Manchester United vs. Birmingham City F.C.

We will quite literally shit all over them. Valencia, Owen, Berbatov and Rooney to score (2). 5-0.
 
Birmingham boss McLeish admits major concerns ahead of Man Utd kickoff

08.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish admits his preparations for their Premiership kickoff at Manchester United are in "crisis".
He said: "It’s rocky at the moment. We have some problems. We have had misfortune in the centre of defence. At this moment, I don’t have a clue how we will line up.
"I’ve not been able to work with Scott Dann or Roger Johnson. That has disrupted the game plan in defence. Martin Taylor has gone down with an ankle ligament problem. Liam Ridgewell is recovering from his broken leg and Giovanny Espinoza is off the pace.
"Franck Queudrue has had to go in and play at centre half. He’s going to play in the friendly against Sporting Gijon and he’s not fully fit. Johnson could be fit for Old Trafford. But he’s had six different partners in pre-season which, frankly, is ridiculous. It did cross my mind about playing someone like O’Connor there. He’s big, ugly and daft enough. But we will see what happens.
"We need someone to come in and do a Superman act for us. I don’t know whether we have enough bodies. I’m going into the friendly against Gijon with 14 fit outfield players and I’m going to add a couple of kids to that.
"The fans will be looking at it and thinking, 'What’s going on down there?' I’m sure Man Utd, if they had four out, would be saying the same thing, that it’s a crisis situation."

http://www.tribalfootball.com/birmi...s-major-concerns-ahead-man-utd-kickoff-262061

Smoke screen or 12-0 ?
 
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I can see 4-0 written all over this.
Anderson-20th
Rooney(2) ---37th, 52nd
Valencia ----- 70th
 
who expects nani to start alongside valencia.

Anyone thinks owen will start. He did start on Bench against Chelsea and won't be playing internationals.
 
championo said:
composition-5.php


I can see 4-0 written all over this.
Anderson-20th
Rooney(2) ---37th, 52nd
Valencia ----- 70th
Click to expand...

Why is our midfield all playing in a line?

I'd have Carrick in for Anderson but other than that I think its spot on. I'm expecting a tough game too, I admire everyones optimism but its the first day against a newly promoted team against the champions. They will be well up for this game.

I still expect us to win, mind.
 
After last season and the summer losses it will be important to hit the ground running ala 2006/07 just for the psychological aspect of it. A drubbing of the new boys will be a grand but I can see a dogged defence and bus parking tactics all over this one.

This may end up a scoreless draw
 
zub2007 said:
who expects nani to start alongside valencia.

Anyone thinks owen will start. He did start on Bench against Chelsea and won't be playing internationals.
Click to expand...
hasn't nani dislocated his shoulder?? surely he isnt fit is he??
 
I was reading a very good article the other day about the possibility of SAF starting Owen against the ''lesser'' teams in the Premiership.

So will he start against Birmingham?
 
ERICSAGOD said:
I was reading a very good article the other day about the possibility of SAF starting Owen against the ''lesser'' teams in the Premiership.

So will he start against Birmingham?
Click to expand...

Will be hoping he starts.
 
I think that first game of the season means Fergie will look to put out his strongest side. At the moment, I don't think that Owen will be in it. He'll want to give Rooney and Berbatov as many games as possible to get a proper understanding without the Portugeezer getting in their way (as such).

Opening day of 05/06 vs Everton - near enough our strongest team:
van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher, Keane, Scholes, Park, Rooney, van Nistelrooy.

Opening day of 06/07 vs Fulham - same once more:
van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra, Ronaldo, O'Shea, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha.

And 07/08 vs Reading (despite Evra playing out of position):
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Evra, Giggs, Rooney.

Finally, last year vs Newcastle (apart from the injury crisis up-front!):
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Campbell.

All this points towards Fergie going strong on the first day of this year, so I imagine we'll be seeing a similar team to the one that started on Sunday, in fact, I'd be surprised if there was more than just one change.
 
A draw = Birmingham relegated, United win title

07/08 - Reading - 0-0 - Reading relegated, United win Double
08/09 - Newcastle - 1-1 - Newcastle relegated, United win title
 
nemanja15 said:
I think that first game of the season means Fergie will look to put out his strongest side. At the moment, I don't think that Owen will be in it. He'll want to give Rooney and Berbatov as many games as possible to get a proper understanding without the Portugeezer getting in their way (as such).

Opening day of 05/06 vs Everton - near enough our strongest team:
van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher, Keane, Scholes, Park, Rooney, van Nistelrooy.

Opening day of 06/07 vs Fulham - same once more:
van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra, Ronaldo, O'Shea, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha.

And 07/08 vs Reading (despite Evra playing out of position):
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Evra, Giggs, Rooney.

