Manchester United v Manchester City

............................VDS.............................

Rafael.......Smalling...........Vidic..............Evra


Nani.........Scholes........Fletcher............Giggs

........................Rooney.............................

.......................Berbatov............................
 
I can see us starting with Rooney and Nani wide, Berbatov starting, and three in central midfield - partly to add extra protection to the back 4 in Rio's absence - and I think Giggs and Owen will be the options to come off the bench. It'll be a cagey approach from both teams and having those two to come off the bench will be the difference.
 
Before a match like this, I always wonder if it's better to have both Giggs and Scholes starting or keep one of them on the bench to bring in as a sub who can really impact the match. Or does SAF take the risk of starting one of them and potentially getting into a bad spot?

For example, assuming we play with two strikers, which would be my pick:

VDS
Rafael- Smalling/Brown-Vidic-Evra
Nani- Fletcher - Scholes-Giggs
Rooney-Berba

or

Nani-Fletcher- Scholes-Park

or

Nani - Fletcher-Ando-Giggs

I am not putting Carrick in here since he had a pretty awful last match.

or do we go with 1 striker and then play:

Nani-Fletcher-Scholes-Ando-Giggs/Park
striker

this would mean that either Rooney or Berba start on the bench and I would not like to see this. Park is also in unknown form since we haven't seen him play since the Asian Cup.

What I would really like to see is:

Nani-Fletch-Ando-Giggs
Berba - Rooney

with Giggs and Park as impact subs

Always exciting what SAF will come up with before a derby match. Can't wait!
 
van der Sar
Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra
Fletcher Carrick
Scholes/Giggs
Nani Berbatov Rooney

Or

van der Sar
Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra
Nani Fletcher Carrick Giggs
Berbatov Rooney

Bench: Kuzczak, O'Shea; Anderson, Scholes/Giggs, Park, Gibson/Obertan; Owen​

Anderson may well start, but I think we'd be more likely to see the above. I get the feeling it'll be only one of Giggs & Scholes for this one, but if we're going to play 442 it'll be Giggs - we're more flexible this way as we can go 433 as well.. I'd like Hernandez on the bench, but it is seemingly unlikely. I hope Smalling doesn't brick it, he's looked good but this could be a major test if City ever come forward..

Need to win this, our home record is awesome so there's no reason we shouldn't be confident. We usually bounce back from defeats. Between losing to West Ham and Wolves, we were unbeaten for 12 games. Nick it 1-0.
 
http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/S...chester+United&assetType=image&ebd=2011-02-10

Park's back ... figured he was but, good to see him in the training pics and think he'll start.

VDS

Rafael, Smalling, Vida, Evra
Nani, Carrick Anderson, Scholes , Park
Berbatov

Rooney, Giggs and Owen to come on if we need to push for a goal or two.

2-0 to United. !!!!!! Come on United.

Edit: We signed a new deal with DHL it looks like - maybe we can DHL some tissues to the bitters once we knock them out of the title race once and for all.
 
Forgot about Park earlier today so I think hes got a shout to start with Giggs to be used as an impact sub. Then again Giggs has done well esp. at OT and had no international so there ya go. Decent headache to have.
 
Apparently this is our new anthem, and will be played before the derby tomorrow.



feck.
Off.
 
hmmm.........similar


I feel a bit more comfortable with Smalling in there

I think we'll be up for it but they're a potent threat when they're firing
 
I dont mind, I'd rather watch both teams play well and display a great match, than them both play poorly, regardless I expect a United win.
 
Feeky_Magee said:
Apparently this is our new anthem, and will be played before the derby tomorrow.



feck.
Off.
Click to expand...


Ughh... why do they keep making new versions of that awful song?

Why can't we just stick to "Man Utd calypso". That's a fecking beautiful song with a nice history.
 
a city supporting mate of mine said 3-1 for the blues...tongue in cheek. both of us hope it is not as dire as the last match,,,which I reminded him was because of City.

as we get closer to the match I feel this may be more open. both teams need to win if the title is the key.
 
Was reading some of the comments on Paul Merson's column on Skysports where he basically was saying Mancini must play more positive as the last derby was the most dire game of the season.

Some City fans actually had the temerity to say that people should remember that there were 2 teams that day and United should be equally to blame - we were the only team on the day to try actually win the game.

I'll take them playing the same way they did on their ground because am confident we'll open then up at least once or twice at OT if they do.
 
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