Premier League 2019/20: Manchester United v Leicester City

Sideshow Bob

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Saturday, 14th September 2019
Premier League
Old Trafford
15
:00 BST
 
We are sweating a bit on injuries according to reports.

Martial & Shaw are both out as far as I'm aware but AWB, Pogba & Lingard all pulled out of internationals with injuries/illness and Dalot is also injured so we might see a few changes.

DDG

AWB Lindelöf Maguire Young

McTominay Pogba

Greenwood Mata James

Rashford

That would be my best guess at the team we may see a 4-3-3 with Fred or Matic in for Greenwood and Mata going to the right.

You hate to use the phrase must win only 4 games into the season but it's getting to that sort of stage after that great result vs Chelsea in the opening game the life has been sucked out of the team a bit so they need a good win.

Leicester will be a tough opponent man for man there really isn't much between the sides in terms of quality they have the more proven quality at this level when you really look at it so it's going to be a tough game as I don't think Leicester will come into this one with anything really to fear.
 
This is a really important game to win as Leicester are one of the tea5tipped to finish above us. We need to make a statement in this game.
 
Loss coming. Leicester are a better team than us. Better midfield, more creativity and capable of hitting us on the break. Actually I'd say if we win that's a small upset.
 
Pogba, Shaw, Dalot and Martial out. Lingard and Wan-Bissaka doubtful.

It has the potential to be a ropey old line up tomorrow!
 
I'm going for a surprising win

That’s the thing with this team at the moment you never know what you’re going to get from them.

I miss routine 2-0 home wins they used to bore the pants off me under Fergie but I’d love some of them this season.
 
Pogba, Shaw, Dalot and Martial out. Lingard and Wan-Bissaka doubtful.

It has the potential to be a ropey old line up tomorrow!
My God really? Pogba out means zero creativity. AWB potentially out means god knows what at RB. Jeez what a mess.

Which means we will get some surprise victory.
 
Gomes, Chong and Greenwood all in the squad for tomorrow didn’t feature for the U23s tonight.

Reports are Lingard is also out

With Pogba out Mata has to start as a 10 to give us creativity will the manager be brave and put Gomes in from the start my gut says no.

DDG

AWB Lindelof Maguire Young

McTominay Matic

Greenwood Mata James

Rashford

I think Greenwood did enough vs Southampton to get a start seems like he’s nudged ahead of Chong. I’d rather see Fred start over a Matic but he’s not even being talked about my guess is he’s pencilled in for the Europa in mid week. Only other option is Periera but I don’t think Ole really fancies him in those deeper midfield positions but he’s probably the most like for like Pogba replacement.

Going to be tough for our two CBs vs Vardy as he will look to exploit space in behind with two CBs who are slow on the turn and a keeper like De Gea who doesn’t really sweep behind the defence with a high starting position.
 
Don't really get the whole fred thing. I know his pre season started after the others but surely to god he is fit now. Makes me think he is either thet far down the pecking order he is barely rated at all or it is a punishment for missing the pre season for his wedding
 
Yeah certainly feels like he’s in the bad books the manager barely even mentions him when he talks about midfield options.

I mean this guy played in a decent Shaktar team and was good enough to get in the Brazil squad for the last World Cup ahead of Fabinho and was high on the City wish list last summer when we signed him.

What has happened?

He’s quickly becoming a forgotten man
 
De Gea

AWB Maguire Lindelof Young

McTominay Matic

Pereira James Mata

Rashford


I do not agree with the line up today. You cannot have Mata and Matic in the same side, we can accomodate only one slow player. It's beyond me how Matic is chosen ahead of Fred.
 
How’s the game going anyone watching?

Hopefully see a few of the youngsters second half
 
Finished 1-0. Scrappy, unconvincing but 3 points with a few guys out.

Don’t know how Pereira stayed on the pitch and how Gomes didn’t get a few minutes.
 
Just needed 3 points but didn’t sound like a great game.

