Manchester United vs. Athletic Bilbao

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Berbatov wasn't on the bench yesterday, is he fit?

Our home performances in Europe have been poor this season so I hope we don't leave all our most influential players out.
 
So the full backs mark the widemen, and one CB goes to the man with the ball while the other stays back. Isn't that how pretty much all teams defend?
 
Scrumpet said:
So the full backs mark the widemen, and one CB goes to the man with the ball while the other stays back. Isn't that how pretty much all teams defend?
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Not really. Look at the moment when opposition wideman goes in the middle(without the ball) their fullback is still marking him, I think most of the teams don't do that.
 
Amar__ said:
Not really. Look at the moment when opposition wideman goes in the middle(without the ball) their fullback is still marking him, I think most of the teams don't do that.
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Well initially the full back is tracking the run, Adriano(?) wasn't just wandering inside. All full backs would do that and when they're there they'd either keep marking him or let the CB or CM know that he is passing him off to them. I don't think it makes much difference.
 
Scrumpet said:
Well initially the full back is tracking the run, Adriano(?) wasn't just wandering inside. All full backs would do that and when they're there they'd either keep marking him or let the CB or CM know that he is passing him off to them. I don't think it makes much difference.
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Not really. I know Rafael use to do it when he started to play for us, and after some time he "learned" to keep his position, you will not see him anymore tracking player all over the pitch. You will rarely see evra swapping positions with Rio. There are some examples, but not often. I am talking just about United obv, but same goes for most of the teams. One of the most important things for defenders is to find balance between keeping it's position and marking the player. Most of the people here don't rate Jones as a CB(me included) because he's often too naive and tracks his player up the field and because of that he leaves too much space behind him.
 
Amar__ said:
Not really. I know Rafael use to do it when he started to play for us, and after some time he "learned" to keep his position, you will not see him anymore tracking player all over the pitch. You will rarely see evra swapping positions with Rio. There are some examples, but not often. I am talking just about United obv, but same goes for most of the teams. One of the most important things for defenders is to find balance between keeping it's position and marking the player. Most of the people here don't rate Jones as a CB(me included) because he's often too naive and tracks his player up the field and because of that he leaves too much space behind him.
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Any decent full back including Rafael would have tracked that run because if he didn't Adriano would be through on goal one simple pass later. A player drifting in is a different matter, but whether the full back continues to mark him or passes him on to a teammate doesn't really matter, the player gets marked either way.
 
Scrumpet said:
Any decent full back including Rafael would have tracked that run because if he didn't Adriano would be through on goal one simple pass later. A player drifting in is a different matter, but whether the full back continues to mark him or passes him on to a teammate doesn't really matter, the player gets marked either way.
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Central defender left his spot free, so of course it's logic that fullback should track adriano there, but those situations are not often in other teams, you will not see United defender tracking Fabregas like Bilbao's defender did it there. It looks like their shape isn't important to them at all, they are relying on marking players, and that's not often in football. It's not something out of this world, and I am not sure if it's good for them, but it's not something you see everyday in football for sure.
 
With the squad resources being stretched by 2 games a week, isn't it time for Anderson to get some minutes here and there?
 
wr8_utd said:
Play the second string side.

WBA at OT >>> Bilbao at OT
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I have to agree, it's not even a question. The best use for this game, to me, would be to get Anderson on the field, to speed his return to match fitness.

I can't help but feel SAF is going to play more first teamers than I would, he does like to take a risk now and then.

I'm guessing SAF will go with:

De Gea
Rafael Evans Jones Evra
Carrick Giggs
Valencia Berbatov Nani
Chicharito​

I'd play:

De Gea
Rafael Smalling Evans Fabio
Jones Anderson
Valencia Berbatov Park
Chicharito​
 
Given our home form in Europe this season, I don't think we should feck about with weakened sides & filling the side up with youngsters.

If we don't win this home tie, and win it well, we may well be going out of the competition.

I would put Smalling with Evans though, but I wouldn't put Jones & Smalling together in the back 4.
 
I'd go with:

De Gea
Rafael Smalling Evans Evra
Nani Carrick Jones Young
Rooney Hernandez​
 
voland said:
I assume you didn't get the memo, Petrucci has been postponed, operation Tunnicliffe is in full effect.
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OK, Tunnicliffe is the future. Petrucci can be the future when AC Milan come calling for Tunnicliffe.
 
That team with Fabio would be an underestimation either way.
 
De Gea
Rafael
Jones
Evans
Evra

Anderson
Park
Giggs

Nani
Hernandez
Berbatov
 
surf said:
With the squad resources being stretched by 2 games a week, isn't it time for Anderson to get some minutes here and there?
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I may be mistaken but I think Anderson made the bench v Spurs for the first time in a bit so he may be able to come on as a sub...Im always wary of starting someone right after an injury, much prefer to give them a 20-30 minute run out for their first game back.

I know Fergie gets the ok from the physios and such but sometimes I feel we rush injury prone players back too fast (hargreaves, Rafael) and they end up coming off injured again in the first game.
 
------------De Gea--------------

Rafael-----Smalling---Evans----Fabio

Nani-----Carrick----Giggs------Young

-------Berbatov----Hernandez---------
 
#mufc training ahead of tomorrow's Europa League tie. No Scholes or Owen, but Tom Thorpe involved. Valencia light running away from group.

Edit: Paul Pogba not involved.
 
Here are the 22 players involved: De Gea, Amos, Johnstone; Evans, Evra, Fabio, Ferdinand, Jones, Rafael, Smalling, Thorpe; Anderson, Carrick, Cleverley, Giggs, Nani, Park, Young; Berbatov, Hernandez, Rooney, Welbeck.
 
Sean's team
Starting XI
355934_Manchester_United.jpg

Bench: Amos, Fabio, Jones, Giggs, Nani, Berbatov, Welbeck
Not in the squad: Scholes, Evans, W.Keane, Pogba, Fryers
Out: Vidic, Fletcher, Valencia, Owen, Cleverley, Lindegaard

Some words to the team-selection
- We're needing some experience in the defence therefore Ferdinand and Evra should stay in the team, both have played only on the weekends in the last weeks therefore it shouldn't be a fitness problem for both.
- Rafael should really come back into the side.
- Chicharito and Berbatov are needing games but i still think we're needing Rooney for the game and we all know the Rooney+Berbatov partnership isn't the best one.
- I hope Anderson can start the game.
- I think we're needing Park against a lot of quick players in their side, but Park has disappointed me with his performances so he plays for his career at Old Trafford in the next months for me.
 
Hmm, I thought Valencia would be back by now, seems he won't be ready.

That leaves us with Young, Nani, Park and Giggs and wingers. I guess we'll be seeing Park and Giggs, then Nani and Young against WBA.
 
If the likes of Berbatov and Park play in this we're going out.

We have two options: Play strongest XI or don't bother and play a shadow side and face the consequences
 
Bilbao are 5th in the La Liga but it's very tight there (They're only 10 points away from the relegation zone) and i've seen only a few games of Bilbao in the Europa League this season therefore i can't say much about Bilbao's quality.

But i'm looking forward to see players like Javi Martinez, Llorente, Herrera or Muniain.
 
Sean_RedDevil said:
Bilbao are 5th in the La Liga but it's very tight there (They're only 10 points away from the relegation zone) and i've seen only a few games of Bilbao in the Europa League this season therefore i can't say much about Bilbao's quality.

But i'm looking forward to see players like Javi Martinez, Herrera or Muniain.
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Let's take this lot back with us.
 
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