De Gea
Lindeloff/Bailly
Smalling
Rojo
Dalot
Herrera/Fellaini
Matic
Shaw
Fred/Lingard
Lukaku
Martial/Alexis/Rashford
Lindeloff/Bailly
Smalling
Rojo
Dalot
Herrera/Fellaini
Matic
Shaw
Fred/Lingard
Lukaku
Martial/Alexis/Rashford
Our best XI (without Pogba)
- Thread starter charlenefan
- Start date
It is painful imagining this team without Pogba. Every XI posted here have been horrible. He is the difference between us and a mid table team.
De Gea
Dalot Bailly Lindelof Shaw
Pereira Lingard Fred
Lukaku Rashford Martial
Dalot Bailly Lindelof Shaw
Pereira Lingard Fred
Lukaku Rashford Martial
DDG
Bailey Smalling Lindelof
Dalot Herrera Fred Shaw
Sanchez
Lukaku Martial
Bailey Smalling Lindelof
Dalot Herrera Fred Shaw
Sanchez
Lukaku Martial
lol, you guys love posting team formations
let's do a thread without de gea too, and just have our entire usual team and one change
let's do a thread without de gea too, and just have our entire usual team and one change
Romerolol, you guys love posting team formations
let's do a thread without de gea too, and just have our entire usual team and one change
Dalot Smalling Lindelof Shaw
Fred Matic
Lingard Sanchez Martial
Lukaku
Came to post this. Looking at it, it is actually refreshing. Not that bad if we just ignore everything we have seen the last few years and go on pure imagination and ability.
De Gea
Bailly—— Smalling— Rojo
Dalot——-Fellaini —Fred —-—Shaw
——— Sanchez———-
Lukaku—— Rashford
-De Gea is a guaranteed starter.
-Bailly is quick enough to cover for any mistakes/being out of place by Dalot.
-Smalling is our smartest defender to cover for Bailly and Rojo.
-Rojo is our only natural left footed centerback.
-Dalot needs more involvement and he has more pace than Valencia and Young as both of them are slowing tremendously.
-Fellaini has been consistent and can win aerial battles and hold up play.
-Fred has pace to cover the center of the park and provide cover for Shaw’s pace making runs down the left.
-Sanchez needs to be more involved in the center of the field and he is a better player than Lingard. Pereira was considered here.
-Lukaku is our best attacking option. If something happened to him, we could kiss even the Europa League gone.
-Rashford vs Martial here, but I’m going with Rashford as he is younger, English, and an academy graduate.
Bailly—— Smalling— Rojo
Dalot——-Fellaini —Fred —-—Shaw
——— Sanchez———-
Lukaku—— Rashford
-De Gea is a guaranteed starter.
-Bailly is quick enough to cover for any mistakes/being out of place by Dalot.
-Smalling is our smartest defender to cover for Bailly and Rojo.
-Rojo is our only natural left footed centerback.
-Dalot needs more involvement and he has more pace than Valencia and Young as both of them are slowing tremendously.
-Fellaini has been consistent and can win aerial battles and hold up play.
-Fred has pace to cover the center of the park and provide cover for Shaw’s pace making runs down the left.
-Sanchez needs to be more involved in the center of the field and he is a better player than Lingard. Pereira was considered here.
-Lukaku is our best attacking option. If something happened to him, we could kiss even the Europa League gone.
-Rashford vs Martial here, but I’m going with Rashford as he is younger, English, and an academy graduate.
I would go back to a 4-4-2 for most games. And I don't care how it makes Sanchez feel, but he would be on the right. He's there to take on players wide and send in crosses to our 2 strikers who will be thriving from his delivery
------------------------------De Gea----------------------------
Dalot------------Smalling------------Bailley--------------Shaw
Sanchez------------Fred-------------Matic-------------Martial
-------------------Rashford-------Lukaku----------------------
In the bigger matches on tough away games we can switch back to a 4-3-3 if we need to be a little more defensive. Keep in mind though, if Pogba does leave, we will collect a big transfer fee to bring in another midfielder and possibly one or two other players...
------------------------------De Gea----------------------------
Dalot------------Smalling------------Bailley--------------Shaw
Sanchez------------Fred-------------Matic-------------Martial
-------------------Rashford-------Lukaku----------------------
In the bigger matches on tough away games we can switch back to a 4-3-3 if we need to be a little more defensive. Keep in mind though, if Pogba does leave, we will collect a big transfer fee to bring in another midfielder and possibly one or two other players...
