Team against United

[SamTheGuru]

Can you tell me how United will play ?
Do you remember how they beat us with Anderson and Cleverly as CM in the Community Shield !
They won without any defensive midfielder.

But we aren't United, we have our system and we have shown vulnerability (especially in second halfs) with TWO holding type midfielders. You suddenly want to switch to ONE against possibly the best counterattacking team in the world? Sorry but I can only view this as naive, even if we had 60% possession (and I'm not sure we will at the swamp, maybe at home) they would kill us on the counter as we'd have one midfielder (Yaya) to stop players like Nani, Young, Rooney, and Welbeck or Hernandez before they get to our back four.

We need a minimum of two midfielders, personally I'd go for three (De Jong, Milner, Yaya), two of whom will spend a lot of time in the United half with Aguero, Balotelli, and Silva. We aren't Barcelona and cannot yet control an entire game against a team like United. Mancini learned his lesson against Bayern and Fulham and even with three midfielders against Villa, we were still attacking, creative, and scored four goals. And when we beat United in the FA Cup semi, we played De Jong, Yaya, and Barry, and the balance was perfect after a shaky start when they were on top of us.

How many games did Mancini play with 3 holding midfielders against United ?
And what was the results ?

I remember us winning two times ( Carling Cup + FA Cup )
Losing 2 times in the league + 1 draw ! and ONE loss in the Carling Cup

Which means its ( Mancini`s formation) not really working well against them !

If it was 0-0-5 I would expect there to be a serious hole in the system. Not 2-1-3 where there has been numerous lucky, late goals due to a lapse in concentration and a freak wondergoal. It says to me that the system works.........

 

[MadchesterCity]

The back 5 picks itself assuming no injuries, then we know Silva and Aguero must start, so I think we will see this

would not mind if Barry or Milner played one of the DM roles or replaced Nasri and pushed YaYa forward 1 block

could swap Dzeko for Balotelli ;)

 

[CityFan94]

----------------Hart------------
Richards---Kompany---Lescott---Clichy
-----------Milner---De Jong------
--Silva-------Toure------Aguero-
--------------Balotelli------------

The back five picks itself, that's our best back five.

Milenr's been terrific in the last few games, he has to start for me. His workrate is excellent too.

Balotelli has 4 in 4, the form striker in the league, he MUST start.

The rest picks itself really. I'd like to see Toure a little further forward in this game. Wouldn't start Silva and Nasri together, that's too lightweight away at Old Trafford. I think with this team we could win.

 

[Ahmed]

Balo cannot play tonight...


I think we can play like this :

----------------Hart------------
Richards---Kompany---Lescott---Kolarov
-----------Yaya---De Jong------
--Milner-------Nasri------Silva-
--------------Dzeko-----------

 

[Deleted member 41424]

The back 5 picks itself at the moment.
De Jong has to start as the midfield protection for the back 5.

Hart
Richards-Kompany-Lescott-Clichy
DeJong

Then i'd personally go for Milner and Barry slighty ahead, in midfield, of DJ. I'd love to be able to trust Yaya, as he always seems to turn it on against Utd, but in recent games he's looked even more lazy than usual and at Old Trafford we have to control the midfield. Milner has looked really good in the past couple of games and Barry is box2box and more willing to get back than Yaya ever is. Plus he offers the left foot balance from centre mid.
I'd start Nasri and Silva as the attacking mids, but both are more than willing to track back and at times we'll be under pressure so will fit into a neat midfield 5.

DeJong
Nasri-Milner-Barry-Silva

Then i'd start Dzeko up top on his own. With Nasri and Silva up as support. But when we're under the cosh he'll be up top on his own and he'll need to be strong and hold up the ball. I think Aguero's a bit lightweight to play up top on his own and he likes to drop deep to pick up the ball and we'll need someone to stick upfront so we don't get pinned too deep. Also Ballo's a bigger striker but doesn't necesserilly hold the ball up very well and his link-up play isn't that great either. I'd leave them both on the bench to come on and mix things up. Dzeko's gotto start as the main striker for me

I'd love a win against Utd obviously but a draw keeps us in the driving seat. I think first and foremost is don't lose.

 

[Deepest Blue]

Injuries permitting
Hart
Richards
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy
De Jong
Barry
Silva
Yaya
Balo
Dzeko

Barry will play. Have no doubt. He has a very specific role.

 

[SamTheGuru]

The back 5 picks itself assuming no injuries, then we know Silva and Aguero must start, so I think we will see this

would not mind if Barry or Milner played one of the DM roles or replaced Nasri and pushed YaYa forward 1 block

could swap Dzeko for Balotelli ;)

What the fuck is that?

 

[paul.manc]

Hart

Richards
Kompany
Lescott
Clichy

De Jong
Yaya

Silva
Milner

Aguero
Balotelli

 

[Rammyblues]

Barry didn't play in CS, IMO that is why we lost.
Barry, NDJ and Yaya needed on Sunday.

 

[Deleted member 41424]

after tonights game i'm guessing a few people may have changed their sides for Sunday. Me included, i had

Hart
Richards-Kompany-Lescott-Clichy
Nasri-Milner-DeJong-Barry-Silva
Dzeko

I'd defo have to swap Dzeko for Ballo after tonight, doubt DeJong, Nasri and Silva will have 2 bad games on the run