Manchester United (A) Pre Match (Tues 11 May 2021 18:00) BT Sport

[STUHILL]

9 minutes ago, Sunbury Fox said:

I'm sure they'll play Brandon Williams and Tuzanbe rather than AWB and Linderlof in defence.

 

Diallo will play as James is injured.

 

Expect Greenwood to play up top rather than Rashford.

 

9 changes with only Fred and Greenwood starting from the team they fielded today.

OGS said in post match that he was thinking about resting Greenwood or taking him off at half-time, so I think he will be rested for our game. 

[Sunbury Fox]

7 minutes ago, STUHILL said:

OGS said in post match that he was thinking about resting Greenwood or taking him off at half-time, so I think he will be rested for our game. 

Great! 

[jim5000]

2 hours ago, Foxes96 said:

                   Schmeichel 

Castagne - Fofana - Söyüncü - Fuchs 

 Ünder - Ndidi - Tielemans - Albrighton 

              Iheanacho - Vardy

 

 

Wonder if Rodgers will be tempted to mix it up. Flat 4-4-2, shades of 15/16 with the Fuchs/ Albrighton combo on the left and a mercurial left footer on the right. Nachoman linking play and Vardy playing on the shoulder. Also gets 3 outfield immortals on the pitch when we desperately need a bit of leadership and square pegs in square holes and all that. That line up could also switch to a back 3 with Fuchs dropping in and Marc and Castagne providing the width.

 

That said not even sure that’s what I want to see or indeed what Rodgers will likely go with. Think we’re more likely to see the 3 atb still. 

 

 

Rodgers bringing Fuchs and Under in for a crucial end of season match against Man Utd? I'll have some of what you're smoking

 

 

[fuchsntf]

11 minutes ago, jim5000 said:

 

Rodgers bringing Fuchs and Under in for a crucial end of season match against Man Utd? I'll have some of what you're smoking

 

 

We all know who the Real man for the moment is....Bring back Big bad Dan Amartey....He'll bring us home..!!

[WigstonWanderer]

Without Barnes, we simply have to play Vardy, otherwise we have no pace. Even out of form he scares the opposition.

[Sooper Steve's shin]

2 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Without Barnes, we simply have to play Vardy, otherwise we have no pace. Even out of form he scares the opposition.

I think we have to be bold to get the win, but also be mindful of the players available and the systems we know. It’s not a game to try something for the first time. For me, we don’t have three CBs that I’d want with Evans out and so that takes us back to the 4-2-3-1; if you’re playing that way then there’s only one choice for the front spot at the moment. It may not be a bad game to have Vardy’s pace and unpredictability available from the bench, plus keep him fresher for the Cup Final. 
 

Without Evans, I’d want to get some experience in at the back so I’d give Fuchs game time at LB. That solves the issue of who plays there - an inexperienced Thomas or one of the RBs playing out of position. Little Wes and Cags are clearly great players who both obviously benefit from playing Evans’ experience - perhaps they can get similar support from Castagne and Fuchs outside them (and closer together in a four than the recent three CB system). 
 

Wings are an issue without Barnes and with Under nowhere near being an option, so I’d use Ricardo on one side with Albrighton on the other. The rest of the side largely picks itself with Perez likely offering better support behind Iheanacho than a stuttering Maddison:

 

Schmeichel

 

Castagne

Fofana

Soyuncu

Fuchs

 

Ndidi

Tielemans

 

Ricardo

Perez

Albrighton

 

Iheanacho

 

That’s likely to be as close to the mark as my predictions on Line of Duty (i.e. way off!). 

[gurru991]

9 hours ago, Fox85 said:

The only chance we beat Utd is if they field their under 18s.

 

There 2nd team is more than capable of beating us atm.

Aren't you just a bundle of joy !!

[deanolegend1989]

Please please please Brendan play 4 atb! Absolutely nothing to lose here so let’s die trying for god sakes!

 

Kasper
Castange Fofana Soyuncu Ricardo/Thomas

            Praet Ndidi Tielemens

                Madders/Pérez
                  Nacho Vardy

 

We’ll get change out of their defence without big Harry in there. If we want to win this we can but we need Brendan to play the correct formation and players in their right positions.

 

If Fofana or Soyuncu make mistakes in a traditional 4 atb then so be it. They know where to be, no confusion with bloody Castange there too and a natural lb where he should be rather than poor Marc.

3 in middle to make us more compact with Madders able to get more freedom to support the top 2 and allow Nacho and Vardy being less heavily marked.

Please Brendan just once play without the hand brake on!

[dayday]

28 minutes ago, gurru991 said:

Aren't you just a bundle of joy !!

But he’s right, momentum is massive in the business part of the season and we need to find it fast.

