[khoazany]

Think he might go with McTominay - Matic - Herrera midfield.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Dread this fixture.

 

[Bestietom]

I would start Martial in this game with Rashford on the bench.

--------------- De Gea----------

----Jones------Smalling-------Bailly--

Valencia ------Herrera----Matic------Young

--------------- Mkhitaryan---------------

----------------Lukaku----------Martial------

Subs:- Romero--Mata-- Rashford--Darmian--McTominay--Lindelof

 

[MThomas]

It's true he's been shit lately, but still… the kind of shit that has the most assists in our team. And I do wonder, using your term, what other shit are we going to put in midfield.

He's got two goals and 1 assist the past two months.

 

[AngliaRed]

If JM is going for a park the bus approach then ide like to see Herrera man mark hazard and Matic and Blind sit. Blinds preferred position is CDM anyway. Never going to happen but its something I would like to see. He’s a decent passer of the ball and can make a tackle too.

...............DDG.............
Valencia..Bailey..Jones..Young
.....Herrera..Matic..Blind
..Lingard/Mata...Martial.....
.............Lukaku..........

Thats what Ide like to see!

Unfortunately we all know Miki will start again and give the ball away a ton of times in the oppositions half.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Can't see anything different to what we did against Spurs (Lineup-wise)

 

[Pexbo]

If JM is going for a park the bus approach then ide like to see Herrera man mark hazard and Matic and Blind sit. Blinds preferred position is CDM anyway. Never going to happen but its something I would like to see. He’s a decent passer of the ball and can make a tackle too.

...............DDG.............
Valencia..Bailey..Jones..Young
.....Herrera..Matic..Blind
..Lingard/Mata...Martial.....
.............Lukaku..........

Thats what Ide like to see!

Unfortunately we all know Miki will start again and give the ball away a ton of times in the oppositions half.

Blinds pace and physicality is exposed in midfield. It’s compensated much easier in defense by controlling the space behind him and standing off. You can’t stand off the same way in midfield as you have to cover movement in all directions.

 

[groovyalbert]

Anyone else think this game could make or break Jose?

Not saying that a defeat will tarnish his name here, far from it. But the corresponding fixture last season was our low point. This will show how far we've come since then. A win and his methods are validated, a defeat and all those (unjust) questions currently being asked just intensify.

This will almost certainly be a draw.

 

[Tincanalley]

Shit just always seems to happen when we go to Stamford Bridge

16/17 FA Cup - man sent off
16/17 PL - 1-0 down after 1 minute
15/16 PL - 0-1 up till the 90th minute end up drawing 1-1
14/15 PL - Cant really complain about this game, just beaten by the would be champions
13/14 PL - Moyes

. Funny now, but...

12/13 PL - Our last win, 2-0 up only to go 2-2, they go down to 9 men and we score a clear as day offside winner....

Good memories.

 

[MThomas]

Exactly the same lineup against Tottenham, easily.

 

[AngliaRed]

Blinds pace and physicality is exposed in midfield. It’s compensated much easier in defense by controlling the space behind him and standing off. You can’t stand off the same way in midfield as you have to cover movement in all directions.

I have to agree with that! I only thought of his strengths. Good point!

 

[red_devil83]

Ref to be their MotM

 

[Tincanalley]

. Funny now, but...


Good memories.

Gosh just Googled the video now. What can I say but, the past, it's one helluva a different country.
SAF. 4-4-2. RVP. Di Matteo. Cleverly! Mata playing for them! Rio, of course, and Roo. Torres, sent off for diving. Hernandez, yeah offisde by a country mile. And good old Rafael. Still a few stalwarts with us; Valencia, De Gea, Carrick.

 

[Stacks]

Roma played in the 2 matches like Chelsea were a normal team, no special respect given. No buses parked. We don't need to give Chelsea more respect than they deserve.

Roma put 6 past Chelsea over 2 games and deserved to win both. Chelsea have no Kante but alas I doubt it will matter much

 

[Turnip]

Their defense has been woeful recently, if we sit back I'll write an angry post about how I wasted 2 hours of my life on yet another boring match and how we should re-hire LvG to spice things up a little, at least he was funny rather than miserable.

