Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao (Sun 6th August, 16:00 UK time)

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,350
Location
@United_Hour
AWB, Eriksen, Sancho and Lindelof ended last season as starters. Maguire was the captain until 4 weeks ago. If Martial returns from the dead that’s arguably our starting striker when fit. Fred/Mctominay have been key squad players for 4 years. It will be nothing like the Wrexham game where Hannibal, Fernandez and Jonny Evans were the most senior players.
It's likely to be a stronger XI than what we had for our final preseason friendly last year

I get that tickets were relatively expensive and the Lens match hadn't been announced, but bit too much moaning about the likely line up TBH
 

sillwuka

Full Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
3,013
Location
Reddish, Stockport
Bait and switch. Feel for bad for the Irish because I only paid £23 at OT yesterday.
Hope many of the first team travel and make an appearance.
 

pacifictheme

Full Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Messages
7,765
Bait and switch. Feel for bad for the Irish because I only paid £23 at OT yesterday.
Hope many of the first team travel and make an appearance.
I hope none of them do, they played yesterday and seasons starts in a week, I hope they focus on recovery. Sucks for anyone going today but that's less important than proper preparation.
 

Wicked_Badger

Full Member
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
1,566
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
:lol:

apparently tickets (€90) went on sale for this before the Lens game was announced which would’ve made it our last pre season game and perfect timing for a full strength side. Safe to say it’s understandable why so many people are pissed off. I know people travelling from all ends of the country with their kids to see the match.
€90 a ticket for a friendly? That’s mental. :houllier:
I thought the Edinburgh ones were well overpriced at £30/40 a pop.

Feel for the folk going to the stadium today. At least it’s not going to be the kids, but it’ll still sting a bit. That’s the chance you take with a friendly I guess.
 

McGrathsipan

Dawn’s less famous husband
Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
24,728
Location
Dublin
It's likely to be a stronger XI than what we had for our final preseason friendly last year

I get that tickets were relatively expensive and the Lens match hadn't been announced, but bit too much moaning about the likely line up TBH
It's not the line up its the way the club conned Irish fans. That's what has me angry. My (3) tickets were €75 that's extortionate and then the club announced another fixture after the sale of Bilbao tickets.
Total scam. No fecking hope of a sell out if fixtures were known at the time.
 

captaincantona

Full Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
1,609
It’s awful from the club. Fans should have at least been told they were planning another friendly on the Saturday. Let the fans make up their own mind.
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,982
Location
Editing my own posts.
As long as the people complaining here aren’t the same ones defending it for the Wrexham game (which was disappointingly loads - and this’ll be a much stronger team anyway) then yeah, it’s another bit of shitty profiteering from the club.
 

Sparky Rhiwabon

New Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
16,946
Wrexham was always billed as reserves.
No it wasn’t - it was billed as a youth focused team supplemented by players from the reserves. This was sold out before the Real Madrid game was later announced.
 

captaincantona

Full Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
1,609
It's likely to be a stronger XI than what we had for our final preseason friendly last year

I get that tickets were relatively expensive and the Lens match hadn't been announced, but bit too much moaning about the likely line up TBH
What a load of rubbish. No Irish fan paid 3 times the price of an OT friendly ticket to see the likes ofTom Heaton, Brandon Williams and a host of players waiting to be loaned or sold. It’s very simple - fans were completely conned by the club.

it’s like buying a €75 ticket to an event to meet the cast of the Breaking Bad and you get there and the staff from Los Pollos Hermanos are there offering selfies. It’s a scam!
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,350
Location
@United_Hour
It's not the line up its the way the club conned Irish fans. That's what has me angry. My (3) tickets were €75 that's extortionate and then the club announced another fixture after the sale of Bilbao tickets.
Total scam. No fecking hope of a sell out if fixtures were known at the time.
Given the huge Irish fanbase (plus others heading over to Ireland for a weekend on the piss), I think it would have been a sell out regardless but probably would have been people who are less bothered about who exactly is playing and just happy to see any Man Utd team on show

It was always known that an OT game would be announced at some point, I do agree that having 2 games in 2 days is a bit weird though and would have been better if the whole preseason schedule was announced at the same time
 

Highfather_24

Full Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
2,726
Heaton
AWB
Maguire
Lindelof
Fernandez
McT
Eriksen
VdB
Pellistri
Martial
Sancho
 
Last edited:

moses

Can't We Just Be Nice?
Staff
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
43,655
Location
I have no idea either, yet.
It's likely to be a stronger XI than what we had for our final preseason friendly last year

I get that tickets were relatively expensive and the Lens match hadn't been announced, but bit too much moaning about the likely line up TBH
:lol: such compsssion for people getting rinsed.
 