Finally, last year vs Newcastle (apart from the injury crisis up-front!):
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Campbell.

All this points towards Fergie going strong on the first day of this year, so I imagine we'll be seeing a similar team to the one that started on Sunday, in fact, I'd be surprised if there was more than just one change.
Click to expand...

True, you do want to start of the new season with a good performance and 3 points and the best way to get that is to play the strongest team, but i do think Valencia will play and with internationals we might even see Owen.
 
we should win it comfortably, no more opening day struggles please.
 
If Scholes doesn't start it will be the first opening PL game that he's not started in since 2002. If he doesn't feature at all it will be the first Scholesless opening fixture since 1994. Since 1994 Scholes has started all of our opening fixtures except West Brom in 2002, where he was a sub.

Anyway, now that it isn't 3 30am, my optimum lineup for the day would be

Kuzczsak
O Shea Ferdinand Evans Evra
Valencia Scholes Fletcher Nani
Rooney Berbatov​

Carrick and Park to start in the midweek away at Burnley, which is likely to be a lot more scrappy than this fixture.
 
as i think Burnley away might be a bit more of fighting game thats why i think owen might start
 
nemanja15 said:
I think that first game of the season means Fergie will look to put out his strongest side. At the moment, I don't think that Owen will be in it. He'll want to give Rooney and Berbatov as many games as possible to get a proper understanding without the Portugeezer getting in their way (as such).

Opening day of 05/06 vs Everton - near enough our strongest team:
van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher, Keane, Scholes, Park, Rooney, van Nistelrooy.

Opening day of 06/07 vs Fulham - same once more:
van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra, Ronaldo, O'Shea, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha.

And 07/08 vs Reading (despite Evra playing out of position):
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Evra, Giggs, Rooney.

Finally, last year vs Newcastle (apart from the injury crisis up-front!):
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Campbell.

All this points towards Fergie going strong on the first day of this year, so I imagine we'll be seeing a similar team to the one that started on Sunday, in fact, I'd be surprised if there was more than just one change.
Click to expand...

I think Valencia will replace Park (who looked unfit on Sunday) and thats about it. Same team that played against Chelsea for me.
 
No one thinks international will play a part in team selection
 
Actually, now that I think about it. Scholes + Anderson in the middle might be the choice. With the Internationals we can expect the majority of our team to have played mid-week and travelled long distances. That said, it is the start of the season, no one's going to be that tired. Perhaps Nani will miss out on travelling with Portugal, Scholes obviously won't be playing for England and Anderson would be somewhat of an unlikely starter as well. This gives us almost complete freshness in midfield.. but I think we'll go for what most would regard as our strongest available team. There's little reason not to at the start of the season..
 
Foster
O'Shea---Ferdinand-Evans---Evra---
-------Fletcher------Carrick---------
---Valencia---Rooney---Silva--------
-------------Berbatov-------------​
 
Boothy said:
We have two Da Silva's

Thats fecking racist.
Click to expand...

I was joking, you have gone out of bounds
We have two Pereira da Silva, it is a Brazilian surname fused between mothers surname and Father's surname.
So I can called them Silva and it is fine. Do you know what da means in Portuguese?
Racist?
 
Yep definitely racist you're basically saying they all sound the same 'they' being racist. Infact it's so racist i think it deserves its own thread...
 
championo said:
I was joking, you have gone out of bounds
We have two Pereira da Silva, it is a Brazilian surname fused between mothers surname and Father's surname.
So I can called them Silva and it is fine. Do you know what da means in Portuguese?
Racist?
Click to expand...

I didnt understand that, so you're even more racist now, calling me racist just because I'm white :rolleyes:
 
4-1 I reckon. I think the starting lineup will be


Foster

O'Shea Ferdinand Evans Evra

Valencia Fletcher Carrick Park

Rooney Berbatov​

I think Nani should be on the bench in this one as a precaution. With it being the first game, I think we should/will go with our strongest team. Anderson, Nani, Fabio and Owen all to come in in midweek.
 
championo said:
composition-5.php


I can see 4-0 written all over this.
Anderson-20th
Rooney(2) ---37th, 52nd
Valencia ----- 70th
Click to expand...
Spot on with the team selection. We need attacking power, Fletcher will do fine in the lone holding role. Carrick and Park will be good options to have away at Burnley in order to win the ball and keep it.
 
PIG (assuming Foster not fit)

Fabio
Rio
Evans (assuming Vidic not fit)
Evra

Valencia
Carrick
Fletcher
Tosic (should be given a chance given Park's poor displays in pre-season)

Rooney
Berbatov
 
Hopefully if we get an early goal we'll batter them. No offence to Birmingham but it shouldn't really matter who we pick.
 
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