Did someone say Ole’s first real test already?
Man Utd updated schedule - 4 games in 8 days | Roma, Villa, Leicester, Liverpool
- Thread starter roonster09
- Start date
Roma need to beat us 4-0 to go through. We can rest players in this game. Play James, Matic, Telles, Tuanzebe, DVB. I
Ok. Whatever it takes. There is no short term penalty the FA could inflict upon the club which is more severe than the Glazers continuing as our long term owners.
It has occured to me that getting the Europa League final called off would also send quite a clear message to Tampa.
should have expected this f@ckwitter from the PL - surprised they don't want us to play two games at the same time
Would a close 3rd and Europa league win not be progression? Especially since we have already surpassed last years points tally with 5 games to go?
I'd prefer some sensible game management for the next few weeks because silverware is the priority now; Ole outters would probably have more concern over not winning the Europa league because of injuries to key players. Bit of rotation with game time for Telles, VDB and hopefully Martial (who can provide a rest for some of the front 3 before the season ends).
Chelsea and Leicester are close at our heels but have to play each other and also have other tough games (City and Arsenal for Chelsea, United and Spurs for Leicester). Both have cup finals as well so might be similarly looking to rest key players and be happy to secure top 4 with draws in those games as opposed to pushing on to overtake United. Similarly our final 2 games of Fulham and Wolves are most likely going to be dead rubbers and very much winnable games.
Not that I agree with the Glazers but what if they just dig their heels in, be belligerent and stubborn.
My personal opinion is they are going nowhere fast.
Maybe. But they are in the club purely for the money and the best way to drive them out is a financial loss. Turning the global TV networks against them will lead to that a lot sooner than targeting wine sponsors and car makers.
Exactly this, we could be qualified by the time these fixtures come round so play the bloody kids in a few games.
He won't though, he will start Bruno and Rashford in them all!!
Some posters are fecking insane I swearPeople genuinely still worrying about us finishing top 4unbelievable negativity, surely it must be exhausting being that doom and gloom?
You know he won't.
Doesn't it make more sense for United to go full strength against Villa and Liverpool? Scheduling-wise and also for the fact that it is Liverpool you want to keep at bay and not so much Leicester. Not that it matter too much anyway as the chances of United dropping out of top four are miniscule but this thing could really be put to bed by getting a result at Villa.
Beat Villa, Draw with Leicester and that's 2nd guaranteed.
Then pick whoever is fit against liverpool, get through it the best we can and if anyone has played in all 4 of our games in the next 7 days, they should get 2 weeks off before the EL final
Then pick whoever is fit against liverpool, get through it the best we can and if anyone has played in all 4 of our games in the next 7 days, they should get 2 weeks off before the EL final
Would you rather risk playing our best players who will likely be in the red zone in a dead rubber game when we've already secured 2nd mathematically? Forgive me for looking at the bigger picture which is a European Cup Final
Liverpool at best will finish 5th anyway and if we finish 2nd with a trophy we'll have the last laugh anyway
I'd rather rest vs Leicester than Pool. We've got a decent end to the season and 2nd, 3rd or 4th makes no difference. May as well try and keep Pool out the top 4 and win the Europa
West Brom flat out refused to move their match. The only team who would move were Leicester and that’s because the new schedule favours them.
I have to MASSIVELY disagree here. Anything below 2nd is a failure. We need to show we've made progress in ALL areas which includes the league. 2nd is an improvement on last season's finish. 3rd/4th is not an improvement on last season and we need to focus on ourselves more than our rivals below us
Leicester is our closest competitors this season, beating them is a 6 pointer and practically seals 2nd in our Premier League campaign. Couldn't care less about Liverpool. If we win that one game against Leicester it makes everything so much easier.
Just seen someone try to claim with a straight-face that this schedule is "career threating" for our players.
You're pissing in the wind and it'll only harm us further as fans having to watch the dross.
Out of all the suggestions I've seen, this idea of harming the efforts of the players and manager takes the top spot for stupidity.
Ole will rightly want to give minutes to most players as they will want to keep sharp having missed the Liverpool game. I'd only drop Rashford.
Was it Jurgen Klopp?
Full second 11 tonight please. If the likes of Bruno play it is utter stupidity.
Strong team V Villa to secure 3 points.
Strong team V Leicester with a couple rested and then strong team V Liverpool.
As long as we don't play a stupid team tonight, it should be ok. Expect a loss against Liverpool now though.
Strong team V Villa to secure 3 points.
Strong team V Leicester with a couple rested and then strong team V Liverpool.
