Sunday 23rd December 2012
Barclays Premier League
Liberty Stadium
KO: 1330 GMT
Swansea City vs. Manchester United
- Thread starter nemanja15
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Sunday 23rd December 2012
Barclays Premier League
Liberty Stadium
KO: 1330 GMT
No match midweek? Again? 
This will be a tricky game. Our defence needs to be at their best to stop Michu.
With City facing Reading at home the day before, pressure will be on us again.
Stick the strongest side out again.
De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Cleverley Carrick Young
Rooney Van Persie
With City facing Reading at home the day before, pressure will be on us again.
Stick the strongest side out again.
De Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Cleverley Carrick Young
Rooney Van Persie
Gonna be a very tough game this, we'll do well to pick up all 3 points
De gea
Rafael Ferdinand smalling Evra
Valencia Carrick Cleverley young
Rooney van persie
No need to rush vidic back, but I wouldn't be surprised to see us tie this one. Always a tricky place to go to, and we'll need to be at our best.
Rafael Ferdinand smalling Evra
Valencia Carrick Cleverley young
Rooney van persie
No need to rush vidic back, but I wouldn't be surprised to see us tie this one. Always a tricky place to go to, and we'll need to be at our best.
Same team as the first half today. No reason at all to change it and easily the best consistent 45 minutes of football we've played this season.
Swansea aren't the same team as last season ann if we can nullify Michu, we should be on the way to another 3 points.
Reading will get spanked by City so we need to keep our own run going
Swansea aren't the same team as last season ann if we can nullify Michu, we should be on the way to another 3 points.
Reading will get spanked by City so we need to keep our own run going
We play on the 23rd btw
De Gea
Rafael Vidic Ferdinand Evra
Carrick Cleverley
Valencia Rooney Young
Persie
Rafael Vidic Ferdinand Evra
Carrick Cleverley
Valencia Rooney Young
Persie
I think Swansea have massively improved since last season in that they don't just seem to be keeping possession for possessions sake anymore. They're more attacking and positive. Their one and two touch link up play is nice to watch and effective and they do actually have more goal threats and creative players than Michu. Pablo Hernandez, Dyer and Routlege are ones to watch also.
I don't think it'll be easy. They move the ball well and quickly.
I agree the same team as today just with Rafael instead. I will be happy with the three points but we can't go there thinking it'll be easy.
hopefully we'll see kagawa
As above, same team as today's first half, with Rafael for Jones.
Hopefully the same fight we saw against City if we have a fight on our hands, but I'd like to see more hunger than today if we're in control. So fecking frustrating to watch us coast, lazily knocking the ball around at the back, when every time we go forwards its a doddle. We should have had five today, and I'd like to see us be more ambitious if we get a lead against Swansea. Although obviously it'll be a much more difficult match.
Hopefully the same fight we saw against City if we have a fight on our hands, but I'd like to see more hunger than today if we're in control. So fecking frustrating to watch us coast, lazily knocking the ball around at the back, when every time we go forwards its a doddle. We should have had five today, and I'd like to see us be more ambitious if we get a lead against Swansea. Although obviously it'll be a much more difficult match.
Swansea are pretty decent at home too.. They'll keep the ball for large parts.. we need to defend well and be clinical.
Our strongest team, no faffing about. If we want to rotate we can do that against Newcastle at home but Swansea can cause us problems so we shouldn't risk it by throwing in Giggs or Scholes.
If we play like we did today for the full 90 minutes, Swansea will be spending most of the time worrying about our attacking movement and link up play though!
I would personally keep Jones in, thought he was excellent today and managed to do a similar job to Rafael as in he defended well, as well as supporting Valencia in attack. I would not change a thing from the start.
In a bizarre situation, I'd like to see Rafael given a chance as an attacking RW with defensive responsibilities! Valencia needs to have a think about what made him a get, very feared winger 12-18 months ago and bring it back to the football pitch!!
I would personally keep Jones in, thought he was excellent today and managed to do a similar job to Rafael as in he defended well, as well as supporting Valencia in attack. I would not change a thing from the start.
In a bizarre situation, I'd like to see Rafael given a chance as an attacking RW with defensive responsibilities! Valencia needs to have a think about what made him a get, very feared winger 12-18 months ago and bring it back to the football pitch!!
It'l be a tough game but as usual, a lot will depend on the team we put out and our mentality. If we play to close to our best, we'l win. We'l need to be solid defensively though, Swansea play some very good stuff.
