PBP: EFLC - Manchester United FC vs West Ham United FC - Sep 22 , 2021 [R]

​

Got lucky the last time knocking them out with a sneaky spinning side kick.

This one will be a brawl. Have to be ready for a knock down drag out affair here.

 

Our squad is huge. Use it. Pros of rotating for this week:

1- Allowing fringe players to earn/display that they should be in the starting 11
2- Freshness/fitness
3- Group morale --> the starting 11 will not take offense to not playing this midweek. The fringe players will take offense to not playing since they feel they were never given a chance to earn their spots back

 

Solskjaer : "Anthony [Elanga] a été formidable en pré-saison, son attitude, son enthousiasme, son caractère direct. J'aime voir des joueurs comme ça. Il était déçu de ne pas se rendre à West Ham, mais il a marqué pour les U23 et il est prêt. Il sera impliqué [demain]." #MUFC pic.twitter.com/eryhYhEDQd

— Manchester United (@MUnitedFR) September 21, 2021

Ole on Elanga: "Anthony was superb in preseason: his attitude, his enthusiasm, his straightforward character. I like players like that. He was disappointed not to go to WH, but he scored with the U23s and he's ready. He will be involved tomorrow."

I'd love to see him start tomorrow, on the left of the front 4, with Sancho on the right, both flanking Lingard and with Martial up top.
Telles, per Ole, is likely to make the squad as well. Probably won't happen, but I'd change the whole starting XI for this one, if it were possible.
---------------------Henderson
---------Dalot---Bailly---Lindelof---Telles
-------------------Donny---Matic
-----------Sancho---Lingard---Elanga
-------------------------Martial
Have some of the big guns on deck on the bench, with hope that they will not be needed to bail the team out, if necessary

 

Plenty of hard work behind the scenes paying off, according to Ole 💪

Great to have you back, @PhilJones4! 👏#MUFC | #CarabaoCup

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 21, 2021

Ftr, it will be his first time back with the senior team since Tranmere in Jan 2020.

 

My problem of rotating is not too much going with a straight b-side is that a lot of these b-sides are never mixed in. So cool some of them their first kick of the ball will be this match after the team itself is played like six games. It's a long season but these guys will need to get things against teams in the bottom half of the table as well as the League Cup and the FA Cup, not to mention the Champions League group stage matches if we can confirm our place early enough.

Royal Management is messed up cuz I think our squad it's just a little too bloated to do with trimming in 4 or 5 spots.

 

The only thing I'd change is to play Donny at 10 and move Lingard to Elanga's spot. Have Scott play next to Matic.

 

Henderson, Dalot, Bailly, Lindelof, Telles, Matic, Donny, Sancho, Mata, Lingard, Martial,

 

Bravo Ole.

So:

De Gea

Dalot
Bailly
Lindelof
Telles

DVB
Matic

Sancho
Mata
Lingard

Martial

 

West Ham XI: Areola, Fredericks, Johnson, Diop, Dawson, Masuaku, Kral, Noble, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Bowen

Moyes obviously ringing the changes as well: makes me that much more confident about our chances against them, even if it's still a decent team that can not be overlooked.

 

I wonder if lingard is going to play centrally? Would love to see him there.

But more importantly, mata still plays for us? Are we sure about that?

 

Precisely why I was hoping for Elanga to feature from the start: would have all but guarantee JLingz at the 10/SS spot.
Imagine it might transition to that eventually with Mata surely not going the full 90. Ideally, Mata plays for an hour-65mins or so: hope that in this time on the pitch, he can end up being a positive presence, when it's all said and done.

Just looking for a good, positive display from the boys once the rust (which can be expected among some) dissipates.

💬 The lowdown on tonight's team news from Ole himself, including special mentions for @PhilJones4 and Anthony Elanga 👇#MUFC | #CarabaoCup

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 22, 2021

 

Would love to see Sancho have a good match.

 

Welp

 

Well VDB, that's not going to win you playing time. Completely left his mark in the middle of the box. Horrible decision.

 

great start boys

 

Donny ball chasing like Fred leaves his man who scores.

Deserved by West Ham who have started better.

 

He got sucked in in the cut out the cross.. Matic could have help him by rotating and be a little more alert.

 

Damn, what a chance for Mata!

 

Sub Telles off.

Where is VAR ffs? How can Noble drag Jesse down by the shirt in the box and var doesn't do anything?

 

FFS Martial do something right.