[midnightmare]

High time we broke the jinx of dropping points literally every time we're faced with a situation where a win would take us into the CL spots. It's the Bruno Era though, so hopefully this time will be different. What inspires hope is the manner in which we've been playing, far more than just the results (which have undoubtedly been excellent). A tad nervous, but in a good way - unlike the dread that used to fill me earlier when we faced banana skins like this one. We've been dispatching lower- and mid-table teams with ease the last 17 games, so hopefully that run will continue! 3-0 win...

 

[Web of Bissaka]

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Had to re-read that stat a couple of times.

Not surprising looking at the teams we've faced so far.

Spurs play defensive football and their attacking players generally had overall quiet game.

And then the series of teams we faced afterwards do things generally similar.
= Defend in numbers in our half, low block and the few quick counter attacks whenever you can.

Our players are also more than enough to swat the poor attacks down.

EDIT: I'm actually surprise it's not less than 7.

 

[theklr]

So many people afraid of losing today... seriously, do they have at least one player who would be a starter at Man Utd?

Oh come on, logic has no place in a thread like this!!

No matter how good a team is there is always a fluke 10-15% chance of loosing to a inferior team, thats what they are afraid of.

 

[Mihai]

I think you meant Januzay

I think Janujaz was the most commonly used.

 

[roonster09]

Not surprising looking at the teams we've faced so far.

Spurs play defensive football and their attacking players generally had overall quiet game.

And then the series of teams we faced afterwards do things generally similar.
= Defend in numbers in our half, low block and the few quick counter attacks whenever you can.

Our players are also more than enough to swat the poor attacks down.

Since Bruno was signed we played against
Wolves
Chelsea
Everton
City
Spurs
Sheffield United

and still we are top when it comes allowing passes within 20 yards from the goal. Overall we are 3rd in this stat.

 

[Mihai]

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Conveniently leaving out round 34 when Chelsea lost to CP and we won against Aston Villa. I think that counts as "capitalize on Chelsea dropping points", does it not?

What about Leicester? Are they not considered rivals this year?

 

[van Persie]

First real test for Ole. Now he needs to have our players make a statement on the pitch

 

[roonster09]

Conveniently leaving out round 34 when Chelsea lost to CP and we won against Aston Villa. I think that counts as "capitalize on Chelsea dropping points", does it not?

What about Leicester? Are they not considered rivals this year?

Chelsea didnt lose to Crystal Palace.

 

[nainaisson]

First real test for Ole. Now he needs to have our players make a statement on the pitch

Ole's first real test will be the prostate exam he gets from his nurse. If he passes that, the sky's the limit.

 

[Mihai]

Chelsea didnt lose to Crystal Palace.

For some reason I had in mind that they lost to CP instead of West Ham. Sorry @jamesjimmybyrondean

 

[GDaly95]

I am a bit worried that Ole will simply keep going with this exact side until some legs give out. I hope he anticipates fatigue instead of reacting to it when it happens.

I'd argue Matic looked just a bit tired against Villa.

I do understand though that if Ole makes any changes at all and we don't get a good result, he'll be slated.

 

[cyberman]

I am a bit worried that Ole will simply keep going with this exact side until some legs give out. I hope he anticipates fatigue instead of reacting to it when it happens.

I'd argue Matic looked just a bit tired against Villa.

I do understand though that if Ole makes any changes at all and we don't get a good result, he'll be slated.

We have had plenty of time and rest between games.
This hasnt been taxing in the slightest

 

[Berbasbullet]

Do we think this might be a game for Fred? His energy might be helpful.

 

[Lynty]

I am a bit worried that Ole will simply keep going with this exact side until some legs give out. I hope he anticipates fatigue instead of reacting to it when it happens.

I'd argue Matic looked just a bit tired against Villa.

I do understand though that if Ole makes any changes at all and we don't get a good result, he'll be slated.

No choice really. We need points, best team plays until their legs go.

