So when our strikers become wingers, who is in the centre to score the goals?
Hoping ‘the other striker plus midfield runners’ seems very haphazard and hopeful rather than a practiced pattern of play.
FA Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur 1:1 Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Kick-off
- Fri, 19 June 2020 @ 8:15pm BST
- Status
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Closed
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) look forward to a new life under Ruben Amorim. What system will we be playing? What players will impress? and how will it all go? We also say goodbye to Ruud Van Nistelrooy and review United's 3-0 win at home against Leicester City.
Discussion Your Lineup Prediction
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Hoping ‘the other striker plus midfield runners’ seems very haphazard and hopeful rather than a practiced pattern of play.
If Pogba was judged on his performances this season prior to getting injured, then he would have to settle for a sub role and fight for his place back. The long break gives this a new season feel and all prior sins are forgiven, but he was absolute muck when he did play this season. Southampton away was deplorable.
This whole post is a bunch of falsehood, but I won't get in the way of your manufactured reality. So carry on.Jose has had so much time to ponder over this game which is worrying. Whatever about our season, they can't lose this game. I think we need speed to take advantage of the lack of match fitness. We must ask them questions and hopefully take advantage of the rustyness. We can't pack the backline and try and hit them on the break. I want width and Rashford and James to force the issue.
Everyone wants Pogba and Bruno but I'm but sure this is the game. There is the unknown factor that could worry Jose, we also need to focus on match rhythm and combinations. Maybe Pogba and Bruno have been great in training together. It's about what trio works and what weaknesses we can exploit of Spurs. What worked in the reverse fixture. Rashford and Fred were great, I think they need to play. Pogba might have a big point to prove to Jose ect.
I think it's a mistake to use Matic, Jose knows his strengths and weaknesses. I would go with the unknown option and go on the attack. I don't think we can lose this game if we want to get top 4. It's momentum now and we need to prove we deserve to be in CL.5 subs is huge, completely changes the approach and possibly game planLast edited:
Now now.
When one of the two strikers is at the wing, the other is at the centre.
Couple that with Pogba and McT moving into the box. They've done that several times in the past with good timings especially Pogba. Having four midfield meant plenty of covers and surely if Ole and the coaches are planning that pattern of play then they'll drill that and practice it well. The four midfielders are good at adapting to various patterns of play.
I feel Dier might play, Jose is a big fan of his. But not in the mid field role, he sees him more as a CB in a back three. Both teams have all their players back from injury, although interesting that both Lo Celso and Sanchez did not train?
I agree after the Son injury Lo Celso was Spurs best player. I feel they missed Sissoko's driving runs and power in midfield as well so he is also an option to start. Ndombele had some serious injury issues all season. Every time I caught a bit of a Spurs game he was either coming back from injury and lacking fitness/sharpness so was off the pace or he was out injured.
Spurs actually have a decent team on paper, Son and Kane can punish any team. Still feel Jose has not sorted his midfield, despite Spurs having like 10 midfielders to choose from.
Both teams will be rusty with no form, could come down to an error or a piece of individual skill. But no home ground advantage from the crowd for Spurs.
Doesn’t work for me. Feels like we’d be putting our entire gameplan into that, which feels very risky.
Though I’ve never been a fan of a 4 cm midfield diamond. Feels like managers trying to be too clever.
This season we‘be beat spurs without him. His decision making could cost us especially considering how long he’s been out, I wouldn’t trust him first game back.
Ease him in and if he’s understanding the tactics fair enough.We will win this no doubt. Spurs is pretty a mess now thanks to Jose and OGS is superb against big 6. I'm confident guys
Imo Pogba should be keep on the bench this match. Our current selection has proved effective so far why change it? Maybe sub him in when necessary or the match is safe in our hands I think. Imo next match against Shelffied should be a better time to start both Pogba & Bruno. Sheffield will probably play really defensive and we'd need more attacking force there.DeGeaStrongest team we can choose and I think that’s what Ole will do...
WanBissaka Maguire Lindelöf Williams
Fred Pogba
Fernandes
James Martial Rashford
Ole will definitely go with this lineup:
DeGea
WanBissaka Maguire Lindelöf Shaw
McT/Matic
Fred Pogba
Fernandes
Martial Rashford
Well yeah in that scenario it would be other striker with Bruno mainly or Pogba/Fred/Mc Tominay backing him up I'd say.
