We're fighting in the trenches for the EPL, CL and FA Cup. Compose a team for each competition.

[Invincible]

Do or die time, 1 point clear of Arsenal at the top, semi final of the CL, semi final of the FA Cup. We need to rotate the squad around to keep our guys fresh for a CL assault. Go. (lineup graphics courtesy of this11.com)

Champions League Lineup

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7266/cllineuphx5.jpg

Barclay's Premier League Lineup(non big 4 games)
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8131/epllineupvg1.jpg

FA Cup Lineup Rooney and Ronaldo could come on as subs in the final if we make it that far.
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9454/facupoo1.jpg

[Red Jeph]

I think you've got way too much rotation. There is a fine line between keeping players rested and the need for continuity. Obviously some older players such as Giggs need to be rested more, but I think the wise move is to sporadically rest players against lesser opponents as they need it.

Tactically, the only change I would make would be to add a 3rd CM for the CL and maybe big PL games, taking out Giggs or Tevez.

[Invincible]

I have continuity in key places in those lineups, namely in central midfield and central defense. Face it, Ronaldo and Rooney are gonna need a lot of rest, Scholes not so much because he missed half the season already. The spine of the team(Scholes, Ferdinand, Vidic, Van der Sar) remains. Park and Nani can have similar impacts to Ronaldo and are good players in their own right. Also a 3rd CM isn't really necessary for the CL because Anderson constantly tracks back to defend.

[Red Jeph]

I have continuity in key places in those lineups, namely in central midfield and central defense. Face it, Ronaldo and Rooney are gonna need a lot of rest, Scholes not so much because he missed half the season already. The spine of the team(Scholes, Ferdinand, Vidic, Van der Sar) remains. Park and Nani can have similar impacts to Ronaldo and are good players in their own right. Also a 3rd CM isn't really necessary for the CL because Anderson constantly tracks back to defend.

I understand the need to rest Rooney and Ronaldo more than they have been thus far. My concern is that our attack is so unique, i.e. Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo and Giggs, don't play defined roles that can be filled by Nani and Park. We rely so much on timing and understanding that I would worry that it would be disrupted.

As for the 3rd CM in the CL, it really depends on the opposition. Obviously Scholes won't be dropped, and I wouldn't want to drop Anderson, either, so it depends on whether we require a runner or not.

[benni...]

Vince, how did you make it bigger? The img

[sdotsom]

******** me.

At this rate, by the end of this season we'll have a different formation thread thread for every possible situation.

I'll go ahead and start the "Rooney has a cold and Ronaldo's left boot is unlaced Formation Thread."

J/K. I like most of your proposals, except that Ronaldo will probably play every available game...

[Invincible]

Vince, how did you make it bigger? The img
I took a screenshot of the formation, cropped it in some free photo editing software and uploaded it to imageshack.
******** me.

At this rate, by the end of this season we'll have a different formation thread thread for every possible situation.

I'll go ahead and start the "Rooney has a cold and Ronaldo's left boot is unlaced Formation Thread."

J/K. I like most of your proposals, except that Ronaldo will probably play every available game...

Heh, I like discussing formations. :o

[SirManchester]

J/K. I like most of your proposals, except that Ronaldo will probably play every available game...

There's no doubt. Not only is he our most reliable player but he will want to play every game when he's fit. And quite frankly he is fit, and although he'll need all the rest he can get, we don't have the proper cover and can't afford to just switch formations week in, week out, especially come this run-in.

It's obvious Hargreaves won't be available every match so he should be rested exclusively for Europe. I'm not quite sure Ferguson will rush into pushing Anderson so far up. By the time Scholes returns he'll start using him in midfield along with Carrick and Hargreaves and he'll probably be using Anderson off the bench.

--------VDS
Neville-Ferdinand-Vidic-Evra

Hargreaves-Scholes-Carrick

Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez

I didn't include Giggs, although I think he'll participate in most of the games, he's just not a 90 minute player anymore and with the high tempo European games, we'll rely mostly on the attacking trio of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez.

Carrick and Scholes will perform the same roles as they did last season but have more freedom to contribute to the attack and maintain possession with Hargreaves as cover. Furthermore, the latter will also hopefully allow our fullbacks to make more effective overlapping runs, those are always successful in Europe.

