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Assuming we have no Tevez this is what I would go for...

- - - - - - - - - - - - Given

- - Richards - - Toure - - Lescott - - Bridge

- - - - - - - - - de Jong - - Barry

- - - - - - - - - - - - Ireland

- - - - - SWP - - - Bellamy - - - Petrov

Would love to give Weiss a start, but I fear if he was to have a bad game against a player as good as Evra it would destroy his confidence with his age and with it being such a huge game. Never the less I would just move SWP forward into a more advance role on the right (where he played against the Arse).

One thing that worrys me about this game is the lack of a target man, I fear that with Bellamy being such a short player basing his game around pace rather than power Vidic and Donald may find it easy to mark him out of the game, I hope not tho and that he runs them raged (excuse the pun).

Would like to see what line ups you lot would go in with...

The forward line is really worrying me for this one, just can't see us scoring =\ Fucking F.A basterds.

I just posted this on the other topic:

I wouldn't play Petrov because he's still pretty raw from the injury he had all last season and we will need all of our players to pull together for this one. I'm not sure Petrov believes in the project as his agent said he was disappointed not to go to Spurs.

Also Petrov's main asset is that he is an excellent crosser of the ball. I don't think that's much use for this game as Ferdinand and Vidic will eat them up all day and we haven't got anyone who could really get on the end of the crosses. Bellamy vs Vidic and Ferdinand vying for a cross ball is a bit of a mismatch.

SWP will do well as he's a good dribbler and that's what we'll need to penetrate them. Passing, guile and taking players on in order to open them up.

For that reason I would play Sylvinho on the left, I think he'd do a great job there and still fit as a fiddle at 35. He'd also be better defensively than Petrov as we'll be under the kosh quite a bit I expect.

Therefore my team would be:


--------------------------Given-------------------------

Richards--------Toure--------Lescott---------Bridge

Weiss---------Ireland----------Barry---------Sylvinho

--------------------SWP----------------------------------

-----------------------------Bellamy----------------------


I think the team above could get a result. We could also swap Sylvinho and Bridge round from time to time.

Given
Richards Toure Lescott Bridge
De Jong Barry
Ireland
SWP Benjani Bellamy

Think Benjani's the best option to lead the line, unless of course tevez or RSC are fit, Bellamy will find no luck leAding the line alone against vidic and ferdinand at least Benjani is someone 2 aim at and hopeefully win headers for bells and swp to run on to

joey wrote:Given
Richards Toure Lescott Bridge
De Jong Barry
Ireland
SWP Benjani Bellamy

Think Benjani's the best option to lead the line, unless of course tevez or RSC are fit, Bellamy will find no luck leAding the line alone against vidic and ferdinand at least Benjani is someone 2 aim at and hopeefully win headers for bells and swp to run on to

Benjani is injured mate. Still it makes no difference if he is or he isn't as he's shite either way.

Definitely makes you question how wise it was to allow so many out on loan - especially caciedo and bojinov, either of whom could have done a job for us in this match and could have played some role this season, with Adebayor out for the african nations and RSC so injury prone

joey wrote:Definitely makes you question how wise it was to allow so many out on loan - especially caciedo and bojinov, either of whom could have done a job for us in this match and could have played some role this season, with Adebayor out for the african nations and RSC so injury prone

Agree mate, it was rather stupid.

---------------------Given---------------------

Richards-----Toure----Lescott-----Bridge

SWP-------Zabaleta-----De Jong-------Barry

---------------------Ireland--------------

-------------------------Bellamy---------

I wouldn't be surprised to see Tevez start and would love to see Weiss at some point too.

edge275 wrote:I just posted this on the other topic:

I wouldn't play Petrov because he's still pretty raw from the injury he had all last season and we will need all of our players to pull together for this one. I'm not sure Petrov believes in the project as his agent said he was disappointed not to go to Spurs.

Also Petrov's main asset is that he is an excellent crosser of the ball. I don't think that's much use for this game as Ferdinand and Vidic will eat them up all day and we haven't got anyone who could really get on the end of the crosses. Bellamy vs Vidic and Ferdinand vying for a cross ball is a bit of a mismatch.

SWP will do well as he's a good dribbler and that's what we'll need to penetrate them. Passing, guile and taking players on in order to open them up.

For that reason I would play Sylvinho on the left, I think he'd do a great job there and still fit as a fiddle at 35. He'd also be better defensively than Petrov as we'll be under the kosh quite a bit I expect.

Therefore my team would be:


--------------------------Given-------------------------

Richards--------Toure--------Lescott---------Bridge

Weiss---------Ireland----------Barry---------Sylvinho

--------------------SWP----------------------------------

-----------------------------Bellamy----------------------


I think the team above could get a result. We could also swap Sylvinho and Bridge round from time to time.

I agree with the idea about Petrov, I consider him and weiss to be a bit too out of it to throw them in the starting line-up. I think a weiss cameo would be much more in-line. I would go with...
---------------------Given-------------------------
Richards----Toure------Lescott-------Bridge---

SWP------De Jong-----Barry----------Sylvinho--

-------------Ireland--------------------------------

----------------------Bellamy-----------------------

Also I wouldn't really throw weiss in there because we have no idea how well he will be able to track back, something that we need to beat these types of teams (The same goes with Petrov, who doesn't like to track back). I am reasonably assured that with this line-up though we can keep the shutout, it all depends on if Bellamy gets any counter attacking opportunites.

