Line Up For The Rags On Sunday...

[Vhero]

Zab needs to start ahead of Richards this weekend I think as I agree with an earlier post and Zab would have a better chance keeping Shrek away than Richards. Just my opinion though although Richards hasn't been great this season he did good against the gooners.

[lets all have a disco]

It’s not just Sunday I’m worried about, all our squad strikers.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Out for 3 Games)
Craig Bellamy (Fit)
Valeri Bojinov (Not available this season)
Felipe Caicedo (Not available this season)
Jô (Not available this season)
Benjani Mwaruwari (Not available for 6 weeks)
Robinho (Not available for 4 weeks)
Roque Santa Cruz (Not available for 8 weeks)
Carlos Tevez (Not available for 2 weeks)

Where did yo hear RSC wont be fit for 8 weeks.

[Original Dub]

So Rag Hater doesnt put Ireland on his bench, his bias is bordering on hilarious now

There was an article in the paper earlier in the week saying he was injured but if all the experts on here think its cool to play an injured player I will bow to their vast knoowledge

Always with the 'expert' bullshit.

Its about as tiresome as your slagging off of our POTY.

You obviously only read one paper and not direct quotes from Ireland himself, where he has said he should have shaken off the knock by Sunday.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

It’s not just Sunday I’m worried about, all our squad strikers.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Out for 3 Games)
Craig Bellamy (Fit)
Valeri Bojinov (Not available this season)
Felipe Caicedo (Not available this season)
Jô (Not available this season)
Benjani Mwaruwari (Not available for 6 weeks)
Robinho (Not available for 4 weeks)
Roque Santa Cruz (Not available for 8 weeks)
Carlos Tevez (Not available for 2 weeks)

It dosnt look very good dose it? I really think it was a bad move to let Bojinov and Caicedo go out on loan, i know they obviously want first team football but we should of kept them for situations like this.

[BlueJohnBlue]

It’s not just Sunday I’m worried about, all our squad strikers.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Out for 3 Games)
Craig Bellamy (Fit)
Valeri Bojinov (Not available this season)
Felipe Caicedo (Not available this season)
Jô (Not available this season)
Benjani Mwaruwari (Not available for 6 weeks)
Robinho (Not available for 4 weeks)
Roque Santa Cruz (Not available for 8 weeks)
Carlos Tevez (Not available for 2 weeks)

Where did yo hear RSC wont be fit for 8 weeks.

Mate of mine (may be wrong)

[Nickyboy]

The lack of target man might not be such a bad thing - if we can get bellers playing off vidic's shoulder we could cause them problems because i think raw pace troubles him a lot more than a physical battle would.

admittedly Ade has pace and the size, but you can only piss with the dick you've got, so we'll have to do it without him

[TonyM]

IMO we have to attack, attack, attack versus United. The truth this season is that they just aren't that good but are given so much respect by teams that they are basically handed the win. Put them under pressure and they'll collapse. That said it's dependant on keeping the ball so only sure passes should be attempted. We often waste possession so that'll be the thing to work on in training this week I'd say (of course I have no say).

Who knows what the line up but here's another possible one perhaps...

[center]Given
Richards Toure Onouha Lescott
DeJong
SWP Ireland Barry Bridge
Bellamy[/center]

Bridge has done well with the ball so far this season so perhaps he's up to a midfield role. Onouha is a very decent young defender and I don't think we'd lose all that much defensively by brinfing him in to allow Lescott to cover LB. Plus he'd give us more height for set pieces. If necessary too bridge could brop back and Toure could move into the center with DeJong.

I'd definitely like to see Weiss brought on late to inject some more speed and trickery into the mix. And maybe someone like Ball or Mak too if we are ahead (just to give Bellamy some rest - we don't want him injured or exhausted for midweek)

[kinkylola]

For that reason I would play Sylvinho on the left, I think he'd do a great job there and still fit as a fiddle at 35. He'd also be better defensively than Petrov as we'll be under the kosh quite a bit I expect.

Therefore my team would be:


--------------------------Given-------------------------

Richards--------Toure--------Lescott---------Bridge

Weiss---------Ireland----------Barry---------Sylvinho

--------------------SWP----------------------------------

-----------------------------Bellamy----------------------


I think the team above could get a result. We could also swap Sylvinho and Bridge round from time to time.

