Tottenham v Manchester United

I reckon that it'll be a not so tough match for us, we're a much better side tbh.
 
Looking forward to this match - tough trip to the Lane, but will be an exciting match, especially with the potential of the attacking performers on the pitch.

Remember Anderson scored last season; predict he will do the same this time around.
 
It will be a very open game, Ferguson won't play anything but match Spurs' 4-4-2 in my opinion.

------------------------ VDS -------------------------

Rafael ----------- Rio ---------- Vidic ------------ Evra

Nani ---------- Scholes ------- Anderson --------- Giggs

----------------- Berbatov --- Rooney -----------------


(Would be nice IMO)
 
Scholes - Anderson combo would be a very bad idea.
 
It will be a very open game, Ferguson won't play anything but match Spurs' 4-4-2 in my opinion.

------------------------ VDS -------------------------

Rafael ----------- Rio ---------- Vidic ------------ Evra

Nani ---------- Scholes ------- Anderson --------- Giggs

----------------- Berbatov --- Rooney -----------------


(Would be nice IMO)

Won't happen.
 
Anyone remember the last time they played as a CM pairing?

Can't say that I do.

I would expect them to be run all over by Modric, Van Der Vaart and Jenas/Palacios though.

Carrick pust play.
 
We'll start with our away European shape and line up something like:

VDS
Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Fletcher Carrick
Nani -- Anderson -- Giggs
Rooney​

We'll go 2-0 down and at that point Fergie will throw Berbatov on for Fletcher and we'll win 3-4 :drool:

We'll finish up playing something like:

VDS
Ferdinand Vidic
Rafael Carrick Anderson Evra
Nani Hernandez Berbatov Rooney​

This
 
Yeah maybe it's too attacking and Scholes sitting deep wouldn't cover our defence - I was getting excited.

What do people think of the Carrick & Scholes partnership of old?

If we play 442 and Scholes is fit then i'd like that to be the pairing. Failing that then I'd rather have Carrick - Anderson rather than Carrick - Fletcher.

I don't think we'll see either though. It's got Fergie's 433 written all over it.
 
I wouldnt start Scholes in this one, its been too long since he last played to thrown him straight in. Back 5 picks itself. If its 4-4-2 i think it'll be.

Nani---Carrick---Anderson---Giggs

-------Berbatov---Rooney-------

If its 4-5-1 i think it'll be

---------------Carrick---------------

--------Fletcher------Anderson------

Nani--------------------------Rooney

---------------Berbatov-------------


I'd say the 4-5-1 is most likely.
 
If we play 442 and Scholes is fit then i'd like that to be the pairing. Failing that then I'd rather have Carrick - Anderson rather than Carrick - Fletcher.

I agree.


I really don't think we'll play 4-3-3 but I've been wrong in the past when trying to predict Sir Alex's line-ups. The 4-4-2 system seems to suit our current crop of players the best and Spurs will probably play the same way. Maybe we'll start off as a 4-3-3 and try to nick a goal and if they doesn't work out, bring on an extra striker and go 4-4-2.
 
I agree.



I really don't think we'll play 4-3-3 but I've been wrong in the past when trying to predict Sir Alex's line-ups. The 4-4-2 system seems to suit our current crop of players the best and Spurs will probably play the same way. Maybe we'll start off as a 4-3-3 and try to nick a goal and if they doesn't work out, bring on an extra striker and go 4-4-2.

I'd be pretty shocked if we don't line up in a 433.
 
How did we line up last season at the Lane? I can't remember.

442 with Fletcher on the right.

Man Utd: Foster, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Fletcher, Scholes, Anderson, Giggs; Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Carrick, Nani, Fabio Da Silva, Evans, Valencia.
 
Ah cheers for that CW, I remember now.

Fletcher on the right always makes me :nervous:

I don't mind him on the right in the correct circumstances. Has the legs to get up and down and puts in a decent ball.
 
love these games against Spurs. they're always eventful it seems so hoping for the same here with 3 points for us.
 
Not sure why, but I really do think this will be a season-defining match where the league is concerned. A lot of the other title contenders will be looking to see where we're really at, in terms of form. The general consensus seems to be that we aren't up to scratch, and have been ahead on the basis of playing the easier fixtures, a fair bit of luck, and grinding out undeserved results against lesser teams despite playing poorly. That's not to mention our very poor away form.

If we beat Spurs, arguably one of the in-form teams at their home ground, it may well dampen the hopes of the other teams. If we lose, they'll be smelling blood, and will be queueing up to beat us when we play at their home ground.
 
