Aston Villa Vs Manchester United - 22/11/08 [R]

[Republic of Mancunia]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/57/Aston_Villa.png/150px-Aston_Villa.pngVs.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d1/Manchester_United_Badge_1973-1998.png



Venue: Villa Park
Kick off: 17:30 (UK), 12:30 (EST)
TV: Setanta (UK), FSC (USA)
Streams: myp2p (http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=24374&part=sports)



United team news from manutd.com (http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={F9E570E6-407E-44BC-800F-4A3110258114}&newsid=6622915) (click link for full article)
United have injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s early-evening trip to Aston Villa, with Dimitar Berbatov and Wes Brown definitely out and Rio Ferdinand unlikely to play.


United squad (according to the beeb):

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Park, Anderson, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck.


Michael Carrick gives his thoughts on the match:
"We know what Aston Villa bring to the table.

"They have got some good players and some young players with bags of energy and enthusiasm.

"For them to go to the Emirates and win says a lot and will put them in confident mood.

"But if we play like we can, we are confident we will win the game."

[Bronaldo]

Everything the same as stoke except Tevez and Rooney upfront.

[Dark Savante]

We're gonna lose...

I'm still putting us down for a 1-3 win, though!

[Bronaldo]

I hope we don't put Rafael up against Young. That's a red card waiting to happen

[Republic of Mancunia]

I hope we don't put Rafael up against Young. That's a red card waiting to happen

A psycholgist might tell you that the order Fergie mentioned them could be significant.
"Fortunately we have plenty of cover at right-back, with Gary Neville, Rafael Da Silva and John O'Shea available to come in."

Then again, I know nothing about psychology so "might" and "could" are worth emphasising. :p Me, I'm not sure who I'd prefer in that role for this one.

Such a tricky team to call all over the pitch what with Ronaldo, Nani, Anderson and Park all having travelled great distances this week. Ideally some of them might've been rested. Then the injuries are piling up. On top of all the newer widely reported stuff, read that Fletcher isn't necessarily 100% still and caught some highlights of N. Ireland's midweek game yesterday in which Evans was struggling with a knock.

[yikchi]

Tough game... will be happy with a draw under the circumstances.

My guess of the line-up

-----Rooney------
Nani--Tevez---Ronaldo
----Giggs---Carrick---
Evra--Evans--Vidic--Neville
-------VDS------------

Not a good time to play Villa away.

[jeff070]

Tough game... will be happy with a draw under the circumstances.

My guess of the line-up

-----Rooney------
Nani--Tevez---Ronaldo
----Giggs---Carrick---
Evra--Evans--Vidic--Neville
-------VDS------------

Not a good time to play Villa away.

we are going to play conservative not attacking.

VDS

rafael
vida
evans
evra

ronaldo
carrick
anderson
nani

tevez
rooney

[sdotsom]

Not excited about this one. I'm thinking a relatively conservative team, and I'm scared as hell of Agbonlahor. Ronaldo has tracked back a little more the last few seasons, but we'll need him to at least assist whoever is at RB.

VDS

Rafael/O'Shea
Vida
Evans
Evra

Ronaldo
Carrick
Fletcher/Giggs
Nani

Rooney
Tevez

[benni...]

I hope we don't put Rafael up against Young. That's a red card waiting to happen

For Ashley Young.

[johno]

For Ashley Young.

You say that in jest I'm sure, but Rafa might well help us pin the other team back, if paired with Ronnie on the right.

Villa are a countering team against us. They cannot match us in possession but if we turn Young into a defender we can make their counter-attack much less effective by reducing their pace advantage significantly.

I think Neville and O'Shea would get roasted by Young anyway, so I'm not sure it would help to play them.

Is Fletcher injured? If not, why are so many people leaving him out?


I'd say we start something like this.

-------------------Rooney
--------------Tevez
Park>>>-----------------------<<<Ronaldo
--------Carrick--------Fletcher
Evra------------------------------Rafael
-----------Vidic-------Evans/Rio
-----------------VDS

The other option is to start in a 433 with Anderson on in place of Park and bring on Park/Nani for Anderson around 65mins.

[cr7torossi]

For Ashley Young.

Possibly.

[pgr17]

i like that lineup johno... i think Tevez and Rooney both get on the scoresheet. hopefully Friedel doesn't have a game like he did against us last year for Blackburn.

and just for the sake of memories, who can forget this wonder strike:

vQXrMbArqSs

[Numquam Moribimur]

Villa Park is our 2nd home....no worries !

[Amdrag]

I was worried for a moment that Fletch died with the lack of him in some of the starting line ups on the first page.

[pourfood]

My guess would be

Rooney-Tevez

Nani-Fletcher-Carrick-Ronaldo

Evra-Vidic-Evans-Neville

VDS

[gildarkevin]

Villa Park is our 2nd home....no worries !

Exactly what I was thinking.

But my 2nd thought might counteract it: Brad Friedel always steps up against us.

[pgr17]

http://i37.tinypic.com/205e0oy.jpg

[Invincible]

---------------Rooney
---------------Tevez
--Ronaldo
--------------------------Park
-------Carrick-----Fletcher
Evra-----------------------Rafael
--------Vidic-------Rio
----------------VDS

Let's roast them. Forget conservative, we must attack,attack,attack attack attack them into submission or else we're going to pay.

[433tom]

I hope we don't put Rafael up against Young. That's a red card waiting to happen

I don't have any faith that Neville can handle him. At least Rafeal can match him athletically. Either way, it's a key match-up.

[433tom]

Villa Park is our 2nd home....no worries !


If I tell my wife that I'll get cut off again. She's pretty confident after Villa's showing last week and our injuries. She's so pumped she wanted us to fly home to go to the match. I'm working on strategies right now to avoid sleeping in the den after we win. :)