Europa League 2020/21: Man Utd vs AC Milan Thu 11th Mar 17:55 KO

jsp

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So much wrong about this fixture

1) It should be a CL game
2) It shouldn't be on a Thursday night
3) It shouldn't be kicking off a 6pm
4) It should be a game fans are buzzing over going to see a mid week game under the lights at Old Trafford against European royalty.

Anyway that's my rant over behind closed doors over for now.

Obviously the game was billed as the return of Zlatan but he will miss the game through injury so now it's the return of Dalot who I believe can play despite being on loan from Utd to Milan, not sure if he will actually play he's not a regular starter for them. Dalot did score at the weekend though.

For Milan a great start to the season seems to have hit the bricks a bit 2 recent defeats to Inter knocked them out of the Cup and also possibly knocked them out of the title race but bit like us it was a race no one thought they would be in at the start of the season top 4 was the target. They're currently second 3 points behind Inter who also have a game in hand and a much better goal difference. So it's hard to tell how strong they will go for the europa league game against us will they put out the best XI or will they rest players? They have a tough league game between the two legs at home to Napoli at a quick glance it looks like they might have rested a few starters this weekend against Verona so maybe they are coming fully armed.

For Utd we assume Pogba is out as well as Rashford who took a knock in the derby win plus De Gea who is back in Spain and Mata who sounds like he's also unavailable for personal reasons. Guess it's wait and see on the likes of Cavani and VDB so Ole will be working with a thin squad. Our match between these two legs is a tough one home to West Ham who are pushing for top 4.

Predicted XI

Henderson

AWB Bailly Maguire Telles

Matic McTominay

Greenwood Bruno James

Martial

Ole might not even be able to go that strong I think he'd love to rest Bruno but he's got no real alternatives without putting in kids the decision to loan out Lingard is now starting to look a bit silly.

For Utd the key is to win the home leg and not give away the dreaded away goals so any win to nil is a great result for us.
 
I still think Lingard loaning was a good idea, he'll be worth more now.

I think it will be the team you picked, not much else he could do. Might swap Fred and Mactom who I think is playing with an injury.

Squad is really thinning out now.
 
Cavani was a close call for yesterday's game so may be back.

I think Mata has a chance of starting also. The game against West Ham at the weekend is the late Sunday game thankfully and surely you try to rest AWB and Maguire at some point?

I think he'll probably go the team you suggested with perhaps Williams in for AWB.
 
@IDFD think I read Mata is currently away from the squad for personal reasons so not sure if he's going to be available he came back a few weeks ago for 1 game then went away again so sounds like there's something going on with him that we aren't being told.

I agree resting AWB would make a lot of sense but he seems to be someone Ole trusts to deliver and he probably knows he won't be picked for England so he'll probably just keep pushing him for now as he's got 2 weeks off coming. Different story with Maguire the bloke is a machine hardly ever misses a game.

Williams and Tuanzebe would be the obvious players to come in but they've looked rusty whenever they've played as they're getting almost no chances this season and I think against a top side it would be unfair to chuck them in.
 
Didn’t read your post
Just putting you straight

Grow up you WUM.

A decade in decline yet still a name any football fan would instantly recognised that is football royalty
 
Grow up about what?
You think Milan is European royalty. I don’t. That’s my opinion.
So you don’t need to throw compliments my way.
I know you spend a lot of time posting, but people don’t have to buy into everything you say.
There are very few clubs that can be called European royalty...
...IN MY OPINION.
IKB is not really a good look...
 
If there are very few clubs that can be called Euro Royalty then AC Milan are definitely one of them. You know that.

Again on the wind up.

They're second in European Cup wins FFS. Of course they are European royalty.
 
I think their trophy cabinet is a pretty good indicator to be fair.

They've lost their way a bit recently but I think most Italian sides have to some degree. Apart from maybe Juve.

If someone gives me an option of seeing an italian match, it's Milan or Juve.

In my 20's when I was trying to see as many clubs as possible live. Milan were right up there
 
Grow up about what?
You think Milan is European royalty. I don’t. That’s my opinion.
So you don’t need to throw compliments my way.
I know you spend a lot of time posting, but people don’t have to buy into everything you say.
There are very few clubs that can be called European royalty...
...IN MY OPINION.
IKB is not really a good look...

