Man Utd Build Up

[ChrisDR1968]

Interesting BBC article on this rivalry. Don't agree with it's general thrust (I'd personally love United to get relegated ), but it's a good read nonetheless

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30419684

[slaine]

Bring Rafa home... Maybe as DOF, but Brendan is showing his inexperience... I like the guy, but he is clueless at the minute..

Sack the 'committee' let Rafa and Brendan loose with the cash.. Then at least when it ****s up, we know who to blame...

[DannyMan2006]

A lot of fighting talk coming out in the press tonight. I'm not one for words tbh, but if it's replicated on the pitch I'd be more than happy to continue to support Rodgers. The only thing that's had me wavering is the defeatist approach & attitude in our play of late.

I either want results or I want positive & bold play like what we expected and came to expect from Rodgers. Don't give us neither Brendan.

[captainfog]

He should play two up front and he should attack United's weak defence, but he won't. Anyway, assuming we play 1 up top again I'd pick this team:

------------Ming
Manquillo Skittles Toure Moreno
-------Can-Lucas--Lallana
--Markovic-----------Sterling
-------------Borini

Lambert looks shagged and with everyone else injured I'd play Borini. If Sakho was match fit I'd play him instead of Skittles, but I'd bring him back against Bournmouth first and see how he goes. Markovic starts because without Sturridge we lack pace and he has it in abundance. Lallana and Can both deserve their chances and would replace Henderson and Allen. As well as being technically sound Can offers mobility and strength and Lallana has great ball skills and offers a genuine attacking threat and I think they'd compliment each other really well.

I'd look to bring Coutinho and Gerrard off the bench to wreak havoc in the last 25 minuites.

I reckon Lovren, Gerrard and at least one, but probably both, of Allen and Henderson will all start and I also reckon we'll lose.

[baitman]

Good line up that

[Norbs]

Doesn't seem to be much of an appetite for this game, we're still on the first page

[Lecter]

I guess we're going to have to try and stifle them in midfield on Sunday, won't make for a great spectacle but we're so short of genuine goal threats it seems at the moment that I don't really see any other option.

We will get absolutely mullered if we try that

[Daffy Duck]

Doesn't seem to be much of an appetite for this game, we're still on the first page

This is the second page actually but yeah, still...
I've never expected so little from this game, and we've had far inferior squads. Hopefully they manage to find some sort of motivation today :/

[Lecter]

A lot of fighting talk coming out in the press tonight. I'm not one for words tbh, but if it's replicated on the pitch I'd be more than happy to continue to support Rodgers. The only thing that's had me wavering is the defeatist approach & attitude in our play of late.

I either want results or I want positive & bold play like what we expected and came to expect from Rodgers. Don't give us neither Brendan.

[RichC]

We will get absolutely mullered if we try that

So gun-ho with no firepower - seems sensible

[Lecter]

He should play two up front and he should attack United's weak defence, but he won't.

If he did this and we lost, at least you would know hes aware of their problems and has tried something different

The same system we have been using this season and they will kill us, in fact I think its playing into their hands completely if we play our current system / tactics against them

[RichC]

The problem with the two up top approach is we don't have two decent fit strikers to play that way.i do agree though that this is how I would like to see us line up when we have the players to do so

The summer recruitment for the attacking options should be questioned but playing a system without the right players to do so is also not the answer

[Lecter]

So gun-ho with no firepower - seems sensible

Its as sensible as what hes doing now, defending and being compact without a defence good enough for a junior football team and a midfield that rarely closes the opposition down

Uniteds weakness is their back four and midfield but I still think their weak midfield is better than ours

Our midfield is ****ing ****e, and our defence even worse

United have good strikers who will kill us if we sit back and allow them to play like we have let virtually everyone else play this season

Personally if we had a better midfield in terms of physical strength and defensive qualities I would shut down their midfield and see what happens. But the fact is we havent successfully done that at any time this season

Their defence is terrible (barring the keeper), thats their weak spot. I said it the other day I would come out swinging it will be like 2 drunken old men throwing haymakers after an all dayer and you never know one punch might knock them out

[DeanoUK]

Lectar's right but so is rcasemore. Ffs a quandary. What I would suggest is that those players should have enough attacking play in them, theoretically.

Agree with the general gist of that line up, still not so sure about Markovic - that cameo didn't last very long, despite it looking promising.

I suspect Rodgers will go for a similar philosophy to Basle though, and we'll end up with a draw.

[RichC]

We need to win the midfield battle I've not said we need to sit back but stifle them make sure we don't give them space and time to get at us and try and use the pace of Sterling and for me Markovic in this game to catch them at the back.

A lack of striking options is going to really hurt us until we can either get Sturridge back fit or bring someone else in to change back to the two up top system. I think we've used it once against Spurs when we had Mario and Sturridge fit and we looked good then sadly since then Sturridge has been shown to be made of biscuits and reverting to a 1 up top with Mario just hasnt worked.