I'll be asking the West Ham fans some questions tomorrow for the Ask The Opposition segment, so if any of you have any questions you'd like to see asked, feel free to send me a PM. Thanks.
West Ham vs. Manchester United
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
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De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Cleverley, Fellaini, Mata, Kagawa, Young, Welbeck or something to that effect keeping Rooney, Carrick, van Persie and Jones ready for City.
Seems Rooney is only up for performing like a mad man once a week so City deserves that Rooney more than West Ham. Cleverley could do with a start whilst Carrick needs to be taken out sometime soon because he's been rushed back from injury twice and started every game possible. van Persie probably won't be ready anyway even if the injury isn't serious. Jones is a mad man and he will injure himself eventually.
Seems Rooney is only up for performing like a mad man once a week so City deserves that Rooney more than West Ham. Cleverley could do with a start whilst Carrick needs to be taken out sometime soon because he's been rushed back from injury twice and started every game possible. van Persie probably won't be ready anyway even if the injury isn't serious. Jones is a mad man and he will injure himself eventually.
Play the best team against City for sure, but definitely makes sense to rest heavily for Villa and Newcastle games. We're going to be under dogs in any of the quarter final ties, so we need to take any advantage we can, and resting key players when the opposition will have played at the weekends will help.
That's true, feck I never thought there would be a day where City winning the league is not the worst case scenario. Come on Chelsea!
Moyes's job is on the line. He'll pick a full strength side.
Imagine any of our key players getting injured in one of these dead rubbers and misses the QF?
de Gea
Rafael Ferdinand Jones Evra
Fletcher Fellaini
Young Mata Kagawa
Rooney
--
Lindegaard; Carrick, Cleverley; Nani, Januzaj; Hernandez, Welbeck
Rafael Ferdinand Jones Evra
Fletcher Fellaini
Young Mata Kagawa
Rooney
--
Lindegaard; Carrick, Cleverley; Nani, Januzaj; Hernandez, Welbeck
Buttner will probably make the bench over someone just so we have some form of defender on the bench..
I'd leave out Valencia, van Persie, and Giggs after their efforts and injuries to the former two in the last match. Give Fletcher, Young, and Kagawa a game. Give Smalling every chance of hopefully recovering for City and the next round of the UCL. Lots of fire power on the bench if we need it.
de Gea
Rafael--Evans--Jones--Evra
Fletcher--Fellaini
Young--Mata--Kagawa
Rooney
Rafael--Evans--Jones--Evra
Fletcher--Fellaini
Young--Mata--Kagawa
Rooney
Right, if he doesn't pick Mata behind Rooney I'm going to lose my fecking mind. Rooney doesn't seem to realise that his best position is as a lone striker. No doubt we'll see Welbeck up top with Rooney behind though.
Front 4 of Rooney, Mata, Kagawa and Nani - not going to happen but, would love to see that given a shot
I wouldn't begrudge Danny up top or Javier, I don't think we have bad strikers and all can play up top, it's just that Rooney also put's in a good 7/8 out of 10 in other positions... it makes him expendable when we have such glaring midfield deficiencies, do we need who is definitely out of this game? Feels like for the first time, we have almost a full squad to choose from...I wouldn't mind seeing:
DDG
Rafael Smalling Jones Evans
Cleverley Fellaini
Nani Kagawa Mata
Hernandez
Give Rooney a rest, CL is priority and this may put the onus of the "leader" on someone else, as typically most turn to Rooney when it's going bad, we need characters and I don't feel upon revision that Januzaj has been great recently, not up to his beginning of the season stuff, so I'd like him to get a rest and we can see what Nani can do.With City in mind:
DDG
Rafael Jones Smalling? Buttner
Fletcher Cleverley
Januzaj Mata Kagawa
Rooney
I'd like to see Mata behind Rooney against City so it'd be nice to get them some minutes together playing like that. Rooney can come off around 60 minutes or so for Hernandez. I'd probably take Mata off at around the same time for Nani if he's fit or Welbeck if not. Ideally Fellaini and Carrick will start against City, Welbeck as well so I'd rest them. The defense needs some time together so I'd have the same back four together for City bar Evra coming in for Buttner.
