Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. Manchester United

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Ryan's Beard said:
I genuinely think we should give that a try. He's definitely got the physical attributes needed and he plays cm for Ecuador right? If he could get the discipline and positional tekkers nailed down he'd probably be our best defensive midfielder after. Erm.. Do we have a defensive midfielder?
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I'm thinking longer term... as part of a grand revolution in our style... indulge me for a moment.

DDG
Smalling---- Vidic---- Evans
Rafael---------------------------------Buttner
Valencia
Giggs ------ Kagawa
Welbeck
Rooney
​

I mean... if there's anytime to experiment - surely it's away in a must win CL game... right?!
 
Not sure about Rooney in net. Evans is a solid choice behind DDG, consistently one of our best and most creative passers of the ball this season, not sure about Vidic in the hole though. Giggs has shown time and again he's able to put a perfect tackle in. Not sure about Kagawa and Welbeck's defensive aptitude though, I'd maybe have Jones in as a sweeper and move Welbeck out to one of the wings or swap him with Smalling in the inside forward role?

Not a bad idea though. Leverkusen wouldn't know what hit them. 1-2-1-5-1? Future of football.
 
Giggs is going to start in midfield. No doubt about that. His over the top balls for forwards for Welbeck and Rooney miss yesterday were class. Need to stuff in Anderson though because Cleverley-Giggs midfield will have horror time. It is about having number sin midfield at the moment, unfortunately.

-----------------DDG------------------
Rafael-----Vidic-----Evans-----Evra----
------ Anderson--Giggs--Cleverley-----
Valencia------------------------Rooney
----------------RvP--------------------
 
DDG​
​
Rafael----Vidic----Evans----Evra​
​
Giggs​
​
Rooney​
​
RVP​
​
​
 
DDG​
FABI-feckING-O Smalling Vidic Evra​
Cleverley Giggs​
Nani Rooney Kagawa​
RVP​
 
I'd take a draw and then we beat Shaktar at home.
 
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1...rn-manchester-united-bayer-leverkusen?cc=5739

I dearly hope its true.

Edit from Man utd.com

Shinji absence explained

David Moyes revealed Shinji Kagawa sat out Sunday’s game against Cardiff with a bruised foot sustained on international duty with Japan.
Kagawa was one of "four or five key players" missing from Moyes’ side in the Welsh capital, with Nemanja Vidic (concussion), Robin van Persie and Phil Jones (both groin) among the other absentees.

While Kagawa played in both of Japan’s friendlies during the international break, van Persie did not take part in either of the Netherlands’ games.
Jones, meanwhile, could be in contention to return in the Champions League at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, a game Marouane Fellaini will miss through suspension.
"Kagawa got injured playing for Japan," Moyes said at his post-match press conference. "It’s an injury to his foot; there’s some bruising there, but it’s not too bad.
"Robin’s groin is the problem at the moment; his toes are much better. We are hoping to get both Nemanja and Robin back as soon as we can.
"I hope they'll be in contention for Wednesday but I couldn’t give you a definitive answer."
When asked if Jones could feature in Germany, Moyes added: "Possibly. I don't think he is as bad as we first thought. He's not too far away. It's a groin injury, right up his hip."
 
ISSYNAZAR said:
DDG​
FABI-feckING-O Smalling Vidic Evra​
Cleverley Giggs​
Nani Rooney Kagawa​
RVP​
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This. Especially Fabi-fecking-o. I'd be tempted to go for a midfield three instead though.
 
this is going to be a really tough game.....

I hope we get one or two back from injury and if RVP isn't fit we can play Kagawa behind Rooney
 
Will be there - hopefully we can grab all three, would be mightily important.

De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Vidic, Evra; Giggs, Cleverley; Valencia, Rooney, Kagawa; van Persie
 
de Gea

Rafael
Evans
Vidic
Evra

Nani
Cleverley
Giggs
Kagawa

Rooney
van Persie

SUBS: Lindegaard, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Anderson, Welbeck, Hernandez.
 
Is Rafael fit? Travelling?

Alive?

We need him big time. Changes the whole balance of the team.
 
They've just got to go there and grind out a result. If Jones is fit, he'll start in MF. Too many if fit questions, though.
 
I'm probably a little more optimistic that most, mainly because we have looked more comfortable in Europe this season for whatever reason. I think we will wrap up qualification.
 
Going for a too defensive line-up will back-fire as we lack the quality to do so right now. So I would rather we play our best offensive line-up which is almost still available. Rafael/Fabio playing much more defensive than our wing-backs usual role to make up for a defensively weaker team. I don't think we need them to join up anyway as Januzaj/Kagawa can go out wide on any side when necessary.


4-3-3-0, high pressing
-------------------DDG
Rafael-----Smalling-----Vidic-----Fabio
-----------------Cleverley----------------
---------Januzaj---------Kagawa--------
Nani---------------RVP-----------Rooney
-------------------------------------------
 
This is gonna be fun, with Cleverley and Anderson our only actual central midfielders.


