PBP: EPL - Manchester United FC vs Leicester City FC - Aug 10, 2018 [R]

Welcome all to another 300+ days of desperation, sadness, anger and maybe a little bit of fun and happiness

 

The team selection for tomorrow:

Dave
Bailly. Lindelof. Smalling
Darmian, McTominay(?), AP, Fred, Shaw
Mata. Sanchez

Real pity that Herrera is out of this one. Safe to assume that Pogs is not ready to start. There is talk that Mourinho might have asked Fellaini to play. Would rather have him in McTominay's stead, who simply hasn't shown anything on tour and seems to be out of form).
Opening game of the season, at home. Can be a fun and winnable game if Mourinho wants it so and let's the players go at it. We'll see...

 

The only positive from this game is that we should get to see what AP can do in a PL game. We’ll be lucky to get 3 points even at home with the squad we have available. Expect a boring game.

 

i hope we go 5-3-2 or 4-3-1-2. there is no one i want at the RW spot.

 

Mou was asked about the tactics at the press conference today and said there will be no change. Said you can't just press a button like you can in Championship Manager but that you need players available to train.

So maybe in the future, but looks like we are stuck with crappy 4-2-3-1 for now

He could use 4-3-3 that was used at times last season if that counts as not a change.

He said on tour the 3 CB in the 3-5-2 was just because he didn't have enough quality CBs.

Personally hope we go to a two striker system sooner rather than later. Hacks me off to see Lukaku so isolated and also agree we have no RWF of any note (given he won't play Sanchez there).

 

The thing is though in all honestly, is that regardless of the setup we choose, there are drawbacks in everyone of them. If we go 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, when don't ave the right sided option upfront to make it work well (with Mata or Lingard in that role).
3-5-2 or 4-4-2, with a diamond in midfield would be good options then, but the issues with our FB/WBs pops up then.
When it's all said and done, there would be issues of that sort regardless of the formation we go with. Biggest problem though remains how Mourinho would have the team play in any given setup. There are no formations which are more offensive or defensive for me, so much as the players' approach and intent in said setup. And with the way Mourinho has the team play, ie with the handbrake perpertually on, it almost does not matter how we are setup.
My personal preference would be to be playing with 2 upfront. Our lack of quality at FB/WB would bean issue, but the offensive part of our game would have the potential to be fun and very efficient (if they're just allowed to play). We could be banging on the counter for instance, with the pace and power at our disposal.

 

@Sofabloke no change would be 4-3-3. we haven't played 4-2-3-1 in ages.

 

Hope you are right, we were 4-2-3-1 up until Feb when there was all the fuss about playing Pogs in a 3. We went 4-3-3 for a lot of games at the end and even the odd 3-5-2 (eg West Ham).

Still not a fan of Mou 4-3-3 as for example against Bayern he had Mata / Sanchez so defensive that the CF was totally isolated.

Says a lot that nobody really knows what Mou preferred system is these days

 

Two years in and he still has no clear setup, best 11, tactics (other than sit back), or rapport with his players.

I almost hope we get shelled by LC and set this trainwreck into motion. I'm fine with a disaster season if it means change in the near future.

 

mourinho doesnt have a go to system thats not how he works. he played diamond at porto, 433 at chelsea the forst time time around, 4231 at real, etc.

im guessing we re going to stick with a 3-man midfield to accomodate pogba (although he has shown he han play play in a 2 this summer).

i think we'd look our best in a diamond.

 

Diamond would work due to our lack of quality wingers if we had a better 10 but we only have Lingard or Mata. It's also another formation that requires wingbacks to provide width. Ours do not.

 

I do hope personally we stick with a 2 upfront setup, with Sanchez and Lukaku in tandem up top (whether it's a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 w/diamond in midfield).
It's about accentuating and taking advantage of our strengths and not focusing on our weaknesses (which we would some regardless of the formation we play).
The WB/FB play would be the obvious weakness, but some of them are serviceable at leadt. But I'd love to see a diamond of AP and Lingard at both ends, with Fred and Pogba flanking them.
In a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, we have the obvious issue with complete lack of balance upfront, with everything going thru our left and therefore making us so easy to figure out and defend against, because we have competent presence or threat on the right.
At least on tour with 2 upfront, there were encouraging signs in regards to the 2 players upfront. Want to see more of that.

 

Want to get a feel for whether Mou is in self-sabotage / self-destruct mode or get on with it mode before I make any predictions.

Will hopefully get a feel based on his squad selections.

 

unless he is actively trying to get sacked like his last time around at chelsea, classic mourinho would be to bunker down with his players in an us vs the world type thing (front office included).

 

I'm all but done with the guy now and I really believe his demise from the job is just a matter of time, but I would really appreciate it, if he showed some pride and some fight. If for no other reason to show the lies of Woodward, the media and the fans he's still gt something left in the tank and his flame hasn't gone out yet.
Not even asking him to win the title because City are just on another planet, but a 2nd or 3rd place hard fought finish the way he used to do, with the team putting in some battling displays would be fine by me.
I'm sick of seeing the long face, always complaining about this or that. He's the manager of Manchester United, he's being obscenely paid for the privilege and he's got a solid team with some talent to it.
I'm still holding out hope against hope that what we saw in preseason was nothing but the mother of all swerves and I want to see te team coming out fighting tomorrow and that includes Mourinho. Some things did not go your way: it's done, just get on with it...
For hs own sake and that of his career's going forward, he better show something because no big clubs will hire him after United, if he flames out the same way he did 3yrs ago.

 

There would have to be an “us” for that to work.

 

The build up to this match and season is at Moyesian levels. Sad.

That being said, we'll probably win tomorrow

 

How do we have so many players who were not at the WC out injured? WTF?

 

Canto issues a rallying cry ahead of United's game vs Leicester.

www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/11468431/eric-cantona-issues-manchester-united-rallying-cry

 

He’s absolutely right ******** everyone else get behind the players. On the real though his Instagram had been mint.

 

Lol so now we're basically forced to play 3 in the back because we only have one fit wingback...and it's Luke Shaw. You can't make this shit up. Good thing we let TFM leave on loan.