Your starting XI between now and the end of the season

0le

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DDG

Dalot Bailly Lindelof Shaw

Pereira Pogba Herrera

Lingard Rashford Martial

Subs: Romero, Smalling, Young, Fred, Greenwood, Mata, Lukaku
I'd put one of Gomes, Chong and Greenwood on the bench every game and bring them on if circumstances allowed it.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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De Gea
Dalot Smalling Lindelof Shaw
Herrera Pogba
Sanchez
Lingard Martial Rashford

Romero Jones Young Fellaini Fred Chong Lukaku

 

Fitchett

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I'd go with this squad for a few matches, to give it a settled run, then change if any players under perform. There's no Mourinho now to act as a shield for them. No question that Mourinho has grossly under performed this year, with his toxic negativity, tactics and selections, but so have many of the players. Their lack of effort, ball control and enthusiasm isn't all down to the manager. Surely five and six figure weekly salaries and playing for one of the world's top clubs are motivation enough.

De Gea
Dalot - Smalling - Lindelof/ Bailly - Shaw
Fred/ Pereira - Herrera - Pogba
Rashford/ Mata - Sanchez - Martial
 

Real Madras

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DDG

Dalot Smalling Lindelof Shaw

Herrera Fred

Pogba

Rashford Martial
Sanchez
 

bucky

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De Gea

Dalot - Bailly - Lindelof - Shaw

Herrera

Fred - Pogba

Mata

Rashford/Alexis - Martial​
 

AngliaRed

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DDG

Dalot Bailly Lindelof Shaw

Pereira Pogba Herrera

Lingard Rashford Martial

Subs: Romero, Smalling, Young, Fred, Greenwood, Mata, Lukaku
I'd put one of Gomes, Chong and Greenwood on the bench every game and bring them on if circumstances allowed it.
100% agree and want this!
 

red woppit

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De Gea
Dalot Baillie Smalling Shaw
Pereira
Fred Herrera
Pogba
Rashford Martial

Romero
Laird
Jones
Chong
Gomes
Lingard
Greenwood
 

kthanksbye

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Pereira. Fred. Pogba. Mata. Sanchez. Martial.
Want to see these 6 players in the lineup under a manager that can actually make us play some football.
 

ABC of Football

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De Gea
Dalot Smalling. Bailly. Shaw
Pereira
Fred. Pogba
Mata/Sanchez
Rashford. Martial

Would love to see this. Get as many passers in the team as possible, and let the team play some nice football. I still think Sanchez and pogba, if we can get a tune out of them, can turn us from a good team to a very good team going forward.
 

Alexit

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City and Liverpool don't. Liverpool don't have a settled midfield and even the RB in big games. Nobody knows who will start for City in midfield and attack if all options are avaiable and on form.

Besides, it is really meaningless to discuss the fist XI without knowing the next manager and his tactical preferences. Best XI for high pressing and playing on the front foot or best XI for counter attacking or....
Well, most of the big European teams who win at the European level would be a better qualifier. We need to get to that place.
 

sullydnl

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This season doesn't particularly matter to me so I'd lean heavily towards players I'm curious to see perform under a new manager. They might do feck all now but at least we could catch a glimpse of promise from some of them.

De Gea
Dalot - Bailly - Lindelof - Shaw
Fred - Pogba
Sanchez - Mata - Martial
Lukaku​
 

Jeppers7

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Dave
Dalot, Bailey, Smalling, Shaw
Herrera, Fred, Pogba
Rashford, Martial, Sanchez

Subs : Lindelof, Peirera, Mata, Lingard, Greenwood, Romero
 

hobbers

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433/4231:

De Gea
Dalot - Smalling - Lindelof - Shaw
Herrera
Fred - Pogba
Rashford - Martial - Sanchez

Regular subs: Grant, Bailly, Young, Pereira, Fellaini, Mata, Lingard
Front three can interchange and Pogba has essentially a free role. No yucky Matic or Lukaku stinking it all up - wouldn't even put them on the bench tbh. And top priorities in January/looking to the summer would be bringing in a quality striker obviously replacing Lukaku, a proper right winger, and an experienced centreback to partner Lindelof or Bailly, with Jones and Rojo out the door and Smalling relegated to third choice.
 

ricky-romeo

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-------------------De Gea------------------
Dalot------Smalling------Lindelof-----Shaw
Pereira----Fred----------Herrera------Pogba
-----------Rashford-----Martial--------------

-Bailly 3rd choice CB, hopefully no more sighting of Jones or Rojo
-Young as backup to Dalot and Shaw at RB and LB
-Chong and Greenwood to be on the bench
 

OohAahMartial

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Since Ole likes a 4-3-3

Dave
Dalot Tuanzebe Smalling Shaw
------------------Herrera
-----------Pereira
---------------------------Pogba
Chong-----------------------Rashford
----------------Martial

Think he will give youngsters a chance like Chong, and will favour Pogba, Pereira and Rashford who he might have worked with before.

