Martial + Rooney injured, Zlatan suspended - RASHFORD STARTS

Guys I just read a rumor saying there could be a surprise call-up for Angel Gomes?

Is is possible to include him today?
 
The injuries are unfortunate but it happens. Tonight, I want to see what José is made up off!
 
mark_a said:
Am I the only one thinking this could be the opportunity for mixing things up & something good coming out of it? I mean we're not talking the previous few seasons where we'd be playing Fallaini as a CF!
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When needs must we have two options -

1) Completely change the system and play a quick, small(er) player up top... or even two. Going forward this would be more useful (adds some variation to our tactics, gives us options for future seasons when Zlatan will be gone). Some good definitely would come of this and Chelsea would not be expecting it.

or

2) Put Fellaini up top as he is tall, don't change anything else and hope for the best, as you say.

I really hope we do try the first, especially since there are no replays (I am sure Mourinho would play for the draw in these circumstances previously).

Given our hectic schedule though I doubt we have had much time to practice this alternative method and I don't see him trying it. Hope I'm wrong.
 
So, we're playing the best team in the country (who also happen to be, by some distance, our bogey team for three decades), away from home, when we're knackered and they've had lots of rest, with an injury crisis upfront.

Inevitably we'll inexplicably win 1-0. This is how these things work.
 
Fellaini up top, keep Mkhitaryan and Mata close to him to pick up knock downs - they're both excellent finishers - Lingard as the other out ball.

EDIT: I'm stupid.
 
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prtk0811 said:
Where is this all Negativity and lack of confidence coming from? Our Defense and Midfield is good enough to keep a clean sheet Its the other end which is Lacking Balance.
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We got battered 4-0.by them last time round, how are they good enough now to keep a clean sheet when Pogba and Carrick have lost form and Herrera marginally too, Smalling, Bailly, Jones arent in form as well.
 
Could this be a Jose master plan where Rashford is actually okay to play but is pretending so Conte doesn't figure out a plan?
 
Sammyjunn said:
We got battered 4-0.by them last time round, how are they good enough now to keep a clean sheet when Pogba and Carrick have lost form and Herrera marginally too, Smalling, Bailly, Jones arent in form as well.
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That was then when Fellani was paired with pogba without herera and carrick, bailly injured and smalling playing through pain. Jose has corrected his Mistakes and we are undefeated since than and there is no chance of a replay too. Fellani is a bad midfielder and pogba's defensive awareness was all over the place.

Times have changed now.
 
BigTimeCharlie said:
Could this be a Jose master plan where Rashford is actually okay to play but is pretending so Conte doesn't figure out a plan?
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Not even a lower half manager is so foolish to believe everything that is fed to media. They always prepare for any forward we can throw.
 
Well That's bad news, But still not to loose heart. Even if it was true we still have got plenty of options to balance it out or simply try different formation. We are Man united so we play to win and we play to attack. As Chelsea will be vunrable on the wings we should play Antonio Valencia as a winger to counter attack with pace wide right and drill in some good old deadly low crosses in the box and just Add Tim Fosu mensah in defense on the right. He can defend very well and can handle a mobile hazard much better as he likes to cut inside to defend the creative player and he has the speed and the skill to rob the ball of hazard or pedro and the quickness to match their energy.

4141

--------------De Gea--------------------

TFM --------Bailly------Rojo--------Shaw

---------------Carrick----------------

AV-------Herrera--------Pogba------Young/Lingard

-------------------Mkh-----------------

TFM Bailly Carrick Herrera Ad AV's gegenpress on him, combination down the right would be too much for hazard to pass through and his treat can be handled very well and if he switches the Flanks Shaw rojo young carrick combo is also well stacked up against him or any winger like pedro. AV's direct counter attacking will ensure he finds spaces behind Alonso and chelsea's 3 man defense and keep hazard pegged back.

352

---------------De gea---------------

---TFM/ jones---Bailly-----Rojo

AV---Herrera---Carrick----Pogba-----Shaw

-------- Mkh------Young/JL------

AV and Shaw as wingbacks can find spaces down the wings and put in some deadly crosses for MKh or young who can adapt as a striker. Also both MKh and Young or lingard has the ability to cut inside from wid positions so this will make out attacking play unpredictable. Again TFM as a Rcb can play that role very well . and Valencia him and bailly Carrick combination can rob the ball very well of Hazard similarly on the other wing.

