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the exile 8:01 Wed Mar 10
Team for Man Utd

When I saw Coffee's excellent Preview thread I thought maybe we don't need this one, but it seems nobody is talking about line-ups and formations on there. So, at risk of overkill, I'll go ahead anyway.

Obviously there is a positive side to "winning ugly", as we saw against Leeds. We put in an enterprising and entertaining performance against City in the previous game but lost. In an ideal world we would have the best of both games, but we don't live in an ideal world - at least, not quite. But going into this match in 5th place in the table is about as ideal as it gets. Man Utd are inconsistent in their performances too, which makes this an intriguing and unpredictable game.

We can't be sure about the formation, but on balance I would expect Moyes to revert to three at the back for this one. Lingard won't be available to play against his parent club, so the liveliest debate will be about which two out of Fornals, Bowen and Benrahma get the nod - will COYI entertain us with his usual guarantee? Bowen is a concern - he has looked increasingly out of his depth and maybe a little bit overweight. I never thought I would say it but I would prefer Lanzini to Bowen at the moment, but I would definitely stick with Benrahma and Fornals to start.

Fabianski
Dawson Diop Cresswell
Coufal Soucek Rice Johnson
Benrahma Antonio Fornals

daveyg 4:57 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Fifth.
That's not true about the U23's bubble as Alves has been dropping in and out of both team squads. Trott was on the bench last week too.
Both Coventry and Alves are probably in the squad as they didn't play yesterday.
Mipo s in the squad as Yarmolenko is injured.
I don't think Moyes has said much about Mipo recently. Rightly talking his situation down.
Let's get 3-0 up today and then we can bring him to get the 4th ...

fraser 4:40 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Doubt it, Fornals not starting though..

solidbond 4:33 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Noble in for lingard wouldn't surprise me.

gank 3:49 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Daveyg

That isn't what I'm saying at all. I said that he messed up his first opportunity for at least two reasons that we understand, he said the right things afterwards and this could be another chance to make amends. Then when it was derided as a silly idea because he's nowhere near ready, I asked why he is here at all.

Fifth Column 3:26 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Davey

Moyes has more or less said that he'd like Mipo to be playing for the U23s and then on the bench for us but because of Covid he can't be going in and out of the bubble hence not playing for the 23s.

If we had another CF he wouldn't be anywhere near the squad.

That's not to say that he won't come good.

But he did fuck up his first real opportunity that's for sure.

daveyg 3:19 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Gank.
You're saying a young 18yr old who gets 50 minutes is now waisted his chance of big time football ? When Moyes played a negative line-up and should of given Mipo some belief in himself. Something went wrong when Mipo came on and he himself is not entirely to blame at 18.
He's been involved in the training with the first team since so Moyes must have seen something to not boot him down to the U23's.
I'll past judgement if/when he gets some minutes towards the end of the season.

RM10 12:47 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Seen this many times over the years, they have a weakened side it’s our time etc etc, fact is we hardly get a result there like at Liverpool, so I’m afraid can’t even see us getting a draw.

the exile 12:19 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

There's no way Odubeko will get a game until next year's pre-season and League Cup, unless he comes on as a late sub in a game where we're 3 - 0 up. But that doesn't mean he should be chucked on the scrap-heap. He's young and has loads of potential, but he's got to turn that potential into something more substantial.

gank 1:03 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

So why is he at the club at all? He had a chance and buggered it up, the best possible opportunity for a second chance is this match, with Antonio playing central in the three behind him. If he can't be trusted to take a second chance he shouldn't be here at all.

And if Martial is out as well, that's great (yeah I should have done my research, I concede) so if there's any gamble associated with this decision, now is the time to play that hand.

daveyg 12:58 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Gank
PLAY THE PADDY
Probably the worst suggestion on WHO for a long.
Surely a "mickey" take.
Their front 3 of Rashford,Martial and Cavani are all out.
So is their bottom 1 De Gea.

fraser 12:55 Sun Mar 14
Re: Team for Man Utd

Martial is out I believe as well.

gank 11:23 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

Dealcanvey - Martial, not Martin!

gank 11:23 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

Fraser - that undermines everything I said, so ignore it.

"Their front three" are not all out. This isn't West Ham we're talking about with one striker and no depth. Martin and Greenwood would both stroll into our first team and that's before I've considered who else plays for them.

dealcanvey 10:48 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

If their front 3 are all out we should be going for the win. Changes my opinion from a back 3 to a back 4

fraser 10:42 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

Gank - He chose to leave them turned down a contract

gank 10:32 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

PLAY THE PADDY

When O'Dubeko was brought on and played a stinker, it was his first senior appearance and against his old club - a club at which he probably would have preferred to remain but they decided he wasn't good enough.

That's a lot of pressure on both counts.

He was dogshit and got hooked, an embarrassment in itself, but he took to social media and said all the right things about having learned his lessons from the experience and was prepared to work hard to make amends.

Tomorrow, if he played, it would NOT be first appearance, and it would be a brilliant opportunity to prove that he has learned these lessons - and another opportunity to show his former club why they might have kept him on.

It also gives us the chance to play our best central attacking midfielder - Antonio - where he should do if only we had a striker to play in front of him. Perhaps we might be able to say that if one doesn't score, the other will, but at least they'll work together rather than the Jamaican on his own.

Of course if it doesn't look like working, no need to hold on until we're behind, we will have Bowen/Lanzini/Benrhama ready to come on for the mick, and pop Antonio back up top again. That would mean Moyes must be prepared to break his habit of leaving his changes far too late, so if it's not working we know early doors and fake a concussion to revert to type. We will also know it's time to get shot of "Mipo". If it does work, though, it will set " Mipo" up for a career in football, will look like a tactical masterstroke from Moyes and we'll be right up there in the mix for a first-ever finish.

Play that paddy.

Norflundon 10:29 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

Daveyg
I forgot lingard can’t play so I’d def have both!!!
Bowen tortured that left back in the league game for 60mins so I’d of preferred him to start
He was very unlucky it was a great strike but to be fair both players and benrahma have been very wasteful in front of goal this season I would say all three plus Antonio need to be far more clinical in the next 11 games if we are to grab that top four spot....starting tomorrow
Just praying he doesn’t start lanzini

daveyg 10:08 Sat Mar 13
Re: Team for Man Utd

Ithink we might have a couple of doubts from Moyes was saying. Fredericks seems to absent for a long time considering he almost made the team agasnt City.
Soucek looks like he has had a knock in the last couple of games , sincerly hope not. Just wondering who he might put in there. If he was already going with a back 4 it could be Diop or Johnson for their energy.definetely not Noble for whole 90 mins. Or he drops in Fornals who has a better brain than say a Frederciks.

Lato 2:49 Fri Mar 12
Re: Team for Man Utd

Just browsed their Red Cafe forum, they are not confident for this match. Most would be happy for a draw!

I.want.that.one 12:54 Fri Mar 12
Re: Team for Man Utd

Same team as Leeds game with a front four of Fornals, Benny, Antonio (who doesn’t look that happy at the moment) and Bowen.

I’m don’t like the look of Bowen at the moment. He’s slow and lacks commitment although he did put himself about against Leeds better.

But Lanzini isn’t effective enough anymore to play from the start, sadly.

daveyg 12:35 Fri Mar 12
Re: Team for Man Utd

Norf
We need Fornals in the team more than Bowen or Benrhama. Such a pity that effort against Leeds didn't go in . Would of been a complete opinion changer.

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