Manchester United vs. Bolton Wanderers

charlenefan said:
Team should be...

GK: De Gea

RB: Jones
CB: Smalling
CB: Ferdinand
LB: Evra

RM: Valencia
CM: Carrick
CM: Giggs
LM: Nani

CF: Rooney
CF: Welbeck

Subs: Lindegaard, Rafael, Evans, Park, Scholes, Anderson, Hernandez

Finally we've got a squad where players cant make the bench
Click to expand...

feck it. Give them all a rest. Id play

Stepney
Forsythe Buchan McQueen Albiston

Moses Robson
Whiteside

Coppell Jordon Hill

Subs. Sir Bobby, Nobby, Pat Crerrand and Jimmy Rimmer
Seeing as its De Rigeur for old boys to make a comeback
 
Manchester United injury update | Tom Cleverley and Ashley Young are about a month away from returning - The Busby Babe

Prior to today's 3-2 defeat of Manchester City, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson provided an update in regards to the injury and illness situation in his squad. Perhaps the main piece of news is that he considers both midfielder Tom Cleverley and winger Ashley Young to be about a month away from a return. Here are his comments about the situation in central-midfield -- a unit that has been bolstered by Paul Scholes' surprise return from retirement:

"Of course it's been a difficult period for us. Losing Darren [Fletcher], in particular, and the promise of Tom Cleverley was a big blow to us. We haven't had that type of midfield player [like Tom] for years and years so it was a loss and then Anderson being out was a loss."

Source: ManUtd.com

Fergie further elaborated on Cleverley's recovery timeline, something that is in-line with Cleverley's own hopes:

"I think the plan is for Cleverley to start running two weeks on Monday and join us maybe the following week so he's maybe a month away."

The boss also elaborated a bit more on Ando's recent recovery:

"Hopefully that's Anderson back now and he's looking well in terms of the physical part. He's had good treatment and is hopefully back for good."



During his weekly press conference on Friday, Fergie essentially ruled out both Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling. However, late Friday night involved rumblings that Smalling may be a surprise inclusion for the City match and that is exactly what he ended up being as the defender went the full 90 minutes. In addition, further surprise was included with Evans being on the bench. Each are quite obviously welcome returns to a defense that has recently been decimated by injuries -- to the point where midfielder Michael Carrick was starting in center-back and winger Antonio Valencia was starting at right-back.

The most recent news in regards to striker Michael Owen's injury was not positive -- here is what Fergie had to provide on his recovery progress:

"When Michael [Owen] gets injured, it's always a bad one and this is a bad one. It's probably the middle of February for him and it may be a good time to come back as he has the ability to score goals out of nothing and that's always valuable."

The timeline for Ashley Young's return appears to be somewhat similar to Cleverley's. Here is what Fergie had to say about the winger:

"Young may be a month away, four weeks easily. His bleeding never came out quickly in his injury after the Fulham game. There's nothing we can do until the bleeding is all out and it's been unfortunate for him. I don't think it's a serious injury but we can't pre-judge it until we know all the facts about it."

So in defense, it appears that only Fabio and Nemanja Vidic remain unavailable, the latter with his season-ending injury. This would mean United now have Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Rafael, and Patrice Evra to choose from when Fergie makes his selections.

In central-midfield, Cleverley and Fletcher remain out but the selection choices suddenly doesn't appear as dire as it once did: Carrick, Ando, Scholes, Ryan Giggs, and Darron Gibson. If United were to buy during the current transfer window, this is still the unit that likely needs most bolstering.

Out wide, Fergie will be able to choose from three quality wingers in Nani, Valencia, and Park Ji-sung -- Giggs can also still feature out here as well. Despite Owen's injury, United can still choose from four quality strikers at the moment: Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Danny Welbeck, and Javier Hernandez (Chicharito). It's all starting to look a bit more positive now.
 
Good opportunity for the likes of Rafael, Anderson and Hernandez to get some minutes.

De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Smalling Evra
Carrick Anderson
Valencia --- Rooney --- Nani
Hernandez​
 
I'll be attending, so we'll probably lose 0-2 thanks to a couple of Reo-Coker goals.

This is the team I'd like to see(since I'll be there):

De Gea
Rafael-Smalling-Ferdinand-Evra
Valencia-Carrick-Scholes-Nani
Rooney-Welbeck
 
Smalling has to start this one at CB. We need someone to win, or at least make a contest of high balls, something we failed to do against Newcastle. Ando and carrick in the middle. Wellbeck gets the nod over Berba with his performance against Shitty. DDG in goal.

3-1
 
de Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Smalling Evra
Carrick Anderson
Valencia Rooney Nani
Welbeck
--
Lindegaard; Jones, Fryers/Evans; Scholes, Park; Berbatov, Hernández​

Pretty much in agreement with the majority. Anderson has made three sub appearances in a row, so it's about time he starts and gets at least an hour. Jones has played a lot so putting him on the bench is fine with me. Giggs should be rested, might make the bench though ahead of Scholes. Rooney and Welbeck were good and scored, so despite this being 'only Bolton' I think they should both play again. I would be tempted to start either Hernández or Berbatov over Welbeck, however. Despite illness, Smalling should be fresh. I wouldn't bother resting Rio or Carrick. Just win the game and keep the pressure on.
 
To be honest, with Scholes back we can ease in Tom, I'm pretty sure he is much closer than what SAF stated.

I'm just happy we have real CM's now, Scholes, Carrick, Ando, Giggsy all fit now so that's a great boost and Smalling against Citeh was immense...

I think Jones is suffering a bit with the inconsistent positions he's played, deserves a rest TBH...

There will be no underestimating Bolton like we did at Blackburn... A Bolton rape only please...
 
-----------------------------De Gea-------------------------



---Smalling------------P.Jones-----J.Evans----------P.Evra---



----Nani--------------M.Carrick----Anderson--------R.Giggs---



-------------------W.Rooney------D.Welbeck----------------


Subs: Lindegaard, Fabio, R. Ferdinand, Berbatov, Hernandez, Scholes, Park
Prediction:6-0 Rooney 3, Welbeck 2, Anderson
 
Apparently easy home game against lesser opposition.

I'm guessing we'll probably lose
 
Really angry now that we lost our last 2 games.
Watching City be shit for the last month and still be top is very annoying.
Sort it out.
 
Lindegaard
Rafael-rio-Smalling-Evra
Valencia-Carrick-ando-nani
------Rooney--welbeck---
 
Friendlytramp, go over to the General Forum- you've won something in the annual awards thingy.

Congrats!!!!
 
Did we lose against Blackburn, didn't realise, it's barely been mentioned here...

Has anyone also mentioned we beat Wigan?
 
Evans should be back considering he was on the bench for the City game and I expect Rio might have sat this one out anyway with Arsenal and Liverpool away coming up.
 
Rafael - Smalling-Jones -evra will be OK.
How does twatter know what rio is doing at night?
Who the feck leaks these>
 
Ahh. Dont think Rio would be announcing it on twitter if it was serious.
 
I'm new to Twitter as well, haven't got the gist of it yet. Who would follow me? I've got nothing worth of twitting. Maybe I'm thinking too narrowly of it, i.e. only football thoughts.
 
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