[Wing Attack Plan R]

Same familiar faces. Keep thinking VDB is gonna get a game, but ah, it's never gonna happen.
Anyway, let's smash 'em!

 

[Reapersoul20]

feck all ye depressing drips.

United to win 4-0 easy. Ole is at the wheel .

 

[wolvored]

I keep reading best midfield pairing. Have we tried all our midfielders with different partners? How many has VDB paired with for example? Until everyone has played with each other, how do we know what our best pairing is?

 

[Iowred]

Maybe means for the Liverpool games

Bet you we go 5 at the back for that

Who knows what he means anymore. Really can’t stand him as a manager which is sad as he was such a hero as a player. He talks utter crap every time he opens his mouth with things like United d.n.a and United way etc. Will probably win tonight but Liverpool will batter us then hopefully ole’s reign is over.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

McFred and Matic could get injured but Ole would still ignore Donny and play Dean Henderson in midfield or request Carrick come out of retirement.

Carrick would instantly be our best midfielder.

 

[redshaw]

Am I missing something? I thought OGS said something had to change. I see mcfred with Fernandes in front of them. Only difference I can see is rashford starting.

Yes, accommodating Pogba in a two man midfield has been dropped again.

 

[sullydnl]

Please win. I can take bombing in the league for the next few months but at least get us knockout CL football too look forward to.

 

[Sviken]

To clarify, I am not a fan of McFred although I understand why they are playing tonight and I am more than ready for a new Manager but the myth of Donny's amazing game against West Ham grows larger by the week. He failed to track his runner for the goal and just stopped on the edge of the box so he is at least partially if not wholly to blame and apart from that he was neat, tidy and anonymous against West Ham's reserves and yet people go on about it like he schooled prime Zidane in the midfield.

And you're acting like we have a prime Xavi-Scholes in midfield duo. Donny has deserved a run of games to prove if he can do better. And if he can't, he can feck off, I don't care. But at this point - what do we have to lose? We can either continue with the same losing strategy over and over. Proven time and time again it doesn't work or we can try something new and fail, but at least we've tried. Right now i'd prefer the latter, even if we lose, whatever, I'd like to see something progressive from this manager. Something that will make me believe that he is not here just because he has "United DNA" whatever the feck that means.

 

[2cents]

The elephant in the room is Bruno not being disciplined and coached properly, but because he runs a lot people confuse his effort for effectiveness.
Not that he's not a ridiculously consistent G+A machine, but he's the only constant that continues to remain in our "midfield"

I’m starting to come around to this way of thinking.

 

[-Supreme-]

Back to his usual counter attack set up with McFred and Rashford back in the team.

Why did we spend £120m on Sancho and Donny if the manager doesn't know how to use them?

 

[2 man midfield]

What are BT on about with Ole’s quotes being taken out of context?

 

[Nick7]

What are BT on about with Ole’s quotes being taken out of context?

Rashford quotes wasn’t it?

 

[Garethw]

I wonder what Gary “never criticise the manager” Neville will think of that team after stating that we can’t go back to McFred.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

I made a list of our season so far based on Midfield pair. There is limited data buts it's too early to say McFred is the best pair.

Also even if they are the best the pairing is very poor all the same. I suspect our issues more stem from coaching In all cases

McFred W2 D1 L1 - 50% Win rate
Win vs Leeds
Win vs West Ham
Losss Vs Villa
Draw Vs Everton

Fred Pogba W1 D0 L0 - 100% Win rate
Win Vs Wolves

Matic Pogba W1 D0 L0 - 50% Win rate
Win Vs Wolves
Loss Leicester

Pogba Sccott W1 D0 L0 - 100% Win Rate
Win Vs Villarreal

Matic Fred W0 D1 L0 - 0% Win Rate
Draw vs Southampton

Fred Donny W0 D0 L1 - 0% Win Rate
Loss vs Young Boys

Matic Donny W0 D0 L1 - 0% Win Rate
Loss Vs West Ham

Sticks out how Donny is getting the raw end of the stick there. Young Boys - had to come off after the red, and vs West Ham had a lot of second team players around him.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

No proof to suggest mcfred solidify the midfield. Why can't he fully make fred deep dmc and pair bruno and vdb in midfield. Let sancho and rashford take the wings? Arghh.. This guy does my head in

 

[JPRouve]

Thats his answer to everything

Me: Ole, I broke my leg.
Ole: Well your other leg will have to crank up the intensity and cover more ground.

 

[Gandalf]

Donny in that midfield did something McFred never do - move into small pockets of space to receive the ball, and quiety pass it on with an angle that beats the press. They don't need to be Hollywood passes or going forward everytime - it just needs to keep moving. Dictating the tempo, keeping it ticking, connecting midfield and attack.

I agree he was decent and I want to see more of him but his fanboys go on about it like he put on an exhibition. He lost 4 out of 5 duels contested, played only 1 long pass the entire game and was defensively poor on their goal. There were things to like and to build on but it was hardly a flawless performance. I personally would pair him with Fred but sadly McTominay is from the acadamy and so he has an extra dose of the crucial United DNA which our opponents fear so much.

 

[Nicoseth]

Kinda is, decisions need to be made.

Greenwood, Rashford etc were there before we bought him. So we knew someone would have to be dropped. Why sign him then? 73m is crazy money for a player you're not going to start.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Am I missing something? I thought OGS said something had to change. I see mcfred with Fernandes in front of them. Only difference I can see is rashford starting.

Pogba dropped, Fred back.