Our best XI without Pogba is substantially worse than our best with him in it. The other night proves just good martial can be, as if we needed reminding.. he can still be a fantastic player for us if given a run of games to get his confidence back (see exhibit a: like shaw). We MUST start martial from now on.
Now we just need to hope the ref doesnt spot we have more players than the other side and we are on a winner. Lol
Huh?
I wouldn’t even have Lingard or Lindelof in my backup first 11.
This thread is depressing, it makes me angry just thinking about the specifics of our last three years.
In three years we've spent North of 220 million on 4 or 5 centre-mids and are posting best XL's with the likes of Herrera and Lingard as a makeshift.
Since LVG binned the Kroos transfer we have just bought turd after turd for the middle of the park.
In three years we've spent North of 220 million on 4 or 5 centre-mids and are posting best XL's with the likes of Herrera and Lingard as a makeshift.
Since LVG binned the Kroos transfer we have just bought turd after turd for the middle of the park.
Yeah pretty much goes against everything we’ve seen although we could still punt a long ball to Lukaku and hope he can work a miracle whilst Sanchez and Martial catch up having just been playing as auxiliary fullbacks or in this case DM’s.
DDG
Dalot
Smalling
Lindeloff
Shaw
Matic
Fellaini
Sanchez RW
Lingard CAM (plus helping the midfield in defense with his energy rate)
Martial LW
Lukaku ST
Allow Dalot to overlap on Sanchez and Shaw to overlap on Martial.
Have Fellaini and Matic sit deep in midfield to cover the side midfield areas if the full backs overlap and the wingers are stuck upfield.
Get Jesse to link up between Matic/Fellaini and the attack. Quick passing and movement.
Dalot
Smalling
Lindeloff
Shaw
Matic
Fellaini
Sanchez RW
Lingard CAM (plus helping the midfield in defense with his energy rate)
Martial LW
Lukaku ST
Allow Dalot to overlap on Sanchez and Shaw to overlap on Martial.
Have Fellaini and Matic sit deep in midfield to cover the side midfield areas if the full backs overlap and the wingers are stuck upfield.
Get Jesse to link up between Matic/Fellaini and the attack. Quick passing and movement.
It was a joke I did put Lol at the end.Huh?
Midfield 2 of Matic and Fellaini 
433
De Gea
Dalot Bailey Lindelof Shaw
Matic Fred
Sanchez
Rashford Lakaku Martial
Use the wings and make it a 343 with overlapping WB when attacking.
Sanchez's best football with Arsenal was through the middle too so I'd like to see how he does more central.
De Gea
Dalot Bailey Lindelof Shaw
Matic Fred
Sanchez
Rashford Lakaku Martial
Use the wings and make it a 343 with overlapping WB when attacking.
Sanchez's best football with Arsenal was through the middle too so I'd like to see how he does more central.
Last edited:
Without Pogba I think we could play a 2 man central midfield. It could be a number of pairings but I have gone for Herrera and Fred for sheer energy.
---------------------------De Gea----------------------------
Dalot----------------Bailly-----Smalling---------------Shaw
--------------------Herrera----Fred-------------------------
Rashford---------------Sanchez-----------------------Martial
-------------------------Lukaku------------------------------
In some ways it does solve a problem. Pogba is very hit and miss in the middle.
Sanchez would not be in the team on form - would play Mata or Lingard. I just feel like he has to come good at some point, doesn't he? Plus this could be a 2 up top and pretty much a 4-4-2.
Rashford should get a run on the right.
---------------------------De Gea----------------------------
Dalot----------------Bailly-----Smalling---------------Shaw
--------------------Herrera----Fred-------------------------
Rashford---------------Sanchez-----------------------Martial
-------------------------Lukaku------------------------------
In some ways it does solve a problem. Pogba is very hit and miss in the middle.
Sanchez would not be in the team on form - would play Mata or Lingard. I just feel like he has to come good at some point, doesn't he? Plus this could be a 2 up top and pretty much a 4-4-2.
Rashford should get a run on the right.
I'd go with;
Sanchez hasn't set the world alight on the left, let him play on the right.
Sanchez hasn't set the world alight on the left, let him play on the right.
Dea Gea
Dalot___Alderweireld___Maguire___Shaw
Verratti___Matic
Pulisic___Dybala___Rashford
Lukaku
This with bells on. I would play this WITH pogba here.
