[Dirtycheat]

Reading through comments in the injury thread, we can see once again we have a bit of a defensive selection headache ahead of the next game vs roma. Rio is a doubt but he hasnt broken his foot and its unclear whether or not fergie would risk it.

Available defenders

1. Brown
2. Oshea
3. Silvestre
4. Rio - (injury doubt)
5. Evra
6. Neville
7. Hargreaves. - (at right back)
8. Pique

Who would you pick to start in defence vs Roma?
Would you risk injuring Rio even more ahead of some important EPL matches?
Would you risk playing neville who just came out of injury?

which formation do you vote for and why?

Ive tried to make as many formations as possible, the maximum i can put up in a poll is 10 and there are many possible line ups.

If i miss one out and you would chose it please state it and perhaps we can fit it somewhere

[GocartMozart]

firstly, i'll have Hargreaves as my defensive mid so that gets him off that list. Since he didn'tplay a full game on sunday, i think he'll be availabe. For me it's Neville, Pique, Brown and Evra. I've thought long and hard about whether i'd risk putting Neville into a line-up like this and while I'd probably take him off sooner rather than later, that backline needs experience and John O'Shea doesn't inspire. While neither of them are particularly quick, at least Gazza knows how use his experience to counter faster players. I have little doubt that he'll have to be taken out early in the game since I doubt he can go full on for 90 minutes. In that case O'shea can slot into the leftback spot.

The problem with this formation is that I want to give cover to my right back and to do that i need another player other than Ronaldo in the position. I'd love to have park and Ronaldo as my wings. If I see Gazza getting exposed, I'd switch them and have park start coming back to protect.

The question now is, whether I go with a three man midfield. I think it is necessary to throw Anderson in there with Scholes and Carrick. I'd normally give this as a job to Hargreaves, but I think I might need his flexibility in the right back spot, or if Evra gets injured I might need to throw O'shea in the left back spot and have Hargo come in for Neville.

-----Neville-----Brown------Pique------Evra

Ronaldo---Carrick---Anderson---Scholes---Park

-------------------------Rooney----------------------

[.aK122]

In my opinion there's no point in risking Rio for the Champions League when we need to win the game against Arsenal on the weekend.

We've got a 2-0 lead and we're at home so i dont see why we cant play Brown and Pique in the middle and Hargreaves on the right.

Fergie even said he was pleased with Pique's performance when he came on against Middlesbrough so i reckon he'll get the start instead of Rio and then Brown will play along side him.

The right back position is really problem for me as we all know Hargreaves is more than capable of filling in at right back as he has proven on previous occasions.

[GocartMozart]

he is very quick in making up ground when he neesd to and his crosses against middlesbrough were precise. The problem putting hargo there is that if you go with a 5 man midfield to protect the center backs, you start running out of subs at the defensive midfield position.

at least that was the problem i saw. it would be lovely to have darren fletcher right now

[.aK122]

I think right now our best line up would definitely have to be more offensive:

VDS
Hargreaves Brown Pique Evra
Carrick Scholes Anderson
Ronaldo Tevez Rooney

In my opinion we dont have a choice but too attack as our defense isnt up to our proper standard. If they score then we have to score... simple.

[bottis]

With Vidic out for a couple of weeks I hope we can see Pique starting some matches..
But we also have Brown who can go in the middle with Rio and O'shea on the right..

[Mark]

if Gary and Rio will be ok i'll go on a Gary--Rio--Pique--Evra

if Rio will be rested or anything else will go like this Gary--Pique--Wes--Evra

if Rio and Gary will be out i'll go with Wes/Hargo--Pique--O'Shea/Wes--Evra


without Rio in, Gary's experince will be a bonus there in the back line that's what i think


will see at wednesday's press conference what Sir Alex will say about them

[Prongs]

Well , it is very essential for us to go with the players who aint rusty , so that would make silvy and neville to not be in the starting eleven ... I would go for hargo , pique , brown and evra . I know it is an inexperienced back four , brown aint no Rio , hence pique would find it tough , but that is the best we can hope for .

As for roma game , we only need to just go through , main concentration is on the league , arsenal game .. Hope rio is back by then

[funkdoctorspock]

Brown - Pique - O'Shea - Evra

Thats the backline starting against Roma.

Expect to see either Neville or Silvestre getting some minutes as well.

[Dirtycheat]

What i think might happen is we start with



but have pique and neville on the bench. Perhaps Rio will be given some injections if its that bad. I also wouldnt be surprised if brown doesnt start because he really was shit.

You dont want to risk rio ahead of the next few EPL games but you also dont want to leave him off the pitch if you can help it. He was one of the most important players last week and losing him will be a much greater loss than losing vida. Rio read the game so well and made some excellent interceptions, im not sure if pique can do that (ive not seen enough of him) and i know oshea isnt great at CB either.

United need rio ahead of this match or else the 2 goal advantage might not be enough.