One cap Whitey wrote:I wouldn't be surprised to see Tevez start and would love to see Weiss at some point too.

Just been on SSN: "Man City say Carlos Tevez unlikely to be fit to face Man U** on Sunday after knee problem".

edge275 wrote:

joey wrote:Definitely makes you question how wise it was to allow so many out on loan - especially caciedo and bojinov, either of whom could have done a job for us in this match and could have played some role this season, with Adebayor out for the african nations and RSC so injury prone

Agree mate, it was rather stupid.

Nah great decision lads, remember, we have 297 strikers... ohh wait.

No-one's mentioned Etuhu - anyone think he could feature? Has he even made the bench yet this season?

And is Kompany still injured?

Somerset Blue wrote:No-one's mentioned Etuhu - anyone think he could feature? Has he even made the bench yet this season?

And is Kompany still injured?

Etuhu on loan at Cardiff and out injured for 8 weeks, not sure about kompany

Somerset Blue wrote:No-one's mentioned Etuhu - anyone think he could feature? Has he even made the bench yet this season?

And is Kompany still injured?

Etuhu went out on loan to Cardiff weeks ago mate and Kompany won't be back for a couple of weeks at the earliest.

Cannot shake the feeling Teves will play.

If not I think Bellemy pushes up to replace Ade and Petrov comes into his spot on the left. I agree the crosses will be wasted, but he can cut in and shoot as well, which I think we'll see plenty of. If we had another decent CM I'd push Barry wide left though.

Petrov started and scored with a team full of midgets at the Camp Nou, no reason he can't do this lot. The Swamp has been kind to him.


-------------------Given------------------

Richards----Toure----Lescott----Bridge

-----------------De Jong-------------------

SWP-------Ireland-----Barry-------Petrov

------------------Bellamy-------------------



Subs: Taylor, Onuoha, Zabaleta, Sylvinho, Vidal, Weiss, D. Ball

With the way Superman has been playin, I'd rather see him come off the bench.

Maybe he can score a cracker and cement his place in Starting XI

Given

Richards --- Toure --- Lescott --- Bridge

Kompany ---- De Jong

SWP --- Barry --- Petrov

Bellers!!!


Bench: Taylor, Onuoha, Zabs, Ireland, Weiss, Sylvinio

Liahos wrote:With the way Superman has been playin, I'd rather see him come off the bench.

Maybe he can score a cracker and cement his place in Starting XI

Given

Richards --- Toure --- Lescott --- Bridge

Kompany ---- De Jong

SWP --- Barry --- Petrov

Bellers!!!


Bench: Taylor, Onuoha, Zabs, Ireland, Weiss, Sylvinio

I'm sorry mate, but I think Irelands going to be crucial to us getting anything on Sunday, providing he is fit of course. With a number of players out, and the occassion, this really gives him his opportunity to stand up and shine. Also I don't think Kompany is going to be back fit before Sunday anyway, so you'd need to pop Zabs in there, or move Barry back and return Stevie. I understand your idea, but I think we need Stevie in there battling right from the first second.

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Cannot shake the feeling Teves will play.

If not I think Bellemy pushes up to replace Ade and Petrov comes into his spot on the left. I agree the crosses will be wasted, but he can cut in and shoot as well, which I think we'll see plenty of. If we had another decent CM I'd push Barry wide left though.

Not many teams spend an awful while in Uniteds final third at OT, so forgive me if i'm wrong but I can't see us getting many crosses in from either side. Especially with the players we have available now, not really the staff that are going to hold the ball up and allow the rest of the team to join the attack. If Bellamy plays up top on his own, he has a huge job and responsibility to the team.

Steve wrote:

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:Cannot shake the feeling Teves will play.

If not I think Bellemy pushes up to replace Ade and Petrov comes into his spot on the left. I agree the crosses will be wasted, but he can cut in and shoot as well, which I think we'll see plenty of. If we had another decent CM I'd push Barry wide left though.

Not many teams spend an awful while in Uniteds final third at OT, so forgive me if i'm wrong but I can't see us getting many crosses in from either side. Especially with the players we have available now, not really the staff that are going to hold the ball up and allow the rest of the team to join the attack. If Bellamy plays up top on his own, he has a huge job and responsibility to the team.

True, I think we'll play to soak up pressure and hit them on the counter attack. The pace of Bellamy, Petrov and Wrighty would more than do the job as our front line. Got a really strong feeling that we're gonna do the red bastards, keep our 100% record, have been the Arse and the Scum back to back and send out a serious message to world football. Its gonna happen boys and girls, especially after the week we've had. They're gonna be so up for it.

Well according to doug, Belllers didnt do full training, so Hughes must be wrapping him in cotton wool because he is our only fit striker, and we all know how fragile he is (although he is great)

some sort of counter attacking 4-3-2-1 with the 2-1 working very very hard all game to not let scum settle.

Scum are more likely to play down the middle, since no R*nadlo, Nani will cry off, Valencia is wank, Giggs still quality but surely we can keep him quiet.

Its Rooney that can damage us, he is in form.

I dont think this is the best game to blood 35 year old Sylvinho