If we don't sort our defence, we will find this fixture very awkward indeed. We need RVP and Rooney to score a few, as usual, then.
Im going for 4-5 United and putting money on it and im not kidding.
Hard game this. A draw would fine if we went on and won our consequent Christmas/New Year fixtures.
very true. they've improved their manager and are much more incisive.
Very tough game this. Three points would be awesome.
We don't do too well against teams who pass and keep the ball well. Both sides will score goals in this fixture.
If we win this I'll be delighted as its one of the toughest games we will have this season.
I know we need squad rotation with the busy festive period but would love us to put out our strongest team for this - no mucking about.
Probably another high scoring game - wouldn't be surprised to see 4-2 to united with the boys having to mount a comeback.
I know we need squad rotation with the busy festive period but would love us to put out our strongest team for this - no mucking about.
Probably another high scoring game - wouldn't be surprised to see 4-2 to united with the boys having to mount a comeback.
Not sure I agree with that, Barcelona aside; we have an excellent record against Arsenal, for instance. United tend to struggle more with physically powerful sides who play a pressing game.
Swansea's home record this season is nothing to write home about - they have recorded only three wins, which is the same as Liverpool!
The same side as Saturday would be great, with Rafael maybe getting a recall. Just hope Carrick is fit, though.
This game scares me a little.
I hope we keep the same line-up as the last game and go up early. My guess is a nervy 2-1 win.
I hope we keep the same line-up as the last game and go up early. My guess is a nervy 2-1 win.
Really nervous about this game, then again I am nervous about every away game in the league. Should play our strongest team, if available.
De Gea, Rafael, Rio, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick (fit?), Cleverley, Young, Rooney, RvP.
De Gea, Rafael, Rio, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick (fit?), Cleverley, Young, Rooney, RvP.
LWWWWLWWWWWLWWWWW...
If we want to win this game, there's a pattern to break.
If we want to win this game, there's a pattern to break.
Watched the Spurs game against Swansea earlier. They sat back and let Tottenham have all the possession they wanted. If they do that to us I can see United score a handful and maybe conceding one on the break. If they try and outplay us and keep the ball on the other hand we'll probably score a few as well, with RVP and Rooney in this form and mistake by the defence is going to be punished.
To be fair, getting a point wouldn't be the worst result in the world*
They're a good side Swansea, especially at home, and with neither Chelsea or City being able to win there in 2012, I don't think anyone should expect to just go there and get 3 points.
Midfield will be interesting with Carrick injured. You'd imagine he'd go for Fletcher/Cleverley in order to hurry/harass their passing midfield game. However, as this is Fergie... he may want to try beat them at their own game... which would be Scholes/Cleverley (who to be fair played well together against Sunderland, it was only when Cleverley came off that things went a little of course)... though out of the two, I'd probably like prefer to see Option 1 then Option 2, then at least we can bring Scholesy on if things are looking a bit shit.
(*apart from on here where it would be a sure-fire sign that the Mayan's are right)
Our bad luck with injuries is just shocking. I'm hoping Carrick coming off was precautionary considering the amount of games we have coming up.
Swansea kind of did the same against Arsenal, soaked up the pressure then got two late goals. The same tactic didn't work against Tottenham last night though. It was actually quite a negative way to play considering how good they are with the ball.
City beat them 1-0 with a late Tevez goal but I actually think that for the duration of the game Swansea out played them and deserved a point minimum.
It'll be interesting to see the approach they take against us. Sitting back and hitting us on the break and set-pieces seem to be the tactic of most mid-lower table teams use against us these days.
I worry a bit if Carrick isn't available. Especially as we have games in quick succession after this one. I wonder if we could do a Midfield 3 of Cleverley-Fletcher-Scholes or is that too negative?
Swansea kind of did the same against Arsenal, soaked up the pressure then got two late goals. The same tactic didn't work against Tottenham last night though. It was actually quite a negative way to play considering how good they are with the ball.
City beat them 1-0 with a late Tevez goal but I actually think that for the duration of the game Swansea out played them and deserved a point minimum.
It'll be interesting to see the approach they take against us. Sitting back and hitting us on the break and set-pieces seem to be the tactic of most mid-lower table teams use against us these days.
I worry a bit if Carrick isn't available. Especially as we have games in quick succession after this one. I wonder if we could do a Midfield 3 of Cleverley-Fletcher-Scholes or is that too negative?
