I know what you're all thinking, easy win right? Yeh baby! And will Hojlund start or come off the bench? Shaw is injured for a while so not sure who will play there - Dalot probably
I believe Hojlund is scheduled in for full training next week. He may not even be ready until after the internationals break. ETH was really critical of the players yesterday. Good for him! He was particularly critical of the front three of Rashford, Antony and Garnacho. In a way, I squarely blame thee manager for picking the three of them to play together again after that first week’s performance. Garnacho especially should have been returned to the bench to learn some key lessons about making smart choices when he has the ball. On the front three, what has been killing us for far too long is the lack of width in the team. The right is especially wasted with no runs at the left backs and no pressure down the flank. If we don’t fix that width problem, it will ultimately affect Hojlund’s opportunities to score goals.
No Hojlund. Martial...fcking great Hopefully I've reverse jinxed that useless **** and he bags a brace or something... but I doubt it. Miserable moping prick that he is.
On Martial’s good day, I’d rather have him up front to Rashford. He is less wasteful and has better linkup play. Those qualities are what has sustained Martial through so many managers. Though a moody pig who is always injured, his qualities of ball to feet and bringing in other players from the front are not currently there in the team.
It will be good to see Dan Gore today. He's a decent player with lots of energy and always wants the ball. Hopefully we get a good first 60minutes to see some of Gore and Alvaro Fernandez.
WOOW! What a crazy goal against the run of play for Forrest! From our corner to a goal for Forrest. WTF?!
Crazy scoreline from sleeping players. But we are starting to put passes together. Forrest won't be opening their backline though. So we have to be aggressive across the frontline. The middle will be crowded too so we need to stretch them. 91% of the possession so far... Mad game!
Onana should have done better for that first goal. It was clear from the halfway line that the defenders had lost their shape as Awoniyi was starting to run toward the goal. He stayed rooted in the back because he wasn't sure if he should come out or stay. Ultimately he stayed and Awoniyi lost the defenders and found space for the goal even as Onana tried to spread himself. Unbelievable start!
We need to be attacking from both flanks. That is exactly what Rashford did. Stretch them from the flanks and they will lose their compact shape in the middle. We need that type of intensity on the right as well. Bruno has been pulling good strings too and has forced two good saves so far from the keeper. We need the next goal and start the game properly.
Amazing tackle from AWD. Antony and Casemiro just allowed the Forrest player to go through them. It is pouring with rain as well. What a game so far!
CLOSE!! Casemiro should have put that into the net. Good corner from Bruno with Forrest all confused and the ball moving fast toward Casemiro, he could only head it away from goal.
We are literally cutting Forrest open with opportunities here but no one to take them. AWD is combining well on the right but Antony is still largely slowing play down. AWD has had few good runs on that right into Forrest box but nothing has come of it so far because we need more speed and intensity.
We are so clunky inside the 18. We get the ball in there and we somehow get crowded out of possession. The game has slowed down for now into the end of the first half. The team needs to go into the second half with fast start and attack that right hand side which has been open but less exploited by our players. Aurier is also on a yellow card which means Rashford can really go for it now on the left.
