Play the kids for Europa [Poll added]

[OneUnited24]

Rest most of the first team and have them come back a week before the semis (if we make it). Treat those two games like preseason friendlies.

against LASK and in the quarters (we’re 5 nil up vs LASK) play the second string. i want to win the comp but the new league season starts mid Sept. we need to be smart about this otherwise we’ll run out of steam by nov! The first team looks on its knees as it is

 

[Saddy]

It's a trophy FFS ?!!

Rest up next couple of weeks and play the squad players against Lask then go full throttle - De Gea should be left out to ponder and discuss his future at the club though and increase Pogba's contract but no extra money for him to test his loyalty

 

[Zen86]

Why why why on earth would we not play full strength for Europa? We’re not resting them for anything

 

[Drz]

I don't like the term "weakened" team, but if we can see if Mebjri or Mengi are ready to step-in to the first team, it well help transfer plans nicely for next season, but you can't play them in an experimental team either... Hope Fred gets game time as the DM and James on the left. Rotate the rest of the squad around these four for balance.

 

[PoTMS]

Wait, why is the third option on the poll not including the quarters as well? That's a KO game. We lose that and we're out. Or is the first option not including LASK at home which is a gimme?

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Now that champions league is secured.

Don’t think we should bother with the Europa league. Yeah it’s another trophy, but we over used our starting 11 and they all need a break.

Would give some of the young and fringe players a go.

I disagree. This should be used for pre season, the new season starts in early September you know. They are having 2 weeks off anyway since we are likely to rest everyone in the 2nd leg against LASK.

 

[NK86]

its 3 games - with a 2 week break now and an adequate break in-between games. Whats the problem?

There is training and then just 3 weeks before the next season while the likes ot Pool will have 6-7 weeks rest. You don't think that's an issue? This is not the usual time, players aren't getting a holiday at the end of the season. They will be playing nonstop till the end of Euros next season.

You really think it is easy to play nonstop like that even with a normal fixture list. Mind you, we will be starting next season a month late, so that time will also need to be made up.

Hope Ole shows more sense and manages the squad and gives the key players time off else the same posters who are wanting him to play his first 11 will be cursing him in December for poor squad management when our players will be running on fumes in the middle of the season.

 

[United Hobbit]

Play the kids against Lask then full strength please

It would be a great trophy to use as a springboard plus now there's a lot less pressure on it so likely more chance of a top performance

 

[dove]

Our squad is clearly burnt out right now. Its not like we are in a normal circumstance. They've been playing every 48-72 hours for a few weeks now, and the Europa League games will be more of the same.

You think we can do full pelt and then have no pre season going into next season? Really?

Heard of squad management? Why does it always have to be only 2 choices, play the kids or full strength team? The only reason our squad is burnt out right now is because there was a complete lack of game time management. Play the kids against LASK and then maybe a bit rotated team in quarters. Full strength after that.

 

[Dec9003]

By the time the match after LASK comes around we need to play full strength imo. With the next league season coming around so fast we need to make sure the players are all sharp to start it. We need to add to the squad starting monday anyway so we have more options when injuries and fatigue hit us at somepoint next season.

 

[bondsname]

We have to go on and try to win it. It's a trophy after all, and have a good chance to win it.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Bit of both. Rest everybody and throw as many kids in as we can against LASK. Play full strength when we need to. Winning a trophy would be a great end to this season.

 

[Roux]

There is training and then just 3 weeks before the next season while the likes ot Pool will have 6-7 weeks rest. You don't think that's an issue? This is not the usual time, players aren't getting a holiday at the end of the season. They will be playing nonstop till the end of Euros next season.

You really think it is easy to play nonstop like that even with a normal fixture list. Mind you, we will be starting next season a month late, so that time will also need to be made up.

Hope Ole shows more sense and manages the squad and gives the key players time off else the same posters who are wanting him to play his first 11 will be cursing him in December for poor squad management when our players will be running on fumes in the middle of the season.

Not an issue at all - if that means winning a trophy. They've had 3 months off - while it wasn't a holiday, its not playing matches throughout that time.

For me, the only reason they look burnt out the last few games was the 2 days break around the Chelsea FA Cup match.

This club is about winning trophies, simple as that.

 

[r3idy]

Go into next season without recovery time?

Regardless of recovery time, the club will still schedule some form of pre-season. If thats the case, mix it up a bit in the Europa

 

[stevoc]

Now that champions league is secured.

Don’t think we should bother with the Europa league. Yeah it’s another trophy, but we over used our starting 11 and they all need a break.

Would give some of the young and fringe players a go.

Yeah who cares about trophies

 

[Machine Elements]

Win the EL now...beat the CL winners in the SuperCup

Exactly. Seems like for some people only PL & CL matter. League Cup is a mickey mouse cup, Fa Cup lost it's magic and should be ignored, Community Shield is pre-season game etc.

I'm still bothered we lost European Super Cup to Lazio in 99, to Zenit in 2008 and to Real in 2017.

Bring every single possible cup to our trophy cabinet. That's what football is played for.

 

[RDCR07]

Argument for both sides but I can’t see Ole resting the big guns for this. It would be understandable if he did though cause they will get a nice 45 day break. But at the same time it is a nice chance to win a trophy. Obviously playing full strength means there is no excuse to not win the trophy.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I would rest the front three and Bruno for the second leg.

I still want to win the Europa though.

 

[Bojan11]

Yeah who cares about trophies

Yeah our greatest manager ever didn’t give two shits about this trophy and he won every trophy there is.