I don't see why it would have to be haphazard, you could have very specific triggers and actions if you wanted, but again I don't believe he'll go with the diamond.I honestly think we'll spank them and Jose will go into damage limitation mode second half and just park the bus.Hilarious how nobody questions whether Kane or Song will start for Spurs, yet our fans question whether Pog rides the bench.
This is not an easy game. We will have all the possession with Kane and Song back to hit us on the break. We will need to breakthrough the defensive line and actually score.
Big game for playmakers Bruno and Pogba and for the defensive setup.I'm going to add a friendly 'I hope we stuff you lot' into the mix.
Thanks!
I also believe the team will look something like this.
James/Greenwood/Ighalo will be sacrificed and saved for second half incase we haven’t broken down spurs by the end of first half and gotten a lead.
Specially if Pogba and Bruno have a chance of starting together then there’ll be an extra midfielder in the team to cover while they make forward runs.
Hence I see McT & Fred both starting.
Our FBs will provide width in place of having wide players like James/Greenwood starting.
Their involvement (FBs) will make it tough for Spurs to mark our front 4 at the same time (Rashford/Martial/Bruno/Pogba).
Matic will be too predictable for Mourinho and will also slow the game down so he’ll prob be brought in as one of the last subs to secure the win if we’re in such a position. Or not used at all.
If there’s one player I’d swap in your proposed starting 11, it’d be Shaw for Williams.
Specially during the first half when his pace will be a cause for concern for spurs.
If he can even successfully complete 1/2 overlapping runs during a build up in the oppositions half, than it’ll allow Rashford or whoever’s linking up with him on the left side to take advantage in confusing the spurs FB/CB.
If, and once, we score the first goal than we can afford to bring on defensive minded players like Shaw, Matic & maybe James who performs his defensive duties well when tracking back.
Perhaps we can even switch to 5 at the back to ensure a win result.
He cant plan for what has not happened. Pogba and Fernandes have not played together yet.So Kane and Son will be available for Spuds I take it?
Think this is going to be a tough one.
Quite. Their approach will be predictable, buts ours simply can't be because we've never played with Bruno and Pogba on the pitch together or with Bruno and Rashford on the pitch together before.
Honestly also having seen plenty of Mourinho's approach to big games when he was in charge here, I'm not particularly worried about that. It consists of trying to be defensively solid and win the game by making fewer mistakes than the opponent. It allows the opponent to entirely take the initiative, and basically challenges their creative players to break you down if they can. Well, our creative players are Bruno and Pogba, so bring it on.
Both trained in the Tottenham home kit vs away kit friendly, so you would assume so yes.
Yeah, it looks like both are fit to play. Then again, we have Rashford and Pogba avilable who otherwise wouldn't have been before the league closed.
Fair is fair.
I think this formation plays into Spurs' hands a bit, and doesn't necessarily get the best out of our best players. Either we lack width or Martial and Rashford are effectively wide forwards and Bruno is forced to player higher than he's comfortable with. I'd rather see us play a 4-3-3 and really stretch them with width, leaving space for our midfielders.
I'm torn about starting Pogba. On the the one hand, playing against Jose's Spurs could be a great motivator, and on form he's still probably our best, and certainly most creative player. On the other, Jose knows his weaknesses better than anyone and could exploit them. I'd perhaps be more inclined to bring him on as a game changer if and when needed.
I thought Kane looked very sluggish based on the training game. I'm not too worried about him honestly; much more afraid of losing the midfield battle.--------Rashford--------------------------Martial
-----------------Pogba----------------Bruno
----------------------------Matic-------------------------------
Williams- Shaw -- Maguire -- Lindelof -- AWB
-----------------------------DDG------------------------------------I seriously doubt we'll play a back 5 or any formation to accommodate an extra midfield against Jose's Spurs, especially with a full squad. I see Ole going with his preferred 4231 formation.
Jose has had months tactically to prepare for this game. Team shape and how to exploit weaknesses of United. Practicing set pieces and individual duals ect. We must be drilled and ready, trying something like Pogba and Bruno is a risk. It could work but you should never doubt Jose's preparation. Might not be the smartest time to do this.According to MEN,
1. McT and Fred are seen trained as floaters.
-- I assume that meant Ole gave them strict floaters role only during trainings. Make sense. McT and Fred to start against Spurs?