Plus I just really like the idea of Januzaj Mata and Kagawa all interchanging behind a striker, and this game is relatively meaningless anyway and RvP being injured gives us a good opportunity to try it out. Or, if Moyes feels Rooney needs rested I'd love to see Welbeck up top with the same three behind him.
In all likelihood we'll get Rooney behind Welbeck with Mata stuck on the wing.
DDG
Rafael Jones Smalling? Buttner
Fletcher Cleverley
Januzaj Mata Kagawa
Rooney
I'd like to see Mata behind Rooney against City so it'd be nice to get them some minutes together playing like that. Rooney can come off around 60 minutes or so for Hernandez. I'd probably take Mata off at around the same time for Nani if he's fit or Welbeck if not. Ideally Fellaini and Carrick will start against City, Welbeck as well so I'd rest them. The defense needs some time together so I'd have the same back four together for City bar Evra coming in for Buttner.
Plus I just really like the idea of Januzaj Mata and Kagawa all interchanging behind a striker, and this game is relatively meaningless anyway and RvP being injured gives us a good opportunity to try it out. Or, if Moyes feels Rooney needs rested I'd love to see Welbeck up top with the same three behind him.
In all likelihood we'll get Rooney behind Welbeck with Mata stuck on the wing.
Fletcher--Fellaini
Januzaj--Mata--Kagawa
Rooney
Get Rooney off around the 60 minute mark. Bring on Hernandez. Get Mata off too for Nani. All this IF we're winning.
Januzaj--Mata--Kagawa
Rooney
Get Rooney off around the 60 minute mark. Bring on Hernandez. Get Mata off too for Nani. All this IF we're winning.
-------------De Gea-------------
Rafael----Smalling-Vidic----Evra
----------Carrick-Fellaini--------
Mata--------Kagawa---Welbeck
-------------Rooney------------
Would love to see this, but would take Mata behind Rooney or Rooney behind Hernandez too. Welbeck earned a start with that performance midweek.
Rafael----Smalling-Vidic----Evra
----------Carrick-Fellaini--------
Mata--------Kagawa---Welbeck
-------------Rooney------------
Would love to see this, but would take Mata behind Rooney or Rooney behind Hernandez too. Welbeck earned a start with that performance midweek.
This has got to be the team! Apart from Jones in for Smalling - think he is still injured. I would also be tempted to try someone else out at left back considering Evra is out of the first game with Bayern. When is Evans due back? Pretty sure he can play there
I think it's important to keep some momentum going regardless of how irrelevant this game is to us overall. I don't know who we will partner with Jones but I'd give Buttner a run out at LB as he needs some game time before Bayern.
De Gea
Rafael
Jones
????
Buttner
Januzaj
Fellaini
Cleverley
Mata
Welbeck
Rooney
De Gea
Rafael
Jones
????
Buttner
Januzaj
Fellaini
Cleverley
Mata
Welbeck
Rooney
Hoping Chicharito starts in this.
Isn't Hernandez still injured?
Anyway I'm hoping for something like this:
-------De Gea
Rafa Jones Vidic Evra
--Carrick Fletcher
Mata Welbeck Januzaj
-------Rooney
With Rooney/Welbeck switching between striker and right winger role to allow Mata to play inside more often. Wouldn't mind seeing Nani involved either as he's the best genuine winger we have when he plays regularly. Could also easily fit in Kagawa in place of Januzaj or maybe Welbeck if Moyes plans on using Danny in the derby (I hope he does).
Anyway I'm hoping for something like this:
-------De Gea
Rafa Jones Vidic Evra
--Carrick Fletcher
Mata Welbeck Januzaj
-------Rooney
With Rooney/Welbeck switching between striker and right winger role to allow Mata to play inside more often. Wouldn't mind seeing Nani involved either as he's the best genuine winger we have when he plays regularly. Could also easily fit in Kagawa in place of Januzaj or maybe Welbeck if Moyes plans on using Danny in the derby (I hope he does).
ddg
rafael evans jones evra
----carrick--fellaini----
--nani----mata----welbeck
--------rooney---------
rafael evans jones evra
----carrick--fellaini----
--nani----mata----welbeck
--------rooney---------
How about just resting everybody, play the under 21s as these games don't matter a shite. In fact why don't we just not play at all , just withdraw from the remaining league fixtures and when Bayern knock us out of Europe we can have a nice long rest till next season when Davy boy has signed some real quality players and we will win the quadruple.
