Greenwood or Rashford? Who starts the final?

[Raveneye]

If Ole decides to leave one of Rashford and Greenwood out for this one, only to accomandate Pogba and to play Fred/McTominay, it think it will be the first time he really really pisses me off if we lose.

I still have the opinion that we should go for it and play Pogba in CM. All the talk about the United way etc., part of the United way for me is to take risk in such games. If it backfires and we lose, I could life with it a lot better than if we choose a pragmatic lineup against Villarreal and try to sneak a win.

PS: I'm sure that we will win and all will be fine at the end

Villareal are a team that presses hard from the midway line and are deadly on the counterattack. I do not trust Pogba's work rate in the double pivot for this game starting out.

If it were me, I'd start Pogba on the left where his strength and creativity may or may not work. Greenwood on the right because again he's better at not losing the ball in silly situations. Then as Villareal starts to tire around the 60-minute mark Pogba can go into the pivot and Rashford can start to terrorize leggy defenders from the left.

 

[peridigm]

Villareal are a team that presses hard from the midway line and are deadly on the counterattack. I do not trust Pogba's work rate in the double pivot for this game starting out.

If it were me, I'd start Pogba on the left where his strength and creativity may or may not work. Greenwood on the right because again he's better at not losing the ball in silly situations. Then as Villareal starts to tire around the 60-minute mark Pogba can go into the pivot and Rashford can start to terrorize leggy defenders from the left.

This is the way. Unless Ole does not start Pogba and chooses Rashford instead which seems like madness.

 

[Santos J]

Greenwood should but I think Rashford will.

 

[Dinghy]

Rashford will and Rashford should.

 

[micmac]

Rashford off the bench to score in the 82nd.

 

[Adam-Utd]

In terms of balance and recent form it should be Greenwood from the right, but I think Ole won't want to bench Pogba or Rashford, so he'll start on the right side.

I can't see him moving away from the Mcfred midfield either.

 

[acnumber9]

I still have the opinion that we should go for it and play Pogba in CM.

We absolutely should be doing that. We’re a better team than them. I don’t subscribe to this idea that our midfield will completely fall apart with him playing in the centre. With Maguire out, there’s a little more reason to be considering defensive protection, but we’re playing Villarreal, not Barcelona.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Play them both with Pogba in midfield & McTominay filling up water bottles for the boys

 

[acnumber9]

Villareal are a team that presses hard from the midway line and are deadly on the counterattack.

If we’re worried about Villarreal pressing our midfield into mistakes than Fred should be nowhere near it. Villarreal scored 58 goals in La Liga so I’d question how deadly they are at anything.

 

[Shimo]

Outside of the hattrick off the bench against RB - can't recall games where Rashford has come on and looked like an absolute game changer. Not sure if it's a meantility thing or what. Greenwood on the other hand more often than not has an impact or at least looks dangerous coming off the bench.

While not ideal for Rashford to start on the right, in a big game like this, think he will be the obvious choice.

 

[acnumber9]

Outside of the hattrick off the bench against RB - can't recall games where Rashford has come on and looked like an absolute game changer. Not sure if it's a meantility thing or what. Greenwood on the other hand more often than not has an impact or at least looks dangerous coming off the bench.

While not ideal for Rashford to start on the right, in a big game like this, think he will be the obvious choice.

West Ham earlier this season too. Most of his sub appearances this season have tended to be in cup ties where the game is already won though.

 

[Eternitiy]

If Ole decides to leave one of Rashford and Greenwood out for this one, only to accomandate Pogba and to play Fred/McTominay, it think it will be the first time he really really pisses me off if we lose.

I still have the opinion that we should go for it and play Pogba in CM. All the talk about the United way etc., part of the United way for me is to take risk in such games. If it backfires and we lose, I could life with it a lot better than if we choose a pragmatic lineup against Villarreal and try to sneak a win.

PS: I'm sure that we will win and all will be fine at the end

Agreed. Very frustrated if Greenwood or Rashford miss out to accommodate our worst players (McTominay and Fred).

 

[FatTails]

Has to be Greenwood. He’s been in good form whereas Rashford has looked tired for a while (expected because he’s played a lot of minutes and has had several niggling injuries).

Pogba will start on the left unless one of Fred or McTominay is unable to play.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Play both. No fecking around

 

[bsCallout]

Agreed. Very frustrated if Greenwood or Rashford miss out to accommodate our worst players (McTominay and Fred).

You realise neither Greenwood nor Rashford play is the same position as Fred and McTominay right?

 

[Eternitiy]

You realise neither Greenwood nor Rashford play is the same position as Fred and McTominay right?

Of course.

