[gooDevil]

I don't think it is tbh.

We can lose to City and win the league. We lose to CSKA and we're in real danger of not making the second round.

 

[gooDevil]

Not in terms of moral. Lose to City at home and our confidence will take a huge knock, just when we're starting to play to our ability.

I think that's a bit hysterical.

 

[Bastian]

I think the game against City is more important and theoretically we could field a weakened side mid week (we'll have to rest a couple of players for sure) but to make wholesale changes I think would be misguided and stunt our progression. And to be honest, we don't really have the option of resting some players - like Schneiderlin needs to play both games IMV (and he's relatively fresh) but Smalling is pretty much undroppable and we don't have a solid enough defense without him.

A draw midweek and a win on Sunday would be superb. Motivation shouldn't be a factor but the long journey back will slow the recovery process no doubt. Shame City are playing at home in the CL.

 

[gooDevil]

After getting done at PSV I'd hoped this idea that we can play a weakened team in Europe was abandoned.

 

[Sigma]

We can lose to City and win the league. We lose to CSKA and we're in real danger of not making the second round.

It's a very even group as everyone has 3 points out of 2 games, if we draw or even lose there is a chance others will do us favours. They are both important games but I would far rather a draw against CSKA and a win vs City than the other way around.

 

[Crumpsall Red]

Play anything like we did on Saturday and we will win both

 

[Kag]

It baffles me that we whinge for a full season (hell, we even sack managers) about not being in the Champions League, for swathes of people happy to see us rest important players when we actually get back in it.

Give or take the usual Carrick/Bastian swap, every other player that played on Saturday is capable of playing three times this week. The likes of Jones, Rojo and Herrera need all the game time they can get.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

This for me is the biggest game left for us , win this and we should comfortably go through

 

[Adisa]

This game is massive. We want to win this group so we avoid the big boys. Lose this and it could be Europa.

 

[Bastian]

Has anyone here said they don't care about this game? Has anyone suggested that we go with the reserves? No and no.

We've got a thin squad and we rely massively on Smalling in defense, and if we're not playing shite teams, Schneiderlin should feature in as many games as possible. So we cannot afford to rest loads of players. People are prioritizing City over CSKA Moscow. Not because they've complained about not being in the CL and then they stopped caring. We are capable of going to Moscow while resting maybe 2-3 players who need time to recover, and getting a win. We're also capable of going there full strength and losing. It's not so polarized as some would suggest. But we cannot afford to play City with anything other than our best team.

 

[Spock]

Given the immediate circumstances, I'll take a win over CSKA over a win over City. Rest whoever needs rest against City, but Louis has to put out a full strength side on Wednesday.

Slutsky, the unfortunately named manager of CSKA, will defend/counter and play for the draw. We can take three points here. We NEED the three points from this one. Worry about City on Thursday.

 

[gooDevil]

Hey, we won the CL in this stadium! No sweat!

Anderson and Nani to score in penalty kicks.

 

[Bastian]

Hey, we won the CL in this stadium! No sweat!

Anderson and Nani to score in penalty kicks.

Apparently it's a different stadium. Or so I recall people saying on here earlier..

 

[gooDevil]

Apparently it's a different stadium. Or so I recall people saying on here earlier..

Ah. Well, thanks for stopping me before I made an even bigger ass out of myself.

I started a thread when Nani left on loan thanking him for his service. Everyone thought it was sarcastic and the mods closed it!

 

[Bastian]

Ah. Well, thanks for stopping me before I made an even bigger ass out of myself.

I started a thread when Nani left on loan thanking him for his service. Everyone thought it was sarcastic and the mods closed it!

Well, I think figuring out the best XI of players who used to play for us and forgetting Ronaldo and Pogba and a host of others, putting Brady in midfield, is maybe that embarrassment to the power of 10. Just carry on as if nothing happened

 

[Skywarden]

This one is a bit special on a personal level. I've coached and worked with one of CSKA's youngsters when he was a kid. Although he won't feature as he's out on loan, it's still a surreal feeling knowing he went from a small town club to a Champions League participating one.





Emotions aside, let's smash these bastards!

 

[nemanja15]

de Gea

Darmian
Smalling
Jones
Rojo

Carrick
Schneiderlin

Mata
Herrera
Martial

Rooney

SUBS: Romero, Blind, Valencia, Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Lingard, Memphis.

BFS and Blind to get half an hour or so each to rest key men for Sunday.

