Real defensive problems for Inter.

Originally Posted by Whalefish

Which he wasn't on Saturday, he was £#%&!ing awful. That was down to the PiG. I hope.

I think so to some extent at least. as you say though rio and the entire defence were a bit of a shambles against an enthusiastic but very limited Blackburn.

At least Heinze isn't playing centre back this time eh

£#%&!s sake, full on deja-vu going back to Milan with a patched up defense.

However, it's not quite the nightmare of playing AC last time, they had a striker with exceptional movement in Crespo, and an attacking midfielder / trequartista in Kaka who would run with the ball to exploit the gaps the makeshift defense inevitiably left. This time they just, realistically from what I've seen of Inter, need to handle an aerial threat. That's a lot more straight forwards & if the central midfield can track Stankovic & not let Muntari get time to ping off long shots we shouldn't have quite the same mauling as before.

Personally I'd stab Evans with every painkiller / anti-inflammatory going to get him out there. Vidic will be back after this so Evans can have a few weeks to get over it then.

------------------VDS

O'Shea------Rio-------Evans------Evra

Park-------Carrick------Fletcher---Ronnie

----------Rooney-----Berbs-----------

Park to play on the right for the first hour, not much gonna happen down that side as far as I'm concerned, the other side... Ronnie in front of Evra, I really hope Maicon thinks he's the %@#$&!s & bombs on to leave space for these two & Carrick to exploit. Will be the deciding factor - but knowing Mourinho he'll restrict him going past the halfway line & will want a nil-nil the boring £#%&!ing @#%&!.

I have been seriously thinking about this - and this is the way ahead (assuming injuries galore still).

VDS

Rafael
Rio
Evra
Giggs

Park
Fletchergeddon
Carrick
Ronaldo

Rooney
Das Berb von Atovstein.

As well we need a pro-wrestling attack on Ibramivivivivvovic in the bogs beforehand by Karl Power and we'll be laughing...

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

I have been seriously thinking about this - and this is the way ahead (assuming injuries galore still).

VDS

RafaelRio
Evra
Giggs

Park
Fletchergeddon
Carrick
Ronaldo

Rooney
Das Berb von Atovstein.

As well we need a pro-wrestling attack on Ibramivivivivvovic in the bogs beforehand by Karl Power and we'll be laughing...

Rafael is out too unfortunately mate

This is £#%&!ing gutting. Defensively, we’ve been brilliant since coming back from Japan and been on an excellent run – only too loose most of our first choice defence when the biggest game of the season comes round! Just our £#%&!ing luck

If Carrick is forced to play at CB, our midfield will really suffer. I wouldn’t want us to start with both Scholes and Giggs playing in the middle.

Very worried about this game.

Originally Posted by Baron_van_Marlon

/trequartista

Originally Posted by Pete's Shoes

Rafael is out too unfortunately mate

What
Didn't know that - oh boy, if O'Shea doesn't make it are we then looking at Fletcher at right back?

What a defensive pile up!

Evans, Vidic, G Nev, Brown, Rafael, O'Shea - all out? That would affect any team tbh.

Still - I think this will be made for Rio and VDS - I reckon they will be immense tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

Still - I think this will be made for Rio and VDS - I reckon they will be immense tomorrow.

I hope so.

However, if one of Evans/O'Shea is available, I'd play Fabio at RB. The temptation is put Fletcher in there, but we need him in midfield.

£#%&! me, this is worrying.

we'll be playing with a 10 man defence.....got 0-0 written all over it

id prefer 1-1

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

Still - I think this will be made for Rio and VDS - I reckon they will be immense tomorrow.

Rio & Evra are the irreplaceable ones imo. The right back position has been a mish-mash of whoever is fit & capable all season, Vidic has been magnificent recently but in the CL I'm crapping myself without Rio in the side tbf. Evra makes Ronnie a better player as he understands the need to create space for him by overlapping. He's also tremendous one on one. Filling the gaps is going to be awkward, but I fully expect Evans & O'Shea to play. They might hobble through an hour or so but it's better than lining up with a midfielder covering instead.

Originally Posted by Baron_van_Marlon

Rio & Evra are the irreplaceable ones imo. The right back position has been a mish-mash of whoever is fit & capable all season, Vidic has been magnificent recently but in the CL I'm crapping myself without Rio in the side tbf. Evra makes Ronnie a better player as he understands the need to create space for him by overlapping. He's also tremendous one on one. Filling the gaps is going to be awkward, but I fully expect Evans & O'Shea to play. They might hobble through an hour or so but it's better than lining up with a midfielder covering instead.

BvM

I really hope that you are right

Btw - who would have seen the day 12 months ago that we'd all be praying that Evans and O'Shea can be fit for Inter. It's credit-crunch-tastic indeed.

I would be happy with Eckersley at right back if it came to that, he would fine and wouldn't let anyone down from what I've seen of him.

Originally Posted by Pete's Shoes

I would be happy with Eckersley at right back if it came to that, he would fine and wouldn't let anyone down from what I've seen of him.

PS - doing some good work here mate

I didn't even realise Eckersley was in the CL squad - need to invoke the power of Google methinks....

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

BvM

I really hope that you are right

Btw - who would have seen the day 12 months ago that we'd all be praying that Evans and O'Shea can be fit for Inter. It's credit-crunch-tastic indeed.

did that today. sat reading an article about carrick at CB and thought to myself "shit I hoope o'shea is fit in time." then I caught myself on, or whatever it is the Irish say.

Is there any evidence Neville didn't travel??

What the £#%&!

Who is available?

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

What the £#%&!

Who is available?

Nobody actually knows, well maybe Fergie does.

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

Btw - who would have seen the day 12 months ago that we'd all be praying that Evans and O'Shea can be fit for Inter.

No, we'd have all been dreading a likely appearance of Silvestre

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

What the £#%&!

Who is available?

Here is the squad

Full Squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Brown, Vidic, Fabio, Rafael, O'Shea, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Possebon, Petrucci, Ronaldo, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Macheda, Amos, Eckersley, Evans, Gibson, Welbeck.


I see only 5 fit defenders - 4 if Rafael is out

Neville,
Evra, Ferdinand,
Brown,
Vidic,
Fabio, Rafael
O'Shea,
Eckersley
Evans,