Inter Milan vs. Manchester United

If we really had no centrebacks, I really reckon that Rooney would make a good centreback. He's hard, determined and very responsible. Vidiv can go for the aerial challenges and Rooney can pass the ball upfront a la Rio. He's always stated that he would play anywhere. I remember Keano doing a fantastic job at centreback for us against juventus in the Champs League and he was the MOM

Center back needs to be a good header of the ball and have discipline. Rooney would be sent off by half time
 
Center back needs to be a good header of the ball and have discipline. Rooney would be sent off by half time

This is why I worry about playing Carrick in there. For a man of his height, he is not very good in the air.

Rooney would be a disaster. This is not a Fifa commercial!
 
According to the United site, both Evans and O'Shea have travelled.

Please let this be brinkmanship on SAF's part.

I'd be very, very comfortable with:

Oshea-Ferdinand-Evans-Evra

Why do people keep saying that?

We all saw Evans and O'Shea get subbed off in their last two games. They are both clearly injured. Evans could barely walk and O'Shea looked in a fair bit of pain.

Fergie might be trying to head-feck Jose with the stuff about Wes and Nev but neither of them even got on the fecking plane. The problems we have at the back are very real, this isn't a case of SAF being selective with the information he gives to the media.
 
According to the United site, both Evans and O'Shea have travelled.

Please let this be brinkmanship on SAF's part.
I'd be very, very comfortable with:

Oshea-Ferdinand-Evans-Evra

hadn't thought of that but that is probably the most likely thing I've heard all day!
 
can't wait. all this speculation is driving me nuts.
I'd be happy with a score draw but not devastated by a 2-1 loss either. a trouncing win would be cocks out time.
 
Mourinho doesn't seem to be shutting up about this game, just today I swear I've read about 5 different articles with quotes from him about the game. It's not about Inter it's like United vs Mourinho.

All this coverage around our lack of defenders and Inter's 'amazing' attack, I would find it highly amusing if we easily shut them out tomorrow.
 
Why do people keep saying that?

We all saw Evans and O'Shea get subbed off in their last two games. They are both clearly injured. Evans could barely walk and O'Shea looked in a fair bit of pain.

Fergie might be trying to head-feck Jose with the stuff about Wes and Nev but neither of them even got on the fecking plane. The problems we have at the back are very real, this isn't a case of SAF being selective with the information he gives to the media.

Well, the fact that they are in the squad would suggest that maybe SAF is a little more positive than he is letting on.

I am not denying they are injured. As you say, that was evident to us all, but maybe the extent of their injuries is not as grave as is made out. Especially in the case of O'Shea.
 
--------------VDS---------------
---------------Rio---------------
-----Fletcher--Carrick--Evra------
Ronaldo------Scholes--------Giggs
----Berbatov--Rooney--Tevez-----
 
Team selection headache for Fergie on this one... I've no idea who is going to play, particularly in midfield.

Van der Sar
Fletcher - Ferdinand - O'Shea - Evra
Ronaldo - Carrick - Giggs - Park
Rooney
Berbatov​

My heart says let's try Fabio at right-back, my head says Fletcher is the safer option. Let's just pray O'Shea is going to be fit, because I highly doubt Evans is going to make it.
I'll take a score-draw.
Edit: Not sure if Park should play on the left or right... Maicon will play on Evra's side and Park could help him out if needed, but Fletcher may need some extra protection as well. Damn...
 
Travelling Squad

Goalkeepers: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak.
Defenders: Ferdinand, Evra, O'Shea, Evans, Fabio, Eckersley.
Midfielders: Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Possebon, Gibson, Fletcher, Ronaldo.
Forwards: Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck.

Assuming this is correct, then I doubt the team picked for the game at the San Siro will differ much from what I originally posted:

-------------- Van der Sar ----------
- O'Shea - Ferdinand - Evans - Evra -
Ronaldo -- Fletcher ---- Giggs -- Park
------------------- Rooney ---------
-------------- Berbatov -------------

Subs: Kuszczak; Fábio, Eckersley; Carrick, Scholes, Nani; Tévez.

Van der Sar - Just has to come in anyway.
O'Shea - Will probably be fit and has the most experience.
Ferdinand - See VDS.
Evans - See VDS (but if not fit O'Shea here [if fit lol] and a kid at Right Back).
Evra - See VDS.
Ronaldo - See VDS.
Fletcher - Big game player; but could see Carrick here too obviously.
Giggs - Big game player, Scholes played twice recently.
Park - Big game player.
Rooney - See VDS.
Berbatov - See VDS.

Kuszczak is slightly more experienced at this level I think, so I'd go for him as the back-up keeper. Fábio and Eckersley are the only two pure defenders there, so yeh. Carrick and Scholes need to be there, Nani probably has the most potential to come on and change the game looking at the potential bench warmers, but whether he fulfills that is another matter. Tévez is the most experienced striker we can put on the bench, so he's obviously going to be there.
 
Well, Samuel is going to miss the game, too. Cordoba may play but he lacks height.
 
--------------VDS---------------
---------------Rio---------------
-----Fletcher--Carrick--Evra------
Ronaldo------Scholes--------Giggs
----Berbatov--Rooney--Tevez-----
CM01_02.jpg


Only works here!
 
VDS
O'Shea(Eckersley)-Ferdinand-Evans(O'Shea/Dunno)-Evra
Park-Fletcher-Giggs-Ronaldo
Rooney-Berbatov

0-1 Welbeck!
 
VDS

oshea rio evans evra

fletcher carrick giggs

ronaldo berbs rooney

tevez and park should be sent in if we cant get the ball of them. i doubt fergie will deploy the giggs-fletcher 4-4-2 partnership he did at OT against the renties. First of all we are playing in the san siro not old trafford, second we have no vida and third this is the cl if we lose a game it might mean we are out of it.
 
