PBP: FAC - Huddersfield Town AFC vs Manchester United FC - Feb 17, 2018 [R]

Don't have a good feeling about this one, playing away. Mounié has just had himself a game today. Mooy and Ince are more than capable as well. On paper we should have this one, but we all know how that has worked for us this season.

 

If we play the same formation I hope we lose again. And I hope we keep losing until Jose makes a change from what obviously isn’t working.

 

#celebritycoach

 

Better chance of winning the lotto twice in one week

 

Must win game to keep our hopes for a trophy and prep for Sevilla.

 

i thought we looked more dangerous at the end with sanchez as an offensive-minded 10, lukaku as the target man, martial providing width on the left and mata tucking in on the right. copying the spurs system, essentially. i've also had enough of jones and smalling.

-----------lukaku
martial - sanchez - mata
-------matic - pogba
shaw - rojo - lindelof - valencia
----------de gea

 

Me too. Time to see Lindelof and Jones together, or Rojo even.

 

While I agree that perhaps a bit too much is made of Pogba's alleged inability of playing in a mid 2, the issue right now is to put him in a position to maximize his (and other players) talents.
Really don't know why we would need to copy Spurs's setup when we have one we know, for all intents and purposes that works. The team I'd like to see right now, more or less:

Dave
Valencia. Bailly/Jones. Rojo/Lindelof. Shaw
Herrera/Fellaini/Lingard Matic. Pogba
Sanchez. Lukaku/Rashford. Martial

There are plenty of possible variants to this team obviously in terms of personnel, but this is really the formation needs to be looking at. Why he bucks so hard against when it's proved so successful this season, is mind boggling.

 

This weekend vs Huddesfield, the team I would go for is as followed:

Romero
AY. Lindelof. Rojo. Shaw
Herrera. Carrick. Pogba
Sanchez. Rashford. Martial

Team selection has been made with the idea of resting and rotating some players, yet still be strong enough to handle Huddersfield. Don't know if Bailly will be ready for this one, but if he is, I'd play him ahead of Rojo to get him some minutes ahead of Sevilla.
I went with AY in for Valencia as I think he's the best alternative we have in the squad currently. In midfield, if Herrera is still out, then we can play McTominay in his stead. Have no qualms playing him there, especially with Carrick next to him. Carrick starting is also an automatic as it's been said for weeks, with Matic desperately needing to be spared and relieved, even for one game.
Upfront Lukaku is another one who has played a lot and if Rashford is good to go, I'd play him at CF, saving Lukaku for Sevilla. No matter what though, 4-3-3 is the way to go: that much is clear. Jose needs to accommodate Pogba right now and get him babk to form. That's the quickest way to do so.

 

Kinda wish this one was a midweek tie just so we can get rid of that Newcastle stink.

 

Smalling must be dropped for this one, although this is exactly the kind of opponent he should be playing against. His dive antics against Newcastle boggle the mind.

If Mourinho can't bring himself to go with a mid 3 then at least go with Carrick and Matic in a 2 and go with Pogba in a more advanced position. The man wants to create and score, not protect Jones and/or Lindelof or whoever.

And FFS if we're going to start Martial can we please deploy him on the left and Sanchez on the right? This is not fukking rocket science, people.

 

It's funny that Jones did well with Bailly. It reminds me when Vidic used to get stick when he played without Rio. This is the same thing, Smalling has made a every defender including himself look like shit.

 

Away at Sevilla four days later. Matic has accumulated a lot of mileage this season so I wouldn't be surprised to see Carrick get the start this weekend. Smalling has to be dropped for Rojo.

And I really hope Jose sorts out how to use Pogba.

 

The major benefit of the game being played on Saturday is that it obviously gives more time for some of the injured players to get ready.
Early reports are suggesting that Rashford should be available, while Herrera is still a doubt at this stage. Having those 2 who be a nice boost: with Sevilla and Chelsea coming after that, it's imperative we rotate to keep players fresh.

 

That's because they have to cover for him and get pulled out of position. He's garbage and shouldn't be at this club past the summer.

 

Jones is a ball follower. He has no sense, positional or otherwise.

 

I think he was saying that everyone covers for Smalling because he gets pulled out.

When Smalling plays our defense looks vulnerable. When Jones plays with someone other than Smalling, everything looks right.

I know you wanted Smalling to be the next Rio but he has massively disappointed in his potential when he came from Fulham. 10 million for him at that time was too expensive. I ll take a Michael Keane or Jonny Evans.

 

I literally saw us give up a goal this season because Jones rushed up out of the center for no reason leaving Smalls isolated. Jones needs to go, keep Smalling.

Only in this place would giving up an OG mean it is the other CB's fault. If it was Smalling you guys would be baying for blood.

 

smalling makes me genuinely angry whenever i watch him play. why is he still at united?!

 

If we were forced to keep one in order to lose the other, it clearly has to be keeping Jones and letting Smalling go.

 

Frustrated with Jones & Smalling, both can have good spells but both have issues. Wouldn't ditch either until we have a replacement and not sure I would ditch either over Rojo or Lindelof who also seem to have issues.

Comparing the two, both have issues passing the ball with Smalling as referenced by Mou having a particular difficulty in this area.

Jones at least will try to affect play, Johno would say (with some justification) it is often because his positioning is poor.

Smalling positioning is better, but he often doesn't do enough - for example not directly at fault for the Spurs first or the Newcastle goal but he got in position to be goal-side of his man but did nothing to stop the ball into the danger area.

In Wizard of Oz terms Smalling needs a heart and courage and Jones needs a brain

They still only cost us the odd goal by and large. Our issues are still more in not scoring (eg in part the RWF position) and in not controlling midfield (eg needing a commanding #6/#8). Plus we could do with a young attacking option at right full-back as Valencia isn't getting any younger. These are priorities for me.

 

This is a clip from the weekend of Smalling and Jones coming out to play Newcastle offside at St James Park - you can see the similarity ...

 

Would love to see Tahith Chong given a chance given our lack of left-footed options at RWF - in the cup worth at least giving a youngster a chance at a position where there is no squad depth.