Happily take a draw tomorrow. Draws in both our games and we top the group. Simple as that.
Rangers FC vs. Manchester United
- Thread starter Jacob
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Is it wrong to hope we have to win against Valencia as I'm going to that one.....
My guess at the team with the reasons for selection. As you can see i think it will be a mix of youth and experience with the main aim obviously to get a result with an opportunity to get as many first team players regaining match sharpness and confidence.
PIG - Should be more than capable for this assuming he's fit. Needs the minutes
Brown - Selected ahead of Rafael for his experience. Needs the minutes
Smalling - In decent form. Needs the experience
Evans - Needs to discover form/confidence. Needs the minutes
O'Shea - Evra could do with the rest. Selected ahead of Fabio for his experience. Needs minutes
Obertan - In decent form. Nani needs rested
Scholes - Had last week (internationals) off and half hour on Saturday presumably with this in mind
Carrick - Better passer than Fletcher. Better partner to Scholes than Anderson
Giggs - Can pick a pass. Needs the minutes. Park needs rested
Rooney - Fergie said he'll start. Needs the minutes and to rebuild confidence
Berbatov - Needs a goal for confidence, and to establish partnership with Rooney again
Subs
VDS
Fabio
Rafael
Anderson
Bebe
Hernandez
Macheda
PIG - Should be more than capable for this assuming he's fit. Needs the minutes
Brown - Selected ahead of Rafael for his experience. Needs the minutes
Smalling - In decent form. Needs the experience
Evans - Needs to discover form/confidence. Needs the minutes
O'Shea - Evra could do with the rest. Selected ahead of Fabio for his experience. Needs minutes
Obertan - In decent form. Nani needs rested
Scholes - Had last week (internationals) off and half hour on Saturday presumably with this in mind
Carrick - Better passer than Fletcher. Better partner to Scholes than Anderson
Giggs - Can pick a pass. Needs the minutes. Park needs rested
Rooney - Fergie said he'll start. Needs the minutes and to rebuild confidence
Berbatov - Needs a goal for confidence, and to establish partnership with Rooney again
Subs
VDS
Fabio
Rafael
Anderson
Bebe
Hernandez
Macheda
Fergie confirms Vidic and Ferdinand rested, but Fletcher is injured. Evans and Smalling will play in the centre of defence.
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I'd have prefered Smalling to be partnered by Wes.
evans at the press conference with fergie... should get a game
I don't think you'll be too far out with that line-up but PIG hasn't travelled so presumably VDS will be in goal with Amos on the bench. Evra, Park and Nani have all travelled so I'd be surprised if they weren't at least on the bench. Maybe Park might be left out altogether along with Bebe and Fabio.
Nah we played a back three - it was pretty clear to anyone who was at the game or watched the full match on the box - and the heat maps are supportive. In any case, I presume you're a United fan and watched their games at the same time?
Anyway, having seen the team news, I think we're fecked. Only one fit centre-back and he's in his 40s. The loss of Edu will have an impact - he's had a good campaign and is perfectly suited to games like these where he can harry the opposition and doesn't have to do much creative work.
It will be Carrick/Scholes/Anderson in a 3 man midfield, you can quote me.
And have one striker against their 3 centrehalfs? Why do we need 3 centre midfielders to compete against Steven Davis and Lee McCulloch?
Sir alex made note of Rangers performance against Valencia and how they controlled the midfield area in his press conference today, they should have won by a few goals that night, away from home in europe is a no go for 4-4-2 we didn't even play it against Bursaspor and they are arguably the worst team in the competition this year, i think people expecting 4-4-2 tomorrow night will be very dissapointed, we wont play it, we'll play how we always play away from home in such games, 3 in midfield control the tempo and win the game.
Especially seeing as we only need a point to guarantee qualification i don't see the manager taking any risks with a formation we've all but abandoned away from home in Europe for 5 years.
Van Der Sar
Rafael Smalling Evans Evra.Carrick Scholes Anderson
Nani....................... Giggs
............Rooney
Thats what i think we will see.
Against a team that parks the bus as much as Rangers i just dont see the point. We would control the midfield so easily with Scholes + Another but where we'll have difficulty is breaking them down with their 9 men behind the ball.
Their defence is missing their only player with pace (Bougherra), and their most consistant defender is a major risk. Their fans are absolutely shitting themselves about their central defenders up against our attackers. Rooneys only just returned, and struggling for form so i do not see the point on playing him as a lone striker when Rangers are there for the taking.
