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Manchester United 2:1 Middlesbrough

Old Trafford

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Sat, 31 December 2016 @ 3:00pm GMT
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Discussion Your Lineup Prediction

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    top1whoisman said:
    So the 18 is more or less confirmed:

    DDG, Romero;

    Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Blind;

    Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard;

    Zlatan, Martial, Rashford
    Click to expand...
    My preferred team would be

    De Gea
    Valencia Jones Rojo Blind
    Herrera Pogba
    Mkhitaryan Mata Martial
    Zlatan​

    Got a feeling Lingard will start though.
     
    top1whoisman said:
    So the 18 is more or less confirmed:

    DDG, Romero;

    Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Blind;

    Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard;

    Zlatan, Martial, Rashford
    Click to expand...
    There's only 17 players on the MEN list, including Johnstone. No Blind nor Mkhitaryan. But I wouldn't read much into it.
     
    Damien said:
    My preferred team would be

    De Gea
    Valencia Jones Rojo Blind
    Herrera Pogba
    Mkhitaryan Mata Martial
    Zlatan​

    Got a feeling Lingard will start though.
    Click to expand...

    I had (predicted) Bailly in as CB instead of Jones, other than that the same as yours. Can see Jones/Rojo resting although Bailly is a must against Carroll & co.
     
    Android1974 said:
    There's only 17 players on the MEN list, including Johnstone. No Blind nor Mkhitaryan. But I wouldn't read much into it.
    Click to expand...

    From the article:

    Henrikh Mkhitaryan still stays at The Lowry and Daley Blind lives nearby, so they tend to rendezvous with their teammates who disembark the team coach.
    Click to expand...

    And yes, we always have 3 keepers just in case, but naturally Johnstone gets dropped.
     
    top1whoisman said:
    I had (predicted) Bailly in as CB instead of Jones, other than that the same as yours. Can see Jones/Rojo resting although Bailly is a must against Carroll & co.
    Click to expand...
    Think Mourinho will be reluctant to play Bailly with him leaving soon but with the closeness of the matches I think Bailly should play him in one of the two.
     
    Damien said:
    Think Mourinho will be reluctant to play Bailly with him leaving soon but with the closeness of the matches I think Bailly should play him in one of the two.
    Click to expand...

    Yeah I think it'd be a good idea to give at least some rest to Rojones.
     
    top1whoisman said:
    Yeah I think it'd be a good idea to give at least some rest to Rojones.
    Click to expand...

    Whose going to spell Valencia? If you say Darmian, then whose going to spell Blind?

    I really think Bailly could play RB in one of the games. This is the only week you'd need him to do so.
     
    xplatformjedi said:
    Whose going to spell Valencia? If you say Darmian, then whose going to spell Blind?

    I really think Bailly could play RB in one of the games. This is the only week you'd need him to do so.
    Click to expand...

    Yeah it's definitely possible that he plays RB tomorrow or on Monday. I think we'll change max. 2 defenders for the West Ham game, probably only one, as Shaw isn't fit yet.

    Tomorrow

    Bailly-Jones-Rojo-Blind​

    West Ham

    Valencia-Smalling-Rojo/Bailly-Darmian​
     
    sunama said:
    There were no foundations. Every concept and idea has been thrown in the bin by Jose and he is starting from scratch.

    1, possession football - under Jose has been binned
    2, ultra defensive football - under Jose has been binned and we have reverted to an attacking style of football
    3, Martial - the one player who played decent under LVG - under Jose is pretty average and has been benched
    4, LVG was bringing in youth - under Jose this idea is being binned.
    ...but to name a few.

    The "LVG and his foundations" is a complete fallacy, made up by LVG supporters.
    LVG's "foundations" are being erased and by the end of next season, it'll be like he was never here.
    Click to expand...
    Agreed. The entire thing has been binned. Paddle pop sticks and cable ties are no foundation.

    Successful said:
    Eh, ok. You're entitled to have your own opinion I guess. Just know you're quite alone with that.
    Click to expand...
    I think you'll find that you're quite alone here. Good effort in powerpoint though. :lol:
     
    So we think Carrick isn't even in the squad?
     
    Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?
     
    Android1974 said:
    Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?
    Click to expand...

