This'll be a piece of piss. It's won already.
Villarreal - Manchester United | EL Final Build-up Thread
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In which case let’s take the piss and play the u23s
Is it even fair that Villarreal are playing against a team who are involve in a title race going to the last day? Will Atletico be playing on the same night too?
If Ole really want to persist with McFred against the mighty Villareal, the decision has to be between Rashford and Pogba imo. Greenwood is better suited to the right than both of them so should start. That leaves the question of Rashford or Pogba on the left. (Personally i prefer Rashford).
But anyway, i would drop one of McFred and play all three of Rashford, Pogba and Greenwood in their natural position.
We have to go for it and earn it. I don't want us to play it safe with McFred protecting our back four.
Yes. All the 'decisive' games are being played the same day.
That would work if they were the equivalent standard of those sides. They aren’t.
If that was the criteria then we beat better sides in: Sociedad and Milan
We are pretty clearly not massive favourites, we're small favourites to win. Over two legs I think it favours the better team on paper that bit more but in the final bits of fortune are condensed within a shorter period so they're more meaningful. Plus if we defend as bad as we have done from set pieces we are immediately under pressure as that is an easy source of goals without having to be particularly good whereas we will have to play through Villarreal and earn our goals that way.
They're a good team in their league and we're a long way off being the top team in our league, but yes we have been more impressive domestically and in this competition and have the more acclaimed players making us favourites. But it's not as if we're playing a weak side.
A good thing for us is I think the Spanish sides we have faced have really struggled with our style, particularly our pace and power. Maybe Villarreal are a slightly different side, I have not seen them, but this was a notable feature against the other sides.
They're a good team in their league and we're a long way off being the top team in our league, but yes we have been more impressive domestically and in this competition and have the more acclaimed players making us favourites. But it's not as if we're playing a weak side.
A good thing for us is I think the Spanish sides we have faced have really struggled with our style, particularly our pace and power. Maybe Villarreal are a slightly different side, I have not seen them, but this was a notable feature against the other sides.
How is this dismissive? I never said it will be easy but we are absolutely expected to win that game and rightly so. If we are not confident we can beat La Liga's 7th placed team then I am not sure we are going in the right direction.
Your response that: "You guys sound like we are gonna play prime Barca or something. Villarreal are a decent side but the one we should be beating quite comfortably" just seemed another of the dismissive comments whenever anyone shows any kind of nerves or worry about a future game.
I haven't seen a single post suggesting Villarreal are a world class team, with better players than us or anything, i.e. 'prime Barca'. All I've seen are some suggestions that it's likely to be a tight game as Villarreal are a solid, well organised side who will make it difficult to break them down, with a manager that knows how to win this competition. And that, although slight underdogs, they're still capable of winning one off matches against a team of our ability. Which is valid. Yet still gets met with the mocking 'prime Barca' OTT response.
I think I probably speak for a few people on here when I say any pessimism towards this final is somewhat warranted.
It's been false down after false dawn over the last few years. And although Ole has undoubtedly made progress and is moving us in the right direction, 4 semi-final defeats leaves a sour taste. And we were on the fringes of throwing it all away at times in Rome.
How many times can we honesty say, when the chips are down and the pressure is mounting, these players come up with the goods? They completely bottled from a very comfortable position in the Champions League and Leipzeg away was a disgrace.
Would loved to be proved wrong but just a niggling feeling.
It's been false down after false dawn over the last few years. And although Ole has undoubtedly made progress and is moving us in the right direction, 4 semi-final defeats leaves a sour taste. And we were on the fringes of throwing it all away at times in Rome.
How many times can we honesty say, when the chips are down and the pressure is mounting, these players come up with the goods? They completely bottled from a very comfortable position in the Champions League and Leipzeg away was a disgrace.
Would loved to be proved wrong but just a niggling feeling.
Would have been so nice to have a big showing of this game somewhere in Manchester, and some celebrations to follow when we hopefully win. I was at the OT showing of Juanfield. Pity there hasn't been something like that since. Feck Covid!
Completely disagree with them being slight underdogs. They are big underdogs and if we cannot be quite confident in beating them then I will repeat again, I am not sure we are going to the right direction as a club. Chelsea fans are probably more confident beating City than our fans in beating Villarreal. Never said it's gonna be easy but surely we have a far superior side to theirs. We will have to agree to disagree I guess.
We do have a superior side to theirs. That's why we're finishing 2nd or 3rd in our league and them 5th-7th in theirs. And it's why we're favourites. So far we agree.
The part I'm disagreeing with is the mocking that comes with anyone daring to saying 'we might lose both tough games in 48 hours', 'I want Chelsea and Leicester to keep losing to help us guarantee 2nd', etc. There's always some mocking posts about being overly negative, chill out, etc. And the same with the Villareal final. Yes, overall, we've got better players and are rightly favourites. But there's nothing wrong with acknowledging that it's by no means a certainty as they're a solid, organised team who are capable of making it tough for anyone in a one off game. That's not saying they're better than us. Or that they're 'prime Barca'. Just that they're a capable opponent that could spring an upset and so it's valid to be a little nervous about the outcome.
If you still disagree with that, then, yeah, we'll definitely have to agree to disagree.
