Manchester United 2:1 VfL Wolfsburg

Gambit · Sep 28, 2015

It's not too early. Any home games in the champions league is a must win.

NJM78 · Sep 28, 2015

Think we'll win this one 2-1 with some nervy moments. Think Dost will score, bit of a machine that guy and if he isolates himself against Blind there will be only one winner. One good thing about Wolfsburg is they always look like conceding whenever I watch them although a goal threat themselves against anyone. I still don't think we are playing great but with our momentum and confidence we should win this.

Also I think we MUST win this game, to have a point or less after two games and still have to go to Germany and Russia needing wins could really feck us up. We don't want to end up having to play in the Europa.

Loublaze · Sep 28, 2015

We're comfortably winning this 3-0 if we just take our chances and they'll be plenty.

Brightonian · Sep 28, 2015

Dost, Schurrle and Draxler is not an attack that any team should be taking too lightly. I gather Schurrle's been mediocre for Wolfsburg so far but form tends to go out the window for the 'smaller' team in these big CL ties, and those three on their day could potentially be a nightmare.

Our defence is superb though. We need to play with tempo and our forwards need to take their chances. An injury to Martial would be a serious blow.

GapMinder · Sep 28, 2015

United and Moscow should win their match to make it all equal.

Longlivekeano · Sep 29, 2015

---------------------------De Gea-------------------------

--P. Jones-----Smalling-------McNair---------Darmian-

-----------Schweinsteiger--------Herrera---------------

--J Mata---------------Rooney----------------Memphis--

------------------------------Martial----------------------

Thought Darmian played better as leftback than rightback tbh
Prediction: 2-1 Memphis, Herrera

3KDré · Sep 29, 2015

I've a feeling that Smalling will dominate Dost like he does everyone else

SqueakyWeasel · Sep 29, 2015

It's time to engage the eagerly awaited "Schmidfield" important to play BFS against German oppos too!

De Gea
Valencia--Smalling--Blind--Darmian
Schneiderin--Schweinsteiger
Mata--Rooney--Young
Martial

(Think Young deserves the start over Memphis although it'll piss off a few here no doubt)

Reddevilboy · Sep 29, 2015

I know this shouldn't really be used as an indicator but I keep thinking if Everton can beat them 4-1, surely we are more than capable of beating them? Plus a team which concede 5 goals in 9 minutes can't be all that great.

Godfather · Sep 29, 2015

Longlivekeano said:
---------------------------De Gea-------------------------

--P. Jones-----Smalling-------McNair---------Darmian-

-----------Schweinsteiger--------Herrera---------------

--J Mata---------------Rooney----------------Memphis--

------------------------------Martial----------------------

Thought Darmian played better as leftback than rightback tbh
Prediction: 2-1 Memphis, Herrera

Wtf is this. We need to field our strongest team

Hernandez - BFA · Sep 29, 2015

Gutted that this game isn't on tonight. Had to organise a date for tomorrow didn't I.

Strongest team possible. Must win.

ottosec · Sep 29, 2015

Tweet
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nemanja15 · Sep 29, 2015

NcNair was back too though, so that's something.

DomesticTadpole · Sep 29, 2015

ottosec said:
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date

All we need is Carrick and Herrera injured after us boasting how great our midfield options are. :lol:

Blackwidow · Sep 29, 2015

Reddevilboy said:
I know this shouldn't really be used as an indicator but I keep thinking if Everton can beat them 4-1, surely we are more than capable of beating them? Plus a team which concede 5 goals in 9 minutes can't be all that great.

Look into the match data...

It was a freak result in which Wolfsburg had all the chances and did not score... and Everton scored with every chance... and it was before Dost started to click at Wolfsburg.

And against United Wolfsburg for sure does not go on possession.

It is not the first time Bayern scored in that fashion against a good opponent...

Balu · Sep 29, 2015

I wouldn't expect too much from Wolfsburg tomorrow, there's still a lot of work to do to get them back on track. And even when they're playing well, they seem to be vulnerable to heavy beatings, like last season against Everton, Napoli for example. It's not fair to judge them solely on those games of course, they've had brilliant results against good teams as well. But they don't look strong enough to beat one of the bigger European teams in a CL away game right now, especially with two of their key players in Gustavo and Vierinha injured (or nowhere near 100% if they risk playing them tomorrow).

