Smith to start against Roma?

What are the chances of this?

We are badly lacking for options in our front 6 for the Roma game. Ole does not have the legs to start this type of game for me anymore. He got a crucial assist last week, but was totally off the pace otherwise. Smith is also short of games but get him at them for an hour and then bring on Ole, fresh with his finishing abilities if we need a goal.

Depends on what the midfield is i suppose.

Giggs
Fletcher
Carrick
Ronaldo
Rooney
Smith

Park is a big miss, so very few options without him.

Giggs/Carrick as center partnership would worry me against Roma, Fletcher Would allow us to be bit more solid and have 2 genuine threat on the wings.

Also Evra has to start, it will not be a physical battle suited to Heinze, and Evra's extra attacking ability could give us an edge.

We're doomed if o'shite starts against them again, & even worse if Fletcher is starting too.

if Smith starts we might as well just give them the tie

Smith would do fine if he played. They wouldn't like playing against him, put it that way. Seems that when Smith got injured he suddenly was written off as a shit player. Don't forget he was a striker playing in defensive midfield. That's Fergie's fault not his.

Smith looked sharp against Pompey at the weekend, I don't know why he didn't start, you know he'll never let the club down.

i know he is still on his way back from injury

but he has some previous success against the co tenants on the olympic stadium

Originally Posted by £#%&! KFC

if Smith starts we might as well just give them the tie

Sadly given the options it is a very real possibility. No Saha, Park, Scholes out

Giggs and Ronaldo on the wings, Fletcher and Carrick in the center and Rooney, Smith/Ole up front would give us the best balance. If you start switching Ronaldo and Giggs into other positions then we would not have any balance to the team at all.

Straight choice between Ole and Smith probably, Ole could play wide i suppose, and then one of Giggs/Ronaldo goes up front, but Ole really should not be starting this big a game at this stage of his career.

what are you basing Smith on? He played earlier this season against a set of plumbers and plasterers and was totally gash. I understand we're thin upfront but to leave Ole out for Smith who hasn't kicked a ball (or at least kicked it well) for a season is a bad move.

We have enough players on the pitch to get goals.

the team tomorrow has to be

VDS

O'Shea Rio Brown Evra

Ronaldo Carrick Fletcher (I know) Giggs

Rooney Solskjaer

say! what are you basing Smith on? He played earlier this season against a set of plumbers and plasterers and was totally gash. I understand we're thin upfront but to leave Ole out for Smith who hasn't kicked a ball (or at least kicked it well) for a season is a bad move.

We have enough players on the pitch to get goals.

Ole has done ok this year, scored a few goals, mostly against poor sides, because he is a brilliant instinctive finisher, but has offered very little else. His legs are gone and he does not stretch or physically challenge defences anymore.

Smith Is more likely to give us out ball when under pressure, can hold the ball up and has a bit more pace than Ole. Ole is the more likely scorer, but a lot of our success this year has been based on the main forward occupying defenders and the rest of our attack playing around him. Smith is more likely to be successful at that role I believe.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Sadly given the options it is a very real possibility. No Saha, Park, Scholes out

Giggs and Ronaldo on the wings, Fletcher and Carrick in the center and Rooney, Smith/Ole up front would give us the best balance. If you start switching Ronaldo and Giggs into other positions then we would not have any balance to the team at all.

Straight choice between Ole and Smith probably, Ole could play wide i suppose, and then one of Giggs/Ronaldo goes up front, but Ole really should not be starting this big a game at this stage of his career.

looks about right - the best of a bad job. losing park is a huge blow as he's been playing well and would allow giggs to move inside - i think this would be the best option. park's energy would also give mancini problems attacking pie down the left. as it is i think your suggestion is about as good as we can manage. i just hope we go out to attack - with that back 4 we've got to bank on scoring more, not keeping it tight.

I preferred your old avatar Borsuk, it was cute yet disturbing, soz

how about


VDS

Wes Rio Heinze Evra

Ronaldo Carrick O'Shea Giggs

Rooney Smith (for 1st 60 then ole)

Originally Posted by thatsfuctit

how about


VDS

Wes Rio Heinze Evra

Ronaldo Carrick O'Shea Giggs

Rooney Smith (for 1st 60 then ole)

Heinze at center back is the problem there. Personally i would not trust him at all in that position, his lunging, niggling style, and his positional sense is not the best. He plays as part of a 3 for Argentina, but in a 4-4-2 it would be a big risk. Rio and Wes have played together many times, can not see Fergie trying a new partnership in a game like this.

I would be more confident with Heinze on the bench in truth, penalty or red card waiting top happen against an Italian side.

The main question with your team is who do you prefer partnering Carrick, Fletcher or O'Shea? Its a tough one

3 at the back would solve many problems. It's £#%&!ing risky though

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Smith to start against Roma?
What are the chances of this?

zero, I'd say.



Don't ask me why. We need a centre-forward. He's a centre-forward. And even if you're one of those who doesn't rate him (I'm not), you have to acknowledge that Solskjaer hasn't the legs to start at this level any more, and that playing Ronaldo up there with our current midfield options creates as many problems as it might solve.



But still. I'll be very surprised if Smith starts.

ole is finshed as a starting striker in difficult games, smith wouldnt give them a minutes rest and would be a handful, he should start with rooney

and evra should play, cause gabby is liable to £#%&! up, and poses no attacking threat

how about......

play heinze at left back and evra left midfield

then either giggs or ronnie could play up front ?

even if he probably won't.

the real problem is defence. o'shea and heinze were awful. if heinze won't actually play left back, why not make it official and stick him in the centre? brown can go to right back and might actually be able to stop the odd cross. I would stick o'shea in midfield ahead of fletch, but the game would pass either of them by. actually, o'shea might be ok in central defence given the way roma play.

ole won't last and must be on the bench to come on late if we need him.

so... um... I can only think of ten players. curse scholesy.

kuszczak

brown - snoop - heinze - evra

ronaldo - carrick - o'shea - giggs

rooney - smith

I guess ole could go right wing, giggs in the middle and ronaldo left. my only other thought is richardson on the left.

with playing evra ahead of heinze on the left is that they keep leaving the runner to each other on previous evidence. it will get more than when both of them are too far up and too far inside. and o'shea had the same look as when he played against ronaldo.