The old Man Utd Thread

[phresh]

Bits about Keepers...

I don't particularly disagree with you on the keeper front as reserve keepers tend to get very few games and if I was in Fosters poition, especially if VDS does play most of next season, then I would consider leaving. My disagreement is more to do with outfield players, like O'Shea, who often end up playing in quite a few matches through injury, suspensions or otherwise.

As for Arsenal, I don't remember many of their players leaving after failing to make the grade only to prove themselves elsewhere.

I think we've got crossed wires somewhere. I originally took your point to mean that players over a certain age and not in the first team should move on and try and prove themselves elsewhere. My point is that these players are still vitally important to the team, which is where the Arsenal reference came from. I see what you're saying that maybe their value to the team as seen by the manager doesn't stop them from being comfortable or unambitious, but I don't think this is the case for the majority of players including the ones you've mentioned.

[fatbob]

Travelling squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak; Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael, Fabio, O'Shea, J. Evans; Ronaldo, Anderson, Scholes, Gibson, Carrick, Park, Nani, Giggs; Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov, Macheda

I guess Rafael is at least fit enough to travel, might be a surprise role ala Berbatov on Saturday.

Aside from Brown and Hargreaves we are pretty much all there, first goal tomorrow and it will be interesting.

[phresh]

He could do, there were gaps down the right and he's the best right back we've got to take advantage of that. I expect it will be O'Shea though and we might see Rafael at the weekend.

I also think there is an outside chance of Anderson starting instead of Fletcher, he's got the close ball control and pace that could cause problems in their midfield but I don't think he's fully match fit yet. With Hargreaves out for the whole season I think we've actually missed Anderson a lot this season when he's been injured/not match fit.

[Chewylegs]

Last week we let too much go down the left which Park should be able to help with

Didn't Park play last week?

[phresh]

He started off in a front 3 which didn't really work and then moved back to the left I think. He didn't look as sharp as usual though, might have been recovering fro the international break still.

[Trigg]

I'd like to see Anderson play too, but I think it might have come too soon for him as he's just recovered from an injury. I'd like to see him play the role Giggs as played so often this year. The more advanced of the midfield 3, think thats probably where he's best suited in the long term.

I agree about missing him too, he's had niggle's and when he has been fit his form hasn't been all that great. Fully fit Anderson with games under his belt would start most games for me. I think he's a cracking player, we just haven't seen it all that often this season.

The team I think will most likely start tomorrow, don't know why I bother I never get it bloody right! I think Giggs is a certain starter and he hasn't played wide all that often this year so I've gone with Rooney on the left as he did on Saturday against Sunderland. I've put Rio in, in the hope he plays!

- Van Der Sar -

- O'Shea - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra -

- Carrick - Scholes -

- Ronaldo - Giggs - Rooney -

- Berbatov -

EDIT: Had to amends my team already as Fletcher hasn't traveled it would seem.

[Chewylegs]

Yeah but if people really loved their football you'd think they would rather play more games. Fair enough, O'Shea has played quite a lot recently but that's mainly been due to the injury situation. I don't think he's even second choice in any position on the field. Possibly left-back but that'll probably go to Fabio soon. He's a third choice player at best and personally winning winner's medals would feel rather hollow to me knowing I was forever playing a bit-part. Still he's the one earning thousands a week, not me.

Didn't the commentators say on the Porto game that O'Shea had STARTED 50 european games for Man U? Doesn't sound like a bit part player to me.

[Trigg]

O'Shea is a great player to have, he's been vital for us this year. He had a major contribution to the record of clean sheets don't forget. Think he was behind VDS and Vidic in terms of the number of minutes he played.

[fatbob]

I think we probably need a more mobile midfield for the game, not sure that would include Scholes, so maybe Anderson might play, with Giggs, Park and Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez up front.

EDIT: didn't notice Fletch didn't travel... wonder why?

[Trigg]

I think we need to keep the ball better than last time, and Scholes and Carrick are by far the best at ball retention (ignoring how poor they were in the home leg). Although I won't discount Anderson as Scholes did play at the weekend.

[phresh]

Didn't see that Fletcher was missing, he's had a niggling ankle problem recently I think.

I can't see Scholes playing again as he's played the last two matches, which means either Giggs or Anderson in the centre with Carrick. He could also play Giggs upfront with Rooney. I'd rather see Ronaldo on the iwng, there are gaps and we haven't got a better wide player for taking advantage of them.

He could of course go for a 4-3-3 again, but I just can't see it happening after last week.

[fatbob]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal...ope/7988272.stm

Just reading this comparisson of the teams from 2004. Amazing how much we've changed from that average team we had then..... and yet in some ways not.

Porto were a team (and manager) full of up and coming stars back then too.. look to be building another good squad now.

