Manchester United take on Portsmouth away tomorrow, in a game which is typically pretty tough for our lads. We drew with them on the second day of the season last year and in the four matches before that at Fratton Park, we’ve lost three of them.
Whilst rolling over too easily for Chelsea last weekend, I fully anticipate them putting on a much more respectable performance against us, and the possibility of dropping points in fairly strong.
The BBC believes these are the players we have available, however other reports suggest Giggs’ hamstring injury from Newcastle will keep him out.
Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Brown, Neville, R Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, F Da Silva, Fletcher, O’Shea, Scholes, Possebon, Gibson, Giggs, Rooney, Tevez, Campbell, Welbeck.
Whilst I don’t want to see Wes Brown dropped automatically, I’d like to see Gary starting against Pompey. He needs match time under his belt as soon as possible to at least have a go at winning his place back.
I know the obvious choice would be to have O’Shea starting alongside Scholes in the centre, but I’d like to see Rodrigo Possebon given a go. He looks a really classy player, giving himself all the time in the world on the ball, and I see no reason why we shouldn’t throw him in at the deep end. If it all goes terribly wrong, it probably won’t be that much worse than if we had O’Shea in the centre of the midfield (sorry John!).
If Giggs isn’t available, maybe we would be wise to go for 4-3-3, playing the midfielders I’ve mentioned, but throwing Frazier Campbell in to the mix up front. He’d have got his first goal for United last weekend had Shay Given not accidentally saved Campbell’s shot with his face, and I’d like to see him given another go.
We are going to be up for a tough time tomorrow and I’d just rather see us take risks to try and secure the three points, rather than go with what we already though, and lose out anyway. I don’t mean to be too criticial of the likes of O’Shea and Fletcher, but I honestly can’t bear to see them in the same midfield. For whatever reason, Fergie decided to go without Carrick and play these two alongside each other against Arsenal a couple of seasons ago. The result was disastrous and I don’t want to go there again. Let’s see what Possebon has got.
Hopefully Calamity will have one of his moments, like he did against against the Czech Republic during the week, and the referee will be able to see, for a change. I sincerely hope I’m wrong, but I can’t help but wonder whether we’ve got another slow start to the season on our hands!
I fully agree with your remarks about Possebon. I think he is definately a star of the very near future. I’ve rarely seen such a sure touch from a young midfielder so early in his United career and feel he could do big things very soon. He would get the nod above O’Shea from me any day of the week (sorry from me too John!). He retains the ball, has decent physical strength and has a great eye for a pass
James always saves his best moments for us, a bit like Friedel and most other keepers. I really think it is time Rooney, in the absence of Ronaldo starts scoring against Pompey again! I think him and Tevez up front is more than likely and I’d agree with playing Rodrigo in the centre over O’shea. O’shea can be saved for the bench. I do wonder whether Anderson will be rushed back and haven’t heard anything on him, though 3 days is a big break for footballers these days.
If we don’t have Giggs as expected the fact that we have either sold or have our left sided players injured will probably see a 4-3-3 with Campbell getting another deserved game under his belt. I see this more likely than playing Evra or Da Silva on the left, one on the wing and one left back.
My starting side with the players above mentioned (excluding Giggs) would be:
EVDS
BROWN FEDINAND VIDA EVRA
SCHOLES
FLETCHER RODRIGO
ROONEY TEVEZ
CAMPBELL
Please No No No Gary N and John Oshea if MU wants to defeat Port.Giggs is injured and thats a good news. Scholes should be allow to play only first half and the rest will make up the first team.
Welbeck is back, fantastic news, get him on the bench, this guy is going to be a big deal in the future.
O’shea has been a great utility player, but harsh reality is now that we have younger players who can play in every position he fills. Possebon in midfield anyday, he’s already a better player, anyone can see that. Time to flog sheasy to Sunderland or Everton.
Tevez to be the difference in this game, this is his season.
