Manchester United 2:1 Middlesbrough

Damien · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
So the 18 is more or less confirmed:

DDG, Romero;

Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Blind;

Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard;

Zlatan, Martial, Rashford

My preferred team would be

De Gea
Valencia Jones Rojo Blind
Herrera Pogba
Mkhitaryan Mata Martial
Zlatan

Got a feeling Lingard will start though.

Android1974 · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
So the 18 is more or less confirmed:

DDG, Romero;

Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Blind;

Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard;

Zlatan, Martial, Rashford

There's only 17 players on the MEN list, including Johnstone. No Blind nor Mkhitaryan. But I wouldn't read much into it.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Damien said:
My preferred team would be

De Gea
Valencia Jones Rojo Blind
Herrera Pogba
Mkhitaryan Mata Martial
Zlatan

Got a feeling Lingard will start though.

I had (predicted) Bailly in as CB instead of Jones, other than that the same as yours. Can see Jones/Rojo resting although Bailly is a must against Carroll & co.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Android1974 said:
There's only 17 players on the MEN list, including Johnstone. No Blind nor Mkhitaryan. But I wouldn't read much into it.

From the article:

Henrikh Mkhitaryan still stays at The Lowry and Daley Blind lives nearby, so they tend to rendezvous with their teammates who disembark the team coach.

And yes, we always have 3 keepers just in case, but naturally Johnstone gets dropped.

Damien · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
I had (predicted) Bailly in as CB instead of Jones, other than that the same as yours. Can see Jones/Rojo resting although Bailly is a must against Carroll & co.

Think Mourinho will be reluctant to play Bailly with him leaving soon but with the closeness of the matches I think Bailly should play him in one of the two.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Damien said:
Think Mourinho will be reluctant to play Bailly with him leaving soon but with the closeness of the matches I think Bailly should play him in one of the two.

Yeah I think it'd be a good idea to give at least some rest to Rojones.

xplatformjedi · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
Yeah I think it'd be a good idea to give at least some rest to Rojones.

Whose going to spell Valencia? If you say Darmian, then whose going to spell Blind?

I really think Bailly could play RB in one of the games. This is the only week you'd need him to do so.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

xplatformjedi said:
Whose going to spell Valencia? If you say Darmian, then whose going to spell Blind?

I really think Bailly could play RB in one of the games. This is the only week you'd need him to do so.

Yeah it's definitely possible that he plays RB tomorrow or on Monday. I think we'll change max. 2 defenders for the West Ham game, probably only one, as Shaw isn't fit yet.

Tomorrow

Bailly-Jones-Rojo-Blind

West Ham

Valencia-Smalling-Rojo/Bailly-Darmian

Ashley R1+O · Dec 30, 2016

sunama said:
There were no foundations. Every concept and idea has been thrown in the bin by Jose and he is starting from scratch.

1, possession football - under Jose has been binned
2, ultra defensive football - under Jose has been binned and we have reverted to an attacking style of football
3, Martial - the one player who played decent under LVG - under Jose is pretty average and has been benched
4, LVG was bringing in youth - under Jose this idea is being binned.
...but to name a few.

The "LVG and his foundations" is a complete fallacy, made up by LVG supporters.
LVG's "foundations" are being erased and by the end of next season, it'll be like he was never here.

Agreed. The entire thing has been binned. Paddle pop sticks and cable ties are no foundation.

Successful said:
Eh, ok. You're entitled to have your own opinion I guess. Just know you're quite alone with that.

I think you'll find that you're quite alone here. Good effort in powerpoint though. :lol:

Sied · Dec 30, 2016

So we think Carrick isn't even in the squad?

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Sied said:
So we think Carrick isn't even in the squad?

Based on MEN, that seems to be the case. Understandable really, 3 matches in 7 days is probably asking a bit too much.

Android1974 · Dec 30, 2016

Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Android1974 said:
Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?

I think that’s the ”big” question regarding tomorrow. Would be happy with either choice though. Herrera-Pogba with Mata in front of them should be entertaining and Basti starting would be great for all parties as well as the atmosphere.

ivaldo · Dec 30, 2016

drdoityourself said:
Zlatan has shown no signs of tiredness. People have become obsessed with rotation since Ferguson went his last years rotating like a washing machine. The truth is most teams seem to believe their players can handle two games in quick succession. It's certainly been Mourinho's belief throughout his career. Prior to this double header United have played one game since 17th of December so it's hardly been a brutal schedule.

