I'm torn between keeping the same team as last week or going with the team you have stated. I personally think Hernandez's ability to run behind the defence & allowing Rooney to drop deep has worked really well and we should stick with it, but dropping Nani would be difficult given his performances this season.
Manchester United vs. Chelsea
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I'm torn between keeping the same team as last week or going with the team you have stated. I personally think Hernandez's ability to run behind the defence & allowing Rooney to drop deep has worked really well and we should stick with it, but dropping Nani would be difficult given his performances this season.
I think Hernandez will struggle against the backline of Chelsea. I also fear that the ref will be compensating for them a bit.
hope I'm wrong on both counts.
hope I'm wrong on both counts.
Depends what you mean by struggle.
The tactic of playing him last week worked perfectly.
who Is the ref this time?
Olegario Benquerenca from Portugal, the referee from the Wales vs England game.
He might not get any clear cut chances and he might get bullied off the ball on occasions but he's worth starting just for the amount of hassle he causes off the ball, dragging defenders all over the place.
that's true. if for nothing else he might keep them busy. he did have 2 chances last week. if the same happens again I'd fancy him to score at least on one.
I dont. I dont see how Terry and Ivanovic could possibly cope with Hernandez's pace and movement. We thumped a few too many high balls towards him last week which was playing right into Terrys hands but if we keep it on the deck Hernandez will stretch the feck out of them, creating serious space for others. I hope he starts.
in fergie we trust!
Wrong thread?
Yes, I've had 2 open. Sorry.
I would pick:
VDS
O'Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Nani
Scholes
Carrick
Park
Rooney
Hernandez
But I think Valencia will play instead of Nani, and we may opt for an extra CM (Giggs?) instead of Hernandez.
Will be really interesting to see who the 2 wide players will be. Both Nani and Valencia seem undroppable, but SAF has shown he'll put Nani on thhe bench, and he loves Park in these games.
VDS
O'Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Nani
Scholes
Carrick
Park
Rooney
Hernandez
But I think Valencia will play instead of Nani, and we may opt for an extra CM (Giggs?) instead of Hernandez.
Will be really interesting to see who the 2 wide players will be. Both Nani and Valencia seem undroppable, but SAF has shown he'll put Nani on thhe bench, and he loves Park in these games.
yeah, that what I was thinking when I wrote that. he has little hope of getting near the ball if it's always to his head, and the marking is tight.
feck me, getting nervous already....
As usual, I have sat on my arse tonight and been on here reading about this game and it has made me nervous as feck!!!!
I think I'd like to see us line up with an extra man in the centre of midfield. As much as we dominated the game at times last week, we still played a lot of long balls to the front two, which are pretty much pointless and play to the strengths of Mr. England.
I'd also play O'Shea RB, with Rafael to come on for some game time and try to push Ashley Cole back towards his own goal. Would probably go with:
VDS
O'Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Park
Scholes
Giggs
Nani
Rooney.
I'll probably change my mind on that in the next few minutes and then again a few minutes later but feel that this starting XI would help us keep the ball better and stop us playing long balls towards the front for it to be handed over to the Chelsea again.
Early goal would be nice
I think I'd like to see us line up with an extra man in the centre of midfield. As much as we dominated the game at times last week, we still played a lot of long balls to the front two, which are pretty much pointless and play to the strengths of Mr. England.
I'd also play O'Shea RB, with Rafael to come on for some game time and try to push Ashley Cole back towards his own goal. Would probably go with:
VDS
O'Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Park
Scholes
Giggs
Nani
Rooney.
I'll probably change my mind on that in the next few minutes and then again a few minutes later but feel that this starting XI would help us keep the ball better and stop us playing long balls towards the front for it to be handed over to the Chelsea again.
Early goal would be nice
Scholes looked well off the pace at the weekend, and played the 90 minutes, so I very much doubt he'll start. Carrick, Park, Rio, Giggs, VDS, Rooney all had rests so will be certain to start imo. And Valencia was subbed early, implying he'll start too..So that leaves us looking something like this...
VDS
RB? (O'Shea/Brown/Rafael)
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Giggs
CM? (Park?)
LW? (Park?) (Rooney?)
Valencia
Rooney (Hernandez?)
So depending on where Park plays, if he's in the middle then I guess Nani will start on the wing, but if he's on the wing himself, then maybe Anderson? Or maybe Rooney left, with Hernandez up top? Certainly got plenty of options and different permutations.
VDS
RB? (O'Shea/Brown/Rafael)
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Giggs
CM? (Park?)
LW? (Park?) (Rooney?)
Valencia
Rooney (Hernandez?)
So depending on where Park plays, if he's in the middle then I guess Nani will start on the wing, but if he's on the wing himself, then maybe Anderson? Or maybe Rooney left, with Hernandez up top? Certainly got plenty of options and different permutations.
Good point, and one that had completely slipped my mind.
