Carrick, Blind, Jones, Rojo all out for the Chelsea game - What now?!

Amethyst said:
da Silva at right back and Valencia either on right wing or in that 'right of a diamond' role he had against Everton earlier in the season could work. We'll need some physical presence in midfield especially if they play both Matic and Ramires in a two.
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I was thinking this as well - Valencia could be useful in a more advanced position so that he and Rafael can double up on Hazard.
 
Y
PlayerOne said:
Wow that's a huge blow, pretty much changes everything. If we had Blind or Carrick fit then we would have been fine, but to have them both injured is not good at all. Rooney in midfield doesn't sound good to me.
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Yeah I've gone from expecting a draw and hopeful of nicking it to thinking a draw would be a great result.
 
Scarecrow said:
*Ironic clapping for the medical team*
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:lol:

This is absolutely fecking shit. First choice players and their back-ups all missing - so many positions need to be messed around with to compensate in probably the hardest game of the season :mad:

And Blind's injury was caused by Kompany's challenge - probably the most useful thing he's done for City this season :mad:
 
There's always a fecking problem when we go to Stamford Bridge. fecks sake, it's like we're cursed.
 
Brwned said:
Not really. The matchday thread is primarily for matchday discussion. There's some pre-match build-up, sure, but it shouldn't absorb any and all match-related stories. Some use this simply as a discussion forum, some use it as a source of news also. Presented in a new thread means it can function as both, whereas packed away in the matchday thread it's much more difficult for people to see this news.
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The same things would be talked about in here and in the match one. But hey, that's just me.
 
antohan said:
The problem is the holding role. Keep the front 5 the same, Shaw and Blackett/McNair in defence.

Who is best suited for the Carrick holding/intercepting/keeping the shape role? Not Rooney's job IMO. There must be someone at the club who can just be a poor man's Carrick?

Worst thing you can do is upset everything to make up for the absence of one player.

fecks sake, knowing LvG he will try to tactic his way out of it, but the players aren't there yet in their ability to flex and respond.
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Could play McNair there & Blackett at centre back.
 
How long are they out for and what are the injuries?

Trying to see the positives, Jose has probably spent all week working out how to beat 433, in a way, we've done him here.
 
And some say that we don't need midfielders urgently ? :confused:

Two midfielders injured and we have no one to replace them.
 
Ah feck... Falcao is going to start isn't he? I'm not sure Stamford Bridge is really the place for his unintentional comedy routine.
 
This is awful. Very tough to get a win at SB now. Hopefully none of the injuries are serious and all will be back for Everton.
 
Also, what's really miraculous is that it's 4 people who can (and would) have played centre back had the man in-line before them been injured... (apart from Carrick, though he could still have played there)
 
Theres no way they are all injured.
He is writing this game off and saving them.
 
----------------Falcao------------
Young-----------------------Mata
---------Fellaini---Herrera-----
---------------Rooney------------
Shaw-Smalling-McNair-Valencia

Probably?

This fecking sucks
 
matt23 said:
How long are they out for and what are the injuries?

Trying to see the positives, Jose has probably spent all week working out how to beat 433, in a way, we've done him here.
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I'm almost surprised LVG didn't keep it quiet until the teams were announced. Mourinho would have prepared to play our usual 11.
 
I hope that he will keep Rooney upfront and play Di Maria, Rothwell or Pereira in midfield, it's not ideal but there is no point in weakening two areas at the same time.
 
Can't he just play Fellaini in DM and ADM in LCM?

As for CB, McNair or Blackett.
 
This gives some big opportunities to those who have been unable to get into our new stable XI. Let's hope they take them...
 
De Gea
Valencia McNair Smalling Young
Di Maria Fellaini Herrera
Mata
Rooney Falcao

It still looks decent although Falcao seriously weakens us and I'm not confident McNair is ready for this. The midfield is probably our only choice although I think van Gaal will drop Herrera and play Rooney there with van Persie (provided he's fit) up top.
 
Just when I had a bit of quiet confidence about this one...

I think we will just have to play Rooney in holding midfield as I just can't see any better option. Fellaini can't play there as his passing range is too poor and if Chelsea pressed us high, we'd be in huge trouble... with no long 'out ball' up the field either because Fellaini won't be there to provide the aerial threat.

Herrera could potentially do it but we'd lose that partnership he's built up with Mata and Valencia on the right that has worked so well recently.

Unfortunately playing Rooney in the holding role seems to be the only option that allows us to keep 'most' of the good balance in the team that we've had recently.
 
Park the bus.
JPRouve said:
I hope that he will keep Rooney upfront and play Di Maria, Rothwell or Pereira in midfield, it's not ideal but there is no point in weakening two areas at the same time.
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Pereira is with Brazil U20s. A possibility is Di Maria in for Carrick and push Fellaini back but Van Gaal will probably think that is too weak defensively and physically.
 
This is a great time to see if the team has indeed assimilated the philosophy. It will be interesting to watch.
 
Anyone else think he's spoofing to throw a spanner in the works for Mourinho's plans? I can see one or two being injured but I think if he has five players out I don't know why he is telling the media before a game of this magnitude, I think he will know that Mourinho has been preparing all week for our recent formation, tactics, line-ups..LVG is now saying go on guess what team I put out tomorrow night and are you fully prepared? Just my thoughts.
 
DomesticTadpole said:
We need midfielders and CB's not a CB but plural.
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We don't need CBs, we can replace the one we have but we don't need to add personals, in midfield it's different we don't have enough of them it's a quantity problem, when in defense it's a durability/quality problem.
 
RVP has a good record against Chelsea, and he has a point to prove, so it might be alright on the night

:nervous:
 
Could this be mind games from LvG? Have Chelsea set up differently, and then hit them with a surprise tomorrow, where one or two of the absentees make a miraculous recovery. Seems a bit fishy to me; all these injuries and then just blamming away at the fact that Rooney may play DM.
 
Will any of them be available next week for Everton game?
 
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