Real Madrid vs Manchester United

adamwest said:
The Times have Anderson starting in a #10 role. Thoughts?

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Why would we when we have Rooney and Kagawa? Honestly...
 
Doesn't make much sense I agree, but if I had to venture a guess, I'd say it could be because Rooney's going to have a role out wide and SAF would rather have Ando's physicality, probably hoping for him to do a job on Xabi Alonso to cut off the supply lines. I wouldn't necessarily agree with it, but I could understand the logic.
 
Sparky_Hughes said:
De Gea

Rafael---Fedinand---Vidic---Evra

Valencia---Carrick---Jones---Buttner
Rooney

RVP​

Buttner and Evra to double up on Ronnie, yet still provide a forward threat, Carrick dropping deep to dictate the play from in front of the back four, Jones to disrupt their midfield with Rooney dropping in to help. Rooney also linking Midfield to RVP.
Sneaky 0-1 or 1-2
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Shit team. Ronaldo doesn't play on Madrid's right, and even if he did Buttner would hardly be the way to try and contain him. He's barely even played for us. Only one midfielder - so you don't want us to have the ball ever then? You think our defence is going to be able to stop Madrid scoring if we're sitting in our box for 90 minutes?

Cleverley must play. That's infinitely more important than this pipe dream some seem to have that Jones will miraculously contain Ronaldo. If he doesn't, we simply won't have any of the ball.
 
Brightonian said:
Shit team. Ronaldo doesn't play on Madrid's right, and even if he did Buttner would hardly be the way to try and contain him. He's barely even played for us. Only one midfielder - so you don't want us to have the ball ever then? You think our defence is going to be able to stop Madrid scoring if we're sitting in our box for 90 minutes?

Cleverley must play. That's infinitely more important than this pipe dream some seem to have that Jones will miraculously contain Ronaldo. If he doesn't, we simply won't have any of the ball.
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Save your breath I went down that road
 
United at 6/1 tonight, might have to take that on. The difference in quality is not that big

Also am i right in saying this is our first big champions league game that wont start with either giggs or scholes?
 
Goooose said:
Why shouldn't he celebrate? It's not direspectful to United fans. It would be disrespectful the Madrid fans if he didn't celebrate.
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I disagree, he shouldn't because he still loves the club. I'm sure Real fans would respect that.
 
That Times piece really is terrible. 'Alonso thinks Carrick is the Spanish version of himself', eh?

One definite advantage I think we have over them is the difference in defensive work-rate between Rooney and Ozil. As that Times bit rightly points out, whichever team most successfully shackles the other's main deep-lying midfielder - Alonso and Carrick - will have a good chance of doing better in the game. Rooney is definitely more suited to that job than Ozil. Not only does Rooney have the better work-rate, but Ozil tends to drift wide when he's not got the ball, so that he can receive it in some space.

Rooney's done that job limiting a deep-lying midfielder well before, notably on Arteta at OT this season. Alonso is a different kettle of fish, of course, but I have faith that Rooney can give us an edge there.
 
I agree with that, I thought Rooney's job on Arteta at OT back then was a match winning point. Alonso is a better player, but I don't really doubt Rooney would be able to replicate that kind of performance against him, especially as he's hit a good spell of form and looks in great shape physically. I guess the Ando in the 10 spot could their conjecture of Fergie assigning the Brazilian to this role, but Rooney's much more suited to it.
 
Brightonian said:
That Times piece really is terrible. 'Alonso thinks Carrick is the Spanish version of himself', eh?

One definite advantage I think we have over them is the difference in defensive work-rate between Rooney and Ozil. As that Times bit rightly points out, whichever team most successfully shackles the other's main deep-lying midfielder - Alonso and Carrick - will have a good chance of doing better in the game. Rooney is definitely more suited to that job than Ozil. Not only does Rooney have the better work-rate, but Ozil tends to drift wide when he's not got the ball, so that he can receive it in some space.

Rooney's done that job limiting a deep-lying midfielder well before, notably on Arteta at OT this season. Alonso is a different kettle of fish, of course, but I have faith that Rooney can give us an edge there.
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I think regardless of Formations, lineups or anything else, if we are to get a result Rooney is going to be vital, if he plays as well as he can then we have a good chance.
 
Jaybezia said:
:nono:
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You have though...

Apart from Nani instead of Kagawa (which you even stated you weren't sure about), it's the same team. You even said Jones will move out to the right to help out against Ronaldo, after criticizing A3U for having the same idea!
 
De Gea

Rafael
Vidic
Evans/Ferdinand
Evra

Jones
Carrick
Cleverley

Kagawa
Rooney

RVP

It's so important we keep the ball which is why i'm hoping we go with Kagawa and Cleverley, also hope Jones starts to nullify Ronaldo, after the jobs he did on Fellaini and Bale.
 
De Gea

Rafael
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra

Valencia
Jones
Carrick
Cleverley
Rooney

RvP
 
Do bookings carry over from the group stage or are they wiped out now?

If they carry over does anyone know what the current situation is for both us and them in terms of a player missing the second leg by being booked tonight?
 
Do people seriously think we're going to line up against Madrid with no width whatsoever?
 
Rooney24 said:
Do bookings carry over from the group stage or are they wiped out now?

