Manchester United Vs. Aston Villa

There's a trophy out there to be won FFS! As 'young guns' go, the only ones really in with a shot of playing are Rafael, Evans and perhaps Gibson.
 
Rowem said:
Fabio did not start the league cup final last season. O'Shea did.

Of course he is a professional but it would be a pathetic way to treat him. There have been other, more viable opportunities to rest him. We could have rested him against West Ham, we could rest him against Wolves. Making him play every one of these games and dropping him come final day, what, in order to play Rafael at left back and Fletcher at right back? Insane.

Plus, considering we don't have any natural width on the left right now...it would be tactical suicide.
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Was it pathetic to leave out Rooney, Carrick, Fletcher out of the last League Cup Final? The only thing pathetic is your assertion that it is pathetic, I suppose that means that the few reserves who played were pathetic too. Sir Alex can do whatever he wants, he knows he can't clap his hands and believe that Capello and Domenech will rest Rooney and Evra for him and I'm sure he'd wish to bring a stronger 11 to Wolves and get points. It's the League United want not the bloody League Cup.

It'd be pathetic to shun a player like Gibson responsible for the Carling Cup semi final, he had the confidence to play Rafael on the left against the best side in Turkey, so I guess Fergie was being pathetic then too.

Had it not been for Club pride, United would've fielded kids against City, they feilded reserves against Chelsea's First team and they did better than United's first team did. Hardly non compus mentus to imagine Sir Alex will make changes, he doesn't need to rest anyone, but he does need to factor in European appearances because apart from Scholes,Edwin and the da Silva's most his squad can be called up. With that in mind he might not have anyone to rest Evra and Rooney with, nevermind the chance that either could get injured.

The caf would probably explode if Evra pull up before matchday
 
Rooney was ill for last years Cup Final, Fletcher was injured.

Anyway - also seems Fergie is considering not starting Rooney on Sunday.

Sir Alex Ferguson considers resting Wayne Rooney for Carling Cup - Carling Cup - ESPN Soccernet

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he is considering leaving red-hot striker Wayne Rooney out of his Carling Cup final starting line-up to rest him for important fixtures on the horizon.

With Rooney in the sort of touch where he can seemingly win matches by his own will, Ferguson is faced with the dilemma - albeit a welcome one - of whether to cash in now or manage the marksman's workload in the pursuit of Premier League and Champions League honours.

England fans, of course, will also be hoping that Rooney doesn't get burnt out - or even worse, injured - for the sake of their hopes at the World Cup finals in June.

Rooney has been in explosive form, following up his Champions League double against AC Milan with two more goals in the midweek win over West Ham. That took his overall goal tally for the season to 27, just 15 short of the amazing number Cristiano Ronaldo contributed to Manchester United's 2008 Champions League-winning campaign.

With a maximum of 17 games left, Rooney has an obvious target to aim at. However, as he ponders a fixture list which includes a return meeting with Milan at Old Trafford on March 10 and vital Premier League games, Ferguson claims he is giving serious consideration to leaving Rooney out of the Wembley clash with Aston Villa.

"It has to be a consideration simply because we have important games coming up,'' said the United boss. "The problem is he is desperate to play, he is always desperate to play. Maybe it is his chance to play right-back because he keeps telling everyone he is a great defender, centre-half or sweeper.''

With silverware on the line, Ferguson is still predicted to give Rooney another start in Sunday's showpiece but his latest comments indicate he's becoming increasingly wary over the reliance his side have on their talisman, and the subsequent workload that creates.

Hinting at giving Rooney a rest this time might ease the pain of sidelining the ever-enthusiastic 24-year-old in the near future. Ferguson is also taking pressure off his main man by sticking to his now-conservative 30-goal target, despite the inevitable talk of Ronaldo's 42.

"We have 10 league games after Sunday and hopefully six European ties. That is 17 games in total,'' said Ferguson. "A goal a game would bring him to 44. There's pressure for you. It is a target and who wouldn't love to get that kind of goal tally. It is hard to think he could reach it though. I don't think he has got that kind of target and I certainly haven't.

"He is in a great scoring burst right now. He is popping up in the right places at the right time and his judgment in the penalty box is improving. That is a nice sign. But I have said all along if he gets over 30 I will be delighted so let's not be greedy.''