Lukaku and Sanchez and Matic to be given a winter break.
 

MikeKing

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Balanced 4-4-2 with Solskjaer as manager. Attack from both sides, press with stamina, power and pace on the left side, patient technical quality and creativity on the right. Overlapping fullbacks, and lots of runs into the box.

Sanchez-Martial
Rashford-Herrera-Pogba-Pereira
Shaw-Smalling-Bailly-Dalot
DDG​
 

stepic

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Pogba and Fred back in midfield

Dalot at RB

Martial on the left, Shaw on the left

The rest can fight among themselves.
 

Web of Bissaka

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Formation 4-3-3, Captain De Gea, Starting 11:
De Gea(C)
Dalot - Bailly - Lindelof - Shaw
Herrera
Pereira ----- Pogba
Lingard
Rashford -- Martial
Tinker that lineup with these players in order and specifics,
5 Regulars *freshness* : Sanchez, Fred, McTominay, Young, Smalling
4 Cover *injury* : Mata, Darmian, Romero, Grant
Starter : Matic *big games only, no big game = rest out of squad, promoted to Cover if necessary*

Super Sub : Lukaku *always on the bench*
Super Sub : Fellaini *only for big games, always bench or out if not big games*

5+ Reserve : Youth (atk, mid, def) *if any of the above players are out injured*

---

Door: Valencia, RoJones​
 

Khalifa711

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.....................De Gea
Tony........Eric.........Rojo.....Shaw
.....................Herrera
...........Pereira........Pogba
Lingard..........................Martial
.....................Lukaku

Subs: Romero, Victor, Dalot, Fellaini, Fred, Mata, Rashford

Bench just as important as the line up

Matic and Sanchez out in Jan.
 

StoicRed

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.................DDG..................

Dalot - Bailly - Lindelöf - Shaw

..........Matic.....................
...................Herrera...............

..............Mata....................
.................Sanchez............

......Rashford.............Martial

Subs: Pogba, Lulaku, Valencia, Young, Romero, Lingard
 

Tosicsleftpeg

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I would go for a midfield diamond with overlapping full backs.

Ddg

Dalot smalling lindelof Shaw
Fred Herrera Pogba
Mata
Rashford Martial

Lukaku shoukd be brought into the fold gradually to get his confidence back and matic needs a rest before playing again.
 

devilish

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Gk: DDG

Rb: dalot
Cb: Smalling
CB: Lindelof
LB: Shaw

DM: Herrera
MC: fred
MC: Pogba

AMRC: Mata
AMLC: Martial
STK: Rashford
 

villain

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DDG
Dalot - Smalling - Bailly (Lindelof) - Shaw
Herrera (Matic)
Fred (Pereira) - Pogba
Mata (Lingard)
Lukaku (Rashford) - Martial (Sanchez)
 

Renegade

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You won’t see Chong & Greenwood any time soon. Maybe in a few months.

I think he’ll love Martial and try get the best out of him.

What he does with Lukaku, Fellaini & Matic will be really interesting. I wonder if he’ll rate Fred and Andreas.
 

SparkedIntoLife

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An uber attacking -

De Gea;
Dalot, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw;
Herrera, Pogba;
Mata, Lingard, Martial;
Lukaku

With Herrera holding and interchange between the front 4.
 

Schmeichel=God

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After some thought I think this is how I go with our players right now.

(I would have posted it as an image but am still restricted...so here's the link to the formation: http://sharemytactics.com/121339/ )
Those named first are my first eleven for now.
-------------

I have three main desires:

1 - Main ethos is to improve attacking efficiency and revitalise the fear of god in those that visit The Theatre of Dreams.
  • So, whilst width in transition is provided by the full backs, I would return to two strikers that regularly run the channels. This allows multiple options for direct balls. This plays to our players' strengths and puts an end to the static uselessness of an isolated ineffective lone striker. This allows for counter opportunities and a more expansive style but also control in possession via the DM & two box to box CM's; made possible by the lack of wingers (of which we possess none suitable).
2 - Fix Lukaku
  • This more dynamic play should improve Lukaku, freeing him from a congested central area. The need for an immaculate touch reduces and he can go on to use his pace, crossing, and more naturally on that side of the pitch...his left foot.
3 - Fix Pogba
  • I want to utilise Pogba where he can make more of an impact, whilst also freeing him of front line defensive duties. Ahead of the two CM's he has license to find free space, use his touch, dribbling, strength, and shooting in an area where when he looks ahead his sole remit is to find one of the strikers and get amongst the goals himself.
Other points:

