Premier League 2021/22 - Wolves vs Man Utd Sun 29th Aug 4.30 KO

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Kick off time back in so we can all remember to avoid the vegan markets.

First game of the season I'll actually sit down and watch the 90 minutes in full.

I guess the only injury news for Utd will be the fitness of McTominay who was unable to start the last game but he did come on as a sub so you assume he's ok.

I'd expect for this one we will see Varane start and hopefully Sancho and probably see Cavani return to the bench.

In terms of the opponent I haven't see them under the new manager but have heard they've been creating a lot of chances under him so it might be a slightly different challenge to the one we previously had against them which was breaking them down. Jimenez is back fit and he's a striker we've often struggled to handle and there will be the usual challenge of controlling Adama Traore.

Predicted XI

DDG

AWB Varane Maguire Shaw

McTominay Fred

Sancho Bruno Pogba

Greenwood.

For Utd it feels like a win is really needed here to go into the international break 7 points for 9 is probably the mimimum we should have expected from the opening 3 games if we go in with only 4 or 5 it will feel like another deflating start to the season.
 
Kick off time back in so we can all remember to avoid the vegan markets
:D

It's a must win.

That team you've picked should be it. Although judging the first two games Maguire will be lucky to get picked above Lindelof.

Also, I'd like to see DVDB start, he had a good pre season. If he doesn't play him soon then we might as well sell him. Poor lad hasn't even really been given a chance. I don't think that's been good management by Ole either, it's not like we are blessed with talent in that area.
 
Just can't see VDB starting but who knows not sure what you've heard about him in pre season but I didn't hear about him doing much to stand out in any of the game and I'd have absolutely not issue if the club sold him before the deadline.
 
I'd like to see:

-------------DeGea------------
AWB--Lindelof--Varane--Shaw
----McTominay---VDB-------
Sancho-----Bruno-----Pogba
----------Greenwood----------

But I think Fred, Martial, and Maguire will start. I'm not sure what Ole's view on form is because he is trying to get players into form, but he's chasing the dragon on a few choices.

Lindelof has been doing very well this season while Maguire looked ragged against Southampton. If he drops his in-form defender (Lindelof) in favor of his flailing defender (Maguire) to integrate the new boy, that would be counter-intuitive.

Same with Greenwood and Martial. Greenwood is thriving up there and Martial is lost.
Same with Fred and VDB. VDB has to be in contention for starting games or we should cut our losses and sell this window.
 
I don't think the centre back thing is about form he needs to put his first choice pair out on the pitch and get them playing together as soon as possible. Maguire has had a couple of rusty games but we all know he's miles better than Lindelof and he's also the captain so he's not going to drop him.
 
Maguire will start every league and champions League game if fit. That debate should be over by now even if Lindelof as had a decent two games.

I hope he just goes strongest 11 and puts Sancho, Varane and Cavani in the side. I'd still want to go with Pogba in a 2. But I know others don't.

So the key question becomes Pogba or Greenwood on the left.
 
I wouldn't start Cavani to be honest if we're backing Greenwood then I think 2 in 2 means he starts and Pogba who's got 5 assists from the left stays on the left.
 
McTominay is out gone for surgery on a groin problem.

Big decision to be made in midfield now does this force him to attempt the 3 man midfield option and use VDB/Bruno either side of Fred.
 
After being good against Leeds, poorer against Soton, I wouldn't be surprised if we failed to tip up at all at Wolves. Think we are going to lose this one
 
McTominay is out gone for surgery on a groin problem.

Big decision to be made in midfield now does this force him to attempt the 3 man midfield option and use VDB/Bruno either side of Fred.
when did he get injured - is this another case of the club thinking the injury would magically go away al by itself as per Rashford?
 
when did he get injured - is this another case of the club thinking the injury would magically go away al by itself as per Rashford?

Not sure my guess would be Leeds, they've tried playing on it against Southampton and realised he can't do it so they'll have to go for surgery.

If it was something from pre season you'd think they'd have sent him off for surgery to reduce the number of games he'd miss.
 
Maybe that'll be the kick we need to go and get a CM.

If he's undergone surgury you'd imagine he's out a while.

Just seen his insta post. Sounds like he's been managing the injury for a while and will only miss the Wolves game and the international break. Other reports are 6-8 weeks.
 
Well lets hope it's just the one game as we're so short in the midfield.
 
Think it’s worth a shot putting Pogba or VDB in the two alongside Fred. Not sure I want to see another game of Matic struggling. At this point I am leaning towards wanting us to just blood Mejbri.
 