Nickosaur · Sep 29, 2015

Shit, hope Herrera is ok.

DomesticTadpole · Sep 29, 2015

Nickosaur said:
Shit, hope Herrera is ok.

Mad Phil is back remember. Probably just a strain. At least the international break is coming up.

Maradona10 · Sep 29, 2015

varela and mccnair trained. Valencia, carrick, herrera,rojo did not. Well looks like the injury crisis is back with a venom

Shark · Sep 29, 2015

Maradona10 said:
varela and mccnair trained. Valencia, carrick, herrera,rojo did not. Well looks like the injury crisis is back with a venom

Really?! FFS.

nemanja15 · Sep 29, 2015

This is what happens when Phil Jones returns to full fitness.

EDIT: @DomesticTadpole beat me to it!

Gerald G · Sep 29, 2015

De Gea
Darmian--Smalling--Jones--Blind
Schweinsteiger--Schneiderlin
Mata--Rooney--Memphis
Martial

subs: Romero, McNair, Young, Fellaini, Pereira, Lingard, Wilson

Or Young starting at LB and Blind staying in the CB slot.

Looks like a Captial One cup bench.

Gentleman Jim · Sep 29, 2015

Ixion said:
That or swap Schneiderlin for Carrick.

I read that as "swap Schneiderlin for crack"

Roosney · Sep 29, 2015

Gentleman Jim said:
I read that as "swap Schneiderlin for crack"

Schneiderlin is the new cheeseburger.

ants7 · Sep 29, 2015

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/10010789/four-miss-united-training

Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera, Antonio Valencia and Marcos Rojo missed the session at the Aon Training Complex in Carrington on Tuesday morning.

It's that time of the season?

bosnian_red · Sep 29, 2015

So with all of them out I'm guessing blind left back and Jones partnering Smalling? Still not bad, but everyone else is injured so we're using the last bit of cover before going to reserves.

Adam-Utd · Sep 29, 2015

bosnian_red said:
So with all of them out I'm guessing blind left back and Jones partnering Smalling? Still not bad, but everyone else is injured so we're using the last bit of cover before going to reserves.

could use Mcnair/Jones at RB and leave Darmian at LB, or just use Young at LB and Darmian at RB. Either way we should still be able to use Blind at CB if we really desire.

DomesticTadpole · Sep 29, 2015

If Carrick and Herrera are injured the game will have to go right or the bench will be bare of great options to bring on.

Crossie · Sep 29, 2015

Vieirinha and Gustavo are both ruled out for tomorrow.
I'd guess Hecking will play it safe and goes back to a 4-2-3-1, something along those lines:
Benaglio
Träsch - Naldo - Dante - Rodriguez
Guilavogui - Arnold
Caligiuri - Kruse - Draxler
Dost
Considering his (continuously underwhelming) form, I'd be very surprised if Schürrle makes it into the first XI.

Crossie · Sep 29, 2015

Vieirinha and Gustavo are both ruled out for tomorrow.
I'd guess Hecking will play it safe and goes back to a 4-2-3-1, something along those lines:
Benaglio
Träsch - Naldo - Dante - Rodriguez
Guilavogui - Arnold
Caligiuri - Kruse - Draxler
Dost
Considering his (continuously underwhelming) form, I'd be very surprised if Schürrle makes it into the first XI.

Balu · Sep 29, 2015

Crossie said:
Vieirinha and Gustavo are both ruled out for tomorrow.
I'd guess Hecking will play it safe and goes back to a 4-2-3-1, something along those lines:
Benaglio
Träsch - Naldo - Dante - Rodriguez
Guilavogui - Arnold
Caligiuri - Kruse - Draxler
Dost
Considering his (continuously underwhelming) form, I'd be very surprised if Schürrle makes it into the first XI.

I agree, but he'd be a fantastic fit if Wolfsburg play on the counter. And it's the type of game that could finally put his struggle to an end. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him start, even though he really doesn't deserve it.