It’s a glorified bridesmaid trophy.

 

[alexanderplatz]

even if you are against the EL with no pre season this year surely the Europa would still serve a purpose? It will be hard to win it but any opportunity to take a trophy should not be passed up, will help Ole in the future too if we win this. Inter starting to get back up to speed now so will be interesting to see how the EL plays out

 

[Stevondo8]

Winning mentality and all that, anyone but first team against LASK but after that it’s full strength all the way. Give them time off now and a bit more after the Europa league, shouldn’t need much of a preseason considering.

 

[Camilo]

It's been a mad period - let them visit family if they live abroad, take a couple of weeks. On the other hand, if we powered through we could hit the ground running if we won the thing...

I'd rest the lot of them, but I don't think there's a wrong decision.

 

[NK86]

Not an issue at all - if that means winning a trophy. They've had 3 months off - while it wasn't a holiday, its not playing matches throughout that time.

For me, the only reason they look burnt out the last few games was the 2 days break around the Chelsea FA Cup match.

This club is about winning trophies, simple as that.

Yes it is. But it's not normal times. People are talking as if we are going for the trophy and then players are going to get a rest. There is bigger fish to fry next season and I hope Ole shows sense and doesn't over react like some on here.

If we think we aren't good enough for CL or PL and comfortably will get top 4 next season then it makes sense. Right now it's important to make sure we consolidate our position in the top 4 and make progress in the PL. You think Pool players or fans care a damn that they aren't in the FA cup? They prioritized the more important trophies and although some on here look down on that, their PL win basically justified that stance.

We need to ensure we are better placed to progress in the PL next season than worry about a second tier European trophy which even Sir Alex didn't care much about.

 

[United58]

Not popular but I'd rather play the youth - anyone playing in the final has just three weeks before the kick off of the 2020/21 season. Imagine our end to this season played out across nine months - even with five first team additions (not happening), we'd be shattered

 

[gorky_utd]

First team please.

 

[Mibabalou]

Up 5-0 there is no reason to play a strong team but from that match on why not go for it, full strength!!

 

[gorky_utd]

Pot 1 plus a chance at uefa super Cup. Play the reserves in the return leg and then first team again from the next stage.

 

[RUCK4444]

Disagree. I think Ole and the players will want a trophy.

It’s a bigger trophy imo than the FA Cup and a beautiful looking trophy at that.

I say we gooofffffoorrrritttt

 

[Sarni]

Play our strongest team. We can rest everybody against LASK but then it’s just 3 games to win the trophy and it’d give players a big boost if they were able to actually win something. I’d maybe advocate against playing first team if a) there weren’t two full weeks of rest before tournament restarted, b) we had to play two legs for each round making it 5 not 3 games to win it. Under current circumstances it would make no sense to surrender.

 

[Tarrou]

they've got a good rest now and another rest after the Europa finishes

if these players can't manage that then I don't think they should be here

obviously no need to play full strength in the next fixture though

 

[Schmeichel=God]

Exactly. Seems like for some people only PL & CL matter. League Cup is a mickey mouse cup, Fa Cup lost it's magic and should be ignored, Community Shield is pre-season game etc.

I'm still bothered we lost European Super Cup to Lazio in 99, to Zenit in 2008 and to Real in 2017.

Bring every single possible cup to our trophy cabinet. That's what football is played for.

With you. That Zenit game did my head right in. And as for the Necaxa & Vasco Da Gama games all those years ago...I was enraged

 

[Berbaclass]

We have a 10-day break. Can play basically whatever team we like against LASK. Play the strongest team after that.

Another European trophy would be a brilliant end to the season!

 

[Jev]

Let's look a bit at our opponents as well. If we face FC København, for instance, in the next game (after LASK), our B team would win that tie easily. When we face strong opposition, I want us to go full-strength and attempt to win a semi-big trophy.

Obviously reserves against LASK.

 

[Godfather]

Play the kids against Lask then full strength please

It would be a great trophy to use as a springboard plus now there's a lot less pressure on it so likely more chance of a top performance

This

 

[manunited1919]

Go for it, but rotate a bit more. I'd like to see a mix of youth and experience.

This.

 

[sammsky1]

I would like us to try to win Europa but how do we avoid burnout. Ole runs the teams down, as we have seen 2 seasons running.
If we take the Europa seriously, the starting xi will be out of legs by December with no real break since the restart. I hate to say this, but the loss in FA cup semifinal is a blessing in disguise to at least give the starters a couple of weeks off.
Liverpool are going to be very well positioned with 6 weeks off.
How do we ensure our starters get a break?

bolded is the crucial issue.

 

[b82REZ]

Definitely rest for the first game.

Depending who we play in the quarters take it from there.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Against LASK I’d love to see:

Laird
Mengi
Mejbri
Garner

Not necessarily all start but appearances.

 

[Untd55]

There are actually people who don't want to try to win it? There is absolutely no reason not to go for it. No other competitions to think about; two weeks rest; a nice easy game at the start where the first team doesn't need to play; no preseason. It is all set out nicely

Even if we get to the final, we will still have 3 weeks rest before the start of the season. That is plenty.

 

[JohnnyKills]

I don't like the term "weakened" team, but if we can see if Mebjri or Mengi are ready to step-in to the first team, it well help transfer plans nicely for next season, but you can't play them in an experimental team either... Hope Fred gets game time as the DM and James on the left. Rotate the rest of the squad around these four for balance.

Yes, good post. Garner and Levitt too?