I'm saying 2-1 to us if we actually try and play football and give a shit. If we park the bus 0-0.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Only uncertainty in our team is Rashford/Martial starting. Money on Rashford.
5-4-1 and rely on counter. Should be fine for a draw.

Chelsea: If Kante starts we will park the bus for certain.

The game:
As long as they don't score first: Herrera on Hazard. Bus parked. Counter. Get a point.
If they score: first They'll be parking the bus, we don't know how to attack without Pogba pulling the strings. We will try to cross into Lukaku who will be "outsmarted" by David Luiz. We get hammered on the counter.
If we score first: Unlikely.

Mourinho will park the bus against the top teams as long as Pogba is injured. And this is the only thing he can do. None of the fit players can distribute and control the game in our team, or know how to attack, unless its on counter or crossing. Rashford and Martial are mainly end product players, meaning that when they get the ball the attack they try dribbling/shooting or crossing. Lukaku is a target man. Valencia is a two trick pony. Mhikitaryan is Schrödinger's cat. Mata will not start as he can't defend. Herrera does not have the passing/vision/technique to control the game. And Carrick and Pogba are injured. No wonder why he parks the bus. Only way we are going to score against Chelsea is either a big fluke by D.L., set piece/crossing or counter. Can't blame Mourinho for playing the way he does with these players. What we can question/blame JM is why we don't have other options (players) for replacing Pogba(Pereira anyone?)

Better to be negative before the game and be positively surprised if we win/attack, than be hopeful and get the next week destroyed because of how the match went. Only way i was able to watch United matches under Moyes.

 

[Tincanalley]

Being cagey about injuries...

 

[King.of.Red]

We can win this game. I believe!

 

[Annihilate Now!]

It's not exactly happy hunting at Stamford Bridge for us.

I think it's telling that probably my favourite matches of ours there was the one that we drew.... (the 3-3)

 

[sammsky1]

DDG
Jones, Smalling, Bailly
Valencia, Matic, Herrera, Young
Martial, Lukaku, Rashford

But I have a sneak feeling that Pogba will play

DDG
Jones, Smalling, Bailly
Valencia Herrera Matic Young
Pogba,
Rashford, Lukaku

 

[DannyCAFC]

1-1 I reckon. United are solid enough defensively - especially given they'll go there and park the bus - that I don't think they'll concede more than 1, I think the question is whether United manage to score but given how bad Chelsea were defensively yesterday and have been at times this season, they might nick a goal.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

After his performance in midweek I expect Rudiger to turn into Maldini on Saturday. Hopefully Kante is still out and they have to play Bakayoko-Fabregas in midfield

 

[kouroux]

Roma put 6 past Chelsea over 2 games and deserved to win both. Chelsea have no Kante but alas I doubt it will matter much

Yes, they are a fun team to watch. It's a proof that we don't need to fear Chelsea that much but Mourinho being Mourinho....

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Picturing a 352 again for this. Would think Rashford will get the nod ahead of Martial due to only playing like 20mins on Tuesday.

 

[royboy16]

1-1 with Chelsea to get the late equalizer.
Would be nice to get a win here for a change though.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Yes, they are a fun team to watch. It's a proof that we don't need to fear Chelsea that much but Mourinho being Mourinho....

And conveniently forget Chelsea put 3 goals at home against Roma and just like them struggling without Kante, we are struggling to create chances without Pogba in the team. Not to forget that our record at Stamford Bridge has been abysmal for over a decade.
So even if Jose were not Jose, it would be difficult to blow away Chelsea or win points playing the open game.

 

[Cee90]

So Kante is back for this?

That's a shame.

 

[kouroux]

And conveniently forget Chelsea put 3 goals at home against Roma and just like them struggling without Kante, we are struggling to create chances without Pogba in the team. Not to forget that our record at Stamford Bridge has been abysmal for over a decade.
So even if Jose were not Jose, it would be difficult to blow away Chelsea or win points playing the open game.

wtf ? No I didn't forget it, I just happen to think we have a better defense than Roma. We could hold our own against Chelsea's attack while being a bit courageous ourselves.

