please log in to view this image Monday 27th August 8pm Premier League Old Trafford Our first home match is out of the way and the Fulham club didn't offer as stern a test this time. Two wins from two games is a nice start, as we lead into a long Bank Holiday weekend. A trip away from the capital will be in a lot of people's plans for this one. Let's hope that it's a little more fruitful than most of our recent journeys to Manchester. There's a lot of focus on the red side of the city in question at the moment. We've all generally come to expect that, but during the Ferguson era it was more positive than not. It certainly isn't now, as Mourinho's facing pressure very early on in the campaign, for some reason. How much of it is down to his own failings and how much is down to others at the club? It's hard to tell to us outsiders, but I've no doubt that the success of their noisy neighbours isn't helping. City have come to expect success and flair under Guardiola, while United struggle to match them for either. The title headed back to The Etihad last season, as Old Trafford just missed out on hosting the FA Cup. One side cantered to victory in style, while the other ground out 2nd place in two competitions. That seemed to cast a shadow over the summer transfer window, too. Targets seemed to be set and missed, time and again. Is this the feted 3rd Season Syndrome that appears to have dogged The former Special One throughout his career? Is it just a distraction and media games? Headlines need to be written about something, after all. Truth be told, a single loss to Brighton will not define their season, nor should it. We're still facing a formidable side with a lot of dangerous options, regardless. This fixture in the last campaign had some similarities. Utd had just had their first loss of the season and it was to one of the sides promoted that year. Huddersfield sprung a surprise, denting the run which had seen the two Manchester sides going toe-to-toe. Mourinho was determined not to pick up another dent and the game was largely devoid of action until late. Anthony Martial came off the bench to grab the only goal of a fairly forgettable encounter: The game at Wembley was a far more lively affair, as it sprung to life from the kick-off. Christian Eriksen fired us into the lead with barely ten seconds on the clock, stunning the visitors. Utd reacted angrily to going behind so quickly and made a number of dangerous attacks in response. The game became quite end-to-end, until Phil Jones deflected a Kieran Trippier cross into his own net. It seemed to break their spirit and they rarely threatened after that: It's too early for updated injury news, but both sides have some issues. Janssen, Wanyama, Carter-Vickers, Foyth and Onomah are likely to be absent for us and Son is still away. Dalot, Matic, Rojo, Romero and Valencia are probably out for Utd, while Shaw and Sanchez are doubts. Neither side has any suspensions. Lineups for each side's last league game: Spurs: Lloris; Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen; Trippier, Dier, Davies; Moura, Eriksen, Alli; Kane. Subs: Vorm, Aurier, Rose, Dembele, Sissoko, Winks, Lamela. Man Utd: De Gea; Young, Bailly, Lindelof, Shaw; Fred, Pereira, Pogba; Mata, Lukaku, Martial. Subs: Grant, Smalling, McTominay, Herrera, Fellaini, Lingard, Rashford. Referee: Craig Pawson. TV: Sky Sports. We started and finished impressively against Fulham, but which of the two systems should we use for this? Did anyone do enough from the bench to stake a claim for a starting place? Should our bench change at all? Does anyone deserve to be there that missed out?
Hugo Toby, Dave, Jan Tripps, Dier, Eriksen, Rose Lucas, Alli Kane Just the one change for me, Rose in for Davies. Think a bit of pace could be ideal down both flanks as Utd will no doubt sit back for 80 or so mins and seeing as Lucas drifts to the right, we’ll have him there and Rose for the left. Have a bad feeling Poch will play Aurier though Dembele and Lamela to hopefully have another similar impact from the bench if required.
Toby has to start every game possible now. Sanchez has played plenty of football over the last year so a spell on the bench will do him good.
I want Pochettino to go for busparquet in this one. The style of play is irrelevant, only the win matters. The pressure is on Jose now. Before this game, Citeh may well have mashed Wolves. Making the OT crowd as toxic as possible by frustrating the on-pitch play would be perfect.
I would start as we started v Fulham, but bring on Dembele and Lamela at HT and go four at the back then, i.e. come out with all guns firing for the second half, not fall asleep and concede.
Not sure about that. Even if not scoring, dominating a game does give the crowd something to support. But if you take the game to them, early on, that might be the best way to destabilize an already rocking ship.
I'm expecting we'll be rotating Verts/Toby/Sanchez quite a bit in the early going this season, since Verts has played the most football of the three of them since the turn of the year so will need to be rested if and when he can. That's what happened when we beat them last season: Eriksen scored from kick-off, and once we were 2-0 up on half an hour Steptonho had no idea what to do as he'd have to tell his players to...to...what's the opposite of defend while getting away with a long list of niggly fouls?
Jose will be conflicted between his natural instinct to repeat the game last season, and to "show" the world that he can play "attacking football" like messiah Pep and klipperty Klopp. A Spurs formation that repeats the Dortmund Wembley game will suffice. Ceding possession to frustrate, but not being dominated in MF. The rest : in the OT crowd I trust.
That would be a tempting option. This is just the kind of game we've let slip in the past, and the Juve game summed them all up. Play excellent football and dominate play, only to let a lack of focus for a brief period do us in. I'm encouraged that Pochettino and the players seem to be taking a sterner approach this year. Pochettino said something to the effect that this game would go a long way towards determining if we're contenders for a big trophy this year, and I agree. Man U's 4-3-3 against Brighton was an absolute disaster, so I doubt we'll see either it or other attacking tactics Monday. Mourinho will go back, I think, to what he trusts most. Something a little different from us seems appropriate. Whichever side keeps their focus better should win.
Hopefully the win away at Chelsea last season has given them confidence to end the run of 4 straight defeats at Old Trafford.
In light of Hugo’s utterly stupid decision to drink drive, I think we may be seeing Vorm between the sticks on Monday.
I remember when fergie used to do his pre match team talk and said it's only tottenham well we should be thinking along them lines manure are there for the taking if we are on our A game. COYS
Are you ruling out Gazza? I've been mightily impressed with his performances and think he needs to start getting more opportunities. Appreciate we will lose MV's experience on the pitch but will be a great test of nerve for the young man.
No, not at all. But Vorm has always been second choice and Gazza has rarely featured for us. Just presumed it’s more likely to be MV.
I'm a big fan of MV - his professionalism and attitude are first rate and he has never let us down. I guess I'm just concerned that if Gazza is being lined up as the long term option then we need to start increasing his experience. This would be a baptism of fire, but would certainly be a good indicator of where he's at!!
