Why in gods name do people want Jones or Fellaini in midfield.
We look a much better side when Fletcher plays.
We look a much better side when Fletcher plays.
Bayern München v Manchester United
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I think it's hard to pick between Evra v Büttner. In the Aston Villa game, all Villa had to do was to lob the ball past Evra to get chances through the flank. I'm not a big fan of either LB, but Büttner did a decent job, especially with the second hand tackles in the first leg. I think we'll lose a bit of aerial threat in the box on corners without Evra though.
And although it's always good to have wing-backs that can pose an attacking threat, it's very easy to get caught out by Bayern München. FC Augsburg, who beat Bayern this weekend, played with a very narrow back four that rarely went forward, and managed to force Bayern to stay out of the box for a big part of the game, with the exception of a few big chances by Alaba and Müller after they came on. Mainz played it similar, but had full-backs that darted forward, and although they came to more
chances than Augsburg did, they got caught out, and conceded twice in the last 10 minutes of the game.
I think we need to sacrifice the attacking threat of at least one of the full-backs, because conceding a single goal will be close to game over. If we play a bit lob-sided, with Smalling or Jones at RB, and play that side a bit more narrow, the most defensive of the midfielders (Carrick i.e.) dropping back when we lose the ball to complete a back four if the left back goes forward, we can be 4 in the back without sacrificing too much going forward.
DDG
Rafael - Rio - Vidic - Evra
Jones
Fletcher - Carrick
Kagawa - Welbeck
Rooney
Rafael - Rio - Vidic - Evra
Jones
Fletcher - Carrick
Kagawa - Welbeck
Rooney
Because of their ability to break up play, and in Jones case he is more mobile. Although both are worse in possession, a midfield consisting of Carrick and Fletcher would get absolutely overrun. As much as I love Fletcher, there have been times this season where has been run past as if he wasn't even there, so we need a good midfield presence especially against Bayerns midfielders. Unless we play a 4-3-3 , I don't think pairing him with Carrick in a midfield two would be ideal
Yeah! I'm dying to hear the fachts!
Moyes has virtually confirmed Fellaini will be starting in quotes from The Mirror:
“He is capable of big goals and in Munich on Wednesday wouldn’t be a bad time if he could get an opener."
“He is capable of big goals and in Munich on Wednesday wouldn’t be a bad time if he could get an opener."
Did anyone actually believe Fellaini wouldn't start? He was always going to be in.
Some people might have gotten the idea that his absolutely and utterly diabolical performance in the first leg would make him a doubt.
I'm dispelling any doubt. Moyes thinks Fellaini did well.
I'm dispelling any doubt. Moyes thinks Fellaini did well.
Yeah , that's pretty much given that Fellaini starts now.
It's a trick to fool everybody into thinking Fellaini will be playing...
...oh, who am I kidding
...oh, who am I kidding
a Moyes mind game...hmmmmm
Do y'all think Rio, Vidic and Co could repeat the first leg performance?
The backline defended as a unit. Rio and Vidic excelled as everyone around them did their part. It came down to anticipation and reaction instead or reaction and recovery. They can manage that and manage that well. Exposed, they get caught out.
I don't think Bayern did a good job at tying down the backside center-half, allowing Rio and Vidic to bail each other out a couple of times.
The backline defended as a unit. Rio and Vidic excelled as everyone around them did their part. It came down to anticipation and reaction instead or reaction and recovery. They can manage that and manage that well. Exposed, they get caught out.
I don't think Bayern did a good job at tying down the backside center-half, allowing Rio and Vidic to bail each other out a couple of times.
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For about a minute yesterday, I was thinking about this game as if we actually had a decent chance of progressing.
This means that we will surely get dicked. My feet are back firmly on the ground now.
This means that we will surely get dicked. My feet are back firmly on the ground now.
And then unleash Cleverley for the match. I can only imagine Pep's faice when he'll see Moyes' betrayel.
fixed.
Any idea's on who is available and who isn't?
I'd go with:
Unless Rafa is fit, in which case I'd put him in at RB and Smalling at CB instead of Rio.
However, I think he'll probably go for Jones at RB, with Cleverley and Fellaini in the middle....