Sanchez does need to be fixed also, but I feel it is less doable alongside my main ethos. Therefore he is playing one of the striker roles which to be fair he should be able to fulfill. Less running defensively, a creative role where loss of possession isn't so much an issue; speculate to accumulate in a position where it is expected. If anything he and Pogba could exchange positions for more presence in the box.

Matic protects the back line due to the full backs advancing. The two CM's shield passing lanes around Matic when defending and also make up for defensively AWOL Pogba. The CM's must keep moving to find space to receive a pass, one of whom is allowed to advance further forward when nearing the final third. Excluding Pogba, as there are 3 other midfielders in my formation one of the CM's could be an attacking player, Mata (think D Silva for City)/Lingard (pace in transition). Personnel changing as each fixture calls for.
 

RedCurry

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Dalot --- Smalling --- Rojo --- Shaw
Pereira --- Herrera --- Pogba
Mata --- Rashford --- Martial

RW and CB positions should ideally have a better solution by either promoting some players or getting someone in the transfer market.


If Lukaku gets back into form then he would rightly fight for a spot as a striker with Rashford.
 

RedRonaldo

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De Gea
Dalot Bailey Smalling Shaw
Fred Herrera Pogba
Mata Rashford Martial
- Lukaku and Matic should never play again this season for the sake of team fluidity.
- Sanchez, I don't know, he has been a headless chicken most of the time here, maybe a new manager can make him good again.
- Don't understand why many people picking Lindelof, he isn't united quality
- Fellaini should be sold immediately, alongside Jones and Rojo, no more hoof ball please
- its time to say goodbye to Young and Valencia, thanks for their long services, but we need a new fresh start with better quality players
 
Last edited:

Adam_S

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Given that the league, CL and probably even top 4 are way out of reach this season, let's try and actually find something constructive to do. The likes of Fellaini, Jones, Rojo, Young Valencia are all known quantities and many will hopefully be moved on in the not too distant future. While it may be tempting to play it safe and pick players like this, what's the point? What does it gain you?

Give guys like Fred, Pereira, Shaw and Dalot a proper go with system that actually encourages attacking play and see what they can do. If some of them come good, then great, that's a position where we don't have to worry about signing anybody in the next couple of transfer windows. Get Ole started on building a new style of attacking, high energy pressing football and see who can integrate into it. See what Herrera, Martial, Rashford and even Pogba can do in that kind of system. Stop picking useless lumps and has-beens just because they can be trusted to do what the manager tells them or they put in a shift in training.

If we can come out of the season with at least the beginnings of a proper system of attacking football in place and two or three players who have put their hand up and shown that they might have a future, then great. We probably won't win every game, but look where we are now. Let's at least try and get the team playing some decent football, bed in the director of football and get set for the summer transfer window.
 

Footyislife

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Both Martial & Lukaku are highly successful when they can run with/without the ball into space as seen with LVG for Martial & Everton for Lukaku.

Doing so will stretch the defense creating plenty of space in the middle for more technical players such as Sanchez, Pogba, Fred to link up. All are accomplished passers & dribblers who can break down defenses & leverage the width of the pitch to create high quality chances.

To give those 5 offensive players full freedom without conceding goals, we need 5 athletic defensive players who can cover space while the forwards press higher up on the ball. Our DM has to be of the Kante/Mascherano mold. An elite stopper/decision maker who can pass the ball.

3 Biggest Squad Deficiencies:
1. LCB who can defend & pass, Rojo is coming off the injury so not sure how reliable he is.
2. DM who is athletic, has good positioning/decision making, & can pass. I believe TFM can do this, but he is young so we might experience inconsistency with the decision making.
3. CWB on the right. Dalot is still young but struggles to cross & with defensive positioning. Lingard has question marks on defense but can do everything else.
 
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SadlerMUFC

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------------------------De Gea-----------------------
Dalot---------Bailley-----------Smalling-------Shaw
Sanchez------Herrara------Pogba---------Martial
--------------Lukaku---------Rashford--------------

#whatwouldSAFdo