[Liamness]

I would say Fletch, Carrick and Giggs and the midfield three, with Fletch and Carrick being much more conservative than they were on the home leg and helping out on either wing. Giggs of course will be central. I don't want another basketball-style game, with their wingers having tons of space to run inside. I'd like Rooney and Tevez to play too, given they help out so much in defence. Ronaldo should be given license to roam and get himself some goals, using him on the wing where he's expected to track back is something of a liability it would seem.

[ckny]

Fletcher's injured.

[barkbat]

Scoles is scoring and his long ball passing is the best of the midfield options available. I doubt Porto will be going out there for the 0-0 draw, they'll want to score first as much as Man U. So for me this will be as open as the first leg, and scholes will be as vital as Ronaldo and Rooney in launching route one counter attacks.

[Trigg]

Scholes as played the last two games though so any game 4 days after the last might come too soon for him thinking about it. The fact that Fletcher is unavailable I'm thinking Anderson might get the nod due to his energy.

[phresh]

I don't think the Scholes/Carrick partnership has worked that well this season, and against Porto's midfield it lacks pace and energy. I think Anderson would be the perfect choice but it's whether he's fully fit or not.

[Trigg]

Had Scholes not started at the weekend I'd have thought he was a certain to start, the thing is we can have all the pace and energy we want but the thing we must do is keep the ball. Anderson isn't really renowned for keeping the ball and Carrick han't been at the races in the last 2 weeks or so. Its important he gets his finger out and performs (should he start).

I thought the first leg was as open as it was due to the fact we couldn't pass the ball or keep it for any length of time, even Porto's passing at times was off the boil which I thought led to the game being end to end.

[JLR]

The Utd Porto game was very similar to that of the Chelsea Liverpool game last night in terms of defence - they key difference was both teams last night were very good on attack too.

If we can actually defend tonight and play a bit of keep-ball, it should be a fairly easy victory. We haven't managed to achieve that for the last month though so it's going to be a bit of a nail biter.

[phresh]

Had Scholes not started at the weekend I'd have thought he was a certain to start, the thing is we can have all the pace and energy we want but the thing we must do is keep the ball. Anderson isn't really renowned for keeping the ball and Carrick han't been at the races in the last 2 weeks or so. Its important he gets his finger out and performs (should he start).

Carricks best performances this season have been in the attacking of the two centre midfield roles. Playing with Scholes he can't get too far forward as Scholes doesn't have the pace to cover the centre. WIth Andersons pace Carrick can get forward more.

Ferdinand is confirmed to be playing which is a bonus.

[oli]

I hope Anderson does play, but I really think there is a lot more to his game than just being the holding player - hopefully he can use some of his pace, skill and energy to get forwards a bit tonight too

[Trigg]

Carricks best performances this season have been in the attacking of the two centre midfield roles. Playing with Scholes he can't get too far forward as Scholes doesn't have the pace to cover the centre. WIth Andersons pace Carrick can get forward more.

Ferdinand is confirmed to be playing which is a bonus.

He has, but I wouldn't consider Anderson a holding player, so I'm not sure if it'll be best for Carrick. Thats why I had Fletcher in there before I knew about his injury. I would expect Anderson to be the one getting forward, despite not scoring yet he can pass through defenses as we've seen in the past, plus he has pace and the ability to beat a man.

Rio Ferdinand is a huge bonus!

[Gabzy]

Porto are playing the same (amazing) team as last week.

Utd: VDS, O'Shea, Rio, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov

subs: Foster, Neville, Tevez, Macheda, Scholes, Nani, Evans

Slightly surprised at Berbatov's inclusion, but excited to see Anderson in the mix.

I'm really looking forward to this

[oli]

My bum is well squeaky

[fatbob]

Gah, bad feeling about tonght.

Which is probably a good thing, as all the days i've had good feelings recently we have lost or drawn.

Science at work.

[phresh]

Yeah looks good, no idea what formation it is yet though. Giggs or Anderson on the left? Giggs may tuck in behind the strikers with Rooney dropping back to the left. Berbatov's inclusion should help us with holding up the ball and let the attack players run on to it rather than losing the ball in midfield and are attacking players running past the ball like last week!

[Majora]

We definitely need two goals tonight. I just can't see 1 being enough.

*fingers crossed*

[Liamness]

As I said the other day, (but with Fletch instead of Anderson) their wingers must not be given space to run inside, we've got to force them onto our fullbacks. To do this, the midfield needs to cover this space and I expect Carrick and Anderson to be restrained in attack because of this. Giggs through the middle, hopefully his and Berbatov's awareness and touch along with the pace and power of Rooney and Ronaldo will be enough to unlock their defence. In fact, I think having some midfielders stay back might actually help our attack, as we won't be running from one side of the pitch to the other, chasing them as soon as they get the ball. We'll keep our shape better if we stop that happening.

[Guest]

Scores on the doors then lads?

I'm going for 2-1 like I did in the first leg. I just hope I'm right tonight.

[Chooch]

Unheard of positivity from Jon1!! Woo I'm gonna go with 2-0, to us. Obviously