I dont think Gary is ready yet to be thrown back in. Wes had a great game midweek for England and has been quality lately so why drop him? I agree that Rodrigo should be given his chance, he is a great passer of the ball and is probably the best man to replace Carrick if Hargo is not fit.
Theres news that Hardo and Anderson may make the squad for Pompey…which would be great news.
Van Der Sar
Neville- Ferdinanad- Vidic- Evra
Fletcher- Anderson- Scholes
Tevez- Campbell- Rooney
4-4-3 I know, but liek you said; It’s time to take a risk or two!
o’shea is terrible no matter where he plays. i’d rather play the game with 10 players than have him in the team.
i admire his attitude, but fact is, he’s shit.
fletcher used to be in the same bracket, but has improved whereas o’shea hasn’t.
can only really play neville if victory is highly likely or assured – brown is the obvious starter.
i agree entirely with Francenal – Tevez is gonna be an incredible boost over what we saw against newcastle – He’ll be our best attacking player this season.
andy shud b rested up and ready!! and hargo luks like he is fit agen, he shud put rafael on the right wing with wesly at right back, fletcher will get eaten by big popa bouba, so i fear for his health, at least rafa has the pace to get away from him!
I like Tom F’s suggested team:
EVDS
BROWN FEDINAND VIDA EVRA
SCHOLES
FLETCHER RODRIGO
ROONEY TEVEZ
CAMPBELL
Keep the first-choice defence. In attack, I want to see Campbell given another chance since he did very well against N’castle and, as Scott wrote, was very unlucky to have his powerful header smash Shay Given in the face. He constantly pressured their defenders and also made a very, very good shot on the turn that Given had to save at full-stretch. In midfield, I agree that Possebon seems like the real deal – just like Michael Carrick, he’s so calm, cool, and collected on the ball; Rodrigo looks like a veteran and it needs to be seen how he can do against top-flight opposition. This is a fixture in which UTD usually have difficulty so I am hoping that the worm turns and that tomorrow the possession-dominance and several chances will be converted into goals.
Yeah give Possebon a run out, he looks a big lad and I reckon he could handle himself in the centre of midfield, coupled with his excellent distribution.
I like that formation also, but it would just need wes and evra to bomb on the flanks at every opportunity just to give us some width. Rooney/Carlos/Frazier aren’t wingers, neither is Fletch really, so that could be too jam tight in the middle.
But agree that our chances improve with Possebon in the middle. Lets throw him in and see how he does. (Sorry John!)
Formation for Portsmouth game is simple, 4-3-3. We have no fit, available wingers at the moment (and NO, fletcher is not a winger), so we should play a narrow 4-3-3 with Evra and Brown (I know) bombarding up and down the wings for width.
VDS
Brown Rio Vida Evra
Fletch Scholes
Possebon
Tevez Rooney
Campbell
With Fletch, Rio and Vida playing deep, Evra and Brown will be free to maurade up and down the wings. I put Possebon higher up than scholes because Scholes usually likes to drop deep and dictate play, plus he is more experienced and will display more game-concentration that will help in breaking up portsmouth midfield play. As per Rooney and Tev, they can both play free SS roles there and leave Campbell to push the portsmouth defence deep, hence creating space for both of them and Possebon.
Seriously, we are looking very good for tomorrow, I reckon we can put two goals past them, and more importantly, not concede any.
ANDERSON AND HARGREAVES WILL BE AVAILABLE, i repeat, ANDERSON AND HARGREAVES will be available, so stop leaving them out already…I predict and hope for:
Tevez Rooney
Hargreaves Scholes Fletcher/Possebon Anderson
Evra Vidic Ferdinand Brown
VDS
OTRed, hargo is just coming off the back of an injury and might not be match-fit, while Ando just came bk from an exhausting schedule of matches in the sweltering heat of China, yet you want to throw them straight into the team in a very important game? Needless to say, they haven’t played with the team in pre-season or rather since May, yet you think they’ll be a better pick than scholes and fletch?