Coops73
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That’s the spirit!Reckon we will lose 4-0 minimum tonight.
We are awful and we should only focus on Everton this weekend.
First 20 mins will be horrible to watch!
That’s the spirit!Reckon we will lose 4-0 minimum tonight.
We are awful and we should only focus on Everton this weekend.
First 20 mins will be horrible to watch!
I agree, but who would you start ahead of him on the right flank?
Mata, Lingard and Sanchez are the alternatives and none of them looks up to scratch. It's a crime that the right-wing position has gone untended for so long now.
Juventus lost 1 game in 9 years before we played against them? We're not required to do something that never has done before. Hardly a miracle to me. They're very strong favorites that's all.
Longest post ever in a matchday thread? @DamienFirstly I have to admit it’s fantastic to be at this stage of the Champions League again and whatever happens tonight United must give everything to ensure we have the opportunity to have these nights again next season, you simply can’t beat playing against a big opponent in Europe. It’s another big ask tonight after losing the 1st leg 0-1, Mission Improbable rather than impossible. We have already produced a miracle in the round of 16, overcoming a 2-0 first-leg defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain by winning 3-1 so no doubt the players can draw confidence and belief from that night, but the form of the team since that game is a big worry. United go into the game as big outsiders, but what’s more important here is that Barcelona will cope with the pressure of expectation better than PSG did, they have greater experience and resilience than the French side. For them the pressure comes from the concept of a third Treble, which is genuinely within reach, ending the season with anything less would be enormously deflating. There is a romantic in me that hope’s 20 years on from the Treble, United somehow lift the Champions League again and with Solskjear as coach, it would be so beautiful, but as Ole points out we can’t rely on this idea alone. "I've heard a lot of people saying this might be our year, because it (Treble win) was 20 years ago," he said. "I wear number 20 and we are back at the Nou Camp, but we have to earn it and deserve it. You can't rely on fate. "I believe you get what you deserve in sports -- if you give it everything you have, you get what you deserve.” My suspicion is that this United team is not ready, not good enough yet to overcome this sort of challenge. I felt the same before we played PSG and we still went through and that’s the beauty of this competition, you don’t need to be the best team to win it, but luck and mentally flaky opponent was a big part of the PSG win, United can’t count on the same things this time. Barcelona aren't on their most fluent, most dangerous form right now, but they are unbeaten in 30 Champions League matches at the Nou Camp -- a run stretching back to a 3-0 semi-final defeat against Bayern in 2013 -- and have won 27 and drawn 3 during that span.
A 0-1 loss in the 1st leg means United’s task is simple, win the game, we don’t need to win by a certain amount like in Paris, just beat Barcelona by any scoreline and we are through or in extra-time (if we win 0-1). Barcelona are great at home, but rarely do they play opponents as good as United in La Liga, my hope whatever happens is that we don’t make things straight forward for them. That requires us scoring probably more than once, we will need to show more quality than we did last week to do that. “We are going to build the confidence, belief and a game-plan around going through,” added the manager. “We know we need to win this game. We need more quality in the last third,” he told MUTV in an interview, “With crosses and finishing. Maybe we need more belief in what we did - we had too much respect in the first 15 minutes and never really won the ball off them.”
