Manchester United and Chelsea in the FA Cup - Bodog Bet

I was disappointed when Manchester United lost to AC Milan in the semifinals of the Champions League. I wanted to see an all-England final, with ManU facing either Chelsea or Liverpool.

Let's be honest. English football is just more exciting than Italian soccer, which tends to be too defensive for my tastes. Okay, Chelsea can be a little ponderous, too, when they go into their defensive shell. So let me say I was hoping for another classic Manchester-Liverpool showdown.

Oh, well. At least we get United vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup. Here are the current Bodog odds on this match.

England - FA Cup

Chelsea +160
Manchester United +150
Draw +200

Both teams started at +155, but Manchester has been bet as the slight favorite in this match. This is only natural, since ManU is the most popular team in the world and they just cinched their Premeir League title. But losing their hold on the Premeir League might motivate Chelsea to take the FA Cup as some consolation from this season.

CRISTIANO RENALDO AND WAYNE ROONEY

Cristiano Renaldo is one of the most annoying players to watch when he's on the other side. His propensity to dive drove me crazy during World Cup 2006. But when Renaldo is playing for Man U, I become a big fan. Funny how that works. Renaldo is one of the top players in the world at the moment and he will be a key factor if Manchester is going to win.

Another key factor will be fan favorite, Wayne Rooney. The striker seems to have patched up the hard feelings between himself and Renaldo caused at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In a quarterfinal match between England and Portugal, Rooney was ejected from the match after a questionable call following a dive by Renaldo, who was playing for his native Portugal at the time. Despite rumors that Cristiano wanted to be traded after the ManU fans soured on his play, he has since reversed his position.

Rooney, on the other hand, continues to produce for his team. Though he had a bit of a slump to start the season, Rooney came back to lead the Premeir League in production. He has also taken care to stay out of the book more than in his previous years, perhaps having learned his lesson from the World Cup incident. Together with Louis Saha and Cristiano Renaldo, Wayne Rooney makes the Red Devils one of the most dangerous opponents in the world.

CHELSEA

Since the London-based team was bought in 2003 by Roman Abramovich, Chelsea has spent more than any team in the world on players. The two-time defending Premeir League champions just lost that title to Manchester United, so it's time to take a measure of revenge.

This team has an international all-star cast. Andriy Shevchenko and Didier Drogba give Chelsea striking power. Frank Lampard will set up his teammates from the midfield, while team captain John Terry anchors the defense. Michael Ballak and Ricardo Carvalho are out of the match, giving an added advantage for Manchester.

TAKE MANCHESTER

Manchester looks like the healthier team at the moment. Chelsea might be more motivated to salvage something from their season. After a 2nd place finish in the Premeir League and a semifinal flameout against Liverpool in the Champions League, this talented club needs something to show for 2007. That being said, Manchester is just as talented, has the momentum and simply seems healthier at the moment.

Take United.

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Manchester United and Chelsea in the FA Cup - Bodog Bet