For better or worse, we start the season the same place we had our most disappointing effort last year. On top of that we had the pre-season prep from hell. On the other hand, we have had, for once, a summer of continuity while United have some big new signings. It will be an interesting test of what value continuity has. This is Pochettino’s make or break year. A squad this young ought to improve markedly from last year. If it doesn’t he’s sure to get the blame and fairly likely to deserve it. I would start Alli with Bentaleb. I’m not at all convinced Dier is a safer choice, and I am convinced that Alli is potentially a better one. Surely Man U don’t want to see him again, which is a great reason to see that they will. It seems clear Walker will start ahead of Trippier. I bet it will be Dembélé Eriksen Chadl. It’s a huge game for Dembélé. He seems to have talked his way into the lineup, but I I think needs to deliver another strong performance against United to keep it from becoming very shaky. I thought the most interesting selection questions for both teams were their keepers, and now neither one will start.
It'll be interesting to see who starts in goal for United. A youth keeper's started all of their friendlies, apparently. His name's Sam Johnstone and he spent most of last season on loan in League One. They signed Sergio Romero in the summer on a free and he's got a lot more experience, but he's yet to get a start for them.
Was disappointed to hear De Gea has been dropped for tomorrow ... he reminds me of berbatov while he was being tapped up ... think we would have had a slightly better chance of a draw with him in the side...he was very poor in his last match
Yes, press ups was the exercise i was thinking. Pretty sure all footballers spend their summers doing copious amounts of press ups* * ****ing
I think that Dembele is being retained in the squad as a slightly more experienced player who will basically slow down the games against high profile opposition and try and help us not get overwhelmed as we did a times last season by keeping hold of the ball, albeit in a fairly tedious, regressive manner. He may well start tomorrow because United will be raring to go at OT and his presence may take the sting out of the game a bit, and we just have to rely on the rest of our players to play around Dembele when we're in possession. I would start Vorm Tripper Alderweireld Verts Rose Alli Bentaleb Dembele Eriksen Chadli Kane
I'd start by having Babymetal play us onto the pitch, which will no doubt freak out the entire Manker team and crowd that we'd be 3-0 up within twenty minutes.
Fate does seem to be presenting us and Dele Alli with a gilt-edged opportunity. We have an especially good prospect who just happens to be able to nutmeg the player we hate most (well, after Charley Adam) during pre-season. The player who would start ahead of him just happens to have a knock. The team he would face just happens to be the one he led the way in mullering last year. Surely we ought to see what fate has in store for us. That's how I'd use Dembélé, anyway. The stronger the team, the more likely I’d be to start him--especially when he’s cost himself a place a couple of times by looking uninspired against lesser opposition.
I would as well. I don't think it will happen though. I expect to see Walker and Dire in there (in midfield)
No wonder you guys underperform. It is down to your negativity. You have a decent side, finished 5th last year and have largely the same squad with fringe players having departed and Toby having arrived. Good luck for tomorrow and I hope you come away with at least a point, Moreover hope you put in more of an effort in the Europa with a focus on winning it, You are not going to win the PL, winning the League Cup is not really an issue, FA Cup who knows. Focus on the PL and Europa. We'll see you in the final if we can see off the Danes who will be highly organised and difficult to play an expansive game against.
I am really not confident about this game and would be content (not happy) with a draw. I think some of you are underestimating your team, this could be a lot closer than many of you think.
It’s an odd game, no two ways about it. I have no idea what to expect. There are so many strange subplots to it. We’re worried because we’ve just completed the worst opening day prep in human history. That could easily doom us or have no effect whatsoever. You have a big turnover from last year, which shouldn’t help, especially when we’ve only added one outfield player, though we’ll change one or two more for this game. Old Trafford was probably our most thoroughly disappointing game of the season, which, again, could hurt or help us a lot. Throw in the silly season stories about Kane, Lloris, de Gea and Di Maria and it gets stranger. I’m hoping we add the ultimate weird factor, in starting the one player to lead his team to a four goal win over Man U last year.
A beautiful Summer morning here in Manchester, not a cloud in the sky and a perfect day to be playing football. COYS
OS Totally agree, it's lovely weather up here. Although the strong sun beating down isn't helping the old hangover. Still, lovely day which will get better when we pick up a good 3points! C.O.Y.S.
Vorm Walker Alderweirled Vertonghen Davies Dier Bentaleb Chadli Dembele Eriksen Kane Dier in midfield appears to be a thing now. Rose apparently has had a knock in training.
I think we can be sure that in the unlikely event of us winning, the pundits will be saying it was down to ManU players being unfamiliar with each other rather than anything we did (in other words ManU lost rather than we won). Complete lack of respect from the pundits as usual, making their usual assumption that Pool will finish higher than us, even though they have only done once in recent seasons.
Dier in midfield ... we get to watch him lumbering around trying to figure out why he there.... it didn't work before why is going to work now... he gives the ball away and is too slow
Not a good team imo...like other have said Dier should not be in midfield and the absences of Rose and Lloris are disappointing...going to be an openning day loss imo
Agreed. A good D.M. either is very quick and agile - he isn't. Or he reads the game extremely well - he doesn't!.