If they carry over does anyone know what the current situation is for both us and them in terms of a player missing the second leg by being booked tonight?
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Not sure about the second part of your question, but I seem to recall that bookings carry over to the round of 16 and are then wiped out in the quarters. I think I heard that Verrati for PSG last night, when he got booked, would miss the return leg.
 
peterstorey said:
De Gea

Rafael
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra

Valencia
Jones
Carrick
Cleverley
Rooney

RvP
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Most likely lineup for me. We've been going negative away from home in Europe for years now. Would like to see Kagawa or Welbeck but I can't figure out how to fit them in if we're keen on playing Jones.
 
De Gea
Rafael Vidic Evans Evra
Valencia Jones Carrick Cleverley
Rooney
Van Persie​

Cleverley tucking in more central, rather than operating as a winger.
 
Rooney in Paris said:
Not sure about the second part of your question, but I seem to recall that bookings carry over to the round of 16 and are then wiped out in the quarters. I think I heard that Verrati for PSG last night, when he got booked, would miss the return leg.
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Yeah, I think that sounds about right.

Just did a bit of digging.

In the group games for Madrid

Essien got booked v Ajax away
Ramos and Alonso were booked v Dortmund away
Ramos and Alonso were booked v City away
Arbeloa two yellows v City away
Ronaldo and Carvalho booked v Ajax at home.

Ramos, Alonso, and Arbeloa all missed the Ajax game so I assume they now have a clean slate and the only ones carrying bookings over are Ronaldo, Essien and Carvalho.

For us:

Evra, Vidic and RVP all booked v Galatasary at Home
Rio booked v Cluj away
Smalling booked v Braga away
Rafael booked v Galatasary away
Scholes booked v Cluj at home.

So looks like we have more to worry about tonight on that front than they do.
 
De Gea

Rafael
?
?
Evra

?
Carrick
?
?

Rooney
Van Persie

The 6 names I'm confident will start. The other 5 are completely up for grabs.

Assuming it's a 4-4-2, I'd personally go with Valencia and Welbeck on the wings, Cleverley in the middle, and Ferdinand and Vidic at the back.

If it's a 4-5-1/4-3-3, then replace Welbeck with Anderson.
 
De Gea

Evra
Vidic
Smalling
Rafael

Giggs
Cleverly
Carrick
Jones
Rooney

Rvp
 
Let's hope Ronaldo gets a yellow card tonight then.

Unless Rafael plays the game of his life, he'll most likely miss the return leg if he plays tonight. It would be a miracle if he doesn't receive a yellow vs Ronaldo.

Edit: From Rooney's post, I actually think Evans will start tonight actually. He hasn't got a yellow card, and he'll be the only player that won't miss the second leg if he receives a yellow. If we start with, what I initially expected, Rafael-Ferdinand-Vidic-Evra, we'd need the whole defence to not get a yellow card. Very unlikely for a game of this importance.

Ferdinand-Evans is my new prediction.
 
A lot of folk leaving Kagawa out of their line ups, I think considering he didn't start the last game makes it a cert he's on tonight.
 
Kaos said:
A lot of folk leaving Kagawa out of their line ups, I think considering he didn't start the last game makes it a cert he's on tonight.
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I'm pretty certain he didn't feature because he returned from international duty a day later than everyone else.

Doubt he'll start today.
 
Just woke up and had a dream that at the start of the game Ronaldo ripped off his Madrid jersey to reveal his united #7 jersey and he started on the right for us :drool:
If only...
 
I reckon SAF will go with

---------------De Gea---------------
Rafael---Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
---------------Carrick---------------
---------Jones--------Cleverley---------
---------------Rooney---------------
-----------------------Welbeck
-----------------RVP

Subs: Lindegaard, Evans, Smalling, Giggs, Valencia, Kagawa, Hernandez
 
charlenefan said:
I reckon SAF will go with

---------------De Gea---------------
Rafael---Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
---------------Carrick---------------
---------Jones--------Cleverley---------
---------------Rooney---------------
-----------------------Welbeck
-----------------RVP

Subs: Lindegaard, Evans, Smalling, Giggs, Valencia, Kagawa, Hernandez
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Seems natural to play a formation where the side ronaldo plays down is completely free
 
It's not free at all, Jones will shuffle over, Welbeck usually operates from the left hence why I have him there but he'll go where needed as will Rooney
 
charlenefan said:
It's not free at all, Jones will shuffle over, Welbeck usually operates from the left hence why I have him there but he'll go where needed as will Rooney
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So basically you're saying we'll play

Jones-Carrick-Cleverley-Welbeck
-----------Rooney-------------
-------------RVP--------------

I can see why people think Jones should play but I think we have to go and score tonight if we want to go through so we have to focus on our strengths more than theirs.

As far as Im concerned the following have to play

De Gea
Rafael
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Cleverley
Rooney
RVP

So your final three are a choice between Jones/Valencia/Nani, Evans/Rio/Smalling and Welbeck/Kagawa/Nani/Giggs

Welbeck and Jones look the most negative selections out of the possibilities there. We might see one of them but both won't play. Im not convinced we need an extra man in the midfield because Rooney basically fills the role of taking Alonso out the game anyway.

Plus I'd fancy the pace of Rafa and Valencia to deal with Ronaldo than the strength of Jones. It was different at the weekend because Felliani is very much a physical threat. I can see Jones giving away too many fouls if he's up against Ronaldo tonight.

Anyway if anyone knows how to deal with him it will be Fergie he said he watches him week in week out and has first hand experience with him.

Wouldn't surprise me if Real sacrificed Ozil this game and play Ronaldo in behind the striker to give us something different than we're expecting
 
What is the situation with suspensions, any of our players in danger?
 
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