DDG
Smalling --- Vidic --- Rio ---- Evra
Jones ---- Carrick
Valencia ---- Kagawa ---- Welbeck
Rooney
Smalling --- Vidic --- Rio ---- Evra
Jones ---- Carrick
Valencia ---- Kagawa ---- Welbeck
Rooney
Unless Rafa is fit, in which case I'd put him in at RB and Smalling at CB instead of Rio.
However, I think he'll probably go for Jones at RB, with Cleverley and Fellaini in the middle....
Rumours this morning say that Rooney will be fit. Personally I've just assumed he would be since the injury was first announced... seriously doubt Rooney's missing this one because of his toe or whatever.
I've not heard anything about Vidic not being fit - so if he's out thats a new one to me. Rafa probably won't make it.
Physio room agree's with you in that Vidic will be fit, but it has Evans and Rafael returning for the 9th and Rooney to face a late fitness test, but I'm guessing you wouldn't plonk Evans in over 1 of Rio/Vida, so it will only be Giggs, RVP & Young that are out.
Shaqiri is also injured for Bayern - so that makes Schweinsteiger, Martinez, Shaqiri, and Thiago unavailable. Not insignificant.
Thankfully for them, they have a manager who loves CMs so much that he has an entire squad of them. Even with 3 absolutely top CMs out, they'l still field 3 top ones. Lahm, Kroos, Gotze. Ridiculous.
Goetze, Muller, Lahm, Kroos, Ribery and Robben are still available though. Moyes also seems adamant on handicapping us by starting his beloved Microphone head in a desperate attempt to dignify his £27.5million fee.
It will probably just be Lahm and Kroos in CM, and if one of them goes down, they will be hurting for pure CM players, notwithstanding the fact that Lahm is originally not one.
I'm talking about just CM.
With Muller ahead of them and Mandzukic as CF? Naah, cant see Pep not playing 3 midfielders. And yeah, Lahm's not originally a CM but its Pep that identified that he could play there and he's excelled.
Yep, that's what I expect too. 3 CMs out and they can still play 3 absolutely top CMs still.
I think they'll set up like this:
-----------------Lahm-----------------
---Ribery---Goetze---Kroos----Robben
--------------Mandzukic---------------
...Which will still be enough to finish us off IMO. They might be depleted in the center of the park, but their midfield offerings will still overwhelm what we have to offer in the middle.
-----------------De Gea-----------------
--Jones--Smalling---Vidic----Buttner---
---------Carrick-----Giggs--------------
---------------Shinji-----------------------
---Nani------Rooney-----Welbeck--------
That's what I'd go with. Good counter-attacking side there I think. All four attacking players can do their bit defensively, but more importantly, they can do their bit offensively too!
--Jones--Smalling---Vidic----Buttner---
---------Carrick-----Giggs--------------
---------------Shinji-----------------------
---Nani------Rooney-----Welbeck--------
That's what I'd go with. Good counter-attacking side there I think. All four attacking players can do their bit defensively, but more importantly, they can do their bit offensively too!
Giggs is definitely out mate, and Rafael may make it back FWIW
Going to win 6-0
I like the idea of Jones centrally to an extent, but then he will be a strength and a weakness in the sense that without the ball he'd be our most useful player, but with the ball, in his own third, against a high-press - he'd show he isn't a midfielder, and would be our weak link.
Ah that's a shame. The problem is we barely have two good midfielders to rub together. I suppose it will have to be Fellaini then.
As for Rafael, my team wasn't even on the basis of him being unavailable. Bayern's strength is out wide and Rafael just isn't at his most reliable right now.
Agreed, but I'd probably go for something like the below, given all the facts, which are that RVP and Giggs are out, Evans and Rafael should be back and Roo has a late fitness test, but assuming they're all fit:
DDG
Valencia Vidic Ferdinand Evans
Jones Carrick Fletcher
Nani ........... Welbeck
Rooney
Valencia Vidic Ferdinand Evans
Jones Carrick Fletcher
Nani ........... Welbeck
Rooney
DDG
Jones Vidic Ferdinand Evans
Carrick Fletcher
Nani Kagawa Welbeck
Rooney
Jones Vidic Ferdinand Evans
Carrick Fletcher
Nani Kagawa Welbeck
Rooney
My point is that they are depleted and don't have as many options if someone gets injured or sent off. They are weaker than they would otherwise be, which in addition to their having drawn and lost their previous two matches and us having played well recently, is good for us.
Oh yes, no arguments there. They'l have a seriously weak bench considering their squad.
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