After the shambles of Everton, do we give ourselves any realistic chance? Well, we're at home and it's City so the answer should be yes, course we do. Spurs and Arsenal losing and Chelsea only drawing means there is still the incentive of finishing fourth, which gives the summer recruitment a bit of impetus and boost. Plus, we are 6-1 to win. At home, just to win. Incentive enough for anyone surely. I reckon of we don't lose there's a good chance we then win the remaining three games and scrape fourth. We could of course get battered so **** knows.
No KDB for City? And do we have Shaw back. I've not checked either of those. Our biggest problem defensively (and there are many) will be B. Silva and Sterling/Sane down each flank. I know our CBs get grief and rightly so, but our makeshift full-backs are just a liability atm. I imagine Ole will set us up to play on the counter, but I think that may result in us being pinned back for most of the game with no out-ball. Spurs opened up City and we created chances against Barca but couldn't finish. If we get forward anything is possible but we've scored no goals from open play in our last 4 games. I can't see that continuing surely, so maybe this is the game. Hoping for at least a score draw.
Shaw is back, yes. Could perhaps have him and Dalot as wing backs and go with three centre halves? Ultra defensive but we'll need to be most of the time. Be good to have Herrera back in midfield if possible, then just go with pace up front. Team could be; De Gea Dalot Lindelof Smalling Jones Shaw McTominay (or Matic) Herrera Pogba Martial Rashford Fingers very much crossed!!
I wish you the best of luck................................................... ...................tomorrow
It'll be a decent game, even if there's a good chance it will be a rugby score to City. If you se the name Lukaku on the teamsheet, we're ****ed.
The downside of playing 2 wingbacks, I can see it resulting in us being pinned back as a back 5. Would it be better to play 4-2-3-1?
That's easier said than done when you're up against B. Silva and Sterling on either wing, especially if you have Pogba going missing in midfield. I think we may have a better chance of going at them if we play with a stronger midfield. -------------------------DDG Dalot-------Lindelof--------Smalling--------Shaw ---------------Herrera/McT----Pogba------------ Lingard----------------Mata--------------- Martial ------------------------Rashford---------------------- ???
As long as Lukaku is stood on the right wing whipping crosses into Rashford and Lingard then it should be sweet.
It's not easy but the only way to get at them, you don't allow them any time on the ball and be aggressive in trying to win the ball. Sitting back and defending is no use.
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Well yeh that applies whatever way we set up. In the first 10 mins against Barca we pressed high up and caused them problems, but just couldn't make the most of it. We are more than capable but need to get our shooting boots back on.
One the face of it this should work, it just never did when Mourinho was trying this formation. Was during the dark days of Pogba playing in a more withdrawn role. Not that him playing further forward has lightened those days up very much to be fair. I think Dalot is more exposed as an actual right back, rather than a wing back, if you know what I mean. I don't think he's defensively savvy enough as an out an out right back yet.
It requires discipline but that 3 man midfield Herrera/McT, Pogba and Mata can be very fluid and allows any two to go forward or defend when need be. One I can see what you mean with Dalot, especially with Sterling running at him and linking up with D Silva, Aguero, Gundogan. It just goes to show whichever way we set up, we're going to be vulnerable either in midfield or defensively.
Ole's in serious danger of drowning in nostalgia - he's even got the squad training at the Cliff today - move on man, this is what did for the likes of Rogers and other managers who try and hanker after the past - by all means set some standards, set some red lines, but move on and shape a team for today.
I think that's hard to do when they're not your players. I guess it's his way of trying to instil some sense of United in players he has taken over. I believe he will find the right balance between moving forward and keeping United's ethos when it's his players.