DRJosh
Full Member
How certain are we that Ronaldo won't play a role in this match?
West Ham had all the luck and and the ref on their side. I hope we fecking smash them tonight.Ronaldo missed that guilt edged opportunity and Bruno hit the post. On another day we could have ripped them.
Oh give overHope Phil Jones gets a run out tonight, and it'd be cool to see him in midfield like he occasionally played in his first season here. I remember him playing particularly well in midfield away at Villa back then (think he scored too).
As long as his knees don't turn to porridge, it surely can't be any worse than Fred can it? Just have him run around, barging into people, maybe a ground-header or two, for old time's sake.
In a one-off game against what will likely be a weakened West Ham side, in a competition we're probably not going to prioritise, I don't think it'd be much worse than putting Fred in there.Oh give over
WowIn a one-off game against what will likely be a weakened West Ham side, in a competition we're probably not going to prioritise, I don't think it'd be much worse than putting Fred in there.
Who the feck is that guy?Would be nice to see Elangaga feature at some point. He’s always impressed in the limited senior squad showing. With his pace and pressing, he can take the Dan James profile in the squad.
Who else do we even have in the squad to rotate with Fred? Matic, perhaps, but he can barely run. The other option is to just play Fred every single game, even in the EFL cup against 2nd string sides, which wouldn't be wise.
Who the feck is that guy?
That's not what you said in your post though, you implied Fred is no better than Phil Jones, which is ridiculous.Who else do we even have in the squad to rotate with Fred? Matic, perhaps, but he can barely run. The other option is to just play Fred every single game, even in the EFL cup against 2nd string sides, which wouldn't be wise.
If he's gonna be rotated, the EFL cup is the game to do it against what will probably be mostly West Ham 2nd stringers. I'd rather that opportunity was given to a youngster, but we seemingly don't have a young DM to bring in. Outside of Fred, McT and Matic, Jones is possibly the only one in the squad who has played the position before.
It's 5-10 years ago some of them made their debut. It's like saying Klopp gives youth a chance because Steven Gerrard was in their team once. Totally irrelevant. Ole was great at giving youth a chance earlier, but in the last 1-2 seasons he has been very reserved which you will see a good example of tonight. Compare to other teams and see the difference, even top teams who don't have this tradition that United has.Appart from the guy who got injured, who is featuring regularly from the academy for them ?
We have Rashford, Greenwood, McTomminay, with Lingard on the bench as well and Pogba if we can count him. Many youngsters got their debut and featured under Ole as well.
So I don’t think it’s pertinent to criticize the club about that when we are the big club with the most academy graduates in the team.
I said playing Jones tonight, in the context of tonight's game (since that what this thread is about) couldn't be much worse. If you remove all context to just Fred is no better than Jones, then yes, that is ridiculous, and I don't agree with it. The context being we likely are not going to prioritise this competition, and West Ham will likely field a weaker team than at the weekend.That's not what you said in your post though, you implied Fred is no better than Phil Jones, which is ridiculous.
I dunno. I think fielding 9 players is bordering on arrogant.I expect we will see
Heaton
Telles
Lindelof
Elanga
Mata
Lingard
Hannibal
Cavani
Martial
He will come off the bench to score the winner.How certain are we that Ronaldo won't play a role in this match?
Not me tbh I can't care less about this cup. Ole should wise up and dumb this like Klopp. Play the backups so they can have some game time, see what they can do and give the major of the first XI a rest. If we win, good if not big fecking deal tbh.Its a difficult situation for Ole i think. I'd love to see some of the young lads get a run out, Elanga, Hannibal etc, and even Donny, but the problem is if by playing a weaker team we end up losing, Ole will be slated by the media and fans. Is it a safer bet to go with a stronger team and target the competition as something we could/should win?
Tommy BeekHeaton
Dalot
Lindelof
Maguire
Shaw
McTominay
Beek
Greenwood
Lingard
Sancho
Martial
I have a good feeling about that combination! Think he really likes Fred, thoughHope he gives McBeek a go
100% agreed. I’d like to see the Varane/Lindelöf pairing get a run out, Dalot, VDB, Matic, Lingard and Sancho. If Shaw and Bruno/Pogba play too, then great’.I'm worried at the appearance of too many players desperately short of first team games in these predicted sides. There's no way we should start more than one or two of the likes of Dalot, Jones, Bailly, Telles, VDB, Mata, Cavani...
That's way too many players lacking match sharpness in one go. The priority of competive knockout Cup games should be: 1) winning the game. 2) If we can rest a few of our key players while still winning it then all the better.
I don't mind resting some key players to bring in potential starters like Henderson, Lindelof, Lingard, VDB. And hopefully we can give a bit of game time to a talented youngster like Elanga. But there's no way we should risk the game to such an extent by throwing in far too many players struggling for game time and match sharpness like Jones, Bailly, Telles, Mata, Cavani...
Ole played decent amount of youngster last year. Amad, Elanga Shoretire all played a bit.It's 5-10 years ago some of them made their debut. It's like saying Klopp gives youth a chance because Steven Gerrard was in their team once. Totally irrelevant. Ole was great at giving youth a chance earlier, but in the last 1-2 seasons he has been very reserved which you will see a good example of tonight. Compare to other teams and see the difference, even top teams who don't have this tradition that United has.
Yeah Sky SportsIs this game on TV? Can't see it
Cheers.Yeah Sky Sports
good post. I think almost everyone has said this or a variation of this to Mickson at one stage or another but he just won’t accept it. I’d also really like to see Hannibal and Elanga involved tonight. If not tonight then they probably won’t have many more chances before they end up going out on loan. Fair enough. Apart from them we may as well field a strong a team as possible with all the senior international squad players we have who will be needing games. The longer we stay in the competition the more chances we have to get fitness for the older guys and possibly give debuts or more minutes to the younger guys (but that’s depending on the opposition and who is fit)Ole played decent amount of youngster last year. Amad, Elanga Shoretire all played a bit.
To play an entire 11in a cup game because you want the first team to rest is not giving the youngsters a chance and that’s what Klopp do most of the time. So he can say he played youngsters and he has an excuse if he lose.
There is no point to play youngsters only in some cup games to sell them later on.
Now if you look at us, we play youngsters that have a real chance to make it here and who are ready or almost ready. That way you play less youngsters but if they do it they will stay probably all their career here. It was always like that for United. If you are good enough you are old enough. But I don’t see the point to play youngsters only to play them.
Ole play less now as we have a better team and he needs to give game time to everyone. And honestly I don’t know why is that a problem. The youngsters should earn it not the other way round. The bests of the lot will find a way to make it, the rest will find another club after a very good formation here.
Everyone like a lad from the rank to make it but we should not force it. A lot were very hyped about and finally after many chances showed nothing.
Jonathan Moss