Should Ferguson opt to leave Rooney out, it would at least offer Dimitar Berbatov a chance to play. The Bulgarian could hardly have imagined that, after spending a club record £30.75million on him at the start of last season, Ferguson would leave him out of so many key games.

Benched for last season's Champions League final, Berbatov was also among the substitutes against AC Milan in the San Siro. His response has been admirable though, scoring at Everton last weekend before producing an outstanding performance in a creative capacity against West Ham in midweek.

"Dimitar is consistent,'' said Ferguson. "On Saturday he looked like the only one who could score and has performed well in recent games. We do have a preference to play one striker sometimes, but that does not reflect on him in any way, or Michael Owen for that matter. It is just the choice we make.''

As usual, Ferguson has more contenders for his starting line-up than places on offer. Darren Fletcher would appear a certainty and, on the basis that he missed last year's win over Tottenham through injury, so too does Brazilian full-back Rafael. The other nine spots are up for grabs, although Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson are expected to add an element of youth as United look to win the competition for a fourth time.

One of the other issues surrounds the goalkeeping slot, which appears to be between Tomasz Kuszczak and Edwin van der Sar who, as he hinted last week, has opted to remain at Old Trafford for another season. The new deal will take Van der Sar beyond his 40th birthday and also allows him to thank Ferguson for the compassion shown after his wife Annemarie suffered a stroke in Holland just before Christmas.

"I still feel good and am enjoying my football,'' he said. "This is a great club and I was shown a great deal of compassion and support during a difficult time in December and January, for which I am extremely grateful.''
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VDS

Rafael
Evra
Vidic
Evans

Valencia
Park
Carrick
Scholes

Berba
Rooney

No need to rest any players for this. Fergie had the chance to rest players against West Ham and he chose not to. It would be rather stupid not playing a full strength team in any final.

Villa are going very well at the moment. If they get in Scholes' face and hes unable to perform, then Fletcher can come on for him.

Vidic looked great midweek, lets hope he continues it.

Milner likes to get himself about the pitch all the time, he can make intelligent runs, but it can leave the centre of the field exposed for them, so hopefully, our midfield and strikers can capitalise on it.

I predict 3-2.
 
Going by Fergie's comments:

VDS

Rafa Vidic Evans Evra

Valencia Carrick Fletcher Park

Berba Owen

Wouldn't be surprised to see Wayne play. Wouldn't be surprised to see Scholes in a midfield three.
 
MUFCgal said:
Yes, if we win the Carling Cup tomorrow then we go level with Liverpool on the total number of trophies. Would they still claim to be the most successful club in English football?
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Yes, probably by resorting to some bizarre rhetoric along the lines of away trophies counting double.
 
MUFCgal said:
Yes, if we win the Carling Cup tomorrow then we go level with Liverpool on the total number of trophies. Would they still claim to be the most successful club in English football?
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Sadly, they are still the most successful English club overall, because of the European Cup / Champions League advantage.

Domestically, as has been claimed before, we are probably already ahead in that the FA Cup trumps the League Cup, but if we win tomorrow we can claim to be undisputedly the most successful domestic club side. Clearly the Charity Shield cannot count, nor can the Super Cup in Europe.
 
Northstand said:
Sadly, they are still the most successful English club overall, because of the European Cup / Champions League advantage.

Domestically, as has been claimed before, we are probably already ahead in that the FA Cup trumps the League Cup, but if we win tomorrow we can claim to be undisputedly the most successful domestic club side. Clearly the Charity Shield cannot count, nor can the Super Cup in Europe.
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I just take the trophies that we've won whilst being a top flight side (I don't include 2nd division titles or anything). If we've won more trophies domestically, I don't see how they'd be more successful just because they've won more European trophies. If it gets to the day when we've overtaken their entire tally of trophies, then we'd be the most successful English club.

You can't debate that.
 
Doevle said:
Would be nice to go level with them.

Has to be said though, the only trophies I give a feck about are the league, champions league and the f.a. cup.
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Well, yes the ones I care most about are those three, and if you do add the total amounts of those trophies together, we come out on top.

