Was our 5-5 draw there last year a sign of things to come this season??
West Bromwich Albion vs. Manchester United
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Nah. It was more of an exhibition game than a competitive match.
A collision of two limp penises, that's what this match is, nobody wins, not the fans, not the viewers, it's going to be terrible, that's the only thing that can be guaranteed.
Don't think so. Valencia and Young will be rested for Olympiakos.
Hopefully there will be a positive response after the Olympiakos game.
By the way this game doesn't seem to be on Canadian TV next weekend, anyone in Canada know anything about that?
By the way this game doesn't seem to be on Canadian TV next weekend, anyone in Canada know anything about that?
The game's on TSN, which sucks as I don't have TSN. Stupid Sportsnet have rarely shown any Man. Utd. games,this season. I've had a difficult time watching matches from the TV.
Yes!!! Come on!!! Let's smash these tossers!!!!!!
2-1 to West Brom
2-1 to West Brom
Thanks.
Just had a look at TSN's schedule. I see the Liverpool game is on TSN2 and the City game is on TSN. Lucky TSN and TSN2 is part of my TV package, but I am paying $15 a month for Sportsnet World and never seem to watch it as there are better live Premier games on other channels.
Some combination of Gea, Silva, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Jones, Fellaini, Januzaj, Mata, Rooney, Persie, Welbeck, Nani.
Carrick, Kagawa, Hernandez, Lindegaard as backup.
I've no idea whether all these players will be fit or whether they would be any good with Moyes's tactics but these are the guys I want to see playing for the shirt now and next season.
Carrick, Kagawa, Hernandez, Lindegaard as backup.
I've no idea whether all these players will be fit or whether they would be any good with Moyes's tactics but these are the guys I want to see playing for the shirt now and next season.
I reckon we'll pick a good team, put in a performance that'll be considered relatively promising and win.
This will add to the frustration when we then revert to a poor team against Olympiacos. We'll win that game anyway with a limp performance but it won't be enough to get us through the tie.
Afterwards Moyes will say it's not good enough but we could easily have gone through and were a bit unlucky. He'll also point to the fact that Mata wasn't eligible.
Hopefully I'm wrong and we'll see real change. Even if we don't though I still see wins ahead.
This will add to the frustration when we then revert to a poor team against Olympiacos. We'll win that game anyway with a limp performance but it won't be enough to get us through the tie.
Afterwards Moyes will say it's not good enough but we could easily have gone through and were a bit unlucky. He'll also point to the fact that Mata wasn't eligible.
Hopefully I'm wrong and we'll see real change. Even if we don't though I still see wins ahead.
We should beat them, Pepe Mel is still finding his feet and having trouble, and I think it'll Moyes will be looking to show a reaction to the CL loss.
3-1 win to United.
3-1 win to United.
For sure, Mata will return for this match as Moyes will be desperate to have someone with more creativity and adventure in them than Valencia and Young. I have a feeling Januzaj will come back, too. Given that we've had a 1.5-week break, Rooney and van Persie will definitely start. In midfield, expect Carrick and Fellaini, again.
Things are looking better at defence. Rafael and Evans, both, will return in time for the West Brom match. Jones, however, will return next week. Expect Evra to start again and put in a good performance after this lengthy rest.
Given how West Brom have done, so far, and how the players have reacted to Pepe Mel's methods and ideologies, I actually think that we have a decent chance of winning this. Pepe Mel can't seem to get his players to play his football. Our team should take advantage of this opportunity and get back on track in the league, at least.
Moyes should look at how we did against Crystal Palace and look to approach West Brom in a similar manner. I'm sure that, in order to get a result against Man. Utd., Pepe Mel will do all he can to get the players on his side just for this match. Expect West Brom to sit back and absorb pressure from us when we have the ball. I have a feeling Pepe Mel will set West Brom up to counter-attack us just to exploit our defensively-weak midfield. We should take advantage of this and keep West Brom pegged back. It won't be easy, however. A midfield of Mulumbu and Yacob is hard to get through if we are to play a simple, rigid setup. If we play like we did against Crystal Palace, albeit with more penetration, I think we'll stand a better chance of winning West Brom.
Things are looking better at defence. Rafael and Evans, both, will return in time for the West Brom match. Jones, however, will return next week. Expect Evra to start again and put in a good performance after this lengthy rest.
Given how West Brom have done, so far, and how the players have reacted to Pepe Mel's methods and ideologies, I actually think that we have a decent chance of winning this. Pepe Mel can't seem to get his players to play his football. Our team should take advantage of this opportunity and get back on track in the league, at least.
Moyes should look at how we did against Crystal Palace and look to approach West Brom in a similar manner. I'm sure that, in order to get a result against Man. Utd., Pepe Mel will do all he can to get the players on his side just for this match. Expect West Brom to sit back and absorb pressure from us when we have the ball. I have a feeling Pepe Mel will set West Brom up to counter-attack us just to exploit our defensively-weak midfield. We should take advantage of this and keep West Brom pegged back. It won't be easy, however. A midfield of Mulumbu and Yacob is hard to get through if we are to play a simple, rigid setup. If we play like we did against Crystal Palace, albeit with more penetration, I think we'll stand a better chance of winning West Brom.