[Sooper Steve's shin]

1 hour ago, deanolegend1989 said:

Please please please Brendan play 4 atb! Absolutely nothing to lose here so let’s die trying for god sakes!

 

Kasper
Castange Fofana Soyuncu Ricardo/Thomas

            Praet Ndidi Tielemens

                Madders/Pérez
                  Nacho Vardy

 

We’ll get change out of their defence without big Harry in there. If we want to win this we can but we need Brendan to play the correct formation and players in their right positions.

 

If Fofana or Soyuncu make mistakes in a traditional 4 atb then so be it. They know where to be, no confusion with bloody Castange there too and a natural lb where he should be rather than poor Marc.

3 in middle to make us more compact with Madders able to get more freedom to support the top 2 and allow Nacho and Vardy being less heavily marked.

Please Brendan just once play without the hand brake on!

I think this probably gets our best available XI on the pitch, but it’s effectively a diamond - have we played this successfully before? It l’d a big ask to change the formation at this stage and with very little time to have worked on it since the last game. 

[Dahnsouff]

1 hour ago, deanolegend1989 said:

Please please please Brendan play 4 atb! Absolutely nothing to lose here so let’s die trying for god sakes!

 

Kasper
Castange Fofana Soyuncu Ricardo/Thomas

            Praet Ndidi Tielemens

                Madders/Pérez
                  Nacho Vardy

 

We’ll get change out of their defence without big Harry in there. If we want to win this we can but we need Brendan to play the correct formation and players in their right positions.

 

If Fofana or Soyuncu make mistakes in a traditional 4 atb then so be it. They know where to be, no confusion with bloody Castange there too and a natural lb where he should be rather than poor Marc.

3 in middle to make us more compact with Madders able to get more freedom to support the top 2 and allow Nacho and Vardy being less heavily marked.

Please Brendan just once play without the hand brake on!

Fair enough, and why not. Don’t quite agree it’s the more familiar formation anymore, but would still be interesting.

As it’s a flat 4, not Fuchs at LB for a bit of experience?

[teblin]

With evans out I’d like to see is change back to 4 -2 -3 -1.

 

however if we stay 3 at the back maybe wilf to drop into the centre of the 3 and mendy in midfield.

[Ric Flair]

Vardy is back looking much quicker, however his finishing and first touch at the minute is grotesque. If there's one player who can dig deep and drag us over the line though it's Vardy. This is the perfect annex to his story.

[teblin]

10 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Vardy is back looking much quicker, however his finishing and first touch at the minute is grotesque. If there's one player who can dig deep and drag us over the line though it's Vardy. This is the perfect annex to his story.

A goal will do him the world of good, as he is getting in to positions and still out pacing players. 

[Ric Flair]

9 minutes ago, teblin said:

A goal will do him the world of good, as he is getting in to positions and still out pacing players. 

I want 6 goals in these last 4 games

[teblin]

3 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I want 6 goals in these last 4 games

I’d like 12, but 4 would be ace.

[KrefelderFox666]

7 hours ago, fuchsntf said:

We all know who the Real man for the moment is....Bring back Big bad Dan Amartey....He'll bring us home..!!

Didn't he give a pen away after about 3 mins in his last OT appearance?

[Ric Flair]

4 minutes ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

Didn't he give a pen away after about 3 mins in his last OT appearance?

Within 90 seconds I believe.

[st albans fox]

well someone will give a pen away - it’s standard for us up there ….

[shailen]

Couldn't have picked a better time to play them with how many games they've got to play, but we need to play with intent and high tempo otherwise we're not winning this. 

[PhillippaT]

I'm really not sure what to feel about this match anymore. Optimistic? Pessimistic? Ambivalent?   I guess I'm just resigned to the EL again. Oh well.

[Ricey]

There is no way Fuchs or Under start and there is no way Kel plays up front on his own.

 

It'll be the same system, with Amartey for Evans and Perez for Maddison, or he may go:

 

Schmeichel

 

Castagne - Fofana - Soyuncu - Thomas

 

Mendy

Ndidi         Tielemans

 

Perez    Iheanacho.    Vardy

 

Not sure I like it, but it's an option.

Edited 10 May 2021 by Ricey

[ARM1968]

I bet we see the usual Rodgers caution until we’re 2-0 down. Then we’ll batter them and lose 2-1. Fear Eats At Rodgers. 

[Dahnsouff]

There would be some sense of outrage/vindication/irony if Cengiz started are tore it up  

 

(He won't)

[An Sionnach]

Obviously Man Utd have superior attackers than Newcastle so if we defend like Friday they will hammer us . Rodgers will opt for a damage limitation exercise.  We will be sitting right back and it won't be pretty.