Even if we do manage to get past Madrid, we're going to have knock out the likes of Barcelona and Munich who have both been in brilliant form this season. The PL is the one where we're genuine favorites and it would be stupid to send out a weakened side for this game and drop crucial points.
Manchester United vs. Everton
- Thread starter nemanja15
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
De Gea
Smalling
Vidic
Evans
Evra
Valencia
Carrick
Cleverley
Welbeck
Rooney
Van Persie
Smalling
Vidic
Evans
Evra
Valencia
Carrick
Cleverley
Welbeck
Rooney
Van Persie
This game gives me nightmares. We just know Fellaini is going to turn in a world class display, can we stop him destroying us in the air? We need to be on top form to win this game.
Horrible game last year. Hangover mode and catched the game at 4-2, it was horrible.
Apparently Carrick's out with a hip injury according to ESPN and won't be linking up with the England squad. Glad Anderson is back. I think we'll go full strength for this even though we have Madrid just a few days later, considering what happened last season. Undoubtedly Fellaini will have a blinder.
DDG
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Nani Cleverley Ando Kagawa
Rooney Rvp
DDG
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra
Nani Cleverley Ando Kagawa
Rooney Rvp
Vidic is back this time, he wont have as much impact like he did back in April
Anyone who plays midweek in the Internationals and will start away to Madrid should be rested from this for me.
So that rules us Rooney and Van Persie. A little too much already.
I hope Carrick's "hip injury" isn't "serious".
Im assuming he'll be fine for Everton.
If it's a Fergie fiction I applaud him. This friendly really couldn't have come at a much worse time for us. If it was against some international minnow SAF could at least convince Hodgson to just leave out our important players, but he's never going to do that against Brazil, is he?
No need to rest anyone. We have Reading in the FA Cup at home which we can afford to rest players after the Everton and Real Madrid games. Is it too much to ask for professional players to play 2 games in 4 days? Play the strongest team for both, no fecking about
Couldn't agree more. Play Hernandez and Welbeck and the rest of them vs Reading and full strength for Everton and Madrid.
Eh? Its not like they have rested for the past two weeks and their first game is against Everton. Certain players have been played all season and they will also be involved in internationals midweek and then the two games in four days. Can't you see fatigue is affecting their performances?
Had to be a full strength side.
No fecking about this year after what happened last year.
No fecking about this year after what happened last year.
Ill be disappointed if we rest players for this, the result last season was a disaster not a chance we should take a risk at this stage. Get the 3 points then worry about Madrid in midweek, we have a FA cup game afterwards the players can have the week off then.
Like it or not, I have a feeling SAF will gamble on this fixture rather than the cups. We have 9 points to play around with, he's done it in the past when we're leading the league and can afford to drop points. The midweek friendlies don't help either.
In defence, anything can happen, but I'm sure that at least Evra and DDG will start. The other three can be rotated, imo.
As for midfield and attack, I think our best players are: Carrick, Cleverley, Anderson, Rooney, Kagawa, RVP. In a "perfect" lineup, I'd say 5 out of these 6 players will start(Cleverley or Anderson on the bench). The question is; how many of them should we rest? I highly doubt that we will have the exact same midfield/attack in both games. There's gonna be at least 2 changes. Probably 3.
Rooney has hit form, so Fergie might rest RVP. The question is which game he feels is most important. I also have a feeling that Kagawa will appear in both games, seeing as he was completely rested this weekend, despite playing really well lately. Carrick will start both games.
Since we like to play with 5 midfielders in European away fixtures, we will play 4-4-2 against Everton. My guess is this:
Nani - Carrick - Anderson - Kagawa
------- Rooney - Hernandez ------
Which leaves us with this midfield/attack against Real:
Valencia - Cleverley - Carrick - Kagawa - Welbeck
--------------------- RVP----------------------
Alternatively, Rooney plays both matches, and pushes Kagawa out left instead of Welbeck. This is just a wild guess though. It feels like anything can happen in these games.
As for midfield and attack, I think our best players are: Carrick, Cleverley, Anderson, Rooney, Kagawa, RVP. In a "perfect" lineup, I'd say 5 out of these 6 players will start(Cleverley or Anderson on the bench). The question is; how many of them should we rest? I highly doubt that we will have the exact same midfield/attack in both games. There's gonna be at least 2 changes. Probably 3.
Rooney has hit form, so Fergie might rest RVP. The question is which game he feels is most important. I also have a feeling that Kagawa will appear in both games, seeing as he was completely rested this weekend, despite playing really well lately. Carrick will start both games.
