[Ranchero]

I'd say starting Matic next to McTominay and Pereira and Mata in the front 4 falls under "no choice"... everyone can choose trash experienced players to play out of position, sometimes you have to take the chance on one of the 17/18/19 year old promising youngsters we have on the bench.

But if in this desperate situation we choose to play Pereira when he has proved to be not good enough yet Gomes who looked great in pre-season unlike Pereira is benched, then you do wonder when the youngsters will be relied on.
We said when the signings didnt happen that the youngsters will have to fill the holes. Then use them.

 

[bond19821982]

I'd say starting Matic next to McTominay and Pereira and Mata in the front 4 falls under "no choice"... everyone can choose trash experienced players to play out of position, sometimes you have to take the chance on one of the 17/18/19 year old promising youngsters we have on the bench.

I can understand Ole's decision. Against a high pressing top 7 team, it's better not to start kids. You just need experience and Matic will have a stormer today.

No justifications for not starting Fred though

 

[Relevated]

What a load of unbalanced shite. The only good time to play Fred is when Pogba's not playing and he's dropped the ball again. Ole's team selections have been pretty dreadful since he got the job.

Yeah I really don't get it. It's not rocket science, it's a game. If the young guys underperform they will not lose their ability overnight. Just get them out there.

 

[Ranchero]

I suppose you could say Mason is getting more minutes than Ole gave Lukaku.

I dont think so

 

[Relevated]

We're gonna lose because of a Matic mistake today.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Still the top scorer under Ole last season, wonder what that says about the rest of the forwards?

We can look at it that way, but he didn't turn any match involving the top 6. He was OK but if Ole is looking to play like City and Liverpool, Lukaku isn't the player to take into that era is he?

 

[RooneyLegend]

Surely we're gonna do this lot. Sick of all these pundits expecting us to lose.

 

[VP89]

Rivers for the match would be most appreciated - thanks.

 

[Lee565]

Still cant believe Solskjear ignored the right wing, there were some real cheap options available during the window that would have easily been an upgrade on mata and lingard but nope he didnt want to threaten the first team chances of one of his favourites in lingard, ffs.

 

[theyneverlearn]

For once I'm unhappy to have predicted 11/11 players, was hoping for Fred and Greenwood.

 

[stu_1992]

Not surprised to see the young players held back for Thursday tbh. I knew he'd never throw them in for this with the game Thursday. Glad to see Wan Bissaka back for the game. Hopefully it's not something we're rushing too soon.

 

[Jimmy_Bond]

Away win.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Anyone Got that river hookup? My usual water supplies seem to be faulty.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Lingard is finally dropped or just injured?

Injured. Will see today if we are better off without him after all

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Still cant believe Solskjear ignored the right wing, there were some real cheap options available during the window that would have easily been an upgrade on mata and lingard but nope he didnt want to threaten the first team chances of one of his favourites in lingard, ffs.

Cheap options? Like who?As soon as it's Utd interested the price goes up several million. We bought James, cheap by today's standards but who else?

 

[ColvaleGoa]

Any running rivers please guys!!

 

[Ranchero]

'The development', not field him every bloody game. He's 17. We have Martial and he'd be starting ahead anyway. Plus I'm not buying that bollocks spin. Lukaku was inviting suitors throughout

The message is we dont need to sign a replacement as we have Greenwood. Simple. Otherwise we get a replacement.

 

[Irwin99]

Rivers for the match would be most appreciated - thanks.

Me too

 

[bond19821982]

Think it is just hitting home how weak this squad is, that our only other option is to bring kids in if they are ready or not. Whoever let this happen has a lot of questions to answer.

Of course its shocking and embarrassing. James and Rashford should be coming as substitutes while we are dependent on them to win it. Will take ages to fix this mess.

 

[Cassidy]

We can look at it that way, but he didn't turn any match involving the top 6. He was OK but if Ole is looking to play like City and Liverpool, Lukaku isn't the player to take into that era is he?

Maybe he should try walking before he can run

Anyway I'm not sad that Lukaku is gone, I am annoyed that we didn't sign an attacker good enough to replace his goals. I'm happy with Martial as the striker but that required signing minimum 2 wingers

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Injured. Will see today if we are better off without him after all

We're crap with him, we can be crap without him

 

[Champagne Football]

With 2 defensive midfielders starting, Leicester will struggle to break us down. I don't see how the ball is gonna get up to Mata, without having a midfielder behind him who can make a pass.

We'll need a moment of magic from Rashford or James to win a tight scrappy game like this.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

They'll come on in the 85th minute when we're 1 nil Down

Exactly what will happen, possibly 75th minute but we'll definitely be losing when this happens. Ole won't take the risk unless we're on the verge of losing. Even if we're drawing, Ole will refuse to take a risk.

 

[Listar]

That midfield....feels weak...

