[Lee565]

Weghorst becoming a seemingly undroppable mainstay in the team since his arrival has coincided with our football getting worse and our results suffering. His continued selection is baffling as we always look better the moment he gets replaced. Seems like Erik has a real blindspot there.

He’s taking a huge gamble with that team today too. We’re already missing key players so to then drop our first choice central defenders seems bizarre to say the least. Hope he’s got this one right.

His love of weghorst could be his downfall, if we don't get top 4 then big questions have to be asked about ten hag judgement with team selections, I thought we had seen the last of favouring big lumps up front when mourinho left

 

[Longshanks]

Think the back line will be fine, are main problems today will stem from Fred in DM again. It's gonna be a hand over your eyes game sort of game.

 

[dinostar77]

ETH probably has an eye on our next two fixtures barcelona and a very inform leicester city.

 

[Andersonson]

I’d prefer a Varane-Shaw CB partnership for that game.

We all do

 

[Chairman Steve]

With Spurs and Newcastle fecking up yesterday, we’ve got a nice cushion if we feck up. I think if Spurs and Newcastle won yesterday, we would have seen Varane and Martinez start.

 

[Rapsel]

Defense is clearly where we have the most depth.

We complain if he doesn't rotate, we complain if he rotates.

The problem is the material available for rotation so yeah. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[dinostar77]

Weghorst becoming a seemingly undroppable mainstay in the team since his arrival has coincided with our football getting worse and our results suffering. His continued selection is baffling as we always look better the moment he gets replaced. Seems like Erik has a real blindspot there.

He’s taking a huge gamble with that team today too. We’re already missing key players so to then drop our first choice central defenders seems bizarre to say the least. Hope he’s got this one right.

We play who upfront instead of woug? Cant move rashford off the left wing, when hes such good form in that position.

 

[Edwards6]

No idea why Weghorst plays. He has been very poor

Probably because Martial our only other striker is always injured

 

[Bastian]

I'd rather prioritise the league over the Europea League. That being said, there are still some players missing through injury and suspension.

Hope Fred plays a lot better than he did last time around and that Dalot is defensively sound.

 

[RoadTrip]

Lolguire

 

[Malone_Post]

The endless walking injury that is Martial is killing us in this regard. Weghorst should be a stop gap off the bench but is having to start every game we are so thin up front.

Martials constant injuries are a pain in the ass but he doesn’t have to start Weghorst every single game. Rashford has played up top and played there well plenty of times this season. And we look a far better team literally everytime we take Weghorst off.

 

[Leg-End]

Throwing Maguire in for this game just seems odd when you have Varane and Martinez available, literally any other game against the bottom half teams you wouldn't really question it but Leeds are high tempo and will run at him, he's capable of a mare in these games.

 

[AndyMUFC]

I mean people have said they wanted him to rotate! It’s to manage Varane’s game time before the Barca games and the cup final and also to give Shaw a go at CB because he’ll be playing there Thursday.

Hope Rashford plays on the left but not expecting him to.

 

[A-man]

I feel like Maguire and Shaw have combined for some truly terrible moments at the back together, it’s not a pair that inspires confidence.

With Maguire’s MMA take down at the top of the list.

 

[Wheato]

I love Erik but my god I’m dreading this now after seeing that defence.
What is he thinking there?

One thing that was very apparent on Wednesday was our lack of height. Bamford was winning every header. Ten Hag has looked at that and thought Maguire can bridge that gap for us. Despite being 6ft 6, Weghorst doesn't seem to win headers, and no McTominay leaves us exposed on set pieces.

 

[AndySmith1990]

It's going to be a struggle with that lineup. But we should still be more than capable of winning

 

[Lee565]

With Maguire and shaw as cb pairing and martinez suspended for the barca game, you would have thought this would be a good time to have used martinez today as dm over fred

 

[Garethw]

Probably because Martial our only other striker is always injured

I’d rather play with no striker at all and play either Garnacho or Pellistri centrally than give minutes to Weghorst.

 

[Dinghy]

Weghorst plays every game because he's dutch, there can't be any other reasons. Absolutely fecking ridiculous to start him every game based on his performances. If we'd gotten a better striker in we'd still be in the title race.

 

[Malone_Post]

We play who upfront instead of woug? Cant move rashford off the left wing, when hes such good form in that position.

I mean we can, and we have plenty of times this season, and he’s continued to play well and score.

 

[Shakesy]

To rotate or not to rotate? That is the question.

It doesn't matter, you know. The caf will roast you regardless

 

[Marcus]

I think we are going to match Leeds for intensity and hope we don't concede. Then change the game with subs.

