Manchester United vs. Liverpool

Giggs will be available, won't he?

Why is everyone leaving him out of their line-ups?

Because of the nature of his injury he'll had a nice wee break (no pun intended) while still able to keep up a very good level of fitness. If available, I would have thought he'd be a shoe-in to start. SAF loves to play him in these big games. Remember Chelsea at OT last season?

Agreed. If anything, the break will have done him the world of good. Like you say, he's a naturally fit fella, so you'd think that wouldn't be too much of a problem. A month out of the firing line should keep him tip-top until the end of the season.

Problem is, our midfield is operating very well at the moment. I mean, Fletcher is superb at the moment. Scholes has been marvelous. Carrick's been ticking it over as usual. All the wingers are having stormers as well (as in Nani, Valencia and Park). Then if you factor Berbatov playing well, meaning that we may only go four in midfield, then you've got yourself a little selection conundrum right there.

VDS

Neville (more the Milan version and less the Fulham version though) Vidic (no reds please) Rio Evra

Valencia Carrick Fletcher Scholes Park

Rooney

We'll be scraping the barrel on the bench though: Giggs, Berbatov, Nani.
 
I think it kind of relies on what happens with Scholes.. Gibson is never starting this, so if Scholes doesn't, it's out of Nani and Berbatov. Park will start, as will Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, and Rooney.
 
we just have to beat these

I can genuinely see a 3 or 4 - 0 drubbing. They are shite at this moment. They are literally just another team on form but we know what these games can do for any team.
 
The last couple of matches against Liverpool, I think they've beaten us just through sheer will to win and workrate. Park could provide us that extra spark needed in the midfield battle.

Erm Park played 74 minutes in the 4-1 defeat.
 
The last three losses against Liverpool have a couple of things in common:
- Lack of the Fletch
- Not playing a proper 4-5-1

Play the same team as against Milan and we'll be fine.
 
The last three losses against Liverpool have a couple of things in common:
- Lack of the Fletch
- Not playing a proper 4-5-1

Play the same team as against Milan and we'll be fine.

If Liverpool play the AC Milan team player for player, yes ... erm no.

So Fletcher on the left against Kuyt, Park to be raped by Mascherano and we leave Gerrard to Carrick or Scholes then... brilliant!

Maybe the 3-5-2 that beat Wolfsburg would do nicely too.
 
If Liverpool play the AC Milan team player for player, yes ... erm no.

So Fletcher on the left against Kuyt, Park to be raped by Mascherano and we leave Gerrard to Carrick then... brilliant!

Maybe the 3-5-2 that beat Wolfsburg would do nicely too.

:wenger:

What kind of threat will Kuyt posses? None.

Mascherano breaks up play, he isn't a great creator so Park won't really get 'raped' by him because Park won't have the job of sticking on Mascherano, like he had to do with Pirlo.

The same Gerrard whose shown, a lack of effort, passion and ability this season? against Carrick who is defensively very good and can make our game tick along

I'll take the 3-5-2 wolfsburg comment as a joke.

You're over analysing things yet again.
 
we just have to beat these

I can genuinely see a 3 or 4 - 0 drubbing. They are shite at this moment. They are literally just another team on form but we know what these games can do for any team.

I think someone has said that in the matchday thread, each of the 3 past times we have faced them, sure we could kick their ass, but you never know what to expect out of a game like this.
 
:wenger:

What kind of threat will Kuyt posses? None.

Mascherano breaks up play, he isn't a great creator so Park won't really get 'raped' by him because Park won't have the job of sticking on Mascherano, like he had to do with Pirlo.

The same Gerrard whose shown, a lack of effort, passion and ability this season? Against Carrick who is defensively very good and can make our game tick along

I'll take the 3-5-2 wolfsburg comment as a joke.

You're over analysing things yet again.

Yeah I can see why analysing things is a problem for you. Carrick good, Fletcher bad ... that's about it isn't it?
 
Park on current form isn't likely to get raped by Mascherano and Gerrard's against Carrick right now doesn't worry me at all.

Maybe if Fool were playing better but, right now our team is playing better.

Long as ref this time doesn't let Masc and Lucas get away with 100 fouls each and we show more determination (Fletch will help) - we'll be fine.

Disrupt their supply to Torress and he'll throw a hissy because Rio and Vida will take care of him the times he does get a bit of the ball.
 
Park on current form isn't likely to get raped by Mascherano and Gerrard's against Carrick right now doesn't worry me at all.

Maybe if Fool were playing better but, right now our team is playing better.

