We’ll be kidding ourselves if we think Portsmouth will roll over for us like they did against Chelsea at the weekend. As we saw in the Community Shield, Pompey are up for a ruck when playing against United, rugby tackles and all!
Sky Sports have just delivered some good news to our next opponents: Portsmouth have been handed a boost ahead of their meeting with Manchester United following the news that four pre-season injury victims have returned to training. Sean Davis, Richard Hughes, Glen Little and Noe Pamarot are all back in action after recovering from knocks and could feature at Fratton Park on Monday.
Unfortunately, our news is quite the opposite.
We will struggle to put a team together for our trip to Fratton Park, with Giggs and Carrick limping off during our match against Newcastle at the weekend.
Wingers: Ryan Giggs (injured – hamstring), Cristiano Ronaldo (injured – knee), Park Ji-Sung (injured – knee), Nani (suspended)
Central midfielders: Michael Carrick (injured – sprained ankle), Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves (injured – knee), Anderson (Olympics), Darren Fletcher.
This means we have no wingers available and are scraping the barrel when it comes to other midfielders. We are going to have to shift our players around to even field an XI.
Patrice Evra on the left wing (as he was forced to against Newcastle) and Darren Fletcher on the right, with Scholes and John O’Shea in the middle. This means we’ll either bring Mikael Silvestre in at left back (although unlikely if we’re trying to sell him off, for fear of injury) or one of the Da Silva lads. Equally as importantly, we don’t have the options on the bench. Whilst I’m happy enough to see the likes of Rodrigo Possebon getting a go, but chances of him changing a game around, in the way other players would when they’re available would, are pretty slim.
Currently, only West Ham have more injuries than United with Portsmouth expecting a fully fit squad ahead of our match. Injuries are of course a part of the game though, so we’re just going to have to grit our teeth and get on with it.
The only positive to come is that Carlos Tevez will be playing, following a return to Argentina after the death of a family member.
Of course, I’ll remain hopeful until the last, but it’s looking as though we could be in for another tricky start this season, dropping points we can’t really afford to.
Man Utd News 24/7
“We’ll be kidding ourselves if we think Portsmouth will roll over for us like they did against Chelsea at the weekend.”
Paranoid yet sublime- you are pure comedy Scott.
“We’ll be kidding ourselves if we think Portsmouth will roll over for us like they did against Chelsea at the weekend.”
Have to say I completely agree with this comment.
Yeah we’re buggered, hopefully SAF will strike up a new forward, with Rooney in the team though nothing is impossible, we know Ferdinand and Vidic will be solid, we’re just lacking that extra creative player. We can still pick out a mean team I mean:
VDS
Brown-Rio-Vida-Da Silva/O’Shea/Silvest
Fletch-Posse/Gibson/O’Shea-Scholes-Evra
Rooney-Campbell/Tevez
We’re not too bad, it could be worse, I prey for Tevez to be back if i’m being honest, should he be back Rooney and Tevez could get goals easy though I can still see Berba/Huntelaar making their way here before the game.
this has to be the worst united blog on the web. I haven’t read a decent article on it yet
yes in terms of injuries we’re royally fucked but i dont think sir alex will use the 4-4-2 against pompey but revert to a 4-3-3 with rooney and tevez behind campbell (or hopefully berbatov….but i just cant see that happening before the end of this week).
i think he’ll use fletcher,scholes and o’shea in mid field and keep the regular back four. Its insane
As long as we can nick results and stay in touch with the leading pack until we get the rest of our squad back we should be fine.I refuse to start panicking yet, but yes another couple of bad result and the media’s sure as hell going to write us off…..not that its going to cause me any heartache……:)
Brian if the blog is so bad why bother responding to any of the articles? Your post on this article has to be the most pointless post ever.
