Who's starting against Chelsea?

Assuming De Gea plays

Presumably Smalling, Evans, Fabio, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Nani, Valencia and Pea all fighting for a game alongside:

DDG
Jones
Ferdinand
Evra
Anderson
Young
Rooney

The obvious worry is central midfield, would truly be a great start to the season if we beat these lot.

gay, evra, rio, jones, smalling, nani, carrick, anderson, young, rooney, chich.

rooney playing deeper just like the 3wins last season.

Berbatov

Originally Posted by Harri Jaffa

Berbatov

Originally Posted by ScarFace

gay, evra, rio, jones, smalling, nani, carrick, anderson, young, rooney, chich.

rooney playing deeper just like the 3wins last season.

Have Giggs instead of Carrick and that is the team I would pick.

Originally Posted by Withers

Have Giggs instead of Carrick and that is the team I would pick.

he wont do though.

should do considering how he played in all last seasons games v chelsea

Originally Posted by Harri Jaffa

Berbatov

Would be worth it just for Scar's reaction, tbh

Originally Posted by ScarFace

gay, evra, rio, jones, smalling, nani, carrick, anderson, young, rooney, chich.

rooney playing deeper just like the 3wins last season.

Yeah, that's the team I think we'll go for.

Rooney will get rested against Leeds, surely??

Probably the bigger boys who wait on the bridge.

Slim chance I might have an adult and child ticket in the family stand for Sunday. 35 for the adult and 10 spot for the child face value. Can meet before hand to do the deal as I have other tickets.

Probably will end up getting shut tomorrow to mates etc but on the off chance I don't, pm me if you want them.

Child has to be under 16 I think.

Carrick will play. He and Anderson are a natural partnership and really the only possibility considering the other options. Giggs is unlikely to play twice in 4 days and a pairing of he and Anderson would make Utd very open through the middle, not what you want with the likes of Lampard and Mata looking for those spaces. Carrick and Giggs dominated Chelsea at the end of last season which should not be forgotten in the picking of the team but Anderson is the form player and critical to the style we have been enjoying this season.

Fletcher looks a long way from match sharpness, will probably play in the league cup.

I have a feeling that Fergie might put Valencia in, it would be harsh on Nani, but past performances against Cole and the defensive solidity he brings may be in play.

De Gea
Smalling
Evans
Ferdinand
Evra
Nani
Carrick
Anderson
Young
Rooney
Hernandez

would be the obvious side, but again the right side could be different.

There could also be quite a strong league cup side picked

Lindergaard
Jones
Smalling
Evans
fabio
Valencia
Fletcher
Giggs
Park
Berbatov
Owen.

It could prove difficult to get young players games in that competiton this year, the front 6 in that second team all need matches.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Carrick will play. He and Anderson are a natural partnership and really the only possibility considering the other options. Giggs is unlikely to play twice in 4 days and a pairing of he and Anderson would make Utd very open through the middle, not what you want with the likes of Lampard and Mata looking for those spaces. Carrick and Giggs dominated Chelsea at the end of last season which should not be forgotten in the picking of the team but Anderson is the form player and critical to the style we have been enjoying this season.

Fletcher looks a long way from match sharpness, will probably play in the league cup.

I have a feeling that Fergie might put Valencia in, it would be harsh on Nani, but past performances against Cole and the defensive solidity he brings may be in play.

De Gea
Smalling
Evans
Ferdinand
Evra
Nani
Carrick
Anderson
Young
Rooney
Hernandez

would be the obvious side, but again the right side could be different.

There could also be quite a strong league cup side picked

Lindergaard
Jones
Smalling
Evans
fabio
Valencia
Fletcher
Giggs
Park
Berbatov
Owen.

It could prove difficult to get young players games in that competiton this year, the front 6 in that second team all need matches.

I think you're absolutely spot on there, Tibs. A few dilemmas in terms of Valencia or Nani and the CM, but I'd definitely get Rio back in the middle and he's likely to go with the experience of Evans over Jones, I reckon.

Nice to have the options though.

I'd go with :-

De Gea
TLOPJ
Smalling
Rio
Senegalese Superman
Nani
Carrick
Ando
Young
Rooney
Pea

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

I'd go with :-

De Gea
TLOPJ
Smalling
Rio
Senegalese Superman
Nani
Carrick
Ando
Young
Rooney
Pea

I'd be delighted with that too. I reckon he'll stick with Evans though.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

I'd be delighted with that too. I reckon he'll stick with Evans though.

Probably and that'd be fine, Smalling and TLOPJ are better players though.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Probably and that'd be fine, Smalling and TLOPJ are better players though.

I agree, I just think he'll go with experience.

I think we'll learn on Sunday just how good we really are at the moment. As impressive as we've been, we haven't been properly tested. Chelsea will come as underdogs and I've no idea why everyone seems so keen to write them off. They haven't been electrifying likes ourselves or City, but they've taken 10 points from 12 and people are kidding themselves if they think they aren't still a major threat.

However, if we play with the same pace and verve we have been doing, and we have our 'big game' heads on at the back, we should have too much firepower.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

I agree, I just think he'll go with experience.

I think we'll learn on Sunday just how good we really are at the moment. As impressive as we've been, we haven't been properly tested. Chelsea will come as underdogs and I've no idea why everyone seems so keen to write them off. They haven't been electrifying likes ourselves or City, but they've taken 10 points from 12 and people are kidding themselves if they think they aren't still a major threat.

However, if we play with the same pace and verve we have been doing, and we have our 'big game' heads on at the back, we should have too much firepower.

Exactly, except for the last bit. Wonder how we'll cope if we're dominated in midfield (as per benfica).

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Exactly, except for the last bit. Wonder how we'll cope if we're dominated in midfield (as per benfica).

Didn't we have about 70% of possession in that game or summat? Anyway, we should be better than that with our more settled team back.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Didn't we have about 70% of possession in that game or summat? Anyway, we should be better than that with our more settled team back.

Yep. stupid comment actually. But we couldn't get the ball to any of the forward players much.