Hopefully see more of the kids midweek in Europa league.
 
It was a poor performance void of ideas. I suspect we’ll see a number of similar performances throughout the season.
 
It was a poor performance void of ideas. I suspect we’ll see a number of similar performances throughout the season.

Do you think we missed Pogba?

We all know he has his flaws but he really is the creative force within this side.
 
It was a poor performance void of ideas. I suspect we’ll see a number of similar performances throughout the season.
Isn't that hugely alarming though? Void of ideas and we expect to see that a lot this season? Where's the long term vision and style?
 
In fairness I am not particularly alarmed by it. We talk about long term as if that's what we have been doing the last 7 seven years. It has been 3 lots of short term vision. I still have doubts about ole as a coach but I can see some long term thinking at the moment. My worries are more whether Woodward and the owners will hold their nerve. If we haven't progressed after the next 2 transfer windows then it's a different conversation
 
In fairness I am not particularly alarmed by it. We talk about long term as if that's what we have been doing the last 7 seven years. It has been 3 lots of short term vision. I still have doubts about ole as a coach but I can see some long term thinking at the moment. My worries are more whether Woodward and the owners will hold their nerve. If we haven't progressed after the next 2 transfer windows then it's a different conversation
It's CL or bust that's the expectation they've set. They've set that for other proven managers so they can't bend that for Ole. This team simply cannot afford to miss out on top 4 this year. The appeal to bring in top players can only last so long and won't continue if we keep missing out on CL.
 
I disagree on that tbh. That expectation at this point I think is unrealistic. For me it would be a massive bonus. It isn't a case of bending the rules, there is no hard and fast rule surely, more of a reassessment of where we are.
 
I disagree on that tbh. That expectation at this point I think is unrealistic. For me it would be a massive bonus. It isn't a case of bending the rules, there is no hard and fast rule surely, more of a reassessment of where we are.
I don't disagree I'm just saying the standard has been set for more proven managers. And they shouldn't stick with Ole just because people say they need to stick with a manager long term. If he isn't the right man he isn't the right man. I guess whether he is or not is still up in the air but I don't think he is. That's just my opinion though.
 
I am not entirely sure, I don't think anybody can be. But you have to give him a fair crack which for me means 2 more windows to show improvement
 
The message from the club is they’re looking at a long term rebuild rather than quick fixes in the hope of instant success but talk is cheap let’s see them back it up with action.

The issue is to be at the top you need to attract top players and they want to go to clubs where they can win you can’t take to many steps backwards before moving forward.

Last season was a disaster finishing 6th is embarrassing for a club with our resources they’ve done the right thing in clearing out players this summer but more action was required both in and out but 4th has to remain the minimum expectation for Ole. If he wants to play a long game he still needs to deliver in the short term.

He might survive if Utd finish 5th or 6th but if they bottle it again like they did last season I think that he will struggle to keep his job especially if there are top managers on the market. Right now the big name out of work is Allegri and if results aren’t good at any club he’ll be the one getting linked
 
For me at the moment 4th isn't the minimum requirement and tbh it's taken me a while yo get my head round it. For me it's making the right long term decisions and showing signs of building a young exciting future. Of course that can't be an indefinite amount of time but it has to be more than one transfer window with what has gone before. For those thinking ole is getting a free pass from me because of who he is check my previous posts, I never felt it was the right decision at that time. However now that decision has been made I feel we have to back in through 2 more transfer windows at least.
 
The message from the club is they’re looking at a long term rebuild rather than quick fixes in the hope of instant success but talk is cheap let’s see them back it up with action.

The issue is to be at the top you need to attract top players and they want to go to clubs where they can win you can’t take to many steps backwards before moving forward.

Last season was a disaster finishing 6th is embarrassing for a club with our resources they’ve done the right thing in clearing out players this summer but more action was required both in and out but 4th has to remain the minimum expectation for Ole. If he wants to play a long game he still needs to deliver in the short term.

