He's only been training for a few days, so no he won't play. Probably won't play the first game or two of the season, at least from the start.
Manchester United vs Valencia (Pre-season Friendly)
- Thread starter Niall
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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The West Brom match was one game. I agree Kagawa was looking especially dangerous that game and shouldn't have been taken out. That was Januzaj's 2nd match with a good amount of minutes and his first match where United were losing. He looked shaky because of how nervous he was. He was so nervous he even miscontrolled a throw in that match. Once he settled in though he looked dangerous going past players for fun and almost scoring in that match. I also agree that Kagawa was unfairly treated by Moyes and being dropped for the Chelsea match was an example of this. That still doesn't mean he was better than Januzaj last season or that he had a great season. Kagawa would be the first one to tell you he wasn't up to his high standards and yes Moyes takes a large part of the blame for failing to get the team to play modern football.
I also disagree that the team looked more fluid under him than Mata. Maybe you're thinking of Rooney and I would agree that I prefer Kagawa behind the striker than Rooney despite Rooney's end product. Rooney tends to look to the right wing too often, has games where his touch deserts him, and sometimes either drops too deep or occupies the striker's area too often. Mata though? Mata does what Kagawa does while also having more end product.
And how exactly does Januzaj not link the midfield better than Lingard in the #10 position? What proof do you have when you haven't seen Lingard in the PL? Januzaj did a good job doing that for the reserves. As he becomes more experienced he will learn to operate in the central areas much better than he was at 18 years of age.
It honestly feels like I'm being too harsh on Kagawa, but I'm really not. I'm a big fan of his, but I don't like how some fans act like he's flawless.
----------------De Gea
--------Keane - Evans - Blackett
Young----------------------------Shaw
-------------Fellaini - Herrera
------------------Mata
-----------Rooney - Hernandez
Hope its this lineup. Hernandez needs the game time, if he's starting on Saturday. Keane and Blackett because why not. Fellaini needs to be assessed by Van Gaal so its only right he would start this game.
--------Keane - Evans - Blackett
Young----------------------------Shaw
-------------Fellaini - Herrera
------------------Mata
-----------Rooney - Hernandez
Hope its this lineup. Hernandez needs the game time, if he's starting on Saturday. Keane and Blackett because why not. Fellaini needs to be assessed by Van Gaal so its only right he would start this game.
I actually think that van Gaal might not even assess Fellaini. His best position is clearly as a no.10, where he is not displacing Mata, Kagawa, or Januzaj (or even Rooney or Herrera). I think he is going to have to move. I don't hate him as a player, but this is just not the right club for him.
My hope is that LvG plays the same 11 that will start against Swansea for at least an hour, before he starts giving other players game-time such as Wilson, Blackett, Keane, Januzaj, and Kagawa.
My hope is that LvG plays the same 11 that will start against Swansea for at least an hour, before he starts giving other players game-time such as Wilson, Blackett, Keane, Januzaj, and Kagawa.
Yep and Chelsea are doing the same (against Real Sociedad)
Anyone know if this will be available to download after the match and where from? Going to miss the first half due to work.
Here we go again quoting stats yet forgetting assists stat in particular, depends on the player at the receiving end. How people forgot Kagawa's sublime passes and crosses that were missed last season is beyond me? Talk of the many chances he created which the likes of Welbeck, Smalling etc missed against Swansea, or the chances fluffed by Rooney and Rvp against Sociedad or Hernandez miss against Newcastle or his pass for Mata that got us a penalty against A. Villa etc. I could go on and on.
You're right Kagawa would agree he had a poor season because he's always hard on himself and he didn't get enough gametime to showcase his talent which is equivalent to a poor season for him. However, apart from his poor display in a flat 2-man midfield against Hull and Southampton, I can't think of any poor performance in the limited games he had. Maybe you can help me out because I can't get my head around how people says he was shit when he had good performances in 6 out of the 12 games he started (the Hull and Saints game are null by the way) while the other 6 were games he was not poor nor good, considering the inconsistent way he was played. He was also our overall best player in the Ucl. I repeat everytime he played as the no 10, our attacks looked more dangerous irrespective of how poor our midfield looked in that game. For example, his debut game against Everton or the Bayern game but Rooney decided it wasn't going to be our day in both matches.