2. Midfielders shooting practice (only Pereira, Fred, Bruno, Mata and McTominay ????)
-- That's odd, Pogba and Lingard??. Anyhow, so maybe we should expect more attempts of shooting from distance by the midfielders from now on in games.
So let me get this straight. Jose has had months to tactically prepare for this game and absolutely knows how to exploit our weaknesses. So we must not under any circumstances try to do something he couldn't possibly have prepared for?
Read my original post and you'll get it straight.
I did and you said go with the unknown and go on the attack. Which this would be. Hence my confusion. Doing what worked in the reverse fixture is exactly what Mourinho would be prepared for.
No sure I'd read much into the first one,. They were seen as the floaters in a pre-match rondo.
I'm expecting McT/Fred will both play anyway given the 5 subs.
As for the second, are they serious?
More pot-shots from midfield? One of our main problems under Ole had been a lack of penetration leading to too many long range punts. We need less of those for starters.
However, if it's a case of a midfielder coming late onto a pull back to the edge of the box in all for it.This team has a diamond look about it with Pogba and Rashford back. I'd love to see this in full flow. With Pogba and Bruno arriving in the box you could have Martial and Rashford splitting out wide when needed, and staying central when needed. It would cause defenders nightmares. With the likes of James and Greenwood we could switch to wing-play as a plan b. When you've this much CM quality you've got to utilise it.
DDG
AWB Lindelöf Maguire Shaw
Matic
Pogba Fred
Bruno
Martial RashfordI really hope weren't not going to just throw Pogba back in because he's a name. The other lads have been in better form than him this season and then you have to consider he's not played a competitive match of football in fecking ages.
He should be made to earn his place back like everyone else.
Bearing in mind Ole is the man who brought Bruno to the club, knowing Pogba would be playing alongside him. It's not completely out of the question to suggest Ole has had a good 6-9 months to plan for them to play together next week.
With Rashford and Martial pulling out wide, it would create the gap for Pogba and Bruno to arrive and score 20-30 goals between them in a season. It's exciting to think we have this calibre now. They'd have two sitting behind them in midfield.
No one's played a competitive football match in months. It'll depend what he's like in training I guess I don't think Ole is the kind to bow to any name pressure (Hi Sanchez).Pogba and Bruno looks good on paper. But let's see what happens because We've had Falcao, Rooney and Van Persie that didn't work at all and in fact detrimental to the team.
None were at their peak.- Status
Spurs leading by one goal and Mou sub 5 defenders in?
Player Ratings
Total Average Rating
Highest Rated Player
Lowest Rated Player
Compiled from 336 ratings.
Score Predictions
254,15,64
- Man Utd win
- Tottenham win
- Draw
Detailed Results
- 25% Tottenham 1:2 Man Utd
- 19% Tottenham 0:2 Man Utd
- 13% Tottenham 1:3 Man Utd
- 11% Tottenham 1:1 Man Utd
- 5% Tottenham 0:1 Man Utd
- 4% Tottenham 0:3 Man Utd
- 4% Tottenham 0:5 Man Utd
- 4% Tottenham 0:0 Man Utd
- 4% Tottenham 2:2 Man Utd
- 2% Tottenham 2:3 Man Utd
- 2% Tottenham 0:4 Man Utd
- 2% Tottenham 2:1 Man Utd
- 1% Tottenham 2:0 Man Utd
- 1% Tottenham 5:5 Man Utd
- 1% Tottenham 2:4 Man Utd
- 1% Tottenham 1:4 Man Utd
- 1% Tottenham 1:0 Man Utd
- 0% Tottenham 4:5 Man Utd
- 0% Tottenham 5:0 Man Utd
Match Stats
- Tottenham
- Man Utd
- Possession
- 39% 61%
- Shots
- 10 12
- Shots on Target
- 3 6
- Corners
- 7 6
- Fouls
- 17 18
Referee
Jonathan Moss
Man Utd Lineup
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replaced by Nemanja Matic
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replaced by Paul Pogba
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replaced by Eric Bailly
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replaced by Odion Ighalo
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replaced by Mason Greenwood
