lb less option eh? fabio is nowhere to be seen... 

i am worry about CB, Ferdinand is starting to become a bit injury prone as seen as last season, Cathcart need to buck up if given the chance

i think SAF would use..

PIG
Gary-RIO-Evans-Evra
Park/Valencia-Scholes/Carrick-Gibson/Fletcher-Nani/Giggs
Rooney/Kiko-Owen/Berba

Donno wich is first 11.. 

chelsea i think almost complete squad, just need CA to mix with the player..

The United manager’s more pressing problems lie in defence. As well as the blow to Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, the right back, will miss the start of the season with a dislocated shoulder. Ferguson also has doubts over Nemanja Vidic (calf), Wes Brown (thigh) and Gary Neville (groin) with only ten days to go before the champions begin the defence of their title at home to Birmingham City.

JOS is more than capable at that position which he had showed us last season
the only thing to worry is anything bad happen to him....

5 Aug 2009 15:15:23

Former Manchester United youth coach Eric Harrison has spoken out regarding some of the club's top young talent, including Rafael da Silva, who he believes could become a right-sided version of Ryan Giggs.

Promising Manchester United youths such as Federico Macheda, Fabio da Silva and Rafael, are on the cusp of further first-team treatment next term, and Harrison believes Sir Alex Ferguson is right to maintain the faith in the fledglings coming through.

Harrison has earmarked Macheda as a player capable of making a big impact, while Rafael, he feels, should be groomed to be a right-sided winger.

Harrison explained to The Manchester Evening News, "Federico Macheda will make a big impact. You only have to look at him to see that he has got bags of bottle.

"He'll take to the Premier League like a duck to water. And when I look at Rafael de Silva I see a young Ryan Giggs. He's so graceful when he's running with the ball at his feet.

"I see him more one day in the Aaron Lennon role rather than an orthodox full-back because he's almost unstoppable when he starts running at defenders."

Alan Dawson, Goal.com

By Steve Wilson and Rory Smith
Published: 12:15PM BST 05 Aug 2009

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo is irreplaceable - so he isn’t going to try. Instead he will place his faith in the young talent already at Old Trafford to fill the void.

“We knew we could never replace Ronaldo," said Ferguson. "When you’ve had someone who is the best at what he does, it is no good trying to find someone to do the same job.

“And when you know you can’t replace someone or something, you look for a different way. People have misread our situation and they have underestimated our ability to improve players. That is an area where we have proved successful in the past.”

United's young guns:

Danny Welbeck 18
Arguably the brightest prospect Manchester United have produced since the Beckham generation. Fast-tracked from the under-18s to the first team squad in less than a year, he scored on his league debut with a 20-yard strike against Stoke. Occasionally deployed out wide, the Manchester-born striker’s future lies in a more central role.

Frederico Macheda 17
A rangy, powerful yet skilful forward, the Italian was brought over from Lazio aged 16 and signed professional forms at United on his 17th birthday. Winning goals in consecutive Premier League matches at the end of last season from Macheda dug United out of a sticky patch of form and set the on their way to the title.

Rafael da Silva 19
The long term solution to the decline through age and injury of Gary Neville, Rafael has already put in plenty of first team performances to suggest the hype may need to be believed. Marauding up the flank, in the tradition of attacking Brazilian fullbacks, the youngster brings as much to the side going forward as he does defensively.

Fabio da Silva 19
Injury prevented the younger of the da Silva twins from making the same sort of impact Rafael did last year, but he has already shown glimpses that he may even be the better of the two. Lightning quick, skilful and surprisingly tough. Fabio, on the left, and Rafael, on the right, have been called Brazil’s answer to the Nevilles. With all due respect to Gary and Phil, they could be a lot better than that.

Jonny Evans 21
Established as United’s first reserve at centre-back behind Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, Evans has belied his tender years when called in to action, despite having big boots to fill. Calm, composed and an excellent reader of the game, he will see plenty of action while waiting for his time to step up to be an automatic first pick.

David Petrucci 17
Another Italian, this time an all-action midfielder in the mold of a slightly tougher Francesco Totti, brought to the club last summer from Roma after a bitter wrangle with the Serie A side. Caught the eye scoring 14 goals in 19 matches in youth football and a star for the Italian under-17 team, Petrucci is close friends with Macheda and Ferguson believes that will help the pair form a promising partnership on the field.

Nani 22
Arriving at United as a raw 20-year-old from Sporting Lisbon, Nani inevitably drew comparisons with Ronaldo. A wide player with pace to burn and an eye for the spectacular goal (and goal celebration) the first few months showed glimpses of his talent but last season was patchy at best and his task now is to home his talents, as Ronaldo did, in to more something productive and consistent.

Darron Gibson 21
Took his time to come up through the ranks with Manchester United but was publicly rewarded for his efforts with the reserves earlier this season when Ferguson announced he would start in the Carling Cup final against Tottenham. Having played every round of the tournament the midfielder also proved himself an established senior player after scoring goals against Southampton and Derby in the FA Cup.

