Mid-Week Outlook (17 Sep 2008)

Manchester United vs Villarreal

"...So the significance of this particular game tonight is that if we win our opening game at Old Trafford today, we would have booked our slot to the next round...."

- JayWalk, 17 Sep 2008

We have had an amazingly bad start to this particular season with our top players injured. So far, we struggled to win the Charity Shield, drew out opening game, lost the Super Cup final and getting Paul Scholes red carded, then we struggled to win Portsmouth by the solitary goal before getting crushed by Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.

Things looked pretty bleak this coming match Villarreal and just when you thought this is the bottom, it isn't. We still have Chelsea to play again this coming weekend at Stamford Bridge, whom they have an extra day of rest after crushing their opponent Bordeaux 4-0.

Could this be the first season to give up all fights even before October?

Well, it's too early to say as ManUtd are never known to go down without a fight. However, my real worry is that when would we finally kick the gear into shift. By then, would it be too little, too late?

JayWalk The Talk: So anyway, we will expect Ronaldo on the bench tonight and you can tell how significant this is considering the fact that he made it as far as the bench only but it sounded as if we are going to win the ECL again. Perhaps the bigger thing is that Ronaldo will be ready for Chelsea this Saturday.

Scholes and Carrick are unavailable but we should see Berbatov getting another call up today in order to get enough match fitness coming into Saturday.

Due to our seeding, we are a shoo-in to the next round barring no "accidents". One of the two qualifying slots has our name on it already, leaving Villarreal, Aalborg BK and Glasgow Celtic to fight it out for second place.

Based on their individual strengths, I would say Villarreal will be slated to take second spot with Celtic third and Aab last.

So the significance of this particular game tonight is that if we win our opening game at Old Trafford today, we would have booked our slot to the next round. We are not expected to lose to the other 2 minnows and that means a mere 7 points from 4 games (home and away to Celtic and Aab) will be enough.

JayWalk The Walk: Bookies are making ManUtd give a 1-ball handicap on account of home ground advantage. A decimal odds of 1.975 suggest that this handicap is very even i.e. it can just as easily be a 1-1 draw on account of ManUtd's sick bay list.

The way I see it, we will win this to open up the European campaign but it will probably be by the odd goal and thus get the same outcome, bet or no bet.

Disclaimer: The above views are purely my own two-cents' worth. In other words, I cannot and will not guarantee that my predictions are accurate. If you want to bet on the game, do so at your own risk. Also, please bet responsibly and within your means regardless of how "sure thing" that game may appear to be. As the old saying goes, "The Ball Is Round". Good luck.