We rotate at Chelsea. Hopefully after tonight we have a bit of a cushion and can rest 1 core player for each of Palace and West Ham, with the view of playing the strongest team against Leicester.

 

[VP89]

Do we think this might be a game for Fred? His energy might be helpful.

I was thinking this too. Matic and Pogba are brilliant but their weakness is that they can both be a tad ponderous from deep positions. Southampton will be looking to force errors quickly, it would be interesting to see Fred for Matic.

Although the game can go either way really, it may be that Southampton's press don't really bother the pair whatsoever tonight. This is a strong team we're playing though, if I'm not mistaken we couldn't even put them away when they had 10 men in the reverse fixture.

 

[Berbasbullet]

I was thinking this too. Matic and Pogba are brilliant but their weakness is that they can both be a tad ponderous from deep positions. Southampton will be looking to force errors quickly, it would be interesting to see Fred for Matic.

Although the game can go either way really, it may be that Southampton's press don't really bother the pair whatsoever tonight. This is a strong team we're playing though, if I'm not mistaken we couldn't even put them away when they had 10 men in the reverse fixture.

It's a difficult trade off because I think Matic is better at passing between the lines so we might miss that. I trust the manager to get it right.

 

[Brightonian]

No choice really. We need points, best team plays until their legs go.

We rotate at Chelsea. Hopefully after tonight we have a bit of a cushion and can rest 1 core player for each of Palace and West Ham, with the view of playing the strongest team against Leicester.

That's a good way to lose games. You want to rest your player before their legs go, not have players limping around the pitch out of breath risking the result.

Matic has been fantastic, yes, but he is famously a player who can burn out if overplayed. Meanwhile Fred has been excellent this season, highly consistent, and looked really sharp coming on against Bournemouth and Villa. Rotate him in for one game and you can probably start Matic again for the rest of the season if you like.

 

[Jacko21]

We have had plenty of time and rest between games.
This hasnt been taxing in the slightest

Not to mention a 3 month break and the withdrawal of key players after 60/70 minutes in some games.

 

[MadMike]

I'm quite nervous about this on the grounds we've consistently blown chances when presented with them in the last few years.

We need this win badly. Anything other than that, will put a huge dent to our morale and hopes.

 

[TrustInOle]

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Had to re-read that stat a couple of times.

That's tremendous!

 

[United58]

We've been subbing key players in games (Magic especially, who needs it with his physique at 31) and we've had a 3 month break so I think we can keep going - only 5 games left before the league season ends, hopefully we'll have CL seen up by then so won't have to push as hard in CL (obviously I want to win EL regardless, but not risk severe burnout next season in doing so).

Any injury updates for the game tonight? How's Lindelof?

 

[El Zoido]

I'm quite nervous about this on the grounds we've consistently blown chances when presented with them in the last few years.

We need this win badly. Anything other than that, will put a huge dent to our morale and hopes.

Well we’ve been taking our chances every game for months now. Every time our rivals have dropped points, we’ve gained. So even if we lose tonight we haven’t blown it. It’s very difficult for any team to win game after game.

 

[Alemar]

Ward-Prowse and Ings would get in somewhere or at some point in the game you would imagine, better than what we've got on the bench.

These two guys would get on our bench - yes, but that’s about it. WArd-Prouse wouldn’t get in Our starting XI for sure, and Ings is not an improvement on what we’ve got (although on current form he is perhaps not worse, either).

 

[King Andow]

Do we think this might be a game for Fred? His energy might be helpful.

He's been good and will definitely play a part. Matic looked shaky in the last two games and we need to keep him fresh, I think Ole will start and sub him off again.

 

[The Red Thinker]

Ole's first real real test.

Apart from turning around a shite team, turning Fred into a good player, overseeing the rise of Rashford, getting in Bruno Fernandes, getting the better of top sides with pragmatice counter attacking football, keeping Pogba onside while he was out injured, fitting Pogba and Bruno into the same team and transforming us into an attacking force and managing the rise of Greenwood superbly.

Yes, the first real test.