Anderson 22
The Brazilian was horribly exposed in Manchester United’s Champions League final defeat to Barcelona but that one game should not disguise the steady [progress he has made since joining the club. A combative, tough tackling midfielder with bags of energy and the ability to pick a pass, he has even managed to get on the scoresheet in pre-season, something he has yet to do in 75 competitive appearances for United.

Michael Carrick has never felt worse than he did after the defeat to Barcelona last May. Yet, as the midfield lynchpin told United Review, the Rome experience has merely made the players more determined to win further silverware....

How was your summer - did you completely switch off from football or spend time reflecting on last season?
I tried to switch off and relax, but it was quite hard after what happened in Rome. I’m still trying to get over losing the [Champions League] final, and I don’t think I will until I win it again. But when you look at the bigger picture, it was a successful campaign. We went to Japan and came back as world champions, won the Carling Cup and went on to win the league for a third time in a row, so we showed how good a team we are.

How does the squad’s mood compare to that of the last few pre-seasons?
It’s the same as always, we’re ready to go again. That’s the beauty of this club, despite all the success, every year you come back and want to achieve more. What’s happened has gone, now it’s about looking forward and trying to earn it all over again.

Have you sensed the team’s renewed determination after the Barça loss?
We’re just as determined as we always are. Winning in Moscow last year was amazing, and we were desperate to repeat that feat. We’ve experienced two very different nights in relatively quick succession, and we know which we like best. Losing like we did in Rome was hard to take, and no-one wants to experience that again. It’s certainly the worst I’ve ever felt after a match – it took about a week for any of my family to be able to talk to me properly. We’ve all learnt a lot from what happened and are determined to come back stronger this season.

There have been a few comings and goings over the summer - how do you assess the strength of the squad?
I don’t think it can be questioned. The gaffer has assembled a fantastic group, bringing in a great mixture of younger lads and experienced players, and the strength and depth here is second to none. Obviously losing Cristiano [Ronaldo] was disappointing because he’s been a huge player for us, but we’ve got a lot of top players here to deal with that and still be successful.

You recently celebrated your 28th birthday – do you feel you’re reaching your prime as a player?
I certainly feel great. Around your late 20s and early 30s is the time when players tend to peak – hopefully I can do that and keep it going as well!

Was last season your best in a United shirt, and perhaps your career?
Maybe, yes. It’s difficult to judge, though, because the season before we won the league and Champions League, and I played the same way. The longer you’re here and the more games you play, the more responsibility there is on your shoulders, and you have to step up to that. I want to keep working hard on every aspect of my game and become the best player I possibly can.

Finally, after football, what’s your favourite sport?
To play, I’d say golf, but to watch it has to be Formula 1. I’ve been lucky enough to go to a few Grand Prix meetings and chat to the drivers. I’ve met Mark Webber a few times, he really looked after me when I went to Monaco last year, and I watched this year’s British Grand Prix from inside the Red Bull team’s garage. They even gave me headphones so I could hear what the drivers [Sebastian Vettel and Webber] were saying to the team. They finished first and second respectively, so it was a great atmosphere.

Sir Alex Ferguson has multiple defensive selection problems ahead of Sunday's Community Shield clash with Chelsea at Wembley.

Wes Brown (thigh), Nemanja Vidic (calf), Gary Neville (groin) and Edwin van der Sar (hand) are all missing from the squad that travels to London this weekend.

"Everyone is fit apart from Wes, Vidic and Neville," Sir Alex confirmed to the press on Friday.

"Gary has done a bit of training and he is coming along fine, and I expext Wes to be fit for the Birmingham match.

"Vidic is another week or two away and Edwin's injury is a bad one. He's out for 8-10 weeks, of course. So my first selection dilemma for Sunday is in goal."

Sir Alex says the Community Shield is normally the final step in assessing his players' fitness, but this year says his squad is already at a good level and he expects a good performance.

"In the past I've treated the Community Shield as a barometer for fitness and giving players some minutes on the clock. But this year I'm not looking at it like that.

"All the players are at a good level fitness-wise and everyone should be able to give a good account of themselves. And when you play Chelsea, pride comes into it and the players want to win."

Yet the goalkeeping position is not the only one vexing the United boss after suffering a mini-defensive injury crisis.

Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Rafael Da Silva all missed Wednesday's game and have already been ruled out of the Chelsea encounter.

Ferguson rates Vidic and Brown as outside bets at best to overcome ankle and thigh problems ahead of the Premier League opener with Birmingham at Old Trafford on August 16.

John O'Shea is pencilled in for an appearance in United's back four alongside Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Jonny Evans this weekend.

But Belgian international Ritchie De Laet made an eye-catching contribution to the Valencia victory at right-back, while Northern Ireland Under-21 star Craig Cathcart would also have been picked had he not suffered a minor groin strain in training on Tuesday.

“We have a group of young players, including Ritchie, Craig, Jonny Evans and Fabio who have ability and are all quick,” said Ferguson.