Carrick is more of a question mark but I don't want to break this midfield up.

Drop Mata and Lingard for Micky and Martial. Threat on both wings should unsettle a defensive team.

Yup they do.

These are probably the same posters who were moaning our players had covered the least distance in the league a month and a half ago.

Android1974 · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
I think that’s the ”big” question regarding tomorrow. Would be happy with either choice though. Herrera-Pogba with Mata in front of them should be entertaining and Basti starting would be great for all parties as well as the atmosphere.

I thought Mata, even more than Lingard, had a really poor last game. Would Mourinho ‘reward’ him with a start? I would prefer not to mess with the formation, and really feel a long term replacement for Carrick is due in January.

ChaddyP · Dec 30, 2016

Android1974 said:
Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?

Can Bastian Play that role. When he came on that one time he was further fwd as an 8. Herrera seems to be Jose's back up for the Carrick role

Android1974 · Dec 30, 2016

ChaddyP said:
Can Bastian Play that role. When he came on that one time he was further fwd as an 8. Herrera seems to be Jose's back up for the Carrick role

That's true, even Fellaini plays #8 with Herrera there. But I feel Schweinsteiger in Carrick's position in the working 4-1-4-1/4-3-3 could work.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Android1974 said:
I thought Mata, even more than Lingard, had a really poor last game. Would Mourinho ‘reward’ him with a start? I would prefer not to mess with the formation, and really feel a long term replacement for Carrick is due in January.

Aye, could be Micki/Lingard in the middle, too. I think José looks back a bit further than just the last game, but Mata's performance sure wasn't on the level of his early season ones.

Doubt we'll sign anyone in January, but we do need the Carrick replacement next summer.

Android1974 · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
Aye, could be Micki/Lingard in the middle, too. I think José looks back a bit further than just the last game, but Mata's performance sure wasn't on the level of his early season ones.

I would indeed play Mkhitaryan at #10 and Lingard (or Mata) on the right.

top1whoisman said:
Doubt we'll sign anyone in January, but we do need the Carrick replacement next summer.

I do agree it's not probable, although in this particular case it might be more useful, easing a young player into the league, playing whenever Carrick's not available, and then start next season already adapted to hit the ground running.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Android1974 said:
I do agree it's not probable, although in this particular case it might be more useful, easing a young player into the league, playing whenever Carrick's not available, and then start next season already adapted to hit the ground running.

That would be ideal.

Ashley R1+O · Dec 30, 2016

Android1974 said:
Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?

Fellaini will more than likely play at the base, he's more than capable.

Android1974 · Dec 30, 2016

Ashley R1+O said:
Fellaini will more than likely play at the base, he's more than capable.

Not sure at all he's capable, but I'm pretty sure Mourinho would put him at #8 and Herrera at #6, like against Chelsea (it worked well, didn't it?).

Regulus Arcturus Black · Dec 30, 2016

Ashley R1+O said:
Fellaini will more than likely play at the base, he's more than capable.

"more" than capable he is not.

It's staggeringly obvious to anyone that we are simply not the same side without a great passer at the base of that three, hence why Mourinho now favours Herrera there before Fellaini.

Alexrad · Dec 30, 2016

top1whoisman said:
Yeah it's definitely possible that he plays RB tomorrow or on Monday. I think we'll change max. 2 defenders for the West Ham game, probably only one, as Shaw isn't fit yet.

Tomorrow

Bailly-Jones-Rojo-Blind

West Ham

Valencia-Smalling-Rojo/Bailly-Darmian

Why would you play weaker side against West Ham away and your first choice defenders against Boro at home?

K2K · Dec 30, 2016

First 31st December game for Pogba at United.

The last time was here for one, we played Blackburn and had ' that' midfield pairing.

sunama · Dec 30, 2016

I enjoyed this.

top1whoisman · Dec 30, 2016

Alexrad said:
Why would you play weaker side against West Ham away and your first choice defenders against Boro at home?

Valencia, the 1st choice RB and size in Smalling against West Ham, don't see it as worse.

Brightonian · Dec 31, 2016

Alexrad said:
Why would you play weaker side against West Ham away and your first choice defenders against Boro at home?