We might help Chelsea win the league by beating City as Chelsea are a really nice bunch of fellas, real class.
On the other hand why doesn't Davy try and find the best team and give them a run to try and build some consistency, just because we cant win the league or finish top 4 surely the feck doesn't mean we should become an even bigger joke.
feck City, Liverpool, Arsenal , Chelsea and the rest of them and just worry about Man. Utd ffs.
We might help Chelsea win the league by beating City
as Chelsea are a really nice bunch of fellas, real class.On the other hand why doesn't Davy try and find the best team and give them a run to try and build some consistency, just because we cant win the league or finish top 4 surely the feck doesn't mean we should become an even bigger joke.
feck City, Liverpool, Arsenal , Chelsea and the rest of them and just worry about Man. Utd ffs.
I just checked this because I thought it might be the case, and it turns out that of the 22 grounds we visited in Fergie's last two PL seasons, we won away at least once at every single one except Upton Park. Our longest drought at any ground in the league is these feckers...
De Gea
Rafael Smalling Jones Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Nani Mata Welbeck
Rooney
Rafael Smalling Jones Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Nani Mata Welbeck
Rooney
De Gea
Rafael - Ferdinand - Jones - Evra
Fellaini - Carrick
Januzaj - Mata - Kagawa
Rooney
Lindegaard - Fletcher - Cleverley - Young - Nani - Welbeck - Hernandez
Rafael - Ferdinand - Jones - Evra
Fellaini - Carrick
Januzaj - Mata - Kagawa
Rooney
Lindegaard - Fletcher - Cleverley - Young - Nani - Welbeck - Hernandez
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I feel the need to post - Mata doesn't really play on the wing for us. Especially when Rooney is useless he drifts inside. He just tracks back on the wings. Look at his heat maps vs someone like Valencia or Januzajs before you dismiss this idea completely.
In an attempt not to be lazy, here's his most recent one where he was 'stuck out on the wing'.
It's just like this every week, so hopefully it's the end of this nonsense. Only difference is he has to track back on the right a bit, shouldn't be an excuse for us to say 'he's wasting 37m playing Mata in a position it's impossible for him to play'... just look at the map
It's just like this every week, so hopefully it's the end of this nonsense. Only difference is he has to track back on the right a bit, shouldn't be an excuse for us to say 'he's wasting 37m playing Mata in a position it's impossible for him to play'... just look at the map
De Gea
Rafael Jones Ferdinand Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Valencia Mata Welbeck
Rooney
Hopefully we see Nani and Kagawa get subbed on at some point, but most of the side seems pretty straight forward to pick. If Valencia is out injured then put Nani in if fully fit, if not then put in Januzaj or Kagawa there. No Young. Never Young. Think we might actually get a mini run going before the big game on tuesday, which I think will hopefully be a lot better then the Liverpool match.Rafael Jones Ferdinand Evra
Carrick Fellaini
Valencia Mata Welbeck
Rooney
I hope Hernandez gets a chance.
Exactly!!! Hope he goes in summer. But Moyes won't sell him!
Can't wait to see Nani
De Gea
Rafael Jones Ferdinand Evans (if fit, if not Buttner)
Carrick Fellaini
Valencia Mata Welbeck
Rooney
Rafael Jones Ferdinand Evans (if fit, if not Buttner)
Carrick Fellaini
Valencia Mata Welbeck
Rooney
Why am I seeing so many people suggest Evans play at LB? You're better off with someone who is comfortable on the ball out there especially when you're game relies on so much wing play like ours. Just look how much Smalling playing RB hinders our attacking play.
