Stoke City 2:0 Manchester United

Everest Red · Dec 21, 2015

Ballache said:
We will adjust our tactics for this one, surely lvg is not that stubborn? Lose this and he's gone imo.

You underestimate this man.

ravi2 · Dec 21, 2015

pauldyson1uk said:
FFS away at Stoke the way we are playing , my thoughts right now are not a chance we are winning this.

Annihilate Now! said:
I am 100% certain we won't win this... Which I think is new, even for me.

I've been a MUFC fan for a long time and this is the first time I can say I think we don't stand a chance against stoke.

Stoke!
:annoyed:

Sied · Dec 21, 2015

The score predictions for this game :lol:

Never seen so much grey.

ravi2 · Dec 21, 2015

peridigm said:
Darmian Smalling Blind Young
or Varela Smalling Blind Young

It can't be stated enough that losing Shaw has really done our season harm. I think we could have lost any other player for the season barring DDG and Smalling and been okay.

LVG didn't strengthen as he should in the transfer window.
Losing shaw was a big loss, but it should not have put us in such a tailspin.

dichinero · Dec 21, 2015

Cantonaaa! said:
Might as well try something different.

--------------------DeGea---------------
Jones---Smalling---Carrick---Blind
----------------Schneiderlin-----------
-------Herrera------------BFS----------
--------------------Fellaini-----------------
----------Martial--------Young--------

There is nothing different about this!

K2K · Dec 21, 2015

Winrar said:
oh yeah I remember that match last season. arsenal nearly drew that match too.

Yes finished 3-2..but they were outplayed that day.

raz30 · Dec 21, 2015

I have a really bad feeling about this one. We will get battered...
Loosing this one will definitely end up in Managerial Change i am afraid.

Cantonaaa! · Dec 21, 2015

dichinero said:
There is nothing different about this!

Well, you can't change everyone and he's perhaps our most dangerous player along with Martial these days. That being said I don't think we should hit long balls to him ALL the time which has been our plan too many times this season.

Speed up front in Young and Martial.
Hold up play and presence by Fellaini.
Creativity by Herrera and BFS.
Defence by Schneiderlin.

Stretford End Phil · Dec 21, 2015

Don't look forward to this game, Stoke are tough under Sparky, and enjoy scalping us. I want this one over - another long long long dull game. I predicted a defeat of 1-0.

Winrar · Dec 21, 2015

K2K said:
Yes finished 3-2..but they were outplayed that day.

yup, that scoreline flattered arsenal.

buckooo1978 · Dec 21, 2015

Stoke will be smelling blood here and the performance they put in vrs City a couple of weeks ago was superb

Time for the players to dig deep but its genuinely hard to see us winning this.

Id love to see a front 3 of Memphis, Martial and Young and try and do them on the break - Shawcross will have Rooney in his back pocket

RedFish · Dec 22, 2015

Everton away ended up well against expectations. Need a similar performance.

KingCantona87 · Dec 22, 2015

First game in a long time, if at all that I am genuinely scared about. That is however, if LVG is still our manager. Can't see Woodward pulling the trigger tbh not before Xmas.

Going for a 3-0 Stoke win, we'll have 60%+ possession and have no shots on target.

Insanity · Dec 22, 2015

De Gea
Young Smalling Jones Darmian
Carrick
Herrera Schneiderlin
Mata Martial Depay

Or

De Gea
Young Smalling Jones Darmian
Carrick Schneiderlin
Mata Herrera
Martial Depay

Darmian should be fit, right? Don't want Blind on the left against Shaqiri.
Expect us to play with a bit more purpose.
Stoke 1 - 1 United

Annihilate Now! · Dec 22, 2015

That pie chart is great :lol:

A United win isn't even in the top 5 predictions... (fair enough too!)

Deleted member 78215 · Dec 22, 2015

If they play like they did against City...

Fully expecting a smug Mark Hughes face to be staring into the screen come the post-match interviews.

poisson · Dec 22, 2015

We're just so poor upfront I can't see us scoring more than 1 goal.

Our defense seems to have crumbled lately, we're not going to keep a clean sheet. The question is, how many can Stoke score against us? If its just 1, then the game will end up 1-1

Ventura · Dec 22, 2015

DDG
Darmian, Jones, Smalling, Blind
Morgan, Carrick, Herrera
Memphis, Martial, Lingard

There's no Rooney (or Mata) there. This could be a make or break game for LVG, so he may finally decide to play it differently? If we continue like we have done lately, it's a 100% guaranteed defeat. So what does he have to lose to try something different? Not that leaving out Rooney necessarily matters, because we've been bad anyway. But start Herrera and adjust tactics ...

