Its not the same role though. As I said previously our overall tactics are different with a Park/Rooney vs Rooney/Hernandez pairing all else being equal. Park and Rooney do not perform the same way in that role. Both can be counter attacking line ups but with Park much moreso as Rooney can be a far more potent possessional player feeding off Scholes, Carrick or Fletcher etc than Park. Park is more a direct running threat who will support attacks very strongly on either flank and also receive the ball in transition 25 yards out and push an attack forward in a very short space of time. Of course there is a subtlelty here as Rooney can also do that but in general they are not quite the same.

you've said it yourself - Rooney can do all that, and more. he's a strong runner, and also very hard working. Hernandez will cause Terry and Ivanovic problems with his pace and movement, because they're both especially vulnerable to that imo.

Agreed, its certainly a very viable alternative. We have a lot of options. However based on past history I think we don't start with both Rooney and Hernandez.

As an aside-Rooney can do all that and more isn't really the point. We aren't directly comparing Rooney and Park as players even in that role, we should compare what those line ups mean for the way the entire team play and set out. Obviously what Hernandez brings to the table is part of that. I am not comparing Park and Rooney I am more comparing how United will play with Park behind Rooney vs Rooney dropping deep behind another and the individual differences between them are a large part of those differences. Its not that Park is a more direct running threat or better at certain things, its that when Rooney drops deep he does different things than Park and hence the whole team play differently.

yeah but you haven't said what Park does differently that is preferable

Provides a greater shield for our other two central midfielders. Will help defending AND attacking on both flanks to a greater degree, which for us away from home is absolutely vital and the lifeblood of our counter attacking play. Finally and importantly, Rooney will still be playing in front of him so its not like we lose out on Rooneys ability to win the game.

With Hernandez up front essentially alone and Rooney operating in a deeper role we are much flatter in the midfield and imo will find it slightly harder to transition to attack. Hernandez's ability to cause the CB's numerous problems is a very strong factor in wanting to include him but imo that has to be weighed up against what you lose considering this is an away game.

At home I absolutely play Hernandez and Rooney.

When I originally said to "pack the midfield" I was basically saying to keep things tight and compact. With Park playing behind Rooney I think you get more of that than if Hernandez was playing. Hernandez will always be playing high up the field on the shoulders of the defenders leaving a pretty big gap between midfield and himself. With Rooney leading the line then he will naturally come deeper to receive the ball therefore there wont be such a big gap in those areas.

Fergie will probably just surprise us all and play Gibson.

Btw, any details on VDS? Anderson? Fletcher? Rafael?

http://twitter.com/SkySportsLive

confirmed bale and gallas fit

Ronaldo passed fit to play against Spurs

Gibson Giggs partnership obv.

Ronaldos fitness the most important injury news now.

TSO is so brilliant sometimes...

I expect Hernandez to start fwiw.

Alex has no chance for Wednesday afaik.

even though this has already been hashed out, I can easily see this happening for us on wednesday. It can be extra beneficial if chelsea come out in a 442 shape as well. They play their 442 more narrow which can work in our favor with the way rooney drops back

delighted valencia will be fit for the chelsea game, he caused them alot of problems in the past.

8.50 for tottenham to win tomorrow which might be worth betting on since ronaldo, marcelo, di maria and benzema probably won't play (ronaldo is in the team tho).... it's obvious real will have the biggest chance of winning the game but with 8.5 odds it might be worth the bet

Just put £5 on each of the following scorelines: 0-3, 1-3, 2-3, 3-3

Lowest odds was 2-3 at 95/1. Here's to hoping we can score more than zero goals hahaha

COME ON YOU SPURS!!

Came ITT to state that Spurs are surprisingly long at 15/2,Real coming off a home defeat and Spurs beating Milan away means they're not hopeless away in europe, considering a sneaky punt inb4 20 hours from now lol @ me

2/3-0 Madrid.

Really looking forward to it.

Pictures from Carrington today





Rio shock start one time?

Anderson and Rafael also trained with the squad, Rooney trained by himself away from any media attention.

Rio practicing with 3 Wes Browns I see.

that's just being mean to the dummies

real madrid might be sorely disappointed when they run into the great wall of sandro today

any news today about the status of potentially injured players?

lol there are supposedly posters/flyers all over Madrid from a bar advertising that they're showing the game tonight...

...they also say underneath to come and reserve your seat to watch the Madrid-Barcelona semi

i also heard a bunch of spurs there got clubbed for trying to socialize at a bar