FA Premier League

Aston Villa 2:2 Manchester United

Villa Park

Kick-off
Sat, 15 January 2022 @ 5:30pm GMT
Status

Closed

Discussion Your Lineup Prediction

  • Status
    Not open for further replies.
    Rangnick said after the game that he felt we had more control of the game when Donny came on. So if he's smart he will start the diamond formation with Donny instead of Bruno who leaves the midfield too exposed

    Matic
    Fred
    Donny

    Sancho

    we need to flood the midfield to start controlling and winning the midfield. Keep a clean sheet and give the attackers a chance to win the game.

    Why under both Ole and Rangnick do we never play 3 in midfield? All the top teams do it.. and seem to have more control and win the midfield battle most games.
     
    Last edited:
    bond19821982 said:
    This 4222 would be suicidal in away matches until we master it. Just go for a Matic,Donny,Fred midfield and Elanga, Rashford, Sancho forward.
    Villa will play a high line and they shouldn't even know what hit them.
    Click to expand...
    Last match we actually played with a 4231 so imo the suggestion we played with a 4222 to accommodate Ronaldo is true.

    Imo he'll keep the 4231 this match but probably Sancho/Elanga in for Rashford and VDB in to replace one of the McT Fred Bruno.

    Honestly I don't like Matic starting. He's probably ok for an easier game like a home match against the likes of Burnley or Norwich but it's an away game and I expect Villa to give us a really hard time. They have some fast and strong forwards Matic would have a nightmare against those imo.
     
    Have we got the centre backs to play a 532? Not sure when Maguire is back fit or if Jones is broken again.

    DDG
    Dalot Lindelof Varane Maguire/Jones Telles
    DvB Matic Fred
    Ronaldo Elanga

    May as well try something different because what we're doing at the moment isn't working.
     
    Nordmore said:
    Last match we actually played with a 4231 so imo the suggestion we played with a 4222 to accommodate Ronaldo is true.

    Imo he'll keep the 4231 this match but probably Sancho/Elanga in for Rashford and VDB in to replace one of the McT Fred Bruno.

    Honestly I don't like Matic starting. He's probably ok for an easier game like a home match against the likes of Burnley or Norwich but it's an away game and I expect Villa to give us a really hard time. They have some fast and strong forwards Matic would have a nightmare against those imo.
    Click to expand...

    Yet Ronaldo has played much better up front by himself than any of the games we’ve played 4-2-2-2.
     
    sparx99 said:
    Yet Ronaldo has played much better up front by himself than any of the games we’ve played 4-2-2-2.
    Click to expand...
    That's not true. He was pretty good against Palace under Ralf, I still remember how everyone praising him after that match despite not scoring.
     
    Digne in the Villa squad now as well, this match is getting harder by the day. A match I thought could be tight but we’ll win is turning into an “I’m not so sure”..
     
    Does anyone know why our players do tackle anymore? How many times do they just back off and let crosses come into the box? Villa players were running for 40-50 yards on Monday night without anyone bothering to tackle them. Doesn’t bode well for Saturday.
     
    We've got a real chance to keep within reach of top4. We'll probably feck it up. They seem to be favorites playing at home with two new signings and our unconvincing if not extremely lucky win in the cup.
     
    What happened last time was a miracle. It's not going to happen again. And we are without Shaw and McTominay to boot. Likely Dalot doesn't play as well due to the injury he picked up, it looked rather nasty in that photo. So AWB instead.

    We are getting battered anyway. 3-1.
     
    I think Donny gets the nod over Bruno here. While Bruno was a revelation when he first arrived, his brain dead Hollywood pass attempts have contributed to our poor possession stats. He needs a rest along with Rashford. I’d go with some changes and maintain the 4-2-2-2:

    De Gea

    Dalot Lindelof Varane Shaw

    Matic McT

    Sancho Donny

    Greenwood Ronaldo
     
    Giggsy13 said:
    I think Donny gets the nod over Bruno here. While Bruno was a revelation when he first arrived, his brain dead Hollywood pass attempts have contributed to our poor possession stats. He needs a rest along with Rashford. I’d go with some changes and maintain the 4-2-2-2:

    De Gea

    Dalot Lindelof Varane Shaw

    Matic McT

    Sancho Donny

    Greenwood Ronaldo
    Click to expand...

    really like that team. Brings balance and control of the midfield

    you could play Bruno upfront with Ronny instead of Greenwood. Just keep Bruno as far away from the midfield as possible as hes not a midfielder he's he's too much of a liability with his wasteful passing leaving the midfield exposed and under pressure.

    people talking about dropping Rashford are giving Bruno a free pass for some reason even though Bruno has been shite all season part of the reason the midfield are not controlling games. He should be dropped too.
     
    Last edited:
    Guys Shaw and McTominay are suspended stop putting them in your teams!
     