As long as we don't play a stupid team tonight, it should be ok. Expect a loss against Liverpool now though.
Problem is these two things might not co exist. I do broadly agree with what you’re saying though. Think we should play a mixed team tonight and with 5 subs if we can get to half time still with a 4 goal advantage then make changes.
Posted in another thread but we've been a bit shafted here fixture wise.
City get an extra days rest for the game this weekend (Ok fair enough with CL commitments). But the Utd postponement has a double negative effect:
A) United only get two days rest before playing Liverpool who get five days in a game we need Utd to win
B) Leicester now also get an extra days rest for the FA Cup Final as the Utd fixture has been moved a day earlier
I hope this won't make a difference but i fear it will
EDIT - In fact it's worse because Utd only have two days to prepare for Leicester as well. So two of our rivals for top four get to play a Utd side who have 3 games in 5 days!
City get an extra days rest for the game this weekend (Ok fair enough with CL commitments). But the Utd postponement has a double negative effect:
A) United only get two days rest before playing Liverpool who get five days in a game we need Utd to win
B) Leicester now also get an extra days rest for the FA Cup Final as the Utd fixture has been moved a day earlier
I hope this won't make a difference but i fear it will
EDIT - In fact it's worse because Utd only have two days to prepare for Leicester as well. So two of our rivals for top four get to play a Utd side who have 3 games in 5 days!
What is our second 11? If we started a side like the one below and conceded an early goal, would we not all absolutely shit ourselves?
De Gea
Williams Bailly Tuanzebe Telles
Matic
VdBeek Mata
Amad Greenwood James
Williams Bailly Tuanzebe Telles
Matic
VdBeek Mata
Amad Greenwood James
We haven't been shafted. We made a decision to get a game postponed and succeeded. Fixture congestion was an inevitable and acceptable result.
forfeit the Leicester game for a 3-0 default defeat then destroy the scousers. Job done!
-------------------------------De Gea----------------------------
Williams------------Axel----------Bailly----------------Telles
----------------------------Matic---------DVB--------------------
Amad-------------------------Mata-------------------------James
--------------------------------Greenwod-----------------------
Apart from Greenwood this is a full second 11. Get Greenwood off at half time for Rashford or Cavani. 45 minutes wouldn't have much impact on fatigue.
I’d be happy with that I think, but maybe have 2-3 of the 1sts in and take them off at half time.
I'm a Chelsea fan
Why? We've not had a game for a week.
I don't think people realise what rest and training days look like for players. They still do a lot of physical activity. If players don't play against Roma, they will be doing a lot of training to keep them sharp anyway.
I imagine tonight will be a strong XI, trying to win the tie by half-time, with key midfielders and forwards subbed off from half-time and as the game progresses. I could maybe see Bailly and Telles playing, but little other obvious 2nd choice players.
Apologies mate I should've looked! Yes you guys have come off the worst from this.
Playing a game is more physically demanding on the players than training. The players don't currently need a rest but they will. Why tire them out in a game that's already dead?
3 games in 6 days is much easier than 4 games in 8.
Common sense surely?
He wont make many changes tonight. 4 goals looks like a massive margin, and it is, but take too many chances are give them a couple of goals and all of a sudden we have a nervy tie on our hands. Its not worth the risk.
You don't fly your first XI out to Italy to sit them all in the stands. The travel is the greater burden rather than partaking in a game. If they are there and ready to play, they will do.
The good thing is that our three domestic games are all at home or in the the Midlands, so little travel is involved there.
Fourth and Europa League>>>>>>Second and nothing.
Where were the optics when we finished second under Jose? Was that regarded as some kind of marker? City are already double digit points ahead of us and that's not likely to change between now and the end of May. Coming second by a country mile isn't anything to write home about.
True but, if we have a fresh and rested side, we're more likely to win the Europa League than anyone else left in the competition.
The problem is that if we don't play Bruno there's a very real chance we could get beat 4-0
Seems like a punishment of some sort.....a message to the fans don't mess with TV schedules or else we'll feck your team
I'd rest the big guns for Villa, play a hybrid XI for Leicester and full strength v Liverpool. I think if we do that, it should be enough for 4-7 points which will guarantee us 2nd.
feck the Leicester game, prioritise Liverpool.
I'd much rather stop Liverpool getting Top 4 than bother about whether we finish 2nd or 3rd by beating Leicester.
I'd much rather stop Liverpool getting Top 4 than bother about whether we finish 2nd or 3rd by beating Leicester.
You cant possibly think that.