Europa League 2022/23: Man Utd vs Real Sociedad ~ Thu 8th Sept 8pm KO

jsp

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First group game and Utd should be looking to get off to a positive start and get 3 points against the best team in the group.

They're a decent side and they'll come and have a go but they've lost Isak who's a big loss to them.

Utd will surely be making plenty of changes for this game as there are players who need minutes.

Dubravka

AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw

Casemiro Fred

Anthony VDB Garnacho

Ronaldo

Not sure if VDB is fit he missed the game at the weekend and I assume Martial will still be out.
 
I'd play a strong team against Sociedad. Win this and we are basically through as winners as the other two teams in the group aren't causing problems. Winning the group is important as it means you don't play in the last 32 so get an extra midweek off.
Seeing as this thread is already off the rails, down the gorge and into the river; I was wondering about this.

EDIT: I've moved this into the proper thread.

Rotation is obviously important. Get the squad all working together, feeling part of it, gaining match fitness incase of the inevitable injuries, keeping the starters fit etc and so forth, but is this the time? We FINALLY have some momentum, we’re looking really solid at the back, there’s been flashes of ETH’s influence and we’re at home. Like you said, win this, draw in Spain and we should finish top. I’d be really tempted to keep the good times rolling.
 
The midweek rest in February will be a lot more important than a midweek rest in September too.
 
I think the five sub rule will help the squad rotation but I do agree that we should play a strongish team in this one as they are the main threat in the group.

However, Varane and Martinez should probably get a day off. Varane because he needs to be wrapped up in cotton wool and Martinez because he came off at the weekend.

Would love to see Garnacho though.
 
The league is where we need to keep momentum. But we need a strongish team.

I think Casemiro needs minutes, I'd rest Varane, Rashford as he had dodgy ham

Ddg
Dalot
Lindelof
Martinez
Malacia
Casemiro
Fred
Bruno
Elanga
Ronaldo
Sancho
 
Think to use the squad to it’s max you’ve got to give them playing time.

He needs to show these players he trusts them and hopefully they repay him with a performance.

I don’t think our subs are having a massive impact on the matches at the moment we need to get them flying and full of confidence.
 
The reports I saw suggested they don't really know when he'll be back as Achilles injuries are a nightmare.

Doubt we'll see him before the international break from the sound of things.
 
Team: De Gea, Dalot, Maguire, Lindelof, Malacia, Casemiro, Fred, Antony, Eriksen, Elanga, Ronaldo
 
Surprised Dubravka didn’t get a start.

Weird that BT cancelled the pre game build up and just showed random goals from Italy for a minute I thought the game was off
 
It’s hard watching Ronaldo these days he might have abs that look like he’s been chiselled from granite but his legs are totally gone.

Even with a head start defenders are catching him easily.
 
Poor game and a understandably sombre atmosphere.

Could well end up 0-0 this one. Both teams have had little moments but no real quality.
 
Has anyone seen Fred's passport? Can we confirm that he is in fact Brazilian because we need the ball to fall to somebody else in and around the box.

Hell of a header from Ronaldo, but he was too lazy to get himself back onside.

Elanga has the beating of their right back but it doesn't matter because his final ball will always let him down.
 
Don’t think the atmosphere has anything to do with the days events it’s always like this for Europa league games.

Why aren’t BT Sport doing any coverage the people who are watching this are clearly interested in this game rather than just watching wall to wall coverage of the queens passing.
 
Eriksen and Dalot off for Bruno and Martinez.

Lindelof has gone to right back
 
Have they changed the handball rule again?
 
Either the premier league are using a different handball rule or the VAR doesn’t know the rule.

That is a shocking decision.

Utd need to put it behind them and focus on getting back In this game.
 
McNeil on for his debut.

Amazed Ronaldo has lasted this long he’s been awful.

Utd as a whole have been very poor tonight not created a single chance just pot shots from 25 yards out.
 
Bad night at the office. The team lacked the intensity we’ve seen of late. A very disjointed performance overall.
 
Well it's official...you can't polish a turd...for anyone getting carried away with league wins, welcome back to planet earth.

No strength in depth, no attacking intent, no intensity.

So lacklustre it's unreal.
 
A lot of rustiness out there tonight. Ronaldo was beyond awful and Casemiro is clearly lacking match practice.

Honestly should have just ripped up Ronaldo’s contract and said goodbye.
 
I don't understand how that was given as handball when it clearly came off his thigh.

Ronaldo is finished. Too many chances fell to him, Fred or Elanga, all of whom were wretched. You saw it at the end with that ball that Sancho failed to connect because he was expecting Ronaldo to get to it.
 
This can happen when you change pretty much the whole team but think questions should be asked about the subs.

Why sub Dalot and not just bring on AWB?
Why did Ronaldo play the full 90 minutes?

The VAR did us out of a point with that ridiculous penalty decision but we were nowhere near good enough to win that game. Still plenty of games to put it right and go through but winning the group is vital to avoid that extra round of matches.

Utd will need to make these points up on the road.

Think the main thing we learned tonight is that Ronaldo should not be starting football matches anymore his legs have totally gone.
 
I'd rather we got this performance out of our system in this competition and not the league.

Hopefully Ten Hag will have learned a few more things - like we desperately need a CF in January - and Casemiro will be edging closer to match fitness.
 

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