26 into 18 doesn't go

buildabonfire

SAF notes his selection dilemma:

http://www.sportinglife.com/football..._Ferguson.html

Who are the 26, and which 18 would you pick:

1. VDS
2. PIG
3. [Foster - assume he was at Wigan, but obviously not eligible]
4. Neville (Sorry)
5. Brown
6. O'Shea
7. Simpson
8. Rio
9. Vida
10. Tweety (Only one of him or Josh for me, esp with Owen able to drop to the back)
11. Pique (interesting one. with 7 subs do you pick him because you want him to stay?)
12. Evra
13. Fletch (Got to be in the squad v CFC)
14. Ronnie
15. Anderson
16. Nani (Potential game-changer from the bench. But has he fúcked it by getting sent off? Selection gets very difficult otherwise - assuming you have to take Saha with Wayne not 100%, you have to drop a midfielder from the squad.)
17. Scholesy
18. Carrick
19. Hargreaves
20. Park
21. Ryan
22. Wayne
23. Carlos
24. Saha
25. Welbeck
26. Dong???!!!

I'm probably forgetting someone very important.

Ruben

I`d go with your picks except I`d have Nani in and Saha out.

Nani was stupid getting sent off, but will likely be wanting to prove himself. Saha hasn`t played in ages and would be a major risk. I really wanted to get Pique in there but just couldn`t. Neville, Silvestre and Wellbeck haven`t been involved enough.

SmashedHombre

I think Pique and this Possenboon (sp?) lad are part of the squad?

SmashedHombre

Ah never mind you mentioned Pique, sorry.

buildabonfire

1-0 down with 20 minutes to go.

Against Chelsea's back four, who's more likely to get you a goal - Saha or Nani? tricky one, actually, but on balance I thought we had to have Saha in given that Wayne might break down.

Strong suspicion from recent selections that SAF could pick both of them and leave Anderson out. Ouch.

buildabonfire

Could be. You mean the CL-registered squad, or was he one of the 26 who travelled to Wigan?

SmashedHombre

I would actually ahve Nani over Anderson if it was a toss up between the two

Barry Red

Agree, but with the exception of Saha. Either Nani or Welbeck instead of him. Nani will want to show he's put the sending off behind him and if you would rather have an out and out striker then take Welbeck - Saha is history as far as I am concerned.

CnutOfAllCnuts

Start with:

van der Sar

Brown
Evra
Rio
Vidic

Hargreaves
Carrick
Scholes

Ronaldo
Rooney
Nani

Bench:

Kuszczak
Silvestre
Anderson
Park
Giggs
Tevez
Saha

Harsh on O'Shea and Fletcher...But, that's life.

Fergie's gum

Saha should be in. Payback time!!!

buildabonfire

As a straight game-breaker I probably agree, but if Anderson is fit (and that seems a big if since he hasn't featured since he went off at Stamford Bridge) he is very important as the only direct-ish replacement for Scholesy. Especially so because SAF seems to have decided (rightly, IMHO) that he can't have Ryan and Scholsey in the same XI. So any subs that involve Scholsey off or Ryan on become more defensive unless Anderson is around.

Also, I know he is the Caf wánk-boy but he was genuinely our most effective player against Chelsea in the period when we played well, ie between 0-1 and 1-1.

Tumbling-Dice

I'd have Silvestre in the 18 over O'Shea, he's been fantastic since returning from injury.

cw1984

Possebon was quality for the rezzers last night.

Of topic but thought i'd add it.

Ta.

buildabonfire

Probably agree with your starting XI, but you have to have at least one of Josh and Fletch - there's not enough defensive cover there at all, for injuries or to close the game down (this is NOT a thread about footballing philosophy!)

Also, I think including the likes of Josh and Fletch is critical to incentivise other squad players - "this is what you get for loyalty."

ERICSAGOD

Saha would injure himself pulling his socks up!

ryan_forlan

i think we need both saha and nani.
if we go with vds,the back four,scholes,carrick,park,and the trinirty as starters.on the bench we should have:
goalie: PIG
two defenders: tweety and sheasy
two midfielders: hargo and anderson/fletcher
attackers: nani giggs

there is no place at all for saha.
i feel terrible for either of ando and fletchinho

Snake Doctor

Same here.

buildabonfire

I might agree with that. Had O'Shea for his verstaility but there is probably enough midfield cover.