Now compared to Mata's performance in the City or Everton where he had a stinker because the midfield couldn't support him and he's not good at dropping deep to get more touches unlike Kagawa does and when he eventually got on the ball, he was dispossessed many time due to high intensity of the game. However, these are the kind of games Kagawa thrives in and takes control of the game by dropping deep which he did for the team many time against Bayern, Newcastle and Aston Villa etc. Even in the Everton game last season, he was our best player with his assured touch and composure under pressure despite playing on the wing although he wasn't productive but still better than Mata. Same thing with his City cameo when he replaced Cleverley in the 2nd half.
Talking of Mata, I can't remember any sublime pass made by him save for his backheel against Newcastle and a throughball to Van Persie in another game. The other two assists awarded to Mata were the 25 yard goal scored by Young after his short pass, similar to Welbeck's against Galaxy after a short pass by Mata. The other was another wonder goal scored by Rvp in another game. Even in the pre-season games, Kagawa had looked better and had offered more creativity than him.
Back to Januzaj, irrc he played mostly on the wing or the striker role for the youth team. And I've seen Lingard performance in the no 10 role for England u21 and Januzaj's for us to form my opinion on them. One knits the play together while the other tends to have individual highlight and when he encounters organized midfield, he gets stiffled like he did against Swansea. No one is denying his talent though.
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I'm going for a decent win here, 3-0 to us. If our chaps play like they did in america and now we have a full team to pick from, in theory we should be even better. Not only this but LvG is gonna want his first match at OT to be a good one.
You can watch the match afterwards on the united live thingy, if you bought it. Depending on your region of course.
Is there a pre match presser today?
I wanted to ask the same question? Does anyone know?
Doesnt seem to be any information on it.
Is it comfirmed that Shaw and Herrera are going to play
United are advertising it that way. SO both may start but not play full match as we play swansea at the weekend.
Is Welbeck fit?
I wouldn't say he is ugly but....
Want wilson And januzaj in this one
Racist prick
Would be nice to see Wilson rewarded for his 4 goals in the cup final and get some minutes here. Will be nice to see Adnan in action once again too 
Seconded.
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Doesn't make sense for Januzaj or Fellaini to not be fit. They have been training for two weeks already. Only RVP started training a week ago. I mean if two weeks isn't enough to be fit for a pre season match, then none of the world cup players (kagawa, rooney, etc...) were fit to play in LA as they only had 1 week of training under their belts before the Galaxy match.
Rooney has said "I had only 4 days of training so i'm happy with my performance" after the Galaxy match
I agree it makes maybe sense for Van Persie......but Januzaj and Fellaini should have enough training sessions for the match tomorrow
Predicted Lineup:
1st half:
De Gea
Evans, Smalling, Blackett
Young, Fellaini, Herrera, James
Mata
Rooney, Januzaj
Pearson on for Herrera on 60 mins, Smalling off for Keane on 60 mins, Mata off for Kagawa on 60 mins, Rooney off for Wilson on 60 mins, Young off for Valencia on 70 mins. I wouldn't be shocked to see Thorpe come on for Evans either.
I think we'll win 2-1.
1st half:
De Gea
Jones, Smalling, Evans
Young, Fletcher, Herrera, Shaw
Mata
Welbeck, Rooney
2nd half:Jones, Smalling, Evans
Young, Fletcher, Herrera, Shaw
Mata
Welbeck, Rooney
De Gea
Evans, Smalling, Blackett
Young, Fellaini, Herrera, James
Mata
Rooney, Januzaj
I think we'll win 2-1.
Cant wait to welcome Van Gaal to Old Trafford tomrrow.
Weres the best place for a pre match pint tomorrow?
Wanna see Januzaj, Nick Powell and James Wilson involved.
