Manchester United F.C. vs. Fulham F.C.

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Cal? said:
It is not when you see Mata stuck on the right wing and Young being played on the other side ahead of Januzaj or Kagawa. Moyes stated his aim in the post match interview, getting to the byline. That's what the likes of Young/Valencia are good for and why they're playing most the time.
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That's not really the fault of the formation though. Whether Young and Valencia start in a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, their roles on the wing are still the same because running and crossing is all they seem capable of, and even that's a stretch. Neither have the skillset to play a David Silva-like role out wide, so I predict neither are instructed to play as such.

4-4-2 isn't the problem. If we had the midfield to support it, I'd love us to play a proper 4-4-2 with two all out strikers high up the pitch and wide midfielders tucking in and supporting the link between midfield and attack. Our midfield just isn't robust enough, regardless of who plays ahead of them.

I don't see an issue with Mata on the right either. Just like when Kagawa or Januzaj play on the left, they will float and switch with other players in the front four. If we can nail that fluidity between RVP, Rooney, Mata and Januzaj (or Kagawa), then we'll be lethal. So long as the right balance of players are on the pitch, the formation doesn't matter much.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
That's not really the fault of the formation though. Whether Young and Valencia start in a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, their roles on the wing are still the same because running and crossing is all they seem capable of, and even that's a stretch. Neither have the skillset to play a David Silva-like role out wide, so I predict neither are instructed to play as such.

4-4-2 isn't the problem. If we had the midfield to support it, I'd love us to play a proper 4-4-2 with two all out strikers high up the pitch and wide midfielders tucking in and supporting the link between midfield and attack. Our midfield just isn't robust enough, regardless of who plays ahead of them.

I don't see an issue with Mata on the right either. Just like when Kagawa or Januzaj play on the left, they will float and switch with other players in the front four. If we can nail that fluidity between RVP, Rooney, Mata and Januzaj (or Kagawa), then we'll be lethal. So long as the right balance of players are on the pitch, the formation doesn't matter much.
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4-4-2 isn't the problem, but the way Moyes plays the 4-4-2 is. In 2 seasons at Chelsea (and I have watch many of their games), I have never seen Mata stay as wide, as close to the touchline as he did in the 1st half at Stoke.

This can only be due to Moyes telling him to play like that.
 
I think some fans have not seen Mata on a regular basis before he joined. Mata has played many, many games for Valenica and Chelsea on the wing. His Natural/first position was as a left winger and that's why he has Giggs as his idol. Just like Silva playes on the left for City, Mata can and will be great for us on the wing. The new breed of wingers is often the playmaker/number 10 player, or at least one of them. I like it that we have wingers that has ability in possession to hold onto the ball and dictate the game. They are so versatile they are just as good going in field and can combine and interact with other players just as a traditional number 10, it's the future.
 
--------------De Gea--------------
Rafael---Smalling-----Vidic-----Evra
---------Carrick----Fletcher--------
Mata---------Rooney--------Januzaj
------------van Persie--------------

Nothing else, please! Considering Januzaj is now very well rested, any other line up (bar a change to the back-line depending on Jones & Evans) surely cannot be justified? For this game, there really is no excuse for Young or Valencia to start. None at all. Play the best XI for once.
 
It's a week away, so plenty of time for RVP to pick up a training injury. Likewise Vidic.
Cleverley to tweet he has been average and looking to improve (that will see him start again).
Rooney's future to be banded across the tabloids, probably to go to City.
By match day we will start with Young and Valencia.
We will lose to a fluke goal but yet again fail to score enough to win it.
Moyes will say we played well.
Caf goes into meltdown v19.
Moyes takes training on the following day, still smiling like the cat who got the cream.
 
soapythecat said:
It's a week away, so plenty of time for RVP to pick up a training injury. Likewise Vidic.
Cleverley to tweet he has been average and looking to improve (that will see him start again).
Rooney's future to be banded across the tabloids, probably to go to City.
By match day we will start with Young and Valencia.
We will lose to a fluke goal but yet again fail to score enough to win it.
Moyes will say we played well.
Caf goes into meltdown v19.
Moyes takes training on the following day, still smiling like the cat who got the cream.
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:lol:
 
My team:

De Gea
Rafael---Smalling---Vidic===Evra
Carrick---Fletcher
Kagawa---Rooney---Mata
RVP
​
Basically the same side and formation I wanted against Stoke, but with Evans injured then Vidic would be my choice over Rio (I think both are fit). TBH I'd also be happy with Januzaj in for Kagawa but I feel Shinji needs the game more than Adnan in terms of finding his place in the side.

I'd also keep Giggsy ready to come on and hopefully grab his league goal since he's running out of time to keep that tradition going (14 games left - including City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle where I doubt Giggs will be involved at all). Sentimental I know, but in this season of all seasons I'd like to at least keep this tradition alive. That said of course I wouldn't want him involved unless we were comfortable, which never seems likely any more.

In reality I think Valencia will come back in but will Young then lose his place? Valencia spending two games in a row on the bench seems unlikely. You'd think Mata, Rooney and RVP are locks to start, but maybe Moyes will rotate ahead of the Arsenal game and thereby create space for both Young and Valencia to start?
 
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Antisocial said:
My team:

De Gea
Rafael---Smalling---Vidic===Evra
Carrick---Fletcher
Kagawa---Rooney---Mata
RVP
​
Basically the same side and formation I wanted against Stoke, but with Evans injured then Vidic would be my choice over Rio (I think both are fit). TBH I'd also be happy with Januzaj in for Kagawa but I feel Shinji needs the game more than Adnan in terms of finding his place in the side.

