That did occur to me, yes.
Carrick, Blind, Jones, Rojo all out for the Chelsea game - What now?!
- Thread starter Annihilate Now!
- Start date
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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.
That's just a cliché. It's not true. There's different momentum at the end of the season so winning three times because of a goalkeeper mistake means more to you than in game 3. It just does.
You're just dismissing luck altogether then? Mourinho with Porto in the CL. Nothing there?
De Gea
Rafael Smalling McNair Shaw
Valencia Herrera
Mata Fellaini Young
Rooney
Rafael Smalling McNair Shaw
Valencia Herrera
Mata Fellaini Young
Rooney
How did this even happen? Only Carrick went off last game due to injury. The other 3 got injured in training in 1 week?
We need Fellaini up the pitch, so Rooney's a dead cert to play as our deepest midfielder.
These injuries are not going to all of a sudden make the rest of the team shit. We'll be fine, I can feel it.
We played very well in the first game without Carrick, Rooney, Herrera and Valencia. At this point in the learning process it should be the system, not the personnel, that carries us through. Should be a good test of where we are as a squad.
Remember how we started to play when LVG made those subs against City? Hopefully that was entirely down to Carrick going off...
Exactly !
The more you practice the luckier you get......
Jones was taken off, Blind was injured when Kompany tackled him, despite playing on, and Rojo felt his injury from the City game the day after in training.
I'm intrigued.
But do we really leave off Di Maria from the starting XI even during a new injury crisis?
I can imagine Di Maria is only competing for a place on the wing. Neither one of Young or Mata are injured, therefore, he will possibly be on the bench tomorrow.
Away at Chelsea, having played very little and given those who replaced him are not injured.....then yes.
Given that these injuries severely disrupt the left side of our defensive setup and our covering midfield, I really cannot see LVG further weakening it by withdrawing the cover given by Young on the left of midfield.
Lets hope if Rooney is moved into midfield RVP can get on the end of another long ball over his shoulder 
RvP coming in (if he does) would at least give us some sort of height at set-pieces. With Jones and Rojo out we lose even more physical presence against a very big Chelsea team.
lvg had best be sarcastically clapping in people's faces like a ma'fecker today.
I'd change as little as possible. 4-5-1 is working very well and I'd rather have most of the team plugged in than go to 3 at the back or whatever. I think there are 3 ways to accomplish for it:
(All Changes to the recent lineup are highlighted)
1. Herrera can play DM for one game without the world falling apart, and Di Maria can play a similar role (opposite side) to the one he played in and won MOTM in the goddamn CL final last year.
Young--Rooney--Mata
--Fellaini----DiMaria--
--------Herrera-------
Shaw-----------Valencia
---McNair-Smalling---
--------DeGea-------
That's only 4 changes from the lineup that's been fantastic lately, and the 2 defenders are playing their normal positions.
People will say Di Maria is giving the ball away too much and there's a case for that argument, but he'll be motivated as hell against Chelsea away after seeing the team excel without him and hell, based on his current season he'll get an assist and make a crucial mistake and it will cancel out.
2. The other way to do it I think would be to keep Herrera where he is, keep the front 5 entirely intact, plug in Shaw and McNair and at DM, go with a youth player. Goss can really pass the ball and has played that deep. He's 19, which isn't crazy young. Can someone who's watched the U-21's this year more than I have jump in?
Young--Rooney--Mata
--Fellaini----Herrera--
--------Goss-------
Shaw-----------Valencia
---McNair-Smalling---
--------DeGea------
This keeps 7 of the front 10 in the spots they've been excelling and everyone is in their natural position. Rafael at DM is a reasonable alternative here too.
3. What I think will happen, since Van Gaal trusts Rooney and the 9's job description isn't so onerous these days:
Young---RVP---Mata
--Fellaini----Herrera--
--------Rooney-------
Shaw-----------Valencia
---McNair-Smalling---
--------DeGea------
(All Changes to the recent lineup are highlighted)
1. Herrera can play DM for one game without the world falling apart, and Di Maria can play a similar role (opposite side) to the one he played in and won MOTM in the goddamn CL final last year.
Young--Rooney--Mata
--Fellaini----DiMaria--
--------Herrera-------
Shaw-----------Valencia
---McNair-Smalling---
--------DeGea-------
That's only 4 changes from the lineup that's been fantastic lately, and the 2 defenders are playing their normal positions.
People will say Di Maria is giving the ball away too much and there's a case for that argument, but he'll be motivated as hell against Chelsea away after seeing the team excel without him and hell, based on his current season he'll get an assist and make a crucial mistake and it will cancel out.
