When Martial returns...

Rozay

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We have a decision to make with the front line. James cannot be moved from the left right now. Martial has started brilliantly in the centre.

The same RW issue remains. I can’t see Rashford being dropped, nor should he be considering all of our options, so he’ll ideally move to the right. That said, can’t see Ole doing that.
 

Bwuk

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I’d imagine Ole will move James back.

I’d try Rashford off the right. None of our other options are really working there anyway.
 

starman

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Definitely Rashford on the right, alot of his greed comes from wanting to cut in and shoot. On the right he will be forced more to provide
 

ash_86

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James was fantastic on the left. Rashford should play on the right.
 

hobbers

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Martial is a better no.9 than Rashford (although Greenwood is possibly far better than either).
James is already looking like a far better (left) winger than Rashford could ever dream of being.

Conclusion: Rashford is either stuck out on the right, or he's dropped. Simple.
 

Sylar

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I reckon Ole ideally wants them all to rotate and cause confusion for the opposition.
But given what we have, Rashford on the right makes most sense with him drifting in.
 

rooney1905

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Ole will start the Leceister match as we started the Crystal Palace match. What I think is worth a try is martial up top, James left, rashford center, Lingard right. I highly doubt after the international break Ole doesn’t go back to what he feels comfortable with. But I would shift them around a bit as whatever attributes Lingard supposedly brings he can still bring them out of the center of the action.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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Shouldn't have to shoehorn.

If James is performing better on the left, then we should keep him there. If that means dropping one of Rashford/Martial because neither of them are great on the right, then so be it.

Personally I'd like to see a front three of:

Rashford/James Martial Greenwood

Maybe that means going back to a 433, but teams like City, Liverpool and even Arsenal do it so well. To me, the above three have potential to be dangerous, especially if they have the right balance in midfield behind them.
 

Rozay

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Shouldn't have to shoehorn.

If James is performing better on the left, then we should keep him there. If that means dropping one of Rashford/Martial because neither of them are great on the right, then so be it.

Personally I'd like to see a front three of:

Rashford/James Martial Greenwood

Maybe that means going back to a 433, but teams like City, Liverpool and even Arsenal do it so well. To me, the above three have potential to be dangerous, especially if they have the right balance in midfield behind them.
Ole won’t start Greenwood. He couldn’t start him even with Martial out, can’t see him starting when he’s back.
 

Adam-Utd

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I’d prefer Rashford on the right with a roaming role.

He’s always been better shooting with his right across goal to the left also.

Plus being a bit of a kick and run merchant he can head down the line and cross with his right if required.
 

shahzy

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Did Rashford ever looked good on the right?
Not really. But he's worse than either Martial Up top and James out left so he has 2 options. Play on the right or be good enough to displace the other two in their preferred positions. The later seems very implausible currently
 

Dec9003

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The way Rashford played against Southampton he deserves to be on the bench for a match or two.
Just go James-Martial-whoever
For the next match, provided martial is back by then anyway.
I don't really see how moving Rashford to the right would do him much good.
 

MikeKing

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It might no be realistic just yet, but this should solve the issue.

Martial
James-Gomes-Greenwood​
Based on potential quality and shared strengths that is the most balanced attacking looking team we could put out. It is not like they will lose the ball more than Pereira, Rashford and Lingard.
 

Rhyme Animal

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The way Rashford played against Southampton he deserves to be on the bench for a match or two.
Just go James-Martial-whoever
For the next match, provided martial is back by then anyway.
I don't really see how moving Rashford to the right would do him much good.
Sense. I agree.

Though, crap as he's been, I dunno who really can step into the RW slot and do better than Rashford there...
 

haram

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Rashford should play on the left or not at all. What will happen is, he will want to play both James and Rashford and then it will become unbalanced. It will be a half hearted, switch wings within the game every 30 minutes or whatever.
 

redIndianDevil

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I reckon Ole ideally wants them all to rotate and cause confusion for the opposition.
But given what we have, Rashford on the right makes most sense with him drifting in.
They only seem to confuse themselves so far.
 

tenpoless

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Play him up front, Rashford was disappointing in the last game. This is the point of having more than one players for one position. If Ole keeps playing Rashford up front, I have no idea. Seems to me like Ole favours Rashford and Lingard more than any other players. Hopefully not.
 

Sky1981

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Should stop moving bad players around.

They're bad at their natural place, logic dictates they'll be worse at other position.

Drop them and pick a specialist. If that position next in line is youth so be it.

