Your Day One Starting XI against Leicester

For me:

De Gea

Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Shaw

Pereira, Matic, Ander

Mata, Lukaku, Alexis

I think Jose has no choice but to throw Lukaku in from the start. Martial’s future will be hanging in the balance until the window closes and Jose will not play him. Fred will be given a couple of games on the bench first to ease through and Pogba will start the season on the bench as well.

What’s yours? Assuming we are not signing anyone

I keep seeing people putting Fred in this starting line up but he hasn’t played for months has he? Has he even started pre season yet?

Martial for Lukaku and thats will be the team. When the full squad is available i'd like to see:

-------------------------De Gea-----------------------
Valencia-----Bailly-------Smalling--Young
--------------------------Matic------------------------
---------------Fred------------------Pogba---------
-------------------------Sánchez---------------------
----------Lukaku---------------------Martial------

Thats what i think hoping smalling gets sold lol

I don't see why Rashford can't start. He'll need less rest than Lukaku as he barely played.
Alexis up front and Rashford wide I expect.

I'd play Sanchez on the right and Rashford on the left and Martial in the centre. If he wants to leave, he can showcase himself, if he wants to stay he can prove himself and if he wants to sulk, well he can sign his own death warrant, as it's another year on the bench for him. I'd also start Lindelof instead of Smalling, he did well at the WC, maybe he can carry on that good form for us?


As soon as everyone is fit though, i'd like to try the below;

DDG
Dalot Bailly Lindelof Shaw
Fred Matic Pogba
Sanchez Lukaku Martial

Give this side a 5-6 game run, see if they can gel.

Those midfields look completely toothless. Fred has to play, definitely. Besides Pogba, he's the only who isn't gonna play le safe horizontal pass. He can't be on the bench.

If no-one else arrives:

DDG
Valencia Bailly Lindelof Shaw
Matic
A Pereira Fred
Mata
Sanchez Martial

This is what I hope for if like Mourinho said the players who reached the latter stages of world cup miss the first game. ​

haha lol

De Gea
Valencia Smaling Bailly Shaw

Fred Matic Herrera

Mata Martial Sanchez

That is strong enough to win us first 2 games, vs Spurs Pogba for Herrera and Lukaku for Mata and we are good.

Only two games into pre season, but Mourinho hasnt done anything to suggest he will start with a diamond. The two games we have played have both been a 433. Hopefully he does experiment with different systems, though.

Thats not really a diamond, thats more a 433 with Sanchez as a false 9.We played that system against Spurs in the fa cup final, with Lingard as a false 9.

You mean Chelsea? You're right, but it's not something we've experimented on tour so far. Certainly a 433 in that format anyway.

Realistically with what we've got right now....

DDG

Valencia---Smalling---Bailly---Shaw
Matic
Fred-------Herrea
Mata------Martial-----Alexis

We have better options than Rashford.

I remember reading quotes last week about how he plans to start Martial as striker so I doubt Lukaku will be a starter.

From the sounds of things none of the players who made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup will start the first couple of games. That doesn't really leave us with all that many options.

de Gea
Valencia* Bailly Smalling Shaw
Matic
Herrera Fred
Mata Martial Sanchez
​

*Darmian if he's injured

Think Fred starts straight away.

De Gea

Bailly Smalling Jones Shaw

Pereira Matic Herrera Mata

Sanchez Martial


Edit: to be clear. That’s what I want. Not what I expect to see.​

Why do you want Bailly at RB and Mata on the left?

Because Bailly played RB a lot at Villarreal, and has looked good there when he’s played for us. Has all the attributes. And I like balanced teams. I know a left footed left midfielder is terribly old fashioned, but I think it works. Everything is inverted these days.

Why would you not want Mata to come inside though?

DDG

Darmian---Smalling----Jones----Young

Mata----Matic----Herrera

Pereira------Sanchez------Martial

​

It's not exactly inspiring. I reckon Carrick will need to dig out some boots and get a game at this rate.

Because I like wide players that can stay wide and swing in crosses on their natural foot. You can still come inside. Giggs would do it all the time.

Dont think Mata is going to get away from anyone down the line though...

But he can still put great outswinging balls into the box. Doesn’t always have to do it from the byline.

You are severely limiting him though.

DDG
Darmian Bailly Smalling Shaw
Matic
Herrera Pereira
Mata Martial Sanchez

Can't see it being anything apart from this to be honest.

Fred and Dalot both injured it seems so will be eased in.

Rashford and Jones could maybe make the bench after not playing too much in the world cup. I'm hoping for Lindelof to come in for Smalling, but again depends on how much rest he needs.

The bench should be quite interesting for that first game. You'd expect Chong to make the bench unless we get any more bodies through the door.

We'd get terrorised down that left flank. No chance of Mata staying with a quick full back so Shaw would be defending 2v1 most of the game.

Also Bailly would have pretty much zero attacking input behind a player that also isn't the quickest.

Would look a lot better in a diamond

Matic
Pereira Herrera
Mata

If we don’t make signings and Valencia and Matic are out (is dalot out too?) then (lukaku being rested?)

De gea

Young
Bailly
Lindelof
Shaw

Pereira
Fred
Pogba

Mata
Martial
Sanchez

Very little chance Pogba or Young play.

Think Pogba and Young will go straight in regardless of preparation so expecting something like:

De Gea
Young Smalling Bailly Shaw
Pereira
Herrera Pogba
Mata Sanchez Martial​

De Gea

Darmian
Bailly
Smalling
Shaw

Herrera
Matic
McTominay

Mata
Alexis
Martial

If Darmian is sold by the start of the season, I'd say TFM could get the starting spot at the RB.
If Matic is not available - Pereira.

Pereira

If our England subs like Rashford are out I hope vardy is out too. Also is Maguire available for them or us?

And some people are moaning we finished 2nd last season, just look at this team Darmian and Shaw would struggle to get into Watford XI while McTominay is a championship level player at best.

Midfield should be Fred, Herrera and Pereira.

It's a good point - if we're going to be missing Lingard, Rashford, Pogba, Lukaku etc, Leicester should also be missing Maguire and Vardy??