Scholes unlikely to start on this 'news', which could result in Giggs playing in a CM role with both Nani and Valencia starting
Would you not play Valencia Knut? I think he's a certainty to start. We've won 6 out of 6 in all competitions since his return.
Yeah - check my last post.
I probably wouldn't have if Scholes was going to play as I just think Nani would be preferred over him. However, after being brought back up to speed on things, I'd be surprised if Valencia and Nani didn't start tomorrow.
If I'm honest, I have no idea what team to expect - 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-5-1. Rooney, Rooney and Hernandez, Rooney and Berb.
I have no fecking clue
So Giggs, Park and Carrick in central midfield along with Nani and Valencia with Rooney up top?
This team looks good but the problem we cannot defend all game. We absolutely have to score first to make our job easier in the second leg. Playing two strikers will really help our chances of scoring more.
I might just play the same 11 that played last week with Rooney, Park and Carrick in central midfield with Giggs and Nani/Valencia on the wings.
Yeah. I'd be relatively happy with that.
3 CMs who can all play the ball on the floor and do no have a tendency to panic and lump it forward. Plus the added bonus of having Carrick as the roamin DM, Park as the complete workhorse and Giggs who can generally do a bit of everything
I have a feeling Hernandez and Rooney are going to be sure starters. We need Chicharito's pace and energy to keep the game wide open. I am not saying Rooney is predictable but he falls deep often to get the ball even when he is the lone striker upfront. So we need Hernandez to play up top and Rooney in the hole behind him in a roaming position.
Isn't it great to have so many of our best players fit and it being such a difficult choice who to include & who to leave out?
The sort of difficult position SAF loves to find himself in...
We are ready for all comers from now until the end of the season!
The sort of difficult position SAF loves to find himself in...
We are ready for all comers from now until the end of the season!
I think every manager would love to be in that position.
Aren't you happy to be that position when you are playing FM too?
Vds
Jos rio vidic evra
Carrick giggs
Valencia rooney park
Hernandez/berbatov
Play full pelt for first 15 mins and get a goal, then revert to a solid 451 and play counter attack. If we score first, we win.
Jos rio vidic evra
Carrick giggs
Valencia rooney park
Hernandez/berbatov
Play full pelt for first 15 mins and get a goal, then revert to a solid 451 and play counter attack. If we score first, we win.
In my opinion, the only way we will go through in this game is if we score. Therefore; I'd only start with one of Valencia and Park and play a 4-5-1. I'm quite aware we won the last game playing both of those two, but we played a 4-4-2 which made us more of a goal threat. I'm confident we will go through.
Else we play
Park carrick giggs
Valencia Rooney nani
In a 433. Plenty of midfield running in that side but crucially potentially full of goals too.
Park carrick giggs
Valencia Rooney nani
In a 433. Plenty of midfield running in that side but crucially potentially full of goals too.
Very tough game..........Chelsea can easily beat us 2-1 or 3-1 or 3-2.
The first goal in this game is sooooooooooooo important.
The first goal in this game is sooooooooooooo important.
VDS
OShea Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Scholes Carrick Nani
Rooney
Hernandez
Would be a good shout though would not be surprised to see Anderson involved.
OShea Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Scholes Carrick Nani
Rooney
Hernandez
Would be a good shout though would not be surprised to see Anderson involved.
It depends how SAF wants us to start. If he wants us to go at them then he will start with Chicha but if he wants to control it in the first half and playb tight then he will go with Berbatov.
For Chelsea their task is clear they need to score - one goal is a bare minimum. If they come at us and play like the home side then its best to start with Hernandez.
I am going to stick my neck out and go with what has worked for us - Berba at home. In the EPL 17 out of his 21 goals have been scored at home.
For Chelsea their task is clear they need to score - one goal is a bare minimum. If they come at us and play like the home side then its best to start with Hernandez.
I am going to stick my neck out and go with what has worked for us - Berba at home. In the EPL 17 out of his 21 goals have been scored at home.
Regardless of "how they come at us" we should still be the ones playing like the home side, attacking
So um... why has our win in the first leg now made Chelsea the favourites to progress?
It's weird isnt it. Had we lost 2-1 in the first leg, I reckon more people would think we would win tonight than they do now. United should be 80/20 favourites tonight, given our home record, maybe even 90/10.
I think Nani/Valencia will both only play if we are going with a 4-5-1. If its 4-4-2 with Rooney and Hernandez, I can see Park or Giggs on the left.
We always have the option of
Valencia (RB)
Nani (RM)
Won't be a night for the feint hearted.See United getting through 2-1
Surely not ?
Well, someone thinks the only way we will go through in this game is if we score.
It sounds like we lost at Stamford. Or drew.
SAF loves a noisy European crowd, so I reckon we'll go at them hard for the first 10 minutes to try and get a second goal and keep the crowd buzzing.