Formation for United away

[NI Yiddo]

With Defoe being our most lively striker, can we afford to leave him out against United? And if he plays, surely we can't play 4-5-1 with the lack of height in the team. United have Vidic and Ferdinand missing so I think Crouch could upset their back-line, and with our midfield doubts maybe a 4-4-2 would suit us better. Question is, does Harry have the balls to drop Van der Vaart or Modric?

I think this balance would suit us best so that if one of these players is injured/under-performing, Niko/Rafa can always fill in and make the difference.

...........Crouch ....Defoe
Bale ................................Lennon
...........Modric ...Hudd

Any thoughts on this suggestion or the actual team you think will line up?

[BigDub]

Don't think there is any way VDV is left out of this one. I thought he and Defoe paired very well against Hearts. Would like to see that partnership retained for this match.

[perstrame]

Gotta keep Defoe and VDV, two long range shooters against a shakey De Gea is great, plus they seem to be linking up well.

[Reserrved]

With Defoe being our most lively striker, can we afford to leave him out against United? And if he plays, surely we can't play 4-5-1 with the lack of height in the team. United have Vidic and Ferdinand missing so I think Crouch could upset their back-line, and with our midfield doubts maybe a 4-4-2 would suit us better. Question is, does Harry have the balls to drop Van der Vaart or Modric?

I think this balance would suit us best so that if one of these players is injured/under-performing, Niko/Rafa can always fill in and make the difference.

...........Crouch ....Defoe
Bale ................................Lennon
...........Modric ...Hudd

Any thoughts on this suggestion or the actual team you think will line up?

this but put vdv up top

[mrtncooke]

Man U will probably start with Smalling an Evans at CH who are both decent in the air, what they wont have is a great understanding, so I think he will go with Defoe and VDV. I think this is a classic case of why Harry doesn't mind letting Luka go, as Diarra and Hudd would make us better when we don't have the ball, that might be quite a lot in this game and other away games.

[balooga999]

4-4-2 seems likely. Quick question, is Crouch going to be available for selection the United game (since he didn't make the squad against Hearts)? If he is, he starts up front with VdV. If not I can see Pav being swapped into the starting XI w/ Defoe coming off the bench. Really the type of game we are going to miss Sandro in though.



..........Crouch/Pav ....VdV
Bale ................................Lennon
...........Modric ...Hudd

[BigDub]

I think benching Defoe would be madness. He played better yesterday than he did all of last season. He is the type of player that, when he is on a roll, is too good to withdraw. A string of good performances to start the season and we could well be witnessing the JD of two seasons ago.

[boo]

gomes

corluka dawson gallas/king ekotto

lennon huddlestone modric/palacios bale

van der vaart

defoe

[NI Yiddo]

Man U will probably start with Smalling an Evans at CH who are both decent in the air, what they wont have is a great understanding, so I think he will go with Defoe and VDV. I think this is a classic case of why Harry doesn't mind letting Luka go, as Diarra and Hudd would make us better when we don't have the ball, that might be quite a lot in this game and other away games.

Interesting points on Smalling and Evans... I know VdV and Defoe link up well, but my concern is trying to pass through Manchester United and accepting we will not win any aerial battles in their half. If Defoe and VdV manage to find space and hold the ball up as well as they did against Hearts then we'll have no problem, but in reality I think many of our passes will go astray, Jermain will give the ball away too often and like you say we'll need to be able to cope better without having the ball.

On the other hand I think Luka and Hudd are our best midfield partnership when playing 4-4-2 and with two wingers and Defoe is our best natural striker with VdV scoring the most pre-season goals. I just feel the two wingers are wasted when they have no target man to cross it to. Essentially, it'd be perfect if we could start the game with Defoe on stilts.

[Ringer7]

--------------------Friedel--------------------
Corluka-----Dawson------Gallas/Kaboul-----BAE
Lennon---Huddlestone---Modric/Kranjcar---Bale
-----------------Van der Vaart----------------
--------------------Defoe---------------------

Would prefer Gallas and Modric but if either is still injured then I suppose we have to go with Kaboul and/or Kranjcar (although both played well against Hearts, so it's not a terrible predicament). I don't think height will be a problem up front if VDV and Defoe keep linking up the way they did last night, especially with Vidic out. In fact, I think you gotta keep playing Defoe to try and give him consistency to build on. If we bring in Adebayor by Monday then I think he starts on the bench and debuts in the second half, coming on for Defoe of course.

[weirddave]

With Defoe being our most lively striker, can we afford to leave him out against United?...

........................................NO

VDV and Defoe were brilliant together.
I know United will have a relatively soft defence on Monday if Ferdinand doesn't feature,
but VDV and Defoe in front were unstoppable against Hearts.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

[SpursBoy96Jay]

Judging from the Hearts match (I know they kinda suck compare to United) But Defoe and VDV linked up really well, Hudd looked good coming off the bench and Lennon and Bale we're getting involved nicely.
Maybe start this:-
Gomes
Walker Dawson Kaboul Ekotto
Lennon Huddlestone Modric Bale
Vaart Defoe

Their back line will be not as strong as usual, and De Gea looks shaky. I can see us turning them over if we turn up.

['Nixspur]

No way do I see us playing 442 to United away.

Van der Vaart will start, and Defoe should start, so hopefully they can play together properly.

I am a bit wary about the lack of height there still, but going by the way they linked up last night, hopefully it won't matter too much.

Prediction:


---------------------Freidel
Walker -------Dawson --------King --------Assou-Ekotto
----------------Huddlestone-----Modric----------------
Lennon---------------------------------------Bale
---------------Van der Vaart--------------------------
-------------------------Defoe------------------------


Or something along those lines.

Could possibly make this in to the match thread?
---------

[Irish Yid Pavlyuchenko]

If we need someone to shoot at distance we need

-Vdv
-Hudd
-Pav

[BigDub]

.....Or Defoe......

The goals he did score last season (against Wolves)......magical.