Utd v Arsenal- Teams Announced

[RobB]

Both Keane and Djemba are starting, SAF must be trying to give his defence maximum protection. If Scholes plays deep he could be going for the 0-0 at HT, with a sneak 1-0 win at FT, with a 70th minute Scholes goal.

[johno]

Ronaldo is not even named in the squad? is he injured? I dont think so, SAF is really starting to **********in piss me off man. With OGS playing well last week and Ronaldo in good form and healthy there is no reason to play Fletcher at right half, none... especially if we play a 4-5-1 we could have played Fletch in the middle with Keane and Scholes... my god, my god, my god... I dont care what happens this is a bad decision I am sick of Fletcher getting so much time.

I don't mind the DJ^2 selection but not at the expense of Saha... and we cant play Fletcher on the right ahead of CR7 and OGS

[RobB]

It was a defensive team selection. Fletcher gives a bit more protection to the RB than OGS would. Keeping the scoreline low was Fergusons sole intention.

[haven]

It was a defensive team selection. Fletcher gives a bit more protection to the RB than OGS would. Keeping the scoreline low was Fergusons sole intention.


It's obvious that was the strategy. Nobody's really wondering about that.

Obviously, selection has to be partly based on what kind of game you want to play. But being better suited to a certain strategy should only count so much - and when there is as enormous a gap in overall ability as between OGS and Ronaldo versus Fletcher... it just doesn't matter all that much that Fletcher is somewhat better at tracking back. 1 step forward, two steps back.

When a player hasn't had one Man Utd-caliber "good" game in an entire year... after plenty of starts... he should never play in a meaningul game over two players who have had been far better.

Hell, OGS has had more good games on the right than Fletcher - and he's been injured nearly the entire year. To say nothing of Ronaldo, who hasn't not had a good game since December.

[RobB]

I disagree with the idea that strategy can only partly determine team selection. Ideally, a manager will have a player who can perform all the roles required of their position, and so can have them be cautious through to adventurous in their play, and change things with just a few shouted instructions. Beckham being an example of a player who can sit deep or push forward on the right of midfield. Without him, SAF had to play two players. Also, I think it`s impossible to play Giggs and Ronaldo in the same team, from the start, away to a side like Arsenal. They`re both wingers, and even with 3 CM would leave too much space behind them. And OGS is really a striker just back from a long injury lay-off. He wouldn`t have last the 90 anyway, especially having to track up and down the right flank. Utd just don`t have a right-sided midfielder who can complement Giggs in the way Beckham did, for the tough away matches. Fletcher is the closest you`ve got.

[billyireland]

Funny you say yhat; a big reason for Beckahm's under-performing last season was because he didn't have the drive and wasn't defending well enough. Infact, when Solskjaer came in on the right layter in the season, we actually looked more solid defensively than with Beckahm there. Giggs had also been defensively far more reliable than Beckahm since about 2000, when Beckham stopped running all over the place for the ball and started working harder for country than club.

[johno]

A good example of how much SAF values Giggs stopping power is the game earlier against Liverpool the first time we played them and SAF started Giggs on right to slow down Kewell. Giggs did that, then moved to the left, provided a goal, we got another and Kewell either scored or set up one, but we won...

Whether Ronaldo can play defense or not... Fletcher cannot defend 2 players, so it is better to play Ronaldo... if u play Ronaldo and he does not play defense, no problem, drift DjDj over to help Gary, but it wont be necessary, because the left back cant go anywhere, Ronaldo is too much of a threat offensively... Just 3 runs down the wing and the left back will be permanently anchored... and if he is having a good day, then the left winger will start to drop off as well... Fletch only requires a medium sized cone to disposses him in attack so left back can go ahead and play offense while we get overloaded... Fletch's defense is not so great that it can shut down any player... we only have 1 shut down guy... that is Rio... he could if we wanted to mark anyone into oblivion... Keane might too, but his position would not warrant that, Phil Nev. in a pinch could do the same, but we need to play possitive football... I am possitive that had Ronaldo played, Henry would not have scored... why? because he would have been out on the leftwing trying to get bring the ball up, like he was vs. Chelsea when their fullbacks and wingers attacked keeping possesion and forcing the Arsenal midfield back and thereby driving Henry even futher back to get the ball... ok, so maybe thats a bit of a stretch, but Ronaldo impacts the game like 2 current players on our team can... Giggs and Scholes, they are our creative force... last I heard, they were automatic starters... he should be too...

[Potomac Red Devil]

we need to play possitive football...

That sums up the entire team selection problem. We should be playing to our strengths, not trying to cover our weaknesses.

[Rei de Boston]

After watching the Chelsea/ Arsenal game and comparing it to our most recent outings it pains me to admit that we just don't look that good. Both of the teams ahead of us on the leader board have a very nice flow going (well at least in that game for Chelsea, but Arsenal are like that most of the time). We seem to have trouble getting the smooth run of play going, and I would say that has been a problem all year and not just a recent development.

Sure Rio's suspension hurt the defense, but what about our offense? I think there are so many factors involved and none are THE reason. I think this year will help us in the long run by giving different players time that they might not have had without all the suspensions and injuries.

I know this is a little off of the thread topic but I want to see us play some nice attacking football for the rest of the year. Let's use this time to figure out what we've got so that this summer can be productive.

[Cou5]

I don't mind the DJ^2 selection but not at the expense of Saha... and we cant play Fletcher on the right ahead of CR7 and OGS[/QUOTE]

Saha isn't available b/c he's cup tied with Fulham.

Not playing OGS or CR7 is not right. One of the best defenses is a good offense...from the games I've seen Fletcher won't put fear in the Arsenal wide players. The only good game Fletcher has had was with Scotland in the first leg vs. Holland.

[johno]

spot on Cou... its not that i did not know that... just heat of moment I guess... this brings up an interesting point... what formation should we play for the rest of the season.. FA cup excluded... should we go with 2 upfront or revert to the 4-2-3-1 or maybe a 4-1-3-2 <--- I think as long as we play Fletcher at right half we might as well use this formation because this will allow him to sit back and help Keane allowing Scholes and Giggs free reign to support the strikers...

[ManUtd R16]

Both Keane and Djemba are starting, SAF must be trying to give his defence maximum protection. If Scholes plays deep he could be going for the 0-0 at HT, with a sneak 1-0 win at FT, with a 70th minute Scholes goal.

Where did you get this information? And you mean the squad is announced, not starting 11, right?

[RobB]

Where did you get this information? And you mean the squad is announced, not starting 11, right?


This thread started 20 mins before the league game at Highbury on Sunday, and it was the team announced for that game. Although I wouldn`t be suprised if Utd played the same starting eleven, injuries permitting. But that`s just a guess, the teams will be officially named one hour before kick-off (11 O`clock BST) on Staurday morning.

[DaeHaMinGuk]

Funny you say yhat; a big reason for Beckahm's under-performing last season was because he didn't have the drive and wasn't defending well enough. Infact, when Solskjaer came in on the right layter in the season, we actually looked more solid defensively than with Beckahm there. Giggs had also been defensively far more reliable than Beckahm since about 2000, when Beckham stopped running all over the place for the ball and started working harder for country than club.

Not against Real, with Becks on the bench.

[ManUtd R16]

This thread started 20 mins before the league game at Highbury on Sunday, and it was the team announced for that game. Although I wouldn`t be suprised if Utd played the same starting eleven, injuries permitting. But that`s just a guess, the teams will be officially named one hour before kick-off (11 O`clock BST) on Staurday morning.

Oops, I thought you meant the FA Cup game, that's why I was scratching my head a little bit, hehe. Sorry for the confusion!