 

[Lay]

The elephant in the room is Bruno not being disciplined and coached properly, but because he runs a lot people confuse his effort for effectiveness.
Not that he's not a ridiculously consistent G+A machine, but he's the only constant that continues to remain in our "midfield"

I quietly hold the opinion that Bruno can be a problem in that midfield. Obvious quality with him but I don’t think he does much for the balance of the team.

 

[redshaw]

I think it’s a decent team but my only fear is Maguire no way he can overcome Saturday’s performance in 4 days.

Ole should sub him at halftime if he's like the Leicester match. Could be a hugely sorry night if we don't react.

 

[FreakyJim]

Rashy's fit so he plays, always. Ronaldo undroppable, Bruno undroppable. Greenwood, to be fair, shouldn't be dropped.

Tough luck Sancho, time to join DVB.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Shaw and Rashford are going to be very important. Shaw because fullbacks are the only players that aren't man marked by the Atalanta press and Rashford because he always gives us the option of going over the top. I don't trust AWB to do anything with the space he's going to have.

I see they are playing Muriel so they don't expect to have complete control of the game otherwise they'd play Zapata.

 

[Forevergiggs1]

The word "just" does him no favours there at all.

Neither does "i think."

 

[Sviken]

I wonder what Gary “never criticise the manager” Neville will think of that team after stating that we can’t go back to McFred.

Another Big Bang would happen before Gary criticizes Ole. Guy has sacked more managers in 5 years than United have had in their history, but we need to give Ole more time because....? He knows the United way, I guess.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

WTF is Donny ready for?

A move to a club with a clue?

 

[lilcurt]

No proof to suggest mcfred solidify the midfield. Why can't he fully make fred deep dmc and pair bruno and vdb in midfield. Let sancho and rashford take the wings? Arghh.. This guy does my head in

He hasn't got a clue mate. His head has gone now and he is in full "save job mode".

Nothing about this lineup is progressive, about playing the United way (or DNA as he loves to bang on about). Zero progress.

 

[red4ever 79]

Rashford quotes wasn’t it?

Wasnt it the 'I have excellent coaches part'

 

[Deery]

Ole should sub him at halftime if he's like the Leicester match. Could be a hugely sorry night if we don't react.

If Atalanta had any sense they’d target him from the whistle.

 

[RooneyLegend]

We always play with a central 2. Why aren't we always outnumbered then?

Because not every team plays a narrow formation.

 

[sunama]

Is McFred solid at all? We have 1 Clean Sheet in 19. McFred being are most used combo.

I don't think we have any solid Midfield.

That's down to poor tactics.
It doesn't help that McFred aren't great, but they definitely aren't that bad.
The tactics we use will make most midfielders look poor.

 

[Giggsy13]

Carrick would instantly be our best midfielder.

I thought the exact same thing

 

[Wilt]

Utd odds on favourites to win tonight ….so let’s win.

 

[cyberman]

I quietly hold the opinion that Bruno can be a problem in that midfield. Obvious quality with him but I don’t think he does much for the balance of the team.

Bruno doesn’t play in Midfield. It’s literally the two behind him that’s the problem but we somehow throw he and Pogba into that discussion.

 

[Nick7]

Bruno doesn’t play in Midfield. It’s literally the two behind him that’s the problem but we somehow throw he and Pogba into that discussion.

That’s the problem. Bruno forces us to play a 2 man midfield.

 

[VivaJesperBlomqvist]

tumescent football fc time

 

[Cnaiür urs Skiötha]

No surprises. Exactly the line-up you‘d expect Ole to field as fears for his job.
Back 7, letting them have the ball and Bruno hitting long balls to our front three hoping they will produce something.
Not very exciting but understandable.

 

[Renegade]

Why can’t we try 433? This formation only suits Bruno. With 433, the wide players are closer to Ronaldo which is needed deperatly.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

I agree he was decent and I want to see more of him but his fanboys go on about it like he put on an exhibition. He lost 4 out of 5 duels contested, played only 1 long pass the entire game and was defensively poor on their goal. There were things to like and to build on but it was hardly a flawless performance. I personally would pair him with Fred but sadly McTominay is from the acadamy and so he has an extra dose of the crucial United DNA which our opponents fear so much.

Not everyone who wants him given a chance is a fanboy. And no one is claiming he doesn't have weaknesses - he's not a ball winner or great defensively. But he does have strengths, based on his Ajax days. He can rotate possession, find space, is better at handling press, good at linkup play and makes runs into the box. We have not even given him a chance to show what he can do, after spending a lot of money on him.

 

[Gandalf]

And you're acting like we have a prime Xavi-Scholes in midfield duo. Donny has deserved a run of games to prove if he can do better. And if he can't, he can feck off, I don't care. But at this point - what do we have to lose? We can either continue with the same losing strategy over and over. Proven time and time again it doesn't work or we can try something new and fail, but at least we've tried. Right now i'd prefer the latter, even if we lose, whatever, I'd like to see something progressive from this manager. Something that will make me believe that he is not here just because he has "United DNA" whatever the feck that means.

I said nothing of the sort and if you check elsewhere I have said we should give Fred and Donny a run as the midfield pair playing B2B. Donny had struggles in the West Ham game, he looked better than before and there was enough to suggest he should get more chances but in a must win game it is hard to fault Ole for going with the pairing which has brought him most success. We can hope that if we string a couple of results together to ease the pressure Ole will be willing to experiment but with his back to the wall it was inevitable he would revert to what has been his most successful line up.