Tactically there was a little bit of surprise that Solskjear went with a 5-3-2 formation last week. I thought the move produced mixed results, it allowed us to play with two strikers Lukaku and Rashford who in theory could cause Barcelona problems on the counter-attack with their speed and runs into the channels, partictluary as Barcelona are relient on their full-backs providing width and pushing forward. I thought we managed to compete well in midfield as it was esstiannly 3v3 in that zone and 1v1 down the flanks with Dalot against Semedo and Young against Jordi Alba. The problems with the set-up were using Shaw as a third centre-back instead of as the left wing back and having Dalot and Young on the wrong sides which limited our attacking play down the flanks where we had to most space to create something. It has become increasingly common to see full-backs tucking inside to play as part of a three-man defence: Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta did it brilliantly under Antonio Conte, and Kyle Walker made the shift well for England at last summer's World Cup. Shaw, however, looked desperately uncomfortable. Shaw was slightly unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net for Barcelona's opener, after Luis Suarez's header across goal deflected off his shoulder and bounced in, but Shaw had lost Messi in the build-up to the goal, allowing the Argentine to collect Sergio Busquets' chip over the top and then cross. Things did not particularly improve afterwards. He lost Suarez midway through the second half, when the Uruguayan should have done better than thumping the ball into the side-netting. A first-half booking means Shaw misses the second-leg and Ole will have to decide whether to stick with the cautious system or return to back four. I see no reason to really open up and go for the game straight away so I personally would use the 5-3-2 again but introduce Jones as the third centre-back as I think he was our man of the match against West Ham and should be more than comfortable on the left side of a three-man defence. I would use Dalot and Young as wing-backs again, but have Dalot on the right and Young on the left. Young was awful last week, but we have no other options for this role and I find he delivers better balls on the left rather than the right. Dalot on the right gives us much better balance, so many times last week he had to cut back onto this right foot which slowed our attacks down. On the correct flank he can cross early when needed and advance play up the pitch quicker too. The rest of the side I would keep the same although I would consider Lingard over Lukaku as I don’t see much of relationship between Lukaku and Rashford as a partnership. They kind of want to do the same things and neither are that good at linking play with each other. Lingard could also drop deep to disrupt Busquets in deeper positions before making runs forward. Starting with this system also gives us plenty of option’s from the bench as there will probably be a point in the game when we need to be more attacking.
Subs – Romero, Matic, Rojo, Mata, Martial, Sanchez, Lukaku.
Lingard would be my choice. He isn't on form, but he also has a chance of actually doing ok as well. Whereas with Rashford, we don't even have that tiny chance, it will be a confirmed 3/10 game from him.
FFS some of the posts in here are shocking !
I really wonder if some are even fans or just on for the wind up.
Need to be positive, far too much negativity on here.
I think if Barca need it and it's 1-1 or 1-0 to us then I would expect a red card and/or dodgy penalty against us.What are the odds on a Smalling red card? Can see the ref this time out wanting to make amends for last week.
If we win this we will win the CL. However, I think we will lose this because Barca aren't bottlers like PSG.
If we win this we will win the CL. However, I think we will lose this because Barca aren't bottlers like PSG.
Agreed with everything until young and lingard.Firstly I have to admit it’s fantastic to be at this stage of the Champions League again and whatever happens tonight United must give everything to ensure we have the opportunity to have these nights again next season, you simply can’t beat playing against a big opponent in Europe. It’s another big ask tonight after losing the 1st leg 0-1, Mission Improbable rather than impossible. We have already produced a miracle in the round of 16, overcoming a 2-0 first-leg defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain by winning 3-1 so no doubt the players can draw confidence and belief from that night, but the form of the team since that game is a big worry. United go into the game as big outsiders, but what’s more important here is that Barcelona will cope with the pressure of expectation better than PSG did, they have greater experience and resilience than the French side. For them the pressure comes from the concept of a third Treble, which is genuinely within reach, ending the season with anything less would be enormously deflating. There is a romantic in me that hope’s 20 years on from the Treble, United somehow lift the Champions League again and with Solskjear as coach, it would be so beautiful, but as Ole points out we can’t rely on this idea alone. "I've heard a lot of people saying this might be our year, because it (Treble win) was 20 years ago," he said. "I wear number 20 and we are back at the Nou Camp, but we have to earn it and deserve it. You can't rely on fate. "I believe you get what you deserve in sports -- if you give it everything you have, you get what you deserve.” My suspicion is that this United team is not ready, not good enough yet to overcome this sort of challenge. I felt the same before we played PSG and we still went through and that’s the beauty of this competition, you don’t need to be the best team to win it, but luck and mentally flaky opponent was a big part of the PSG win, United can’t count on the same things this time. Barcelona aren't on their most fluent, most dangerous form right now, but they are unbeaten in 30 Champions League matches at the Nou Camp -- a run stretching back to a 3-0 semi-final defeat against Bayern in 2013 -- and have won 27 and drawn 3 during that span.