Neither of those back lines are first choice, they're a mixture. Valencia is first choice at RB. The CBs aren't in a clear hierarchy yet - Jones and Rojo are doing well now, but they weren't at first and only came in because the first choice pairing of Smalling and Bailly weren't available. As for Blind/Darmian, who can say? Probably Blind is marginally ahead at the moment, especially after his goal.

Bwuk · Dec 31, 2016

If Carrick isn't playing I'd play Mata at #10 and Pogba and Herrera as a midfield two. I wouldn't mess around rotating, unless we have injuries this and West Ham are must win and we should be playing our strongest 11 in both.

Dave
Valencia - Jones - Rojo - Blind
Herrera - Pogba
Mkhi - Mata - Martial
Zlatan

Wouldn't be against seeing this either though

Dave
Valencia - Jones - Rojo - Blind
Schweinsteiger
Herrera - Pogba
Mata - Zlatan - Mkhi

Yagami · Dec 31, 2016

I think from what we've seen so far this season is that if Carrick isn't playing, and we're at home, we'll play a midfield 3 of Herrera, Pogba and Mata. Schweinsteiger is an absolute last resort.

Ashley R1+O · Dec 31, 2016

Android1974 said:
Not sure at all he's capable, but I'm pretty sure Mourinho would put him at #8 and Herrera at #6, like against Chelsea (it worked well, didn't it?).

Regulus Arcturus Black said:
"more" than capable he is not.

It's staggeringly obvious to anyone that we are simply not the same side without a great passer at the base of that three, hence why Mourinho now favours Herrera there before Fellaini.

"feck off he's turbo shite and you better think so as well!" keep rocking in the free world lads. The gaff has shown he has no problem playing him as the anchor and will probably go back to that if he thinks Carrick can't play twice in a few days.

Some of the form from the first few games of the season will be adequate enough to get us over the line against a team like Boro. This isn't one to get fired up about.

Norris · Dec 31, 2016

No Carrick ? That's not a good sign. :nervous:

Successful · Dec 31, 2016

Ashley R1+O said:
Agreed. The entire thing has been binned. Paddle pop sticks and cable ties are no foundation.

I think you'll find that you're quite alone here. Good effort in powerpoint though.

So it's you and that other guy who's thinking LVG did nothing during his time here that now benefits the club :lol:

You should go check out his legacy thread. Members have been filling up stuff that he left us with and we've boiled it down to one post - and that one almost covers an entire page.

madRedDevil07 · Dec 31, 2016

I would personally start with Herrera and Pogba in the midfield two, Martial - Mata - Mikhitaryan behind Zlatan. Boro have been good and organised defensively away from home so far this season. So i would start with the players that are more capable of producing that magical moment than the industrial/hard working players like Lingard.

Ashley R1+O · Dec 31, 2016

Successful said:
You should go check out his legacy thread. Members have been filling up stuff that he left us with and we've boiled it down to one post - and that one almost covers an entire page.

Nah I'll be right thanks.

Successful · Dec 31, 2016

Ashley R1+O said:
Nah I'll be right thanks.

I'll get your coat :lol:

Ashley R1+O · Dec 31, 2016

Successful said:
I'll get your coat

Nah, I'm good. I've seen what you can do with some amateur design software, I don't think you should be anywhere near fashion! :lol:

Loublaze · Dec 31, 2016

sunama said:
Middlesborough are better than Sunderland.
Moyes has a near 100% draw/loss record against top sides, so Sunderland were never going to win against us. Moyes is just a terribly negative manager.
Middlesborough are the sort of team which can pop out of nowhere and beat a top side, 1-0.

Sunderland were adventurous against United and they have been against other teams since their recent upturn in form. They were stretches of the game at OT where they looked the much better side in the first half. They just didn't have the quality to punish us. Middlesbrough have been a very hard team to beat but they don't score goals (joint least goals scored with Hull City and Sunderland). Very well organized negative team

Ixion · Dec 31, 2016

I really don't think Mourinho will rotate that much if at all. There's a game in a couple of days but after that it's Cup matches so he can rest and rotate then.

AltiUn · Dec 31, 2016

Yagami said:
I think from what we've seen so far this season is that if Carrick isn't playing, and we're at home, we'll play a midfield 3 of Herrera, Pogba and Mata. Schweinsteiger is an absolute last resort.

Considering how Pogba has settled in now I don't think we'll miss Carrick that much, that midfield could very easily work now.

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