[Brophs]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Retweeted by Adam Crafton, so there might be something in it.

 

[Red Devil BB]

Mata v Eriksen
Rooney v Kane
De Gea v Lloris

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Retweeted by Adam Crafton, so there might be something in it.

Where does this guy get his info, he's right more often than not, no?

 

[bosnian_red]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Retweeted by Adam Crafton, so there might be something in it.

Great news. Anyone on the RN forum who can say what this news is?
My guess is (depending on Rojo and Shaw being fit or not):

De Gea
Rafael Smalling Jones/Rojo Shaw/Blind
Carrick Herrera
Mata Fellaini Young
Rooney
​

Though obviously I'd prefer Januzaj in for Fellaini with Mata behind Rooney.

 

[U99ted]

De Gea
Rafael Smalling Rojo Shaw
Januzaj Carrick Blind Young
Mata
Rooney

Maybe you can take out Blind/Carrick/Mata/Januzaj for Herrera (& rearrange accordingly), but that team should beat them. Just play actual football for 90 minutes and no hoofball to Fellaini please.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

So Rooney starts

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[DomesticTadpole]

So Rooney starts

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

I would have thought that was a given, so are we going to blame a child if we lose?

 

[Vooon]

When looking at the table we really can't afford to not win this match if we're to keep a grip around a top four spot. It's like a nine-pointer regarding keeping Tottenham off our back for the rest of the season, and Liverpool might just lose against Swansea on Monday. If City continue to wobble and we can find a bit of form we might even compete for second.

Although I have a feeling my optimism might come back and punch me in the guts tomorrow.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

When looking at the table we really can't afford to not win this match if we're to keep a grip around a top four spot. It's like a nine-pointer regarding keeping Tottenham off our back for the rest of the season, and Liverpool might just lose against Swansea on Monday. If City continue to wobble and we can find a bit of form we might even compete for second.

Although I have a feeling my optimism might come back and punch me in the guts tomorrow.

LvG is going to have to show some courage tomorrow and go for the win, a draw just isn't an option.

 

[gooDevil]

Here is a look at how we've fared this season against the current top 7 teams:

United 1-1 Chelsea
City 1-0 United
Arsenal 1-2 United
Southampton 1-2 United
United 3-0 Liverpool
United 0-0 Spurs
United 0-1 Southampton

Could someone with a better memory tell me the formations we played in these games?

Chelsea was 4141 iirc, City the game. Were we in 352 for those three wins or was that after we gave it up?

 

[iammemphis]

Not looking forward to this game. 1-1 draw im guessing, after going 1-0 down too

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Could someone with a better memory tell me the formations we played in these games?

Chelsea was 4141 iirc, City the game. Were we in 352 for those three wins or was that after we gave it up?

Yeah, you're spot on. Played 3-5-2 in all those wins.

 

[Blue always red]

Top 4 is within our own hands. A loss tomorrow means we need other results to go our way. A must win.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Top 4 is within our own hands. A loss tomorrow means we need other results to go our way. A must win.

We have to take advantage of the situation. We have been given a chance here for a real confidence booster.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

----------------------DDG--------------------
Rafael------Jones--------Smalling------Rojo
--------------Fellaini------Carrick------------
Valencia-------------Mata-------------Young
---------------------Rooney------------------

No chance of Mata, and Herrera starting together imo.

 

[mswiss]

.

I actually quite like this. Not sure we'll see it tomorrow, but I think it could be really good.

 

[Devil may care]

I wonder if Mata will just play in the role Di Maria has been playing, if we put him central with Carrick and Fellaini we'll have a midfield so slow and devoid of athleticism time may just stop altogether.

 

[Barney]

See a lot of people putting Rafael in their teams. Is he likely to start, then?

 

[prarek]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Retweeted by Adam Crafton, so there might be something in it.

How reliable is this?

 

[Red Devil BB]

See a lot of people putting Rafael in their teams. Is he likely to start, then?

Hard to tell. LVG praised Valencia after Arsenal game and praised Rafael after under 21 game. Maybe both will start.

 

[caisenma]

Can I politely ask why the feck anyone would put Valencia into this lineup in any given scenario?

 

[Red Devil BB]

Can I politely ask why the feck anyone would put Valencia into this lineup in any given scenario?

Been one of our best players this season in my opinion. That's my reason. I don't judge him on one mistake.

 

[SonnyTheHaloPro]

Can I politely ask why the feck anyone would put Valencia into this lineup in any given scenario?

Valencia is doing the best he can right now, yes he made a incredibly stupid mistake that most 12 year olds probably wouldn't make with that pass, but obviously when the manager makes you pass the ball to your goalkeeper countless times every game, then mistakes like that are going to happen eventually.

 

[Red Devil BB]

I think the reason our team has made so many defensive errors this season is because we are having so much possession in our own third and middle third. Other teams who dominate possession spend a lot more time in middle third and final third, so if a players makes a mistake, it is not classed as a defensive error, just loss of possession. Our midfielders and defenders have so much of the ball, mistakes are going to be more common.