JoaquinJoaquin · Sep 29, 2015

Balu said:
I agree, but he'd be a fantastic fit if Wolfsburg play on the counter. And it's the type of game that could finally put his struggle to an end. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him start, even though he really doesn't deserve it.

has he been that bad?

ChaddyP · Sep 29, 2015

____________DE GEA___________
DARMIAN SMALLING JONES BLIND
______BFS____SCHNEIDERLIN___
___________ROONEY___________
MATA_______MARTIAL_____YOUNG

SUBS: PEREIRA for MATA, MARTIAL for BLIND, FELLAINI for ROONEY

This is all assuming everything is going to plan and we are comfortably up by 60 mins or so and no injuries. Also assuming Herrera and Valencia wont make the game.

VanGaalyTime · Sep 29, 2015

Can see Martial destroying his Champions League duck in this one with a hat trick. Wolfsburg's defence is notoriously slow. And Martial and Depay should have fun playing in between the lines. Looking forward to this one

Crossie · Sep 29, 2015

Balu said:
I agree, but he'd be a fantastic fit if Wolfsburg play on the counter. And it's the type of game that could finally put his struggle to an end. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him start, even though he really doesn't deserve it.

TBH, I am not convinced by Schürrle. I can't get his performance against Inter (1st leg) of last season's Europa League out of my head which I witnessed in person in the stadium (was there to watch de Bruyne who didn't disappoint me; he was brilliant to watch). It was overall a cracking game but André was so poor that evening it wasn't even funny. More misplaced passes than anything else, poor ball control, poorest decision making.
Hecking subbed him after the first half, Vierinha took his position and showed another superb performance. His absence hurts Wolfsburg a lot, both in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League.

Crossie · Sep 29, 2015

JoaquinJoaquin said:
has he been that bad?

At least underwhelming enough to keep struggling to make it regularly into the starting XI. Last season, he came late January in a rather unfit condition from Chelsea and faced strong competition in attacking midfield with de Bruyne (gone), Perisic (gone), Vierinha and Caligiuri. Hecking was very forgiving, protected him in front of the media.
This season, however, it doesn't look a lot rosier for André. Granted, he had minor injury problems for about 2 weeks or so, but the new kids on the Wolfsurg block Draxler and Kruse seem to have surpassed him already and play regularly, and have much more impact on the game than Schürrle (ever) has when he's on. Hecking seems slowly but surely losing patience with him.

Brightonian · Sep 29, 2015

Dante is the weak link for Martial to try and exploit. He's often struggled with strong, fast, direct strikers. Welbeck gave him real difficulties when we played Bayern under Moyes, and that was back when he was good, and playing in a Bayern side who dominated possession and territory.

Blackwidow · Sep 29, 2015

Brightonian said:
Dante is the weak link for Martial to try and exploit. He's often struggled with strong, fast, direct strikers. Welbeck gave him real difficulties when we played Bayern under Moyes, and that was back when he was good, and playing in a Bayern side who dominated possession and territory.

Do not get much hope on this. The difference between Wolfsburg and Bayern with Guardiola is an extremely high line - Wolfsburg does not play like this. Yes, he struggled with Pep at Bayern - but he was great with Heynckes... In that match in Manchester we played against your team we even were playing with a midfield with Kroos-Götze-Müller (an 8, a 10 and a hanging striker - there was not really a defensive cover in front of the defense)...

For me Naldo is the weaker part of them right now.

The last two years all matches that Bayern had against Wolfsburg were very difficult to win.

Schürrle - can be a World Class substitute. Else I do not really rate him.

sunama · Sep 29, 2015

Brightonian said:
Dante is the weak link for Martial to try and exploit. He's often struggled with strong, fast, direct strikers. Welbeck gave him real difficulties when we played Bayern under Moyes, and that was back when he was good, and playing in a Bayern side who dominated possession and territory.

Out of interest, did Wellbeck score in those 2 games?

prateik · Sep 29, 2015

Oh dear. I was convinced it was tonight.

Champions League Group B

Manchester United 2:1 VfL Wolfsburg

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