*Official* Aston Villa v United Match Thread.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Think Rooney's injury has come at a good time for Ferguson tbh, cus it'll save him having to actually make the decision to drop him for Norwich. Then Galatasaray away is a rest day and he can bring him back for QPR at home if needs be

Why would he drop him?
His form has been very good up until yesterday. One bad game means you get dropped??

Rooney had a poor game, but the service from our midfield - both centrally & out wide was appalling.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Originally Posted by History

Van Persie and Hernandez together cost less than carrol

Rooney, Van persie and Hernandez together cost 6 million more than torres.

Can't argue with Value

£#%&! me

Are City's fans practising the equivalent of crop rotation? To... save wear and tear on the seats... or something?

Never got the Hernandez stick on here.

Especially in terms of his 'all round' game, whatever that means

im a big fan of having options, especially upfront, the way we play we need strikers that offer something different from each other, not 4 carbon copies of Rooney or RVP

because when we're stuck in a muddle and Rooney or RVP aren't scoring you need someone that just knows how to put the ball in the net, whether it comes of his arse or his elbow

Hernandez more than anyone in our squad is brilliant at that!

Originally Posted by I_Am_Paul_Parker

I am worried about Evra tbh, he's not been at the races properly for a good couple of seasons. Gets turned inside out by his own shadow.

Baines ain't the replacement though

agree with that, especially the bit about Baines

i think evra's been good this season

Originally Posted by borsuk

i think evra's been good this season

Must be watching a different player to me borsurs, he's still a threat going forward - more so than ever, arguably - but my arse hums a tune every time someone runs at him, he's lost a couple of yards of pace which always got him out of trouble before. I'm not saying he's for the scrap heap just yet but we should really be looking at a replacement sooner rather than later. He won't get to 34/5/6 a la rio and still be good enough, it's not the same for fullbacks.

Originally Posted by atticusgrinch

Should be fast tracked straight into the duke role imo. And should avoid wizardry in his first season.

Originally Posted by I_Am_Paul_Parker

Must be watching a different player to me borsurs, he's still a threat going forward - more so than ever, arguably - but my arse hums a tune every time someone runs at him, he's lost a couple of yards of pace which always got him out of trouble before. I'm not saying he's for the scrap heap just yet but we should really be looking at a replacement sooner rather than later. He won't get to 34/5/6 a la rio and still be good enough, it's not the same for fullbacks.

i think he's been much better this season than he was the last few years. i agree we should be looking at a replacement in a couple of years but there's buttner, fabio and blackett who'll all be learning and improving over that time, we'll see how they get on. personally i hope fabio comes through, be ace having a mad twin on either side

Havent read any of the thread, but I imagine I'm not the first to suggest that, after the Spurs defeat, we should never start Carrick and Scholes in a two again. Yesterday was just more evidence of this. They both sit deep, both default to the flanks, Carrick just defers to Scholes and we get marched through by any team who is prepared to press us. It was all so predictable and it takes the gloss of an outstanding comeback because we never should be in that kind of situation against a spirited (but shite!) villa.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Why would he drop him?
His form has been very good up until yesterday. One bad game means you get dropped??

Rooney had a poor game, but the service from our midfield - both centrally & out wide was appalling.

the service wasn't appalling at all, Villa defended very well, especially down the sides.

the reason Rooney might (should) be dropped is quite straightforward - Van Persie is top dog in attack and Hernandez is scoring for fun. I'd assume Valencia will start since there is no reason whatsoever to break up his combination with Rafael and so unless Rooney is used in centre midfield or from the left just for the sake of shoe-horning him into the side I would think he'd be the one to miss out.

We need goals. It doesn't matter who gets them (or who has got them in the past) - at this moment Hernandez and Van Persie are our goal scorers. Ferguson has said Hernandez will play, and Van Persie will start as well if he's fit.

Try and think of it more of a statement of how good the pair of them are at the moment and less of a statement of how Rooney himself has been playing.

be quite happy to see rvp, hernandez, rooney and valencia all start

rvp - pea
rooney
cleverley - carrick - valencia
back four
ddg

Originally Posted by borsuk

be quite happy to see rvp, hernandez, rooney and valencia all start

rvp - pea
rooney
cleverley - carrick - valencia
back four
ddg

what for? what's the point? where is the natural balance in that side?

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

what for? what's the point? where is the natural balance in that side?

It was a better side later in the game than the more 'balanced' side that started.

Spurs are an absolute embarrassment. Gifted city 3 points there. Bale.

This is our best team with everyone fit;

--------DDG
Rafael-Rio-Vidic-Evra
--------Carrick
-----Rooney-Ando
--------Kagawa
------RvP-Chicharito

Smalling in for Vidic and thats the team I hope starts at the Etihad, we would destroy them. Hernandez's movement, Kagawa's stealth runs into the box, RVP being RvP...

We've frozen our best winger out(Nani) and are left with Valencia, and Ashley Young. Young is good but I don't think he is worth it in a 442, nor does this formation give us an edge anymore.

Originally Posted by saffers

This is our best team with everyone fit;

--------DDG
Rafael-Rio-Vidic-Evra
--------Carrick
-----Rooney-Ando
--------Kagawa
------RvP-Chicharito

Smalling in for Vidic and thats the team I hope starts at the Etihad, we would destroy them. Hernandez's movement, Kagawa's stealth runs into the box, RVP being RvP...

We've frozen our best winger out(Nani) and are left with Valencia, and Ashley Young. Young is good but I don't think he is worth it in a 442, nor does this formation give us an edge anymore.

It really isn't.

Originally Posted by dunk

It really isn't.

Btw, Dunk. Has your overall opinion of Hernandez changed in recent weeks?

(that's not meant in an arse-holey way. Genuine question)

Originally Posted by dunk

It really isn't.

Who should be starting, that isn't in that team?

Welbeck? 1 goal this season, Hernandez with 8. Not a footballer though.