Match Day Thread Europa League Final

Seems inappropriate to post this really but the match is going ahead so we should get ready for it.

Big match, obviously. Biggest in Mourinho's career? Definitely. He wins this and he gets to carry on and, hopefully, build a team to compete in the league and champions league. If he doesn't he fully deserves everything that will come his way.

The selection on Sunday gives and indication of who will play a full part and a bit part.

I expect the following team and if this side is picked I expect us to win;

Romero
Valencia
Smalling
Blind
Darmian
Herrera
Pogba
Mata (please be Mata and not the expected Fellaini. Please!)
Martial
Rashford
Mhkitaryan.

Could well be Mata plays off the right, Mhky off the left and Fellaini instead of Mata in midfield.

Subs; Jones, Rooney, Lingard, Martial/Mata/Fellaini, De Gea, Tuanzebe, Fosu Mensah.

Is Young definitely out?

Anyway, hopefully yesterday can give even more incentive to win, rather than having a detrimental effect.

 

Is Carrick banned/injured?

He'll at least be a sub.

Fellaini will start imo.

 

No, he's not injured. He played the second half on Sunday.

You are right, he'll be among the subs. Just an oversight on my part.

I also agree Fellaini will play, I say Mata in hope rather than expectation.

 

LMAO! LOOOL

 

There's been a suicide bomb in Manchester. Lots of children killed so no, it's not a LMAO moment.

 

I've not seen enough of Ajax to know what sort of system they play, whether we need to contain them or whether we can just turn up and run the show. I'd imagine Jose will play it tight in the first 45, they'll come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders no doubt as that worked quite well for Vigo at OT.

With that in mind, I'd say Fellaini starts to bully the CM free up space for Pogba to create.

Agree with your front three, at least I hope he plays them, the pace of those three is our biggest asset.

 

WTF

 

Got to assume he didn't know what I was referring to.

 

I remember playing Ajax 2 years ago in the Champions League, and we did have the better of the play and chances in both games, but we ended up losing in Amsterdam through not being clinical enough. Which ultimately stopped us getting out of the group.

I do believe our players are technically superior to theirs, so I think we'll dominate the game. It's just a case of wether we can be clinical enough when the chances come. Our lack of composure infront of goal really does worry me. We dominated Anderlecht and Celta Vigo for most of the 2 games, yet we still found ourselves riding our luck at the end, when we should have strolled through in both matches.

So I wouldn't be suprised to see us control most of the game, yet still be going into extra time at 1-1. It could go either way from that point.

I think we all just know, with the way things have gone this season that this game is going to be in the balance right to the very end.

 

Fellaini will definitely start and chase shadows til he gets booked and / or sent off.

 

The Special One One.

 

Well we wouldn't even be in the competition if it wasn't for Fellaini's header, so I think people should give him abit more credit

 

Apart from the absent Ibra, and De Gea on the bench, is that the strongest United team available? I thought you guys had spunked a shed load of money in the transfer market, but that team looks a long way behind Chelsea's best starting 11, let alone Real, Bayern or Juve.

 

No, it isn't.

Of that back five I would say one is a first choice and even he is a right winger converted to full back.

Defence is integral to absolutely everything and there is no doubt it needs addressing, which had been discussed at length on other threads. Mourinho himself 'spunked an absolute shed load' on three players.

Two are playing, one is suspended. His other signing is injured and was a free transfer.

 

We definitely need to sort the defence out, as I think part of the reason we are playing negative is to protect the back 4.

A lot of the problems are down to players always getting injured and not being able to form partnerships. If all fit then I think Valencia, Bailly, Smalling and Shaw could be a good back 4 for next season. We could always buy another right back, but I think Valencia has done well there. Replacing Smalling is also an option, but I think if he plays every week his form would improve.

 

Can you see United adopting a back 3 a la Juve and Chelsea?

 

Anyone going to the game?

 

Its not a back 3, it's a back 5 Chelsea play. Juve have played more with a back 4 this season though, they don't always play with 5 at the back.

I doubt we will adopt that system even though it seems to be the thing at the moment. I don't think we have the right players in midfield to do that. I think you need 2 wrecking ball type players in midfield like Chelsea have. Pogba who we've spent all this money on is not suited to that role, neither is Herrera. I think they are better with an anchorman in midfield sat behind them, like Carrick does for them.

 

Ah, Carrick!! An underrated player. He must be at least 35!! In days of old a player like that would have dropped down a division to guide a team to promotion the following season. Someone like Sheffield Wednesday could do with him to guide them to promotion so you can renew your trans-Pennine rivalry again.

As good as Bournemouth might be, it does not have quite the same sense of intensity as Manchester United v Sheffield Wednesday in the future (hopefully)

 

I still think Carrick can do a job, as he's always relied on skill and intelligence rather than any physical attributes. He doesn't need to be quicker, stronger, and have more energy than his opponents to get the better of them. That's the reason he and Scholes could play on well into their 30s to a very high level. So I'm happy for him to stay.

Sheffield Wednesday are a big name, but so are half a dozen others who are in that division. Leeds, Notts Forest to name a couple others.