Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United

antohan said:
Just stick in Chicharo and Berba for Rooney and Young.

I'm not sure people realise how important the Wolves game is. We need to keep them under pressure as they have the Chelsea and Stoke games before we play again. Dropping points at Wolves would be a monumental feckup.

I was counting on 4 points dropped from the next three fixtures, three down, six to go :D
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Surely Wolves are much less daunting opposition than Bilbao?
 
Wolves are going to do their usual game raising routine and run their socks off against us. Similar to what Bilbao are going to do as well to be fair. We'll need to be fresh for both games so SAF is going to have to juggle things around well. If we go with our strongest team both games there's a chance we might look jaded against Wolves. If we were still in the CL I reckon SAF would have gambled on the West Brom game and played our strongest team midweek. Now it makes sense to gamble on the Bilbao game.
 
I'd rest Rooney, Rio and Carrick for the far more important match at the weekend. Berbatov Hernandez up front should be decent.
 
Burrow said:
Lindegaard is still injuried, isnt he? Not that anything in that lineup makes any sense though.
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Reflects how I'd want to keep as many first teamers away from the team as possible...

It also gives Tom and Ando minutes along with the youngster chomping at the bit for a first team appearance.
 
wr8_utd said:
I'd rest Rooney, Rio and Carrick for the far more important match at the weekend. Berbatov Hernandez up front should be decent.
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I'd be tempted to put 3 in the centre of midfield after what happened at ours...

I'd like to see Evra, Rooney, Rio, Carrick and possibly Jones rested along with Young.
 
Pretty sure Andersons injured. Coming up with a midfield 3 would be quite the struggle if we want to rest Scholes, Carrick and Jones. Cleverly, Giggs and?
 
kps88 said:
Pretty sure Andersons injured. Coming up with a midfield 3 would be quite the struggle if we want to rest Scholes, Carrick and Jones. Cleverly, Giggs and?
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Pogba wants a game ;)

Didn't know Ando was injured again...he came on against Bilbao last week.

I suppose I just see Wolves away on Sunday as much more pressing.

They were dire last year and beat us last year.
 
Not sure Jones needs to be rested. Him, Smalling and Rafael can rotate at right back for the run-in.

If we're coming up with a long list of players that we really don't want getting injured in a mickey mouse cup competition, I'd wrap Evans in cotton wool long before Jones.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Not sure Jones needs to be rested. Him, Smalling and Rafael can rotate at right back for the run-in.

If we're coming up with a long list of players that we really don't want getting injured in a mickey mouse cup competition, I'd wrap Evans in cotton wool long before Jones.
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There's a case for Evans yeah.

I've been really impressed watching him. So pleased we're watching him playing with confidence and concentration again.
 
Colin129 said:
Surely Wolves are much less daunting opposition than Bilbao?
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But I frankly couldn't care less about beating Bilbao relative to having City hosting Chelsea and visiting Stoke 4 points behind.

If we beat Wolves we could quite conceivably end up 2 ahead with a game in hand by the time we play our next game.

If we don't they'll reclaim top spot against Chelsea and brush Stoke aside to leave us chasing again.

That's how important I think it is.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
If we're coming up with a long list of players that we really don't want getting injured in a mickey mouse cup competition, I'd wrap Evans in cotton wool long before Jones.
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It's more freshness than injuries that I'm considering.

Rest critical oldies: Rio and Scholes (particularly Scholes for an away game)

Rest key players who are overworked: Evra

Rest key players who are overworked and we can't afford to get injured: Rooney, Carrick and Young so long as Valencia is not back. Not sure what Welbeck's status is.

Evans would be here as well but Rio and Evra probably need the rest more, can't chalk everyone off.

Can we still beat Bilbao with what is leftover? Maybe not. So what?
 
I tell you what, why don't we just not turn up then?

They, frankly, humiliated us at home so we are going to go there with an understrength side & get gang raped?

How do you think that will help the moral in the dressing room for the run in?

I just can't see SAF bowing meekly out of the Europa Cup.
 
Colin129 said:
I tell you what, why don't we just not turn up then?

They, frankly, humiliated us at home so we are going to go there with an understrength side & get gang raped?

How do you think that will help the moral in the dressing room for the run in?

I just can't see SAF bowing meekly out of the Europa Cup.
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--------------DeGea
Rafael--Smalling---Evans---Fabio
-----Ando----Jones---Cleverley
Nani-------Chicharito--------Giggs

Shouldn't get gang-raped at all.

I would like to see Berbatov get some playing time though but you probably wouldn't start with him to keep a stronger midfield.
 
Reading this thread you'd think this is our first time we're participating in a European competition, along with a tight title race. If the players can't handle 2 important games in 3 days something is wrong.
 
adexkola said:
Reading this thread you'd think this is our first time we're participating in a European competition, along with a tight title race. If the players can't handle 2 important games in 3 days something is wrong.
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This.

Pretty sure we got through three Champions League finals in the past five years and won the major of league titles in that time playing Wednesday and Saturday so I can't see why it'd be an issue to play basically the same team Thursday and Sunday.

We should go to Bilbao to win. If Rooney scores again it'll only increase his confidence and keep his hot streak up. Just look how much better a player Young has been since he started scoring against Ajax in the Europa League? It never hurts to win.
 
adexkola said:
Reading this thread you'd think this is our first time we're participating in a second-rate European competition that nobody gives two shits about, along with a tight title race. If the players can't handle 2 important games in 3 days something is wrong.
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Fixed that for you and yes, it is indeed the first time.
 
