Berba has trained yesterday and was on the team bus today so he isn't injured.
He should be really on the bench Fergie!!!!
He should be really on the bench Fergie!!!!
Manchester United vs. Athletic Bilbao
- Thread starter VidaRed
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I'm very surprised how seriously people are taking this. Surely it shouldn't be treated with much more respect than to give games to those who need them? I'm quite disappointed with Rooney and Evra starting in fact.
More breaking news on channel 5 (after an ad break lasting as long as the first bit of coverage)
Confirmed, Manchester united will be wearing a red jersey and white shorts
Confirmed, Manchester united will be wearing a red jersey and white shorts
That's a really average lineup, we must not really consider these a threat.
I feel bad for Berbs... 
I'm hoping this means he is starting on Sunday, or maybe he just has a slight knock or something...
I'm hoping this means he is starting on Sunday, or maybe he just has a slight knock or something...
That, or they don't consider the competition that important?
You mean a central midfielder playing in central midfielder?
You crazy.
Bielsa converted Martinez when he decided he wanted Bilbao to play out from the back instead of hoofing it to Llorente and like Sergi Busquets he's versatile enough as a player to play both roles.
They actually look like they are going to say some nice things about De Gea after the break.
The Munich bit was decent too.
The Munich bit was decent too.
Fergie's always said that he'll treat the competition with respect and it's a trophy he wants to win. We're not playing our best side tonight but it's still an important competition and one that we have a great chance of winning a trophy in.
Agreed, nice to see. You wouldn't get that from the Beeb!
I dont agree , I am glad that SAF is taking it seriously , he has said it is a comp that he wants to win.
Another De Gea interview
The arrogance is astounding. Since when has football fans stopped caring about winning trophies?
"his dream, to join the united legends..."
Like the sound of that
Like the sound of that
I know you can say its his own fault somewhat but I feel like we're very disrespectful to berba. Should have let him go if we weren't going to play him.
I think I love Dave.
Surprised we are serious about a competition when the only left in one other for the rest of the season?
Trophies are trophies and when clubs don't win one for 5, 6, 7 years the pressure increases. Not to mention we need to keep our momentum going.
I wonder if it's SAF's idea to get him more in the spotlight so that he can deal with the pressure better. Suddenly there is an interview with DDG every day!
It's not arrogance, and if I knew we had nothing else at stake, I'd want us to win it as much as anything else, but with City so close to winning the title, and our squad being as fragile as it is, we have to prioritise. I've seen players get injured in Europe too often, and it's disrupted our domestic campaign, and I don't want to see that happen again for a competition that on the whole, English teams don't even want to be in.
Seeing the team i reckon we are going to struggle a bit to take control of this one. Bilbao are a solid side.
Disastrous facial hair, he'd look better without it, but I really like his attitude and look forward to many years of him between the sticks...
We are doing as you can see by the lineup. The Premier League is our priority but it doesn't mean we can give the Europa League a good go too, and to have a good chance at both you need to rotate and have some consistency/experience which is why the likes of Rooney and Evra are playing.
And as for English teams not wanting to be in it:
Stoke, City and us. All three of us have been doing well in it and want to get as far as we can. Unfortunately for Stoke they got knocked out but they did their best.
Young Jones Giggs Park
That midfield is not taking this comp seriously IMO. I'm not saying we'll definitely mess up but we will only have ourselves to blame if we do. Just like we have done on numerous occasions this season. He's treated Europe like the carling cup this season and it's back fired.
Amorebieta is banned.
Stop complaining about Park people, he has been a great servant for this club.
No! He looks like a 10 year old without it.
How about keeping our players sharp and motivated to win some silverware? We don't exactly have a lot of games at the moment. We've got a big squad and they need to play wherever possible. Too many gaps between matches could possibly affect our league form as well. There's just no downside to this.
Interesting line-up. Looks as though Fergie isn't taking this competition quite as seriously as I thought. Which is a good thing really. I've been slagging it off for years, would be a bit hypocritical to get all worked about key players being rested for the weekend.
I'm treating this competition very seriously... we're in it so I want to win it. I'm glad he's put some experience in there, and started with Rooney too... if we get a good win here, rack up a few goals, it makes our job away in Spain a lot easier... and considering we have a tough away game at Wolves straight after that (I think?) it's a great decision to play strongly here and then perhaps rest players in Spain.
Do I want us to win it as much as the League? Of course not... Do I honestly believe we have the squad and ability to win both? Absolutely.
If we get knocked out of this by Bilbao I will be bitterly disappointed.
If we're in it, we go for the win. If we can't do that, then why participate in it at all?
surprising line-up. regardless, we are likely to be on toes often.
If we had of been in he CL , would that of disrupted our season?
Whatever European Comp we are in it is being played at the same time , I dont see the problem.
I have never head of any PL team saying they did not want to be in the Europa.
$$$$$
What exactly is the problem? Park can play on the wings, young can play, giggs has been playing in midfield for past 2 years. Jones will play as a DM which he isn't exactly bad at.
Surely its not the best lineup but still its good.
Really? I remember plenty. Villa with O'Neill comes to mind in recent times.
How is it not?? Young is in form and a a starter at the moment, Jones has done very well when playing in central midfield at various points this season, and Giggs is one of our best players full stop... unless the addition of Park makes it 'weak' (and in my opinion, it doesn't at all) then I can't see how that, coupled with Rooney and Hernandez up front is "not taking this competition seriously".
To say more on that bit, in recent times it has been Spurs and Aston Villa who have seemed like they didn't want to be in it - especially Villa a few seasons ago and that's because both teams were fighting for a top 4 place and felt that they had to make a choice and chose the Premier League. We've got the squad to fight on both fronts. They perhaps didn't.
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