Chelsea vs. Manchester United

-------------Lindegaard--------------

Keane-----Wooton-----Evans----Buttner

------------Scholes----Fletcher------------
Nani--------------Anderson----------Welbeck
----------------Hernandez-------------------

Subs
Johnstone
Ferdinand
Giggs
Cleverley
Petrucci
Rooney
Macheda
 
It's annoying that we have to keep using up precious youth team slots in these LC matches for the likes of Bebe and Macheda. Let's face it, they have very little realistic chance of playing for the first team. Neither are bad players, but they are a long way off being Manchester United quality and are showing no signs of significant improvement.

Obviously this match isn't a good example anyway. We were never going to roll out a load of kids against Chelsea regardless of the competition. But it can be frustrating knowing that in a team like Arsenal with a thinner quad than ours and a stronger commitment to playing the youngsters no matter what, some of our U18s have the quality to be shining in these matches, let alone our U21s.
 
Brightonian said:
It's annoying that we have to keep using up precious youth team slots in these LC matches for the likes of Bebe and Macheda. Let's face it, they have very little realistic chance of playing for the first team. Neither are bad players, but they are a long way off being Manchester United quality and are showing no signs of significant improvement.

Obviously this match isn't a good example anyway. We were never going to roll out a load of kids against Chelsea regardless of the competition. But it can be frustrating knowing that in a team like Arsenal with a thinner quad than ours and a stronger commitment to playing the youngsters no matter what, some of our U18s have the quality to be shining in these matches, let alone our U21s.
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Well Bebe just played a friendly reserve match at Tranmere today, so there's no chance he's gonna be involved tomorrow.
 
Brightonian said:
It's annoying that we have to keep using up precious youth team slots in these LC matches for the likes of Bebe and Macheda. Let's face it, they have very little realistic chance of playing for the first team. Neither are bad players, but they are a long way off being Manchester United quality and are showing no signs of significant improvement.

Obviously this match isn't a good example anyway. We were never going to roll out a load of kids against Chelsea regardless of the competition. But it can be frustrating knowing that in a team like Arsenal with a thinner quad than ours and a stronger commitment to playing the youngsters no matter what, some of our U18s have the quality to be shining in these matches, let alone our U21s.
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I agree with some of what you are saying and I would also rather see big talents like Lingard and Cole get minutes than Bebe or Macheda. However no one in the u18s is ready for regular reserve team football yet, let alone ready for first team football in a game like this. Players like Lawrence, Januzaj, Rothwell, Daehli, Pearson, Barmby, etc are hugely talented but still have plenty of growing to do before their anywhere near ready. Lingard and Cole are 19 and are still not quite there yet and we're still having to show patience with them in terms of growing and gaining the strength required to impose themselves at first team level.

This isn't aimed at you but in general people shouldn't compare young talents development to say Wilshire and Rooney who weren't just ready technically at 17/18 but physically also which is unusual. Players can go on to be just as good as these two but not make an impression on the first team until their 20/21/22, especially at a club like United were the standards are so high and there is less patience.

All talented players will get their chance at this club but when the time is right. We have the perfect manager to judge that as he has proved.
 
SkeppyRed said:
This isn't aimed at you but in general people shouldn't compare young talents development to say Wilshire and Rooney who weren't just ready technically at 17/18 but physically also which is unusual. Players can go on to be just as good as these two but not make an impression on the first team until their 20/21/22, especially at a club like United were the standards are so high and there is less patience.
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I agree with most of what you say, and I think you're right about Rooney being exceptional, and able to play from such a ridiculously young age (16 for Everton, wasn't it?) because of his physical development. The same is not true for Wilshere, though. When he first started getting games for Arsenal he wasn't physically up to the task yet. But he still played well, earned his loan to Bolton, and came back looking much stronger.

