[Irrational.]

All I see is Valencia, Shaw and a massive feck-off double decker bus parked in the middle. Every other player plays centrally

This should be interesting. Who needs width?!

 

[bosnian_red]

Why are people slagging the team off? Let's wait till we get going hey.

Have you watched us this calendar year?

 

[lsd]

Since everyone thought last week's team was fantastic and we turned out our worst performance in ages it might be wiser to wait till after the game this time before topping yourselves

 

[Beachryan]

We need to invent a term for this pre-match optimism. It's kind of the best part of supporting United right now. That little bit of hope that maybe tonight will be different from the last 9 months of dross.

 

[Smithy89]

Doesn't know his best 11 and no consistency at all.

Still probably win though.

 

[Garethw]

Andreas nowhere to be seen.

I didn’t think we’d see much of him once Matic was fit. I’m very surprised that he isn’t in the squad though.

The guy was hardly one of the worst offenders last week and he can play 2-3 different positions, so he’s an excellent bench option to have.

 

[AngliaRed]

Most of you are just a bunch of whining self-entitled snowflakes.

You ought to listen to yourselves. You'd be embarrassed if you did.

Support your team through good and bad times.

Agree!

 

[Andycoleno9]

Bloody hell, this lineup.. Where to start; jones and smalling again in defence, lingard in attack instead of rash or martial, martial, mata and pereira out of squad. So much changes after one bloody defeat.

 

[Damien]

What's he saying?

Black box at the top of the page:

"If I don't play Valencia, Matic, Lingard when they're ready I don't think you'd accept it. I think you'd ask why I'm not playing important players when they're ready to play."

 

[Raven]

Who would you have played then that wouldn't make them play like shit?

3-5-2 has been what a lot of people have been saying we should play.

But the thing is, we have the personnel to play 352, yet were playing pogba as a winger?

 

[Stookie]

Surely it can’t be as bad as last Sunday? I’ve a strange feeling that United will play really well tonight. I’m going for 3-0

 

[FromTheBench]

Black box at the top of the page:

"If I don't play Valencia, Matic, Lingard when they're ready I don't think you'd accept it. I think you'd ask why I'm not playing important players when they're ready to play."

Lingard is that important now? Ok.

 

[BlueHaze]

This is one of the worst lineups I've seen in my life. It's literally a recipe for disaster. We have 4 centre mids on the pitch and Lingard Lukaku up front

 

[Sultan]

@Sultan do you like the idea of Matic at the back?

I don't think it's the worst idea. He's a good tackler and good in the air. Most importantly he can bring the ball out with confidence. When United are pressing he then becomes an extra midfielder.

My major issue with 5 at the back is our lack of really good fullbacks.

 

[bosnian_red]

There's a chance it could be Fred on the wing and a 4-3-3, but unlikely. 5-3-1-1 looks likeliest.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Bloody hell, this lineup.. Where to start; jones and smalling again in defence, lingard in attack instead of rash or martial, martial, mata and pereira out of squad. So much changes after one bloody defeat.

Last week was fecking appalling though. It's only one defeat but when it's one as shambolic as that, you have to do a big shake up I think.

 

[Damien]

Lingard is that important now? Ok.

Lingard is important to Mourinho. Played him in many of the big games at the end of last season.

 

[Catt]

Black box at the top of the page:

"If I don't play Valencia, Matic, Lingard when they're ready I don't think you'd accept it. I think you'd ask why I'm not playing important players when they're ready to play."

Thanks!

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Even if two of our midfielders limbs fall off I don't see a situation where mctominay as a substitute option makes sense.

 

[BluesJr]

What's he saying?

Something about if they aren’t in team he’ll get questioned why and criticised from the media and the fans. Matic was included in that speech as well.

 

[Irrational.]

The replies to this tweet

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

I've been criticising Martial for not scoring since January but it should be said Lingards scored once since January.

All of our attacking players bar Lukaku have just been wank for a long time.

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

The only thing I would change in that line up is have Fellaini instead of Lukaku, Young instead of Shaw, and Mc Tominay instead of Lingard. Otherwise a great line up.

 

[Ekeke]

Glad to see Smalling and Jones back. However it'll be 'interesting' to see how Matic in the middle works... Surely he'd be best off on the left with Smalling taking over the bulk of dealing with Kane in the middle. Maybe he'll take Kane most of the time anyway with some dynamic shifting from the 3. Who really knows till we see it.

However if thats not the case and Matic just plays as a CB this will be a tough audition and it wont surprise me if he has problems.

 

[Pexbo]

This is one of the worst lineups I've seen in my life. It's literally a recipe for disaster. We have 4 centre mids on the pitch and Lingard Lukaku up front

I’m much more encouraged reading posts like this. Last week it was far too positive.

 

[GhastlyHun]

It seems unlikely United will win in their current shape, so a resounding win against Spurs is inevitable. Or something. I'm really shit at these predictions.

 

[Smores]

Periera is the only one who can feel hard done by really. Rest deserved to be dropped

 

[NJM78]

What a slow and severely lacking in flair line up. At least we have Mctominay and Fellaini on the bench to add some guile.

 

[diarm]

Don't mind the side. We could have 7 attackers on the field and we don't attack well anyway so might as well do our best to be solid at the back and in midfield. Bailly and Lindelof deserved to be dropped after last week and it's good to see Matic back in.

What I am annoyed about is Pereira being dropped from the entire squad. He was far from the worst last week and doesn't deserve to be among the scapegoats.

It'll be very disappointing if he's only bit part option now for the rest of the season because he's been the only spark of excitement so far this summer.

 

[Morpheus 7]

Surely it can’t be as bad as last Sunday? I’ve a strange feeling that United will play really well tonight. I’m going for 3-0

3.0 man, that is a strange feeling. Be surprised if wasn't a low scoring affair.

 

[Damien]

Periera is the only one who can feel hard done by really. Rest deserved to be dropped

Mourinho said he went for Matic over Pereira due to experience and that Pereira did well so far this season. I would have included the quotes on the previous page but he was talking too fast so didn't want to misquote.

 

[Oldham]

Jones always gives me a mild heart attack. Was really hoping the FA final was his last game for us...
But anyway, COME ON UNITED, lets win this comfortably and kick start our season.

 

[Garethw]

Even if two of our midfielders limbs fall off I don't see a situation where mctominay as a substitute option makes sense.

Mctominay over Pereira on the bench is absolutely fecking ridiculous.

 

[Andycoleno9]

I don't mind 352, but why we play with lingard in attack while we have martial and rashford?

 

[bosnian_red]

Also looks like Mourinho's only idea for getting a solid defense these days is to just put a bunch of bodies back there and leave as many attackers as possible on the bench, instead of actually coaching them and organizing them.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

This is very similar to the line up he played against Chelsea at home when we got a 2-0 against a champion side. I hope the energy levels are the same.

 

[Grylte]

Andreas injured, or just rested/punished?

 

[Dolf]

I like this lineup, has great potential.

 

[Catt]

The meltdown if we lose tonight will be something else.

 

[Kazi]

Andreas injured, or just rested/punished?

Or just not good enough

 

[Canagel]

Bloody hell, this lineup.. Where to start; jones and smalling again in defence, lingard in attack instead of rash or martial, martial, mata and pereira out of squad. So much changes after one bloody defeat.

Agreed. We have too many players coming in for the first games. Valencia, Matic, Herrera, Jones, Lingard.
It was one bad defeat but there's no need for so many changes because there's the risk of a disjointed performance. Martial and Periera should be in the squad at the very least. Bailly and Lindelof shouldn't have been dropped otherwise the confidence is gone.