Since we like to play with 5 midfielders in European away fixtures, we will play 4-4-2 against Everton. My guess is this:
Nani - Carrick - Anderson - Kagawa
------- Rooney - Hernandez ------
Which leaves us with this midfield/attack against Real:
Valencia - Cleverley - Carrick - Kagawa - Welbeck
--------------------- RVP----------------------
Alternatively, Rooney plays both matches, and pushes Kagawa out left instead of Welbeck. This is just a wild guess though. It feels like anything can happen in these games.
--------------DDG
Jones-----Smalling----Vidic----Buttner
-------Carrick------Cleverley/Anderson
Valencia-------------------Giggs/Welbeck
------------Kagawa/Rooney
------------Hernandez (RvP on after 65/70)
The great thing is, we have a fantastic squad, especially at CB and "forward" options. 3 points is all that matters.
Jones-----Smalling----Vidic----Buttner
-------Carrick------Cleverley/Anderson
Valencia-------------------Giggs/Welbeck
------------Kagawa/Rooney
------------Hernandez (RvP on after 65/70)
The great thing is, we have a fantastic squad, especially at CB and "forward" options. 3 points is all that matters.
I think Fergie has learned his lesson, I'm sure he will play full strength against Everton.
Start with the strongest squad, kill them off in the first half, then sub the three most important players in the second.
The good thing is that there there is no exact answer to what our strongest XI really is. There are just 6 players in our team that "have to start" if we are playing at so-called full strength: DDG, Evra, Rafael, Carrick, Rooney, RVP.
We don't know for sure who's our best option out wide(Valencia, Nani, Kagawa, Young, Welbeck, and Giggs). Nor do we know for sure who's best alongside Carrick(Cleverley or Anderson). It's also worth mentioning that because of certain players, neither Rooney nor Rafael(despite being awesome) are 100% irreplaceable.
That is in short why our team this season is so great. If Nani and Valencia can reach former glory, then we can change half our front 6, and still have an equally good side. Just compare these 2:
-- Carrick - Cleverley ----
Young - Rooney - Kagawa
--------- RVP -----------
and
--- Carrick - Anderson --
Valencia - Kagawa - Nani
---------- RVP ---------
With all players on form, both these sides are about equally strong. Still, there are 4 changes and 3 different players in each! I know that Young is still injured, but I can't help being excited about what the lineups will be in our coming games. There are just so many possibilities! And I've not even mentioned Welbeck and Hernandez!
What lesson would that be? We've been rotating our team before CL games for years now.
there's no way in hell we'll put anything but a strong line up out against Everton.
This is one of the hardest league games left, whereas Madrid is only the 1st round knockout! If it was the semi or the final, it'd be a different story.
Even if you beat Madrid you have the home leg, and then another 5 games to win the cup!
Let's beat Everton and keep the 9point lead at least, depending on whether Southampton can do anything.
This is one of the hardest league games left, whereas Madrid is only the 1st round knockout! If it was the semi or the final, it'd be a different story.
Even if you beat Madrid you have the home leg, and then another 5 games to win the cup!
Let's beat Everton and keep the 9point lead at least, depending on whether Southampton can do anything.
Changes I can see that wont necessarily weaken the team...Vidic, Anderson and Giggs for Rio, Cleverley and one of the wingers.
Other than that I fully expect the usual suspects in De Gea, Rafael, Evra, I regard Evans as first choice CB, Carrick, RVP and Rooney.
If we do the game justice and dont get complacent, fresh legs from Kagawa and Hernandez, or a late cameo to settle things down from Scholes might help us. Last year has to be written off, we merely need to treat it as any other game with a professional approach.
Sure, we might have an eye on Madrid, but the only player I can see being rested for that night is Rio...even though he's proved he can play twice in a week.
Other than that I fully expect the usual suspects in De Gea, Rafael, Evra, I regard Evans as first choice CB, Carrick, RVP and Rooney.
If we do the game justice and dont get complacent, fresh legs from Kagawa and Hernandez, or a late cameo to settle things down from Scholes might help us. Last year has to be written off, we merely need to treat it as any other game with a professional approach.
Sure, we might have an eye on Madrid, but the only player I can see being rested for that night is Rio...even though he's proved he can play twice in a week.
i woudl tend to agree.
but wioth a 9 point "buffer" and an obsession with the champions league i think SAF will be confident / arrogant enough to expect a united team consisting of jones, smalling, hernandez, giggs etc capable of getting a home win against everton.
carrick wont be playing. he's pulled out of the england sqaud for a rest, we can back up that he's injured by leaving him out on sunday. id be amazed if rio and vidic played, id have rvp on the bench. rooney will probs start to get games into him
Some of you lot are fecking barmy.
