Beware El Submarino Amarillo

By: Simon James | September 16th, 2008

Manchester United versus Villarreal CF, Wednesday September 16th 1945 BST

Well, you learn something new everyday. Apparently, Villarreall’s nickname is El Submarino Amarillo (The Yellow Submarine)! I’m not going to go all tabloid and start coming up cheesy headlines to do with ’sinking’ the submarine, Berbatov scoring with ‘depth charges’ or a spurious link to the Yellow Submarine being inspired by a long and heavy association with mind-altering drugs. Oh no, I’m far too professional than that.

Ahem.

It looks like we are struggling a little in midfield after a bruising encounter with Liverpool. Carrick is definitely out, Scholes suspended (the senseless Zenit sending off) and Ronaldo increasingly unlikely to feature. Couple this with Evra being doubtful through a late discovered concussion (got sick on the team coach!), O’Shea is likely to feature on the left side of defence. Let’s hope that Hargreaves is fully fit as otherwise this will allow us only to choose from the relatively odd group of Fletcher, Nani, Anderson, Giggs and Park. However, an option could be to hand the young Fabio da Silva his début at left back and bring O’Shea into central midfield with Fletcher or Anderson….whatever the pairing, it sounds like a bit of a patch up job, lets hope Hargreaves is fit.

Up front, Rooney will face Villarreal three years after he was sent off against them for mouthing off to the ref. Rooney says, regarding the incident, “It was a reality check for me. It was a ridiculous thing to do. That was a big turning point for me. I have learned from that. I made sure I did.” Is it me or is he beginning to talk like Fergie? Berbatov and Tevez are also fit and ready, so we have an abundance of riches in the forward line. Will we go with 3 up front? Well, Fergie went for it away at Liverpool so maybe he likes that formation. Personally, I don’t believe the 4-3-3 formation particularly suits us as it commits too many men forward when we are defending leaving us vulnerable as well as making less likely to break quickly with numbers.

The final question is whether VdS starts? Fergie is pretty loyal to his players so I expect so, However Kusczak or Foster will be available, the former probably potentially getting the nod after his contract extension this week.

Villarreal are a strong side coming to the game with a win and a draw in La Liga. Former United target Senna will start after an excellent Euro 2008 with Spain. Their wide players will be dangerous, not just from the usual strange-footed Robert Pires (could be out injured) but also the lively full back pair of Javi Venta and Capdevila. The Argentine Ariel Ibagaza will play a free role in the centre of a five man midfield and United’s success in defence will be much to do with stifling his creativity, especially playing in the wingers and full backs.

Villarreal are certainly no pushovers and United will struggle if they lack fight and a cutting edge as they did on Saturday as Villarreal are flying with confidence after finishing second in La Liga last year, their highest position ever. Composure is needed in the early stages and maintenance of possession. A few shots on goal might help too, we only had two on target on Saturday and only 3 off, which is clearly not good enough. Overall I think United will win but it will be an edgy 2-1 affair whilst we are still finding our feet this season.