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Maybe he should try walking before he can run

Anyway I'm not sad that Lukaku is gone, I am annoyed that we didn't sign an attacker good enough to replace his goals. I'm happy with Martial as the striker but that required signing minimum 2 wingers

That's what we're doing right now...or crawling.

We will get there..... eventually

 

[minoo-utd]

5 games into the season and we are double figures behind Liverpool already. Must win game Ole.

 

[Fully Fledged]

I was foolish and expected 'the best natural finisher at the club' to start or something, so I only got 10.

I put him in then took him out.

 

[Giggsyking]

I see keeping his word to the youths.

 

[Ranchero]

I can understand Ole's decision. Against a high pressing top 7 team, it's better not to start kids. You just need experience and Matic will have a stormer today.

No justifications for not starting Fred though

If it is best not to play with kids then buy replacements for the experience we have lost.
The fact we say we can rely on kids as an excuse for failure in the transfer market and then dont play them is a joke.

 

[eggwithsideburns]

Surprised Greenwood isn't playing considering Ole said hes our best finisher.

 

[minoo-utd]

That midfield....feels weak...

Terrible.

 

[ArjenIsM3]

I dont understand people who say we shouldn't throw greenwood or Chong or gomes into the deep end.

I would agree if they were mentally fragile or had special needs. But it's not that deep, its only a standard game against Leicester and I bet each one of those guys are dying for such an opportunity.

There is no deep end, and greenwood has even had a few sub appearances... So what gives? Either he's not as good we we think or Ole don't rate him very much.

They'll get their chance to prove themselves in the upcoming cup games. If they perform well during those games maybe they can force themselves into the first eleven. Isn't that how it should be? Do you see any other team just throw unproven 18 year olds into the first eleven in an important game? We already have one of the youngest first elevens of any PL side as it is..

 

[witchtrials]

Starting XI is pretty underwhelming but pleased to see Gomes make the bench. Hope he gets some minutes.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Greenwood has done nothing to warrant a start against a top 7 team in epl. He is fecking 17 . Give him sometime ffs.

I do think some fans convince themselves of things like Greenwood being the saviour (with no evidence) because it's a defence mechanism, like "surely there's got to be something better than this, somewhere in the squad....."

 

[Foxtrot]

We should win this, going for 2-1.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

Still cant believe Solskjear ignored the right wing, there were some real cheap options available during the window that would have easily been an upgrade on mata and lingard but nope he didnt want to threaten the first team chances of one of his favourites in lingard, ffs.

Whether the blame lays with OgS or the board the premise that there were no ‘young’ options in the whole of world football that could have improved us is a criminal notion & fans seem to have ran with it.

A rebuild constitutes both selling & buying; our excuses for not doing the latter do not stack up.

 

[Gasolin]

Any river for this poor soul on the phone, guys?

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

I don't have an issue with Matic starting, his inclusion was inevitable given the state of the injury list, but I feel starting Periera was a mistake. He's been ineffective this season and given how Ole has stated for quite some time that he plans to give youth a chance, today seemed like the perfect opportunity to give Greenwood his first start of the season.

I hear you. It's clear to me that our goal will be to sit back, stay compact and hit on the counter. But in order to stay compact, you can't have a numerical disadvantage in the midfield. Furthermore, we must make plans for Ndidi, he's a crucial player in the midfield for Leicester City. We don't have the quality anymore to do solely our thing and not give a rat's arse about the opposition's strengths. This explains Pereira who's in the starting lineup because Lingard is absent. Greenwood will be an attacking option if Leicester are winning and therefore not willing to commit many players forward or if we're chasing the winning goal in the last 20-25 minutes. It makes absolute sense on paper.

This is what baffles me. You (not you specifically) can't complain about the state of the squad and then moan because the manager won't play some teenagers just because we're United and we should always take the game to our rivals. You must choose that you either want to see the kids even if we finish lower from the tenth position or that you want to check if Ole has the managerial nous to compete for top-four with a rather thin squad. You can't have both.

Is it a good lineup quality-wise? No, it's not. But more than half of the forum is willing to sacrifice the present because the deadwood is gone now. Is it a reasonable one? It abso-fecking-lutely is. So, why the rage?

 

[RedDevilUnited369]

Still cant believe Solskjear ignored the right wing, there were some real cheap options available during the window that would have easily been an upgrade on mata and lingard but nope he didnt want to threaten the first team chances of one of his favourites in lingard, ffs.

Stupid comment. Ole isn’t in charge of transfers. You should know this by now. He only identifies targets. He’s identified Sancho for that role but Dortmund said next summer.

Anyway I see the Negative Nancy’s are out in full force.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Exactly what will happen, possibly 75th minute but we'll definitely be losing when this happens. Ole won't take the risk unless we're on the verge of losing. Even if we're drawing, Ole will refuse to take a risk.

Playing DEvil's Advocate but he did take a risk against Palace and went to all out attack when 1-1. We also attacked when 1-1 at Wolves.

To say we're not attack minded is inaccurate. Saying we have a poor squad at present to do it successfully is accurate