[Red Star One]

Didn't realise until last week that this lot are actually Steaua Bucharest... had hoped they were minnows

Until your post I was sure we’re playing some Swiss fodders since when and why Steaua uses this abbreviation?

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Until your post I was sure we’re playing some Swiss fodders since when and why Steaua uses this abbreviation?

I'm never sure why some don't just do a quick Google search to see who our foreign opponents are if they've never heard of them - I'd have thought it's of interest to see who, and where, we're playing.

The reason they changed their name to FCSB seems to be due to lengthy political arguments for years over the fact they were originally connected to the army for many years and then, when they weren't, there were arguments over the rights of the name.

There's another team called Steaua Bucharest - that also seem to claim to be the continuation of the old team - who are military owned. They started in 4th tier in 2017 and have got up to the 2nd division so far.

 

[appleman]

			Onana
	Mazroaui		Lisandro		Shaw
Amad		Eriksen		Mainoo		Bruno
	Hojlund		Zirkzee		Garnacho

Obviously. Control starts with defensive stability.

 

[George The Best]

I disagree to an extent. I think any hope of qualifying for Europe through the league is completely gone and the focus should be on this tournament. I wouldn't risk a chance at moving out of the top 8 and the possibility remains that we can finish as high as 2nd. That means a better draw as they use a seeding process. I think he can rotate to an extent but I'd be going for the win here and worry about Sunday on Sunday.

I absolutely agree

 

[Red Star One]

I'm never sure why some don't just do a quick Google search to see who our foreign opponents are if they've never heard of them - I'd have thought it's of interest to see who, and where, we're playing.

The reason they changed their name to FCSB seems to be due to lengthy political arguments for years over the fact they were originally connected to the army for many years and then, when they weren't, there were arguments over the rights of the name.

There's another team called Steaua Bucharest - that also seem to claim to be the continuation of the old team - who are military owned. They started in 4th tier in 2017 and have got up to the 2nd division so far.

excuse my ignorance and thanks for the explanation, nothing to be proud of but I really don't follow much of us playing in the cups until the late stages, it's been quite a few years I decided suffering watching us in the league is quite enough. call it a bit of a trauma

 

[Bertie Wooster]

excuse my ignorance and thanks for the explanation, nothing to be proud of but I really don't follow much of us playing in the cups until the late stages, it's been quite a few years I decided suffering watching us in the league is quite enough. call it a bit of a trauma

Yeah, I can certainly empathise with that.

There's plenty of spells over the recent years where I've had to cut back how much I invest in things like reading about United on here, and in the media, etc, day in day out - just to try and limit the suffering!

But when it comes to following the matches themselves, I'm still as up for the cups every bit as much as the league (more so in fact, as we actually have a chance of winning those competitions!)

 

[always_hoping]

Avoiding the play play offs is what matters most of all

Absolutely. Much needed training without a play off games.

If a play off round Tottenham away is sandwiched in between the two legs.

Looking at this squad, should we have kept McTominay?

Then again, selling him is probably why we just got under the PSR cap.

Hands was tied on that transfer and clearly Ten Hag didn't want to sell him, having the similar situation with Garnacho now.

 

[Dan_F]

I'm never sure why some don't just do a quick Google search to see who our foreign opponents are if they've never heard of them - I'd have thought it's of interest to see who, and where, we're playing.

The reason they changed their name to FCSB seems to be due to lengthy political arguments for years over the fact they were originally connected to the army for many years and then, when they weren't, there were arguments over the rights of the name.

There's another team called Steaua Bucharest - that also seem to claim to be the continuation of the old team - who are military owned. They started in 4th tier in 2017 and have got up to the 2nd division so far.

From what I understand, the military always owned the branding, not uncommon in communist countries, and demanded more money for Steau to use it. They said no and changed their name to FCSB instead, but is essentially still the club we all know. The military now have their own team using the Steau branding, but is unable to be promoted from the second division due to laws that I’m not familiar with.

