Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Manchester United

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They'll pass circles around us if we go into this playing 442/4411. Won't happen but I'd like to see Kagawa in the #10.

De Gea​
Rafael Evans Vidic Evra​
Carrick Cleverley​
Nani Kagawa Rooney​
Van Persie​
 
DDG

Rafael
Evans
Vidic
Evra

Carrick

Cleverley
Fellaini

Nani
RvP
Rooney

2-0 win
 
You think over the recent defeats and panic.

Then you look at our first X1 and realise we actually have a heck of a good team, so perhaps tales of woe are a little premature.
 
DDG
Rafael Evans Vidic Evra
Carrick Giggs
Nani Rooney Welbeck
RVP
 
Hoping to see:

de Gea
Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Valencia Rooney Nani
van Persie​

Ferdinand needs more of a break, I think he should have been rested for Leverkusen and rested for West Brom (playing the City game still and this one). However, since Moyes has misjudged and mismanaged him (in my opinion) he should miss this game. Smalling's last few performances have been great, so I'd like to see him in the team along with Vidic and Evra for some experience in a tough away fixture. Pretty sure Moyes' idea was to rest Fellaini for this game, so he'll likely start. Valencia will probably be trusted on the right again, with Rooney and van Persie to try and grab the goals. I just think Nani needs to play more, but it'll probably be Welbeck/Young/Giggs.

So, what I more expect to see is this:

de Gea
Smalling Vidic Evans Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Valencia Rooney Welbeck
van Persie​

Subs to include Jones, Cleverley, Kagawa, Hernandez, Giggs, and Young....

I would have took a draw here as I think it's the toughest away game in our group despite me thinking Shaktar might be the weakest team in our group (by a very small margin admittedly, I think the other three teams in our group are quite evenly matched). However, after the loss to West Brom, we need a reaction so this needs to be a win. If we do win here, I think Moyes will qualify within four games for the knock outs.
 
Moyes hasn't played the same side and I think he'll change it again

-------de Gea--------
Rafael-Vidic Evans Evra
----Carrick-- Fellaini---
Valencia Rooney Nani
-----van Persie--------
 
I'd take any win by any means. That said, I think the misery may pile on a bit more. Unfortunately I'm going to take Shakhtar winning 2-0.
 
Play a strong team, feck rotation - and keep to it until we go on a run of wins. Only swap to be Pea/RvP (leave him out this game too)

DDG

Rafael
Evans
Vidic
Evra

Carrick
Fellaini

Nani
Kagawa
Rooney

Hernandez
 
Moyes is a knob if he goes over there and sets up for an expansive win, regardless of 'needing to make a statement'.

A draw is a perfectly good result away from home in Europe.

DDG
Rafa
Vidic
Evans
Evra
Fellaini
Carrick
Cleverley
Nani
Kagawa
Rooney (RVP misses out due to Rooney's form)
 
Anything but a loss I'd be happy with. Actually I wouldn't be too disappointed if we had a narrow loss but we at least played well and were entertaining to watch.
Hoping for something like:
De Gea
Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Nani Rooney Kagawa
Van Persie

We'll probably see Valencia in for Kagawa and on the right though, which is still okay. Moyes needs to stop being such a pussy and start being more positive in the way he tells us to play though. That's probably the biggest problem by now. Not the team selections.
 
We should play 4-5-1. Pack the midfield, play Rooney inside left, Nani inside right and Van Persie as the number 9 and go for a 1-0. We haven't been scintillating, there's no point trying to set up to attack. If we have to bore our way to victories so be it.
 
DDG

Rafael - Evans - Vidic - Evra

Carrick - Fellaini
Cleverley
Nani ---------- Rooney
Van Persie​

I think that has a good balance of possession, attack and physicality.
 
--------------De Gea-----------------
Rafael----Vidic------Evans--------Evra
---------Carrick----Fellaini------------
Nani----------Rooney----------Kagawa
-------------Van Persie----------------
 
----------De Gea--------
Rafael---Evans---Vidic-----Evra

------------Carrick------------
-------Fellaini----Clev---------

Nani-----------------------Rooney

--------------RVP----------------
 
I don't think he'll ever use Rooney out wide... seems too petrified of upsetting him to do such a thing.
 
At this point in time under Fergie, having bein humbled by City and West brom, I'd usually expect Fergie to go back to basics and grind out 1-0's. Not sure Moyes will do that. I can see him under estimating Shaktar and going for an attacking line up. If he does that, then I really fancy Shaktar to win. Very nice team to watch play, and excellent at home.
 
Shakhtar isn't an easy place to go, but I do feel it's a winnable game if approached correctly. I feel the correct gameplan against them is really to sit in and hit on the break. An attacking line-up with an attempt to dominate possession probably won't go well.
 
Definitely think we should go old school Europe for this.

4-5-1 and catch them on the break.

They will be good in possession and have some great attacking players, but no doubt can be caught out on the break and with set pieces.

If we get away with atleast a draw here I think that's a good result.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
I don't think he'll ever use Rooney out wide... seems too petrified of upsetting him to do such a thing.
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That's my biggest concern with him and van Persie. You just have to play both of them in big games, but they simply cannot play together in 451, unless you move Rooney wide, but he isn't half as good there as he is behind the striker.
 
With the travel to Russia and back i'm surprised that we are playing Sunderland on the Saturday, rather than on Sunday.
 
Nervous about this game, although 3 points here will put us in a great position to qualify.
 
I'm sure you'll nick this game being game raising cnuts and all.;)
 
We will do well. (I definitely think and hope so). Moyes is slowly getting to know the squad and his selections will get better. So I am optimistic.
 
pocco said:
Probably not the best idea to completely change the system, given we can't even perform in the system we are used to.
Click to expand...

Exactly, its not like we're giving up something that's already working is it? Lets try it, I'm getting a bit bored of crossing the ball in to the box all the time, we could also play both Rooney and Kagawa in their fav positions and defend better with three in front of the back line. Anyway I'm only half serious but it does make you think.
 
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