Southampton 1:1 Manchester United

Anustart89 · Aug 31, 2019

Hopefully it goes well but I don’t really see how he plans to play. Rashford and James very much counter-attacking type of players whereas Mata and Pereira aren’t. Hopefully the former can get in behind a lot.

My preferred switch would be if we could push Pogba forward and have Pereira as a deep-lying playmaker. Mata can then move inside if Wan-Bissaka can handle the right wing on his own.

DomesticTadpole · Aug 31, 2019

James_42 said:
Such an average team, I completely forgot that Martial was injured. Can see Ole throwing Greenwood on late to try and save us, crazy pressure for a 17 yr old.

That is the problem I have. Bring him on earlier to settle into the game and keep the pressure off him. As you say bringing him on 10 minutes from the end puts all the pressure on him to save us. How can that be good?

adnando · Aug 31, 2019

The absolute state of this place.. Lingard finally dropped, something many have complained about, but now Ole is a coward because he doesn't start with Greenwood.

Greenwood is 17, and have been given minutes in every game this season. He will be given loads of chances this season.

I'm fairly certain that Ole won't last the season, as most of our fans still believe that we should compare our results with the likes of Juve, City, Barca and Madrid. We just aren't there at the moment. And probably won't be in a while if Ole doesn't get to finalize he's restriction of our squad.

Nou_Camp99 · Aug 31, 2019

Ban said:
Based on what, price or your subjective feelings?

Based on having a brain.

Would you sooner have our 11 this weekend or Wolves? With Martial n Shaw missing it is already looking very flimsy already.

This season won't be any better than last year. Good chance it will be worse for me. The squad isn't good enough.

Pexbo · Aug 31, 2019

DWelbz19 said:
I’ll eat my shoe if Juan Mata is still playing premier league football from January onwards. Absolutely had no place at this level anymore.

Been invisible so far.

0 passes attempted.
0 passes completed.
0 shots.
0 shots on target.
0 km covered. The lazy bastard.

Darkhorsez · Aug 31, 2019

Let’s go Utd

LARulz · Aug 31, 2019

Bloody hell, what a shockingly average squad we have

groovyalbert · Aug 31, 2019

Our squad makes opposition tactics so easy. Man-mark Pogba out of the game and wait for the inevitable opportunity.

Saints 1-0.

RussellWilson · Aug 31, 2019

Schmeichel's Cartwheel said:
We once started a Premier League match with a front three of Januzaj, Lawrence and Wilson. True story.

West Ham have a pretty good attack to be fair.

That was a dead rubber game. This is game 4 of the season!

Ban · Aug 31, 2019

Nou_Camp99 said:
Based on having a brain.

Would you sooner have our 11 this weekend or Wolves? With Martial n Shaw missing it is already looking very flimsy already.

This season won't be any better than last year. Good chance it will be worse for me. The squad isn't good enough.

What's with Wolves team that is treated like a prime Barcelona round here.

Ace of Spades · Aug 31, 2019

No Lingard, I feel better now.

Infra-red · Aug 31, 2019

Transfer policy of selling everyone without replacements starts to look pretty dubious when you see a lineup like that.

First XI and overall squad are perhaps the weakest they've been in the post-Ferguson era.

fps · Aug 31, 2019

Ranchero said:
Pereira has shown nothing to make me think he is United quality and certainly not a better option than Sanchez who we know can be quality. Why we are paying for him to play somewhere else with such a weak squad is senseless.

Honestly, it's blind curiosity with me and Pereira, I agree he's shown nothing so far.

Ranchero · Aug 31, 2019

Sandikan said:
Why do you think Pereira is wide?
Surely he's simply in a mid three?

Because we have played with a striker and two wider men, with Pogba and McTominay central and Mata playing in front of them.

Random Task · Aug 31, 2019

fps said:
I also hope for Mata to come good and am giving him a chance because he's been stuck on the wing for several years when he could have been honing his 10 skills. I hope the skills return to him. He was a belter of a player when he signed.

I think Sanchez simply isn't the Sanchez we knew - I wouldn't expect him to last the match, let alone contribute something telling. Pereira got his assist against Chelsea, he HAS an engine on him... I think one of him and Lingard has a future as a squad player at the club. Today it's Pereira's turn, and I'm more excited about that than Lingard just because I know what Lingard does. Pereira has the right attitude, it is a season where he finally has his sink or swim chance.

I think Mata is most effective when deployed directly behind the strikers. He'll make more than a few key passes today, whether we can profit from them given the teams poor conversion rate is debateable.

With Pogba and Mata in the team, we have enough creativity to cause Southampton problems I feel.

DomesticTadpole · Aug 31, 2019

Ollie Derbyshire said:
No issue with Greenwood being on the bench, people saying Ole has shown he only talks a good game, bigging our youngsters up and not playing them from the start need to chill out.

Do you see them train all week? Do you talk with them so you can gauge their mental readiness? Greenwood is 17, he’ll come on and get enough minutes.

What I like about today’s team is that he has dropped Lingard after a poor start to the season, he’s not going to keep playing players he ‘likes’ which was what I thought was a potential issue.

I do wonder how long some posters have been watching football and what their actual understanding of not only playing the game but the man management of being a manger.

