Will we be up to speed for the Leeds game?

[Offsideagain]

Not long before the first game of the season and most of the ‘stars’ are still not back training. Rashford won’t be available for a while and Sancho and Varane will need sometime to settle in. Leeds will be all pace and movement and I worry that we won’t get into the game and possibly lose the opener. What do you think?.

 

[ArjenIsM3]

Probably not

 

[Jacob]

Expect a frustrating August.

 

[Leftback99]

No. There's a fair chance of it being like the start of last season all over again for us.

 

[Carl]

Expect a frustrating August.

This. Given the run of games, I really hope we don't look back at a massive opportunity lost.

 

[predator]

I think we will be fine. Can't believe how negative so many posters are. We'll wallop them. Our players will be so up for it especially infront of a full OT.

I expect nothing other than a easy win.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Leeds aren't having a particularly great pre-season themselves in terms of results.

3-2 W vs Guiseley
1-1 D vs Blackburn
1-2 L vs Fleetwood Town
2-3 L vs Real Betis

They have 2 fixtures remaining against Ajax and Villarreal.

I'd hope we can arrange a BCD friendly between now and the Everton game. If not, by the end of pre-season Leeds will have played 6 games, to our 4, and the majority of our first teamers aren't back in training until tomorrow.


OT will be bang up for a game versus Leeds though. Hopefully the place will be bouncing.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I hope none of our players do speed before the game - could result in a-few bans.

 

[Blood Mage]

When was the last time we started a season well? Back in Fergie's days I would imagine.

 

[Plant0x84]

Why wouldn’t we be? Because the reserves missed one training game? Slightly knee jerk thread me thinks.

Last year we had one friendly B.C.D vs villa on the back of 2 weeks off after the Europa league mini tournament, then got thrown into the season on the back of it. Turned out okay in the end. I think we’ll be fine, so you can un bunch your panties!

 

[Brightonian]

Greenwood hattrick.

 

[sullydnl]

Probably not. But other teams will have their own problems too. It's the sort of thing a side with title aspirations are expected to be able to cope with.

 

[Giant Midget]

How’s Leeds pre-season going? Have they had all players back before us?

 

[Gerald G]

I literally came on this site to make a similar thread. If we run through our squad, our best players will be undercooked and it will be far from ideal to play vs Leeds with how much intensity they play with.
De Gea, Henderson, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof, Bailly (holiday post-Olympics?) Shaw, Telles (injured), McTominay, Fred, Pogba, VdB, Fernandes, Sancho, Martial (not returned properly from injury), Rashford (injured), Cavani - all these players should be undercooked or unavailable.

That's pretty much all players in our first 11. The only ones that shouldn't be undercooked are AWB, Matic, Lingard, James & Greenwood - and only one of them is actually a guaranteed starter if everyone is fit. It's too early to say but I reckon our start 11 vs Leeds will be something like:

De Gea
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
McTominay--Fred
Sancho--Bruno--James
Greenwood

I think we will have no choice but to play some of those that are not fully match fit, but then I don't think we'd play all those who aren't match fit hence why I think James + Greenwood will start. Not the strongest side either, but not the worst! Hopefully it will be enough to beat Leeds at OT.

Oh, and if we can somehow sign a midfielder before the Leeds game then that would be great!

 

[Winrar]

When was the last time we started a season well? Back in Fergie's days I would imagine.

17/18 went pretty well for us at the start... then city had a 100 point season. Not much anybody can really do about that, but I did enjoy denying them the title win at their place.

On the other hand we did struggle a little at the start of our last title winning season starting off with a defeat to Everton, which frustrated the hell out of me especially considering what happened the season prior.

 

[LazyRed-Ninja]

It doesn’t help with some uncertainties like the Pogba situation and the possibility of another midfielder coming in. Ideally you’d like all your business done early so the full squad can train together to create that togetherness and new season feeling again. Last season the first game ended up in a 1-3 loss against Palace and it was clear that the stamina and rythm wasnt there. Ole however recently said that the players were following a program training at home. Still not ideal but I think the team is a bit better off then last season.

 

[Mickeza]

I think we’ll be fine. It’s been 3 weeks since these lads last played at the euros and they have 2 weeks of training - shouldn’t be any issues as the training intensity will be good as many have been back for 3 weeks now which will help the others get up to speed.

 

[LazyRed-Ninja]

17/18 went pretty well for us at the start... then city had a 100 point season. Not much anybody can really do about that, but I did enjoy denying them the title win at their place.

On the other hand we did struggle a little at the start of our last title winning season starting off with a defeat to Everton, which frustrated the hell out of me especially considering what happened the season prior.

yes but if I recall correctly the team went on a long unbeaten run short after? Van Persie was firing from all cilinders not shortly after that loss against Everton.

 

[stubie]

We could do with arranging a couple of friendlies over the next 2 weeks. Hopefully the Everton game will sharpen up the fitness for the euro and South American lads

 

[TMDaines]

Expect a frustrating August.

 

[JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo]

I have a few reservations about starting vs Leeds as they'll be further advanced than we are. Only really AWB and Greenwood have a pre season behind them. Hoping the likes of Varane and Maguire can gel fast regardless

 

[Winrar]

yes but if I recall correctly the team went on a long unbeaten run short after? Van Persie was firing from all cilinders not shortly after that loss against Everton.

For me, the turning point was effectively when RVP netted the dramatic hat trick vs Soton. That game will be on my memory for a long while.