So who is the European Royalty? You didn't ask for it but I'll give you mine

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Man Utd, Milan, Juventus, Ajax.

By the way I'm self aware enough to know that Utd are only just sneaking on to that list because 3 wins doesn't really stack up to some of the others.
 
You said “grow up”
Grow up about what?

Stop just coming on here to wind people up because it is annoying and it's the sort of thing you expect a 10 year old to do.

I've asked you to name who you consider to be european royalty because apparently Milan don't meet your standards to move things on and have a discussion about it but you don't seem interested in that.
 
I disagree with something you said so l must be winding people up...
Fine.
The teams you mentioned, my picks too.
 
So Milan are European royalty after all then glad we’ve cleared that up
 
Don’t forget Forest...
...l mean, if you want to include United.
And there’s Inter...
...perhaps not. Only claimed three.
 
So who is the European Royalty? You didn't ask for it but I'll give you mine

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Man Utd, Milan, Juventus, Ajax.

By the way I'm self aware enough to know that Utd are only just sneaking on to that list because 3 wins doesn't really stack up to some of the others.
Why Juve and not Inter? Inter have won three, Juve only two.
 
If membership of this rarified world that is “European royalty” was dependant on the number of CL/EC won then there would be two glaring omissions.
United and Juve, who have won 3 and 2 respectively. As you know.

If we say that only those clubs with 5 or more can legitimately be mentioned in this way, then you have Liverpool and Milan (6 and 7), on the inside, with United and Juve excluded.
Juve, in my opinion, is bigger than Milan. United, arguably bigger than Liverpool. So, the criterion for membership is flawed and is one reason why l railed against talking about Milan as European royalty.

If you say 7 European cups/Champions leagues gets a club in, then it is reasonable to say that winning 3 just isn’t enough. So, when it comes to judging who is in and who is out, other factors must be taken into account.
It is not enough to say “they’re second in European cup wins FFS”.

My opposition to Milan is based on other things.
Even as far back as Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani, they used to come to Madrid with their begging bowl, asking to take players on loan, asking to buy players on the cheap, wanting to take a player with an “option” to buy (always with an option) and paying almost nothing.
Galliani thought that because of his close personal relationship with Perez, he could impose like that. I lost count of the number of times l told them to “F*@k off” under my breath.
A club of great standing wouldn’t scratch around like they did for years. And it still goes on today. They send their pitiful delegation to Madrid, led by Maldini, asking for players.
“Can we have him, well can we have him, well what about him”. They have Brahim Diaz on loan, no loan fee paid. They bought Theo Hernandez, begged for him.
I have no respect for a club that big, that behaves in that way.
Big club, yes, definitely.
Royalty? Never. Unless they are royalty living in a tiny cottage on the vast estate we own, feeding them scraps.
Juve is the bigger club. Juve has the greater claim to “Royalty”.
United is a bigger club, they have a greater claim.
Milan??? I’m laughing just thinking about it.
7 European cups isn’t enough FFS.
 
7 European cups isn’t enough FFS.

I think you'd be hard pushed to find people that agree with you on this or on the fact that Milan aren't football royalty. Personally think the idea that they aren't is laughable.

Maybe you could find a few 12 yr old kids that would agree with you though.

But I agree with you it's more than about just cup wins it's about legacy and the excitement associated with the name. Even now fans are going to be more excited about Milan coming to town than Sevilla or Atletico or Atalanta and Roma or City and Chelsea. Milan just have that factor to them.
 
Coming from you, it’s so predictable.
All you know about Milan is 7, and a few names from the past.

I see from your last paragraph you tried to cover your backside, so l wouldn’t come back and use 3 against you. Why would l do that?
Why don’t you expand on your final paragraph?
What is it you mean by legacy?
A club has to be very special to be referred to as “Royalty”.
I have conceded they are a big club. And meeting them in the champions league, under floodlights, with fans, would be exciting. More so if it was a semi or final.