41212 Or 442 Diamond.

----------De Gea-----------

AV-----Bailly------Rojo----Shaw

-----------Carrick-----------

-----Herrera ----Pogba-----

-------------Mkh-------------

------Mata--------Young/lingard

3 rotations forwards Mkh Young/Lingard and mata can interchange positions and can also take up unusual spaces on the wings to have Flexible unpredictable movements and confuse the opposition defenders and be a goal scoring threat in the box. A diamond in the center makes sure we have more Meaning full posession on the ball and have more of it to control the game for long durations . Full backs can widen the play roaming up and down. Similarly can become a 433 during the game in posession Albeit temporarily to become unpredictable.

Late on the game Fellani can be brought on to play longballs forward and be a goal scoring threat on the headers and keep the pressure on luiz. or to control the game if on the lead.

We are a strong squad i Hope jose becomes Flexible in formations and line ups and Use TFM in this game to free AV on the wings. Because he has been under used this season, and i genuinely belive he has the qualities to own the attackers defensively. A Counter attacking AV will be too hot to Handle for Chelsea's defense.

In an open game we will have our chances to win and score goals, If Chelsea Parks the bus i can see this going into extra time.
 
Remember that time when LVG brought on Ashley Young as striker?

I'd go with Fellaini up top for tonight.
 
prtk0811 said:
That was then when Fellani was paired with pogba without herera and carrick, bailly injured and smalling playing through pain. Jose has corrected his Mistakes and we are undefeated since than and there is no chance of a replay too. Fellani is a bad midfielder and pogba's defensive awareness was all over the place.

Times have changed now.
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We have looked a bit fragile defensively past few weeks and to be honest, we havent faced too tough competition ever since Chelsea. I would be really surprised if we kept a clean sheet.
 
These are the sort of games I love, we are being given no chance, and have a mini injury crisis, backs to the walls, hard tackling to put the wind up em and whip balls in to the big man :) Its just like the 80s again
 
Rhyme Animal said:
Since we last faced Chelsea haven't we beaten City, beaten Spurs and drawn with Liverpool...?
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We beat a B-City team full of youngsters, Sours was a very good win, best we've played I think. Liverpool were really average I think, maybe because we made them look like it but I dont really rate them generally. I think City and Chelsea at their days are the best teams in the league.
 
Sp00ks11 said:
We beat Citys kids, drew with a crap Liverpool side and scraped a win against Tottenham. Whats your point?
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City's kids.... no it wasn't there were two top academy players and the rest were first team players.

We held off a Liverpool side who have beaten almost every top team and were scoring for fun.

We beat a spurs team that have been notoriously difficult to beat home and away.

Why are you so negative?
 
So many seem to be taking a masochistic delight in playing Fellaini as a striker, but agaisnt a back 3 you need pace and mobility to open up space, he has none of the attributes needed and any knock downs he wins will be bread and butter for the 2 CB's not jumping with him. A mobile front 3 of Mhki, Mata and Lingard makes much more sense.
 
CS@SG said:
I want to see how some forumers here slaughter Jose if he plays Young up top, just like how they slaughtered LVG for doing so.
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LVG did it out of choice. He also played Fellaini and Di Maria.
Basically playing players out of position was part of LVG's philosophy.
If Jose does it, it will be out of necessity, because we don't actually have any strikers.

SqueakyWeasel said:
Smalling :drool:
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You know, this wouldn't be a bad idea. He is very strong in the air and could be the way to go if our entire game plan is a 1-0 win.
A headed goal from a set-piece?
But Jose wouldn't be so audacious...would he?
 
If this is true then I find it absolutely hilarious, it's the kind of thing that could only happen to us when facing a team as strong as Chelsea are right now.
 
Sammyjunn said:
We have looked a bit fragile defensively past few weeks and to be honest, we havent faced too tough competition ever since Chelsea. I would be really surprised if we kept a clean sheet.
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We beat Tottenham. And We play on Posession with a highline and having more of the ball and pressing high to control the counter attacks while carrick runs the game from behind. Unless chelsea press carrick like liverpool did which they cant We will have decent spell of possession and our high press in midfield and highline is capable of winning the ball back quickly and stop the creativity of the opposition via closing the space. For an open game Chelsea have to come out of their shell and press us instead creating spaces for us to exploit otherwise they will sit deep all game without any goal scoring chances waiting for the opportune moment to counter attack. An Open game suits us more than chelsea because chelsea never play an open game. in midfield so if we have to win we have to take the game to them with more posession and faster counter atacks down the wings
 
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Smalling and Fellaini up front, abuse our heading advantage. Alternatively slap a random U21 player in and hope he's another Rashford.
 
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