FUCK OFF BRIAN YOU FUCKING MUPPET…OH YOU’LL BE GETTING SOME TONY O NEILL SCHOOL OF TREATMENT. GARY YOU’RE SPOT ON WITH YOUR COMMENT MATE
Sure, it will be tough, but who wants cake walks? Thats boring. And again, we are the defending champs and the kings of Europe so of course every side we come up against will treat it like a cup final. Just look at Newcastle, celebrating a single point like they won the league. Also, following Newcastles lead, teams are going to put 11 men behind the ball and defend for their lives and attempt to hit us on the break, at home and away. Its going to be fucking tough, and there will be frustrating draws, but I love it. Make it a challenge, lets see who in the side is up for the fight. This will just make it all the more satisfying if we are successful.
And I am well aware it will not happen, but I would personally like to see Possebon get the start over O’Shea in the CM. Nothing against O’Shea, he just isn’t a CM in my opinion, just as Fletcher isnt a winger. I know the arguments against it as we will be against a top ten side away from home so we will need experience in the middle of the park and all that, but what better way to see what the lads made of than throwing him in the deep end. And besides, Scholes has enough experience for the both of them!
My unrealistic, over Fergie’s dead body, formation for the weekend…
4-3-3 with the midfield 3 consisting of Fletch (put him in CM and let him run around like a crazy person like he did with great effect last term against arse) Rodrigo and Scholes. Then up top go with Carlitos, Rooney and Campbell.
And now it threatens people with violence. Truly the most myopic, self-righteous, misinformed, ignorant and pathetic football blog I’ve ever seen- and that’s saying something.
Jeoff – you sound obsessed with this place. Stop coming on here and posting if you dislike it so much. Not the sharpest tool eh kid?
Well Jeoff, I think I speak for all of us here when I thank you for taking the time to grace this myopic, self-righteous, misinformed, ignorant and pathetic football blog with your presence. Without your enlightened perspective, I fear we would have continued down this myopic, self-righteous, misinformed, ignorant and pathetic path until we reached the point eternal damnation. So again, we humbly thank you.
A pleasure Drew, happy to help.
Now to make things better Silvestre was sold to the Gunners.
We won’t struggle to make a first 11 now, it would be a f’cking miracle if we get 11 players IMO.
Funny sh’t. And Fergie is still wondering if we rather sign Berbatov or not.
We may have four players coming back from injury, however I doubt any of them will have enough training for any of them to really last 90 minutes and none of them would have been regular first team players last season, although with our sale of Muntari and Mendes I expect to see them used more regularly.
Part of our embaressment against Chelsea was we couldnt cope with a 4-5-1 formation with our makeshift midfield, if United play 4-4-2 as expected we should be able to do better, especially if your injury worries are as bad as reported.
Saying that Capello obviously wants a United win, after all why would he give Wayne Rooney a 70 minute run out when its pretty clear he has no place in an England team in his current condition, the only possible reason was he was doing SAF a favour trying to get him match fit to face us.
The problem we had in the second half against Newcastle is we couldn’t build through midfield as we have done in the past. We couldn’t get Scholes into the game at all and had no one to threaten down the wings. Rooney had to come far to deep to and Campbell wasn’t effective enough when left alone upfront. Tevez will help but the midfield worries me for the game; after the game, once players return, things will hopefully be ok. This will be a tough game and Portsmouth are a tough team.
A new striker would give Fergie more options and he could play Rooney in behind Tevez and the new guy, but this has dragged out for so long it makes you wonder if it will happen. I think we kind find a way to win and perform and I expect a good performance from Tevez upfront.
lol they bringin them 4 players bak? good, theyr all shiiiiteee!!!
Jenni – Rooney played 20 minutes more than Defoe. Sorry, what was your point again?
Jeoff, your fat
You don’t disagree then Scott…?
Oh god, no more fletcher pls! He cant defend! Anyway think on the bright side. When we win the title this season nobody can say we were lucky with injuries again. Those fucking ABUs!
Jeoff – are you still here? Why do you keep returning to a place you can’t stop slagging off? Rub a few of those brain cells together and clear off eh.
Was looking for that interesting discussion Scott. Not interested then? Going to answer any of my questions or criticisms, or do you prefer resorting to insults (rhetorical that one)?
Lol Jeoff, quit embarrassing yourself. Your stalking and talk of attractive footballers in leaving more than a little unnerved. Obsessed much?
Byyyyyye