Pretty much this
Can't see us winning. WBA have not won under their new manager yet from memory, there is no doubt they will get it over Moyes. Can read the headlines already.
Not pretty much this, EXACTLY this.
What's the experience like in the united end? (for an away game)
To the people not caring because the 'season is a write off' and whatever else, that's some spoiled bullshit.
Loss or draw.
WBA 2 United 1
WBA will score first in the first 15 mins. We will equalise within 15 mins of the second half. WBA will score the winner two minutes into injury time.
Moyes will say we were very unlucky, played some good football, RVP had a couple of good chances that he would have taken on another day, we'll keep working on what we are doing etc etc
WBA will score first in the first 15 mins. We will equalise within 15 mins of the second half. WBA will score the winner two minutes into injury time.
Moyes will say we were very unlucky, played some good football, RVP had a couple of good chances that he would have taken on another day, we'll keep working on what we are doing etc etc
I'd perhaps quite like to see a centre pairing of Jones & Kagawa, I realise at first sight, most would baulk at the thought, and understandably, but lets think for a moment about their biggest problems (that I've noticed). With Kagawa it's his ability to drift in and out of games, his talent isn't in question, merely how much he gets involved. With that being said, putting him into the centre of the park would eliminate the need for him to try and be involved as he would see a lot more of the ball and dictate our play. However, tactically I wouldn't trust Kagawa to get back as when the play builds up, he'd have to commit, not always allowing for him to get back, hence the need for Jones. Jones isn't this tackling midfielder (Blossomed by the idea he's a CB playing in midfield), what he is, is an outlet, someone who can do all running, the energy, the pressing... I think he'd compliment Kagawa perfectly, not so much 1 defender + 1 attacker = balance, but more the guile and finesse of Kagawa, backed up by the raw power/energy from Jones to cover/track/press and mark.
Against bigger opposition, where we opt to play a 3 man midfield, I see no reason to mess about either as IMO I would then add Carrick, which I know will raise eyebrows. I'm not saying Carrick isn't one of our best midfielders, as clearly he is. However, for me, his mobility means it can't be Carrick plus one, it needs to be Carrick plus two due to our centre pairings unfortunately. I'd love to see this given a go.
Against bigger opposition, where we opt to play a 3 man midfield, I see no reason to mess about either as IMO I would then add Carrick, which I know will raise eyebrows. I'm not saying Carrick isn't one of our best midfielders, as clearly he is. However, for me, his mobility means it can't be Carrick plus one, it needs to be Carrick plus two due to our centre pairings unfortunately. I'd love to see this given a go.
No Chicharito for this game i reckon
He'll play for Mexico against Nigeria in Atlanta (1.30 UK time)
It's a disgrace that the game is in the USA......it should be in London
He'll play for Mexico against Nigeria in Atlanta (1.30 UK time)
It's a disgrace that the game is in the USA......it should be in London
Why would Mexico vs Nigeria be in the UK?
Why is the game in Atlanta? Why not in Mexico City?
But it's in Atlanta....so a neutral venue
So many players from both squads (18 players of the Nigeria squad and 10 players of the Mexico squad are playing in europe) must fly for one game to Atlanta
Just for the game......there isn't enough time for a good training session
A lot of these players can't play for their clubs on the weekend
If the match would be in London or Berlin or Madrid or Milan.......both teams could have 2-3 good training sessions and the players could back in time for their clubs (The clubs are paying the players so the FA's from both countries should make it possible that all players are available for their clubs on the weekend)
But it's in Atlanta....so a neutral venue
So many players from both squads (18 players of the Nigeria squad and 10 players of the Mexico squad are playing in europe) must fly for one game to Atlanta
Just for the game......there isn't enough time for a good training session
A lot of these players can't play for their clubs on the weekend
If the match would be in London or Berlin or Madrid or Milan.......both teams could have 2-3 good training sessions and the players could back in time for their clubs (The clubs are paying the players so the FA's from both countries should make it possible that all players are available for their clubs on the weekend)
What a fascinating test for Moyes.
The team he put out at Olympiakos showed exactly where his heart lies and how he wants to play football. However it backfired in a pretty spectacular way, with what many believe to be the worst European performance by United since the early 90s, maybe ever.
Will that make him think again and go back to the 4-2-3-1 that worked with modest success against Palace? Or will he double down on his caution and go for another 4-4-1-1 approach?
The return of Mata, surely, will swing it in favour of going 4-2-3-1. But Moyes is under pressure, and when you're under pressure you're less likely to gamble (unless your Fergie, when you're more likely).
The team he put out at Olympiakos showed exactly where his heart lies and how he wants to play football. However it backfired in a pretty spectacular way, with what many believe to be the worst European performance by United since the early 90s, maybe ever.