 

[bosnian_red]

See a lot of people putting Rafael in their teams. Is he likely to start, then?

Scored vs Spurs in the u21 game and Van Gaal talked about him how well he played and how he got his confidence back because of it (and said at the same time how it probably backfired with Falcao pretty much). So yeah, hopefully at least. Though Valencia has been solid for the most part, he's just not as good as Rafa at his best.

 

[caisenma]

Been one of our best players this season in my opinion. That's my reason. I don't judge him on one mistake.

Neither do I, but if Valencia has been one of our best players that is a damning indictment on our season.

 

[Red Devil BB]

One reason LVG will prefer Valencia over Rafael is Valencia keeps possession better than Rafael.
Valencia
Bad Control = 6
Dispossessed = 8
Rafael
Bad Control = 13
Dispossessed = 3
Valencia has played almost 3 times as much this season, yet has lost possession less than Rafael.
Passing
Valencia
Long passing (accurate and inaccurate) = 54-27
Short passing (accurate and inaccurate) = 847-86
Rafael
Long passing (accurate and inaccurate) = 13-20
Short passing (accurate and inaccurate) = 269-33
In the league they made 1 defensive error each

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Could someone with a better memory tell me the formations we played in these games?

Chelsea was 4141 iirc, City the game. Were we in 352 for those three wins or was that after we gave it up?

4-3-3 for City Defeat - Eventually turning to 4-3-Fellaini-1 after the red card.
4-3-3 for Chelsea Draw - Drogba did the dirty work in a setpiece, was a great battle from us to be fair.
3-5-2 for Arsenal Victory - Smash and Grab.
3-5-2 for Southampton Victory - RvP's Smash and Grab.
3-5-2 for Liverpool Victory - Dominant performance packed with attackers: Rooney, Mata, Herrera, RvP, Fellaini.
4-4-2 Diamond for Spurs Draw - Very unlucky not to win the game.
3-5-2 for Southampton Loss - Poor performance leading to the end of 3-5-2

Going to assume we're going to pull out a 4-3-3 (4-2-3-1) for this fixture with Mata in the hole.

 

[Red Devil BB]

City defeat
Chelsea draw
Arsenal win
Southampton win
Liverpool win
Spurs draw
Southampton defeat
Spurs win
Liverpool win
City win
Chelsea defeat
Arsenal draw

That's the pattern? If we managed that and won the other 5 games, that would give us the magic 8/10 wins to finish the season strongly. I think we will end up 2nd if get 8/10 wins.
Also 3 of the "big games" we play at home and 2 away. We been strong at home throughout the season. Even our away form has improved since the beginning of the season.

 

[Sam]

I look forward to Fellani/Carrick/Blind all being in the team, which will result in us playing slow, boring, terrible football, Spurs winning, and LVG left scratching his head wondering where it all went wrong.

 

[GlastonSpur]

We're 28 games into the season. Therefore, Spurs and ourselves have played each team once, and we're higher than them.

Both teams have also played several teams twice, but for Spurs that includes Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. The fact that you are currently above us in the table cannot be simply disconnected from the remaining fixture lists.

 

[Name Changed]

I have no faith in LVG's game plan anymore. I think Spurs will win tomorrow.

 

[NoPace]

De Gea
Rafael Smalling Rojo Shaw
Januzaj Carrick Blind Young
Mata
Rooney

Maybe you can take out Blind/Carrick/Mata/Januzaj for Herrera (& rearrange accordingly), but that team should beat them. Just play actual football for 90 minutes and no hoofball to Fellaini please.

If we're set on Blind-Carrick I'd play Herrera over Januzaj right now. You'd probably get a chance or two created by either, no goals but Herrera would give more energy and defensive work.

 

[The Stain]

Don't care if the football is poor as long as we win this game. Same goes for the rest of the season. Just get that damn top 4. Next season i expect entertaining football, couldn't care less rest of this season if we are picking up points.

 

[Name Changed]

If we're set on Blind-Carrick I'd play Herrera over Januzaj right now. You'd probably get a chance or two created by either, no goals but Herrera would give more energy and defensive work.

I wouldn't even consider Januzaj.

 

[Ixion]

I don't know why I see Januzaj in so many line-ups in here. Sub at best.

 

[Raptori]

Really like that. Never going to happen, but it's cool regardless

I don't know why I see Januzaj in so many line-ups in here. Sub at best.

Who else do we have for the right wing? Valencia?

 

[Litch]

Tough game that I'd usually look forward to but for me it's absolutely painful watching utd at the moment. We are more interested in not losing than taking any risks and setting out to win

 

[Pexbo]

De Gea
Jones - Smalling - Blind
Valencia - Herrera - Carrick - Young
Mata - Fellaini
Rooney​

 

[The Stain]

De Gea
Jones - Smalling - Blind
Valencia - Herrera - Carrick - Young
Mata - Fellaini
Rooney​

That's possibly not far off from what we'll see. Is Rojo definitely out, then? And Young passes the fitness test? We have picked up a fair few points against top opposition with the 3-5-2 so i'm all for it. Let's grind out those points, please.