After getting over the excitement of the transfer deadline day, the new ‘worry’ for United fans is how we’re going to fit Dimitar Berbatov in to our team. Of course, this is a problem any football fan would love to have. We simply have too many great players deserving of a first team place to fit in to a first XI.
Whilst Cristiano Ronaldo is still out injured, it’s still plausible to play Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez alongside or behind Berbatov. However when Ronaldo returns, it means that one of our strikers will probably lose out.
Ronaldo won’t be available for Liverpool, meaning Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov can start, but is this wise?
Whilst I’m a strong believer in starting your strongest available players, I’m also certain that the shape of our team, 4-4-2, should be kept whenever possible.
To play all three forwards would likely mean a midfield three of Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Anderson. Whilst both Rooney and Tevez can play out wide, I like to see wingers on the field and I don’t like to see Rooney played out of position.
Also, if we were to play 4-4-2, with Rooney and Tevez up front, we have the possibility of a great impact sub in Berbatov, able to come on if we need that extra push to get a result.
Ferguson has been asked about Berbatov’s debut match, in which our manager possibly hinted that he won’t be playing from the start.
“We’ve got to look to see how all the players come back from international duty, that’s the first thing, but he’s sure to be involved,” he said.
Berbatov’s involvement is something I’d definitely want to see, but I think it would be better if he started the game from the bench. That way, we can play in the United way to start, see if we can get ourselves in front, and if we do, Berbatov can give one of our forwards a rest. If things aren’t going our way, a midfielder can make way for Berbatov, who’d give us added attacking power.
Essentially though, it doesn’t matter how many minutes he gets under his belt at the weekend, as I’m just excited to see him playing in our shirt. The potential for him to get a debut goal against Liverpool at Anfield only adds to that!
Roll on Saturday!
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Roo and Tev should start with Berba coming off the bench.
I don’t understand your fascination with 4-4-2; last year, the team mostly played something more like a 4-2-4 (or a 4-2-3-1/4-2-5-1).
I don’t expect that to change with the addition of Berbatov because he is really “replacing” Saha in these fluid arrangemens (the very word “formation” suggests a stolidity and rigidity that is not evident in the way that the players interchange positions, according to circumstances.)
I would expect that we will see a very wide-ranging deployment of different players – when fit, Berbatov, Ronaldo. and Rooney are dead-certs; Giggs is already being phased out – slowly; of the rest, Tevez will play the most, Park will play the least with Nani somewhere in between. But, of course, we don’t know now – no foresight ! – whether Manucho or Danny Welbeck will assert themselves and change any predictions about the division of playing time.
The one thing that does seem likely is that SAF is not going to have a fixed first-team since he has too many guys scrambling for playing-time. It’s the same story with midfielders – only among these players, persistent injuries to Hargreaves makes any idea of planning a rotation very unlikely.
On Saturday, I expect that Rooney and Tevez will start. Berbatov will almost certainly be a starter against Villareal because he came to UTD because he wanted to play in “big games”.
Wayne Rooney was the most important forward last year for UTD – even more than CR7, who scored goals but was not as “influential” in other aspects of the team play. I would expect that TheBoyWonder will also get a start in the CL because I am sure that SAF wants to build on his fantastic game yesterday.
Sticking my neck out, I would imagine that SAF will start Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov against the RentBoyz a week-Sunday. I would imagine that that is one game he really, really wants to win and Chel$ki are hurting (without Essien and probably Drogba) so this would be an ideal time to let Big Phil know who’s the King of the Castle.
Berbatov, Rooney and Tevez to start… they can alternate…..
Can play 3 in midfield, as Rooney is more than capable of dropping deeper if the midfield was struggling.
Nani Anderson and Hargreaves to start in the middle…
Man….if we get an early goal it will force Pool to come out of their defensive shell and will open themselves up to get ripped apart!!! If not, then it will be tough to break them down. I think we all know Pool will have 10 men behind the ball at almost all time when its still 0-0 and even though they are the home side they wont come out and attack or look for a goal.
I am just dreading it at the end of the game, when it ends 0-0 and they celebrate like they won the league. That will make me sick
4 2 4 – 4 4 2 – 4 2 3 1 its all basically the same formation especially if there is ronaldo rooney tevez berbertov or nani in the lineup. united mostly all last season played 4 4 2, I dont know where people got their information from like jamie redknapp that it was not. I dont recall when we had hargreaves and anderson in the middle or scholes and carrick or hargreaves and carrick or anderson and scholes or carrick and anderson with an attacking four of ronaldo rooney tevez with giggs or nani on the either side not 4 4 2. I would not play berbertov on saterday my 11 would be
vds
brown ferdinand vidic evra
fletcher anderson scholes nani
rooney tevez
bench
kuszszec g neville possebon carrick silva berbertov giggs
4-2-3-1
defense is obvious
’2′ = Anderson, Carrick
’3′ = Nani, Rooney, Tevez
’1′ = I leave that for you to finish
My choice, without detailed reason:
EVDS
WES RIO VIDA EVRA
FLETCH SCHOLES ANDERSON NANI
ROONEY
BERBATOV
Subs: Tevez as impact forward!!!!
Why not have a 4-3-3 with tevez n rooney playing off berbatov and have a midfield trio of scholes, anderson and carrick? tevez and rooney have the habbit of dropping back so they can give us the width on the field
gary neville will play
@fuzzy
Totally agree with you. I would also like to see a 4-2-3-1, but similar ot the one england employed against croatia.
Anderson and Scholes to take on the roles of lampard and barry as deep lying mids, Nani as the line hugging right winger, similar to walcott and tevez on the left flank, but not line hugging but more central, similar to joe cole. rooney reprising his role in the hole just off berba.
This formation has got the best out of rooney for england after a long time and with far superior players in our lineup I do not see why this should not happen again.
I look forward to your rabid article about Wenger’s Berbatov comments today Scott.
Can’t see past a two-goal winning margin for United here.
I reckon Ferg will start with Berbatov on Saturday, you can’t spend 30 mill and use him as an impact sub.
OPTION 1: Saturday v Liverpool
VDS
WB RF NV PE
OH
LA PS MC
WR DB
OPTION 2: Long-term (minus Giggs & Scholes)
VDS
WB RF NV PE
OH/LA MC
CR WR CT
DB
Jemima this is a Man Utd site, what do you expect non biased views?
Is your name Jemema or Joeff???????????????
No point playing Anderson if we don’t need someone to bully Stevie Me!!
Not mocking impartiality, at least Scott doesn’t claim to be anything but- was a dig at the sensationalism often seen on here, any excuse to pour scorn on a rival. Reeks of insecurity.
Name’s Liam, nice to meet you Steve
We really have no need for insecurity do we?
One nagging question: didn’t Anderson and Tevez spend the “international break” in South America ?
If they did – and if they have had to fly back to M/C – then I doubt that they will be in game-shape. Those are long, long flights from Rio/Buenos Aires to London and then on to M/C – plus, Anderson was actually in Lima, Peru, for the Wednesday match so add another 4,000 km to his flight.
Tevez returned early due to him getting sent off.
Line-ups all look great on paper but everyone also has to consider that some of these players will be playing their 3rd matche this week with CL match and Chelsea next week.
—–Same back 5——-
———Carrick———-
—Scholes—–Ando—-
-Tevez———Rooney-
———–Berbs———-
Bench: Kuz, Neville, Giggs, Oshea, Nani, Hargo, Park.