[Devil may care]

Disappointing line-up, Falcao actually being injured is worrying and Mata playing over Herrera makes no sense. If we get a point here we'll have done really well.

 

[peterstorey]

We'll take him if you want to do a Danny.

 

[Gannicus]

Rooney is suspended, Falcao is injured as is Jones, yet again. Herrera is not fully fit and LvG wanted a bit more physicality against Chelsea.

I understood all that at the time I put up my post and was not suggesting that Louis chose to sit them for this particular match. My intent was simply to lament that we're playing with a much weaker hand, not that Louis has no idea what he's doing.

 

[VanGaalEra]

All right fellas, I'll catch you all after the game!

 

[simonhch]

So what happened to Jones then? Injured?

 

[Pexbo]

My worry is that it's a 4-2-3-1 with Di Maria and Januzaj playing wide which I 100% expect it to be.

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Blind - Fellaini
Januzaj - Mata - Di Maria
Van Persie
​

Issues - Mata dropping too deep, Fellaini not positionally sound enough and Di Maria not as effective playing from wide. We look so much better with Di Maria carrying the ball through the middle.

I'd prefer to see this:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Fellaini -Blind - Di Maria↓
← Januzaj - Mata ......
Van Persie

So what happened to Jones then? Injured?

Jones Jonesed.​

 

[TheSamulator]

any decent rivers lads?

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Any player is capable of winning a game for a team on his day. Adnan definitely has the talent to do so, just needs to sort out his decision-making and movement. Hope he plays far better than last week where he was dreadful. He must be impressing van Gaal in training to start again. Wilson could potentially surprise them off the bench. His pace could be very useful late on.

Yeah I'd like to see Wilson get some game time let's face it he won't be any worse than RVP has performed recently.

 

[Reddevilboy]

I laugh at all the Chelsea fans crying about Costa not being available. We've got Falcao and Rooney out, let alone injuries elsewhere

We still have RVP although he seems out of form these days. Now I understand the need for us to have so many strikers. Chelsea is pretty much fecked if Costa suffers a long-term injury.

 

[Man-United]

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/phil-jones/verletzungen/spieler/117996

 

[ivaldo]

I'd rather a half fit Herrera over Mata, any day of the week. The lack of energy and movement in that trio will kill us imo.

Evidently he isn't fit enough to start. Its probably the best team he could start given injuries.

 

[bosnian_red]

My worry is that it's a 4-2-3-1 with Di Maria and Januzaj playing wide which I 100% expect it to be.

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Blind - Fellaini
Januzaj - Mata - Di Maria
Van Persie
​

Issues - Mata dropping too deep, Fellaini not positionally sound enough and Di Maria not as effective playing from wide. We look so much better with Di Maria carrying the ball through the middle.

I'd prefer to see this:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Fellaini -Blind - Di Maria↓
← Januzaj - Mata ......
Van Persie



Jones Jonesed.​

Di maria tore Germany apart playing as a winger, and had plenty of great games for Madrid against barca out wide. He's capable of great performances anywhere

 

[Getsme]

Disappointing line-up, Falcao actually being injured is worrying and Mata playing over Herrera makes no sense. If we get a point here we'll have done really well.

Ive noiticed a trend on here that when posters are happy with the team we lose or play badly, however when the majority are unhappy with the team we play well and win.
Shit fecking team

 

[Raptori]

My worry is that it's a 4-2-3-1 with Di Maria and Januzaj playing wide which I 100% expect it to be.

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Blind - Fellaini
Januzaj - Mata - Di Maria
Van Persie
​

Issues - Mata dropping too deep, Fellaini not positionally sound enough and Di Maria not as effective playing from wide. We look so much better with Di Maria carrying the ball through the middle.

I'd prefer to see this:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Fellaini -Blind - Di Maria↓
← Januzaj - Mata ......
Van Persie​

This. The second line-up looks a lot more solid, and wouldn't lose much going forward since it'd be easier to get Di Maria into the game.

 

[Drifter]

The media as wrote us of ,half the cafe as wrote us of.Come on United!

 

[Catt]

I'd love to be optimistic today but we'll get toasted.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

In the league: Hazard has 2 in 8; Oscar has 2 in 5; Willian 1 in 7; Fabregas 1 in 8; Matic 1 in 8.

Not many goals in this Chelsea team without Costa. We've got a chance.

That' what I like to see.

I was pretty pessimistic, purely because Chelsea have done so well. Now the match is almost there, I am going for an upset. Would be nice to have Terry do a Stevie Me slip in the last few minutes to gift us the win, bit like Moscow.

 

[Reddevilboy]

Ive noiticed a trend on here that when posters are happy with the team we lose or play badly, however when the majority are unhappy with the team we play well and win.
Shit fecking team

If United wins, I'll treat you to a pint.

 

[Raw]

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/phil-jones/verletzungen/spieler/117996

37 games missed for us, that's nearly a whole bloody season!

