Manchester Utd (A) Pre Match Thread

[DiscoSteve]

loving the latest formation proposed on the ragcafe - 7-1-2 formation

----------------------------------------DDG------------------------------------
Valencia --- Smalling --- Lindelof ---Tuanzebe --- Blind --- Rojo --- Shaw
--------------------------------------- Matic -----------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------ Young ------ Lingard ---------------------------

ha ha

 

[fatbloke]

Personally I think we should play to taunt them and get the crowd on their backs by playing keep ball for the first 15-30 minutes, they’ll eventually lose their heads and start losing their defensive discipline.

That scum will be emotionally charged because they have to win, we can play with our heads and our intelligence should beat their physicality over 90 minutes. We just can’t afford to go behind against them because they will have something to hold onto and will defend deeper than Huddersfield, Southampton and West Ham combined.

 

[Stevieatlasblue]

They will play exactly how they played at anfield..mark my words.

 

[bluwes]

Surely they don’t park the bus seeing as they can’t afford not to win.

More importantly they cant afford to lose.

 

[lasereyes]

More importantly they cant afford to lose.

Agree with this. Given we are 8pts clear and they probably know in their heart of hearts that we are a better team, they could well play for a draw with Top 4 race in mind and try to nick a goal on the break or from a setpiece. I just dont see Mourinho attacking us - it's not in his ethos

 

[chesterbells]

Agree with this. Given we are 8pts clear and they probably know in their heart of hearts that we are a better team, they could well play for a draw with Top 4 race in mind and try to nick a goal on the break or from a setpiece. I just dont see Mourinho attacking us - it's not in his ethos

Surely he daren't park the bus like West Ham did, when they are at home, in front of all those fans, with all that 'history'? Seriously though, you think he'll get away with playing with 9 in defence against us all game? I can't see it.

 

[lasereyes]

I'll be amazed if we don't fall victim to a dodgy refereeing decision that costs us this game. It's not good for the Premier League if one team runs away with the league and if we go 11 points clear after the derby it will be a huge task for anyone to catch us. The Premier League and Sky won't want that.

In terms of the match itself, Arsenal created a lot of chances against United. We're a better team than Arsenal, but we'll need to be at our ruthless best as they are good on the counter. If we play to our best they won't be able to cope with us.

The ref'ing in our games seems to be better this year, excepting the Walker red against Everton. Seems clear to me that our front office had strong words with the FA - maybe compiled a montage of last year's atrocities. The way we are going this year, it would be need a very obvious ref'ing conspiracy to stop us - and that wouldnt exactly make for good TV. Being potentially the best PL team of all time can also be good box office, as would us winning the CL.

 

[lasereyes]

Surely he daren't park the bus like West Ham did, when they are at home, in front of all those fans, with all that 'history'? Seriously though, you think he'll get away with playing with 9 in defence against us all game? I can't see it.

Agree - I dont see 10 behind the ball (unless they are ahead with 10 minutes to go) but his set-up will be defensive. The CBs and full backs will hang back and he will try to choke us of space. Maybe a bit of high press early on, but don't see that being sustained. There will be lots of long balls and attempts to draw us into cheap fouls, giving them set-pieces, from which they will bank themselves to score at least once or twice.

 

[chesterbells]

Agree - I dont see 10 behind the ball (unless they are ahead with 10 minutes to go) but his set-up will be defensive. The CBs and full backs will hang back and he will try to choke us of space. Maybe a bit of high press early on, but don't see that being sustained. There will be lots of long balls and attempts to draw us into cheap fouls, giving them set-pieces, from which they will bank themselves to score at least once or twice.

Yep, agree with that - can see all you are suggesting coming to pass on Sunday

 

[citytilllidie]

They got stuck into Arsenal early doors, causing the defensive errors. Almost a practise to do a full press on us playing out from the back. Stones will be a huge loss, as he's our best footballing defender. If Vinny plays and gets injured on Wednesday, Sunday could be the old hide behind the settee peeping over the top with two cushions held to my ears. Might be that anyway, feckin hate derby day