Pick Your Team

[FrankJH]

Utd desperately need consistency at the back - I really like both Rio and Vidic, but the team cant afford two ageing crocks at the back (especially given Rio has lost a metre or two of the little pace he had).

We have dropped stupid points in the last few seasons because the back four are rarely the same game to game.

 

[G|mp]

Smalling and Jones will be the centre backs but they need to be phased in like they are being, giving them each a chance to play with Rio and Vidic is ideal preparation and not many teams can afford that luxury.

We're alright at CB I think, we still also have Jonny Evans who had a great season I thought.

 

[JohnnyG]

That's far too similar to last season's line-up & needs drastic change.
I'd go with this -

 

[Stewy]

Evans has somehow developed in to a pretty solid CB which didn't look rather likely at first. He reminds me of Fletcher; they both looked unbelievably poor at first but became useful players over time.

I think Smalling - Jones will be our (and England's) CB pairing in a couple of years but right now, particularly with De Gea still developing in the league, feels like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[NokkonWud]

He [A. Cole] had the likes of Ronaldo in his pocket no problem.

One of the Premier League's biggest fallacies. Ashley Cole had a blinder once, for England no less, against Ronaldo. Rest of the time Ronaldo didn't ever really struggle against Cole anymore than he did any other decent LB (although someone on here will swear black is white and that he didn't play RW at Man Utd.)

 

[NokkonWud]

Smalling and Jones will be the centre backs but they need to be phased in like they are being, giving them each a chance to play with Rio and Vidic is ideal preparation and not many teams can afford that luxury.

We're alright at CB I think, we still also have Jonny Evans who had a great season I thought.

Smalling worries the bejeezus out of me. Always an accident waiting to happen and looks calamitous on the ball. He also doesn't seem to have gotten his head down to work on stuff like you should at United. If we got rid of him it wouldn't bother me. Evans and Jones are so much better and we have a few talented young'uns in the youth set up too.

 

[G|mp]

Smalling worries the bejeezus out of me. Always an accident waiting to happen and looks calamitous on the ball. He also doesn't seem to have gotten his head down to work on stuff like you should at United. If we got rid of him it wouldn't bother me. Evans and Jones are so much better and we have a few talented young'uns in the youth set up too.

To be fair to him he's been a bit stop/start due to injuries, I like him I've gotta say, given a decent run next to Vidic and he will come on leaps and bounds.

 

[NokkonWud]

To be fair to him he's been a bit stop/start due to injuries, I like him I've gotta say, given a decent run next to Vidic and he will come on leaps and bounds.

Not much of a fan of the new skinny-minnie Vidic post knee injury. Hoping he bulks up a bit for next season. Doesn't seem anywhere near as imposing. The most bossing he did all season was smashing into De Gea twice

Would be nice to have all our defenders go a season without serious injury. Was glad to finally see Rafael without any injuries and now he's the player we all hoped he'd become. Hoping Fabio can manage it too (but he's really, ridiculously injury prone.)

 

[Tom84]

Utd desperately need consistency at the back - I really like both Rio and Vidic, but the team cant afford two ageing crocks at the back (especially given Rio has lost a metre or two of the little pace he had)

The little pace he had?

Ok go to bed Frank you've had enough tonight

 

[G|mp]

Not much of a fan of the new skinny-minnie Vidic post knee injury. Hoping he bulks up a bit for next season. Doesn't seem anywhere near as imposing. The most bossing he did all season was smashing into De Gea twice

Would be nice to have all our defenders go a season without serious injury. Was glad to finally see Rafael without any injuries and now he's the player we all hoped he'd become. Hoping Fabio can manage it too (but he's really, ridiculously injury prone.)

Scag head Vidic I like to call him

 

[NokkonWud]

Utd desperately need consistency at the back - I really like both Rio and Vidic, but the team cant afford two ageing crocks at the back (especially given Rio has lost a metre or two of the little pace he had).

Huh? Rio used to be really quick and yes, he's lost pace. He's still quicker and positions his body better than Vidic though.

 

[FrankJH]

The little pace he had?

Ok go to bed Frank you've had enough tonight

He reads the game very well (which is why he is still at Utd), but he has never been that fast

note - Im meaning in the last few years his pace has decreased a lot, Im not comparing to what he was like 10 years ago

His reading of the game is whats getting him through matches, but even that lets him down (like vs Spurs for one example). this is going to become more and more evident this season

Huh? Rio used to be really quick and yes, he's lost pace. He's still quicker and positions his body better than Vidic though.

Which is why , unfortunately, I think Utd need to lose Vidic now. Fantastic player for us, but his time has passed (not helped by his knee problems).

 

[Tom84]

He reads the game very well (which is why he is still at Utd), but he has never been that fast

note - Im meaning in the last few years his pace has decreased a lot, Im not comparing to what he was like 10 years ago

Granted his pace has been effected by age and his back but going back to as recent as 2007 he was as fast as any centre forward he came up against. You're either not explaining yourself right or you're doing him a disservice.

Anyway while I'm here decided to do a 1st & 2nd choice XI on the basis that we sign no one and those players who look likely to leave do so (I'm thinking only Rooney and Nani tbh)

-----------------De Gea-----------------
Rafael---Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
Valencia--Carrick--Cleverley--Young
----------------Kagawa----------------
------------------RVP------------------

--------------Lindegaard--------------
Fabio---Smalling---Evans---Buttner
Zaha----Jones---Anderson---Welbeck
----------------Giggs----------------
--------------Hernandez--------------

Turns out it's not a complete catastrophe should that scenario actually happen, first XI still looks strong as does the squad in general. Probably not strong enough overall to win the PL but certainly good enough to mount a challenge

 

[cm1179]

--------------Lindegaard--------------
Fabio---Smalling---Evans---Buttner
Zaha----Jones---Anderson---Welbeck
----------------Giggs----------------
--------------Hernandez--------------

Turns out it's not a complete catastrophe

that second XI would be.

 

[Tom84]

Just as well it's only ever likely to happen in the odd league cup tie against the likes of Spurs

 

[FrankJH]

Granted his pace has been effected by age and his back but going back to as recent as 2007 he was as fast as any centre forward he came up against. You're either not explaining yourself right or you're doing him a disservice.

You are talking about 6 years ago, Im talking about the last 2 - 3 (really been evident in the last 18 months)

--------------Lindegaard--------------
Fabio---Smalling---Evans---Buttner
Zaha----Jones---Anderson---Welbeck
----------------Giggs----------------
--------------Hernandez--------------

Turns out it's not a complete catastrophe should that scenario actually happen, first XI still looks strong as does the squad in general. Probably not strong enough overall to win the PL but certainly good enough to mount a challenge

Has Fabio ever played for Utd on the right (just out of interest)? Majority of his apps have been instead of Evra, with the very occasional app on the left wing.

Would be a complete disaster if Anderson carries on another season.

 

[Tom84]

Has Fabio ever played for Utd on the right (just out of interest)? Majority of his apps have been instead of Evra, with the very occasional app on the left wing.

Champions League Final 2011

In fact that's been Fabio's only real run in the side (late on during the 10/11 season) been injured more or less ever since

 

[NokkonWud]

You are talking about 6 years ago, Im talking about the last 2 - 3 (really been evident in the last 18 months)



Has Fabio ever played for Utd on the right (just out of interest)? Majority of his apps have been instead of Evra, with the very occasional app on the left wing.

Yeah. He played a lot and even in the CL Final in the 10/11 campaign at RB.

 

[syke]

One of these most likely. Kacaniklic is an option, I'm not totally sure where Sako plays!

 

[Secret_Window]

Sorry couldn't resist.