I think that's interesting about the sylvinho bit ... and I could see him getting some time, but I think throwing him in at left mid when he hasn't even played a game for us and that isn't his comfy position may be a bit harsh. I say swap him and bridge, so bridge is pushed up into the left mid position, which I feel he'd be perfectly comfortable playing at any time.

besides that I am almost positive that hughes will have de jong in his lineup so ... move ireland up into a position behind bellamy, swp out to the right mid, weiss on the bench and dejong in the center with barry. This is away at the swamp mind you. Weiss definitely to come on for either stevie or shawn, whoever gets knackered first as, imo, he's ready to make some big contribtions to the team, and he'd be an absolute legend if he came on and scored or set up the winning goal.

EDIT: just read tonyM's post above me and i like the idea of lescott at LB and onuoha at CB ... hadn't even thought of it for some reason.

[avoidconfusion]

-----------------------Given

Richards------Toure--------Lescott-------Bridge

----------------------de Jong

-----------Ireland-------------------Barry

SWP----------------------------------------Petrov

----------------------Bellamy

Never change a winning team.

That's the team I would play. Beat them with pace on the counter. Tell Bellamy to really piss Vidic off until he does something stupid like he always does. Tell de Jong to really piss Rooney off until he does something stupid, like he always does. :)


Alternatively:



-----------------------Given

Richards------Toure--------Lescott-------Bridge

--------------Zabaleta------de Jong

SWP------------------Ireland------------------Barry

----------------------Bellamy


Add some extra steel in midfield, worked like a charm against Liverpool last season. United don't play the long ball game, they pass through the middle. Fuck up the midfield and they will struggle.

[MSG77]

Alternatively:



-----------------------Given

Richards------Toure--------Lescott-------Bridge

--------------Zabaleta------de Jong

SWP------------------Ireland------------------Barry

----------------------Bellamy


Add some extra steel in midfield, worked like a charm against Liverpool last season. U***d don't play the long ball game, they pass through the middle. Fuck up the midfield and they will struggle.

This one for me as well. Can't believe no one else had posted it. For me, gives us the best balance of solid defense and attack.

How far off has Zabs fallen in most people's eyes? Probably in our top 3 players for the whole season last year, at least top 5 or so. Many people believe he is probably our best RB (me included), although I can't complain at all the way Micah is playing this year.

But Zabs in there will allow Micah and SWP to both make runs down the right with a natural cover and not force the CB to be dragged out. Also, Zabs is a decent player with the ball at his feet (certainly better than NDJ) and can go forward as well.

Barry on the left might not give us the pace of Petrov, but he would track back much better. Most importantly, he is very strong on the ball and makes good decisions. Anyone have any problems with his crosses? He might not burn guys down the wing, but he is more accurate on his balls into the middle than Petrov. Having De Jong as a another DM on that side will let Bridge make runs down the left without again exposing the CBs too much.

I would have Ireland play much more forward with the 2 DMs in as well. Hasn't looked good so far getting the ball too deep. Also, if he is carrying a knock, playing a bit more advanced will conserve his energy and keep him in the game more. Without a big target up front we're more likely to need an inch perfect through ball a few times and Ireland is the best candidate to give those. Having him central and advanced puts him in a good spot for this.

Save Petrov and Weiss for fresh legs late if we need it, taking off SWP if he's spent and/or NDJ for the sake of attack. But wouldn't start Petrov due to lack of defense, Weiss because of lack of experience, and Sylvinho because he hasn't played in a while and has never played with this group. Why would we play him in this game out of position as a first game?

Is the 2 DM a bit negative? Yes, it is. But I think some people are getting a bit greedy. No Ade, no Robinho, probably no Tevez. Away at the swamp. Just think our best option is a conservative one. Isn't 0-0 or 1-1 better than losing 3-2? We can make sure we have cover and still counter attack, rather than get into a shoot-out when we are missing major weapons. I'd gladly take a point given the outs for this one.

[Ted Hughes]

Interesting that two people have left Ireland out of the team. You'd think that was surprising until you see which two people it is; then it's not surprising at all.