I think Cole and Lingard are at the same place. They're not physically mature yet, but muscle is nowhere near as important as it once was in England, and getting less so all the time. Oscar, for example, is excelling, and he's one of the slightest players I've ever seen, no bulkier than either Lingard or Cole. Perhaps you're right about Daehli, Barmby etc. But I maintain that they'd be seeing a glimpse of LC football this season if they were at Arsenal, if only from the bench. (Again, I recognise that this match is clearly not the right one. I'm talking hypothetically, if we were up against a lower-league side.) And I'm also worried about their transition to the U21s. Will their style of play stagnate and their unity as a team be broken when they have to filter into bit-part roles amongst hangers-on like Macheda and purchases from outside like Henriquez and Powell?

But Lingard and Cole should be getting serious opportunities against weaker opposition in this competition. Lingard in particular looked more than ready for it in pre-season, where he was often better than some of our first-teamers. And he's certainly no less physically ready than Wilshere was when he got his first chances.
 
From what I can figure out (and what I know) - Terry, Ivanovic and Torres are all suspended - Lampard and Cole are injured. In addition - Di Matteo pretty much said that Mata and Mikel would be left out because of the Clattenburg-thing

I am also pretty certain that Sturridge, Marin, Bertrand, Romeu, Moses and Azpilicueta will start...so Chelsea might field a team like :

Cech - Bertrand, Cahill, Luiz, Azpilicueta - Romeu, Oscar - Marin, Moses, Piazon - Sturridge
 
lysglimt said:
From what I can figure out (and what I know) - Terry, Ivanovic and Torres are all suspended - Lampard and Cole are injured. In addition - Di Matteo pretty much said that Mata and Mikel would be left out because of the Clattenburg-thing

I am also pretty certain that Sturridge, Marin, Bertrand, Romeu, Moses and Azpilicueta will start...so Chelsea might field a team like :

Cech - Bertrand, Cahill, Luiz, Azpilicueta - Romeu, Oscar - Marin, Moses, Piazon - Sturridge
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That's a pretty average team.
 
Brightonian said:
It's annoying that we have to keep using up precious youth team slots in these LC matches for the likes of Bebe and Macheda. Let's face it, they have very little realistic chance of playing for the first team. Neither are bad players, but they are a long way off being Manchester United quality and are showing no signs of significant improvement.

Obviously this match isn't a good example anyway. We were never going to roll out a load of kids against Chelsea regardless of the competition. But it can be frustrating knowing that in a team like Arsenal with a thinner quad than ours and a stronger commitment to playing the youngsters no matter what, some of our U18s have the quality to be shining in these matches, let alone our U21s.
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The club with have to look at it from a business point of view aswell though, a couple of goals from Macheda against good opposition in the cup could be a difference between a couple of million in the summer.
 
Widnes said:
The club with have to look at it from a business point of view aswell though, a couple of goals from Macheda against good opposition in the cup could be a difference between a couple of million in the summer.
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Yep thats a good point and that money will pumped back into the academy.
 
Lindegaard
Rafael
Evans
?
Buttner
Anderson
Giggs
Fletcher
Nani
Hernandez
Welbeck

We could really do with Smalling being fit. Seems he won't quite be ready, though.

I don't have a problem with not using the fringe youngsters. This is Chelsea, after all, and our second string looks better than theirs.
 
lysglimt said:
From what I can figure out (and what I know) - Terry, Ivanovic and Torres are all suspended - Lampard and Cole are injured. In addition - Di Matteo pretty much said that Mata and Mikel would be left out because of the Clattenburg-thing

I am also pretty certain that Sturridge, Marin, Bertrand, Romeu, Moses and Azpilicueta will start...so Chelsea might field a team like :

Cech - Bertrand, Cahill, Luiz, Azpilicueta - Romeu, Oscar - Marin, Moses, Piazon - Sturridge
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I think they rested Cech in the last round - that was one change I was expecting but judging from your post they'll be lacking leadership without someone like Cech starting.