So, fleshing out “legacy” and “excitement” with a few more specifics and a little less broad brush, why don’t you have a stab at what it is about Milan that makes them “royalty”?
Why are they more than a big club?
What, apart from 7, makes them “royalty”?
Can they be “royalty” if they are only the 2nd or 3rd biggest club in Italy?
Do they have a stronger claim to “royalty” than United?
Would a club rather be called a “super club” or “European royalty”?
After all Britain has the Queen, Charles, William, Harry, Andrew, Edward, Sophie, Beatrice. All at different levels of status and importance.

These questions are too much for a 12 year old, but l think you’ll cope.
 
I see from your last paragraph you tried to cover your backside, so l wouldn’t come back and use 3 against you. Why would l do that?
Why don’t you expand on your final paragraph?

I was just agreeing with you it isn't just about cup victories. But they sure as hell play a big part in creating that legacy. If City were to win 3 of the next 10 Champions League's in two decades time they'd probably have a similar buzz about them.

Do you not agree fans are more excited by playing Milan or Liverpool than Sevilla or Chelsea?

A club has to be very special to be referred to as “Royalty”.

I 100% agree with this. And Milan are one of those very special clubs. When discussing the greatest teams of all time people will always include 'that' Milan team of the late 80's and early 90's.

I'd actually liken Milan and United in terms of being two big clubs that still get fans excited when coming to town but their best years are currently way behind them. I guess they're very similar to the Queen in that respect.

I genuinely don't think you believe Milan aren't European royalty and you're again just being an obnoxious argumentative soul for the sake of it. Though I don't know why I bother getting involved. You proved the other day you don't know what you're on about when suggesting I don't understand or talk to Chelsea fans. It's just about getting people to bite as oppose to saying anything constructive.
 
Why Juve and not Inter? Inter have won three, Juve only two.

I was torn over Juve but I believe their record of always sort of being there in European Cups puts them in but like Utd it's sort of skin of the teeth really I believe we are two clubs who based on the size and quality of teams they've had down the years should have more European Cups.

When I think about European Football from when I started watching in the early 90's Juventus are the team I think of being the big club in Italy alongside Milan. Inter have had very few seasons where they've really been in the fight to win it whereas I think Juventus are a club who get so close so often but often fall just short.

To keep the royalty analogy going they're a prince not a king long way to go to claim the throne but they're well respected by the family and certainly act in the way you'd expect a "royal" club to act. Translation they firmly believe they are better than everyone else and will do everything that can to maintain their royal status with no interest in how it impacts the masses.
 
Maybe somebody should start an actual matchday thread!!
I would have done it myself but I'm not allowed :rolleyes:
 
*Checks thread title* This is the actual matchday thread. Been slightly derails.
 
got to say, think the critiscm against LB on this has been harsh.

If it's true they have begged for players, borrowed and not paid etc, then there is an argument for them not to be held in the higest esteem. His point is valid for his history with Milan.

But as a fan, watching them back in the day, they were a great great side, and for me they are a European power.
 
I'll hold my hands up and say I was harsh.

He called me out over something I said the other week and refused to even say what I'd said and I thought his attitude towards me in the posts on this thread was clearly an attempt to wind me up rather than actually engage in an open discussion about an upcoming game.

I was actually interested in why he wouldn't consider a 7 time european champion one of the great clubs of Europe and he's given is reason can't say I agree with it seems a very personal thing based on very recent history where they've been skint because of multiple ownership changes.
 
I'm feeling confident about this one and expecting a good scoreline tonight. Going to wait for team news before putting my bet on but I am presently thinking 5-0
 
  • 26Henderson
  • 29Wan-Bissaka
  • 3Bailly
  • 5Maguire
  • 27Telles
  • 39McTominay
  • 31Matic
  • 21James
  • 18Bruno Fernandes
  • 9Martial
  • 11Greenwood

Substitutes​

  • 2Lindelöf
  • 13Grant
  • 17Fred
  • 19Diallo
  • 23Shaw
  • 30Bishop
  • 33Williams
  • 38Tuanzebe
  • 74Shoretire
 
How did Maguire miss that.

Poor half from what I’ve seen nothing really created and Milan look the more impressive side better organised both with and without the ball at the moment.
 

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