Manchester United v Birmingham

I think Evra needs a rest, this has been by far his poorest season I think. He's not been awful or anything, but he's not looked the player we've come to know and love these last few years. Give Fabio a chance. Stick O' Shea at right back, he's a solid enough player for a game like this.

van der Sar

O' Shea Vidic Ferdinand Fabio
Nani Anderson Fletcher Giggs
Rooney Berbatov

When is Park back by the way?

Should be a comfortable win, we're brilliant at home. 3-0.
 
I tend to agree, but it's not like they aren't able to play together. I can at least recall a 4-0 win over Wigan and a 4-1 win at Villa Park with Scholes and Ando paired together in a 4-4-2.

I don't think Anderson started that game? Was it the one where Pique set up Rooney and Tevez scored his first league goal for us? Anderson came off the bench and we scored all our goals late on iirc.

The Villa game is a fair point but I could come up with a bunch of other examples when the Scholes-Ando combination has been absolutely atrocious. With Carrick and Fletcher both fit and available it makes very little sense to pair up two CMs who have got reamed so often as a partnership before.
 
Speaking of kryptonite...

I wasn't the first in this thread to suggest the pairing of Anderson/Scholes in midfield, but since you're bringing it up, I'll be happy to give you my reason on why I picked this pairing to start in midfield.

Scholes is back and should play IMO, nobody plays like Paul Scholes and I think we've missed him since he got injured. Anderson is in great form and doesn't deserve to be dropped.
 
I don't think Anderson started that game? Was it the one where Pique set up Rooney and Tevez scored his first league goal for us? Anderson came off the bench and we scored all our goals late on iirc.

The Villa game is a fair point but I could come up with a bunch of other examples when the Scholes-Ando combination has been absolutely atrocious. With Carrick and Fletcher both fit and available it makes very little sense to pair up two CMs who have got reamed so often as a partnership before.

We started with Pique at RB, O'Shea in midfield and Anderson on the bench but Anderson came on after 20 minutes as Vidic was injured, with O'Shea moving to RB and Pique to CB. Simpson then came on for O'Shea and set up Rooney's header for the 4th goal. Tevez's first league goal was the header against Chelsea so his (from Anderson's pass) to open the scoring might have been his 2nd.
 
I don't think Anderson started that game? Was it the one where Pique set up Rooney and Tevez scored his first league goal for us? Anderson came off the bench and we scored all our goals late on iirc.

The Villa game is a fair point but I could come up with a bunch of other examples when the Scholes-Ando combination has been absolutely atrocious. With Carrick and Fletcher both fit and available it makes very little sense to pair up two CMs who have got reamed so often as a partnership before.

That was against Chelsea at home in a 2-0 win (the other being a last minute Saha dive/penalty).

The 4-0 against Wigan saw PIque start RB, then Vidic (I think, it was either him or Rio) go off injured and Gerard put into CB and Danny Simpson come on. Tevez got the first after holding off a bunch of Wigan defenders and then there was a Ronaldo brace (one was a great counter move) and what was at the time a rare Rooney header (set up by Simpson, who we were all very excited about at the time)
 
Anyway the Scholes - Anderson midfield pair has worked in the past (like at WHL last season), it's just that most people remember it from the Munich 50th Anniversary game when City won 2-0

2-1, actually.

I agree though that, though they were very poor in that game, the combination has been tried elsewhere and been far from a disaster.
 
Hope to see a few fresh faces tomorrow, Fabio, O'Shea, Obertan, Anderson, Owen maybe...

I'm expecting a comfortable enough win 2 or 3 nil win.
 
For some reason, left wing has always been Anderson's kryptonite.

I'd rather see Fletcher on the right and Nani left. Not ideal but we're a bit short of wingers at the moment.

I'd like to see Anderson play though. Maybe pair him up with Carrick again and give Scholes the last half hour or so, to sharpen him up for Blackpool?

Perhaps - I've seen him put in decent displays on the left, and I think that team would be strong enough, while giving Giggs a rest. But the same XI could play in a 4-3-3 with Rooney left-ish. Mind you I don't want to see that at home to Brum - Rooney up top please.
 
Perhaps - I've seen him put in decent displays on the left, and I think that team would be strong enough, while giving Giggs a rest. But the same XI could play in a 4-3-3 with Rooney left-ish. Mind you I don't want to see that at home to Brum - Rooney up top please.

we collapsed when Giggs went off and Anderson replaced him on the left against WBA at home.

their two goals were freakish. but until then we were totally dominant.
 
I don't mind who starts at Right Back - I'll be fine wit either of the three mentioned. To be honest, I'd like to see one of them get an hour, another half an hour, and the other just left on the bench or out of the squad completely. They all need some minutes on the pitch - but I think Brown and O'Shea would need it more than Fábio. At this stage of the season I think we'd need to bring in the experience of those two on occasion and having them match fit will be a huge benefit. Rafael will still be starting most of the time, though.

Despite Scholes being fresh, and Giggs having the six days rest after our last game (although having played 90 minutes in our last two matches) I wouldn't like to see both of them chosen in the same starting line-up. However, they continue to surprise us, so maybe it would work.

van der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov are a given. I think Giggs should still start.

van der Sar
Fábio Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Nani Fletcher Anderson Giggs
Berbatov Rooney​

Brown > Fábio
Scholes > Giggs
Hernandez > Berbatov

van der Sar
Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Fletcher Scholes Anderson
Nani Rooney Hernandez​

We've got a lot of options, it's just mainly about Giggs on the wing as I'd be less comfy with anyone else there really. Maybe Obertan will get another chance..

Just need to keep up our home form and win this.
 
wouldnt mind seeing ando in for either fletch or carrick. Fabio for Rafael and also would not mind seeing Hernandez in for Berba as would like to see rooney and hernandez partnership
 
Berba is out for this one - look at the lazy git in training - only one just chillin while the rest of them are working in the snow

Training Pics

Lazy Berba

You can't really call him lazy for that. He is just sitting down taking rest maybe. How do you know he is the only one resting? I don't see the rest of the players.
 
You can't really call him lazy for that. He is just sitting down taking rest maybe. How do you know he is the only one resting? I don't see the rest of the players.

108215352.jpg
 
Expect a difficult 2-0. Brum will just play defensively and look not concede. Hope we score early
 
Seconded ... it was just a joke ... you know based on how people find a way to take the smallest detail and change it to look Berba is a lazy git.

Good! Now I know I m not the only one finding it hard to read sarcasm on the internet.
 
I doubt it'll be a hammering, they set out away from home primarily not to concede. They've conceded 15 goals in 10 away games, rather low for a side doing so poorly overall. 2-0 sounds about right.
 
Anyway the Scholes - Anderson midfield pair has worked in the past (like at WHL last season), it's just that most people remember it from the Munich 50th Anniversary game when City won 2-0

More often than it doesn't work though. Carrick should play alongside another mid.
 
I doubt it'll be a hammering, they set out away from home primarily not to concede. They've conceded 15 goals in 10 away games, rather low for a side doing so poorly overall. 2-0 sounds about right.

That's how they set up home AND away.
 
This is a perfect game for us to really show our title rivals what we're all about and tear them apart. We are due another slaughtering IMO. 5-0 I reckon.
 
How many players are Fergie gonna rest today you think? Blackpool away in three days time.
 
I'm just going to say - FABIO AT RIGHT BACK PWEEEEEASSSSSSEEEEEE

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

Fabio --- Rio -----------Vidic --- Evra

Nani ----- Carrick ----- Ando --- Oberman

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

7-0 win