Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester United

Sean's team
Starting XI
357446_Manchester_United.jpg

Bench: Amos, Fabio, Anderson, Scholes, Park, Chicharito, Welbeck
Not in the squad: Berbatov, Pogba, Fryers, W.Keane
Out: Vidic, Fletcher, Valencia, Owen, Smalling, Cleverley, Lindegaard

Some words to the team-selection
- 4-5-1 should be our tactic because we'll be to open with 4-4-2.
- Evra vs Lennon will be again :nervous: but both twins against Spurs isn't a option for me and Rafael should really play.
 
There's been 4:10pm kick offs on Sunday loads of times before. Infact this fixture last season was 4:10.
 
This is our second last 'big' game of the season. Other than City at Wastelands we have..

West Brom (H), Wolves (A), Fulham (H), Blackburn (A), QPR (H), Wigan (A), Aston Villa (H), Everton (H), City (A), Swansea (H), Sunderland (H).

We're in with a great chance. I really believe bringing Scholes back could be as big a signing or catalyst as buying Cantona back in 1992.
 
Last game of the season we have Sunderland away not at home. They'll probably have nothing to play for, but that could be a tricky encounter.
 
Just heard about the Atkinson appointment :nervous:

I know we're unlikely to do it, but I'd prefer us to approach the game like a Champions League away game; setting-up with an extra man in midfield, rather than having Rooney play that inbetween role behind Welbeck. It'll be interesting to see if Harry sets-up the same without Parker but regardless I'd prefer to focus on the central midfield battle. Also if Welbeck plays for England in midweek then he might need a bit of rest.

Assuming we get Valencia and Rooney back, then I'd like to see:

De Gea
Smalling---Rio---Evans---Evra
Carrick
Scholes---Giggs
Valencia---Rooney---Nani​

Perhaps Jones over Smalling, but Rafael might be a bit too risky in that atmosphere with Atkinson waiting for his chance to grab the headlines. If Valencia can't make it then move Nani right and bring Park left to help Evra if Lennon starts.
 
Does Atkinson favour London teams or just anyone facing United in an important game? Any road its not going to be the walk in the park some think and its entirely feasible we draw or lose, depending on the way we approach the game
 
Antisocial said:
Just heard about the Atkinson appointment :nervous:

I know we're unlikely to do it, but I'd prefer us to approach the game like a Champions League away game; setting-up with an extra man in midfield, rather than having Rooney play that inbetween role behind Welbeck. It'll be interesting to see if Harry sets-up the same without Parker but regardless I'd prefer to focus on the central midfield battle. Also if Welbeck plays for England in midweek then he might need a bit of rest.

Assuming we get Valencia and Rooney back, then I'd like to see:

De Gea
Smalling---Rio---Evans---Evra
Carrick
Scholes---Giggs
Valencia---Rooney---Nani​

Perhaps Jones over Smalling, but Rafael might be a bit too risky in that atmosphere with Atkinson waiting for his chance to grab the headlines. If Valencia can't make it then move Nani right and bring Park left to help Evra if Lennon starts.
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In the last 3 matches against Spurs, 3-0, 2-0 and 0-0 to United, Jones kept Bale quiet on the right in the last game and Rafael in the two before that. I believe Rafael was injured for the game this season, but with him playing his best stuff lately, I have confidence he can keep Bale quiet again.
 
Crustanoid said:
Does Atkinson favour London teams or just anyone facing United in an important game? Any road its not going to be the walk in the park some think and its entirely feasible we draw or lose, depending on the way we approach the game
Click to expand...
Both I think. He was the linesman at Highbury in the title decider in 2003 when Arsenal got two offside goals in the 2-2 game. Disliked him ever since, and got more reasons now of course.
 
gooDevil said:
In the last 3 matches against Spurs, 3-0, 2-0 and 0-0 to United, Jones kept Bale quiet on the right in the last game and Rafael in the two before that. I believe Rafael was injured for the game this season, but with him playing his best stuff lately, I have confidence he can keep Bale quiet again.
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Agree, I'd have Rafael in the starting lineup again.

Had Bale in his pocket last time they played against each other.
 
gooDevil said:
In the last 3 matches against Spurs, 3-0, 2-0 and 0-0 to United, Jones kept Bale quiet on the right in the last game and Rafael in the two before that. I believe Rafael was injured for the game this season, but with him playing his best stuff lately, I have confidence he can keep Bale quiet again.
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I'd agree on that point; Rafael has had very good games against Bale and Rafael is in great form so in that respect I'd trust him completely - but with his red card there last season and Atkinson being involved then I think playing him might be a little riskier than the alternatives.
 
Antisocial said:
Just heard about the Atkinson appointment :nervous:

I know we're unlikely to do it, but I'd prefer us to approach the game like a Champions League away game; setting-up with an extra man in midfield, rather than having Rooney play that inbetween role behind Welbeck. It'll be interesting to see if Harry sets-up the same without Parker but regardless I'd prefer to focus on the central midfield battle. Also if Welbeck plays for England in midweek then he might need a bit of rest.