    I think that’s the ”big” question regarding tomorrow. Would be happy with either choice though. Herrera-Pogba with Mata in front of them should be entertaining and Basti starting would be great for all parties as well as the atmosphere.
     
    drdoityourself said:
    Zlatan has shown no signs of tiredness. People have become obsessed with rotation since Ferguson went his last years rotating like a washing machine. The truth is most teams seem to believe their players can handle two games in quick succession. It's certainly been Mourinho's belief throughout his career. Prior to this double header United have played one game since 17th of December so it's hardly been a brutal schedule.

    Carrick is more of a question mark but I don't want to break this midfield up.

    Drop Mata and Lingard for Micky and Martial. Threat on both wings should unsettle a defensive team.
    Click to expand...
    Yup they do.

    These are probably the same posters who were moaning our players had covered the least distance in the league a month and a half ago.
     
    top1whoisman said:
    I think that’s the ”big” question regarding tomorrow. Would be happy with either choice though. Herrera-Pogba with Mata in front of them should be entertaining and Basti starting would be great for all parties as well as the atmosphere.
    Click to expand...
    I thought Mata, even more than Lingard, had a really poor last game. Would Mourinho ‘reward’ him with a start? I would prefer not to mess with the formation, and really feel a long term replacement for Carrick is due in January.
     
    Android1974 said:
    Without Carrick, is Mourinho going back to 4-2-3-1 or try Schweinsteiger there?
    Click to expand...
    Can Bastian Play that role. When he came on that one time he was further fwd as an 8. Herrera seems to be Jose's back up for the Carrick role
     
    ChaddyP said:
    Can Bastian Play that role. When he came on that one time he was further fwd as an 8. Herrera seems to be Jose's back up for the Carrick role
    Click to expand...
    That's true, even Fellaini plays #8 with Herrera there. But I feel Schweinsteiger in Carrick's position in the working 4-1-4-1/4-3-3 could work.
     
    Android1974 said:
    I thought Mata, even more than Lingard, had a really poor last game. Would Mourinho ‘reward’ him with a start? I would prefer not to mess with the formation, and really feel a long term replacement for Carrick is due in January.
    Click to expand...

    Aye, could be Micki/Lingard in the middle, too. I think José looks back a bit further than just the last game, but Mata's performance sure wasn't on the level of his early season ones.

    Doubt we'll sign anyone in January, but we do need the Carrick replacement next summer.
     
    top1whoisman said:
    Aye, could be Micki/Lingard in the middle, too. I think José looks back a bit further than just the last game, but Mata's performance sure wasn't on the level of his early season ones.
    Click to expand...
    I would indeed play Mkhitaryan at #10 and Lingard (or Mata) on the right.

    top1whoisman said:
    Doubt we'll sign anyone in January, but we do need the Carrick replacement next summer.
    Click to expand...
    I do agree it's not probable, although in this particular case it might be more useful, easing a young player into the league, playing whenever Carrick's not available, and then start next season already adapted to hit the ground running.
     
    Android1974 said:
    I do agree it's not probable, although in this particular case it might be more useful, easing a young player into the league, playing whenever Carrick's not available, and then start next season already adapted to hit the ground running.
    Click to expand...

    That would be ideal.
     
    Ashley R1+O said:
    Fellaini will more than likely play at the base, he's more than capable.
    Click to expand...
    Not sure at all he's capable, but I'm pretty sure Mourinho would put him at #8 and Herrera at #6, like against Chelsea (it worked well, didn't it?).
     
    top1whoisman said:
    Yeah it's definitely possible that he plays RB tomorrow or on Monday. I think we'll change max. 2 defenders for the West Ham game, probably only one, as Shaw isn't fit yet.

    Tomorrow

    Bailly-Jones-Rojo-Blind​

    West Ham

    Valencia-Smalling-Rojo/Bailly-Darmian​
    Click to expand...

    Why would you play weaker side against West Ham away and your first choice defenders against Boro at home?
     
    Alexrad said:
    Why would you play weaker side against West Ham away and your first choice defenders against Boro at home?
    Click to expand...

    Neither of those back lines are first choice, they're a mixture. Valencia is first choice at RB. The CBs aren't in a clear hierarchy yet - Jones and Rojo are doing well now, but they weren't at first and only came in because the first choice pairing of Smalling and Bailly weren't available. As for Blind/Darmian, who can say? Probably Blind is marginally ahead at the moment, especially after his goal.
     
    If Carrick isn't playing I'd play Mata at #10 and Pogba and Herrera as a midfield two. I wouldn't mess around rotating, unless we have injuries this and West Ham are must win and we should be playing our strongest 11 in both.

