Imo, it's nothing to say regarding our team or our chances. We will win and we should play the same eleven that started against Leicester. No debate going on.The lack of excitement for this game is surprising. We're three games away from a trophy but most of the forum is camped in the Sancho thread
As good a guess as any. Sammy McIlroy was making the point that it's too late to tinker with your best team now it's one-legged games. Sammy reckons he'll go for DDG for the rest of the matches, but thinks it's a 50:50 call, and I'd agree with that.
I went with Romero solely on the basis of Romero being more involved in the EL, but you're right it's a 50-50 toss between the two.
Because we meet the mighty FC Copenhagen ? I mean no offense but this is actually the first time I heard of this club ...The lack of excitement for this game is surprising. We're three games away from a trophy but most of the forum is camped in the Sancho thread
Yes, the team picks itself. The only question might be Romero instead of de Gea, but then again only for today’s quarter final. For 1/2 and final - this team 100%
Romero will be unlucky if he isn't selected, he's probably done everything he can do to merit selection and, of course, he played all the matches in the EL in 2017, including the final against Ajax, so I see no reason why he shouldn't. If he doesn't, it might say more about the need to show confidence in DDG. Although I agree with Sammy it's 50:50, I hope Romero gets the call - he deserves it, and I'm not saying that as part of a "drop DDG" campaign.
A few years ago, we would have been dismissing the EL as a Mickey Mouse trophy, so maybe doesn't generate as much excitement as being in the ECL. Also, there's an expectation we'll stroll past Copenhagen - it'll be more interesting for most at the next stages. To be honest, I think a lot of people just hope we get easy matches against weak opposition where we expend as little energy as possible with the new season already on the horizon, but go home at the end of it with a trophy - maybe with one big match at the final to get excited about. Watching the ECL matches, I've been struck by how jaded most of the teams look in these August fixtures.The lack of excitement for this game is surprising. We're three games away from a trophy but most of the forum is camped in the Sancho thread
Strange because we've met them before.
Yeah you're right I checked it was in 2006.
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But this ignores the fact that for the majority of the season our front line was dependent on Lingard, Andreas, Fred and mctominay. Put aside the penalties and the 2 months injuries this is the main factor
Wow that's impressive.
Would he feck. Besides, Martial is actually playing like the strong targetman that we all thought Lukaku would play.
fecking hell,Have you seen a lot of Martial’s goals? Individual sparks of brilliance, not just tap ins.
It's a thought, but with these matches now one leg, I don't think he'll try doing anything experimental or throwing any curveballs, it'll be stick to what's worked or is already known, which means Williams in the absence of Shaw.
Yeah, but Williams at LB hasn't really worked a lot on the recent times, so I'd give it a try.
He played very well against Leicester!
Defensively yes, offensively not really.
I think he used the ball pretty well in that game. I’d agree the game against West Ham he has a shocker. Don’t think he’s great going forward but at least against Leicester he retained possession and managed to dribble away from a couple of challenges. If he plays like that he’s not an issue.
Lukaku and Martial both scored exactly 23 goals without penalties. Martial is not our penalty taker so it'd skew the data to include those in the comparison. Also, Lukaku played 3567 minutes while Martial only played 2922 minutes this season. That's a difference of seven full games, basically.
Can you elaborate it - which chances missed by Martial would have been scored by Lukaku ?
I can see the attraction of Fred at LB, particularly as his midfield role is diminishing, and some of these out-of-position experiments work for Pep, but if he starts Fred and it all goes wrong, we're potentially out of the competition, so the I think the starting lineup at least will be a familiar one.
Missed that bit then. Obviously starting, judging from his appearance at the presser, just didn't hear Ole say anything about positions - but as AWB is fit and available, can't see Williams starting anywhere else.
More inclined to think he'll start the "First XI" and then make changes if we are well ahead or if we can't break them down and he needs someone to come on and change the game. It's up to 34 degrees today in Cologne and still expected to be around 30 tonight, so the heat may play a role in subs for both sides.
The lack of excitement for this game is surprising. We're three games away from a trophy but most of the forum is camped in the Sancho thread
Not surprising.
Paul Pogba
Bruno Fernandes
Juan Mata
Brandon Williams
Mason Greenwood
Eric Bailly
Harry Maguire
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Fred
Victor Lindelof
Nemanja Matic
Clement Turpin
replaced by Victor Lindelof
replaced by Nemanja Matic
replaced by Scott McTominay
replaced by Jesse Lingard
replaced by Juan Mata
