Man United General CHat & Starting XI Thread

[Giggs11]

Why, you weren't having any united defenders anyway ... Were you?

[Dannymc1309]

So Man U's pre-season form reads P4 W1 D1 L2, largely against Asian teams similar to those being routinely beaten by other tourists. SEVEN goals conceded in 4 games.

Should we (as in FF managers) be worried?

We are playing decent teams half way through their domestic season and at very high humidity levels. We definitely have it toughest in terms of opposition but that being said the results arn't the be all and end all anyway. We lost all 7 preseason games in 1995 and won the league, not to mention last years pre season being awful too.

Not worried by the results but no value in United defenders for SDT anyway.

[trampie]

So Man U's pre-season form reads P4 W1 D1 L2, largely against Asian teams similar to those being routinely beaten by other tourists. SEVEN goals conceded in 4 games.

Should we (as in FF managers) be worried?

We are playing decent teams half way through their domestic season and at very high humidity levels. We definitely have it toughest in terms of opposition but that being said the results arn't the be all and end all anyway. We lost all 7 preseason games in 1995 and won the league, not to mention last years pre season being awful too.

Not worried by the results but no value in United defenders for SDT anyway.

Its football logic, the Swans have won 5 out of 5 so far pre season and play Man Utd first up, good/bad pre season results often don't translate to the season proper, i would still rather win than lose pre season games mind you.

[Vid]

Any realistic first team players missing from the OP?

[Darbyand]

Fabio is back in the squad of full backs.

Couple of kids impressed pre season (Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj) but too early to call them first team squad member just yet.

[Wyld]

AIK V ManU (Tues 6 Aug)

Lindegaard swapped at half time for Amos both seemed fairly comfortable in goal
Rafael - a joy to watch, buzzed about all over the left side, tried to hit a pile driver at one point and limped away yet seemed to be able to run it off
Evans solid, limped off to be replaced by Smalling who was completely anonymous
Vidic excellent turn as captain, header against the bar, v good defensive work and bossed Evans continuously
Evra did nothing at all that I could see
Anderson some early work in midfield, may have been subbed off at some point: hard to tell.
Carrick asleep
Giggs brilliant, every pass either hit its man or when where its man should have been. Didn't move about too much but didn't need to, replaced by impact sub Bebe who was an absolute delight, quick, strong and tricky and who totally dominated the left of midfield and stuck in at least six good crosses in his 30 mins on the pitch.
Zaha laughed at by the crowd for most of the first half as he stumbled and fell about, unable to control the ball or his own feet. Did however provide the assist for Henriques' goal.
Van Persie seemed barely interested, headed just wide and testing the goalkeeper with a snap shot otherwise not much at all.
Nani quite creative but off early with a tightning arse, replaced by Henriques who started brightly but faded. Tapped in Zaha's cross.

[fekdrink]

Asked this on the main TFF forum but had no answer as of yet so will ask again here if that's OK. Who's likely to play right back with Raphael out for "four to six weeks"? Smalling? Jones? Surely not Valencia or Anderson?

[Giggs11]

Pretty certain to be Jones, fekkers

Although I'd like to see Fabio given a run out it's unlikely to happen ...

[fekdrink]

Thanks Giggs11. Makes Phil Jones look a very attractive prospect to yours truly. A United defender likley to play regularly and priced at £4.0m? Bargain.

[thebillfella]

Guess for the Starting XI vs Swansea:

De Gea
P Jones (until Rafael returns )
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Cleverley
Giggs
Welbeck
Rooney
RVP

[blahblah]

Rooney?

[thebillfella]

...in a "put up or shut up" style from both sides!

If his only issue is game time, give him the game time and see how he responds.

[morganb]

Guess for the Starting XI vs Swansea:

De Gea
P Jones (until Rafael returns )
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Cleverley
Giggs
Welbeck
Rooney
RVP

This almost sounds like a new side game - Guess the Starting XI - where you need to guess the starting line-up of both teams in half-a-dozen matches. 1 point per player, bonus 10 points if you get all 11 correct...

[thebillfella]

Rooney unsurprisingly didn't look match fit to me this evening so my revised guess for the Starting XI vs Swansea (with him making an appearance from the bench) would be:

De Gea
P Jones (until Rafael returns )
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Cleverley
Giggs
Zaha
Welbeck
RVP

[blahblah]

Which is why I 'ed Ronney above.

Giggs starting does not augur well for a title defence? I assume Moyes will risk Carrick's eye infection, which could be a tad daft if he wears Contact Lens?

I sense an over the top bid for Fellaini

[thebillfella]

I think we should be good enough not to go down

Only the GW1 guess this, I'm not saying we will play Giggs every week but he is match fit when some others who will get more games are not atm because of end-of-season tournys and injury recoveries (e.g. Kagawa who I think will have an excellent season).

Before his 'shoulder' injury Rooney was reported as looking lean and fit but obviously there is no substitute for games...

[blahblah]

I would piss my pants if you went down, and would start wearing some in Feb in anticipation

On the PR debacle and TW Fiasco - why was Moyes on ITV, he should now be above that....

I have no top 4 bias, now Jose is at Chelsea, but Fellaini is so obvious it is painful?

[thebillfella]

I actually think Gundogan from Dortmund would be the better solution personally but Fellaini would be an easier win and would be something different.

[blahblah]

and proven in the Prem...

I am uneagerly awaiting Moyes "Priority" announcement on Cl or Prem.

[foxinthebox2001]

Rooney has travelled with the squad to Swansea, expected to be on the bench tomorrow.

[RespectMyAuthoritah]

Will Fellaini start against CP?

[Darbyand]

If fit, I'd put my house on it.

[thebillfella]

Yup. Cleverley and Giggs to the bench; Fellaini certainly and Valencia possibly (subject to tiredness after long trip to Ecuador so could see Nani instead) to the starting XI IMO. Kagawa may get the nod in the hole if Rooney's girly scratch isn't fully healed.

[Darbyand]

I'd like to see Young out Kagawa in. Something like
Ddg
Jones, Rio, Vidic, Evra
Carrick, Fellaini
Welbeck, Kagawa, Valencia
RVP

[thebillfella]

Yup, I think we've said the same thing there

Probably too soon for Jones though - is Rafael back now?

[Darbyand]

It looked like you'd forgotten about Young. Easily done

[mikeg13]

Think the latest finance figures are out, not been able as yet to see them, would think amount will be impressive, not so confident about money available to manager to spend though. Has any on here seen any reports as yet.

[f_dzilla]

Any thoughts on potential lineups?

I assume the 3-5-2 seen through pre-season will look something like so:

GK (De Gea)
CB CB CB (Evans, Jones, then Smalling or a new signing?)
RWB (Valencia/Rafael) CM CM (two of Herrera, Carrick and Fletcher?) LWB (Young/Shaw)
ACM (Mata)
ST ST (Rooney, Van Persie, Wellbeck filling in for the first couple?)

Does that sound about right?

What about the mooted shift to Van Gaal's supposedly favoured 4-3-3? Does Mata play wide in the front three or sit a little deeper? With Shaw presumably getting the nod at LB, is there any room for Young further up-field?

[Darbyand]

I think he'll play the 3412 until/unless something drastic happens to change his mind

[brownie30]

Are Valencia and Rafael both injured?
If that is the case, will he play
RWB - Young / LWB - Shaw?