A 0-1 loss in the 1st leg means United’s task is simple, win the game, we don’t need to win by a certain amount like in Paris, just beat Barcelona by any scoreline and we are through or in extra-time (if we win 0-1). Barcelona are great at home, but rarely do they play opponents as good as United in La Liga, my hope whatever happens is that we don’t make things straight forward for them. That requires us scoring probably more than once, we will need to show more quality than we did last week to do that. “We are going to build the confidence, belief and a game-plan around going through,” added the manager. “We know we need to win this game. We need more quality in the last third,” he told MUTV in an interview, “With crosses and finishing. Maybe we need more belief in what we did - we had too much respect in the first 15 minutes and never really won the ball off them.”
Tactically there was a little bit of surprise that Solskjear went with a 5-3-2 formation last week. I thought the move produced mixed results, it allowed us to play with two strikers Lukaku and Rashford who in theory could cause Barcelona problems on the counter-attack with their speed and runs into the channels, partictluary as Barcelona are relient on their full-backs providing width and pushing forward. I thought we managed to compete well in midfield as it was esstiannly 3v3 in that zone and 1v1 down the flanks with Dalot against Semedo and Young against Jordi Alba. The problems with the set-up were using Shaw as a third centre-back instead of as the left wing back and having Dalot and Young on the wrong sides which limited our attacking play down the flanks where we had to most space to create something. It has become increasingly common to see full-backs tucking inside to play as part of a three-man defence: Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta did it brilliantly under Antonio Conte, and Kyle Walker made the shift well for England at last summer's World Cup. Shaw, however, looked desperately uncomfortable. Shaw was slightly unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net for Barcelona's opener, after Luis Suarez's header across goal deflected off his shoulder and bounced in, but Shaw had lost Messi in the build-up to the goal, allowing the Argentine to collect Sergio Busquets' chip over the top and then cross. Things did not particularly improve afterwards. He lost Suarez midway through the second half, when the Uruguayan should have done better than thumping the ball into the side-netting. A first-half booking means Shaw misses the second-leg and Ole will have to decide whether to stick with the cautious system or return to back four. I see no reason to really open up and go for the game straight away so I personally would use the 5-3-2 again but introduce Jones as the third centre-back as I think he was our man of the match against West Ham and should be more than comfortable on the left side of a three-man defence. I would use Dalot and Young as wing-backs again, but have Dalot on the right and Young on the left. Young was awful last week, but we have no other options for this role and I find he delivers better balls on the left rather than the right. Dalot on the right gives us much better balance, so many times last week he had to cut back onto this right foot which slowed our attacks down. On the correct flank he can cross early when needed and advance play up the pitch quicker too. The rest of the side I would keep the same although I would consider Lingard over Lukaku as I don’t see much of relationship between Lukaku and Rashford as a partnership. They kind of want to do the same things and neither are that good at linking play with each other. Lingard could also drop deep to disrupt Busquets in deeper positions before making runs forward. Starting with this system also gives us plenty of option’s from the bench as there will probably be a point in the game when we need to be more attacking.
Subs – Romero, Matic, Rojo, Mata, Martial, Sanchez, Lukaku.
If we can improve on the final balls we'd definitely score.
And then City in the finalThe prospect of facing Liverpool in the semi-finals of CL should be motivation enough for the players.
I honestly believe will pull it off tonight - anything is possible after what we achieved in Paris.
We have been saying that for 3 years.
I agree 100 percent. You would think we were 4-0 down instead of having the game on a knife edge going into the second leg.FFS some of the posts in here are shocking !
I really wonder if some are even fans or just on for the wind up.
Need to be positive, far too much negativity on here.
We need every player to put in as close to a 10 outta 10 performance to give us a chance, and that means taking half chances. We need to be clinical. And we need to score first.
This is standard for the matchday thread.
Whoever is man marking Messi needs to rub his balls when he’s stood next to him. Difficult for the ref/linesman to catch and it will anger Messi. Imagine some dude rubbing your balls constantly when you’re trying to kick ball. You’d be furious. Best tactic. Put Mctominay on it imo as he has big hands. Will throw him right off his game.
I think if Barca need it and it's 1-1 or 1-0 to us then I would expect a red card and/or dodgy penalty against us.
Dr. Felix Brych