So four big players out...

[Ted Hughes]

I can see several potential problems with putting out a balanced team up to our usual level.

One is that both Yaya & Barry are the two main players in our whole squad who go & get the ball deep. If Utd are smart, they could press us there & totally fuck our passing game up. To counter that, we need to get Silva/Nasri/AJ whoever dropping in there to give Nige options, or Milner to play a blinder.

Two: They score a hell of a lot of of goals from set pieces & we may be lacking several of our better aerial players. I hope dzeko or Mario play,or we could have a problem.

Three: Milner has not played many games for us in that Gareth Barry position & Nige hasn't been very good so far this season. Neither read the game like Barry does.

As mentioned by Joey above, here's a case for playing Zabba alongside Nige & letting Milner bomb on ala Yaya Toure. Failing that, Milner's performance in all areas may determine the outcome (assuming we don't just run straight through the fuckers). He needs to pass well in particular.

It's easy to see why Bob wants DeRossi; passing from the back, filling holes when we lose posession & strong in the air. Does all the stuff we need for this game & others to come. It's also easy to see why Nige (great as he is) may become obsolete next season.

[johnny crossan]

Times reporting Dzeko doubtful with a knee injury. Step forward Owen Hargreaves then (or Abdul Razak or Kolarov in left midfield) with Sergio up top on his tod.

[Ted Hughes]

Times reporting Dzeko doubtful with a knee injury. Step forward Owen Hargreaves then (or Abdul Razak or Kolarov in left midfield) with Sergio up top on his tod.

Wouldn't surprise me if Bob pulls a Ferguson here & Balotelli suddenly turns up. Utd used to do that every single game v us; players with 'no chance' of playing; suddenly every last one of them shows up on the team sheet on the day. He doesn't bother anymore because he knows we don't fucking care.

[ashton287]

Wouldn't surprise me if Bob pulls a Ferguson here & Balotelli suddenly turns up. Utd used to do that every single game v us; players with 'no chance' of playing; suddenly every last one of them shows up on the team sheet on the day. He doesn't bother anymore because he knows we don't fucking care.

I don't remember bob ever being devious like that. Would be good though.

[Goataldo]

Wouldn't surprise me if Bob pulls a Ferguson here & Balotelli suddenly turns up. Utd used to do that every single game v us; players with 'no chance' of playing; suddenly every last one of them shows up on the team sheet on the day. He doesn't bother anymore because he knows we don't fucking care.

I don't remember bob ever being devious like that. Would be good though.

Hope and suspect this is what will happen. The thought of the duckbilled twattypuss seeing Balo's name on the team-sheet pre-match, and bricking it, is indeed a delicious one.

[CityGer]

Depending on the injury situation I wouldn't be surprised to see a midfield three of Nige, Zabba and Milner with Aguero, Dave and A.N. Other (AJ, Balo, Nasri, Dzeko) up front.