Sparky Rhiwabon

New Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
16,946
That's basically what I meant, not the first team, it was never misleading. Unlike the Dublin game.
I think it was still quite misleading as it ended up being a wholly reserves team, rather than supplemented by the reserves
 

McGrathsipan

Dawn’s less famous husband
Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
24,728
Location
Dublin
What a load of rubbish. No Irish fan paid 3 times the price of an OT friendly ticket to see the likes ofTom Heaton, Brandon Williams and a host of players waiting to be loaned or sold. It’s very simple - fans were completely conned by the club.

it’s like buying a €75 ticket to an event to meet the cast of the Breaking Bad and you get there and the staff from Los Pollos Hermanos are there offering selfies. It’s a scam!
Total scam.

Like prepaying for Michelin star dinner and getting a fecking supermarket pork chop.

Fuxk it I'm holding out hope that at least a few of them travel and warm up etc or maybe even get a few mins
 

moses

Can't We Just Be Nice?
Staff
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
43,655
Location
I have no idea either, yet.
Total scam.

Like prepaying for Michelin star dinner and getting a fecking supermarket pork chop.

Fuxk it I'm holding out hope that at least a few of them travel and warm up etc or maybe even get a few mins
Yeah, they may travel and give the squad a better look. You may get a few internationals if the ones for sale get a run OUT, plus maybe AWB, Eriksen and Lindelof. Personally I wouldn't pay that money to see them in a friendly even if it was the first team but this is just taking money off folk with kids.
 

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
134,197
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
What a load of rubbish. No Irish fan paid 3 times the price of an OT friendly ticket to see the likes ofTom Heaton, Brandon Williams and a host of players waiting to be loaned or sold. It’s very simple - fans were completely conned by the club.

it’s like buying a €75 ticket to an event to meet the cast of the Breaking Bad and you get there and the staff from Los Pollos Hermanos are there offering selfies. It’s a scam!
:lol:

Really bad form by the club. I came very close to buying tickets. Would be absolutely raging if I had.
 

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
134,197
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
As long as the people complaining here aren’t the same ones defending it for the Wrexham game (which was disappointingly loads - and this’ll be a much stronger team anyway) then yeah, it’s another bit of shitty profiteering from the club.
As you well know, the two fixtures were promoted very differently. So you’re not comparing apples with apples.
 

moses

Can't We Just Be Nice?
Staff
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
43,655
Location
I have no idea either, yet.
As long as the people complaining here aren’t the same ones defending it for the Wrexham game (which was disappointingly loads - and this’ll be a much stronger team anyway) then yeah, it’s another bit of shitty profiteering from the club.
I don't think anyone is defending anything, just saying that the grift is not identical.
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,350
Location
@United_Hour
:lol: such compsssion for people getting rinsed.
I'd never dream of paying that kind of money for a meaningless friendly (I wouldn't even pay the £25 they were charging at OT yesterday), I don't get why people do but then I suppose I'm lucky to get to see the team whenever I want

it's preseason so always a gamble on what kind of team is put out
 

moses

Can't We Just Be Nice?
Staff
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
43,655
Location
I have no idea either, yet.
I'd never dream of paying that kind of money for a meaningless friendly (I wouldn't even pay the £25 they were charging at OT yesterday), I don't get why people do but then I suppose I'm lucky to get to see the team whenever I want

it's preseason so always a gamble on what kind of team is put out

Yep, and if the gamble is a loss orchestrated by the casino, people are allowed vent. Why does that bother you?
 

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
134,197
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
I'd never dream of paying that kind of money for a meaningless friendly (I wouldn't even pay the £25 they were charging at OT yesterday), I don't get why people do but then I suppose I'm lucky to get to see the team whenever I want

it's preseason so always a gamble on what kind of team is put out
You’ve answered your own question there. Ireland’s full of United fans who don’t the money or free time to see the team as much as they’d like in Manchester. So will happily pay over the odds to see them on the very rare occasion when they’re in Dublin.

