Our strongest XI

[VidaRed]

—————————DDG——————————
Dalot——Lindelof——Varane——Telles
Sancho—Bruno—Mct—Pogba—Elanga
————————Ronaldo—————————

I'm afraid rashford and shaw should be moved on, they're a road-end once the ball gets to them. Maguire is too expensive to move on though.

 

[arnie_ni]

—————————DDG——————————
Dalot——Lindelof——Varane——Telles
Sancho—Bruno—Mct—Pogba—Elanga
————————Ronaldo—————————

I'm afraid rashford and shaw should be moved on, they're a road-end once the ball gets to them. Maguire is too expensive to move on though.

For the return leg I'd have Fred in instead of elanga and put Bruno out. Pack the midfield with mct Fred pogba as a proper 3 and have Bruno and sancho ahead of them.

We got over run in midfield

 

[bosnian_red]

Hard one with how everything is going. Obviously a 4-3-3, and the only clear ones for me are De Gea, Varane, McTominay as a DM, and Sancho on a wing.

• Dalot or Wan Bissaka? Depends on opponent.
• Lindelof or Maguire to partner Varane? Probably Maguire but his form has been garbage.
• Shaw or Telles? Depends on opponent, as we've seen today.
• The midfield ahead of McTominay. Which 2 of Bruno/Pogba/Fred give us the best balance? For big games, I'd go Pogba and Fred actually. For some others, Bruno and Fred, for easier games Bruno and Pogba
• Winger opposite of Sancho. Rashford woefully off form and needs a break from all of football IMO. Elanga young but impressing now. Maybe move Pogba back to the wing, sacrificing pace but getting a balanced midfield 3?
• Ronaldo or Cavani - Ronaldo is really showing his age IMO, and Cavani despite being always injured and also old is just a better CF than Ronaldo IMO. Really, neither do much.

If I were to pick a lineup to play the Atletico return leg right now, I would go:

De Gea
Wan Bissaka Varane Maguire Telles
McTominay
Pogba Fred
Ronaldo Bruno Sancho
​

Would probably use a similar lineup against a Liverpool or City. Possibly just put Bruno out on a wing, or make Bruno false 9 and put Ronaldo wide with Elanga benched. Dalot possibly, but Wan Bissaka's a tough RB to play against so he would've helped today had he started.

Edit: Actually, put Elanga on bench to leave him to be an impact player. Suits him more.

 

[VidaRed]

For the return leg I'd have Fred in instead of elanga and put Bruno out. Pack the midfield with mct Fred pogba as a proper 3 and have Bruno and sancho ahead of them.

We got over run in midfield

This ?
—————————DDG——————————
—Dalot——Lindelof——Varane——Telles—
———Mct————Pogba————Fred———
——Sancho——Ronaldo——Bruno————

Our midfield could still get overrun if they're not disciplined, thats why i preferred the 4-5-1 which could turn into a 4-3-3 on the offensive with sancho and elanga making runs ahead.

 

[galwayfa]

Haven't read all the thread but ralf said the formation he p

This ?
—————————DDG——————————
—Dalot——Lindelof——Varane——Telles—
———Mct————Pogba————Fred———
——Sancho——Ronaldo——Bruno————

Our midfield could still get overrun if they're not disciplined, thats why i preferred the 4-5-1 which could turn into a 4-3-3 on the offensive with sancho and elanga making runs ahead.

He doesn't have to play that formation every game , very hard to pick best when it's not a straight 442 against every team

 

[ThemanGiggsy]

Hard one with how everything is going. Obviously a 4-3-3, and the only clear ones for me are De Gea, Varane, McTominay as a DM, and Sancho on a wing.

• Dalot or Wan Bissaka? Depends on opponent.
• Lindelof or Maguire to partner Varane? Probably Maguire but his form has been garbage.
• Shaw or Telles? Depends on opponent, as we've seen today.
• The midfield ahead of McTominay. Which 2 of Bruno/Pogba/Fred give us the best balance? For big games, I'd go Pogba and Fred actually. For some others, Bruno and Fred, for easier games Bruno and Pogba
• Winger opposite of Sancho. Rashford woefully off form and needs a break from all of football IMO. Elanga young but impressing now. Maybe move Pogba back to the wing, sacrificing pace but getting a balanced midfield 3?
• Ronaldo or Cavani - Ronaldo is really showing his age IMO, and Cavani despite being always injured and also old is just a better CF than Ronaldo IMO. Really, neither do much.

If I were to pick a lineup to play the Atletico return leg right now, I would go:

De Gea
Wan Bissaka Varane Maguire Telles
McTominay
Pogba Fred
Ronaldo Bruno Sancho
​

Would probably use a similar lineup against a Liverpool or City. Possibly just put Bruno out on a wing, or make Bruno false 9 and put Ronaldo wide with Elanga benched. Dalot possibly, but Wan Bissaka's a tough RB to play against so he would've helped today had he started.

Edit: Actually, put Elanga on bench to leave him to be an impact player. Suits him more.

Can’t really argue with too much of this. Was just thinking about Pogba however in “big games”. I can’t really remember a “big game” where he showed out. Last one I can’t think of is at City where we came back and won 3-2.
Technicallly and physically he should always be in the first 11. But he seems to disappear in big games. Of he always has way more potential that McFred to do something magical but never seems to.

On a side aside. I wish greenwood didn’t screw up his own world. Would have enjoyed to see him at #9 some this season.