Should be a fun game, at the national stadium, 50k people. I’m not sure what state the support of this new version of the team is, whether they kept all their ultra support etc

 

[sepulturite]

			Onana
	Mazroaui		Lisandro		Shaw
Amad		Eriksen		Mainoo		Bruno
	Hojlund		Zirkzee		Garnacho

Obviously. Control starts with defensive stability.

Shaw?!

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

			Onana
	Mazroaui		Lisandro		Shaw
Amad		Eriksen		Mainoo		Bruno
	Hojlund		Zirkzee		Garnacho

Obviously. Control starts with defensive stability.

Too many things wrong with this team…….

Shaw - Enough said
Bruno - At wingback? Really
Eriksen/Mainoo - The most un athletic midfield ever possibly

 

[appleman]

Too many things wrong with this team…….

Shaw - Enough said
Bruno - At wingback? Really
Eriksen/Mainoo - The most un athletic midfield ever possibly

But only possibly.

But true. Just saw Shaw on the predict your lineup list, so thought why not. I think I'd only play Bruno up front somewhere, but in theory his continued running, workrate, passing, but inconsistent small space skills kind of make me curious about him as leftsided midfielder/wingback. Use those long balls, run a lot but it being more okay to not have the greatest sense of positioning? Occasionally joining up front to shoot and do 1-2s, triangles, but being less of a centered playmaker? He'd never accept it but could it work you think?

Probably not, but I kind of want to try it in video games.

Plus it's way too late to win this prediction competition so I'll have some fun when I hop by.

 

[mitchmouse]

I'm never sure why some don't just do a quick Google search to see who our foreign opponents are if they've never heard of them - I'd have thought it's of interest to see who, and where, we're playing.

The reason they changed their name to FCSB seems to be due to lengthy political arguments for years over the fact they were originally connected to the army for many years and then, when they weren't, there were arguments over the rights of the name.

There's another team called Steaua Bucharest - that also seem to claim to be the continuation of the old team - who are military owned. They started in 4th tier in 2017 and have got up to the 2nd division so far.

I tend to look at this sort of thing when we are due to play them... we play Arsenal in a few months but I won't know who is injured or banned if I look now...

 

[mitchmouse]

			Onana
	Mazroaui		Lisandro		Shaw
Amad		Eriksen		Mainoo		Bruno
	Hojlund		Zirkzee		Garnacho

Obviously. Control starts with defensive stability.

I keep saying I want to see Hojilund and Zirkzee starting together. I think Joshua is capable of linking play and might even pass to Rasmus actually near the opponent's goal rather than just hammer the ball up to him from 50 yards away while he has two CBs up his arse...

It won't happen though

 

[The Serpent]

Any news on the lineup?

 

[appleman]

I keep saying I want to see Hojilund and Zirkzee starting together. I think Joshua is capable of linking play and might even pass to Rasmus actually near the opponent's goal rather than just hammer the ball up to him from 50 yards away while he has two CBs up his arse...

It won't happen though

Me too, but think we'd only see that with Zirkzee as a kind of 10 and Hojlund as deep striker. I hope to see it reversed (or beside each other... but Amorim) sometime. Maybe I like false/interplay/playmaking (false?) strikers too much, but Hojlund overlapping Zirkzee sounds more dynamic and dangerous to me than both kind of ending up where they started.

 

[AndyMUFC]

Manchester United XI vs FCSB: Bayindir; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Dalot, Collyer, Mainoo, Malacia; Eriksen, Fernandes (c), Hojlund

Mazraoui back to RCB and Dalot at RWB to prepare for Dorgu

 

[DJ_21]

Plenty of creativity in there but no one that can take on a defender.

 

[peridigm]

			Onana
	Mazroaui		Lisandro		Shaw
Amad		Eriksen		Mainoo		Bruno
	Hojlund		Zirkzee		Garnacho

Obviously. Control starts with defensive stability.

Makes my eyes hurt. I'm not talking about the grid either.