----------------RvP-------------------

Nani----------Rooney----------Valencia

-------Cleverley------Anderson--------

Fabio------Vidic-----Smalling-----Rafael

----------------Dave------------------
 
We need to go with a 433.
Interesting that a lot of people have said about Valencia being played in midfield as this was his original position for Ecuador as Tim Vickery has said on numerous occasions. http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23665247, can't see him playing as a DM though although would't be surprised in Fabio was played there as he just looks like a Hargreaves nipping at your heels type of player.

Smalling and Vidic or Smalling and Evans at the back for me. If I see Rio there again I might cry. Smalling distribution from centre back is far better than his distribution from right back. We need to have a few games were we are solid at the back, de gea has pulled of some great saves this season but our defence has been woeful. Rafael needs to start at right back and make that spot his own, if Moyes doesn't rate him then I would play Valencia there and keep Smalling at Centre back.

I would still like to see Kagawa in midfield (if fit) as his ability on the ball is the closest thing we have to Scholes at the moment, however, I expect Giggs to play there tonight.

What I want to see tonight;

------------De Gea-----------

Rafael--Smalling--Evans-- Evra

----Kagawa--Jones*--Giggs----

----Welbeck--RVP*--Rooney---

*=if fit.

What we will prob see

------------De Gea-----------

Smalling--Evans---Vidic---Evra

Valencia--Cleverly--Giggs--Adnan

--------Welbeck---Rooney----
 
Annihilate Now! said:
I'm thinking longer term... as part of a grand revolution in our style... indulge me for a moment.

DDG​
Smalling---- Vidic---- Evans​
Rafael---------------------------------Buttner​
Valencia​
Giggs ------ Kagawa​
Welbeck​
Rooney​
​

I mean... if there's anytime to experiment - surely it's away in a must win CL game... right?!
Click to expand...

:lol:
 
Has Moyes ever been asked about Fabio? At least with Shinji he explains the absence, I realise one cost more, but I need me some Fabio!
 
Kagawa, Jones, Vidic and Rafael are in Getty Images' pics of United training today. No sign of Van Persie during the 15 mins that the media get to watch. Apparently, Van Persie not among the squad flying out, according to one of the press photographers. According to Mark Ogden of the Telegraph, Vidic hasn't travelled either.
 
They're doing well in the Bundesliga, this will be a much tougher game than the reverse fixture was. I think we'll get a few key players back, probably Vidic, Jones, and Kagawa who will all start (probably with Cleverley, Valencia, Rooney, and Young in the attacking positions as well, de Gea, Smalling/Rafael, Evans, and Evra making up the rest of the side).

We'll draw it though I believe, and go into the last game needing to win to top the group 100% (Leverkusen should win their last game).

de Gea
Smalling Vidic Evans Evra
Jones Cleverley
Valencia Kagawa Young
Rooney
--
Lindegaard; Ferdinand; Giggs, Januzaj, Nani; Hernandez, Welbeck​

Anderson is probably the only other player with a shot at getting in the side, but it's hard to see where which doesn't bode well for his future given the injuries/suspension at the moment. Would hope Rafael is fit, but can still see Smalling starting regardless.

Other options could be Giggs starting in midfield with Kagawa moved to the left or the bench. Or Welbeck starting on the left instead. I don't think we should start Hernandez, but rather bring him on if we need to score.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
Fabio probably has the best goals per minute ratio on THE PLANET this season, and he still can't get a game.

Explain your way out of that, Moyes. GO ON!
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I desperately want Fabio to succed here and like you find inexcusible the way he has been ignored but this is such a shit argument. Park Chu Young (Arsenal player) had the best passing rate in Europe a couple of years ago. He had a passing percentage of 100% in all of his four passes. Fabio goalscoring argument isn't much stronger than saying that Park was great at passing.
 
We need to at least try that properly. We're not playing at all well at the moment. I'm not sure a CL game is a good place to test things out but to be honest we can't do much worse than trying new things.
 
Revan said:
I desperately want Fabio to succed here and like you find inexcusible the way he has been ignored but this is such a shit argument. Park Chu Young (Arsenal player) had the best passing rate in Europe a couple of years ago. He had a passing percentage of 100% in all of his four passes. Fabio goalscoring argument isn't much stronger than saying that Park was great at passing.
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It's almost like I wasn't being serious, at all ;)

I do want him to succeed and want him to play, but obviously I'm not demanding him to be included because he scored a scrappy goal in a dead and buried game against a shit team in the League Cup.
 
Kagawa centrally would make tomorrow worth watching. Otherwise it's gonna be another god awful game.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
It's almost like I wasn't being serious, at all ;)

I do want him to succeed and want him to play, but obviously I'm not demanding him to be included because he scored a scrappy goal in a dead and buried game against a shit team in the League Cup.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I guess I am becoming as shit as Cina when it comes to sarcasm detection.
 
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