I think we should try and give Luke Shaw some game time here
This but with Lindelöf for Bones.
This is 3 of 4 in a row init?Another bloody away game!
Is OT closed for refurb or something? What's going on!Hold on we still have another away game at Swansea in League Cup after this!
Then Swansea away during the week. Will be nice to be back home sometime soon.This is 3 of 4 in a row init?
Hope it is Lukaku up top with Mata behind and Martial and Rashford either side of him. Lingard should be kept on the bench and Mykytarin deserves to be benched.
This will be extremely important game for us. We need to get back on the track. Anything else than 3 points and positive display would create extra pressure for Jose and the players. Good old 4-0 (44', 82', 87' and 90') victory would be nice.
I don't expect to see much changes from yesterday. Mid week cup game is tailored for the likes of Shaw, Romero and Maybe even Rojo.
I'd take an average performance with a 0-1/0-2 win and move on right now. I reckon we can see the likes of Pogba, Fellaini, Bailly and Rashford 'available' by the time we play Spurs which will be a massive boost.
I'm hopeful Pogba is on the bench for Swansea to get a bit of game time in first. Bailly I think would be fine to come back in and play alongside Jones, though I have no issues with Smalling staying in the team. Fellaini would also make the bench if fit, along with Rashford being in the squad at least.This is going to be one of the most intensive and demanding games all season, not sure it's the best moment to start players coming back from serious injuries.
I'm hopeful Pogba is on the bench for Swansea to get a bit of game time in first. Bailly I think would be fine to come back in and play alongside Jones, though I have no issues with Smalling staying in the team. Fellaini would also make the bench if fit, along with Rashford being in the squad at least.
I'm not saying start them all, but I think if they're all fit we'll see one or two start and the others on the bench.
Pretty unthinkable Matić can get a rest here, even with one of Carrick, Pogba or Fellaini fit. Maybe, just maybe Mourinho will rest him for the League Cup game.Mkhi and Matic badly need rest; albeit for different reasons.
That would be, probably, the best lineup, with two ball playing centerbacks to help creating game and two attacking wingbacks, except for Mata instead of Lingard, because I'm not sure at all Mourinho digs Mata in that position, only Mkhitaryan and Lingard (very well) played there yet, with Mata very high alongside Lukaku. Also, against Huddersfield 4-2-3-1, I still doubt very much we're going three in the back, normally a reactive formation.Honestly wouldn’t mind going three at the back:
De Gea* whoever is fit
Lindelof - Smalling - Jones*
Valencia - Herrera - Matic - Young
Mata
Lukaku - Martial
Nobody's getting rested? Some players have continuous physical problems we need to manage and don't play every game, others just can't take 3 games in 8 days. Of course, some are easily rested than others, and the midfield should stay the same.Nobody is getting 'rested' in this game, we play Swansea mid-week where we can field almost no players from our current first XI (from who's actually fit, anyway). We play Spurs after that, so that's when we can hopefully go back to a fresh first team. Should get an update on Rashford tomorrow. If he's fit enough for the bench, great. If not, wrap him in cotton wool and see if he can be fit for Spurs.
de Gea
Valencia Smalling Jones Young
Herrera Matic
Mkhitaryan Mata Martial
Lukaku
---
Romero; Lindelof, Blind, Darmian; McTominay, Lingard; Rashford
Very uninspiring bench in terms of attacking threat, especially if Rashford is out. I think we can definitely see why we were in the market for another attacking player, though Young's utility will be useful to play on the wing and bring on Darmian/Blind if we want to take off another one of our front four at any stage.
Literally just another 'get the match done' kind of game for me. I'd take an average performance with a 0-1/0-2 win and move on right now. I reckon we can see the likes of Pogba, Fellaini, Bailly and Rashford 'available' by the time we play Spurs which will be a massive boost.
can't please anyone these days ...10 wins, 2 draws and over 30 goals in 12 games. Close second in the league and first in the CL group. Best defense in Europe and top 10 attack, numbers-wise.
But we're still shit.
10 wins, 2 draws and over 30 goals in 12 games. Close second in the league and first in the CL group. Best defense in Europe and top 10 attack, numbers-wise.
But we're still shit.
Lee Mason