Long as ref this time doesn't let Masc and Lucas get away with 100 fouls each and we show more determination (Fletch will help) - we'll be fine.

Disrupt their supply to Torress and he'll throw a hissy because Rio and Vida will take care of him the times he does get a bit of the ball.

So if 4-5-1 doesn't work with Park in the centre, it's the ref's fault, just like it was the referee's fault United lost against Barcelona in the final.
 
If Liverpool play the AC Milan team player for player, yes ... erm no.

So Fletcher on the left against Kuyt, Park to be raped by Mascherano and we leave Gerrard to Carrick or Scholes then... brilliant!

Maybe the 3-5-2 that beat Wolfsburg would do nicely too.
You're weird.
 
Wow, I must have missed those crunching tackles on Torres by Vidic.

Point is, Torres was kept quiet at that point by the best centre back pairing in the world.
I'm afraid WireRed is correct:

rioferdinandspocket3eb2.jpg
 
The only real question is the midfield. Fletcher is a given, as is Carrick. Whilst park might make sense in the middle, that leaves us with little in the way of creativity, but then, Liverpool have nothing in the way of creativity on their wings - if we shut out Gerrard/Aquaman then what are they going to do?

So Park in the middle in a 4-5-1, Valencia and Giggs to provide the attack and Rooney to batter them.
 
As long as we play 4-5-1 with Rooney up front and Fletcher in the middle I don't mind. Four out of Giggs, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Nani and Valencia. Impossible to pick! What a squad we have.
 
Gerrard elbowed Brown in the back of the head off the ball against Portsmouth tonight. If the FA are consistent, he should get the same ban that Ferdinand did and probably miss the trip to Old Trafford.. But this is the FA we're talking about, so let's wait and see.
 
Gerrard elbowed Brown in the back of the head off the ball against Portsmouth tonight. If the FA are consistent, he should get the same ban that Ferdinand did and probably miss the trip to Old Trafford.. But this is the FA we're talking about, so let's wait and see.

As always, referee saw the incident and such FA can't do anything about it when it comes to Pool players misbehaving ;)
 


Vidic certainly didn't struggle with Torres those first two matches, I don't remember Torres getting the better of either of them in those two matches. Lately he has, but not then.
 
I reckon they will, well at least more of one than they got from good old Avram and his boys
 
Yeah I can see why analysing things is a problem for you. Carrick good, Fletcher bad ... that's about it isn't it?


You need to get some perspective when analysing. I still remember when you compared Andersons strength in central midfield to Torres' and Kuyt, it's just not right...

Regarding Kuyt, he isn't a good winger, he lacks quality on the ball, has limited ability. Certainly not enough for me to worry about defending against on the wings, and certainly not good enough to warrant moving Fletcher out wide just to deal with the no threat from the wing that Kuyt will give.

As far as Park getting raped by Mascherano goes, Park possesses little attacking threat in the first place, and if Park is in that position, he could well be assigned the role of stopping Mascherano picking his passes to find Gerrrard and co, putting pressure on stopping the attack before it's began.

You're hoping we start like this I assume to cope with Liverpools array of attacking talent:
VDS
Rio Vidic Evra

Valencia Carrick Park Scholes Fletcher
Rooney Berba​

Again though, I hope you were joking about the 352 comment.
 
Gerrard elbowed Brown in the back of the head off the ball against Portsmouth tonight. If the FA are consistent, he should get the same ban that Ferdinand did and probably miss the trip to Old Trafford.. But this is the FA we're talking about, so let's wait and see.

He has to get a ban or all hell will let loose
 
I hope Nani does not start. I hope its Giggs on the left and Park/Valencia on the right.
 
Geek time!

Code:
                 van der Sarge

Neville(c)    Ferdinand     Vidic     Evra

         Fletcher  Carrick   Scholes
Valencia                             Giggs
                    Rooney


SUBS: Foster, Evans, Rafael, Park, Nani, Berbatov, Diouf
 
I really doubt Giggs will start, not that he wont feature though.
 
It was Rio who owned Torres. Then he found out that Vidic struggles against pacey forwards...

It's such a bollocks statement and I'm getting sick and tired of people lazily trotting it out.

Name me a central defender in the PL who can match Torres in a foot race?

Also, was Vidic once lightening? I must have been in hibernation for that. Lets face it, we always knew he wasn't the quickest, but he's coped. At OT that day, he simply had a poor game. Nothing else. For the Torres goal, the fundamental error was not dealing with the ball first time as he normally would. Then pace wouldn't have even been an issue.
 
will definitely be 4-5-1, strong midfield with the best striker in the world at the moment...