The only thing that bothers me about them is size. Football wise we are better in every dept but you just know Mourinho is going to keep it tight and try to use their height advantage. Anyone reckon Yaya could make an appearance?
There will be a lot of "inviting fouls" and the bad news is that they have the right ref. Not sure why this man has been allowed ref this game the first time we have had him I think since his disgraceful performance in the Spurs match. I just can't get my head around how this guy is considered the best ref in Europe. Anyway you can rest assured that we will try to cut off their supply line. But my gut feeling is that this match will be decided by how much trouble we can cause them at the back and missing Kun will certainly make our task more difficult.Jose Mourinho wants United to bully City in the air this weekend, by inviting fouls for free kicks and delivering good crosses. [Telegraph]
As we thought,hope we have been working on stopping crosses
Although that said, Sane has been training for 2/3 weeks now whereas Nacho has been away with national side. Could be something in it...
Not annoying, bloody stupid. Always irritated me when MP would tell the press who was injured and out for a match. Why reveal your hand so early and let other teams plan accordingly.
U.N.I.T.E.D
Wanted Pep but got Jose
With a knick knack paddy whack watch him park the bus
With Sky Sports can both Fuck off!
Kompany sorts that out, but maybe too late for tomorrowSane is more comfortable moving out wide than Kelechi, I think. So that could be the reason he might use him.
If both Sane & Gundogan were to play then another has to go, so that's an interesting one. No way has Mourinho got a fucking clue who plays, that's for sure.
Looking from his point of view, he can't try to 2nd guess Pep, so he has to set up solid & play to their own plan. That must surely involve aerial stuff, & set pieces, including direct free kicks, as they have several takers. And probably fouling/working on Clattenburg.
This game may determine Pep's future planning. If we can deal with them aerially, then we can deal with most in the league. If we get turned over, then everyone is going to try it.
Obviously, the best way is to not let them have the ball, but if we don't score several goals, then we all know that a team with complete aerial supremecy has got from minute one to minute 97 to just get one ball which lands in the right place, a puncher's chance for a knockout blow, either straight in, or a flick on. It was largely the aerial stuff which did for us when Manuel got turned over there.
If we can find a way to win without succumbing to that, then Pep is really in business. But if we can't, he may have to think about the physical attributes of future signings, rather than just ability & the same for the academy kids involved.
1.30 i'll post pep's commentsWhen is the press conference?
Please not Nacho.
I like him as an impact player but the more I do watch more of his game time, the less I am inclined to feel he is as ruthless as I initially thought?
Please not Nacho.
I like him as an impact player but the more I do watch more of his game time, the less I am inclined to feel he is as ruthless as I initially thought?
Agreed
Think we also need more height and that may see Sane start instead
Sane might be better out wide and Sterling played down the middle.
For me, it's pretty clear Mourinho will revert to type and defender the line of the 18-yard area.
There would be very little space in behind for someone as rapid as Sane.
Makes a more sense to keep the width, with Nolito on the opposite side, with Sterling's size and own speed a little easier to slip him in down the sides of Blind and Bailly.
The whole beauty of this thread and debate... we can't call it ourselves, so Mourinho has a real clusterfuck, because he can only play two ways and works by repetition towards it, throughout the weel - he's a drill sergeant and can only react to what he will see on our team-sheet with an hour to go.
Throw in the possibility of debuts for Sane and Gundogan, we have plenty of fear factor of our own.