Vidic and Rio

Its pretty simple imo. We dont have a settled RB, makes sense to have a settled Right CB. Whoever plays at RB thus knows what to expect from vidic because he'l always be the closest CB to them.

On the left, evra's a certainty while with rio's injuries, the Left CB will be different players at different times. whoever it is makes sense to have them always be with evra.

1 settled player on either side really. to avoid all kinds of chaos in case rio gets injured and we have both a new RB and a new Right CB.

I think you're on to something, and what I was about to say.

I think it is about consistency. Rio won't play every game. I think Evans is third choice, and when he and Vidic plays, Evans plays on the left.

So basically, to disrupt as little as possible, keep Vidic on the right.

Be interesting to see if he keeps Vidic on the right when partnered with Smalling.

Anyhow, great to have Rio AND Vidic back and playing well!
 
The pace explanation does not hold, IMO.

I still think Rio is the quicker of the two, and besides, the left-sided centreback has to cover for the fullback more than the right, with Evra going awol a lot.
 
It's a very strange move no matter the reason but, so far it's been working. The good thing is both are experienced enough to where it doesn't really affect their performances.

I don't think Smalling will move to left CB just because Vida is playing a few games when paired with Rio as the right CB. If Smalling gets paired with Vida - I'd bet boss will stick to where both are most accustomed to playing, especially Smalling.
 
It's a very strange move no matter the reason but, so far it's been working. The good thing is both are experienced enough to where it doesn't really affect their performances.

I don't think Smalling will move to left CB just because Vida is playing a few games when paired with Rio as the right CB. If Smalling gets paired with Vida - I'd bet boss will stick to where both are most accustomed to playing, especially Smalling.

Agreed
 
I think it's because whoever plays left centre-back ends up getting pulled over to the flank more often due to Evra's attacking style. Given the choice, if one of our centre backs is going to be pulled out of position you would perhaps prefer it to be Rio, with Vidic able to stay central to deal with any incoming cross.

You don't really want your best centre-back to be left two v one out wide as then he can be taken out of the game too easily when he should be the last line of defence to breach and hence central as often as possible.
 
Think when you have the two younger centre halfs coming in Jones and Evans, Jones would play mostly with Rio and he plays on the right and Evans would play mostly with Vidic and he plays on the left. So maybe SAF would rather keep Vidic and Ferdi like this as both them are as comfortable at either side but this keeps the defence more settled?
 
I think it's because whoever plays left centre-back ends up getting pulled over to the flank more often due to Evra's attacking style. Given the choice, if one of our centre backs is going to be pulled out of position you would perhaps prefer it to be Rio, with Vidic able to stay central to deal with any incoming cross.

You don't really want your best centre-back to be left two v one out wide as then he can be taken out of the game too easily when he should be the last line of defence to breach and hence central as often as possible.

If it was that simple, it would have happened in 2006
 
It's a plot to get Rio to stop the aimless hoofing from right to left and get back to being a ball playing centerback. Maybe.
 
It's to do with an unsettled right back position and Rio not playing every game any more, nothing else.
 
it is quite weird to see rio playing on the left of the defence now given that he has been playing on the right side for all these years.

but the clean sheets are back and this is a great thing for us.
 
It's a very strange move no matter the reason but, so far it's been working. The good thing is both are experienced enough to where it doesn't really affect their performances.

I don't think Smalling will move to left CB just because Vida is playing a few games when paired with Rio as the right CB. If Smalling gets paired with Vida - I'd bet boss will stick to where both are most accustomed to playing, especially Smalling.
Considering even Rio moved over to the left when playing with Smalling (the only time Rio's played on the left since at least 05/06 - not counting the recent move obviously), I'd say that's a pretty safe bet.
 
Vidic is there now to prevent disruption when Rio inevitably breaks down. LCB will be rotated between rio/Evans/jones ect.
 
It's a plot to get Rio to stop the aimless hoofing from right to left and get back to being a ball playing centerback. Maybe.

What have people made of this aspect of his game throughout his career? I'd say composed on the ball, but I reckon ball playing center back is pushing it. Don't think he's as good in possession as some think.
 
What have people made of this aspect of his game throughout his career? I'd say composed on the ball, but I reckon ball playing center back is pushing it. Don't think he's as good in possession as some think.

Some like Sir Alex?

Rio is still one of the best footballers in the country in terms of the use of the ball.

I'm personally astounded at some of the (even minor) criticism of his distribution in the last few months, he's passing's very intelligent and we'll miss his ability to play the ball through the midfield when he's gone because as gifted as Jones and Smalling may be on the ball I've not seen anything like that eye for a pass. I think it goes without saying he's very gifted in terms of touch too.
 
He's always been comfortable on the ball...but I do wish he'd stop doing that silly lob pass of his when we an attacker presses him. He got caught out once when he did that against City (a few years back) and Bellamy made him look foolish, and in the last game against Swansea he tried that same sort of pass.

Still, I'd rather have a Rio on the ball then some hoofer like Carragher.
 
The pace explanation does not hold, IMO.

I still think Rio is the quicker of the two, and besides, the left-sided centreback has to cover for the fullback more than the right, with Evra going awol a lot.

Interesting to hear Neville's explanation on this.

Rio's been switched to the left because he's quicker than Vidic. It wasn't about his loss of recovery pace, so much as Evra's.

Fergie 1 - Redcafe nil
 
Interesting to hear Neville's explanation on this.

Rio's been switched to the left because he's quicker than Vidic. It wasn't about his loss of recovery pace, so much as Evra's.

Fergie 1 - Redcafe nil

Not sure.

I think you also have to consider that when Vidic played he attacked the ball and Rio covered in behind. Now if Evra is up field and Vidic is attacking the ball that leaves a huge area for Rio to cover in behind. In his younger days Rio could easily cover that groud but not anymore.

It makes more sense to push Rio to the left and Vidic to the right so now Rio is covering a gap to his left vacated by Evra and to his right vacated by vidic. Before he had to cover a huge expanse from his right centre back berth all the way to the left back.
 
What do you mean, "not sure"?

Gary Neville himself said that Fergie swapped them over, so that Rio's pace would help cover for Evra getting caught up the pitch. If anyone has an inside track to Fergie's thinking, Gary Neville does.

Heard Neville at the time on about this, but i thought he was speculating about it rather than being 100% sure. However i'd say its very likely he's right about it giving his experience of working with SAF.
 
I agree with what I think Commadus is saying, in that I'd imagine Ferdinand has been moved to cover for Evra's loss of pace because of his covering style of defending. That includes his pace but is more about his unparalleled reading of the game and positional sense. Vidic attacks the ball a lot more so it makes sense to move him away from the attacking Evra and have him between Rio and a RB who can potentially provide more cover. From a quick skim of the thread it seems like everyone's saying roughly the same thing, just in different ways.
 
Pogue lemme explain

Before

Evra.......
xxxxxxxxxxxVidic................RB
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxRio...

Rio had to cover the "x" space. The gap crreated behind Vidic and Evra. Evra not as quick to recover these days.

Now

Evra.......
xxxxxx..................Vidic.....RB
xxxxxxxxxxRio...

Now its more balanced as we have Rio covering less space behind Evra but also Vidic now has the support of a right back - Jones, Rafael, Smalling who are all quick. So Vidic can continue attacking the ball.
 
It's quite a simple but brilliant piece of management by SAF.
 
Interesting to hear Neville's explanation on this.

Rio's been switched to the left because he's quicker than Vidic. It wasn't about his loss of recovery pace, so much as Evra's.

Fergie 1 - Redcafe nil

Cnut & Sir Alex = 1 :-)