I can see them parking it so fecking hard that we'll have a Fulham 2.0 game.
I suppose it will be a draw.
I suppose it will be a draw.
Because he is defensively sound and that is exactly what we will need with Ribery and Robben attacking from the wide positions.
I'd start him there today (if he's fit) so that he can re- acclimatise to the position.
I don't think it's worth it. Evans at LB could be just as much a horror show as Buttner. I know he's played there before but come on, Robben or Ribery would turn him inside out, he doesn't have the experience nor the pace to deal with them at LB. At least Buttner offers something going forward and has a bit of pace.
I'd be amazed if Evans play LB for either game.
Me to.Seems to be the forgotten man on here.
Valencia, Young to start no doubt...the general pattern is we have a good game followed by a few shit ones. We had a good result, so I'm expecting shitness today.
West Ham will get at least a point (hope I'm wrong though)
West Ham will get at least a point (hope I'm wrong though)
I always worry about Rio playing two games in a week... so two games in 4 days would probably kill him, he never, ever plays well when asked to play twice in such a short period of time.
So hopefully Evans is back... I'd go for a front 6 today of Fletcher / Fellaini / Welbeck / Mata / Kagawa / Rooney - Mata in the hole, switching with Kags as often as possible.
If we out football West Ham, we should beat them.
So hopefully Evans is back... I'd go for a front 6 today of Fletcher / Fellaini / Welbeck / Mata / Kagawa / Rooney - Mata in the hole, switching with Kags as often as possible.
If we out football West Ham, we should beat them.
0-2 to United I reckon.
I'd like to see:
De Gea
Rafael - Smalling* - Jones - Evra
Fellaini - Carrick
Januzaj - Mata - Kagawa
Rooney
*Evans if fit
De Gea
Rafael - Smalling* - Jones - Evra
Fellaini - Carrick
Januzaj - Mata - Kagawa
Rooney
*Evans if fit
Really hope we see Rooney up top with mata in behind, welbeck te other side and kagawa/januzaj on the other flank.
I though Valencia did alright against olymp, showed good spirit and ran at people for a change but his final ball was lacking.
What was more important was the way welbeck played as many hve pointed out. He opened up space for others. Too much in recent week Rooney and mata have been on top of each other, neither making space for the other an then januzaj has clearly been asked to stay wide so we struggled to create space.
He should def stay in the team as really only nani can also provide that in the squad but januzaj could do it. It's probably less natural for kagawa but then I think he could link up with mata well.
Carrick fellaini is I guess likely centrally, I'd like fellaini sitting more to allow carrick to push forward a bit and be in a position to play more ambitious passes but not sure if he would either way.
Really hope he doesn't bring young and Valencia both in. Valencia was promising but still didnt create and young was awful even in a limited role. Its just about getting the mix right. We went from two wide wingers who largely keep to their lines, to players who all come central, just need to get one or two players who will run behind and you can get the best out of players like Mata/Rooney etc.
I though Valencia did alright against olymp, showed good spirit and ran at people for a change but his final ball was lacking.
What was more important was the way welbeck played as many hve pointed out. He opened up space for others. Too much in recent week Rooney and mata have been on top of each other, neither making space for the other an then januzaj has clearly been asked to stay wide so we struggled to create space.
He should def stay in the team as really only nani can also provide that in the squad but januzaj could do it. It's probably less natural for kagawa but then I think he could link up with mata well.
Carrick fellaini is I guess likely centrally, I'd like fellaini sitting more to allow carrick to push forward a bit and be in a position to play more ambitious passes but not sure if he would either way.
Really hope he doesn't bring young and Valencia both in. Valencia was promising but still didnt create and young was awful even in a limited role. Its just about getting the mix right. We went from two wide wingers who largely keep to their lines, to players who all come central, just need to get one or two players who will run behind and you can get the best out of players like Mata/Rooney etc.
I agree completely with everything in your post other than this. Carrick is so reluctant to get forwards and seems to much prefer sitting as deep as possible these days. He needs a rocket up his arse.
Plus I really want Fellaini to grab a goal, it would do his confidence a world of good.
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