 

[Gerald G]

De Gea
Darmian--Smalling--Jones--Blind
Carrick--Schneiderlin
Mata--Herrera--Memphis
Rooney

subs: Romero; Valencia, Rojo; Schweinsteiger, Fellaini; Pereira/Lingard, Martial

Rojo just came back from a hamstring injury so rest him in this one. Give BFS a rest for the majority of this game and Martial will need to rest whenever we can give him one.

Hopefully Memphis has a good game and it will be good to see him in contention for the City game.​

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

really like the CSKA crest in the OP

a solid base and rest one or two for this

I thought Lingard did well coming on at weekend and I'd give Memphis a run out on the left with Martial rested

no point in suggesting Rooney will get a rest as he never does and another goal would be great for his confidence

Give Carrick a start in this too

Was thinking this too! Looks like the badge of some comic-book evil crime-lord syndicate … the arch nemesis' of our hero The Red Devil!

 

[khoazany]

Has anyone here said they don't care about this game? Has anyone suggested that we go with the reserves? No and no.

We've got a thin squad and we rely massively on Smalling in defense, and if we're not playing shite teams, Schneiderlin should feature in as many games as possible. So we cannot afford to rest loads of players. People are prioritizing City over CSKA Moscow. Not because they've complained about not being in the CL and then they stopped caring. We are capable of going to Moscow while resting maybe 2-3 players who need time to recover, and getting a win. We're also capable of going there full strength and losing. It's not so polarized as some would suggest. But we cannot afford to play City with anything other than our best team.

Looks like they haven't learned any lesson after the demolition at Arsenal.Rotation is necessary and inevitable when you have these kinds of schedule.

 

[Shark]

I think that's a bit hysterical.

How so? defeat in the City game wouldn't be the end of our season, but we'll have to go to Palace afterwards, while City will have two three point bankers against Norwich and Villa. I think defeat vs City would hurt our season a lot more and our moral. A draw at Moscow would still see us in a good position to qualify.

 

[DocRockter]

You guys don't watch highlights from other games?! We are not playing in Luzhniki.

 

[suheilsworld]

Do we have a presser for this game today?

 

[Tincanalley]

Martial is the only one I wouldn't start. It's unreasonable to play him every single game, and the City game is one we'll need him 100% fresh for.

Memphis has had his best displays arguably in Europe, so makes sense to do a switcheroo there

Makes sense to me

 

[RedMachine03]

 

[Donut]

I think this would be a sensible line up, which should get us a result (draw is not too bad I think).


-------------De Gea
Valencia-Smalling-Blind--Rojo
-----Carrick-Schneiderlin
------------Herrera
---Mata------------Depay
--------- ---Rooney

Rest Martial, Darmian, Jones & Schweiny. The rest should be fine.

 

[Tincanalley]

Amazingly we seem to be injury free.

 

[Nickosaur]

Why didn't Wilson travel?

 

[sunama]

He's 19, he'll easily be able to play wednesday-sunday.

I think that there are some people who still have the Sterling situation in mind, ie. when he said he is too tired to play for England.
I just want to clarify that Sterling recently stated that he said nothing of the sort and pretty much everybody in football believe that a teenager is more than capable of playing 2 games in a 1 week.
In fact, if a teenager is complaining of tiredness, then I would say that he needs to work on his fitness.
Martial can probably play 3 games/week without issue. He isn't a 30 year old.

 

[3KDré]

Why didn't Wilson travel?

Apparently injured

 

[sunama]

After getting done at PSV I'd hoped this idea that we can play a weakened team in Europe was abandoned.

Some people never learn from their mistake.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Apparently injured

Think more illness than injury.

 

[RedMachine03]

Why didn't Wilson travel?

Think more illness than injury.

He was ill before but trained with the team today.

 

[Hammerfell]

Amazingly we seem to be injury free.

Young.

 

[DatIrishFella]

Leonid Slutsky.

 

[HeckneyNoodo]

Zoran Tosic to tear us a new arse.

 

[Jerch]

Is there a press conference for this match?

 

[Reckless Full Back]

Akinfeev hasn't kept a clean sheet in his last 33 Champions League games. I think United will score at least 2 goals.

 

[Traub]

Why isn't this game early?

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Think we'll see something like:

De Gea
Darmian - Smalling - Jones - Blind
Schneiderlin - Carrick
Herrera
Mata - Rooney - Depay


Romero – Rojo – Valencia – Schweinsteiger – Fellaiini – Lingard - Martial​