In fact, I bet if everyone was to guess without looking...

[john68]

I don't see the point of too many changes in areas of the pitch where we are unaffected by missing players and can't see Hughes wanting to upset a defence or midfield that has been stable and effective.
Our only problem is up front, so to start moving Lescott to full back and taking Barry from the middle of the park to a wider position is unecessary.
I think we will probably be forced on the back foot for much of the game so we need that stability.
It is the perfect game for a counterattacking team with speed and without a target man (Ade) that is the way i think we will go. Holding the ball and speed. Any long ball stuff is a dead duck.

Ireland, SWP, Petrov, Bellamy can all cope with that, as can Weiss if called upon to come off the bench. Maybe we are making a bigger problem than we need to.

[Tokyo Blue]

-----------------------Given

Richards------Toure--------Lescott-------Bridge

----------------------de Jong

-----------Ireland-------------------Barry

SWP----------------------------------------Bellamy

---------------Tevez if he's fit, Ball if he's not

Minimum disruption; one striker out, one striker in.

[Rag_hater]

Interesting that two people have left Ireland out of the team. You'd think that was surprising until you see which two people it is; then it's not surprising at all.

In fact, I bet if everyone was to guess without looking...

Have you and the other experts nothing better to do than pick holes in my posts.
This thread was about what selection people would make on Sunday not lets have a go at Rag_hater.If you want to do that PM me or have a word with the mods and see if I have done anything to warrent a ban besides thinking Ireland is not as good as the rest of you.
And I gave my reasons for not picking goldenboy in that I thought me was injured and as we are probably gonna have to play 100 mins I dont want anybody playing that isnt 100%

[Original Dub]

Interesting that two people have left Ireland out of the team. You'd think that was surprising until you see which two people it is; then it's not surprising at all.

In fact, I bet if everyone was to guess without looking...

Have you and the other experts nothing better to do than pick holes in my posts.
This thread was about what selection people would make on Sunday not lets have a go at Rag_hater.If you want to do that PM me or have a word with the mods and see if I have done anything to warrent a ban besides thinking Ireland is not as good as the rest of you.
And I gave my reasons for not picking goldenboy in that I thought me was injured and as we are probably gonna have to play 100 mins I dont want anybody playing that isnt 100%

Why, as a supposed city fan, would you possibly want to slag off Manchester City Football Club's Player of the Year at every opportunity?

[john68]

Cos he checks who's online...spots your name and thinks.....GOTCHA!!!!

...AND COS YOU JUST CAN'T RESIST HAVING A NIBBLE AT THAT DANGLY, WIGGLY WORM....:-)

[Rag_hater]

Cos he checks who's online...spots your name and thinks.....GOTCHA!!!!

...AND COS YOU JUST CAN'T RESIST HAVING A NIBBLE AT THAT DANGLY, WIGGLY WORM....:-)

Wondering how long it would take you.
Seems youve bitten this time.
That was so easy

[Original Dub]

Cos he checks who's online...spots your name and thinks.....GOTCHA!!!!

...AND COS YOU JUST CAN'T RESIST HAVING A NIBBLE AT THAT DANGLY, WIGGLY WORM....:-)

You know me mate, WUMs are my pet hate.

Maybe in real life Rag_Lover is a reasonable bloke.... and this image I have of a miserable old man sitting somewhere in Spain playing with his ball bag and throwing wind-ups onto an internet forum is completely wrong...

Its a little bit unlikely though, so just in case, I feel it is my duty to help my elders and entertain them.

If I didn't bite with these wind ups, all he'd have left is is ball bag and that's just not fair.

[joey]

How about Garrido on the left? Or has he been injured and not 100% match fit??

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

Interesting that two people have left Ireland out of the team. You'd think that was surprising until you see which two people it is; then it's not surprising at all.

In fact, I bet if everyone was to guess without looking...

Seem as how I am one of them that have done, (from the starting XI anyhow), then please inform me as to what he has done so far this season that actually merits a place in the side.

That is my opinion of the side I would pick and I gave my reasons for doing so, if you don't agree then fine, but stop wanking over someone who hasn't done anything this campaign to shout about.