Not sure my guess would be Leeds, they've tried playing on it against Southampton and realised he can't do it so they'll have to go for surgery.

If it was something from pre season you'd think they'd have sent him off for surgery to reduce the number of games he'd miss.
well they screwed around with rashford for the best part of a year so they have a track record of getting it wrong... so much wrong with the club right now
 
well they screwed around with rashford for the best part of a year so they have a track record of getting it wrong... so much wrong with the club right now

I think a lot of top players play with injuries it's part of the job and it's something you just have to learn to manage because if you want to play pain free every week you probably won't play a lot of matches.

Let's hope this one is just a case of McTominay missing one game if it is then it's hard to argue that it's been timed badly as most of the rehab happens over an international break and with an injury there's probably a fine line between I can play on with it to actually I can't.

These issues become a bigger problem when your squad is short when Rashford got hurt last season there was no Sancho, Lingard was out on loan and Martial was also injured so they probably had to patch up Rashford and try to make the best of it which we know didn't really work out for anyone.

McTominay getting injured shouldn't be the end of the world but it feels like it because we have so few options in midfield that we know can be effective. Without McTominay it's either Matic/Pogba/VDB alongside Fred which isn't something I particularly fancy seeing.
 
I think a lot of top players play with injuries it's part of the job and it's something you just have to learn to manage because if you want to play pain free every week you probably won't play a lot of matches.

Let's hope this one is just a case of McTominay missing one game if it is then it's hard to argue that it's been timed badly as most of the rehab happens over an international break and with an injury there's probably a fine line between I can play on with it to actually I can't.

These issues become a bigger problem when your squad is short when Rashford got hurt last season there was no Sancho, Lingard was out on loan and Martial was also injured so they probably had to patch up Rashford and try to make the best of it which we know didn't really work out for anyone.

McTominay getting injured shouldn't be the end of the world but it feels like it because we have so few options in midfield that we know can be effective. Without McTominay it's either Matic/Pogba/VDB alongside Fred which isn't something I particularly fancy seeing.
think we will be very lucky if it's one game... more likely to be one month
 
I guess we wait and see.

Ole pre game press conference confirmed McTominay, Henderson, Telles and Rashford all out with injury the rest of the squad are fit and ready to select.

He did suggest that Sancho wasn't used in the early games due to illness which left him a bit behind where he needs to be fitness wise.
 
Can AWB play RWB though? And then what formation do you play ahead of them? 3-4-3?

Where does Bruno play?
Where does Sancho play?

Just bench Lindelof and stick with the back 4 back 3’s only work if you’ve got specialist wing backs which we don’t.
 
Maguire will start every league and champions League game if fit. That debate should be over by now even if Lindelof as had a decent two games.

I hope he just goes strongest 11 and puts Sancho, Varane and Cavani in the side. I'd still want to go with Pogba in a 2. But I know others don't.

So the key question becomes Pogba or Greenwood on the left.
Pogba
 
Think it’s worth a shot putting Pogba or VDB in the two alongside Fred. Not sure I want to see another game of Matic struggling. At this point I am leaning towards wanting us to just blood Mejbri.
Yes. He will at least show glimpses of the great player he will become, while Matic will only show us glimpses of the great player he was.
 
Maguire will start every league and champions League game if fit. That debate should be over by now even if Lindelof as had a decent two games.

I hope he just goes strongest 11 and puts Sancho, Varane and Cavani in the side. I'd still want to go with Pogba in a 2. But I know others don't.

So the key question becomes Pogba or Greenwood on the left.
Oh, I agree. Varane is here to take over from Lindelof, no question. The question for me is, is it a rotation or straight replacement, regardless of form.
 
Where does Bruno play?
Where does Sancho play?

Just bench Lindelof and stick with the back 4 back 3’s only work if you’ve got specialist wing backs which we don’t.
Kind of what i asked just in a different way bud. I guess they could go 3 4 3 with no wing backs? Still not sure how that would work.
 
Yes. He will at least show glimpses of the great player he will become, while Matic will only show us glimpses of the great player he was.
Amazing that Ole said in the press conference that Matic and lingard were are best players pre season - if so, it could be a long hard winter :eek:
 
Pre season was largely second and third string players. They were the best players in pre season but that does not make them starters with a full first team squad available. Must admit though I really want them to go all in and get a centre midfield player in this window.
 
Pre season was largely second and third string players. They were the best players in pre season but that does not make them starters with a full first team squad available. Must admit though I really want them to go all in and get a centre midfield player in this window.
only telling you what Ole said - and then he went ahead and picked them...
 
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