Not sure why, but I really do think this will be a season-defining match where the league is concerned. A lot of the other title contenders will be looking to see where we're really at, in terms of form. The general consensus seems to be that we aren't up to scratch, and have been ahead on the basis of playing the easier fixtures, a fair bit of luck, and grinding out undeserved results against lesser teams despite playing poorly. That's not to mention our very poor away form.

If we beat Spurs, arguably one of the in-form teams at their home ground, it may well dampen the hopes of the other teams. If we lose, they'll be smelling blood, and will be queueing up to beat us when we play at their home ground.
Yes, I agree with this.

It may also be a season-defining match for Spurs in terms of staying in 4th place and staying in touch with the league places above.

I wouldn't settle for a draw if offered now.
 
It will be a very open game, Ferguson won't play anything but match Spurs' 4-4-2 in my opinion.

------------------------ VDS -------------------------

Rafael ----------- Rio ---------- Vidic ------------ Evra

Nani ---------- Scholes ------- Anderson --------- Giggs

----------------- Berbatov --- Rooney -----------------


(Would be nice IMO)

I have a feeling we will get run over by their midfield if we play Ando-Scholes combo in a 2 man midfield. Neither of them can really defend and Scholes is not even fully fit, so it will be a disaster. If we add Fletcher or Carrick to the Ando-Scholes combo then we will be fine.
 
Not sure why, but I really do think this will be a season-defining match where the league is concerned. A lot of the other title contenders will be looking to see where we're really at, in terms of form. The general consensus seems to be that we aren't up to scratch, and have been ahead on the basis of playing the easier fixtures, a fair bit of luck, and grinding out undeserved results against lesser teams despite playing poorly. That's not to mention our very poor away form.

If we beat Spurs, arguably one of the in-form teams at their home ground, it may well dampen the hopes of the other teams. If we lose, they'll be smelling blood, and will be queueing up to beat us when we play at their home ground.

Good post, sums it up well.
 
Yes, I agree with this.

It may also be a season-defining match for Spurs in terms of staying in 4th place and staying in touch with the league places above.

I wouldn't settle for a draw if offered now.

Don't think its season defining for you in anyway. For you fourth place will come down to how you manage the CL etc and fixture congestion.
 
In theory I think 4-5-1 with Rooney on the left would be good, crowd out their talented midfielders, have someone to track VdV's runs. But I know how poor we've looked playing that this year. I say start with Rooney up front on his own
 
-----------Berbatov-------
--Giggs-----Rooney------Nani--
-------Carrick----Anderson-----
--Evra----Vidic---Rio---Rafael--
-------------VDS------------

Sounds good to me
 
Don't think its season defining for you in anyway. For you fourth place will come down to how you manage the CL etc and fixture congestion.
Not sure I agree.

It will show whether or not we've become good enough at home to beat the current league leaders/a team against which we have a bad record in recent years.

If Spurs win then confidence in the team will surge to new levels and the gap to the top will be cut to just 5 points (albeit you'll still have a game in hand): that will have a big knock-on effect for our season thereafter.
 
Spurs has been the starting point of a good run of form and performances in recent years, let's hope this is the same.
 
I've got a bit of a bad feeling about this one, but that probably means we'll go and stroll it 0-2+. I couldn't decide whether Fergie will show enough respect to Tottenham and play 433 (like we do with Chelsea and Arsenal most of the time, Liverpool in the past, and most recently Manchester City). But, since Harry is a bit narrow minded and trusts his 442 at times when he shouldn't, he'll probably go 442 and we can just match them. Although, I am being a bit critical there as they're at home and Harry has the right to go 442 and think they can win.

Kuszczak
Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Nani Carrick Anderson Giggs
Berbatov Rooney​

I think we're looking at that, really. It can easily shift to 433 with Giggs central and Rooney left. Normally I'd have said Fletcher for this, but his passing has been so off lately and Carrick's been rather steady. Anderson is on form, so he should be starting. Bench will probably include the likes of Lindegaard, Evans/Smalling, Obertan, Fletcher, Hernandez, Owen.. O'Shea / Brown / Fabio if fit etc.

Hopefully van der Sar makes it and Vidic is definitely fit (they have plenty of time to recover from whatever it was). Even if we lose I think we'll play well in this game and it'll be a great spectacle.
 
IHarry is a bit narrow minded and trusts his 442 at times when he shouldn't, he'll probably go 442 and we can just match them. Although, I am being a bit critical there as they're at home and Harry has the right to go 442 and think they can win.

Umm...Spurs have played a 4-4-1-1 formation basically all season thanks to van der Vaart's form.
 
Umm...Spurs have played a 4-4-1-1 formation basically all season thanks to van der Vaart's form.
It's basically the same thing, in my opinion. Gerrard was more of an 'attacker' when he was on form for Liverpool the other season, van der Vaart is the same.