Ah, who am I trying to kid.

Nick 0208 Ldn · Dec 22, 2015

It's going to be a pretty blustery Boxing Day by all accounts (gusts of 30-40mph), conditions which can affect football at the Britannia more than at most grounds.

Mustafa Ahmed · Dec 22, 2015

If LvG wants to win, he must play:

De Gea
Darmian Smalling Jones Blind
Schneiderlin
Mata Rooney Herrera Young
Martial

This or something very similar is the only way we are winning this tbh. Go back to what was working for us last season.

WyoManU · Dec 22, 2015

Well, it looks like LVG will still be our manager. He hasn't inspired any confidence in me since he arrived so I can't really have any now. Down, down, down we go...

DanNistelrooy · Dec 22, 2015

Nick 0208 Ldn said:
It's going to be a pretty blustery Boxing Day by all accounts (gusts of 30-40mph), conditions which can affect football at the Britannia more than at most grounds.

Pretty sure this was exactly the same case as last season's game against them? It was an awful game of football if I remember correctly

Kostur · Dec 22, 2015

Cantonaaa! said:
Well, you can't change everyone and he's perhaps our most dangerous player along with Martial these days. That being said I don't think we should hit long balls to him ALL the time which has been our plan too many times this season.

Speed up front in Young and Martial.
Hold up play and presence by Fellaini.
Creativity by Herrera and BFS.
Defence by Schneiderlin.

He's always shitposting about Fellaini, don't bother.

sunama · Dec 22, 2015

Ventura said:
DDG
Darmian, Jones, Smalling, Blind
Morgan, Carrick, Herrera
Memphis, Martial, Lingard

There's no Rooney (or Mata) there. This could be a make or break game for LVG, so he may finally decide to play it differently?

He won't play it differently and he won't drop Rooney. He will get the sack before he drops Rooney. His captain shall always play - he has stated this many times.
His last game was a crucial one and he chose to bring back Rooney, even though he wasn't in great nick.

In our last game, he was completely out of ideas, just as Moyes was when he got fired. That is the thing which made me turn against LVG - ie. he has no idea how to win us the title.

44 passes to score a goal - and he was quite proud of that.

LawCharltonBest · Dec 22, 2015

Stoke 0-1 United

LvG will bore out a win when he needs it most

Todd · Dec 22, 2015

You guys are looking at this all wrong. We can absolutely walk away with a win from this match.

To clarify...what I'll consider as walking away with a win from this match is: nobody gets hurt. No one gets their leg snapped in half, no one does his hamstring, that's it. We arrive and leave with 18 able-bodied players. That's a win at this point.

I think we can do it, lads.

Rajeev · Dec 22, 2015

First of all, I do not think our players are bad except Rooney who has completely lost it and also lost the ball for Norwich's second goal. It is LVG's tactics that is crippling us. There was so much space to run in behind the Norwich defense but there was no movement at all. There was literally no one in the midfield as we were only playing defenders and 5 attackers. Even then we were playing the ball nicely along the ground without any risks. This has got to be LVG's tactics as I'm sure he has coached the players to not lose the ball What was Martial doing on the wings during the first half? He should have been right there inside the box, instead we had Rooney who doesn't have a first touch and he has no sharpness to score. LVG has drilled the team to be completely organized and hard to break down which is why our defense has been so good. Norwich scored 2 completely easy goals on the counter as half our players were sitting in the attack waiting for the long balls from Blind and Carrick.

Coming to the Stoke game, I do not think LVG has the slightest clue on how to approach the game. Rooney will play again as the 12th man for Stoke giving the ball away. I hope I'm wrong but I'm going to go for 2-0 to Stoke. Right now, the tactics need changing as we either play nice possession or hoof the ball forwards. There is no movement in our game, every player is completely static as they wait for the ball to come and then move instead of them asking for the ball and trying to create something. If we play well which we won't because of LVG's stubborn tactics, the best I can hope for is a draw.

I would personally set up the team like this

-----------------DDG-------------
-Young---Smalling---Blind--Darmian
-------Herrera---Carrick------
---Mata-------Fellaini-------Memphis
---------------Martial----------

The only reason I went with Fellaini because we are playing an away game at the Britannia and it's going to be a physical battle so hopefully Fellaini can possession of the ball with him being a tall player also. Set pieces will probably be very important in this game. There is literally no one available in the box when we have the ball so I'd stop Martial from trying to go wide. We bought him to be a center forward and score goals and that should be his primary job.

