Do we go for broke on Saturday?

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Project

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How would you play it?

451, pack the midfield to make us more difficult to break down and hope to pick something up on the break;

442, not breaking up the fab four and taking the game to them.

And how do you think Mancini will play it?

Personally i'd go with 442 and try to dictate the game. we're in a rich vein of form under this system and I *hate* inviting pressure on us against United.
 
Yep 4-4-2. As we saw when we changed tactics in the first leg cup derby, the best way to beat them is to get at them and not try to defend and invite them on.
 
Attack is always the best form of defence ...... we need to give them more problems than they give us , and we can only do that by creating chances ....... this could be just the time to give Stephen Ireland a run out , his creativity could be all important against a tight defence like theirs.
 
I'd rather stick with De Jong/Barry than disrupt what we have with Ireland. Bellamy will get behind their defence and Johnson has the ability to create something out of nothign. Adebayor and Tevez will be a handful for whoever they have at CB. I think we those 4 we have more than enough to cause any side in the world problems. United aren't Birmingham so will not sit back - they need a win more than we do.
 
Given,

Onouha, Toure, Kompany, Bridge,

Johnson, De Jong, Barry, Bellamy,

Tevez, Adebayor.

If we are struggling, Adebayor off for Zabeletta to add steal in the middle.
 
Project said:
I'd rather stick with De Jong/Barry than disrupt what we have with Ireland. Bellamy will get behind their defence and Johnson has the ability to create something out of nothign. Adebayor and Tevez will be a handful for whoever they have at CB. I think we those 4 we have more than enough to cause any side in the world problems. United aren't Birmingham so will not sit back - they need a win more than we do.
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I agree. Especially after Barry's last performance. Same again unless Bridgey is fit.
 
definitely go at them...every time they have lost this season is when teams have attacked them...sit back and try counter will play into their hand...same for Bayern - they sat back and tried to defend a lead and got exposed, when they went at them they showed them up for what they really are
 
This is very different from a two-legged cup tie. The rags knew in that first leg that they didn't have to come out and win the game to progress and so it turned out.

However, in this game, with them desperate for points to win the league I think they'll feel they have to win. So I'd pack the midfield and try to break quickly and kill them on the counter-attack like we have done so effectively against Arsenal and Chelsea this season.

Tonight's result has put a bit of pressure on us but we can't lose our heads. We don't have to go gung ho for the win. If we are patient the chances will come and with the way our forwards have been firing lately I'd fancy us to take them.
 
Blue Coop said:
Given,

Onouha, Toure, Kompany, Bridge,

Johnson, De Jong, Barry, Bellamy,

Tevez, Adebayor.

If we are struggling, Adebayor off for Zabaleta to add steal in the middle.
Click to expand...

He's not a scouser.. He adds steel.

-)

4-4-2

But can see Mancini thinking about 4-5-1 (or is it 4-3-3?) with Gareth, Nigel and Patrick with Carlos up top.

What are those training reports saying? Or aren't we saying?
 
Project said:
How would you play it?

451, pack the midfield to make us more difficult to break down and hope to pick something up on the break;

442, not breaking up the fab four and taking the game to them.

And how do you think Mancini will play it?

Personally i'd go with 442 and try to dictate the game. we're in a rich vein of form under this system and I *hate* inviting pressure on us against United.
Click to expand...

We have to match United who will play a 4-5-1 - if we go 4-4-2 we will get overun and we dont have the legs in midfield to play 4.

Saturday is a must not lose day and a must win day lets remember that
 
1.618034 said:
Blue Coop said:
Given,

Onouha, Toure, Kompany, Bridge,

Johnson, De Jong, Barry, Bellamy,

Tevez, Adebayor.

If we are struggling, Adebayor off for Zabaleta to add steal in the middle.
Click to expand...

He's not a scouser.. He adds steel.

-)

4-4-2

But can see Mancini thinking about 4-5-1 (or is it 4-3-3?) with Gareth, Nigel and Patrick with Carlos up top.

What are those training reports saying? Or aren't we saying?
Click to expand...

I imagine we'll go 4-5-1 but I'd prefer us not to change it the front 4 are all on fire.

If we do go 4-5-1 I'd give Stevie a chance in his 'preferred role' but I can see it being as you said.
 
Good topic, I was going to post one similar to this.
My heart says 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 but my head says 4-5-1. I'm just not sure we could cope with their attacking, especially down the flanks, with 4-4-2. I'm worried Bellamy and Johnson would be drawn too deep as cover, and Tevez and Ade would be isolated. Tevez would drop deep to try and pick the ball up, but he would be more easily nullified by the two United holding players.
That being said, to go 4-5-1, who do you drop? Ade? It would seem a bit odd given the form we've been in for the last two and a half matches.
The first twenty minutes will be key. If are going to try to come out at a high tempo, like against Burnley and Fulham, really press United in their own half, it has to be 4-2-3-1.
Having written all this, I've convinced myself of the 4-2-3-1
Given
Onouha Toure Kompany Zab
De Jong Barry
Johnson Tevez Bellamy
Ade
 
Much though I'd love us to continue what we've done in the last few games, we cannot do so on Saturday.

A weak point in our game still remains that we give the ball away FAR too easily and if we are strung out up their end of the pitch and that happens we could easily find ourselves 1-0 down after 5 minutes, i.e. a disaster.

We must remember our last results were against Burnley and Birmingham, where no such damage was likely when we gave the ball away.

We have to play 4-5-1 and we have to start more cautiously and work our way into the game. They MUST win and as time goes on and they become more desperate, gaps will open up that we can exploit.

"Taking it to them" is not the right play for Saturday, imho.

Plus - contrary to what others have said - a draw is a fine result for us. Spuds WILL lose to Chelsea and we WILL be 2 points ahead if we can draw with the scum.
 
I think Mancini's game plan will be to try and not loose the game, would not be supprised to both De Jong and Viera in the heart of the middle.
 
"Taking it to them" is not the right play for Saturday, imho.
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I don't agree with that at all. They will be nervy and extremely anxious because pretty much their entire season rests upon this one game. From the off we must hassle them all over the pitch and not allow them to settle on the ball for one second. A game of this magnitude means they WILL make errors of judgment and we have to capitalise on every slip up. It's no good wringing our hands in despair afterwards and saying: "If only..." all the time.

Sitting back against the rags is not an option, I don't think. We have to go out there and dictate the pace of the game and do to them what Barca did so beautifully last year.
 
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