Manchester United 1:0 Crystal Palace

Red Royal · Dec 3, 2021

Another game not being shown live on UK tv... darn it

bosnian_red · Dec 3, 2021

Looking forward to this. Will take a few weeks I think until we see proper cohesion, but I'd say you should see some clear direction pretty quickly. I wouldn't overplay Ronaldo, he's 36, leave him for the bench and don't use him against Young Boys so he's fresh for the coming weeks. Ran his ass of yesterday.

Rashford Greenwood Sancho
Fred Matic Bruno
Telles Maguire Lindelof Dalot
De Gea

Probably something like this. No dramatic changes needed, just freshen them up. Assuming Wan Bissaka, Shaw, Varane, Cavani are still out? Not sure if Greenwood is ready to start again.

EdinburghDevil · Dec 3, 2021

I think Dalot done enough last night to get another chance even if AWB is available. AWB has had a poor season so far.

I expect it will be largely the same team that played Arsenal. I'd then look to bring in VdB, Lingard and Greenwood and let Bruno, Rashford or Sancho and Ronald sit out the Young Boys game ahead of a busy period in the Premier League.

Lindelof has been playing well and Telles has been doing ok so no need to rush Varane or Shaw back.

AdamColeBebe · Dec 3, 2021

abailey123 said:
Ralf’s first big test …

DAMN YOU I WANTED TO SAY IT

RuudTom83 · Dec 3, 2021

With the midfield options in the squad any manager is somewhat hand tied, sure attacking wise you can swap and change players around.

But the simple truth is McFred is the best pairing. Donny is more of an attacking option than a CM option. Plus there are no real DM options.

So there isn’t much you can do.

Lemon Moon · Dec 3, 2021

Crackers said:
That's a big risk to take. Why play him if you're not sure he's going to make an effort?

He needs to sort his s#it out. Could he still be carrying an injury? He's had long enough to recover surely?
The lad never stopped running & pressing when he first broke through but now it looks as though he feels he's 'made it' & chasing lost causes is beneath him. Maybe his MBE has gone to his head?
You cannot fault the work he does off the field, but on it, recently? He needs to work harder. Hopefully he'll improve under Ralf, his numbers were good last season but I'd like to see him try a bit more.

jderbyshire · Dec 3, 2021

Red Royal said:
Another game not being shown live on UK tv... darn it

What??

You're joking?

joedirt87 · Dec 3, 2021

Personal preference would be a 4-3-1-2

De Gea
Dalot Lindelof Maguire Telles
McTominay Matic Fred
Fernandes
Sancho Ronaldo

Shaw if fit and VDB to start over McTominay but I won't kid myself. None of the extra attacking players (Rashford, Greenwood, Martial) have shown enough lately to warrant getting picked when we could have an extra man in midfield.

Zlatattack · Dec 3, 2021

I'd like to see the below team.

DDG
AWB Lindelof Varane Telles
DVB Fred
Sancho Fernandes Rashford
Ronaldo

If Varane is not fit yet then Maguire

ManRed · Dec 3, 2021

Martial - Ronaldo - Sancho
Bruno
Fred - Matic
Telles - Baily - Harry - AWB
De Gea

Don't think we will see much changes to the usual displays we seen past few weeks. However very important for Ralf to start with a win to allow players to accept and follow his ideas quickly.

RedRonaldo · Dec 3, 2021

Ok first of all, anyone knows what the kind of formation Rangnick would like to use?

Dr. Dwayne · Dec 3, 2021

Ralf's first real press.

Longlivekeano · Dec 3, 2021

———————-—De Gea—————-

-AwB——Bailly——Maguire—Shaw-

——————vDB——Fred————-——

——-Sancho———————Lingard—-

————-Ronaldo——Martial————

subs: deano, dalot, Lindelof (need plenty of speed and aerial ability; so to sit out), Jones, Telles, McTominay (sit down and learn fr bench), Mata, Rashford, Greenwood

Todd · Dec 3, 2021

Last 3 league matches haven't been aired live in the US, it has been so demoralizing. Finally this one I get to watch live.

De Gea

AWB
Lindelof
Maguire
Telles

Fred
VDB

Sancho
Bruno
Rashford

Ronaldo

Hope to see Greenwood and Lingard get a run

Teja · Dec 3, 2021

Damien said:
Don't expect a radical transformation. As Rangnick himself said, there's only one 'proper' training session before the Palace game. Today will be mostly players recovering from yesterday's game but he said he'll be talking to them about what he wants. Can't see there being a full transformation to pressing but we'll likely be more solid defensively.

Though there are games every three days from now until Brighton on the 18th, the game after this against Young Boys is a free hit so to speak so we'll probably see a fair bit of rotation against them with Ralf implementing his methods in training.

Crackers said:
Agreed. I don't think we'll be pressing force, but I think our defensive shape will be a bit better. My guess is that he'll have better individual instructions for each players, especially around our midfielders and their positioning.

I feel like Carrick was able to change quite a few things from the Ole template relatively quickly, so I'm looking forward to see what Rangnick comes up with.

Even the team selection within in the existing 4-2-3-1 has potential to influence things. (e.g., drop Ronaldo, go for Bruno, Sancho, Rashford front 3)? Does he play a DM? Or ask McT to position himself like one? Maguire or Bailly? Play Shaw effectively as the 3rd CB?

Palace are a pretty good side, one of the best xGAs in the league etc. Going to be a good test.

Kaos · Dec 3, 2021

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

-AwB——Bailly——Maguire—Shaw-

——————vDB——Fred————-——

——-Sancho———————Lingard—-

————-Ronaldo——Martial————

subs: deano, dalot, Lindelof (need plenty of speed and aerial ability; so to sit out), Jones, Telles, McTominay (sit down and learn fr bench), Mata, Rashford, Greenwood

He'd have only had one proper training session, so far too early for him to try one of his counter-pressing formations like this IMO.