We weren't breaking any records, but we were generally just a very solid team in the league up (dropped points in 4 out of 29 games afterwards) until towards the end of the season where we were so far ahead we didn't really have to worry about much.

More on topic: Second team isn't really firing in all cylinders and covid's hampering our season preparation plans so it'll be a struggle, but I don't think it'll be nearly as calamitous as start of last season.

 

[Longshanks]

It shouldn't be anywhere near as bad as last season last season's pre-season was non existent thanks to the europa league run and that daft international break that was thrown in before the start of the season. It was literally a couple of days and a BCD friendly for most of the first team.

Should be a full two weeks and at least 1 friendly for the majority of the first team, most teams have got similar issues so shouldn't such a problem like last season.

 

[3KDré]

When was the last time we started a season well? Back in Fergie's days I would imagine.

17/18 under Mourinho we were blitzing teams away several 4 goal games and people were putting us against City up for the title race.

 

[Plant0x84]

17/18 under Mourinho we were blitzing teams away several 4 goal games and people were putting us against City up for the title race.

And we finished 2nd behind City that season, just like we did last season with no preseason to speak of. We were only 7pts better off than last season too for all those goals we scored. No need for OP/some other to panic….

 

[Blood Mage]

17/18 went pretty well for us at the start... then city had a 100 point season. Not much anybody can really do about that, but I did enjoy denying them the title win at their place.

On the other hand we did struggle a little at the start of our last title winning season starting off with a defeat to Everton, which frustrated the hell out of me especially considering what happened the season prior.

17/18 under Mourinho we were blitzing teams away several 4 goal games and people were putting us against City up for the title race.

Fair point. I've mentally blocked out the Mourinho era because of how much I've come to despise that cnut, but yes we were very good at the start of that season.

 

[Winrar]

Fair point. I've mentally blocked out the Mourinho era because of how much I've come to despise that cnut, but yes we were very good at the start of that season.

Understandable.

I used to consider myself one of his more fervent supporters so it's really disappointing to see him fall from his grace on top of being a cnut.

 

[Denis79]

No excuses to be as bad as at the start of last season.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I'd be livid if we got off to another poor start.

We need to hit the season running.

 

[Irwin99]

No excuses to be as bad as at the start of last season.

Actually I think there is a bit of an excuse this time- the amount of football in the past 18 months has been incredible and a lot of our players haven't had much of a break. In just two weeks we're off and running again and most first teamers haven't featured in a friendly yet.

I'm anticipating a bit of a slow start once again but you never know. The fixture list in October/November is where the season really hots up and it would be good to go into those fixtures with a decent amount of points on the board and to be near the top of the table.

 

[sglowrider]

When was the last time we started a season well? Back in Fergie's days I would imagine.

No. Even Fergie didn't usually start the season off well. There were exceptions.

 

[arthurka]

We look miles away from any kind of form. Don't think we will win this but hope Ole pulls one out of his hat.

 

[Withnail]

We look miles away from any kind of form. Don't think we will win this but hope Ole pulls one out of his hat.

Who looks miles away from any kind of form?

 

[izak]

True our preparations haven't been help by the covid scare and other minor problems like players that participated at the Euros are late to join up, having said all of that i expect nothing but a win against Leeds.

Part of Ole's Job is to find a way around tight or difficult situations, He should be putting out a team that can out play Leeds, We've got talent in the team now, working them into shape is a must, If it means morning and evening training sessions so be it but there should be no excuess this season for not winning this Leauge, i won't entertain such mediocrity.

PS; Yes i said it, We should focus on winning the Leauge this season!! The Champions league don't start until September and even that is played once like in two weeks, so i fully expect us to priorities with more energy channeled towards the Leauge.

 

[Mylock]

We look miles away from any form. I don't think we will win this, but I hope Ole pulls one out of his hat.

How did you come to that conclusion?
What's important at the moment is what is done in the training ground, not in the preseason games. It's on the training ground is where you improve your defending against set-pieces; you develop how you're going to enhance the link-up between defence, midfield and attack. The preseason is where you get the miles into the legs that's what sets you up for the season; you can't judge what has happened in a few preseason games.

 

[Bondi77]

Leeds might be feeling the effects from last season and Sancho could mark his debut with a hatrick!
Doesn’t that sound a lot better?

 

[el3mel]

Leeds aren't having a particularly great pre-season themselves in terms of results.

3-2 W vs Guiseley
1-1 D vs Blackburn
1-2 L vs Fleetwood Town
2-3 L vs Real Betis

They have 2 fixtures remaining against Ajax and Villarreal.

I'd hope we can arrange a BCD friendly between now and the Everton game. If not, by the end of pre-season Leeds will have played 6 games, to our 4, and the majority of our first teamers aren't back in training until tomorrow.


OT will be bang up for a game versus Leeds though. Hopefully the place will be bouncing.

The point isn't which results we get in the friendlies. It's that all of them so far have been with second team and reserves. Barely any main team player had a proper pre season.

I think we will be off pace indeed but our quality will probably win us the match.

 

[Bobcat]

It cant possibly be as bad as last season where the players had very little rest and really no preseason to speak of

 

[roonster09]

I dont think players will be fully fit. Shame we are not playing any games except one vs Everton. Our first team will play at max 1 game before season starts.

 

[Adam-Utd]

I don't see how we can be.

Usually we play at least 4-5 games in a pre season tour. Most of the lads will play 1?

They'll start off being fitter though as the Euros has only just ended, and the break wasn't that big.