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the exile 5:38 Wed Dec 2
Team for Man Utd.

A poor performance against Villa on Monday night. Personally I don't go along with those who say it's three points in the bag so they don't care. We were very lucky and can't expect to keep winning if we play like that. Yes, it's a positive sign if we can keep winning when not playing well, and maybe by some cosmic twist of fate we're making up for years of bad luck. But I would rather not rely on that kind of deranged thinking and I'm quite sure that Moyes won't either. So what's he going to do about it?

Probably not a lot in terms of team selection and formation, but I would certainly hope that a few things have been said and done in training to rectify the situation. I would think the only items for debate will be the inclusion of otherwise of Antonio, Haller, Fornals and Benrahma.

Antonio is a worry. He was well out of it against Villa and I'm not sure if that was down to a lack of fitness or maybe he was just playing within himself - if it was the latter, was he doing that because he was told to or because he felt the need to? The whole thing about Antonio is that being "full-on" in terms of pace and aggression is an essential part of his game - he is a waste of space without it. But of course, that's also why he keeps injuring his hamstring. It's a horrible dilemma. I would be inclined to have him on the bench and bring him on if needed, but only if it can be the full-on Antonio. As for Fornals, I'm torn. I have often stood up for him but I thought he was poor on
Monday - plenty of running, as we have come to expect, but very ineffective. So for me, it's time to start Benrahma, with Fornals or Lanzini standing by if it doesn't work.

Fabianski
Balbuena Ogbonna Cresswell
Coufal Soucek Rice Masuaku
Bowen Haller Benrahma

gph 5:40 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Antonio's often been a bit of a passenger when he's not match-fit, but you have to play him in order to get him match-fit.

The real dilemma is "how long should he be on the pitch?"

Manuel 5:43 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Good post. I think this is the first time for a while where the team doesn't just 'pick itself' Really don't know if he will take the plunge and start with Behrahama, but if he does it may well be in place of Arthur and not Fornals?

But aside from team selection, tactics etc, we simply have to play a lot better than we have in recent weeks.

Vexed 5:47 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

It's Moyes. We won. It'll be the same side and the same changes if we're losing at half time and if no then it'll be the standard 65 mins like for like swaps.

I'd like to see us get Benrahma the ball a bit more when he's on. He's been living off scraps and still managed a couple of assists. Haller is fucking toilet so starting with Antonio is completely justified and then we might have to bring on the lumbering piece of shit Haller when Antonio is knackered.

Will be a tough game.

Glenn Rodent 5:48 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

........................Fabianski......................

....Balbuena....Ogbonna...Cresswell......

....Coufal... Soucek....Rice...Masuaku...

.......Bowen.......Antonio......Fornals.......


Randolph
Diop
Noble
Lanzini
Benrahma
Yarmolenko / Snodgrass
Haller

Glenn Rodent 5:53 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Vexed 5:47 Wed Dec 2

Agreed.

If Antonio is fit, he always starts because Haller doesn't do enough. Moyes doesn't rate Haller. He won't say it publicly, but he doesn't.

Benrahma for me is the impact option we need later in the game. Otherwise, we lack game changers from the bench.

We really do need to strenghen with another midfielder to compete with Rice and Soucek and another left back and forward.

Vexed 5:54 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

What are you seeing in Haller then exile?

You've been putting him in every side for ages and he's been shit in every single game. A big lumbering liability.

Faux Bare 5:56 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Flappy
The Couf...Balbuena...Ogbonna...Cresswell...Masuaku
Lanzini...Soucek...Rice...Fornals
Odubeko

Side of Ham 6:09 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

If Antonio is still not fit leave as before and bring him on last half hour so he can contend with hopefully some knackered 2nd United after us players.....

El Scorchio 6:15 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Stick with the winning formula.

kylay 6:23 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Agree with Exile's team and Side of Ham.

Get Antonio his minutes later in the game when we've made their defence run a bit. Coin flip for me on Benrahma or Fornals starting, but swap one for the other if things need changing.

the exile 6:29 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Vexed

Err, I've had Haller "in every side for ages" because Antonio has been injured - are you so focused on your histrionics that your brain can't keep up? Obviously I would normally choose Antonio over Haller but on Monday they had a half each and Haller looked a good bit more up for it than Antonio. It's very unlike Moyes to make any substitutions at half time - that's how poor Antonio was, so I reckon it'll be Haller that starts.

Stowie.40 6:40 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Can’t stick to that side just cos we won, personally think it’s a myth to just stick with a side cos of that, should go on who your actually playing. Been shit for 3 weeks now, Benrahma in for Fornals and if Antonio is still as rusty then unfortunately Haller plays.

Alex G 6:42 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Man United are a strange team. They normally start a match poorly, then pick up as the game continues. I remember an anecdote about why Solskjaer was such a great impact (but a rather ordinary player when starting) was that he was great at being able to watch defenders and systems and pick out weaknesses. As a manager he can't set up a team in advance, but can react to a match in progress.

To counter this I'd change formation at half time to totally flummox him.

nychammer 7:00 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Get Antonio his minutes later in the game when we've made their defence run a bit.

Yes. That's where I would go with this - Haller and Benhrama should start. Haller has improved some (ok maybe not setting the world alight) but he does have a finish and maybe Benhrama can provide. I'd bring Antonio and Fornals on later in the game to have a run at them if its not working out.

fraser 7:19 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

I'd go with exiles team, doubt Moyes will start Benrahma though.

Vexed 8:14 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Problem is that that fat immobile Haller won't make the defence run so Antonio will likely have less impact coming on late when they've acclimatised to the pace of the game.

Batter them from the off with Antonio running until he can't anymore, then replace hopefully a goal or two up. Yarmalenko up top of he's over his Corona AIDS ahead of the useless Haller.

Jasnik 8:30 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Shame the other thread got deleted my team was Mustard.

DutchCourage 8:32 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

RE: Vexed 8:14 Wed Dec 2

I've heard Haller being called many things, but fat?

Side of Ham 8:35 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Vexed I agree with what you say about Haller compared to the fit Antonio, but an unfit Antonio lumbers about very badly as well and is likely to injure himself. With a tiring team on both sides he will be able to pick his pace and maybe do some constructive work in and about their box, with the odd break away move.

Just more worried about him getting injured again trying to compete with the 2nd of the united's after us energetic starting defenders.

gph 8:37 Wed Dec 2
Re: Team for Man Utd.

Consults "subtle signs of anorexia" website...

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