Jacob · Dec 3, 2021

Dr. Dwayne said:
Ralf's first real press.

Oh no

UTD_Since_1978 · Dec 3, 2021

Todd said:
Last 3 league matches haven't been aired live in the US, it has been so demoralizing. Finally this one I get to watch live.

De Gea

AWB
Lindelof
Maguire
Telles

Fred
VDB

Sancho
Bruno
Rashford

Ronaldo

Hope to see Greenwood and Lingard get a run

Weren't they live on Peacock or summit?

SAFMUTD · Dec 3, 2021

Full gegenpressing 3-0. Ronaldo x2, Sancho.

Escobar · Dec 3, 2021

Zlatattack said:
I'd like to see the below team.

DDG
AWB Lindelof Varane Telles
DVB Fred
Sancho Fernandes Rashford
Ronaldo

If Varane is not fit yet then Maguire

Yes please. Enough of cautious football

roseguy64 · Dec 3, 2021

Dante said:
I'm confident of the new manager bounce for this game. Just a bit worried about Ronaldo, but we should have enough regardless.

The starting lineup will probably be the same as against Arsenal (though, again, maybe with Ronaldo starting on bench to save his legs). You rarely see radical changes in a coach's first game in charge. It'll take a few weeks before Rangnick will properly put his stamp on this team. So I'm expecting a performance that's roughly like under Ole on a good day.

Can't wait!

Ronaldo might play here since our match after is the dead rubber against Young Boys.

Ramshock · Dec 3, 2021

no pics or videos of training today?

RUCK4444 · Dec 3, 2021

SAFMUTD said:
Full gegenpressing 3-0. Ronaldo x2, Sancho.

I need this.

USREDEVIL · Dec 3, 2021

We will break Cystal Palace with Wreck it Ralf.
4-0.

Ronaldio
Sanchy
Brunio
Fred

LawCharltonBest · Dec 3, 2021

Be very interesting to see how he lines up.

Assumed Ronaldos late injury against Arsenal would rule him out starting?

TheReligion · Dec 3, 2021

LawCharltonBest said:
Be very interesting to see how he lines up.

Assumed Ronaldos late injury against Arsenal would rule him out starting?

Has it been confirmed he was injured as opposed to just knackered following his huge sprint?

horsechoker · Dec 3, 2021

Ramshock said:
no pics or videos of training today?

They didn't train outside today instead Rangnick had them chant "press" in unison for 6 hours.

The Brown Bull · Dec 3, 2021

Gegenpress FC.

NoPace · Dec 3, 2021

Zlatattack said:
I'd like to see the below team.

DDG
AWB Lindelof Varane Telles
DVB Fred
Sancho Fernandes Rashford
Ronaldo

If Varane is not fit yet then Maguire

This is my guess. Though doesn't seem like Varane will be fit.

Rangnick doesn't change the formation yet without much training time and DVB-Fred gets first shot as midfield pairing as it looks most like the most used style of Leipzig midfield pivot of two mobile #8s.

Then against Young Boys we rest the entire group, McTominay-Matic as a pairing and Martial, Greenwood, Amad and one of Elanga or Cavani round out the front 4. No idea about the back 4.

Shane88 · Dec 3, 2021

These are games we have been fecking up for years now.

Extremely important games to close gaps against nothing teams and we piss it away every time. Sunday better change.

Blood Mage · Dec 3, 2021

I really have no idea how Rangnick will set up at all and that's exciting. I would guess a 4411/442 perhaps:

De Gea
Dalot - Lindelof - Maguire - Telles
Greenwood - Donny - Fred - Sancho
Bruno
Ronaldo

RedCurry · Dec 4, 2021

Ronaldo will come off around 60th min having scored a hat-trick already

Red Dreams · Dec 4, 2021

Thought Ronaldo was taken off because of fatigue.
I doubt he will start.

Strelok · Dec 4, 2021

Red Dreams said:
Thought Ronaldo was taken off because of fatigue.
I doubt he will start.

Agreed.

It would be not really wise to start him this match, it's like only three days from last match. Plus imo he'd really want to play against YB for his CL records.

Swiss_Red89 · Dec 4, 2021

So with Ronaldo might be rested could we finally see a Rashford-Greenwood-Sancho interchanging front three?

I would love to see it.

TrustInJanuzaj · Dec 4, 2021

I wonder if Greenwood is fit to start this one now? He could have been impacted by covid for longer than we hoped. Either way I hope so because I’d much rather him than Rashford who ruins half our attacks. Amazing that he’s got some sort of undroppable status looking through this thread.

Oldyella · Dec 4, 2021

Strelok said:
Agreed.

It would be not really wise to start him this match, it's like only three days from last match. Plus imo he'd really want to play against YB for his CL records.

Have to wait and see, but I really hope we aren't picking his games where he thinks he can score more goals for his records.

I think he might start this one, heads off any conversation about Ralf not using him because of the pressing/work rate issue.

smi11ie · Dec 4, 2021

I don't want to see Utd play a 4231 ever again. I would like a 433 with 3 proper midfielders. I don't know where Bruno would fit into that system but you can't have everything.

suheilsworld · Dec 4, 2021

They have Joel ward suspended and no proper fit CB. Kouyate might play there. Think he was in defense last time we played them. Should be capitalizing on their defensive absences

christinaa · Dec 4, 2021

The Brown Bull said:
Gegenpress FC.

To play the Gegenpress system you have to have players who know how it's played exactly.
Do we have them yet?

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