Reds bank on reserves

Stuart Mathieson

April 04, 2007

Wes Brown

UNITED'S fringe players are becoming the men of the moment for Sir Alex Ferguson.

The casualty list that has struck the Reds in the last month has opened the door to the likes of Wes Brown and John O'Shea.

Both are set to start against Roma tonight in Italy and with Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre and Ji-sung Park absent from the squad on Champions League duty, the make-up of Fergie's choice has changed.

"Where I think we can excel this season is not in our best XI but the players who are replacing our best XI," said the United boss.

"They are the most important players now. Recently we have lost Gary Neville, Mikael Silvestre and on Saturday Nemanja Vidic.

"It wasn't a good weekend for us losing Ji-sung Park as well with a knee injury. Louis Saha has also been out. Ole Solskjaer was missing for a month after a knee operation. Darren Fletcher has been out. Paul Scholes has been out for three matches and Patrice Evra has been injured.

"These are tests of a squad and it has proved over the last few weeks that our squad is doing the business. Those bench players are now playing a part.

"It is a great break for Wes Brown for instance. It has always been a matter of him keeping fit. But he looks after himself and prepares right and has been fit this season.

"I have no worries about the partnership of him and Rio Ferdinand."

Ferguson was hoping to give Fletcher a reserve run-out on Thursday night but with the squad staying in Italy and flying straight to Portsmouth for Saturday's match at Fratton Park and the injury crisis the Scot has been on the trip after being out since the end of February with knee ligament damage.

Ideally, Louis Saha was set for a reserve comeback as well after a hamstring injury cost him the last five matches but Fergie says he is set for some action in Rome this evening.

Patrice Evra will join United's European travellers in Portsmouth later in the week and will be up for selection on Saturday.

Can United beat Roma even with so many players missing? Have your say.

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Jonathan Chin, Truly Asia (04/04/2007 at 09:25)

Many said we need to score in the Roma home first leg but is pointless if we also unable to keep clean sheet when return to OT. So i wish our team can defend well tonite and dont let them score any goal.

bobbydazzler (04/04/2007 at 09:53)

we can rely on our reserves oshea has shown in recent weeks when he is asked to come in as cover in a defensive situation he holds is own and does a good job. just hope we dont have to bring in the reserves to cover for carrick and scholes .

Fredrik, Sweden (04/04/2007 at 09:59)

I don't think any other team in Europe would cope with having a whole back-line out injured. Neville, Vidic, Silvestre, Evra would walk into almost any team in Europe. Mourinho would go mental if he lost four defenders.

Jaco, South Africa (04/04/2007 at 10:01)

I hope and pray that we will not have to use Darren Fletcher again before the end of the season, and that we can hopefully get rid of him then. He will never be a decent enough player for anything more than a mid table side, he simply lacks the quality and physical power to compete at the top level. Sure he has moments of class, but they are few and far between. Please Fergie, get rid of "the godson"!!!

Fredrik, Sweden (04/04/2007 at 10:03)

It will be very interesting to see Fergie's line-up. He has a very tough decision to make. Either he goes with an unfit player, Saha, or with an unable player, KR, or a combination, any of Smith, Ole or Fletcher. My feeling is that KR will start.

Mick, Dublin (04/04/2007 at 10:26)

That's a great point Fredrik and it's the attitude of playesr like Wes and O'Shea that impresses me more than anything.

Flamini - who is a useful jack of all trades just like J.O'S. - has recently been whinging to the press about how he might be forced out of Arsenal if he's not guranteed more starts for the first-team. And he's only a kid!

I don't think people realise how grateful we should be to have seasoned International footballers like Brown, O'Shea, Silvestre and Fletcher in our squad who are happy to play supportive roles and never once whinge or complain about their relative lack of opportunities.

chris, oxford (04/04/2007 at 10:29)

I'm really beginning to like Jaco's comments! A very sensible man indeed ;-)

Alf For The Devils, Ipswich (04/04/2007 at 11:50)

I doubted our backup players at the start of the season but i have to say except KR the rest of them has really been outstanding when called. As Mick said none of them complained about being second choice especially Heinze who was patient although he ll walk in any team in Europe even Chelsea. Mourinho would have held press conference after press conference if he had to deal with all the injuries we have had all season. For the lost of Terry,Cech and Cole during the season, they shouted the whole season for it blaming those for their poor display. We have had only Rio,Ronaldo,Rooney and Scholes fit the whole season bearing in mind that some of them missed games through suspension.

bobbydazzler (04/04/2007 at 11:51)

mick these seasoned pros are on 2m+ a year and other than wes the others would not be in any kind of demand from any of the top 6 sides.

Paulo (04/04/2007 at 12:09)

I am delighted that Fergie is not complaining about the injuries and instead praising the backup. Imagine Chelsea without Terry, Lampard, Robben and Cech, how good would they be?

Mick, Dublin (04/04/2007 at 12:33)

I'm afraid you're wrong there, Bobby. All of the players I've mentioned below are better than Phil Neville, who is CAPTAIN of the team currently at 7th place in the league.

And please, please, don't start saying we should have held onto him. This message board is very rarely unanimous in it's opinions but EVERYONE wanted rid of him this time last year.

keen bgood (04/04/2007 at 12:42)

Play Fletcher....his running alone will have the players and fans keeling over in laughter.....then we run down and score!!! Tactics....it's so easy!!!

Mick Red, London (04/04/2007 at 13:18)

I think Wess in the middle with Rio is the way forward whilst NV is out injured. Wess has proved himself in that position with Rio beofre. I also think it will be good to see JOS back in at Left/Right Back, where he first started for MU. For all his greatness SAF does have a tendancy to play players out of position, some of which only suffer in form as a result

Mick Red, London (04/04/2007 at 13:25)

Its the midfield that SAF needs to concentrate on. IF Scholes, Giggs, and Carrick are in we can just about handle Fletcher in there with them, otherwise I think our Midfield can look more Red Lion, than Red Devil.
Fletcher, for me lets us down too often with wayward passing. If we play him out wide I think it will limit the damage, but if he is in the middle, we will suffer as a result.

stu, london (04/04/2007 at 13:27)

Mick - excellent (first) post. Absolutely correct, whatever we think of the individuals and their salaries, as a football team we NEED experienced squad-men and top marks to Fergie for always managing to keep them happy.

terry (04/04/2007 at 15:08)

Of course we can...unless we sit back and give away a silly goal. Encouraging to hear Fergie say we must score. Remember those epic matches we finished with 6 or even 7 forwards on the pitch!

bobbydazzler (04/04/2007 at 15:22)

mick i accept your correction oshea would make it as a defender you are right . as a midfielder he is more watford class than top6. and you wont get many match going reds who would concur that fletch is better than p neville. neville is faster harder tackles better passes better more versatile and is head and shoulders better than fletch. it was only last season when he was the mom in midfield at united playing for everton. Im of the opinion that hargreaves is not much better than him either and is certainly not worth 4 times what we sold phil for.

Danny, Wilmslow (04/04/2007 at 16:08)

We hardly new Fletcher was out but we will miss Vidic and the work of Park.Tonight we need to get stuck in to see the fall of Roma would be nice.

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