Think it is more how Ole dithers with substitutions and especially with Greenwood that bugs people. I can understand him being on the bench. Also some of our worst trainers were our best players.

Ranchero · Aug 31, 2019

Kemizee said:
But they are all young, hungry and commited and besides 2 out of 3 are British and from our academy and are all playing for the jersey. What are you talking about?

Sarcasm is unbecoming

RussellWilson · Aug 31, 2019

Shakesey said:
Oh, I'm laughing.

Mainly because of your ridiculous exaggerations.

Care to suggest a worst team we have started in an important league game?

Good luck.

Adisa · Aug 31, 2019

We will get beat. Sure of it.

fps · Aug 31, 2019

Pexbo said:
Been invisible so far.

0 passes attempted.
0 passes completed.
0 shots.
0 shots on target.
0 km covered. The lazy bastard.

If this is true, we really need to have a think about the direction of this club.

DomesticTadpole · Aug 31, 2019

Random Task said:
I think Mata is most effective when deployed directly behind the strikers. He'll make more than a few key passes today, whether we can profit from them given the teams poor conversion rate is debateable.

With Pogba and Mata in the team, we have enough creativity to cause Southampton problems I feel.

Agree Mata is far better there than out wide.

Random Task · Aug 31, 2019

lilcurt said:
Where is Fred?Can he really be that bad in training that he can't make the bench once in four games?

Still know Gomes is really disappointing, he should be getting this chance over Mata.

How the board can look at this team and think they're doing a good job is crazy

He's only just recovered from injury, but you'd think he'd make the bench today given how weak it looks. Strange.

royboy16 · Aug 31, 2019

Think this will be a draw.
2-2.

Garethw · Aug 31, 2019

RedSky said:
Apparently so.

I mean why not start the game with a rookie 17 year old, a rookie 18 year old and a rookie 19 year old coupled with two players that enjoy giving the ball away for fun in Pogba and Fred. What could possibly go wrong with that idea.

But that is exactly what the manager alluded to when justifying not buying replacements.

I’d rather we fail this season with Chong, Gomes and Greenwood starting games rather than fail with Lingard, Mata and Pereira starting.

Unfortunately it looks as though our manager has decided to go with the latter.

We are totally fecked this season. The squad is threadbare in both numbers and quality. It will be an immense achievement to finish top four.

Canagel · Aug 31, 2019

Martial would have been perfect for this game. Shame.

Pexbo · Aug 31, 2019

fps said:
If this is true, we really need to have a think about the direction of this club.

It’s true.

RedSky · Aug 31, 2019

fps said:
Honestly, it's blind curiosity with me and Pereira, I agree he's shown nothing so far.

(except the assist in the Chelsea game).

I do agree though, bar that assist and a few nice touches he was largely invisible that game. He needs to get involved more as he does have the ability as seen with that assist. He's also good at corners.

Wouldn't surprise me if we get a goal from a set piece today.

DomesticTadpole · Aug 31, 2019

You would presume, although that is probably a mistake on my part, that Fred will be back in the team after the international break. Surely he will have caught up with his fitness by then.

Greck · Aug 31, 2019

Good Lingard got dropped. Although we still have to play with a semblance of a system to take advantage of that

Darkhorsez · Aug 31, 2019

Convincing 2-0 win for Utd coming up!

PlayerOne · Aug 31, 2019

Just realised Young is the captain :lol:

pauldyson1uk · Aug 31, 2019

Not shocked Greenwood is on the bench, he is 17 , does not need to be burnt out too soon.
Was expecting Lingard to start, Pereira starting threw me.
We have injuries , paper thin squad , best team we could but out , not sure to be honest.
Garner not on the bench !!! why take him them.

Ayush_reddevil · Aug 31, 2019

Quality wise this must be our worst team in a long time

TRUERED89 · Aug 31, 2019

Gomez not even on the bench

Roboc7 · Aug 31, 2019

It’s just odd the squad has been allowed to decline to this state. There isn’t much difference between us and the middle third of the league now and it’s not even like we compensate with depth.

Personally would prefer to have seen one of Greenwood/Gomes given a chance rather than persist with likes of Mata.

Schmeichel's Cartwheel · Aug 31, 2019

One Night Only said:
Edited with white text after you realised your error?

Nah the white text was always there. The edit was for #GollumOut :lol:

GaryLifo · Aug 31, 2019

Schmeichel's Cartwheel said:
Ole the fraud continuing to prove so. This season is already a write off. Just give Gomes a chance you absolute cretin. #GollumOut

Oh hi there :P

Unless this has white text, it's the sort of post that needs a warning.

Alemar · Aug 31, 2019

I have just noticed - Marcos Rojo is actually on the bench today.

R'hllor · Aug 31, 2019

Mata in away games, ok, it should be the other way around maybe, whatever but if he isnt number 10 and plays on right (which means he will be there in 20% of the time) oh boy.

fps · Aug 31, 2019

RedSky said:
(except the assist in the Chelsea game).

I do agree though, bar that assist and a few nice touches he was largely invisible that game. He needs to get involved more as he does have the ability as seen with that assist. He's also good at corners.

Wouldn't surprise me if we get a goal from a set piece today.

He hit that worldie last season as well. But then I remember when Dean Marney did that for Spurs....

He's good at taking set pieces isn't he? Wonder if he fancies a pen today....

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