2. The other way to do it I think would be to keep Herrera where he is, keep the front 5 entirely intact, plug in Shaw and McNair and at DM, go with a youth player. Goss can really pass the ball and has played that deep. He's 19, which isn't crazy young. Can someone who's watched the U-21's this year more than I have jump in?
Young--Rooney--Mata
--Fellaini----Herrera--
--------Goss-------
Shaw-----------Valencia
---McNair-Smalling---
--------DeGea------
This keeps 7 of the front 10 in the spots they've been excelling and everyone is in their natural position. Rafael at DM is a reasonable alternative here too.
3. What I think will happen, since Van Gaal trusts Rooney and the 9's job description isn't so onerous these days:
Young---RVP---Mata
--Fellaini----Herrera--
--------Rooney-------
Shaw-----------Valencia
---McNair-Smalling---
--------DeGea------
Carrick came off injured but what about rojo? Injured in training?
Really, we just need one of Blind or Carrick to somehow be fit. Then the front 6 can stay the same (or just have a simple change of Blind for Carrick) and Shaw is fine, so then it's just a question of if Mcnair/Blackett is up to it.
I'm fairly sure if it's a back 4 he'll pick Blackett over McNair.
Remember him going on about left sided defenders. With Rojo and Blind out he'll want a lefty back there.
Rooney really is the only option at DM. I can't see Fellaini or Valencia pulling it off.
Herrera might but that means putting Di Maria or Rooney into his position.
If Rooney is back there, I wouldn't be totally against starting Wilson up top.
Chelsea struggle against a quick striker, as we've seen from Hernandez in the past.
Remember him going on about left sided defenders. With Rojo and Blind out he'll want a lefty back there.
Rooney really is the only option at DM. I can't see Fellaini or Valencia pulling it off.
Herrera might but that means putting Di Maria or Rooney into his position.
If Rooney is back there, I wouldn't be totally against starting Wilson up top.
Chelsea struggle against a quick striker, as we've seen from Hernandez in the past.
I reckon we will see Rooney as defending midfield and Di Maria up top.
What a fecking joke. I've gone from very confident of victory to almost being resigned to defeat. Chelsea are the world's luckiest sumbags, they really are.
We are going to get destroyed.
Quality depth is a must have next season or we're fecked.
This is no longer a transfer muppet talk but a reality check, especially in a two matches a week tempo.
This is no longer a transfer muppet talk but a reality check, especially in a two matches a week tempo.
True, with hopefully the CL next season we will need a really deep squad. Not just padded out with kids who might be future world beater but could be van drivers down the line. We are now relying on kids who have played sod all over the last few months. I would hope it is McNair coming in, not happy about it as Blackett is not good enough for me.
I just hope we keep the same formation and tactics. Just change the personnel.
Indeed. Whoever we will choose from fit players may be not enough for such balanced side like Chelsea. In a past we could pull miracles under Fergie with half squad absent but manager's work is to minimize the risk in situations like these.
From the little bits I've seen of McNair recently he's really improved(Well at right back anyway). Blackett I'm not so convinced on.
Still playing Chelsea with a full team was clearly going to be too easy, why not mix it up a little.
---------- Rooney
-----------Mata
Young Herrera Fellaini ADM
Shaw McNair Smalling Valencia
----------DDG
-----------Mata
Young Herrera Fellaini ADM
Shaw McNair Smalling Valencia
----------DDG
If we can get Jones and Blind fit.....we may be alright.
---------------------------De Gea
--------Valencia----Smalling-----Jones----Shaw
------------------------------Blind
----------------------Herrera----Fellaini
--------Mata----------------Rooney------------Young
---------------------------De Gea
--------Valencia----Smalling-----Jones----Shaw
------------------------------Blind
----------------------Herrera----Fellaini
--------Mata----------------Rooney------------Young
Our depth isn't perfect but this situation is quite ridiculous.
Both Blind and Carrick out at the same time. Do most of the top clubs have more than 2 DM's in their squad? Normally we'd cope with Jones and Rojo injuries, but the ridiculous ban from the FA on Evans means we'll have to play a rookie.
Chelsea are such lucky scumbags, I had a feeling something like this would happen to disrupt out rhythm, especially when Carrick went off injured.
Did he not rule them all out? I didn't read any "maybe's" when the news came out..
What diabolical news. I'm in a shit mood now..
I saw quotes saying they may be fit yet.......but not sure if reliable.
Sure. We can call Chelsea names all we want but the things going to shit are in our own backyard... the same feckin shit over and over again.
I would love to see some preventive measures instead cursing our luck for the 666th time... because it isn't simply just matter of luck or some higher power that we can't stop, really...
Strange that he would announce that at the presser. Bad news if true though
Oh yes, I agree.
Fellaini has been central to how our attack works so not too keen on this "Fellaini best DM left" logic.
Mind you, with Blind gone that left flank won't work half as well.