    I don't really get this forum, I think I will never do. In the past years you were always crying for a player that makes risk passes to open up defenses (ie. Mata was bought) and people on this forum was always complaining about the side passers. Now, we have Bruno, a player that takes those risks and even presses more than the rest of the team and he is too risky. Well, I guess the same ones were complaining at a certain moment about Sir Alex...
     
    ——————De Gea
    AWB—Jones—-Varane—Telles
    ——————-Matic
    ———-Donny———-Fred
    ——————-Bruno
    ———-Sancho——-Ronaldo
     
    I’m a Birmingham City fan. Please put these idiots to bed on Saturday, they’re becoming unbearable.
     
    If we put on a convincing display and win all of a sudden we’d be closing in on the top of with Spurs v Arsenal playing each other and us with a game in hand midweek. If we play the same again and fail to win all hell will break loose. It’s on a knife-edge as our season was at this point 2 years ago.
     
    lenny_1248 said:
    Give us Jude's little brother and it's a done deal)
    Click to expand...

    Made his debut Saturday. Was our best player for the final 20. He’s a CAM. You lot should I break the bank to sign both of thes brothers. Jude is well beyond proven at the top level now.
     
    SonyaCross493 said:
    Rangnick said after the game that he felt we had more control of the game when Donny came on. So if he's smart he will start the diamond formation with Donny instead of Bruno who leaves the midfield too exposed

    Matic
    Fred
    Donny

    Sancho

    we need to flood the midfield to start controlling and winning the midfield. Keep a clean sheet and give the attackers a chance to win the game.

    Why under both Ole and Rangnick do we never play 3 in midfield? All the top teams do it.. and seem to have more control and win the midfield battle most games.
    Click to expand...

    Exactly this.

    Who would you play up top? Assuming Ronaldo is fit, he plays. At Madrid, when Zidane played a 442 diamond, Benzema was Ronaldo's strike partner. He was a perfect partner because he played for Ronaldo. His movement, link play, work off the ball and unselfish nature suited Ronaldo down to a tee.

    Unfortunately, I don't think we have anyone like Benzema, although funnily enough, if I was going to pick a player, it'd be Martial. Rashford, Greenwood and Cavani want to score goals (obviously they should because they are strikers) but as a result of that, we don't always get the right balance in the final third. We need a second striker type and I'd say neither of the aforementioned players can fulfill that role.

    That being said, RR could opt to go for wide forwards. He did say that "In the end, we decided to take off Edi and had a diamond in midfield and have two fast wingers as the only strikers on the pitch". Either way, I hope the balance is right.
     
    Last edited:
    Gah I hope this is like a pool hustler thing and we’ve lulled Villa into thinking we’re gettable and then we just rout them.

    Key word is hope :nervous:
     
    DDG

    Dalot
    Lindelof
    Varane
    Telles

    Matic
    Fred
    VDB
    Sancho

    Greenwood
    Ronaldo

    4-4-2 diamond. 1-3 win. Bring on Bruno in the second half if there is a weak link in the diamond.
     
    Dalot—Lindelof—Varane—Shaw

    ————Mct — Fred

    —VdB—— Bruno—— Sancho

    ————Ronaldo

    I‘d like to see VdB in the wide / playmaker role, this should give the team more balance in terms of creativity and possession of the ball.
     
    Couldn't catch the fa cup confrontation but hopefully we'll smash them. would love to give that bastard a good old fashioned drubbing.
     
    Red Devil 26 said:
    McTominay and Shaw are suspended.
    Click to expand...
    Gosh - I’d forgotten. Two of the best. Heart wise, anyway. Jones should play. I’d put him beside Varane. Matic will play for sure. I admire him a lot, though he has a few miles on the clock and occasionally looks awkward.

    Fred and Fernandez? A huge step forward for this team will be if Bruno could manage to find his place in Ralfbal. Maybe the theories and stats and processual gobbledygook has his head wrecked. He’s a free spirit, a spontaneous man in the way Cantona was. Ralf should cut him some slack.

    We seem to have lost our looseness and freedom in attack. Some things you can’t rehearse. We were counter attacking for so long I suppose.

    Rashford shouldn’t get near the training ground, not to mind the pitch. Disgrace to the shirt. Obviously that incident with the rebound put the tin hat on it, but there were a few times he didn’t contest 50/50’s, didn’t look up, didn’t seem interested.

    Or should I say he seemed half-interested, like a lad in a school reunion do. He likes half his old class, can’t stand the others. He has to show his face, but his heart is just not in it.

    There could be good reasons for his malaise. Some day we may find out something that melts our hearts. Or otherwise. For now, upfront could be Greenwood. Sancho or young Elanga. i think one good thing the last game was giving Ronnie a break, for many reasons.
    Let him play 45 minutes maybe. My sense is we win this by two goals. Villa are ordinary. Ramble over.
     