 

[appleman]

Makes my eyes hurt. I'm not talking about the grid either.

tantalizing, is'nt it?

 

[always_hoping]

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Not the selection I was hoping to see. Didn't want to see Malacia and Eriksen starting, or Amad and Ugarte being rested for our mid season, mid table league game on Sunday.

And all the pace for any counter attacks is going to have to come from Hojlund, with no Amad or Garnacho in the starting XI.

Not being someone obsessed solely with the PL and CL - and loving us actually winning trophies - I'm not as fond of Amorim's choices so far to rotate for cup games and prioritise (while still mostly losing) the league games.

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

 

[George The Best]

Not the selection I was hoping to see. Didn't want to see Malacia and Eriksen starting, or Amad and Ugarte being rested for our mid season, mid table league game on Sunday.

Not being someone obsessed solely with the PL and CL - and loving us actually winning trophies - I'm not as fond of Amorim's rotation for cup games and prioritising the league so far.

With you on that mate. Thought he would go all out for this. Palace on Sunday is almost meaningless.

 

[Rozay]

Gosh, how we’ve fallen. A completely uninspiring United XI.

 

[DJ_21]

Not the selection I was hoping to see. Didn't want to see Malacia and Eriksen starting, or Amad and Ugarte being rested for our mid season, mid table league game on Sunday.

And all the pace for any counter attacks is going to have to come from Hojlund, with no Amad or Garnacho in the starting XI.

Not being someone obsessed solely with the PL and CL - and loving us actually winning trophies - I'm not as fond of Amorim's choices so far to rotate for cup games and prioritise (while still mostly losing) the league games.

I don’t think it’s that. We need points in the league and we’re already through in the Europa league. We have enough out there to beat a Romanian team. In the knock outs he’ll go full strength again.

 

[bosnian_red]

Bruno and Eriksen the 10s, or maybe Mainoo as the 10? Non existent ball carrying in that team though. Hopefully Hojlund can do something as it's a side where his runs in behind is the only hope to actually get a chance I think?

 

[rimaldo]

Gosh, how we’ve fallen. A completely uninspiring United XI.

did you miss the last decade?

 

[sillwuka]

Will it be like this

Bayindir
Mazraoui De Ligt Martinez
Dalot Collyer Mainoo Malacia
Bruno Eriksen
Hojlund​

 

[DJ_21]

With you on that mate. Thought he would go all out for this. Palace on Sunday is almost meaningless.

I disagree. We need to move up in the table. It’s only January. We’re already through in the Europa so let’s give others a chance and not risk injuries. In the knock outs we’ll go full strength again as this is the best route back into the CL.

 

[Judas]

Where’s Rashford?!

 

[Sassy Colin]

Yoro did the press conference, but doesn't start. A bit weird

 

[JezChan]

Amorim promised rotation, and here it is. I think there's enough quality here (either starting or on the bench) to get a result. I think it's important that Amad and Ugarte can get some rest - there's (fingers crossed) a good deal more of the Europa League to play this season.

 

[Dannn411]

That's amongst the slowest united sides in history surely.

 

[Hester_manc]

I like that we have both Bruno and Eriksen as the two players behind the top striker. They are our two most creative players, and in that position Eriksen`s lack of speed does not matter so much.

 

[DJ_21]

Where’s Rashford?!

At home playing FIFA.

 

[Trophy Room]

At least play Garnacho at left wing back.

 

[ManUnitedCanuck]

Will it be like this

Bayindir
Mazraoui De Ligt Martinez
Dalot Collyer Mainoo Malacia
Bruno Eriksen
Hojlund​

Likely

 

[Red Rash]

Hate not having Amad on the pitch but also it's a good idea to rest him.

 

[dejans]

I see that Amorim is preparing for Dorgu arrival.
Malacia on the left, Dalot on the right. Mazraoui RCB.

 

[Smores]

Makes sense to rest a few and those coming in need the minutes and game time to improve.