If you leave out Park, Bébé and Fabio the bench would be (in that case):
Amos, Evra, Rafael, Anderson, Macheda, Hernandez, Nani
... which to be fair doesn't seem to offer a lot of variation, particularly the situation where United are trying to close out a game without alterating formation, or if a player got sent off, a situation Park would be useful in.
It's pointless having two strikers on the bench when "Rooney is set to play 90 minutes". You have one player as a backup striker and another just in case Rooney, when the backup player is on the pitch, or the backup striker gets injured. Probabilistically, in this rare situation, you're better off shoving Nani, Giggs or Bébé upfront with the striker than risk the flexibility of the bench on two forward subs, regardless of starting formation.
So one of Macheda, Hernandez or Berbatov will miss out, I'd guess Macheda.
The simple squad maths and considering the versatility of the players suggests that United have one more fullback than is needed, one more winger than is needed and one more striker than is needed. I'd guess one of the da Silvas and one from Obertan or Bébé.
My own prediction:
Van der Sar; O'Shea, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Park, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs(c); Rooney, Berbatov
Subs: Amos; Fabio, Brown; Anderson, Nani; Bébé, Hernandez
Wear Rangers down with the experienced passers then bring on the youngsters for an impact.
Van der Sar; O'Shea, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Park, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs(c); Rooney, Berbatov
Subs: Amos; Fabio, Brown; Anderson, Nani; Bébé, Hernandez
Wear Rangers down with the experienced passers then bring on the youngsters for an impact.
feckin come on!!!!
I think we'll see a Berbastart
In a fans view who'd want attacking football then yes I'm with you, vs a Rangers side Away, I don't mind 4-5-1 to start off the game, you certainly know that if the time comes and we have it our way SAF will certainly unleash another forward and go 4-4-2, Its a safety precaution I assume. Nothing wrong with playing safe.
Deluded in the extreme.
SAF's already said Rooney is starting, so I doubt it as I can't see us playing two strikers.
When was the last time we played 2 strikers away in Europe?
SAF also implied he'll start Rooney with Berbtov when he talked about tinkering with his strikers. I know there's a game against Blackburn but both need games.
Aston Villa.
Seriously though Wolfsburg?
Or if you don't count Welbeck as a striker, then perhaps Roma a season before that.
My "A" key is a bit dodgey.
I think we'll play a flat back 4 plus Oshea as a defensive midfielder/extra centre half.
He was talking about Rangers.
My mistake. Didnt read through the thread actually. Apologies.
Anyway, it would be a surprise if Rangers wont be going all out for this game. They have got to win. No point being cautious for them really.
They don't come much more cautious than Walter Smith.
Word on the street is that he will go 5-4-1 again and they will look to knick a goal.
If they indeed play 5-4-1, we have no choice but to play 4-5-1. No point countering 5-4-1 with a 4-4-2. They will outnumber us in midfield+defence and that will give them more possession. We can however, play 4-1-4-1.
To be honest I'll be amazed if we deviate from 4-5-1 regardless of how Rangers set up.
It's been so successful I can't see Fergie changing it.
How poor the team must be playing 5-4-1 at home?
Jesus.
Jesus.
Yea I took that as being in the league, or at least at home. I can't see him deviating from 4-5-1 in a Euro away, but I could be wrong!
That and Hernandez is ahead of Berbatov right now IMO. Rooney obviously needs the games and Hernandez doesn't need to overdo it. I'd say Berba is third choice right now
Rooney and Shrek or Shrek and Rooney
Looking trim, he has worked hard it seems.
pointed by a fella from another place...
Looking trim, he has worked hard it seems.
pointed by a fella from another place...
Oh what an unfortunate choice of bag!
Anyone know where to drink in Glasgow??
This doesn't make sense to me at all. How do you work out we'd be outnumbered in midfield?
A team like Rangers thats playing with 5 at the back has already accepted it will be a containment exercise and hoping they get a breakaway goal at the other end. I think it would be counter productive to line up with 1 upfront, with a striker who'll be totally isolated against 3 central defenders. We'd find it particularly difficult to break them down in that scenario.
Rangers are not a possession team. I watch them every week and they're a team of hoofers. We'll have the majority of possession whatever way we line up, but we'd make our job much easier with 2 strikers imo.
We need to play an attacking 3-4-3 using Evra as an auxilliary left midfielder who is prepared to track back. Brown Smalling and Evans can play at the back with Brown covering the RB zone when needed - face it there's not going to be too much goal threat from them to worry about. The rest of the team need to focus on attack with Rooney Berabtov and Nani / Obertan at the front and a strong midfield
Quite a few Utd in Weatherspoons last time.
Looks like Papac and Lafferty are out for the 'Gers. They're down to the bare bones.