    -Supreme- said:
    ————Dave
    Dalot—Lindelof—Varane—Telles

    ————Matic — Fred

    —VdB—— Bruno—— Sancho

    ————Greenwood

    I‘d like to see VdB in the wide / playmaker role, this should give the team more balance in terms of creativity and possession of the ball.
    Click to expand...
    Here’s my tweak of your idea
     
    Wreck it Ralf is going to be taught a lesson by Stevie M.
    Stay off social media for next week . Scousers will be saying Stevie Me has arrived and already staking a claim for Klopps Job.
     
    peridigm said:
    We've got a real chance to keep within reach of top4. We'll probably feck it up. They seem to be favorites playing at home with two new signings and our unconvincing if not extremely lucky win in the cup.
    Click to expand...

    Will have to beat West Ham on the 22nd Jan because need to keep them in sight
     
    SonyaCross493 said:
    Rangnick said after the game that he felt we had more control of the game when Donny came on. So if he's smart he will start the diamond formation with Donny instead of Bruno who leaves the midfield too exposed

    Matic
    Fred
    Donny

    Sancho

    we need to flood the midfield to start controlling and winning the midfield. Keep a clean sheet and give the attackers a chance to win the game.

    Why under both Ole and Rangnick do we never play 3 in midfield? All the top teams do it.. and seem to have more control and win the midfield battle most games.
    Click to expand...

    Chelsea doesn't (3421), and arguably not City either (at least not in the sense of an essentially flat midfield 3 - it's more like a 4141 when they have the ball). Liverpool does it, but they can rely on major, consistent offensive contributions from their full backs, and need less in that regard from their central midfield.

    We've played the diamond a few times the last two seasons (f.e. the first games against Leipzig and Arsenal last season). It has pretty consistently improved our control, but it has also pretty consistently left us without any significant attacking presence.

    Donny in my view has consistently played badly when used as the forwardmost midfielder, but better when he has played further back.
     
    -Supreme- said:
    Dalot—Lindelof—Varane—Shaw

    ————Mct — Fred

    —VdB—— Bruno—— Sancho

    ————Ronaldo

    I‘d like to see VdB in the wide / playmaker role, this should give the team more balance in terms of creativity and possession of the ball.
    Click to expand...
    Bruno can run, DVB can't. Swap them around and it should work nicely.
     
    You just know that prick Coutinho will have a stormer and then never play well again all loan
     
    De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Telles, Matic, Fred, McTominay, Bruno, Sancho, Ronaldo.

    I’d go with three in midfield as they bossed the two with ease in FA Cup game. Drop Rashford and Greenwood bring in Sancho.

    Very doubtful this happens so I’m predicting a loss. 2-1or 3-1.

    Edit: Donny for McTominay
     
    Last edited:
    justsomebloke said:
    How? I can't think of a single example of DvdB having done well in the no 10 role.
    Click to expand...
    Well Mctominay can't play anyway, so i'd expect we will play a 4-3-3 with Matic, Fred and DVB.

    Personally i'd use Bruno on the right side so they can combine together and put in service for Ronaldo. Use Rashford on the left for a counter attack option.

    IF you want to stick to a 4-2-3-1 then DVB shouldn't play as a 10 in a counter attacking side.
     
    Status
    Not open for further replies.
Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Bruno Fernandes image Bruno Fernandes 43% of 239 votes

Runners-up

Show more results

Player Ratings

5.4 Total Average Rating

Highest Rated Player

Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 253 ratings.
Submit your ratings
View full results

Score Predictions

93,77,38
  • Man Utd win
  • Aston Villa win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 19% Aston Villa 1:2 Man Utd
  • 13% Aston Villa 1:1 Man Utd
  • 12% Aston Villa 2:1 Man Utd
  • 12% Aston Villa 2:0 Man Utd
  • 7% Aston Villa 0:2 Man Utd
  • 6% Aston Villa 0:1 Man Utd
  • 6% Aston Villa 1:3 Man Utd
  • 6% Aston Villa 3:0 Man Utd
  • 5% Aston Villa 3:1 Man Utd
  • 4% Aston Villa 2:2 Man Utd
  • 2% Aston Villa 0:0 Man Utd
  • 2% Aston Villa 0:3 Man Utd
  • 2% Aston Villa 1:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Aston Villa 0:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Aston Villa 0:5 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 4:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 4:2 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 2:3 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 2:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 1:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 2:5 Man Utd
  • 0% Aston Villa 1:5 Man Utd
Compiled from 208 predictions.
Show more results Score Predictions League Table

Match Stats

  1. Aston Villa
  2. Man Utd
Possession
55% 45%
Shots
13 13
Shots on Target
9 6
Corners
3 6
Fouls
8 13

Referee

David Coote

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes

Lineup Predictions League Table View your Lineup Prediction