Team for City

Originally Posted by Baron_van_Marlon

Rooney's acted the @#%&!, & been shit away, but he's been very good at home & Berbatov thrives off of his contribution. Starting Park in an advanced role is asking him to stop someone from dictating the play from deep from them. Who's going to do that? De Jong ? Barry ? £#%&!ing hell. If we don't set-up with Rooney at home to them with his record & a thirst for £#%&!ing hammering them it's all gone to £#%&!ing pot.

So the same as above, but not Park & that dozy pleb Rooney up there instead. & I hope he £#%&!ing smashes De Jong into next week as well.

park is a better player than you're giving him credit for and i think he's a better player through the middle than out wide. we need to have parity in midfield and city will have five in there, if we start rooney he'll only end up dropping deep all the time anyway, i'd sooner have park pushing on that the current rooney dropping back. that way the wide pair can push on with some confidence and still have players to find in the middle.

park's scored more than rooney this season anyway.

Originally Posted by borsuk

park is a better player than you're giving him credit for and i think he's a better player through the middle than out wide. we need to have parity in midfield and city will have five in there, if we start rooney he'll only end up dropping deep all the time anyway, i'd sooner have park pushing on that the current rooney dropping back. that way the wide pair can push on with some confidence and still have players to find in the middle.

park's scored more than rooney this season anyway.

I think the great thing about playing Park wide in the big games is the fact he covers the centre as well given his engine. He just mauls his the pitch.

Originally Posted by taff

VDS

Rafael
Smalling
Vidic
Evra

Nani
Carrick
Anderson
Park

Berbatov
Rooney

This.

Anderson must start, imo. We look sluggish without him. Carrick's 'shielding' of the back four is important in big games. Fletcher has just been too shit this season. Simple as. He doesn't deserve to start. Park usually steps up for these occasions too. I like Giggs and Pea off the bench too. Giggsy needs a rest.

Very worried about Smalling.

I see a tight and edgy encounter. I'll go for 2-1 to us and maybe a little fortunate to get it.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

This.

Anderson must start, imo. We look sluggish without him. Carrick's 'shielding' of the back four is important in big games. Fletcher has just been too shit this season. Simple as. He doesn't deserve to start. Park usually steps up for these occasions too. I like Giggs and Pea off the bench too. Giggsy needs a rest.

Very worried about Smalling.

I see a tight and edgy encounter. I'll go for 2-1 to us and maybe a little fortunate to get it.

Pea isn't available according to someone. Played in Mexico yesterday I thnk.

Originally Posted by Stickman

I think the great thing about playing Park wide in the big games is the fact he covers the centre as well given his engine. He just mauls his the pitch.

Quite.

He, Carrick and Anderson would provide a three without the ball. A good blend of positional sense and combative approach. With the ball, he can drift wide and support the other three. Not quite got the guile and cuteness of Giggs (who has?), but horses for courses and Giggs needs a rest. We can't afford to get overrun in the midfield against City's 8.

Park offers the tenacity and energy across the pitch. He's also clever enough to get into good areas and disciplined enough to keep his head and positional sense. It's often why he does so well in big games. I just hope he's not too rusty.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Pea isn't available according to someone. Played in Mexico yesterday I thnk.

Owen then. Same as last year, please.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Owen then. Same as last year, please.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Pea isn't available according to someone. Played in Mexico yesterday I thnk.

Not back until today.

Fergie been quoted as saying he wont be involved.

Originally Posted by borsuk

park is a better player than you're giving him credit for and i think he's a better player through the middle than out wide. we need to have parity in midfield and city will have five in there, if we start rooney he'll only end up dropping deep all the time anyway, i'd sooner have park pushing on that the current rooney dropping back. that way the wide pair can push on with some confidence and still have players to find in the middle.

park's scored more than rooney this season anyway.

He was dog-shit against them at their place earlier in the season, that was all about Berbatov & his ability to occupy both their centre backs. With Rooney up there (who's created at least 3 times the amount Park has scored) I'd be confident of at least getting in the goals without being completely & utterly reliant on Nani to do something.

Park has his place, ideally it would have been against Wolves last week against whom he's scored 75% of his goals against this year.

-----------------------------Van der sar--------------------------

Rafa---------------- Smalling-----------------Vidic------------ Evra


---------Fletcher---------------Carrick-------------Anderson---------


Nani ---------------------------------------------------------------- Rooney

------------------------------Berbs-----------------------------------


Not what i want but what I think we'll see.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Boo-urns! Booooo-urns!

Originally Posted by Baron_van_Marlon

He was dog-shit against them at their place earlier in the season, that was all about Berbatov & his ability to occupy both their centre backs. With Rooney up there (who's created at least 3 times the amount Park has scored) I'd be confident of at least getting in the goals without being completely & utterly reliant on Nani to do something.

Park has his place, ideally it would have been against Wolves last week against whom he's scored 75% of his goals against this year.

Just ignore the fact that Park was still coming back from being out with an injury when we played them. He was in fine form before the Asian Cup.

VDS

Rafael
Vidic
Smalling
Evra

Nani
Carrick
Ando
Park or Giggsy

Rooney
Berbatov

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

VDS

Rafael
Vidic
Smalling
Evra

Nani
Carrick
Ando
Park or Giggsy

Rooney
Berbatov

Mmmmyeeeeeeees?......

Originally Posted by Stickman

With Rio out, Id trust Wes more than anyone to attack the headers and generally give Tevez a harder time of it. I imagine Vidic will be picking up Dzeko seeing as hes such an aerial threat. Wont happen though, I just dont want to see Evans start this game and Im not sure Smalling is ready.

VDS

Rafael
Wes
Vidic
Evra

Nani
Carrick
Fletcher
Giggs

Berbatov
Rooney (great record v them and going well at home)


our central midfield is impossible to pick and feel inspired. Id prob rather see Scholes in there with Carrick but with Giggs in the side too I worry about getting overrun.

Brown is an awful shout. He looks finished at united level. Completely lost his pace and his positioning is poor. Plus his woeful distribution. I suspect fergie would play O"shea ahead of him at centre half if he had an injury crisis, and with just reason.

SAF has confirmed Smalling is starting which is good. Hopefully he would have picked him even if Evans wasn't injured.

I've not seen confirmation anywhere that Hernandez is out so unless it's confirmed by a credible source I'd pick him with Berbs.

VDS

Evra
Vidic
Smalling
Rafael

Scholes
Anderson
Carrick

Nani
Berbs
Hernandez

Would love Giggs to play in this game as it's made for him but he looked shot last week.

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

Rafael....Smallers....Vidic...Evra

Fletch...Anderson...Scholes

Nani.....Rooney.........Park

Originally Posted by Coracao

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

Rafael....Smallers....Vidic...Evra

Fletch...Anderson...Scholes

Nani.....Rooney.........Park

I expect us to have a lot of the ball in this game which is why I wouldnt have Fletcher or Park in the starting XI. Their use of the ball and overall ball retention isn't good enough (or hasnt been good enough in Fletch's case).

utd will play one up front and so will city. five in midfield for each team.

i'm going for the draw.

nft.

Originally Posted by PaulParkersPubes

I expect us to have a lot of the ball in this game which is why I wouldnt have Fletcher or Park in the starting XI. Their use of the ball and overall ball retention isn't good enough (or hasnt been good enough in Fletch's case).

Our record in big games without Fletcher is fairly poor IIRC.

Park has had a few weeks off. Would be surprised if he wasn't involved.

Your side is completely lopsided btw