“It was important for them all to play some part against Valencia.”

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand says he has no injury worries as he gears up for the new season.

The 30-year-old suffered with a succession of back injuries last season and then missed much of the build-up to the UEFA Champions League final with a calf strain.

However, ahead of the Community Shield match against Chelsea on Sunday, Ferdinand has said he is fully fit and hopes to play a full part in the upcoming campaign.

"I am fine," he said. "There are no problems.

"I have not missed any training sessions this pre-season, not missed any games and played a lot of minutes.

"I am delighted and feeling good. Long may that continue this season.

"The club have been really good. I've had rest and maintenance, a good pre-season tour and training. That's the most important thing."

Team

There are still many who believe United will struggle to match their achievements in recent seasons after Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid.

But, having seen the likes of David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy leave Old Trafford during his seven years at the club, Ferdinand believes there is little cause for concern.

"We have been here before," he said.

"A lot of us have been around a few years and seen so many come through the doors and go.

"This club moves on from any individual coming and going and that's the same in this instance.

"The team is more important than one single player. That has always been the case and will always remain."

Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has said Manchester United can adapt to the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Blues take on United in their first Premier League game since promotion from the Championship, and McLeish will be looking to upset the odds at Old Trafford.

United will have to regain their league trophy without Portuguese star Ronaldo after his big-money move to Real Madrid, but the Blues boss doesn't believe it will be too much of a problem.

He told Sky Sports News: "I think they have struggled for a while to find their feet, but having beaten Valencia 2-0 the other night - I wish I had Sir Alex Ferguson's problems.

"People like Wayne Rooney will adapt to the system, they will flourish, I am sure that they will flourish.

"Michael Owen looks as though he has got a good pre-season behind him and they have so many other fantastic players."

McLeish may hand league debuts to a number of new signings at Old Trafford after a busy summer in the transfer marker.

The likes of Christian Benitez, Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer could all line-up against the Red Devils next Sunday.

Sir Alex Ferguson expects Wayne Rooney to thrive under the pressure of having to score more goals this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been Manchester United's most prolific goalscorer in recent campaigns and doubts have been raised in some quarters about whether the team can be as successful without him.

Ferguson has brought in Michael Owen and will be hoping for a better return from Dimitar Berbatov, while Federico Macheda is also likely to get more opportunities following his emergence last term.

However, Rooney will have to shoulder much of the responsibility and the England international is set to play in a more central position up front, having previously being deployed in a variety of roles.

Ferguson is convinced that Rooney will cope with the weight of expectation and make a huge impact as United look to defend their Premier League title.

"I don't think the responsibility of getting more goals will affect Wayne at all," said the United boss.

Mental strength

"He's got the mental strength for all that kind of thing. He's proved that time and time again.

"He will be used as a central striker this season. He goes on these bursts of goals.

"Last season I think he hit seven in a row at one point - but if he can do that more consistently over the season, he will get to 25 and above.

"But Wayne is a totally different type of player to Ronaldo. I don't think you can compare them, they are such different types."

Yeap. Their players are good at them. Ours are kinda crap outside of Nani & Hargreaves.

No idea. I guess not. He missed one too when we went to penalties against Bayern in that friendly cup.

Sir Alex Ferguson insists he retains full faith in Ben Foster despite the goalkeeper's nervy display in Sunday's Community Shield defeat to Chelsea.

The 26-year-old was not at his best after being given the nod to start ahead of Tomasz Kuszczak in the absence of the injured Edwin van der Sar.

Foster will be disappointed he let Frank Lampard's shot beat him for Chelsea's second goal at Wembley, with Ferguson conceding it was not the most assured of displays from his keeper.

The Scot, though, believes Foster has all the attributes to become Van der Sar's long-term successor and will continue to back him unequivocally.

"Knowing Ben and the ability which he has, he should have done better with the second goal," said the Manchester United boss.

"However, it was his first big challenge. He has waited a long time, has had his injuries and in pre-season I spread the load between the three keepers, and maybe we did not have enough minutes for him.

"But the important thing is, knowing his ability, it means I do not have any worries about him."

Nani may miss the start of the Barclays Premier League campaign after sustaining a shoulder injury in United's Community Shield defeat to Chelsea.

The winger, who scored and impressed on the left wing, was forced off in the second half after landing awkwardly following a tackle from John Terry. He'll now have a scan to discover the full extent of the injury.

"Nani will see the specialist tomorrow (Monday) and I hope it’s not a long-term injury. But he has done some damage to his shoulder," confirmed Sir Alex on MUTV.

The setback comes at the most inconvenient time for Nani, who had hoped to cement his position as the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo's position as winger-in-chief at Old Trafford.

He'd made a good start in putting in his application with a stunning long-range goal after ten minutes of the entertaining Community Shield clash on Sunday.

Nani is added to an injury list that also includes Nemanja Vidic (calf), Wes Brown (thigh), Edwin van der Sar (hand) and Gary Neville (groin) ahead of the new league season.

alien. i think u forgot to update our topic header.