    Dave
    Valencia - Jones - Rojo - Blind
    Herrera - Pogba
    Mkhi - Mata - Martial
    Zlatan​

    Wouldn't be against seeing this either though

    Dave
    Valencia - Jones - Rojo - Blind
    Schweinsteiger
    Herrera - Pogba
    Mata - Zlatan - Mkhi​
     
    I think from what we've seen so far this season is that if Carrick isn't playing, and we're at home, we'll play a midfield 3 of Herrera, Pogba and Mata. Schweinsteiger is an absolute last resort.
     
    Android1974 said:
    Not sure at all he's capable, but I'm pretty sure Mourinho would put him at #8 and Herrera at #6, like against Chelsea (it worked well, didn't it?).
    Click to expand...
    Regulus Arcturus Black said:
    "more" than capable he is not.

    It's staggeringly obvious to anyone that we are simply not the same side without a great passer at the base of that three, hence why Mourinho now favours Herrera there before Fellaini.
    Click to expand...
    :rolleyes: "feck off he's turbo shite and you better think so as well!" keep rocking in the free world lads. The gaff has shown he has no problem playing him as the anchor and will probably go back to that if he thinks Carrick can't play twice in a few days.

    Some of the form from the first few games of the season will be adequate enough to get us over the line against a team like Boro. This isn't one to get fired up about.
     
    Ashley R1+O said:
    Agreed. The entire thing has been binned. Paddle pop sticks and cable ties are no foundation.


    I think you'll find that you're quite alone here. Good effort in powerpoint though. :lol:
    Click to expand...

    So it's you and that other guy who's thinking LVG did nothing during his time here that now benefits the club :lol:

    You should go check out his legacy thread. Members have been filling up stuff that he left us with and we've boiled it down to one post - and that one almost covers an entire page.
     
    I would personally start with Herrera and Pogba in the midfield two, Martial - Mata - Mikhitaryan behind Zlatan. Boro have been good and organised defensively away from home so far this season. So i would start with the players that are more capable of producing that magical moment than the industrial/hard working players like Lingard.
     
    sunama said:
    Middlesborough are better than Sunderland.
    Moyes has a near 100% draw/loss record against top sides, so Sunderland were never going to win against us. Moyes is just a terribly negative manager.
    Middlesborough are the sort of team which can pop out of nowhere and beat a top side, 1-0.
    Click to expand...

    Sunderland were adventurous against United and they have been against other teams since their recent upturn in form. They were stretches of the game at OT where they looked the much better side in the first half. They just didn't have the quality to punish us. Middlesbrough have been a very hard team to beat but they don't score goals (joint least goals scored with Hull City and Sunderland). Very well organized negative team
     
    I really don't think Mourinho will rotate that much if at all. There's a game in a couple of days but after that it's Cup matches so he can rest and rotate then.
     
    Yagami said:
    I think from what we've seen so far this season is that if Carrick isn't playing, and we're at home, we'll play a midfield 3 of Herrera, Pogba and Mata. Schweinsteiger is an absolute last resort.
    Click to expand...
    Considering how Pogba has settled in now I don't think we'll miss Carrick that much, that midfield could very easily work now.
     
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Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Anthony Martial image Anthony Martial 75% of 654 votes

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Player Ratings

6.6 Total Average Rating

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Score Predictions

584,9,24
  • Man Utd win
  • Middlesbrough win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 31% Man Utd 2:0 Middlesbrough
  • 29% Man Utd 3:0 Middlesbrough
  • 9% Man Utd 4:0 Middlesbrough
  • 6% Man Utd 2:1 Middlesbrough
  • 6% Man Utd 1:0 Middlesbrough
  • 5% Man Utd 3:1 Middlesbrough
  • 4% Man Utd 5:0 Middlesbrough
  • 2% Man Utd 4:1 Middlesbrough
  • 2% Man Utd 1:1 Middlesbrough
  • 1% Man Utd 0:0 Middlesbrough
  • 1% Man Utd 4:2 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 5:1 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 0:5 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 2:2 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 1:2 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 3:2 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 5:4 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 5:2 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 0:1 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 1:3 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 0:2 Middlesbrough
  • 0% Man Utd 0:4 Middlesbrough
Compiled from 617 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Middlesbrough
Possession
66% 34%
Shots
32 9
Shots on Target
12 2
Corners
12 2
Fouls
9 14

Referee

Lee Mason

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes

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