Best side, get three points, no fecking about.
fecking hell.
Best side, get three points, no fecking about.
fecking hell.
Everton are a good side, underestimate them at your peril. Can't believe folk are thinking of a weakened side.
Agreed, and I think Fergie would be right to make those sorts of changes. We definitely shouldn't be throwing this Everton match away just to be a little bit fresher to face a team who are such a massive challenge fresh or otherwise. But we have a very strong squad, so we can rest quite a few key players without actually looking that much weaker.
I reckon Carrick will be rested, both on account of the 'injury' story, true or not, and to get him really fresh. RVP will be rested for Hernandez - hardly a massive sacrifice, with the form Cheech is in, and he looked like he might need it against Fulham. Rooney will play - he's fit, and momentum has always been the most important thing with him.
Ferdinand will be rested, but Vidic might come in for a tune-up match, having been rested against Fulham. Evra will get a rest. I hope Rafael doesn't, he's showing no signs of fatigue and benefits from consistent game time. SAF will pick Valencia over Kagawa against Madrid, so Kagawa will get the full game on Saturday. Nani will probably be rested for Welbeck, but again with Nani still progressing towards full form and Welbeck playing brilliantly, that's hardly a step down.
Cleverley's not had to play too many 90 minutes. He's been taken off with quarter of an hour to go a few times, without ever actually looking tired in those matches - it's just SAF's usual 'take off a midfielder at 75 minutes' routine. So Tom'll probably be ok to play both matches. That's important, because in Carrick's absence he'll be relied upon to give us plenty of good possession. Hopefully De Gea won't be rested - keepers need gametime, not rests.
Other than that, I reckon everyone else will be a first choice. So we'll see something like this:
DDG
Rafael Smalling/Evans Vidic Buttner
Scholes/Anderson Cleverley
Welbeck Rooney Kagawa
Hernandez
Rafael Smalling/Evans Vidic Buttner
Scholes/Anderson Cleverley
Welbeck Rooney Kagawa
Hernandez
Personally, I'd consider dropping Kagawa and putting both Scholes and Anderson next to Cleverley in midfield. Carrick leaves a big hole at the moment, and against a strong side like Everton it might be better to pack the midfield a bit. Anderson's very versatile - if we need width, or Scholes and Cleverley are doing ok in midfield on their own, he'll move into the spaces.
Blackburn at home last year.
I love the champions league, it's the most prestigious club football competition in the world, there is no euphoria like winning it. But this game frankly matters more because the league is our bread and butter - when our domination comes under question we have to rally and win it back as soon as possible - just to let shit tin-pot clubs like shitty know their success was an aberration. The league, frankly is the foundation upon which you should build a champions league attack. Without already being champions, focus should immediately be about regaining the league.
Real Madrid will sort itself in many ways because our players who go out on that pitch will be up for it no matter what through sheer adrenaline alone.
Real Madrid will sort itself in many ways because our players who go out on that pitch will be up for it no matter what through sheer adrenaline alone.
We did more than rotate...we played players totally out of position.
Still...get the job done and then take players off.
Everton at home is not some sort of gimme.
Very well put.
we're at home, play the kids, CL tie is the biggest match we've had in europe for 2 years. CL please.
i don't think so. fergie has a limited window to win another CL due to his age.
his legacy in domestic football is unparalleled.
He will rest players for madrid.
it isn't the biggest match we've had since the wembley 2011 in europe?
further more it's Real Madrid. Fergie will be well up for it having gone out to them twice before.
I'm sorry but CL > PL.
Sir Alex would tell you the same thing.
We need more CL's and some of you really need to figure out how magical and prestigious the CL is...
Sir Alex would tell you the same thing.
We need more CL's and some of you really need to figure out how magical and prestigious the CL is...
"Playing the kids" would obviously be idiotic, but it will definitely not be a full-strength side.
The margins are so tight in a tie like Madrid-United, you need every advantage you can get.
The margins are so tight in a tie like Madrid-United, you need every advantage you can get.
I agree with this. Fergie has made a point of saying how strong our current squad is, and that he has no fears in naming any of his 24 or so players in any given game; I don't think he's bluffing. With the considerable lead we have in the table, he'll surely consider a slight risk with his selection one worth taking, with the insurance of some serious firepower on the bench should it be needed. The question is not whether he will rest any players, but how many.