Sweet Square · Dec 22, 2015

United win.

goin4glory · Dec 22, 2015

Mata better put in a few game winning performances because his United career is over if Mourinho gets the job.

kouroux · Dec 22, 2015

goin4glory said:
Mata better put in a few game winning performances because his United career is over if Mourinho gets the job.

It'll be over regardless. Mata is a shadow of the player he used to be at Chelsea and Mourinho didn't hesitate to marginalize him.

prarek · Dec 22, 2015

Draw..

goin4glory · Dec 22, 2015

kouroux said:
It'll be over regardless. Mata is a shadow of the player he used to be at Chelsea and Mourinho didn't hesitate to marginalize him.

I meant to save LVG's job.

Nick 0208 Ldn · Dec 23, 2015

DanNistelrooy said:
Pretty sure this was exactly the same case as last season's game against them? It was an awful game of football if I remember correctly

I can well imagine that such might have been the case, although the game didn't leave much of an impression on me i must confess. When the wind gets up it is liable to punish the unwary; the team which fails to adapt will never find its rhythm, and crosses can be dangerously deceptive.

I've seen nothing of Stoke this season mind you. only second hand reports, so i don't know how well the new Hughes' vintage will fair under those circumstances either.

Wednesday at Stoke · Dec 23, 2015

goin4glory said:
Mata better put in a few game winning performances because his United career is over if Mourinho gets the job.

Read a Daily Mail article suggesting Mata and Herrera were two of the loudest voices against Van Gaal at a team meeting today.

United captain Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Chris Smalling and Juan Mata were among the most vocal players involved in the full and frank discussion with the Dutchman.

Van Gaal is also facing a Spanish revolt by Mata and Ander Herrera, who fear their confused playing role at Old Trafford threatens their selection in Spain's squad for the European Championship.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...hange-methods-senior-stars.html#ixzz3v6ufAaAd
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Devil may care · Dec 23, 2015

Rooney having the audacity to complain is hilarious, he should be keeping his head down aft5er the stinking performances he's out in this season.

.Rossi · Dec 23, 2015

Listen, forget about Jose, Pep or fecking Giggs (perish the thought :nervous:

)

We've a game here in 3 days time...Forget about any managerial talk and let's focus on getting behind the team! They have the talent, the ability and the manager. They can turn the corner here

If we lose then, yes. The shit hits the fan. But, until then, let's get behind the manager and the team

sunama · Dec 23, 2015

I think Rooney genuinely believes that he is good enough to play in the team (or the EPL).
Does he not see his videos, during the analysis sessions - the guy is consistently one of the worst players on the pitch.

.Rossi · Dec 23, 2015

sunama said:
I think Rooney genuinely believes that he is good enough to play in the team (or the EPL).
Does he not see his videos, during the analysis sessions - the guy is consistently one of the worst players on the pitch.

Considering Fergie tried to shaft him publicy, I'd suggest he knows it

Nick 0208 Ldn · Dec 23, 2015

Given the team's recent travails Rooney might still be of some sue out on the left: employ Young on the right wing, Martial up top, 4-5-1 their way to certainty. Such is what Fergie was wont to do when the got tough anyway.

RedDevil@84 · Dec 23, 2015

So we are expecting Van Gaal to walk in for the press briefing with the wine glass at 3:30??

FA Premier League

Stoke City 2:0 Manchester United

Britannia Stadium

Closed

Reddest ever

Full Member

I..erm..love U2, baby?

Full Member

New Member

Full Member

New Member

Full Member

New Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Most apt username 2015

...or later, I'm not fussy

Deleted member 78215

Guest

broken record, best ignored.

Full Member

News 24

New Member

Full Member

Lineup Prediction & Last Man Standing winner 2017

海尔的老板

Baghdad Bob

Enjoys watching fox porn

Full Member

New Member

Full Member

New Member

45k posts to finally achieve this tagline

Full Member

New Member

News 24

Full Member

New Member

ever get that feeling of déjà vu?

Baghdad Bob

ever get that feeling of déjà vu?

News 24

Full Member

Man of the Match

Runners-up

Player Ratings

Highest Rated Player

Lowest Rated Player

Score Predictions

Detailed Results

Match Stats

Referee

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes