Martial + Rooney injured, Zlatan suspended - RASHFORD STARTS

lsd

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Wasn't that the game Pogba decided to leave after being promised a start?
 

Special_One

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Wasn't that the game Pogba decided to leave after being promised a start?
Na, Blackburn at home in 2011. Rafael and Park played that day.

My team:

de Gea
Valencia-Smalling-Rojo-Blind
Carrick-Pogba
Mkhitaryan-Mata-Lingard
Fellaini.​
 

Offside

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-----Carrick-----Herrera-----
Mkhitaryan--Pogba----Mata
-------------Fellaini-----------

Could go with that? Fellaini might cause problems if we have a proper gameplan.

I don't mind us parking the bus here. I know it's not the 'United way' but getting to Wembley is and we aren't going to rip into them with all of those injuries (wouldn't anyway).

Hope for a 0-1 Fellaini offside header 88mins.
 

BringNaniBack

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I can't decide whether that shows how exception a manager Ferguson was, or how terrible he was at acquiring United quality talent in his later years
Showed how bad Arsenal were more than anything.
 

2 man midfield

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---------------De Gea---------------
Valencia--Bailly-----Rojo------Blind
---------------Carrick---------------
------Herrera---------Pogba--------
Mkhitaryan---------------------Mata
---------------Lingard---------------

Think this will be the eleven, but I can see Mata going over to his favoured right side and Mkhitaryan playing as the striker.

Unsure about left back. If we've got Mata or some other non winger there then he'd be useful on the overlap, but is he really going to get forward that much away to Chelsea? I can see Blind getting to nod due to the importance of set pieces.
 

Offside

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Miracles can happen... remember when this lot beat Arsenal 2-0. That midfield though.
It's the midfield only which was a common story back then. Plus that was a particularly bad day with injuries. The attack and defence is really good.
 

DatGuyRich

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This is the one. So many of your fans advocating fellaini up front - he shouldn't be anywhere near your team
The same wanting Fellaini up top will be the same ones complaining when he does feck all.

I do like Fellaini but he's been tried upfront before and did nothing (as expected tbf to him). He'll always give 100% but he should not be starting up top ever.
 

Isotope

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I can't decide whether that shows how exception a manager Ferguson was, or how terrible he was at acquiring United quality talent in his later years
Having great midfield isn't necessary. Fergie's formula: Piling up great wingers + attackers = League Trophy.
 

Rhyme Animal

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Nonchalantly scoring the winner...
I think this is a good enough team...

------------------DDG-----------------
Val-------Jones--------Rojo------Blind
---Herrera-----Carrick-----Fellaini---
Mata------------Mkhi-----------Lingard
 

Android1974

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People complaining Fellaini upfront even seen the way we scored against Rostov? You remember Ibra's two touches, but how did he got the ball?
 

red_devil83

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I'd just like to point out that on F365 they have some extra quotes saying that Rooney was injured in a clash with Phil Jones....and Rooney came off worse.

This may be the biggest miracle in history
 

Rolandofgilead

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Fellaini up top, high press in stages, exploit the channels where they always leave holes from playing 3 at the back, i don't see the problem.

Why are we shitting themselves over chelsea away?
 

dichinero

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People complaining Fellaini upfront even seen the way we scored against Rostov? You remember Ibra's two touches, but how did he got the ball?
Yes. Rostov, terrible pitch, anti gravity football, 7th in Russian league.

Chelsea, sublime pitch, ball on turf football, soon to be champions.

See the difference?
 

Jaybomb

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I have a theory.

Do you actually believe all those strikers are injured or do you think Mourinho's game plan going into tomorrows game is to throw long balls into Fellaini and cause Chelsea some problems?

It might not be a bad idea. But if it doesn't pay off, what will the media say? "Jose has lost the plot", "why didn't he start Rashford?", " why didn't Rooney play?", etc.

This way, he gets to do what he wants and if he doesn't pay off, he can say "Well, all of our other options were unavailable."

Maybe I'm over thinking it. But its a possibility I think.
 

RedTillI'mDead

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The old champ manager 2 formation will be a treat.

----------------De Gea-----------
--------bailly--Jones---Rojo---
Valencia-------------------Young
---Herrera---Carrick---Pogba----
----------Mata---------Miki-------------

5-3-2 with wingbacks, Carrick sitting as a holding mid with Jones alongside him pushing up slightly.

The forward line and Herrera and Pogba interchanging dynamically
 

Rolandofgilead

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Did you see the score the last time we went there with a better team?
yeah but we hadn't exactly started to gel properly after a piss poor pre season and more managerial upheaval. I know that our record at Stamford Bridge is poor and they are a very good side, but so are we.
 

Devil may care

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I had both Rashford and Martial in my prediction, and Carrick was out because of the way he can't deal with pressing and Kanté is a machine at that. I really comes of what you make of the Rostov experience: just because of the pitch or was Mourinho trying something there?
I think the pitch dictated how Jose selected the team for the Rostov game, he went for all the biggest players we had as he knew the ball would be up in the air a lot of the time. Tomorrow I think we need to look at their back line and try to do some damage to it, we wont do it with a lump that barely moves.

But if Mourinho would use both Mkhi and Mata in the starting line up, who would he use as a potential sub? No "game changer"...
We'd have to rely on those we start with to get the job done, and the plan B would be Fellaini and hoofball.

You don't think Fellaini will play in the absence of Ibrahimovic? Chelsea have a few pretty decent attacking options at set pieces. If Fellaini doesn't play, I can pnly see Rojo at left back or in a back 3 to compensate.
I think Rojo will start at LB, he's crap there but Jose loves him and I figured he'd start before the news came out, Playing Fellaini just for set pieces would be counter productive when he then would struggle in the midfield against Kante or make us toothless up top as the #9.
 

Kasper

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Mkhitaryan played some sort of false 9 position at shaktar if I remember correctly so he should be able to fill in.
 

Jaybomb

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My updated team...

De Gea
Valencia Bailly Rojo Shaw
Herrera Pogba
Lingard Mkhi Young
Fellaini​
 

RedCurry

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This Chelsea game was never the sort of game where our strikers were going to get too much service anyway. It was always going to be a scrappy midfield battle. It's not ideal but I don't consider this a huge loss for this game only.

But I am more worried about what it means for our league games and whether these injuries are serious.
 
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sglowrider

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This Chelsea game was never the sort of game where our strikers were going to get too much service anyway. It was always going to be a scrappy midfield battle. It's not ideal but I don't consider this a huge loss for this game only.

But I a man more worried about what it means for our league games and whether this injuries are serious.

They will miraculously recover come thursday. They will all thank the fantastic medical staff.