 

[hungrywing]

...I'd prefer to see this:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Fellaini -Blind - Di Maria↓
← Januzaj - Mata ......
Van Persie
​

That (DM in midfield/Januzaj 'up top') is what almost everyone thought last week and it didn't pan out.

Agree it seems the optimal scheme.

 

[Rafabio]

How is Costa not even on the fecking Bench

Rested for QPR I'd imagine.

 

[YzWayne]

it doesnt matter whether its drogba or costa. Hazard can easily run around our defence for two rounds before putting the ball into the net.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Copy of the Spurs game? that finished with an away win!

It finished with the expected winners getting turned over against the odds. Spurs had most of the ball, but couldn't break them down.

 

[daniel9988]

My worry is that it's a 4-2-3-1 with Di Maria and Januzaj playing wide which I 100% expect it to be.

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Blind - Fellaini
Januzaj - Mata - Di Maria
Van Persie
​

Issues - Mata dropping too deep, Fellaini not positionally sound enough and Di Maria not as effective playing from wide. We look so much better with Di Maria carrying the ball through the middle.

I'd prefer to see this:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Fellaini -Blind - Di Maria↓
← Januzaj - Mata ......
Van Persie



Jones Jonesed.​

Do positions really matter? Pretty sure this lineup means our frontline would be playing at different areas at different phases of the match.

 

[Getsme]

If United wins, I'll treat you to a pint.

Ill hold you to that. Plus my wife has promised too do unmentionables in the bedroom tonight if we win, shes that confient we wont

 

[Touseef]

Disappointing line-up, Falcao actually being injured is worrying and Mata playing over Herrera makes no sense. If we get a point here we'll have done really well.

There's not much LVG could do right??
I mean would you play a half-fit Herrera over Mata or Fellaini and risk injuring him further with the string of games we have... Given the injuries I think it is a fairly good team... Maybe Valencia in place of Adnan to give Rafa protection but that's about it.

 

[daniel9988]

it doesnt matter whether its drogba or costa. Hazard can easily run around our defence for two rounds before putting the ball into the net.

Have some faith. At least before the match begins.

 

[kouroux]

Why are Chelsea fans even nervous ? Costa or not, they should be more than confident

 

[Pexbo]

Di maria tore Germany apart playing as a winger, and had plenty of great games for Madrid against barca out wide. He's capable of great performances anywhere

I know how he's capable of playing in the wing position, that's not my point. My point is that United look more dangerous with him playing through the centre because we lack any central midfielders who can do that, especially today with Fellaini and Blind. It's a bit different to playing well in a Madrid side that has Modric and Alonso already playing centrally.

 

[Dazzmondo]

Di maria tore Germany apart playing as a winger, and had plenty of great games for Madrid against barca out wide. He's capable of great performances anywhere

He definitely is, I think he probably meant that he doesn't have quite as much influence on the game out wide. Of course everything he does once he gets the ball is still amazing.

 

[patch517]

Someone hold me

 

[simonhch]

Hard not to be pessimistic about this game. We've been pretty gash all season. Work in progress I suppose.

Let's just hope that it's a big game the lads need to really get fired up.

Problem is that defence.

 

[Tibs]

So sad about Falcao

 

[KeninDC]

Mata and Fellani-you both need to step up to the big-boy table today.

 

[RetroStu]

I love how Costa is rested against us, it shows how low we have fallen.

 

[Gagsy]

Seen the starting lineups, but does anyone know who's on our sub bench?

 

[Devil may care]

There's not much LVG could do right??
I mean would you play a half-fit Herrera over Mata or Fellaini and risk injuring him further with the string of games we have... Given the injuries I think it is a fairly good team... Maybe Valencia in place of Adnan to give Rafa protection but that's about it.

I'd have played Adnan as the #10 and played Ashley Young on the right as Valencia is still out, you'd get more workrate than Mata who does nothing and will be eaten alive by Matic.

 

[Pexbo]

Do positions really matter? Pretty sure this lineup means our frontline would be playing at different areas at different phases of the match.

Yeah I hate lineups but it's the easiest way to describe a scenario. Basically I don't want Di Maria being used as an outlet on the wing hugging the touchline and whipping crosses into a Van Persie who is barely moving to get on the end of anything and Januzaj doesn't add enough as a winger. Both are more dangerous attacking centrally and in Di Maria's case starting from deep.

Seen the starting lineups, but does anyone know who's on our sub bench?

I think they do, yes.

 

[JPRouve]

Ill hold you to that. Plus my wife has promised too do unmentionables in the bedroom tonight if we win, shes that confient we wont

What kind of new comic, is that ?

 

[Reddevilboy]

Ill hold you to that. Plus my wife has promised too do unmentionables in the bedroom tonight if we win, shes that confient we wont

Oh wow brilliant! Haha good luck mate!!!
I know the chances of us winning is very slim but this game reminds me of our plucky 1-0 win against Mou's Chelsea in 2005/2006 when we were huge underdogs. I think we might win this game in spite of all the pessimism but Chelsea will still win the league.