Which pair should lead Man U's offense, if all three strikers are fit and ready? There might be some rotations in formation, but who should play in one of those really important and difficult matches (against other big 4 teams, or UEFA Champions League knockout round etc.)?
Well, this is the golden question, isn't it? I'm sure it's a headache that most managers would want to have every week. However, however stella the talents of Tevez and Rooney are, Saha has to start if he's fit. It's as simple as that I think, although we are yet to see Tevez and Rooney play together or Tevez and Saha. Against Tottenham Saha came off the bench and made a whole world of difference. It was amazing to see how different the team plays when he's in it. He's an injury nightmare and it seems unfair to simply drop someone just because he's back again, but he is that important. He suits our style of play perfectly almost and that is the important aspect. He plays far up, never coming too deep to collect the ball like Rooney or Tevez, so he's always an outlet, or target at the very top of the pitch. He has pace, strength, he's strong in the air and he's a cool finisher. He can be frustrating at times, but then so were Andy Cole and Van Nistelrooy? If you are going to play all of them then you have an equally bad headache picking a midfield from Nani, Ronaldo, Giggs, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Fletcher, Park and Anderson. All of them will want to play although from that list I'd say only Ronaldo, Giggs, Carrick, Hargreaves, Scholes and Nani have any real creditbale shout for a place. But still, that's 6 into 3 if you play 4 at the back so it still doesn't fit. What's more, there are going to be some high profile players who aren't even going to make the bench, most likely Park, Anderson and maybe Fletcher. That will upset some people alone. What Fergie must do is make sure that, if he is going to be dropping some players, then he has to make sure he gets it right as to justify the move. Dropping players like Fletcher isn't advised I don't think because sometimes they can offer you something that none of the above can......
Would this formation be a bit far-fetched? -----------Saha------------- ---Rooney----------Tevez------ Ronaldo------------------------ -----------Scholes/Carrick------ -------Hargreaves------------- Evra-------------------Neville/Brown/Pique --------Vidic----Ferdinand------ -----------van der sar-------- I mean, formations don't need to be symmetrical do they? We can have Tevez and Rooney playing slightly deep behind Saha, and Ronaldo cruising along the flanks of his choice. Carrick would be a sort of playmaker while Hargreaves plays in front of the center backs to balance out the offense and defense. I know this formation leaves out some
For this weekend, it's definitely Tevez + Saha. I don't think Rooney is fit no matter what the paper says. I will continue to alternate Tevez and Rooney with Saha as first option even after Rooney is fit again. Inevitably, there will be injuries amongst this group so we will eventually try out the Tevez / Rooney partnership.
---------Vander Sars-------- -----Ferdin------Vidic-------- -Neville----------------Evra--- ------Hargreaves-Scholes----- -Ronaldo-----Tevez------Rooney -------------Saha-------------
Erm Rooneys possibly the worst winger in the Premiership. Also for the last year Utd have played a 4-5-1 why are you lot going on about 4-4-2 again?.
This may sound crazy but i hope rooney does not walk back into Englands starting line up, rooney has done nothing for the team in the last 3 years and needs to earn back his starting spot, lampard is history, RIP P.S Hows life treating you Vermont?
--------------GK -----Back Four of Quality ---------Carrick ------Lee Hard Gravy Ronaldo---Tevez-----Giggs ---------Rooney-------- Ideal lineup.
Erm no he didnt. Rooney was pretty mediocre for most of last season.His 10 goals in 5 league games made half respectable figures for him. Rooney is not and never will be a winger dont you understand that?. As i'v said i think Rooneys career is in crisis, at Utd he's played out of position as a matter of course. For England in the past ditto. Why whenever i see a Rooney post are people obsessed with him playing out of position?. Basically in his natural positions or bench/sell him. It's ok as the odd game here and there but not every frigging game. It's nuts.
The reason being in the past he's repeatedly been played out of position just like at Utd. When in his natural position he's always played well for England.
I too am sick and tired of seeing Rooney played on the wings. He wants to play down the middle and be given the freedom to run at people and shoot on site. He playsm much better with a strike patrner and I wish that Fergie would stop messing aronud with these lone striker formations. The formation that Benni put out makes sense although personally I don't know what he's done with Giggs. Nani isn't in there either. I hope Rooney can form a decent partnership with Tevez so we don't rely on injury-prone Saha too much...
Switch Tevez and Rooney and you have the strongest lineup that United can field. The amount of interchanging that will go on with the three behind Saha will be frightening for opposing defenses to cope with. Furthermore, with the overlapping fullbacks, Evra and Neville that will deal with the width issue. Another important part of this formation is that the backups can be slotted in easily to suit the opposition and injuries. Carrick can come in for Scholes if an additional defensive presence is needed. Giggs or Nani can be used for Tevez, if needed and so on. It's just dependent on Saha remaining healthy, which of course is a big question.
