Tuesday, 15th September 2009 – KO: 19:45

Not easy to know exactly what to make of this game. Although Besiktas enter this Champions League campaign as Turkish Champions, they have not exactly been setting the world alight so far in their domestic league this season.

Like us, they have played five matches but currently sit in 10th place in their league with just one win and their most recent match saw them thrashed 3-0 by rivals Galatasaray.

One thing I have noticed about their results, even when they won the league last season is that they don’t seem to be particularly prolific scorers – their top scorer last season was Bobo with just eleven goals.

So far this season they have scored just three goals in their opening five matches.

They didn’t make the Champions League last season but they did appear in the 2007-08 Champions League and, somewhat typically for a Turkish side, they beat Liverpool at home but were subsequently hammered 8-0 in the return leg and finished bottom of the group.

As for their players, I don’t know much about them to be quite honest. The goalkeeper Rustu Recber will be familiar to most – long hair, war paint on his face, got confused between the ball and Kieron Dyer’s head a few years ago – you’ll know him when you see him.

Another familiar name is Nihat who has been playing in Spain for the last few years and did quite well but has had a few injuries and came back to Turkey after last season.

What is not beyond doubt is that Besiktas will be up for this one and their crowd will be behind their team from the first minute until the last. Every time we visit Turkey, we are promised “hell” and I think we will be getting it again this evening.

Whilst we have never actually played Besiktas before, we have played Turkish opposition four times and we have won one, drawn two and lost one but it must be said that that defeat came against Fenerbahce in 2004, it was the last game of the group stages, we had already qualified for the last sixteen and Fergie made wholesale changes to the side.

Still, what it does show is that Turkish sides are a completely different proposition at home to what they are away and will certainly provide a strong challenge here tonight.

Anyway, enough about Besiktas. What about United?

Well, after a slow start, it does look like we are now clicking into gear and our performance against Spurs on Saturday was certainly our best of the season so far.

However, it is almost certain that several of the players who featured in that match will not be playing here tonight.

Whilst Fergie might like their experience on the pitch, I cannot see both Scholes and Giggs starting again here and Fletcher is probably deserving of a rest so if I am anywhere near right with that, it leaves a midfield of Anderson, Carrick, Nani and Valencia which looks decent enough on paper (if a little inexperienced) and if that is the case then this will be a massive test for them.

Up front, Rooney has been immense so far this season but he is another who probably deserves a breather and Owen could well come in to partner Berby.

The odds on United (around 1.50) suggest we will win this one easily and whilst I would not bet against us winning, I am not tempted by such skinniness at all. A win would be a great result and a great start to the campaign but it is not necessary. I’m sure that if we head home with a point on the table, Fergie will be quite satisfied with that.

What I am looking for however is for our defence and midfield to be strong and deny the already goal-shy Besktas any opportunities. After going a goal down within a minute against Spurs, I am sure Fergie will be stressing the importance of concentration, particularly given the noisy crowd at the start of the match which is all designed to disturb the players.

So, I see a slow and patient start from United who will want to draw on all their European experience before grabbing a goal or two of their own.

Of course, all hell could break lose here tonight, Besiktas could finally find their scoring boots and we might have one of those nights where everything we do ends in a goal but all things considered, I think a low scoring affair is on the cards.

The bet is 4 points UNDER 2.5 Goals at 1.80 with Paddy Power.

There’s not much to say about this game (although I’ll probably find something to waffle on about for six pages anyway).

I was close with my team selection but Fergie persisted with his 4-5-1 away-in-Europe formation which left Rooney on his own up front.

My main gaffes were with the Besiktas team as every player I mentioned didn’t even start here although Nihat did come on towards the end of the game.

Their main keeper Recber, perhaps fearing the worst, pulled a sicky just before kick-off and their main striker Bobo left the ground in a huff after being told he wasn’t going to start.

I think all you can say about this one was it was a very professional performance from United. It just wasn’t a very United-like performance and the emphasis did appear to be “don’t lose” rather than “win” and I think we spent the first hour just checking Besiktas out.

My assessment were that they were well organised in defence, decent enough in midfield but totally toothless up-front.

Around 65-70 minutes, Fergie rang the changes and brought on Berby and Owen, taking off Carrick and Rooney.

Rooney was absolutely disgusted at the decision and I hope he brings some of that pent up anger to the table when he starts against City on Sunday.

However, the change did seem to signify a notice of intent from United and we seemed to press forward more in the period between the substitutions and Scholes’ goal and it always looked likely that we would be able to move up a gear and grab a goal because, in truth, Besiktas were a league below Manchester United and we probably showed them a bit too much respect early doors.

I’m sure some Manchester United fans will be moaning about the formation and the tactics but I think the object here was to get off to a decent start and Fergie will simply point to the Group Table which shows us with three points from one game and with a pretty undesirable away tie out of the way.

The really good nights will come at OT and if Besiktas dare to think that they lived with us for almost 80 minutes here tonight, they will be in for a massive shock when they come to Old Trafford at the end of November ‘cos they ain’t seen nothing yet!