Manchester United 2:2 Steven Gerrard's Villa (Sat 23rd July, 10:45 UK time)

[Strelok]

This match has me feeling really excited for the future under ten Hag. We’re only a few weeks in and we’re looking significantly better in every aspect of the game with basically the same players.

By the time the season is in full swing this team could be considered mostly our second string (Malacia, Martinez, Varane, New RB, de Jong, Eriksen, Antony and Ronaldo would all get in if/when they arrive).

But even without that, the signs are there that ten Hag will have us competing for silverware within 3 years.

 

[bringbackbebe]

I dont know what role Beek is playing.

He's a great player. You just don't understand his role. Actually, neither do I nor ETH I'm sure. Looks like a false 1.

 

[Dante]

The Ralf apologists have been very quiet.

We're playing with the same players as last season but we're absolutely dominating teams.

Wasn't this supposed to be impossible?

10 new players and all that?

It's also Solksjaer's team. Even though, apparently, he ruined the squad.

 

[Adam-Utd]

1st goal was a beauty. We should see overlaps like that more often.

 

[P-Nut]

Villa have been shite. I thought this was going to be a tough test given we're a bit further into preseason and Villa and Liverpool played massively weakened sides.

But we've hardly let them have a kick

 

[PoTMS]

What formation are we playing? 4-3-3 or 4-2-1-3?

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

my worry is that when teams nullify us we won’t be able to rely on a single moment of brilliance to swing it our way.

I think we have more than enough players in our squad to give us that moment of brilliance if needed.

 

[Mihai]

I dont know what role Beek is playing.

TeamViewer

 

[Catt]

Don’t call @Samid that. He’s just the messenger!

Promise I won't

 

[Reditus]

Has anyone on mutv mentioned Manchester weather yet?

 

[The Red Thinker]

Get most of these guys off at half time don't need to injuries in these conditions

Exactly. But a part of me wants them to take the risk. They need to know how to play Ten-Hag-Ball on a wet rainy night at <insert dross football club stadium>. So far they seem to know what to do even if the pitch is shite and not allowing ETH principle of keeping the ball along the ground.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

What formation are we playing? 4-3-3 or 4-2-1-3?

433. Fred holding, with Bruno and VdB ahead.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Rashford still isn't doing enough to be guaranteed starter in the front three unfortunately. If a new forward is brought in he is most at risk.

 

[Skills]

Sancho has been great. He seems to be the only one who can run on this pitch. Must be wearing 3 inch studs or something.

Do pro's even keep studs now? They'd probably be ideal for a pitch like this, compared to blades.

 

[DJ_21]

Love this style we’re playing!! We’re stopping teams from getting out there own halve.

 

[Acole9]

2-0
Cash og

The pitch looks dreadful.

 

[SalfordRed18]

What formation are we playing? 4-3-3 or 4-2-1-3?

4-1-1-3 it looks like to me.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Can we win the league?

 

[Houdini]

Unreal it rains so heavily in Australia in the summer

/s

It's winter in Australia.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Pitch is shit, weather is worse, Ten Hag is brilliant.

 

[Dazzmondo]

Another really good performance. Who needs De Jong when we have Fred? Sancho great again. Rashford also very involved on other wing. Very impressed by Shaw at lb. Dalot a bit quiet compared to his other performances in pre-season, hopefully we see more of him in 2nd half. Bruno has pressed very effectively. Defence has been solid. Dominant against a good team (in terms of individual quality at least). VDB hardly involved at all. Garner on for VDB at half time to see how he does please. Pretty clear to me that VDB should not be an option for us at cm this season.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Martial dropping deep and rolling the defender was so integral to the first goal. I'm really enjoying him back to form

 

[Beachryan]

Interesting how little we used the right today - was pretty 50/50 in all the other friendlies.

I want to give VdB all the chances in the world, but I have no idea what he's offering, feels like we're carrying a player.

EtH needs to teach Rashford how to press, he's kinda terrible at it despite his quickness. He's never quite in the right lanes or makes the right approaches, lots of running with no result.

But we totally controlled that which is great to see.

 

[TsuWave]

Sancho is a special baller

 

[mu4c_20le]

Pitch is shite, weather is shite, food is shite. Sounds like back home

 

[SalfordRed18]

Another really good performance. Who needs De Jong when we have Fred? Sancho great again. Rashford also very involved on other wing. Very impressed by Shaw at lb. Dalot a bit quiet compared to his other performances in pre-season, hopefully we see more of him in 2nd half. Bruno has pressed very effectively. Defence has been solid. Dominant against a good team (in terms of individual quality at least). VDB hardly involved at all. Garner on for VDB at half time to see how he does please. Pretty clear to me that VDB should not be an option for us at cm this season.

Us.

 

[FootyGirl88]

I didnt see much much of Kamara for Villa

 

[Camy89]

It's winter in Australia.

I was being sarcastic and referencing a previous running joke in the last match day thread. I know it’s winter there.

 

[TheReligion]

Interesting how little we used the right today - was pretty 50/50 in all the other friendlies.

I want to give VdB all the chances in the world, but I have no idea what he's offering, feels like we're carrying a player.

EtH needs to teach Rashford how to press, he's kinda terrible at it despite his quickness. He's never quite in the right lanes or makes the right approaches, lots of running with no result.

But we totally controlled that which is great to see.

Ten Hag mentioned he wanted us to use the left more so possibly an instruction?

 

[We need an rvn]

Unreal it rains so heavily in Australia in the summer

/s

Opposite seasons to us. Winter from jun- aug

 

[always_hoping]

Terrible pitch and weather. Controlling performance by United against a villa side that had brought physicality but not much else.

 

[Stack]

Hopefully the pitch will be better in the 2nd half

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

The ball into Martial from Dalot was amazing.

 

[Dante]

What formation are we playing? 4-3-3 or 4-2-1-3?

It's somewhere in between.

If I waned to be pretentious, I'd call it a 4-1-1-1-3. Fred is noticeably deeper than VdB, and VdB is noticeably deeper than Bruno.

But it's probably easiest to just call it a 4-3-3. Definitely not a midfield 2 at any rate.

 

[Real Name]

How are we doing lads?

 

[SmashedHombre]

These conditions are wild. Can't see the benefit in playing our first teamers in them

 

[captaincantona]

The Ralf apologists have been very quiet.

We're playing with the same players as last season but we're absolutely dominating teams.

Wasn't this supposed to be impossible?

10 new players and all that?

You’re disproving your own point mate. RR was hamstrung by the board and given a poxy role.no one took him seriously cause they knew he was gone either way. It’s a damning indictment of the players attitude last season. Not Ralf. These players have seen Pogba binned, Jesse binned, Cavani binned, AWB benched, new decent signings on the cheap in Malacia, Eriksen, they are now playing and training for their Utd careers. ETH will outlast them and they know it. Ralf was right about what he said, just wasn’t the right man in the right place.

 

[Camy89]

Opposite seasons to us. Winter from jun- aug

Yes, I know…

 

[Litch]

This was suppose to be the most difficult game but it hasn’t been.

 

[buckooo1978]

Van De Beek missing in this - we really need reinforcements in that midfield area

I wonder if his best role could be as a makeweight in a move for Antony

Our front 4 really impressive but you lose one and Elanga is in.... quality will drop