Europa League 2022/23 - Second Round: Barcelona vs Man Utd ~ Thu 16th Feb 17.45 KO

jsp

jsp

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Feb 15, 2012
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Don't get caught out by the early kick off.

Utd are without the suspended Martinez and Sabitzer, we will hopefully find out in the next few days if McTominay, Anthony or Martial are fit to return having missed the last few games.

DDG

AWB Varane Shaw Malacia

Casemiro Fred

Sancho Bruno Rashford

Weghorst

Barcelona made a real mess of their group in Europe but thanks to a real quirk of the draw they were given an absolutely brutal group and a slip up at home to Inter saw them go out. They are flying in La Liga this season miles clear up the top.

For them I think Dembele is out and Busquets may also miss the game.

Hopefully it's a good game and all still to play for in the second leg.
 
Doubt we'll see Shaw at LCB as Barca will pass around him for fun, and Sancho on the right is a waste of time.
 
I think that will be the team

However I think rumour is Antony might be fit so I'd drop out Weghorst, put Rashford through the middle and attack at pace.
 
If that's the team we'll get beat, but i've already predicted we'll lose the first-leg 2-1 so it might be good enough.

Glad there's no away goals rule any more.
 
Just can't see him starting Maguire or Lindelof at centre back ahead of Shaw.

When Martinez is out it always seems to be Shaw who plays.

I suspect he'll want Bruno playing deeper in more of a 3 to try and stop the Barca pressing game.

Rashford on the left I think is critical he's got to get in that space behind Kounde quickly as we'll likely be looking to hit quickly on the break.
 
EtH might play Casemiro at the back alongside Varane, and pair Fred and Mainoo in midfield, or he might go 3-5-2. Be interesting to see which way he goes. But if neither Maguire or Lindelof start, and he goes for Shaw can see them both handing in transfer requests soon after. To much cheering no doubt.
 
I'd go for:

DE GEA
LINDELOF VARANE MAGUIRE
DALOT CASEMIRO FRED SHAW
PELLISTRI RASHFORD SANCHO
​
And no doubt i'd change my mind again in 10 minutes, and put Bruno in for Pellistri, and play 4-2-3-1 with Weghorst leading the line, money apart, who'd be a Manager!?
 
He might play Sancho as the number 10 with Bruno out to the right try and give him an extra man in midfield out of possession they could become a bit of a diamond.

Barca are normally a pretty narrow side the wide players Gavi and Raphinha both like to come inside so I suspect he'll want the team to be very congested in the middle of the park. The danger with that is with a striker like Lewendowski you don't really want to be letting loads of crosses into your box as that's his bread and butter.
 
4,100 United fans in Barca on Thursday. Lucky bast*rds. Don't forget the Acetazolamide and binoculars guys.
 
If it's true that Barca are so concerned about Marcus Rashford that they will task Uruguayan Ronald Araujo with following him everywhere on Thursday we should maybe consider leaving Rashford on the bench, or back in Manchester.
 
Justin Cider said:
If it's true that Barca are so concerned about Marcus Rashford that they will task Uruguayan Ronald Araujo with following him everywhere on Thursday we should maybe consider leaving Rashford on the bench, or back in Manchester.
Click to expand...
Seriously? You would leave our best player at home just because he might be man marked? You’ve got to trust a player to overcome that type of close attention and he will probably see that a lot more now he’s really upping his game.

For me, we aren’t winning that match without him.
 
SuperRash said:
Seriously? You would leave our best player at home just because he might be man marked? You’ve got to trust a player to overcome that type of close attention and he will probably see that a lot more now he’s really upping his game.

For me, we aren’t winning that match without him.
Click to expand...

No I'd leave him on the bench, and we don't have to win the match, just avoid getting thumped.
 
Mash with Barca's heads by leaving Rashford on the bench resting up for the 2nd leg and League Cup final.

Stink the place out if need be, take a draw, then go at them at home.

DE GEA
AWB VARANE MAGUIRE MALACIA
MAINOO CASEMIRO FRED
PELLISTRI WEGHORST ELANGA​
 
Our two quickest cleanest tackling fullbacks, our two best not one-footed with the best passing range central-defenders, our three most mobile dogs of war in midfield, our best target-man, and our two quickest most direct disciplined wingers, and some Spanish dude in goal.

Barcelona, you have been warned!
 
Or

A CB who is a liabilty
A 17 year old who's played about 60 mins and never in Europe
3 forwards with no goals

While leaving Bruno, Rashford, Sancho, Garnacho, Antony and Shaw on the bench.

Stick to fantasy football
 
Justin Cider said:
Mash with Barca's heads by leaving Rashford on the bench resting up for the 2nd leg and League Cup final.

Stink the place out if need be, take a draw, then go at them at home.

DE GEA
AWB VARANE MAGUIRE MALACIA
MAINOO CASEMIRO FRED
PELLISTRI WEGHORST ELANGA​
Click to expand...
The isn’t a Carabao Cup game vs Leyton Orient y’know! This team would get royally spanked.
 
Mr C said:
Or

A CB who is a liabilty
A 17 year old who's played about 60 mins and never in Europe
3 forwards with no goals

While leaving Bruno, Rashford, Sancho, Garnacho, Antony and Shaw on the bench.

Stick to fantasy football
Click to expand...

England's best CB you mean?
And? Much slower pace, EtH is gonna have to test him soon. And knowing how the kid thinks the Nou Camp would be his stage.
It's more about stopping their defence bringing the ball out than scoring goals. We do that at full strength at home.

Antony is not even there, and EtH is gonna have to rest Bruno and Rashford soon or he'll burn them out. Ole was criticised for it!

Nah after early successes i'm not very good at fantasy. But thanks for the advice.
 
Justin Cider said:
Really!?

We go full-strength we might get spanked, whether the Royal family are watching or not.
Click to expand...
I mean if you don’t get that we would be better off playing full strength instead of a cobbled together team, then you are definitely on the wind up.
 
SuperRash said:
I mean if you don’t get that we would be better off playing full strength instead of a cobbled together team, then you are definitely on the wind up.
Click to expand...

Normally, well yeah, but it's the one match out of the next four we don't need to win - bigger picture
 

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