I appreciate all these arguments against playing a weak side.

Then I think of 'Title Number 20' and 'Legendary United Title Comeback Over City' and the scales of judgement are tipped to the extreme.
 
So I checked the tables, and Wolves are second from bottom.

I would be disappointed if we rested players at a difficult away game at Bilbao because we were playing Wolves in 3 days ffs. Listen to yourselves, and man up you timid cnuts
 
adexkola said:
:lol:

Well yeah, but I don't think 9 changes are necessary to give our players some rest. Winning away to Bilbao can't hurt our title chase. If we really don't care about this competition, play the reserves then.
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Nah, rather we give our first teamers some rest. Can't risk injuries imo. Possibly start Valencia so he can get his match fitness back and then take him off. Scoring 2 and keeping a clean sheet away against Athletic is pretty darn difficult.
 
We'll get injuries for the rest of the season, regardless of what competitions we're in. Look at Anderson, out for the rest of the season without kicking a ball

Like I said earlier, the thought of City winning the league has driven everyone insane
 
adexkola said:
So I checked the tables, and Wolves are second from bottom.

I would be disappointed if we rested players at a difficult away game at Bilbao because we were playing Wolves in 3 days ffs. Listen to yourselves, and man up you timid cnuts
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Except of course they were bottom of the table when we went there last season and we were undefeated - which didn't end too well for us.

We have to give Wolves full respect (and indeed every other team in our "straight-forward" run-in) and hit them with both barrels. The fear of getting another battering from Bilboa would be the only reason for me not resting the full proposed Wolves starting 11.

Disrespectful to the Europa League yes, but gambling the league doesn't seem worth it for me - though I freely admit to having been spoiled by success these last 20 years.
 
I just want us to put reasonable teams out in every match we play, that gives us a very good chance of beating the opposition. And playing Jones and Park in midfield doesn't count as reasonable
 
Does anyone think we will go through? I think we will play a similar squad to last week, and win 2-1 with Athletic Club scoring late. I really hope not.
 
rcoobc said:
Does anyone think we will go through? I think we will play a similar squad to last week, and win 2-1 with Athletic Club scoring late. I really hope not.
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Which may well happen even at full strength, if it then costs us the Wolves game I would be really fecked off.

Screw it, no point throwing the kitchen sink at them so we may as well just go for a team that may knick it but will in all likelihood just play out an elimination without getting battered.

--------------DeGea
Rafael--Smalling---Evans---Fabio
----Pogba----Jones---Cleverley
Nani-------Chicharito--------Giggs

Subs: Amos, Valencia, Berbatov, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Rooney (the last three in case they are worth playing in the last 20mins or so)
 
adexkola said:
Reading this thread you'd think this is our first time we're participating in a European competition, along with a tight title race. If the players can't handle 2 important games in 3 days something is wrong.
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My balls.

It's a consolation cup. Nothing else.
 
I would hope Fergie still plays Young now when he's playing better again, he still needs as much playing time as possible.

De Gea in goal of course, would have Rafael back as right back, probably Smalling-Evans in the centre or Smalling-Jones if Evans needs a rest and Fabio left back.

Not really sure of the midfield but hopefully Anderson-Cleverley if they are both fit and ready to start. Park-Young as wingers. Save Giggs to have him to play some part in the Wolves game, we lost there last year and should have his experience for that.

Berbatov and Hernandez up front.

Not sure Fergie will play a weaker side, but hope he does. I would not rule us out anyway.
 
I would hope Fergie still plays Young now when he's playing better again, he still needs as much playing time as possible.

De Gea in goal of course, would have Rafael back as right back, probably Smalling-Evans in the centre or Smalling-Jones if Evans needs a rest and Fabio left back.

Not really sure of the midfield but hopefully Anderson-Cleverley if they are both fit and ready to start. Park-Young as wingers. Save Giggs to have him to play some part in the Wolves game, we lost there last year and should have his experience for that.

Berbatov and Hernandez up front.

Not sure Fergie will play a weaker side, but hope he does. I would not rule us out anyway.
 
Apparently Ando is out for the rest of the season. More of a reason to give Pogba a start and see what he can do in a game with everything to play for.

Would rather give Valencia a rounout to regain fitness and keep the more in-form wing man fresh for Sunday.
 
I didn't think the Wolves game was this weekend because of the cup ties, ugh. I guess Fergie will have to drop some of our main players for this game which is a shame, I'd like for us to win this cup despite how some feel about it.
 
Who we plan to play at Wolves will dictate who we can play against Bilbao.

Jones Evans Rio Evra
Carrick Scholes
Young Rooney Giggs
Welbeck

Jones played 270 minutes in the last 8 days, I can see him getting a rest, Scholes and Rio should definitely rest, and Carrick and Evra may benefit from one as well.

Nani may be back in time, but if not we have to have Giggs ready to play 90 minutes, so I wouldn't risk him either. That leaves us very light in midfield, even if we play Jones he's not a player we can expect to win a game in midfield for us yet. Hopefully we can play Cleverley or Anderson, but if not, do we play Pogba and Park? That does seem like a potential problem.

We gave a lot of important games to Gibson, CL semifinals, so it doesn't seem insulting to give Pogba a start in the Europa League, especially when it's because of injuries. I'd just hope Cleverley or Anderson is fit to play with him. While i like Park as a winger and as an attacking midfielder, as a central midfielder he's awkward.
 
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