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We will lose. fecking Emery
They are around Sociedad’s and Granada’s level, aren’t they? And we disposed them pretty comfortably In fact Villarreal are set to finish the league season in between the both of them
Winners of the Europa league the last 10 years and where they finished in their own domestic leagues those seasons.
2020 - Sevilla (4th in La Liga)
2019 - Chelsea (3rd in PL)
2018 - Atletico Madrid (2nd in La liga)
2017 - Man United (6th in PL)
2016 - Sevilla (7th in La Liga)
2015 - Sevilla (5th in La Liga)
2014 - Sevilla (5th in La Liga)
2013 - Chelsea (3rd in PL)
2012 - Atletico Madrid (5th in La Liga)
2011 - Porto (1st in Primeira Liga)
2020 - Sevilla (4th in La Liga)
2019 - Chelsea (3rd in PL)
2018 - Atletico Madrid (2nd in La liga)
2017 - Man United (6th in PL)
2016 - Sevilla (7th in La Liga)
2015 - Sevilla (5th in La Liga)
2014 - Sevilla (5th in La Liga)
2013 - Chelsea (3rd in PL)
2012 - Atletico Madrid (5th in La Liga)
2011 - Porto (1st in Primeira Liga)
I'm not sure who plays for Villareal but every time we play Pogba in the double pivot we end up like an apron, so I think McFred will almost certainly start this match, I'm just hoping Mason starts and I'd go with Pogba on the left as I think we get better creative balance with him and Bruno both in the front four, otherwise Bruno gets double marked.
I'll remind people the date of this fixture is Sir Matt Busby's birthday and the anniversary of "AND SOLSKJAER HAS WON IT!!!
The spirit of Sir Matt and 99 will be on our side lads
The spirit of Sir Matt and 99 will be on our side lads
I don't expect our first team against Wolves anyways.
I hope not. Nice going into last game of season without top4 on the line. Full team tomorrow and rest on Sunday.
Reviewing Villarreal I found out theyre the team that has got most penalties in La Liga (12) . I hope Bailly dont try anything stupid.
Expect that he will and you won't be let down.
Yeah. Over two legs Arnseal were the better side so i am glad we are playing Villareal instead of them
Were they? I thought Arsenal were shocking in the first leg and lucky not to concede 3 or even 4. And in the second, they were toothless. Villareal had done the job in Spain so never bothered to really go at them.
We should win, but we sure as shit need to take them seriously. Otherwise it will be another Sevilla.
Arsenal were rubbish in the first leg, but Villareal had to hang on for dear life against a pretty tame Arsenal attack in the 2nd. Fair enough, maybe Villareal were the better team over the two legs, but on any other day Arsenal are a better team than they are
Never really bothered to go at them defending a 2-1 lead is a bit inaccurate. They did a great job of closing down Arsenal but realised that they were rather scared of attacking Villarreal for fear of conceding. When Arsenal threw a little more caution to the winds, they created far more and Villarreal looked very shaky. Arsenal hit the post and created a host of other chances but still looked unconvinced they could win.
Contrast that with their win against Chelsea and when they had far more belief.
All things considered I’d far rather be facing Villarreal than Arsenal. Like us, you never know what Arsenal could turn up in the final. Like the FA cup final last year and semi too, they are far too unpredictable and have players that can really hurt you. Villarreal do too, but Arsenal have the capacity to beat us because they usually believe they can, and don’t fear us.
Extremely worried now....
Playing awful aren’t we. I’m not confident going into this, like Neville said you can’t just turn it on and off.
I don't give a shit about the result today but I hope we don't find it difficult to switch on in the final.
We have completely checked out and are playing in a very casual and uninterested attitude. If we carry on this mentality in the final we would be in trouble.
Really worried of a similar Fa Cup final scenario. Can see Villarreal playing on scoring from set pieces and diving all the game.
We have completely checked out and are playing in a very casual and uninterested attitude. If we carry on this mentality in the final we would be in trouble.
Really worried of a similar Fa Cup final scenario. Can see Villarreal playing on scoring from set pieces and diving all the game.
Our form and recent performances are massively worrying going into this final.
We’re going to embarrass ourselves again aren’t we!?
If Villarreal saw that. It’s hit on the counter really. AWB doesn’t concentrate enough when we’re in possession and we simply aren’t taking chances at the other end
If Villarreal saw that. It’s hit on the counter really. AWB doesn’t concentrate enough when we’re in possession and we simply aren’t taking chances at the other end
we'll get smashed. I'm genuinely getting back on the OGS out bandwagon. can't finish the season with a comfortable win at home with the fans there for the first time in over a year to a relegated fulham side?
Going into the final with about 1 win in 5 ain’t it? Cracking mentality that.
Villarreal beat Sevilla with 4-0.
We have lost our flow and this is a massive problem.
We have lost our flow and this is a massive problem.
Worst time to enter a bad patch...
Nice run of form to get us in the mood for the final
Hopefully the players are just saving energy for the final. Have to play A LOT better than we have the last three games
It’s their one chance to shine. Some of
Ours have lost the lustre already. Such a shame. Ole has to make some hard decisions. Rash can’t start the final. Completely lost control once he came on and McT went off.
Press us high and we won't survive. Emery may have a shot here. Villarreal ans defensively good and tye attack is decent.
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