Will that make him think again and go back to the 4-2-3-1 that worked with modest success against Palace? Or will he double down on his caution and go for another 4-4-1-1 approach?
The return of Mata, surely, will swing it in favour of going 4-2-3-1. But Moyes is under pressure, and when you're under pressure you're less likely to gamble (unless your Fergie, when you're more likely).
I'm assuming that Van Persie, Rooney and Mata will play. After the abortion of a team selection against Olympiakos, I think he'll bring Januzaj back in, possibly even Welbeck out wide given that Moyes likes that kind of endeavour.
If Rafa is back then he'll probably slide back into defence with Smalling alongside Vidic. Carrick, Fellaini and Fletcher will take up two of the central midfield places.
No matter who we pick we'll see much of the same nonsense. We're at the stage now where team selections just don't matter anymore. Problems are deeper rooted.
If Rafa is back then he'll probably slide back into defence with Smalling alongside Vidic. Carrick, Fellaini and Fletcher will take up two of the central midfield places.
No matter who we pick we'll see much of the same nonsense. We're at the stage now where team selections just don't matter anymore. Problems are deeper rooted.
I know what you mean but I disagree to the extent that when I saw the team selection last Tuesday I groaned and there was a sense of inevitability about what came next that many, many people have spoken about. So team selections do matter.
I actually think we will go back and play a similar team we did against Palace because it seems like the sensible thing to do and I live in hope that Moyes is a sensible man.
Don't get me wrong, Valencia and Young is a different ball game to Mata and Januzaj, certainly.
I'm just not expecting to see any sudden shift in performance, which I find sad.Under much of Sir Alex's reign we could lose games, but more often than not it was simply because of a bad day at the office. You just knew we'd come back the next week and play excellently, and we would. Right now, a scrappy win would be a great result.
I don't really get your thinking on that one. How have you concluded that our line up in one game is definitely what Moyes wants going forward? Why not his set up from the game before or any other game? That's just pure doom and gloom guesswork.
And you talk as though Mata has been forced upon him and he'll have to change his system to accomodate him. He signed Mata! Surely that's evidence that he doesn't want to play a system such as the one against Olympiakos, in the future.
You haven't mentioned getting to the byline 8 or 9 times...
This is merely an appetiser to the 3 huge home games in 10 days that could well make or break Moyes's time here.
Throw in an awkward West Ham away within that 10 days, and it really is a mad bit of scheduling, when we've had a couple of free weekends recently!
Throw in an awkward West Ham away within that 10 days, and it really is a mad bit of scheduling, when we've had a couple of free weekends recently!
Not sure I follow you. He's played 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 all season bar one game (and a couple of occasions when we were chasing the game late on, such as Stoke at home and Olympiakos). I think its fair at this point to say that its his default formation.
Whats interesting is that in the one game when he did play 4-2-3-1 we looked a lot better for it. But then in the very next game he switched back.
That to me suggests for some reason he's not comfortable with a 4-2-3-1, at least not when the stakes are high. Sure we didn't have Mata available in Europe, but he could easily have swapped in Kagawa, Januzaj or Wellbeck. No-one in their right minds could possibly believe that Young deserves a start ahead of those three? He's been diabolical this year, one of our worst players - yet he started. No, he moved back to 4-4-2 because its what he knows best.
As for Mata, the fact that three of his four starts (vs Stoke, Fulham and Arsenal) he started out wide in a 4-4-2, despite it wasting many of his qualities, shows that for Moyes the system is more important than the players.
Or to put it more simply - if he did really want to play 4-2-3-1 for the last few months - what's stopping him?
DDG
Smalling - Evans - Vidic - Evra
Young - Carrick - Mata - Januzaj
Rooney - RVP
1-3
Smalling - Evans - Vidic - Evra
Young - Carrick - Mata - Januzaj
Rooney - RVP
1-3
We need to set up similar to the Palace game in preparation for the CL game and no more messing.Infact let's keep this system for the remainder of the season and get some identity and let the players become familiar with a system that can take us forward.Please david can you manage this? Anyone who doesn't fit or can't adapt can go find a new club!
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Anyone know if this match is televised?
I think RVP will be dropped for this - and after that interview, i'd say rightly so. DM needs to start asserting some authority on the squad if he is going to get any form of run going to show a strong finish to the season. I'm behind him and I hope he can start turning the screw on some of the players. Would love to see Mata behind Rooney for this game with Adnan and Kagawa either side, but I won't hold my breath.
I keep saying we will play well and we don't, but that can't last forever. A comfortable 0-2 win for United.
I keep saying we will play well and we don't, but that can't last forever. A comfortable 0-2 win for United.
Honestly, I agree he should drop RvP. But instead of going 4-2-3-1 and brining in Kagawa, I think he'll go for 4-4-1-1 with Mata playing behind Rooney, Young and Valencia out wide and Fellaini and Carrick in the middle. Even more conservative.
Can't wait for this!
Apparently RvP missed training with the Dutch squad because of "illness" and is a doubt for the weekend.
Can't say I'm too upset about that.
Can't say I'm too upset about that.
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