We've seldom play our players in their natural position it's mind boggling
 

Kostov

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Martial in the center and James and Rashford can switch sides during games. Rashford must find his form quickly otherwise give those minutes to some of the youngsters, Chong, Gomes and Greenwood should be tried.
 

MrBrightside1989

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James will go back to the right. Martial and Rashford, for all of their flaws, are nailed on starters in our current squad.
 

pacifictheme

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Martial is a better no.9 than Rashford (although Greenwood is possibly far better than either).
James is already looking like a far better (left) winger than Rashford could ever dream of being.

Conclusion: Rashford is either stuck out on the right, or he's dropped. Simple.
In what world is greenwood far better than rashford or martial? Get a grip buddy.
 

Massive Spanner

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James earned his spot on the left, for Ole to move/drop him now would be both daft and confidence draining for the lad. Rashford has been pure shite up top whereas Martial was pretty good, so it makes sense to move Martial back up top.

Rashford could really do with being dropped in order to bring him back down to earth a bit but it likely won't happen so he will probably interchange with James on the wings, because of course, our squad is paper thin.
 

OleGunnar20

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Shouldn't have to shoehorn.

If James is performing better on the left, then we should keep him there. If that means dropping one of Rashford/Martial because neither of them are great on the right, then so be it.

Personally I'd like to see a front three of:

Rashford/James Martial Greenwood

Maybe that means going back to a 433, but teams like City, Liverpool and even Arsenal do it so well. To me, the above three have potential to be dangerous, especially if they have the right balance in midfield behind them.
Agreed.

Fred - McTom - Pogba
Mason - Martial - James

For my money. Allow Pogba to roam and be our main creative outlet, with the front three allowed to drift and interchange / double-up freely. McTom as the anchor with Fred told to do his best Herrera impression.

I reckon that lot might actually score a goal or two. Never know your luck ey.
 

Cassidy

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I think he has played well as a number 9 keep him there
 

hobbers

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In what world is greenwood far better than rashford or martial? Get a grip buddy.
If you bothered reading you’d see the word possibly there.

Rashford and Martial have both proven to be quite shite up front. Rashford especially. It wont take all that much for Greenwood to surpass them.
 

Moiraine

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James—-Martial—-Rashford
Pogba—Gomez—McTominay
Young-Harry--Lindelof-AWB
——————DDG——————

It has to be that...
 

el3mel

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Rashford will have to learn how to play on the right as there's no other place for him. James and Martial look far better than him in both left flank and striker at the moment.
 

GBBQ

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Should stop moving bad players around.

They're bad at their natural place, logic dictates they'll be worse at other position.

Drop them and pick a specialist. If that position next in line is youth so be it.

We've seldom play our players in their natural position it's mind boggling
I think the logic would be that if a striker is going through a rough patch then play him more as a provider than a finisher until he gets his form back. A few assists and he might just play himself back into the form he is capable of and then we might see more of a revolving three up front. Benching him will do nothing for his confidence especially if he is replaced by Greenwood.
 

NJM78

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Martial CF, Jame Left and the right is up for grabs.

I'm sure we will see James moved though and the return of Lingard as a 10 v Leicester.
 

pacifictheme

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If you bothered reading you’d see the word possibly there.

Rashford and Martial have both proven to be quite shite up front. Rashford especially. It wont take all that much for Greenwood to surpass them.
Yeah i saw it. Still laughable.

Having said that hr should be getting way more minutes than he is.
 

Lyng

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I think we need a natural RW in that spot. Currently we only have Chong who fits that description. Rashford could do with a few matches on the bench.

Martial​
James - Mata - Chong

Given how slim our options are I think we need to try this instead of playing players out of position.
 

MrBest

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I think it is time to drop Rashford. He does not look right, has money got to him? Ole has put everything on a plate for him but he seems to have forgotten the basics of football. Everything Gaal taught him has been lost, how hard is it to stay in the box and pounce on a shot. James delivered 3 or 4 great crosses, Pogba put him in twice. He scuffed everything. I would start a trio of James Martial and Greenwood. I think everything has got to Rashfords head, he needs to know where he stands.
 

Sky1981

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I think the logic would be that if a striker is going through a rough patch then play him more as a provider than a finisher until he gets his form back. A few assists and he might just play himself back into the form he is capable of and then we might see more of a revolving three up front. Benching him will do nothing for his confidence especially if he is replaced by Greenwood.
This is a flawed logic
 

Alemar

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We shall try James - Martial - Greenwood combo with Rashford on the bench. Greenwood may be on penalty duty