 

[RedDevil@84]

wtf ? No I didn't forget it, I just happen to think we have a better defense than Roma. We could hold our own against Chelsea's attack while being a bit courageous ourselves.

I don't think we have the midfield strength (if status quo remains with player injuries) to be defensively good and be courageous at the same time.. Chelsea can attack at home pretty well and we ll need a little more support in defense.

Overall I am expecting a better game than Liverpool though.. Regardless of Jose's tactics..

 

[kouroux]

I don't think we have the midfield strength (if status quo remains with player injuries) to be defensively good and be courageous at the same time.. Chelsea can attack at home pretty well and we ll need a little more support in defense.

Overall I am expecting a better game than Liverpool though.. Regardless of Jose's tactics..

I hope so but I doubt it'll be significantly better

 

[Jim Beam]

Don't have a great record there as I can remember. We will be defensive, no doubt about that, but as everyone, also hoping that we can produce more on the counter.

They are in a bad moment, though, so a win would not mean just 3 points. It would put serious question marks over Conte with them out of the title race in November. It would also give us big momentum at the time when our injured players are coming back. So, if we nick it, would be huge.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

We will park the bus, so it will most likely end 0-0, unless one of the teams make a mistake and suffer a 1-0 defeat.

 

[The Outsider]

I think this could be a cracker as JM is aware of the gap with City and Conte needs a win after Roma and Kante is back.
So JM may disregard his normal 4-5-1 and go for a 4-3-3.

 

[Jean claude van hire]

So Kante is back for this?

That's a shame.

Surely he won't come straight back in at the top of his high energy game? I would imagine a player of his ilk will take a few games to get back to 100%. Having said that Kante at 85% will probably still cause mayhem in our central midfield.

 

[sunama]

Here's what I would do:
PARK THE BUS and lets try do a 1-0 smash and grab.

Our record at Stamford Bridge is so bad, I think a draw would be a good result for us.

 

[sunama]

Yes, they are a fun team to watch. It's a proof that we don't need to fear Chelsea that much but Mourinho being Mourinho....

Our record is really really bad at Stamford Bridge.
We should park the bus. That's the best tactic to use over there.
If we go head to head, we could get smashed to pieces (like last season).

Go for the draw this weekend and in the return fixture, try and beat them. Try and get 4 out of 6 points, from Chelsea.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Our record is really really bad at Stamford Bridge.
We should park the bus. That's the best tactic to use over there.
If we go head to head, we could get smashed to pieces (like last season).

Go for the draw this weekend and in the return fixture, try and beat them. Try and get 4 out of 6 points, from Chelsea.

Waiting for "Oh!! How we have fallen" post.....

 

[Android1974]

Mourinho will park the bus against the top teams as long as Pogba is injured. And this is the only thing he can do. None of the fit players can distribute and control the game in our team, or know how to attack, unless its on counter or crossing. Rashford and Martial are mainly end product players, meaning that when they get the ball the attack they try dribbling/shooting or crossing. Lukaku is a target man. Valencia is a two trick pony. Mhikitaryan is Schrödinger's cat. Mata will not start as he can't defend. Herrera does not have the passing/vision/technique to control the game. And Carrick and Pogba are injured. No wonder why he parks the bus. Only way we are going to score against Chelsea is either a big fluke by D.L., set piece/crossing or counter. Can't blame Mourinho for playing the way he does with these players. What we can question/blame JM is why we don't have other options (players) for replacing Pogba(Pereira anyone?)

Been saying this for a while on his thread, he was the closest thing to Pogba we had, Mourinho even used in friendlies like that, and they go an loan him...

P.S.: you all spare me the hindsight bull....

 

[Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell]

Our record is really really bad at Stamford Bridge.
We should park the bus. That's the best tactic to use over there.
If we go head to head, we could get smashed to pieces (like last season).

Go for the draw this weekend and in the return fixture, try and beat them. Try and get 4 out of 6 points, from Chelsea.

If we you expect to lose then why not just go for it and approach it without fear?

 

[TheGame]

Hope we play 3-5-2, seems to suit us better and we still carry a threat in attack unlike 4-3-3 which turns into a single man upfront.