 

[Josh 76]

Greenwood on the bench….for Leeds.

 

[Strats]

Only reason I can see ETH doing what he's doing with the back line is that he wants to give Shaw 90 mins at LCB since Martinez is suspended vs Barcelona, while putting Maguire in to give Varane a rest.

Still doesn't justify benching Lindelof over Maguire. Our captain should be 5th or 6th in the pecking order at CB.

 

[WalkerTheRed]

Yeah but the logic there is he's not playing vs Barca so might as well give sharpness to Shaw as a CB and Malacia at LB? So I don't see it as dropped, more just getting the starters for the next game sharpness. Only Varane rested/dropped. Leeds' game plan was let Varane play out from the back as Varane is safe on the ball and doesn't try much... Can't do the same vs Maguire, for all his faults, he is much more adventurous in his passing.

It's not surprising at all that the game before Martinez is suspended, Shaw comes back at LCB and Malacia at LB. So for me it's really just Varane and Casemiro to come in the next game, and there are pretty clear reasons why those 2 don't play today.

So, I wasn't the only on to see that.

 

[Garethw]

Weghorst plays every game because he's dutch, there can't be any other reasons. Absolutely fecking ridiculous to start him every game based on his performances. If we'd gotten a better striker in we'd still be in the title race.

Agreed. There must have been someone else available on loan?

 

[Edwards6]

I’d rather play with no striker at all and play either Garnacho or Pellistri centrally than give minutes to Weghorst.

Thankfully the manager has some common sense and won't do that

 

[Zlatan 7]

Maguire needs game time for the Barcelona game. He will start both games it looks like

No chance.

varane will be back for Barca match, it’s just this is his only chance for a rest for a while with two Barca games and a cup final coming up.
shaw and malacia playing today to get ready for Barca match imo

 

[Hughie77]

Maguire has to have a big game, Wout needs to give more up top, How infuriating has Martial been with these injuries, when he's played he's done very good and scores.

Barca on Thursday is on ETH mind as well. Sancho back is a plus fancy him to get a goal today, we don't score many away that's been a issue, I'd take 0-1 .

 

[glazed]

Weghorst is clearly a donkey but he does press well and work hard and he keeps the team functioning in a way that allows others to do their job. I can see why he's picking him even if he's not a very good striker. He's the McT of forwards.

 

[PlayerOne]

I can overlook this odd team selection if Rashford starts on the left but we all know he won't

 

[Chief123]

Yeah but the logic there is he's not playing vs Barca so might as well give sharpness to Shaw as a CB and Malacia at LB? So I don't see it as dropped, more just getting the starters for the next game sharpness. Only Varane rested/dropped. Leeds' game plan was let Varane play out from the back as Varane is safe on the ball and doesn't try much... Can't do the same vs Maguire, for all his faults, he is much more adventurous in his passing.

It's not surprising at all that the game before Martinez is suspended, Shaw comes back at LCB and Malacia at LB. So for me it's really just Varane and Casemiro to come in the next game, and there are pretty clear reasons why those 2 don't play today.

I get the Shaw starting at CB and Malacia Lb for practice for Thursday. But it was an opportunity to play Martinez CDM instead of Fred. I’ve never been a big advocate of playing Martinez at CDM because of how good he is at CB, but in this unique circumstance I certainly think Martinez would not perform less than Fred would in that position. Anyway let’s see how we get on. I fear Fred will get the life pressed out of him today.

 

[SATA]

Two loanees in our starting XI. Our squad is a bare minimum now

 

[hobbers]

Putting Maguire in for this is batshit crazy.

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

With Maguire and shaw as cb pairing and martinez suspended for the barca game, you would have thought this would be a good time to have used martinez today as dm over fred

I think it’s pretty obvious to see that will never happen as ETH clearly doesn’t rate him in that position.

 

[kidbob]

Well you all wanted rotation.

 

[The Firestarter]

Dr. Fredyl

 

[Bastian]

To rotate or not to rotate? That is the question.

It doesn't matter, you know. The caf will roast you regardless

Nah, it's where you rotate and when. We had an FA Cup game against Reading at home. That was a chance to rotate. We could also have rotated quite a bit in the 2nd leg against Forest in the League Cup. This is Leeds away and we looked absolutely piss poor against them at home. And he goes with the same midfield, and Dalot at right back next to a centre back with no recovery pace against their danger man. Seems to me that he's calculating that top 4 will be achievable and that he wants to go full strength in the Europa.

 

[Pirlo'sBeard]

Asking for trouble with that line up.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Whenever the starting line-up is questionable on several fronts we fecking storm it. I'm not even in the slightest bit worried about today.