 

[always_hoping]

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If anyone is wondering how and why Chelsea and Leicester in awful form are currently in the top 4 wonder no more.

 

[SambaBoy]

Massive test tonight. We are due a bad result so I am slightly nervous. The return since lockdown hasn't really played by the form book, there has been all sorts of surprise results popping up so hopefully we won't be the victim of that.

Southampton are a good outfit under Hassenhuttl too and Ings will target Maguire's lack of pace. If we get the first goal, I'd expect us to win but if we go behind like against Bournemouth then we may struggle to come back and win.

 

[Lee565]

I get a feeling matic will be sitting this one out

 

[Lynty]

That's a good way to lose games. You want to rest your player before their legs go, not have players limping around the pitch out of breath risking the result.

Matic has been fantastic, yes, but he is famously a player who can burn out if overplayed. Meanwhile Fred has been excellent this season, highly consistent, and looked really sharp coming on against Bournemouth and Villa. Rotate him in for one game and you can probably start Matic again for the rest of the season if you like.

I'd much prefer to play the same team, get the 2 point cushion, then play Fred or McTominay against Chelsea and Palace.

 

[Strelok]

Apart from turning around a shite team, turning Fred into a good player, overseeing the rise of Rashford, getting in Bruno Fernandes, getting the better of top sides with pragmatice counter attacking football, keeping Pogba onside while he was out injured, fitting Pogba and Bruno into the same team and transforming us into an attacking force and managing the rise of Greenwood superbly.

Yes, the first real test.

Yes, the first real test for Ole.

 

[Michael T]

A great opportunity to show we're a new outfit these days.

A win and hitting third will massively demoralise Leicester and Chelsea

Agreed. I'm hoping for the same starting line up; but either way I fully expect Ole and the squad to win convincingly tonight. Onwards and upwards.

 

[RedTiger]

Yes, the first real test for Ole.

Yep. First time this season we play a south coast team who wear red and white at old Trafford.

 

[SirAnderson]

Keep Ings away from our box and should be another comfortable win.

Not sure how you'd play against us ATM, we are ace.

Indeed, our defense is on the money!!

 

[zenith]

Only player of concern fitness wise is matic but I guess we have been subbing him around the 60 minute mark in most games so he should be OK. Besides, he probably less resistent to a pressing game, given his positional sense and passing ability.

Still would look to bring in Mctominay or Fred in the second half to help him out.

 

[crossy1686]

A nice early goal would settle the nerves, which is exactly why that won't happen

 

[Annihilate Now!]

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Had to re-read that stat a couple of times.

That's a very impressive stat!

The downside to this is that our defenders have just let strikers run at them without effectively closing them down on a couple of occasions.

Spurs and Bournemouth both scored goals from someone running at Maguire, and Villa's best chance came when Trezeguet was allowed to run 20 yards unchecked to the edge of our box.

Ings does enjoy a run and shot from the edge of the box, so we'll have to watch for that tonight.

 

[peridigm]

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Why leave out the two weeks we won?
#19 Leicester lost to Liverpool 0-4, Chelsea lost 0-2 to Southampton, and United won 4-1 against Newcastle
#32 Leicester lost to Everton 2-1 and Chelsea lost 3-2 to Westham while United won 0-3 against Brighton.
Meaningless stat.

 

[SirAnderson]

Fecking called in work for this one now! Will have to stick the box to record and stay away from the caf from 8ish.

Haven't missed a single game of this run, now I'm missing the most important one

Can't watch it under the table?
Hate when that happens though.
Delayed gratification.
Or heartbreak

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Conveniently leaving out round 34 when Chelsea lost to CP and we won against Aston Villa. I think that counts as "capitalize on Chelsea dropping points", does it not?

What about Leicester? Are they not considered rivals this year?

Chelsea beat Palace 3-2 mate what you talking about?

We gained points on them when they lost to West Ham & we beat Bournemouth.

 

[ArjenIsM3]

Not too confident about this game. On the one hand I say play the same team on the other they didn't look fresh against Villa so we might need to rotate.