Would love to see 4-3-3 with De Gea - Dalot, Bailly, Smalling, Shaw - Felli, Matic, Fred (if I’m not allowed Pogba) - Martial, Sanchez, Lukaku. Only difference is that I would line up the front three slightly narrow with Sanchez down the middle twisting up center backs and firing off snapshots with Lakaku drifting in from the right and Martial from the left which would surely suit them both. It might also take some pressure off of Lukaku being out of the spotlight (sort of). I don’t imagine this is what we’ll see this weekend but it looks to cover a lot of our issues. There may be a reason why this wouldn’t work but I can’t immediately spot it.....
@charlenefan I'm sorry but do we really need threads like this? Not sure what they achieve.
Pogba won't be going anywhere until we have a suitable replacement so whatever line up you pick will be inaccurate.
Pogba won't be going anywhere until we have a suitable replacement so whatever line up you pick will be inaccurate.
Well plenty of people have replied so what it's achieved is discussion
As for your second line despite what Mourinho has said today (this thread created before then) there's a very real chance Pogba may find himself not selected even if available so in that case we wont be playing with a suitable replacement but with whatever we have left over in the current squad
Mourinho said he's playing. Also said there's no issues and he's trained brilliantly. Not sure how you work out he'll be dropped from that?
Was salivating until I saw Rashford.
aaah. I fell into that one
1 Edwin van der Sar 46'
3 Patrice Evra
62'
5 Rio Ferdinand
6 Wes Brown
15 Nemanja Vidić
11 Ryan Giggs 64'
16 Michael Carrick
18 Paul Scholes
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
10 Wayne Rooney
32 Carlos Tévez 89'
Substitutes
29 Tomasz Kuszczak 46'
22 John O'Shea 89'
9 Louis Saha
10 years on and none from today, except perhaps De Gea and Pogba, would make that team
3 Patrice Evra
5 Rio Ferdinand
6 Wes Brown
15 Nemanja Vidić
11 Ryan Giggs 64'
16 Michael Carrick
18 Paul Scholes
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
10 Wayne Rooney
32 Carlos Tévez 89'
Substitutes
29 Tomasz Kuszczak 46'
22 John O'Shea 89'
9 Louis Saha
10 years on and none from today, except perhaps De Gea and Pogba, would make that team
Right now, on current form I’d like to see:
—————————DDG
Young——Smalling——Lindelöf——Shaw
—————-Herrera———Fred
Lingard—————-Mata—————Martial
—————————Alexis
—————————DDG
Young——Smalling——Lindelöf——Shaw
—————-Herrera———Fred
Lingard—————-Mata—————Martial
—————————Alexis
If we are going to play without Pogba at least make sure we have someone who can pass the ball, otherwise where’s our creativity coming from?
I would like to see:
DDG
Dalot Smalling Lindelof Shaw
Herrera Fred
Mata
Lingard Sanchez Martial
Pereira can come in Matas place. Rashford in Martials. Lukak... Not until he gets his fitness and body weight to optimum level.Dalot Smalling Lindelof Shaw
Herrera Fred
Mata
Lingard Sanchez Martial
We are nothing without Pogba!
-----------------De Gea----------------
Dalot-----smalling---lindelof-----shaw
-----------------Periera-----------------
Rashford---mata---Sanchez---martial
-----------------lukaku-----------------
Dalot-----smalling---lindelof-----shaw
-----------------Periera-----------------
Rashford---mata---Sanchez---martial
-----------------lukaku-----------------
De Gea
Dalot - Smalling - Lindelof - Shaw
Periera - Herrera - Fred
Mata - Sanchez - Martial
Dalot - Smalling - Lindelof - Shaw
Periera - Herrera - Fred
Mata - Sanchez - Martial
---------------------DDG--------------------
Dalot------Smalling-----Lindeloff-----Shaw
Sanchez----Fred-------Herrara-----Martial
-----------Lukaku-----Rashford-------------
Bring back the 4-4-2
Dalot------Smalling-----Lindeloff-----Shaw
Sanchez----Fred-------Herrara-----Martial
-----------Lukaku-----Rashford-------------
Bring back the 4-4-2
De gea
Dalot - Bailly - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Pereira - Fred
Sanchez
Rashford - Martial
Dalot - Bailly - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Pereira - Fred
Sanchez
Rashford - Martial
All these line ups look quite depressing.