Forget defending deep...get hold of the midfield

[mcfcphil]

I think there is a balance to be struck here. If you think city are going to go to old trafford with a one goal lead and play attacking football then in my opinion you'll be disappointed. There's a difference between sitting back and playing cautiously. It's just good sense to play with a sense of caution.
United are going to come at us with all guns blazing so i think the best strategy is to use this to our advantage and hit them on the counter attack - and with the pace we have got this will be our most effective way of playing.
But i totally agree we cant give them an inch in midfield once the ball gets inside our half

I don't disagree with this, but it does raise the question of why it's an OK strategy for them to come at us "all guns blazing", and yet that's not a valid approach for us. It seems to have worked for them for the past 20 years. Whatever happened to our "you can score 3 and we will score 4" mentality?

I am really not advocating this as an approach, but week-in, week-out I see lesser teams really having a go and bossing games and we have been a bit too "sitting back and trying to hit them on the break". I think we should stand toe to toe with the scum and beat them because we are a better team with better players. We have nothing to be frightened of.

It's going to be an INCREDIBLE game, I can't wait.

The reason that united will come at us all guns blazing is because they have no choice and have to gamble by going forward but inevitably leaving them short at the back and very vulnerable on the break. If the shoe was on the other foot and united were coming to us with a one goal lead they would also be tactically cautious - not defensive but cautious.
I do agree that at times we have been a bit too defensive at times this season although i think the main issue for me has been the time it has been taking to get the ball out of the back four and into midfield. It's been too slow meaning our midfielders/wingers,forwards have struggled to find space because we aren't shifting the ball quick enough to stretch the other team out of position.
But in this instance against united i think it would be foolish to go there and not be cautious in the way we play and make sure first and foremost we leave no space at the back and then take it from there going forward.

 

[Two's Kompany....]

If we get to Wembley it will all boil down to how we approach the game. The dodgy thing is if we turn up and play for a draw. Its ok to play counter-attack, because we have the speed going forward with tevez, swp and bellers. But we have to be brave and have spells of attacking them as well.

 

[Brendan110_0]

i think baconface might disagree if we go through with the above boldened scorline mate

Thats a 2 to nothing win for us?

Yes, correct 0 - 2 to us.

 

[mackenzie]

If we get to Wembley it will all boil down to how we approach the game. The dodgy thing is if we turn up and play for a draw. Its ok to play counter-attack, because we have the speed going forward with tevez, swp and bellers. But we have to be brave and have spells of attacking them as well.

Definitely.

And early on in the first leg we paid them much too respect. We looked scared and uncertain tbh.

That has to go. No need to go crazy but need to get our mindset into knowing that we can match them easily. Because we can, I have no doubt of that.

We have our destiny in our own hands with this one. If we eff up it will be because of us, not them.