On Monday, Sir Alex Ferguson will announce his squad for Manchester United's upcoming pre-season tour of the United States of America. Our boys will play five games out there, starting on Wednesday. Pre-Season is a time for experimenting, as well as getting prepared for the new season in a vigorous fitness training regime.
With our new signings, and potential new ones, Sit Alex may aim to restructure the formation of his team. However, I will touch on that in my next article (watch this space).
Now, back to the main subject of this article, who would I take on tour? I am not going to pretend I am better than Sir Alex, or that I should be doing his job, but this is my view, looking from the outside, in.
Obviously, the three or four goalkeepers I would expect Sir Alex to take, is new signing, David De Gea, Tomasz Kuzczak, providing he isn't sold prior to the club's departure for America, which looks unlikely, Anders Lindegaard and youngster Ben Amos.
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Sam Johnstone is way too early in his development yet to be considered for a first team squad place. I can only see Amos coming in the unlikely event of Sir Alex choosing to bring four goalkeepers with him, or if Kuzczak is sold or left out due to a potential departure, with West Brom rumoured to be interested in replacing Scott Carson with either Kuzczak or Robert Green.
Anders Lindegaard has already spoken out of his intentions to impress on the tour, saying that he feels he could be the man to fight with David De Gea for the number one spot at Old Trafford. However, one would think that David De Gea is the new long term goalkeeper, with Lindegaard in back up. I expect De Gea to play most games on the tour, but the other goalies to be given a game or two to impress.
The defence picks it's self really. The defenders that will go, in my opinion, will be: Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Rafael Da Silva, Fabio Da Silva, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and maybe, just maybe, Oliver Gill.
One would suspect the first choice back four of Rafael or Fabio Da Silva, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra to feature prominently. But, with it being pre-season, a time for experimentation, I am sure that Phil Jones and Chris Smalling will be given the opportunity to try and improve their partnership together, something which worked dividends at England's disappointing U21 Championship's this summer. I expect Fabio Da Silva to be played at both left back and right back, and Jonny Evans to be played at left back, as well as centre back, as Sir Alex tries to add some versatility into his game. Oliver Gill will be fortunate to get any more than the odd ten minutes.
Next, the midfield. The most discussed aspect of our team this summer, after the departures of Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes, and, also, Ryan Giggs one year closer to retirement.
However, we will be without Antonio Valenica for most of the tour, with him representing Ecuador at the current Copa America.
With his impending departure, I very much doubt that Darron Gibson will feature in this tour. Surely, it depends on how close Sir Alex feels he is to the exit door at Old Trafford.
One player who I feel needs a good pre-season is Anderson, and I feel he will be experimented in a number of different roles in the centre of midfield.
He will be accompanied, surely, by: Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, Tom Cleverley, Park, Ashley Young and Nani, providing rumours of a swap deal with Wesley Sneijder aren't true.
Then, you have the likes of Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison who are tipped as the starts of the future at United. But, it remains to be seen whether Sir Alex feels that they are good enough for the first team, at this current moment in time. They have a chance of going, but it, in my opinion, is not a big one.
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You also have Gabriel Obertan, who has been tipped by many to leave the club. I feel that if he is given the chance to fly to America with the rest of the squad, it will be his last chance to impress Sir Alex, having been disappointing since his £3m move from Bordeaux in the summer of 2009.
Phil Jones can also play defensive midfielder, providing cover for the likes of Fletcher and Carrick, and he surely, will be given the opportunity to impress on tour in that position, as well as centre back.
It's hard to say what our midfield will be for the games, apart from Young, Nani and Park on the wings, as speculation is rife that in the next few days Sir Alex will swoop for at least one central midfielder, with the most likely being Samir Nasri of Arsenal and/or Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan.
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However, one player who is sure to be backup, Tom Cleverley. I'm sure you all know enough about him.
Lastly, you have Danny Drinkwater, Matty James and Oliver Norwood. I have to admit, these are players I have not seen much of, though it would not surprise me should they be left out of the squad.
And finally, our striking department. A position Sir Alex is spoilt in, in terms of quantity, but, as yet, not entirely in quality. Of course, you have Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov who are world class.
But then you have Michael Owen, who is arguably 'past it', and Danny Welbeck, Federico Macheda, Mame Biram Diouf and Joshua King.
Talks appear to have broken down between United and Borrusia Mochengladbach over the loan signing of Joshua King, so, for now, it appears he is staying with us. But, is he United standard? Some may argue that he is not - yet.
The general consensus amongst most United fans is that this next season, whether he spends it out on loan or at United, is make-or-break for Federico Macheda. A player who arrived on the scene with a stunning, last minute winner in front of the Stretford End against Villa, hasn't really shown much since. Perhaps impressing out on loan would be more beneficial in telling Ferguson he is good enough for United, but after the tour.
Danny Welbeck has a real chance of making it at Old Trafford, and should Berbatov leave, then he is sure to feature more prominently. He really impressed Sir Alex out on loan last season, and he seems keen to retain his services for next season.
The jury is out on Diouf for me, I feel he could leave this summer, whether it be on loan or permanently.
So, I expect Rooney and Berbatov to start until Chicharito returns from his extended break, after his excursions for Mexico in winning the Gold Cup.
And for Welbeck and Macheda to still be given a fair oppurtunity to impress, much like last year. Though, the amount of appearances they make depend entirely on how much longer Berbatov remains at the club for.
So, I don't expect to be 100% correct, this is my predicted squad for the tour:
Goalkeepers
David De Gea
Anders Lindegaard
Ben Amos and/or Tomasz Kuzczak
Defenders
Rafael Da Silva
Nemanja Vidic
Rio Ferdinand
Patrice Evra
Fabio Da Silva
Jonny Evans
Chris Smalling
Phil Jones
Oliver Gill (maybe)
Midfielders
Anderson
Tom Cleverley
Darren Fletcher
Michael Carrick
Nani
Ashley Young
Park Ji Sung
Ryan Giggs
Paul Pogba (maybe)
Ravel Morrison (maybe)
Expect a new signing or two, too.
Strikers
Wayne Rooney
Dimitar Berbatov
Javier Hernandez
Danny Welbeck
Federico Macheda
Michael Owen
Josh King (maybe)
Mame Biram Diouf (maybe)
Possible New Signings
Samir Nasri (likely)
Welsey Sneijder (likely)
A new versatile defender (unlikely)
Moussa Sissokho (unlikely)
Yann M'Vila (unlikely)
A new youngster/wonderkid (You never know with SAF)
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