He might survive if Utd finish 5th or 6th but if they bottle it again like they did last season I think that he will struggle to keep his job especially if there are top managers on the market. Right now the big name out of work is Allegri and if results aren’t good at any club he’ll be the one getting linked
If 6th was embarrassing then why could that be enough for Ole this year?

I'm all for long game but you have to have the right man for that. Klopp was long term ish. Poch took time to build. But they had clear direction and a clear style and showed progress.
 
Poch would be long gone I suspect if he had been at United for the last 5 years without a trophy. I partly agree he has to be the right man, and I am not sure ole is the tight man, but you have to give him the chance to prove he is the wrong man. And let's be honest the short term vision hasn't exactly worked.
 
If 6th was embarrassing then why could that be enough for Ole this year?

I'm all for long game but you have to have the right man for that. Klopp was long term ish. Poch took time to build. But they had clear direction and a clear style and showed progress.

It's all about the context if he can say look we've finished 6th but we've challenged for the top 4 got more points than last season, let in less goals and scored more goals, cleared the decks and integrated some youngsters then he might get to carry on as all other indicators point up apart from league finish. That still might not be enough a club like Utd should be in the CL every year but we don't have a god given right to be and our ambitions should be bigger you finish in the top 4 by trying to win the league not by trying to finish top 4. That standard needs to be put back in place but we all know the message from the top is top 4 is good enough as they only care about money.

The squad is only just at the start of a total overhaul if you asked Ole and he could give an honest answer I think he's probably got 3 players he knows are in his starting XI next season no matter what. De Gea (assuming he's signed that deal), Maguire & Wan Bissaka for everyone else it's still up for grabs all these guys need to prove they're good enough to lock down a spot. That's 8 starting positions where you look at it and think we may need to buy someone.

I'm not totally sold on Lindelöf or Shaw I think they're ok players but I think they're easily upgraded. Midfield probably losing Pogba in the summer we may need to buy a whole new midfield next summer, up top the kids have the chance but they need to take it Martial, Rashford, James, Greenwood, Gomes all have the chance to lock down positions in the team but I don't think any of them have made themselves un-droppable yet. The way he's currently playing James isn't far off doing it but lets judge him on 1 season not 1 month we've seen plenty of players have flashes at the top level it's about being consistent.
 
I just don't think Ole is the man. I don't know who is and that's part of the issue but at no point have I thought he's the man.

I thought we made him the permanent boss too quickly and I think the results since have been very poor. In fact you could say that the win in Paris was the worst thing that could have happened to us. Well that's if you don't think Ole is the right man.

I don't necessarily think his lack of experience is an issue either. I mean Pep did incredibly at Barca with little experience and Zidane the same at Real. The problem there is that both had world class players and didn't need to rebuild. And I don't think that Ole's style of play is what the modern game is really about. We still can't control games, kill games or create lots of really good chances when teams invite us on to them and force us to take the initiative.
 
I don' think top 4 is realistic this term, it's not a must for me. Next season I want us challenging for top 4, 2 years later for the title.

we've shipped out some dross, and brough in some players who are doing really well.

Next season, unfortunately, will be replacing Pogba so another big window.

If we get top 4 this years, for me, it's a bonus rather than an expectation. A quick glance at our squad should show this to anyone. Our bench is full of accademy players.

As for style, he needs time, and players. Rashford said this weekend, they know how he wants them to play, and they haven't quite got there yet. But the team knows the destination.
 
We were 2 points off top 4 last season and none of our direct rivals for those spots look stronger than they did last season so it is a realistic expectation it's far from guarantee but you have to at least challenge for that position.

I think Utd, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal all look no better than last season but now is where you really start to see who's at it with 2 games a week squads get stretched, players get tired and it's now about slogging it through the winter months to be in a position for the end of the season.

The main positive is the squad feels like it's together the unhappy players are basically all gone whereas you look at Spurs and they've got big problems with a number of key players running down contracts.
 

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