So we play Pogba in midfield where he belongs and Greenwood on the right and Rashford on the left.

People will point to Pogba's lack of concentration in midfield, but just watch the past several games and see how woeful McTominay and Fred have been for the goals we've conceded. I'll take Pogba's genuine talent and ability on the ball over McTominay and Fred any day.

 

[Zen86]

Greenwood over Rashford, he’s in better form and a bit more dependable lately.

However I’d like to see both start.

 

[Raveneye]

If we’re worried about Villarreal pressing our midfield into mistakes than Fred should be nowhere near it. Villarreal scored 58 goals in La Liga so I’d question how deadly they are at anything.

As dangerous and frustrating as Fred is he's our best option in the pivot this season. He wins the ball a lot. He loses the ball a lot. He is capable of some great passing. He's capable of lousy passing. But he's fast and his engine doesn't stop.

I'd prefer DvB beside him, but one good performance in a low-stakes game isn't enough to trust him for a final.

Against Liverpool, I'd be happy for Pogba to be in the middle. Liverpool attack primarily through their wing backs. But Villareal play compact and narrow. Pogba will have no space to work and would be pressed all the time from everywhere the moment the ball crossed the halfway line.

 

[VivaRonaldo85]

Would like to see;

Fred
Pogba

Greenwood
Bruno
Rashford

Cavani

Will see;

Fred
McTominay

Rashford
Bruno
Pogba

Cavani

 

[Raveneye]

I want McTominay to play like he did against Aston Villa. Drop into a defensive three in possession and allow AWB to get up the pitch. AWB's finally starting to find some positive consistency in the final third and has the athleticism to sprint back in the event of a turnover. I reckon Luke Shaw's ability to bomb up and down the left to feed our potent left-sided attack will cause Villareal headaches when we're attacking. We'll need to be ready to switch up play when they overcommit their narrow formation to stop that, and Greenwood is the superior option on the right to convert those chances.

 

[CG1010]

Of course.

So we play Pogba in midfield where he belongs and Greenwood on the right and Rashford on the left.

People will point to Pogba's lack of concentration in midfield, but just watch the past several games and see how woeful McTominay and Fred have been for the goals we've conceded. I'll take Pogba's genuine talent and ability on the ball over McTominay and Fred any day.

He has definitely looked better on the wing.

 

[MadDogg]

Of course.

So we play Pogba in midfield where he belongs and Greenwood on the right and Rashford on the left

People will point to Pogba's lack of concentration in midfield, but just watch the past several games and see how woeful McTominay and Fred have been for the goals we've conceded. I'll take Pogba's genuine talent and ability on the ball over McTominay and Fred any day.

Pogba has NEVER belonged in a two man midfield. He has never been consistent there, and is as liable to have a terrible game as he is a good one. Especially when both of our wingers can also be defensively lazy (particularly Rashford).

I will agree that the McFred combo has had some poor moments lately in terms of the goals that we've conceded, but overall they probably are the most likely to provide the solid platform in midfield that allows our team as a whole to function.

 

[AgentSmith]

Ole you sly old dog.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Pogba has NEVER belonged in a two man midfield. He has never been consistent there, and is as liable to have a terrible game as he is a good one. Especially when both of our wingers can also be defensively lazy (particularly Rashford).

I will agree that the McFred combo has had some poor moments lately in terms of the goals that we've conceded, but overall they probably are the most likely to provide the solid platform in midfield that allows our team as a whole to function.

 

[FatTails]

Ole: “Por qué no los dos? Fantastik!”

 

[Flying high]

Well played.

 

[Teja]

He had Kante and Matuidi doing the leg work there as well. Matuidi was nominally the LW player but he's hardly a winger.

 

[izec]

That was next to Kante (and a defensive minded Sissoko on the wing?) to be fair. We dont have that here

 

[BallonDor99]

both start

 

[acnumber9]

Good to see Ole make the right choice.

 

[MadDogg]

That was with a third central midfielder being technically named on the wing but in reality pretty much playing in midfield. Not just in the World Cup, but almost every match since then they do the same thing when Pogba plays. It was also with Kante (the best of his style in the world) beside him, in international matches which are played at a lower tempo against weaker opposition.

Ole has decided to go for Pogba in that position so hopefully he has one of his good matches (he did against Sevilla in the semi last season to be fair). It's a risk that can easily go either way.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

While I prefer him on the left (or rather, I did earlier in the season when he had pace and didn't seem to be carrying a knock), sure someone posted that his assists are more from the right?

For me, it's form not names. Greenwood should start.

At times stats can be very misleading...Numbers aside,Rashford consistently looks poor on the right...Ironically he was woeful from the left in the final but hopefully that was just a one off...