Park can be a huge factor for us in Europe. He brings Hargreaves' stamina and has experience in the competition. I'd love to see him become an integral part of our run and unless one of the attacking trio gets injured he'll be used mostly off the bench but he's a fantastic option to have and I think Ferguson will use him quite a lot starting with the quartefinals.

[sdotsom]

Pretty much agree with SM.

Park will be a huge asset. That nonstop running is always useful, and while Giggs can still be a wily player out on the left, sometimes stamina and hard running will be more useful out there. Park can provide that in bundles.

Hargreaves may as well only be used for big matches from now on. We should just stop expecting him to be out there for games like today's, or against Prem bottom dwellers. The problem with that is his lack of time to gell with our players - which negatively affects his passing game. If we just have him out of the side for 4-5 games in a row, then slot him straight in, it'll be hard for him to ever get used to the passing and positioning of our players. Training with the players will help, but it only goes so far. He has been better recently, but he's still not up to par - maybe he never will be, since we brought him in just for running. But he has to do a bit better.

[Invincible]

There's no doubt. Not only is he our most reliable player but he will want to play every game when he's fit. And quite frankly he is fit, and although he'll need all the rest he can get, we don't have the proper cover and can't afford to just switch formations week in, week out, especially come this run-in.

It's obvious Hargreaves won't be available every match so he should be rested exclusively for Europe. I'm not quite sure Ferguson will rush into pushing Anderson so far up. By the time Scholes returns he'll start using him in midfield along with Carrick and Hargreaves and he'll probably be using Anderson off the bench.

--------VDS
Neville-Ferdinand-Vidic-Evra

Hargreaves-Scholes-Carrick

Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez

I didn't include Giggs, although I think he'll participate in most of the games, he's just not a 90 minute player anymore and with the high tempo European games, we'll rely mostly on the attacking trio of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez.

Carrick and Scholes will perform the same roles as they did last season but have more freedom to contribute to the attack and maintain possession with Hargreaves as cover. Furthermore, the latter will also hopefully allow our fullbacks to make more effective overlapping runs, those are always successful in Europe.

Park can be a huge factor for us in Europe. He brings Hargreaves' stamina and has experience in the competition. I'd love to see him become an integral part of our run and unless one of the attacking trio gets injured he'll be used mostly off the bench but he's a fantastic option to have and I think Ferguson will use him quite a lot starting with the quartefinals.

Great points you make there! If Anderson isn't to start very often in Europe with the return of Scholes that's the formation I'd like to see. In that formation Carrick should have the freedom to drift all over the pitch and create, similar to what he did at Spurs.

I agree with you about Park, he's vastly underrated and it's only because he doesn't score many. But his energy, determination, movement and conventional dribbling cannot be denied.

About resting Ronaldo, of course he'll want to play all the time but he just cannot. I don't and I'm sure Fergie doesn't want him burnt out if we have key Champions League matches to play, especially with the kind of cover available to us(Nani, Park). I'm sure Fergie will bench Ronaldo against some of the smaller EPL clubs and bring him on if needed. We have a really decent squad, I'm sure Fergie'll make good use of it.

[Ruud v.Nistelrooy 10]

i am a formation dunce but this is a nice read. maybe i will learn a thing or two

[Harry Boulton]

I think there are certain key players who simply have to play every game if they're fit. Van Der Sar is one. He hardly does alot of running and is alot better than Kuszczak. He adds a calming influence on the back 4.

I think Ferdiinand and Vidic have to play most games too. They have a great partnership and visibly make us stronger when they play. Midfield is where we have strength in depth and can rotate with Hargreaves, Carrick, Anderson, Fletcher and Scholes all capable of playing at the top and our wings are fairly strong with Giggs, Nani, Ronaldo and Park all decent players or better. As has been said, Hargreaves is best being rested more than most fo Europe but the rest can fill in or sit out. Ronaldo has to play against the top sides though.

Up front is where we have least option with only Tevez and Rooney being rrliably fit. Saha is a waste of space.....

[leafdolfan]

If we were in a position where we needed a two goal win at home in the CL or some similar situation do you think something like this would ever work up front?

------Tevez-----Rooney--------
----------Ronaldo----------
--Giggs---Scholes--Anderson---


It is really attacking and our back four would have to be a helluva game, but if it were against a team like Milan who can shut down most teams in europe with a 2-0 lead (2005 exception) and we needed goals this would be scary for any european back four to deal with. Of course a lot of the players could be switched around, but would fergie ever do it, and would it ever work?