Ixion

I can see Fletch missing out, unfortunately. I'd rather take Anderson than Nani, but Anderson hasn't played much recently so hes probably not going to play.

Saha has to be in the squad, and I'd like to see Silvestre in there as he was immense against Chelsea at the Bridge (and I'd like to see him rewarded with a winners medal for 8 years of service).

buildabonfire

Ha ha ha ha ha good one.

Right. Seriously. I GUARANTEE that SAF will pick Saha if he is fit enough for 30 mins, with Wayne not 100%. the fact that he was on the bench for Wigan confirms this for me - he will pick a striker if he needs to win a game.

buildabonfire

Anyone know what the criteria is for a winner's medal in Europe?

Certain number of games, playing in the final, any appearance?

anything about now

One of Silvestre or O'Shea will definitely be in there.

SmashedHombre

I don't know, coming off the bench I would much rather see Nani than Anderson. This is our last game of the season, SAF isn't going to take off players at 70minutes for the sake of resting them for the next game. This is it, its do ir die. If it was a league game, then I agree Anderson over Nani. But we have Park, Hargreaves, Carrick, O'Shea, Flecteher even Giggs can play CM. Nani gives is an option on the wing an up front, the two areas we are a bit light. He also gives us more threat in front of goal.

I imagine we will line up like this:

back line picks itself.

Scholes
Carrick
Hargreaves

Park
Ronaldo
Rooney

Bench: Tevez, O'shea, PIG, Pique, Anderson, Nani, Giggs. Harsh on Fletcher though I'm not sure Sir Alex will drop him entirely. Might put him in in place of O'Shea or Anderson

buildabonfire

Come on people, where is your numbering, where is your bolding? You could even italicise your starting XI...

buildabonfire

Yeah but can, say, Scholesy play for more than 70 minutes? Can he play for 120 and pens if necessary? Maybe not imho.

Obviously you also need to cover for injuries, not just tactical eventualities. So what happens if one of the back four is injured, Owen drops in, Fletch / Anderson comes into the middle and then Scholesy is knackered?

SirOla

saha, silvestre and pique are most likely out if there's no new injuries (and neville and foster of course)

the biggest question is whether hargreaves or fletcher plays alongside carrick and scholes in our 4-3-3 formation. i thought hargreaves was fantastic right back but there's surely no chance he could take brown's place, right?

...imo welbeck should be given a place in starting line-up since rooney isn't 100% fit

CnutOfAllCnuts

Hargreaves can play right back, Silvestre left back, Brown in the middle. So, unless we get more than two injuries in the back four, we'll be ok.

buildabonfire

That only really covers one injury, if it's to Brown... and also weakens midfield options as per the scenario above.

No?

VoetbalWizard

i think too many of us are thinking we'll be down a goal or two and need tons of attacking options to come on. fact is, 15 mins to go, if we're up a goal or two, we need the likes of fletch to come on to give some bite and legs in midfield to see us through to the finish line without conceding. no way fletch is dropped against chelsea. It comes down to o'shea or tweety an anderson vs. nani.

ronnie dazzler

I think putting Saha on the bench depends on his starting line up. If Tevez starts with rooney, then saha will be on bench with Giggs. if tevez is on the bench, then Saha probably won't make the cut.

Looks like he'll play Park again at the expense of Hargreaves, as he's done recently. would prefer to see Hargreaves/anderson, carrick and scholes. We need to compete with chelsea in midfield with some muscle.

I'd go for a 5 man midfield of Ronaldo, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Carrick, scholes and have rooney upfront. & let Ronaldo roam as always. I think fletch would be a good option on the right for this game. Would neutralise Ashley cole on the left with his gritty workrate, strengthen our midfield and also provide an attacking outlet.

But, keeping Cashley out of it would be big. given the way Chelsea play, they really rely on both full backs to get forward