Assuming we get Valencia and Rooney back, then I'd like to see:

De Gea
Smalling---Rio---Evans---Evra
Carrick
Scholes---Giggs
Valencia---Rooney---Nani​

Perhaps Jones over Smalling, but Rafael might be a bit too risky in that atmosphere with Atkinson waiting for his chance to grab the headlines. If Valencia can't make it then move Nani right and bring Park left to help Evra if Lennon starts.
Click to expand...

I like this team. I would swap Smalling for Rafael though. Rafael kept Bale quiet last season and I really trust him in dealing with fast wingers.

The midfield needs the extra body. If not VDV and Modric have the ability to create chances with time on the ball.

Huge game this.
 
Everyone needs to shut up with this 'second last big/difficult game'.

All the games are big from here on out. We had a tough time beating Norwich. There aren't any automatic 3 point games out there.

It's fine being confident but not respecting the small teams can turn out to be a disaster.

Look at our CL group qualifying.
 
I think we should go 442 against them, well 4411 with Rooney in the hole. I don't think their defence is that great and they'll be without parker too. If Rooney's injured i'd go for a three, but if he's fit get him on with Welbeck ahead, Nani and Young wide. We're at our best at a fast tempo. Dunno about who I'd go for over giggs or scholes. I don't think Scholes will be pressed too greatly by their centre mids but I think Giggs would be able to cope with their counter attacks a lot better.
 
RedDevilCanuck said:
Everyone needs to shut up with this 'second last big/difficult game'.

All the games are big from here on out. We had a tough time beating Norwich. There aren't any automatic 3 point games out there.

It's fine being confident but not respecting the small teams can turn out to be a disaster.

Look at our CL group qualifying.
Click to expand...

Agreed, the season is far from over yet.

We are notorious (are we?) for dropping points against relegation contenders in the closing games of the season.
 
Are we any more notorious for dropping points against relegation contenders than our rivals are?
 
De Gea

Rafael
Ferdinand
Smalling
Evra

Valencia
Jones
Carrick
Nani

Rooney
Hernandez
 
Colin129 said:
Agreed, the season is far from over yet.

We are notorious (are we?) for dropping points against relegation contenders in the closing games of the season.
Click to expand...

I'd say we may have dropped points against the lesser teams late on in the season when we'd already won the title with a few games to go, possibly, as happened on a few occasions. The title won't be wrapped up by anyone that early, and hasn't been for a while now. I'd imagine going into the run-in, if we're within striking distance or in a lead we'll be pretty ruthless with the lesser teams we have to face.
 
I would be seriously tempted to go with a tight 3 man midfield in this one, something like Carrick/Jones/Scholes. I do not think we can play both Giggsy and Scholes in this game at the sametime, hence Jones in to do the "Fletch" role and get stuck into thier middle men and not allow them time on the ball.

Back 4 of Rafael, Jones, Rio and Evra and a front 3 of Valencia(if fit), Rooney and possibly Park or Young on the left to protect Evra defensively as Walker and Lennon are a handful for anyone, especially if you are not so solid defensifely as going forward. Nani to replace Valencia if not fit.

My heart say Man United to win this(we always beat Spurs) but my head says take a draw at White Heart Lane against a very good attacking team.

Prediction:- 3-2 us!!!! feck it. feck the draw!!!
 
RedDevilCanuck said:
Everyone needs to shut up with this 'second last big/difficult game'.

All the games are big from here on out. We had a tough time beating Norwich. There aren't any automatic 3 point games out there.

It's fine being confident but not respecting the small teams can turn out to be a disaster.

Look at our CL group qualifying.
Click to expand...

No need to look to Europe. Just remember this:

_57637544_57637543.jpg
 
Oh noes, but they have BALEBALEBALE.
 
VDV won't do much defensive work anyway, more worried about the quality of Modric rather than their numbers in midfield.
 
AttackingFlair said:
VDV won't do much defensive work anyway, more worried about the quality of Modric rather than their numbers in midfield.
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No Parker means Sandro will most likely be given the task of screening the midfield, and he's just coming back from an injury (I think?).

Modric was a no-show against us bar that one nice pass that lead to Bale's dive, so long as United's midfield harass and press hard up on Tottenham's you'll overrun them. If both sides play 442 then there will be a lot more space in the midfield for players like Modric (and Scholes) to excel.
 
cesc's_mullet said:
No Parker means Sandro will most likely be given the task of screening the midfield, and he's just coming back from an injury (I think?).

Modric was a no-show against us bar that one nice pass that lead to Bale's dive, so long as United's midfield harass and press hard up on Tottenham's you'll overrun them. If both sides play 442 then there will be a lot more space in the midfield for players like Modric (and Scholes) to excel.
Click to expand...

Yeah.... thats not going to happen.
 
cesc's_mullet said:
^

Well then it's probably going to be end to end stuff.
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Hopefully it's not. Our defence has been seen to go missing at times when teams counter attack. We should sit back a lot deeper and play the counter attack.
 
Constantly changing the back four isn't going to help us - I'd try and stick with the same defence as we played at Norwich.
 
Evans has improved alot but I still rate Smalling above him. Whether I rate Ferdinand above Evans is a more difficult question, I'd say just.
 
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