MNF

[OB1]

It was a great discussion, and Carragher was backing up what I've said in the Pellegrini and Dzeko / Negredo threads. 442 against elite European teams will get you found out as you'll get outnumbered in midfield.

Neville made some great points in his analysis, that we should stick to out preferred shape, and the United "didn't do too badly playing that shape for 15 years."

What Neville forgot to mention was just how badly United got outclassed by Barcelona in 2 European finals by blindly sticking to that system.

Personally I think we have got so many goals in us at home that I think we should stick to 442 at home to Barca. There is always the threat we will get outclassed like when Bayern came to the Etihad. But if we are to stand any chance of getting through, we have to have a couple of goals lead going in to the second leg.

In the Nou Camp though, I think if we stick to 442 it is suicide. I think they will completely outnumber us in midfield and they could end up with 75% of the ball, making it a near impossible task to stop them from scoring.

Everyone has their opinion, but I stand by mine that we look brilliant playing 442 in England, we look like we'll score goals for fun. But against the top teams in Europe, we'll get found out playing that way, particularly away from home.

It would take some bottle to go 442 at home against Barca after what happened against Munich.

And Manny has got plenty of it.

 

[AntiUnited]

Against barca away we must play milner with feran it's as simple as that u cut midfield to starve messi , xavi and inesta are amzing but fukin slow fernand miler are not. home we go guns blazing full out 442

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Against barca away we must play milner with feran it's as simple as that u cut midfield to starve messi , xavi and inesta are amzing but fukin slow fernand miler are not. home we go guns blazing full out 442

Won't he be too busy sorting out Messi's contract ;-)

 

[Krieng_Thai OSC]

I think have 2 former Barca in the club who know the weakness and strength of both teams better than two rag whose manager shaking and have no idea how to cope with Barca.

 

[Shaelumstash]

My plan would to be to try to win maybe 4-1 or something like that at home, and then to avoid a big loss away.

So all guns blazing 4-4-2 at home, and 4-5-1 away. 4-4-2 at home carries risk obviously as per the Bayern game, but I don't think Barcas midfield are anything like as mobile as Bayern, and the rewards of a good home win are worth the risk IMHO.

We'd be mad to go 4-4-2 away, unless we have lost the home game and are trying to rescue something.

Spot on.

 

[adrianr]

Would anyone be able to upload a clip of the debate? I always forget MNF usually has some good analysis pre-match.

Barca is going to be a fascinating tie. I think we could line up identically to how we did against Bayern (without Nasri) and give a much better account of ourselves.

Whilst the over riding feeling is going to be more in line with Carragher, I'm far more tempted to just give them the V's and a big chorus of come and have a go if you think you're hard enough.

----------------Hart-----------------
Zab------Kompany--MD-------Kola
-----------Fern----Yaya------------
----Navas-----------------Silva----
---------Aguero-----Negredo------

Why the fuck not!! :D

 

[Chippy_boy]

The other thing is, are Barca going to score a few over the 2 legs, no matter how well we defend? Yes they are.

So the only way we are going through is by scoring more. A dour Mourinho style 1-0 followed by a 0-0 is never going to work, even if we were rock solid defensively, which we aren't anyway. So we need to have our most potent strike force working at home. We really need to score 4 or 5 at the Etihad I think. Something that Aguero and Negredo are well capable of doing - Barca's defence is not that brilliant. Then hang on for our lives in Barcelona.

 

[mcfcstu]

The other problem is both Nasri and Milner are out for the first leg. We might be forced into a 442 by default. Unless he puts Garcia in there as well, with Navas and Silva on the flanks.

Wait what the hell have I missed... Milner is out of the first leg? Too many yellows, a red .. when the f*** did all this happen?

Milner picked up another yellow against Bayern so misses the first leg against Barca.

 

[poyntonblue]

It was a great discussion, and Carragher was backing up what I've said in the Pellegrini and Dzeko / Negredo threads. 442 against elite European teams will get you found out as you'll get outnumbered in midfield.

Neville made some great points in his analysis, that we should stick to out preferred shape, and the United "didn't do too badly playing that shape for 15 years."

What Neville forgot to mention was just how badly United got outclassed by Barcelona in 2 European finals by blindly sticking to that system.

Personally I think we have got so many goals in us at home that I think we should stick to 442 at home to Barca. There is always the threat we will get outclassed like when Bayern came to the Etihad. But if we are to stand any chance of getting through, we have to have a couple of goals lead going in to the second leg.




In the Nou Camp though, I think if we stick to 442 it is suicide. I think they will completely outnumber us in midfield and they could end up with 75% of the ball, making it a near impossible task to stop them from scoring.

Everyone has their opinion, but I stand by mine that we look brilliant playing 442 in England, we look like we'll score goals for fun. But against the top teams in Europe, we'll get found out playing that way, particularly away from home.

It would take some bottle to go 442 at home against Barca after what happened against Munich.

I agree mate! Before the Bayern game I couldn't believe we were lining up as 442. After 10 minutes I could not believe he didn't change it straight away as we were getting mullered. He changed it on 75 minutes and we played far better.

He changed to 4231 in the away leg, and away to Chelsea and we looked much more comfortable (in comparison to the home leg vs Bayern).

It may be risky to go 442 at home to Barca, but I think our only realistic chance of getting through is by imposing ourselves at home and scoring 2 or 3 goals. I think 442 at home probably gives us the best chance to do that. I would certainly understand us going 4231 though, and wouldn't complain.

I stand by it though that going 442 away at Barca would be naive and I think we'd get outclassed.

If he opts for Negredo rather than Dzeko it wll work better. Not necessarily that it will work though.

 

[city saint]

The other thing is, are Barca going to score a few over the 2 legs, no matter how well we defend? Yes they are.

So the only way we are going through is by scoring more. A dour Mourinho style 1-0 followed by a 0-0 is never going to work, even if we were rock solid defensively, which we aren't anyway. So we need to have our most potent strike force working at home. We really need to score 4 or 5 at the Etihad I think. Something that Aguero and Negredo are well capable of doing - Barca's defence is not that brilliant. Then hang on for our lives in Barcelona.

I think 4 or 5 against barca is a tad optimistic