F365 : How the Big Four will line up?

MANYOO
Nobody outside the inner sanctum of the manager's office at Old Trafford can be sure of how Sir Alex Ferguson intends to deploy his troops during the forthcoming campaign. It is a puzzlement that Sir Alex will relish - the crux of this summer's strategy was a desire to add variety to his vast squad. If his rivals are unable to forecast his intentions then all the better. Sir's only problem will be how to accommodate his mammoth squad - the official club site identifies a total of 39 players comprising the first-team party.

Of the four major summer signings, only Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez (pending resolution of his interminable transfer) offer short-term relevancy. Nani and Anderson will feature infrequently, with a paternal Ferguson introducing the two youngsters to the hurly-burly Premiership on a gradual basis ahead of their succession to the roles occupied by Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Behind an attacking trio of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez that will have the Old Trafford faithful salivating,.....

CHELSKI
Their fingers burnt once too often, Fleet Street have stopped listening to Jose Mourinho's public pronouncements. On July 16, The Times assured readers that Chelski would employ a 4-2-3-1 formation this season while, on the same day, The Independent prophesised a 4-1-4-1 and The Guardian proposed a 4 3-3. What made the contradiction all the more ridiculous was its timing; just a day earlier, Mourinho himself had revealed an altogether different blueprint for 2007/08.

"I want better results and to be more entertaining. I hope not to play with the diamond unless I need to do it for some reason," the Chelski boss announced. "I have so many good midfield players I can do it, but basically we want to play with wingers. We will work our 4-3-3 with wingers, of course, and we will change our 4-4-2 with a diamond to a 4-4-2 with wingers."

If - and it remains a considerable 'if' based on his previous dealings with honesty - Mourinho is true to his word.....

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