United: 18 leagues, 3 European Cups, 11 FA Cups = 32
Liverpool: 18 leagues, 5 European Cups, 7 FA Cups = 30

:devil:
 
Northstand said:
Sadly, they are still the most successful English club overall, because of the European Cup / Champions League advantage.

Domestically, as has been claimed before, we are probably already ahead in that the FA Cup trumps the League Cup, but if we win tomorrow we can claim to be undisputedly the most successful domestic club side. Clearly the Charity Shield cannot count, nor can the Super Cup in Europe.
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On the other hand, we have been World Champions twice, they have never been World Champions.
 
Foster

Rafa Vidic Evans Evra

Valencia Gibson Scholes Fletcher

Berbatoe Owen
 
Winning a trophy on the same weekend as City hammer Chelsea would be massive for us in the title-race. Don't underestimate the importance of a win tomorrow, it will do a world of good for the morals.
 
Oldham said:
Foster

Rafa Vidic Evans Evra

Valencia Gibson Scholes Fletcher

Berbatoe Owen
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If anything it is going to be Gibson on the left and Fletch in the center. But it depends on if we play 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 because I m pretty sure Carrick is definitely going to play. Scholes nowadays rarely plays two games in a row let alone two games in 5 days unless both those games are really vital for us like the City and Arsenal game in one week.
 
Stuff the Goat said:
Lets "get in there" & win this cup. Lets become the 1st Utd team to retain a major cup! ..... With Chelsea losing, a win today should "kick us on" to even bigger success!:devil:
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I guess retaining the premier league 3 times on the bounce, twice, doesn't really count? :wenger:
 
Just heard 2 Villa fans being interviewed in London. One of them said they'd win no problem!:lol:

The other said, Scholes is old, our defence isn't all that, Rafael's too small and Ashley Young will rip him to shreds:lol:

Nothing like bigging your team up eh?

I hope we do our talking on the pitch.

Gotta go now. Match to get to;)

Will post thoughts when I get back
 
We've been struggling against Villa this season, so I'm not confident we'll win it. But I believe more experience from important games like this one will give our lads an advantage. I believe it's gonna be a tight one tough.
 
AdZzUtd said:
I guess retaining the premier league 3 times on the bounce, twice, doesn't really count? :wenger:
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The Premiership isn't a Cup competition. He was refering too FA Cup, European Cup, League Cup etc.
 
Berlinknives said:
Was it pathetic to leave out Rooney, Carrick, Fletcher out of the last League Cup Final? The only thing pathetic is your assertion that it is pathetic, I suppose that means that the few reserves who played were pathetic too. Sir Alex can do whatever he wants, he knows he can't clap his hands and believe that Capello and Domenech will rest Rooney and Evra for him and I'm sure he'd wish to bring a stronger 11 to Wolves and get points. It's the League United want not the bloody League Cup.

It'd be pathetic to shun a player like Gibson responsible for the Carling Cup semi final, he had the confidence to play Rafael on the left against the best side in Turkey, so I guess Fergie was being pathetic then too.

Had it not been for Club pride, United would've fielded kids against City, they feilded reserves against Chelsea's First team and they did better than United's first team did. Hardly non compus mentus to imagine Sir Alex will make changes, he doesn't need to rest anyone, but he does need to factor in European appearances because apart from Scholes,Edwin and the da Silva's most his squad can be called up. With that in mind he might not have anyone to rest Evra and Rooney with, nevermind the chance that either could get injured.

The caf would probably explode if Evra pull up before matchday
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OMFG you're retarded! :lol:
 
There's game today?
 
Anybody who wants a stream has until 2:30pm to send me a pm, and I'll send one back.
 
That's a bold statement, Hectic.

Literally.
Redknapp_Jamie_564272.jpg


Anyway, if Rooney and Valencia play then I think we'll come out victorious. The pair have formed a formidable partnership of late and are looking unstoppable. However with Brad "Superman" Friedel in net we may come up a cropper. I can see Owen and Berbatov being the starting partnership to be honest. Rooney will come on if we're in need of a goal. Gibson, Scholes, Park and Valencia in midfield with Brown Evans Rafael and Evra at the back. Not sure who he'll stick in nets to be honest.
 
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