Yeap, wanna see young guys and those, who actually didn't play because of fitness. But actually, this is the last game before Swansea and van Gaal will build this game like the last one before official.
-----------------------De Gea----------------------
--------Jones---------Smalling-----------Evans-----
Valencia--------Fletcher---Herrera-------------Young
-----------------------Mata-------------------------
----------------Rooney---Hernandez----------------
--------Jones---------Smalling-----------Evans-----
Valencia--------Fletcher---Herrera-------------Young
-----------------------Mata-------------------------
----------------Rooney---Hernandez----------------
Valencia come into the match in good form themselves after winning the Emirates Cup recently.
"They have also won a tournament in Emirates Stadium," added van Gaal. "They are very good. I think, otherwise, they would not beat those competitors. It's very difficult for us but it's better to play against good opponents rather than weak opponents and we win, for example, 7-0."
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...r-united-team-news-for-valencia-friendly.aspx
"They have also won a tournament in Emirates Stadium," added van Gaal. "They are very good. I think, otherwise, they would not beat those competitors. It's very difficult for us but it's better to play against good opponents rather than weak opponents and we win, for example, 7-0."
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...r-united-team-news-for-valencia-friendly.aspx
If you want to be served Lime Bar on Salford Quay, by the Lowry.
All preseason games have been uploaded on youtube afterward, not going to be HD but it's watchable.
Cheers. I'm guessing they get taken down after? I'll make sure to look quick and watch right away.
Edit: Actually they all look to still be up on youtube.
Valencia's injured, isn't he? Even if he wasn't, we'd be better off with Young right and Shaw left.
-----------------------De Gea----------------------
--------Jones---------Smalling-----------Blackett-----
Young--------Fletcher---Herrera-------------Shaw
-----------------------Mata-------------------------
----------------Rooney---Hernandez----------------
--------Jones---------Smalling-----------Blackett-----
Young--------Fletcher---Herrera-------------Shaw
-----------------------Mata-------------------------
----------------Rooney---Hernandez----------------
The main players I want to see: Powell, Janko, Wilson. Blackett (Assuming he doesn't play against Swansea).
Don't know what to think of Powell, I wouldn't rate him highly at all tbh but Sir Alex is adamant in his book that he'll play for England. Janko looks like a tank, fast and powerful which is something United lack at the moment although I know he's not ready. Wilson is the only player in the youth system that I can see being a top, top player and I'd love to see him get a few chances this season. Blackett was immense on the tour, and this season will be huge for him. There's so much hanging on whether or not he can perform that I think LVG will want to assess him yet again tomorrow.
Can't wait for this. It'll be fantastic seeing LVG at Old Trafford! And it'll be nice to get away from all the transfer biz (or lack of transfer biz) for a while. I think a lot of people are starting to get frustrated, myself included. I really hope we play well tomorrow and get a result against Swansea, then maybe we'll all be able to adopt a 'whatever happens, happens' attitude in relation to transfers.
Don't know what to think of Powell, I wouldn't rate him highly at all tbh but Sir Alex is adamant in his book that he'll play for England. Janko looks like a tank, fast and powerful which is something United lack at the moment although I know he's not ready. Wilson is the only player in the youth system that I can see being a top, top player and I'd love to see him get a few chances this season. Blackett was immense on the tour, and this season will be huge for him. There's so much hanging on whether or not he can perform that I think LVG will want to assess him yet again tomorrow.
Can't wait for this. It'll be fantastic seeing LVG at Old Trafford! And it'll be nice to get away from all the transfer biz (or lack of transfer biz) for a while. I think a lot of people are starting to get frustrated, myself included. I really hope we play well tomorrow and get a result against Swansea, then maybe we'll all be able to adopt a 'whatever happens, happens' attitude in relation to transfers.
I really want to see Janko play.
Januzaj and Fellaini have been in training for 2 weeks. Surely they should be fit enough to feature in a pre-season friendly?
This is on at the same time as the Real Madrid Sevilla game eh, fack. Was hoping I'd have a full day of footy to watch.
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