You know, it still amazes me that Carrick's position as a starter is still being questioned. He made a huge difference last season and never let us down. Now he's not even in most peoples first XI's. Personally I think he'll play more than Hargreaves as the latter is always injured...
I was about to say the same thing. Our strongest team would not feature Hargreaves instead of Carrick.
Yeah, it's not been a good year for Carrick so far. It is obvious Fergie prefers playing Hargreaves over him early in the season. And in the England side Barry is starting over him.
Personally I'd go with: -------------VDS----------- Neville----Rio-----Vidic----Evra Ronaldo-Scholes-Carrick-Giggs ------------Rooney -------------Saha but I am set in my ways. Forcing me to put all three in it would be: -------------VDS------------ Neville----Rio-----Vidic---Evra Rooney-Scholes-Carrick-Ronaldo ------------Tevez -------------Saha but you wouldn't get the best out everyone. Trying to get the best out those three and to hell with the rest of team I'd go: -----------VDS---------- Neville---Rio----Vidic---Evra ---God--Hargreaves--God--- --------Tevez-Rooney------ ------------Saha I'd have to dip into the transfer market and by two quick, combative, box to box midfielders with immense stamina who would also be expected to provide width on their side at times and have the technical ability to produce final balls whilst not getting overwhelmed in midfield. Not asking for much is it? I wouldn't want either Rooney or Tevez spending more time outside the width of the penalty area than in it. Those gods don't exist so I'd probably go Fletcher and Giggs and it would fail. Or, (and only slightly more sane): -----------VDS---------- -----Brown-Rio-Vidic----- Simpson--------------Evra ----Scholes-Hargreaves--- ------Tevez--Rooney----- ----------Saha Thought I'd chuck Simpson in there as he's the nearest thing to a right wing back we've got, if not him then buy one. Him and Evra would be expected to provide most of the width with occasional support from one of the CM's (maybe we should buy another of those too? ) and when an attack is going down one flank, the other would be expected to fill in in midfield. We should look to find a left-footed ball playing Centre back an' all and when we've got one, either him or Rio could creep forward on the odd occasion that the opposition only has one up front and sit deep in midfield. P.S. Sell Ronaldo, Nani, Park and possibly Giggs. P.P.S. I still like the first one, only messing about really with the others although the second could be utilized for no other reason than to rest one of our wingers against weaker opposition, I suppose, or in the event of an injury crisis on the flanks.
I'm with RofM, I like what was so good for us last season: -------------VDS----------- Neville----Rio-----Vidic----Evra Ronaldo-Scholes-Carrick-Giggs ------------Rooney -------------Saha although I think we used the same players in a 4-2-3-1 with Giggs inside and Rooney out wide. I don't know how you fit Tevez in while keeping Ronaldo, Rooney and Saha in the lineup. I imagine that we'll see Rooney, Saha and Tevez mixed and matched depending on the opposition and, of course, injuries.
Through the second half of last season, Rooney might have been stationed on the left, but he wasnt playing with a wingers mentality. The formation we used, even though it appeared as a 4-5-1, Rooney and Ronaldo, along with Giggs alternated positions a lot. Even when it seemed as if Rooney was stationed on the left, he was actually playing from the left. He looked very effective when we had a 9 in the lineup. We have a lot of theories as to what Sir Alex Ferguson is attempting to do with the formations used, and personal aquired, so none of us know for sure. But one thing we saw last season was Rooney playing effective from the left in different games. Now, Rooney is probably going to be played all over the pitch this season because we wont always have Tevez, Saha, Giggs, etc availabe. But Im confident, when asked to move to the left in games, he can play that role to a level effective enough for this TEAM to play well and win games.
I think that Fergie may be attempting to teach Rooney how to take a back seat to the other players, especially when things arent going to well. I believe Johno or DS had the same theory. Before Rooney was being used on the wing, especially in European games... he would have no impact on the match from his natural position. Despite what biTER thinks Rooney has played in his natural position in Europe time and time again, and failed to deliver for whatever reasons. I just think that now, we are to the point where we dont have to rely on him, and as a result of that Fergie is taking pressure of him, and the team by putting him in such positions, and allowing the other players (now we have Scholes, Ronaldo, Nani, Giggs, Tevez and Saha) to take control. The reason I didnt put Giggs there is because I feel that he could be more valuable as a super sub than any of the people who take his place. Nani isnt there because I dont believe that its his time to shine yet. He will get minutes, but I wouldnt start him in the biggest of our European games. Also I think once Park gets back, Fergie will favour him over Nani rightfully.