Could be a very interesting game if both sides are shuffling the pack like that.
 
---------------------------Lindegaard----------------------


---D.Fletcher---------Wooton------M. Keane-------Buttner--



------------------------M.Carrick--------------------------


--------------------Scholes------Anderson-----------------


---Welbeck---------------J.Hernandez-------------R.Giggs---
 
I think Smalling might come on, not sure if he's ready to start. Also, I believe Keane will start up front as well. Wish we could give, Carrick, Rafael and RvP a rest.
 
is Lindergaard definately fit then? I'd keep DDG in there anyways, there's nothing to be gained from resting him whereas i'd definately keep scholes on ice for saturday and use giggs in midfield instead. I'd play Young too as he needs minutes and i wouldn't play him vs arse.

DDG
Vermy-Evans-Wooton-Buttner
Fletch-Ando-Giggs
Welbeck-Chico-Young
 
Chelsea favorites for me. They've lost 2 in a row and they'd want some 'revenge'.
And its at the bridge.

At least we'll get to see the kids
 
I hope we get to see Lingard & Henriquez play.

Scholes and/or Giggs could start seeing as neither has played much recently but imo it would be better to give Powell a start.
 
yeah you'd have to make them favourites however i've been impressed with our second string this year, its not inconceiveable that SAF could play Evans, Fletch, Ando, Scholes, Nani, Young, Welbeck & Chico tonight which is lots of experience and lots of attacking threat too.

should be another good game with plenty of goals
 
ha_rooney said:
I hope we get to see Lingard & Henriquez play.

Scholes and/or Giggs could start seeing as neither has played much recently but imo it would be better to give Powell a start.
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Henriquez won't play. He played in a reserve match against Tranmere yesterday, so did Bebe and Larnell Cole.

I'm guessing our team would be

Lindegaard
Vermijl-Keane-Wooton-Buttner
Nani-Fletch-Anderson-Giggs
Welbeck-Chico
 
Maciek said:
Lee Mason is the ref.

God, I wanted us to get Webb for this one :lol:
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Although I remember him being ref for the game at OT in May 2011, and hefailed to send off Ivanovic when he should have walked, Lapard should have had a penalty given against him for handball, and there could possibly have been another penalty as well.
 
Lindergaard
Verm Keane Evans Buttner
Fletcher Anderson Giggs
Nani Hernandez Welbeck
 
RonaldoVII said:
I hope we play a team capable of properly competing tonight, I don't want us to go out floundering.
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I think SAF always sends out a team, no matter what tournament, that he believes is good enough to compete, if it plays to its full potential.

Its the 'if it plays to its full potential' that is the banana skin when we lose in such circumstances.
 
I think we'll win again later. Our superiority will show in the strength of our squad players whom i think are better
 
Reckon it's going to be :

Lindegaard, Vermijl, Keane, Wooton, Buttner, Nani, Scholes, Anderson, Giggs, Welbeck, Chicharito

Bench: Johnstone, Young, Valencia, Fletcher, Lingard, Tunnicliff, Macheda
 
Shimo said:
Reckon it's going to be :

Lindegaard, Vermijl, Keane, Wooton, Buttner, Nani, Scholes, Anderson, Giggs, Welbeck, Chicharito

Bench: Johnstone, Young, Valencia, Fletcher, Lingard, Tunnicliff, Macheda
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That team, if Chelsea doesn't rotate too much, will get slaughtered.

Looking forward to the game in any case, can't wait.
 
Lindegaard

Keane
Evans
Wootton
Büttner

Carrick
Fletcher
Anderson

Nani
Hernandez
Welbeck
 
Not really looking foward for this one. With the way we robbed them on Sunday, they'll probably go all out for revenge. We'll probably set up a strongish Cup-side out, but I can see them going with their strongest team. Hazard and Mata were subbed on Sunday, probably due to the red cards, but with the extra energy they have I can see them starting.
 
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