield.
Then comes the defence, which is now notorious for conceding, only for the attack to bail them out. This has been the story for United this season.
To summarise, its going to be a battle of the attackers, with both teams possessing enough firepower to bring down every fort ever built. For a neutral, its going to be mouthwatering, for the two teams its going to be rivalry rebooted.
This game is one you don’t want to miss.
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