So pissed. The week I go on week-long holiday is the week United plays 3 times (Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday).
Wouldnt the pattern be us winning our next and losing the game after that?
The number of win between losses is increasing according to this. First it was 4, then 5, now it has to be 6. We'll beat Swansea then.
It's possible but we would have to take Valencia out of the side then, which I wouldn't mind on current form. That would also leave us to play a sort of lopsided formation with Young out left and maybe Fletcher or Cleverley as a narrow right midfielder. Of course this would leave Rafael or Jones to provide the width on the right which is entirely possible as well.
Alternatively Rooney could be moved out left, but I really don't like the sound of that considering he has done very well together with van Persie up front.
If Swansea want to keep possession and try to control the game we would probably want Valencia to help counter-attacking.
If Carrick is fit I'd like us to stick to the same team as last time and bringing Rafael in for Jones.
As much as I loved the first half performance against Sunderland (arguably our best of the season), I wonder if the diamond might be a better starting formation in this one:
Cleverley, Young and Rooney could then have the licence to move around quite a bit in the middle to contend with Swansea's passing, whilst Hernandez gives the defenders something extra to think about. Valencia arguably isn't a strong option for us right now, so might not be that much of a sacrifice. We'd also have the personnel on the pitch to switch to the traditional 4-4-2 variation if that wasn't working (though admittedly that would mean Rooney moving wide). Scholes might not be a bad option in the Young position in that formation with the younger legs around him, but I'd prefer to keep him on the bench until an hour or so into the game.
Very tasty fixture this one, and one where I'll have to stop my admiration for Michu - the god of my fantasy team
De Gea
Rafael===Ferdinand===Smalling===Evra
Carrick
Cleverley===Young
Rooney
Chicharito===Van Persie
Rafael===Ferdinand===Smalling===Evra
Carrick
Cleverley===Young
Rooney
Chicharito===Van Persie
Cleverley, Young and Rooney could then have the licence to move around quite a bit in the middle to contend with Swansea's passing, whilst Hernandez gives the defenders something extra to think about. Valencia arguably isn't a strong option for us right now, so might not be that much of a sacrifice. We'd also have the personnel on the pitch to switch to the traditional 4-4-2 variation if that wasn't working (though admittedly that would mean Rooney moving wide). Scholes might not be a bad option in the Young position in that formation with the younger legs around him, but I'd prefer to keep him on the bench until an hour or so into the game.
Very tasty fixture this one, and one where I'll have to stop my admiration for Michu - the god of my fantasy team
Actually, by this pattern, the losing game will be after Swansea. We lost and then won 4, lost then won 5, lost then will win 6?
Anyway, feck them patterns, let's go out as we did against Sunderland in the first 45 minutes. If we can't have Carrick fit, I wouldn't be against fitting Jones in CM and Rafa back at RB.
EDIT:
Motherfeckers, and here I was thinking I was so smart... sheeeeeeeeeeeeeiiit
Yup, as you Sarni and Prateik have pointed out. I was thinking more in terms of 'a win and then roughly 4/5 losses', rather than being strictly mathematical.
Anyway, it was tongue-in-cheek. The pattern means feck all, it's Swansea's game that we have to contend with.
Must win is this.
I read quotes this morning from Ashley Williams saying Swansea were going to attempt to starve us of possession and limit our service to RVP.
Seemed odd-ish considering we didn't dominate possession against City and that didn't stop us, and also since we have 17 (or something like that?) different goal scorers this season so cutting RvP out is no foolproof plan either (we aren't Liverpool).
Anyway I suppose he had to say something.
I'm positive, but hoping this game doesn't end up being a banana skin. They've lost two or three in a row now so will either be lacking a bit of confidence or determined to bounce back. I like Swansea but this weekend I'm hoping its the former.
Seemed odd-ish considering we didn't dominate possession against City and that didn't stop us, and also since we have 17 (or something like that?) different goal scorers this season so cutting RvP out is no foolproof plan either (we aren't Liverpool).
Anyway I suppose he had to say something.
I'm positive, but hoping this game doesn't end up being a banana skin. They've lost two or three in a row now so will either be lacking a bit of confidence or determined to bounce back. I like Swansea but this weekend I'm hoping its the former.
Same side as starting XI v Sunderland please. Maybe rotate Rafael & Jones over the course of those 3 games.
Also, how likely is Kagawa/Vidic to get a few minutes?
Also, how likely is Kagawa/Vidic to get a few minutes?