I'd also keep Giggsy ready to come on and hopefully grab his league goal since he's running out of time to keep that tradition going (14 games left - including City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle where I doubt Giggs will be involved at all). Sentimental I know, but in this season of all seasons I'd like to at least keep this tradition alive. That said of course I wouldn't want him involved unless we were comfortable, which never seems likely any more.

In reality I think Valencia will come back in but will Young then lose his place? Valencia spending two games in a row on the bench seems unlikely. You'd think Mata, Rooney and RVP are locks to start, but maybe Moyes will rotate ahead of the Arsenal game and thereby create space for both Young and Valencia to start?
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This would be a good lineup.
 
de Gea
Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra
Carrick Fletcher
Rooney
Mata Januzaj
RvP​

Please? Would be happy with Kagawa replacing Januzaj, but please just play our magic four in a diamond and let them do what they want. You're playing two holding midfielders and have Rooney able to drop in and out of midfield when needed, so let the full backs bomb on. We're also playing Fulham and they're shit, come on Moyes.

The reality is though, that Valencia comes back in over someone. It's hard to see who he'd replace when Januzaj has had two games rest, but it'll still probably instead of him.
 
If we manage to take the field without Valencia and Young, I fancy our chances. However, if one of them plays, I expect us to fall back into the way we have played so often this season and can't see us creating nearly enough of what we should be doing at home against Fulham.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
The difference between 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 is negligible.

Our wingers will always play very high up the pitch when we have the ball, and we rarely ever play with two all-out strikers. Rooney will nearly always drop deep and link midfield and attack. We just don't have the midfield support to allow Rooney and RVP to both play as advanced strikers.
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I think we've been playing 4231 for a long time, we've never kept two dedicated strikers at the top of the formation consistently, as you say it's usually Rooney 'dropping deep' and thus not being the traditional 442 striker.
 
hp88 said:
Atmosphere will be great, it will give the players a lift as well.
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Usually those type of games it actually seems to have the opposite effect. Look when City beat us on a Munich anniversary. The singing section will be good though.
 
There is no way we can lose to this sack of shit.

Play a front 4 of Januzaj, Mata, Rooney and RVP - Put Carrick and Fletcher in behind. Ban our defenders from ever playing a ball over 10 yards. Ban any crosses that are put in from outside the area - the only crosses that are permitted can come from inside the box in the form of an accurate cut-back. Ban any of our players who aren't our front 4 from taking more than 2 touches. Tell Carrick and Fletcher their main duty is to defend/break-up play and distribute the ball quickly to our attackers. Win Game. Smile.
 
-------- de gea ---------
rafael smalling jones evra
---- fletcher - fellaini ---
mata -- rooney -- januzaj
------- van persie ------

Wouldn't mind seeing this. Young and Valencia should be nowhere near the team anymore.
 
fulham? more like fulpoints to them.

i'm wasted on here when i could be lighting up vast concert arenas with literally tens of people inside. some of them won't even be stewards.
 
gooDevil said:
I think we've been playing 4231 for a long time, we've never kept two dedicated strikers at the top of the formation consistently, as you say it's usually Rooney 'dropping deep' and thus not being the traditional 442 striker.
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Yeah I'd say that's about right. I can't think of many times we've played with two all-out strikers. Perhaps 10/11, when Rooney was injured and we had Berbatov and Hernandez up front. Even then Berbatov played deep a fair bit, but that may have been because he hated running back to position rather than him being an esteemed playmaker.
 
Sky1981 said:
We all come up with wank material lineup, mata januzaj kagawa rooney rvp, but in truth, it'll probably the same young + valencia lumping it forward
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Yup. I've given up being excited doing these lineups. I'm also not excited about our official lineups before they come out anymore, because no matter who we put we will still play a crap formation and style.
 
The ironic thing is that we're crying out for some stability in team selection and to stop changing the line up every week; but at the same time most of us seem to agree that we're playing the wrong players. It only adds to the frustration.
 
I honestly think we will thump Fulham by about 4 - 0 and it will take the pressure of Moyes big time........If we somehow didn't get 3 points in this match then there should be riots outside Old Trafford to get Moyes sacked but I really think we will cruise in this one
 
Ringo 07 said:
I honestly think we will thump Fulham by about 4 - 0 and it will take the pressure of Moyes big time........If we somehow didn't get 3 points in this match then there should be riots outside Old Trafford to get Moyes sacked but I really think we will cruise in this one
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I dunno. I think we'll win, maybe 2-0, but I don't think we'll be all that convincing.
 
Cantona'sCollar said:
--------------De Gea--------------
Rafael---Smalling-----Vidic-----Evra
---------Carrick----Fletcher--------
Mata---------Rooney--------Januzaj
------------van Persie--------------

Nothing else, please! Considering Januzaj is now very well rested, any other line up (bar a change to the back-line depending on Jones & Evans) surely cannot be justified? For this game, there really is no excuse for Young or Valencia to start. None at all. Play the best XI for once.
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This or a version of it with perhaps Kagawa in the 3, if Adnan is not ready, if i see Valencia and or Young I am hanging up my pro Moyes boots. If I see any form of 4-4-2 get it wide smack it at the nearest defender he can F UCK right off.
 
De Gea
Rafael--Smalling--Vidic--Evra
Carrick--Fletcher
Mata--Rooney--Januzaj
van Persie

Subs: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Fellaini, Valencia/Kagawa, Young, Hernandez, Welbeck

We should win this one... if we don't, I wouldn't be against a Moyes sacking.
 
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