The really shitty thing about this is it’s a classic opportunity for parents to give their kids their first taste of watching the team live. So the stands will be full of children who are gutted they don’t get to see their heroes in the flesh.
 

evil_geko

Full Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Messages
5,942
As long as the people complaining here aren’t the same ones defending it for the Wrexham game (which was disappointingly loads - and this’ll be a much stronger team anyway) then yeah, it’s another bit of shitty profiteering from the club.
Different situations, Wrexham game was told right from the start, months before, that reserves were playing.
 

Devil_forever

You're only young once, you can be immature f'ever
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
11,014
Location
Head of the naval division of lolibfascon
Why didn't we play the second XI yesterday and the first team today? It would have made barely any difference to the team's preparations. The Irish fans would have got to see the first team, the fans at OT paid a lot less than them and would have got to see the second XI. Unless that was the original plan and then ETH insisted otherwise?

Also why is this on at the exact same as the charity shield match between city and arsenal?
 

Baxquux

Full Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2022
Messages
1,278
It'll be the experienced and pricey '2nd 11' people have predicted; understand if Dublin/Irish fans are upset about no Rash/Garnacho or seeing Onana's tightrope sweeper keeper excellence and potential catastrophe etc.

My main hope would be that we see a couple of the more promising youngsters prior to loans being arranged for them, like Gore, playing alongside some of the more experienced players for at least 15-20 mins before latter are potentially subbed. Biggest shame, aside from no prospective Hojlund appearance, is that Amad and Mainoo are injured and can't stake their cases...
 

Eyepopper

Lowering the tone since 2006
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Messages
66,945
I'd never dream of paying that kind of money for a meaningless friendly (I wouldn't even pay the £25 they were charging at OT yesterday), I don't get why people do but then I suppose I'm lucky to get to see the team whenever I want

it's preseason so always a gamble on what kind of team is put out
My lad is 7 and only really getting into it now, he was dying to go to this and I'd have happily paid the €75 each to get him up to it.

Glad I couldn't get tickets now, as it comes out the day beforehand it'll only be the dregs playing.

I'll get him over to OT for a match at some point this season, and that will probably cost the guts of €1000 for the pair of us, so maybe that'll put things in context a bit for you.
 

2 man midfield

Last Man Standing finalist 2021/22
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
46,173
Location
?
At the end of the day I can see both sides. Yes it’s pre-season, and you always take a risk with what teams are going to be put out, as in the eyes of the guy who picks the team, it’s purely for fitness and trying new things out before the serious games begin.

However the suits know full well that pre-season is an exercise in making cash, and they have a chance to exploit the fact people will part with money for a glimpse of their heroes.

I’d be pissed as well. I bet lots of Irish reds were gutted when they saw the team sheet for the Lens game yesterday.
 

TrustInJanuzaj

'Liverpool are a proper club'
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
10,744
I think I’ll watch the community shield instead to be honest. Maybe stick the Utd game on my phone.
 

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
Scout
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
49,985
Location
W.Yorks
Definitely have sympathy for anyone that bought a ticket... It's totally different from the Wrexham situation.
 

Bwuk

Full Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
17,389
Why didn't we play the second XI yesterday and the first team today? It would have made barely any difference to the team's preparations. The Irish fans would have got to see the first team, the fans at OT paid a lot less than them and would have got to see the second XI. Unless that was the original plan and then ETH insisted otherwise?

Also why is this on at the exact same as the charity shield match between city and arsenal?
Probably because Ten Hag does what he thinks is best to prepare the side for the season, not to please our Irish fanbase.

We were going to play a reserve side in one of the games, and he chose to do it this way around:
 

Diabhal

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
35
Location
Cork
Given the huge Irish fanbase (plus others heading over to Ireland for a weekend on the piss), I think it would have been a sell out regardless but probably would have been people who are less bothered about who exactly is playing and just happy to see any Man Utd team on show

It was always known that an OT game would be announced at some point, I do agree that having 2 games in 2 days is a bit weird though and would have been better if the whole preseason schedule was announced at the same time
How would you of known an Old Trafford game would have been announced, especially the day before this game.

It's obviously a rip off and for 75-90 euro a ticket, I doubt it would of sold out if it was made clear it wasn't going to be a first team line up.I know a few groups going, all disappointed. They definitely would not of purchased.

You basically have kids disappointed they're not going to see their favorite players for their favorite team and parents out a couple of hundred.

Looking at all your posts, seem to be defending it and you obviously lack any empathy towards other fans.