-------------- Van der Sar ------------
- - Ferdinand -- - ---------------------
---------------------------------Evra-
---------------------------------------
Ronaldo --- Scholes ---- Giggs --Park---
---------------------------------------
---Tevez--Berbatov---Rooney---Nani--
 
"I don't think Manchester will come to try to win. They'll play very defensively."

Jose Mourinho

I hope we give him such a shock tomorrow. With our decimated back line it is not a good idea to play a defensive minded game. We will only be putting more pressure on our defenders who are playing out of position. If we keep Inter Milan on the back foot for the majority of the game then we have a great chance of getting a result. Our attack still remains the most potent part of our team.
 
I would feel much more comfortable seeing O'Shea at right-back.

We have people really hoping he will be fit now, yet most of them will go back to slating him afterwards. This is why he is an asset to us.
 
I am expecting something from Berbatov in this tie and as the competition goes on as a whole. That could be in either an attacking manner if we have a lot of the ball or if he is isolated at times then needs to hold up the ball and make himself available etc. Obviously, there has been a lot of differing opinions on him during the process of signing him and also his overall performances in the shirt so far. There can be no doubt these were the kind of occasions that Fergie wanted him for most though and also the stage that Berbatov wanted to play on. It’s up to him to deliver.
 
It seems that Mourinho named his team for tomorrow already on a press conference.

Same team that played against Milan a week ago, only Cordoba replacing injured Samuel.

No surprise there.
 
------------------------------- Van the Man -------------------------------

--- Fletcher ----------- Rio -------------------- O'Shea ------------ Evra ---

--- Ronaldo ---------- Carrick ------------------ Giggs ----------- Rooney ---

--------------------- Berbatov ---------------- Tevez ----------------------

Do it!
 
------------------------------- Van the Man -------------------------------

--- Fletcher ----------- Rio -------------------- O'Shea ------------ Evra ---

--- Ronaldo ---------- Carrick ------------------ Giggs ----------- Rooney ---

--------------------- Berbatov ---------------- Tevez ----------------------

Do it!

That team looks marvelous on the counter attack. Not so bad in defensive terms but Fergie is more cautious than everyone.
 
Cant think of the team he could put out there are so many options except in defence. so heres what id go for:

vds

fabio ferdinand o'shea evra

carrick scholes fletcher

ronaldo rooney tevez​


This teams about defending through great attacking play. we can change the way we play once we are 3-0 up. change to a 4-6-0 bring on giggsy.
:angel:

Start the game slow getting a feel for the atmosphere and get used to all the whistling of their fans. then, proceed to play the game as if its a home leg and we need to score 4 goals to survive. they wont know whats hit them they wont be able to live with the energy of tevez and rooney as they dwell on the ball. and the more free roll of ronaldo will have them waving their white flags by half time.
Let them worry about defending!

I know saf wont go with that but hey.
 
if evans is out I think we should go

vds

fletcher rio oshea evra

park carrick giggs

ronaldo berba rooney

rooney covers the left wing to help giggsys old legs. park covers the right side of midfield to help the interim rb out and let ronaldo do his thing. inters both centerbacks are gonna be tiny, this will allow roonie and berba to take advantage of the situation.

tevez should be deployed to run riot and help win the ball back after the 65th or before if needed.
 
Cant think of the team he could put out there are so many options except in defence. so heres what id go for:

vds

fabio ferdinand o'shea evra

carrick scholes fletcher

ronaldo rooney tevez​

I'd rather see Evra at Right Back than Fabio. He's played there for us a couple of times in the past, you don't want to be playing Fabio in a position he's bit played in before in the biggest game of his life.


Start the game slow getting a feel for the atmosphere and get used to all the whistling of their fans. then, proceed to play the game as if its a home leg and we need to score 4 goals to survive. they wont know whats hit them they wont be able to live with the energy of tevez and rooney as they dwell on the ball. and the more free roll of ronaldo will have them waving their white flags by half time.
Let them worry about defending!

I know saf wont go with that but hey.

That's suicide football, one thing we should have learnt over the last few years in Europe is that going hell for leather normally results in going out.
 
I'd rather see Evra at Right Back than Fabio. He's played there for us a couple of times in the past, you don't want to be playing Fabio in a position he's bit played in before in the biggest game of his life.




That's suicide football, one thing we should have learnt over the last few years in Europe is that going hell for leather normally results in going out.



So were in agreement then?!:confused:

Just kidding. no i know he wont approach the game like that...but hey.
 
My guts telling me a 0-2 win for us, not sure why. And rooney will score.
 
Evans travelled instead of staying back for treatment. This tells me he has a good chance of playing, otherwise why take him?
 
Evans winning fitness battle for Manchester United

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Jonny Evans was last night winning a race against time to be fit for the biggest game of his career.

The 21-year-old Northern Ireland defender is ready to ease Sir Alex Ferguson’s defensive crisis for tonight’s Champions League last 16 clash with Inter Milan.

And with the Carling Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur to follow on Sunday, Evans is determined to overcome the ankle injury which saw him limp out of Saturday’s Premier League win over Blackburn Rovers.

“It’s not the best time to get injured, but I hope I will make it and that I can get

through this game without doing any more damage so that I am available for Sunday,” Evans told the Belfast Telegraph.

“Making my international debut against Spain was a big night, but they don’t come much bigger than Inter Milan in the San Siro in the last 16 of the Champions League.

“As holders the Champions League means a lot to the club this season and we want to get a good result to take back to Old Trafford.”

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/s...ss-battle-for-manchester-united-14200448.html