Real defensive problems for Inter.

Potentially missing Brown, Neville, O'Shea, Evans and Vidic for that game.

Who would partner Rio in that situation? Neither available full back would be suited to moving inside, Chester would surely not be picked for that game, might have to put Carrick alongside Rio which would proably mean Giggs/Fletcher as a 2 in midfield.

Rafael-Carrick-Rio-Evra

Not exactly what Fergie would wanted to have chosen, would not risk Rafael at this stage in a knock out tie IMO but wlll have to.

The last time we went to Milan with a patched up defence it backfired badly, and the replacments at that time were genuine experienced defenders.

Hope Fergie is just keeping Jose guessing and we have a few more available.

It won't be Chester, he's on loan at Peterborough

don't see any problem at all with playing Rafael tbh

he's a first team player simple as that

O'Shea at right-back the other day with Evans going on for him?

Evans going off today?

Got to be playing a guessing game for me. Wouldn't even be surprised to see Brown at centreback on Tuesday.

rafael-rio-giggs-evra

no probs

What's up with Brown anyway?

Originally Posted by Ginners

rafael-rio-giggs-evra

no probs

almost.......

Rafael-Rio-Evra-Giggs

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

don't see any problem at all with playing Rafael tbh

he's a first team player simple as that

O'Shea at right-back the other day with Evans going on for him?

Evans going off today?

Got to be playing a guessing game for me. Wouldn't even be surprised to see Brown at centreback on Tuesday.

Rafael can be a little rash, diving into tackles. can be drawn in leaving a lot of space behind him. Park in front of him, as is likely, will offer him a lot of protection, but I doubt Fergie will have wanted to pick both small full backs against a very physical side like Inter.

Blackburn caused a lot of problems with high balls today, aided in part by the indecisive Kuszack but Mourninho will have noted that.

Inter will force us to defend, not many teams have done that during the last 2/3 months, most games Utd have dominated the ball against conservative opponents, and it remains to be seen how the likes of Rafael and Evans will cope under conserted pressure .

Brown apparently had a set back in training, the same as Neville, would be much more confident with both available.

I reckon Evans will be fit.

and when I said derby gave us trouble with crosses, everyone assumed I was wumming. and inter have ibrahimovic.

at least we won't have comedy tommy k going down when his central defender has the man and then crashing into his own player. £#%&!ing arse that he is.

rafael...................rio....................ev ra

fletcher

ronaldo.............scholes...............carrick. ..........giggs


berbatov..............................rooney

What's up with O'Shea?

Originally Posted by Ashley's Grime

What's up O'Shea?

i dont think they'll make that public

Carrick in central defence would be mental, O'Shea for me instead all day.

Originally Posted by Ether

Carrick in central defence would be mental, O'Shea for me instead all day.

Problem with his heel I think. He will probably be Ok but I was thinking worst case scenario, no first team players with any real time at CB, who is the logical choice to take on a difficult job like that? It was Carrick or Fletcher for me, and carrick has at least slipped into that position when a CB has been off getting treatment during games.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Rafael can be a little rash, diving into tackles. can be drawn in leaving a lot of space behind him. Park in front of him, as is likely, will offer him a lot of protection, but I doubt Fergie will have wanted to pick both small full backs against a very physical side like Inter.

Blackburn caused a lot of problems with high balls today, aided in part by the indecisive Kuszack but Mourninho will have noted that.

Inter will force us to defend, not many teams have done that during the last 2/3 months, most games Utd have dominated the ball against conservative opponents, and it remains to be seen how the likes of Rafael and Evans will cope under conserted pressure .

Brown apparently had a set back in training, the same as Neville, would be much more confident with both available.

Mourinho will play a long ball game but so what?

Blackburn caused problems in all sorts of ways today, not just with high balls.

Park may well cover Rafael, but then again we've now seen Giggs, Park, Nani and Ronaldo on that side in the last few games, so expect to see Rooney out there a fair bit on Tuesday with Park on the left and Ronaldo playing off Berbatov. There's also a fair chance of Ferguson using the option of Neville stepping in to sweep the second ball behind Ferdinand. Let's hope Evans makes it and has a confident start as well.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Problem with his heel I think. He will probably be Ok but I was thinking worst case scenario, no first team players with any real time at CB, who is the logical choice to take on a difficult job like that? It was Carrick or Fletcher for me, and carrick has at least slipped into that position when a CB has been off getting treatment during games.

Ah right, didn't realise.

I guess he would be the only choice really, god that would worry me though.

looking at that game today, inter will see that the clear weak spot was the right back area. not blaming rafael alone but we were put under pressure there throughout the game. what's that brazilian full back Inter have got? please don't tell me he plays on the left.

and thank all your gods that nutsack is our number three choice in green. he was pretty awful again defenders didn't want to pass to him. he can't fit in with how we paly

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Blackburn caused problems in all sorts of ways today, not just with high balls.

Primarily by playing balls in behind Rafael after he came forward to challenge players who then simply laid it off. He struggled today, but it's a learning process at his age. Jose will certainly have noted it.

Originally Posted by shenwen

and thank all your gods that nutsack is our number three choice in green. he was pretty awful again defenders didn't want to pass to him. he can't fit in with how we paly

I have to think he's played his last meaningful game for United. You'd have to think prior to today SAF rated him 2nd, seeing as he played Foster in the FA Cup and Kuzcscak today. But I think that will have changed.

Originally Posted by Grimson

Primarily by playing balls in behind Rafael after he came forward to challenge players who then simply laid it off. He struggled today, but it's a learning process at his age. Jose will certainly have noted it.

Blackburn did pretty well today, especially on Ronaldo's side

Mourinho will be well aware of United's vulnerability in behind our attacking full-backs

tbh it's more of a worry how easily one straight ball down the side of the centreback can take United's defence out; we've got away with it in similar scenarios quite a few times during the clean sheets run

Originally Posted by wonky no

rafael...................rio....................ev ra

fletcher

ronaldo.............scholes...............carrick. ..........giggs


berbatov..............................rooney

Interesting Wonks ............... although he'd put Park in ahead of Giggs for the away leg given his all energetic "dog chasing a tennis ball" style. He'll keep nipping away and won't let Inter settle