First Choice XI now

Criticize this.

Henderson​

Bailly Lindelof Mengi​

Williams VDB Fred Telles​
Fernandes Pogba​

Greenwood​
 
Criticize this.

Henderson​

Bailly Lindelof Mengi​

Williams VDB Fred Telles​
Fernandes Pogba​

Greenwood​
Mengi's barely kicked a ball at senior level, Williams hasn't played right back properly since he was about 15, 2 of the back 3 can't head a ball, you're missing 2 of our top 3 scorers from last season.
 
We need to start giving Laird chances asap to see if he has what it takes on this level, if not either AWB needs to improve a lot on his offensive play or buy a young talent to compete with him (that can both defend and attack, not easy to find though). Williams, unfortunately, is not good enough, even if we didn't have seen him a lot on the right side (his defense, dribbling and positioning is not good enough). He has a big heart and is a real fighter, but the more chances he gets the more he has proven that he is unfortunately, again, not a player for United if we want to compete for PL and CL again.

Mendi and Tuanzebe is 2 other ones we need to give more chances to prove themselves. Hopefully one of them has what it takes, if both has it, then wow - the future is bright, at least in that position.

And one more thing, for the first time we have options and our starting elev is not predictable (offensively at least and LB).
GK, RB, CB, CB are occupied by DDG, AWB, Maguire and Lindelöf atm in OGS head, and it will take a lot to change it this season at least.

CDMs: Matic, McTominay, Fred
CM: Fred, Bruno, Pogba, VdB
Front three: Greenwood, Martial, Rashford, Cavani, Pallistri
 
We need to start giving Laird chances asap to see if he has what it takes on this level, if not either AWB needs to improve a lot on his offensive play or buy a young talent to compete with him (that can both defend and attack, not easy to find though). Williams, unfortunately, is not good enough, even if we didn't have seen him a lot on the right side (his defense, dribbling and positioning is not good enough). He has a big heart and is a real fighter, but the more chances he gets the more he has proven that he is unfortunately, again, not a player for United if we want to compete for PL and CL again.

Mendi and Tuanzebe is 2 other ones we need to give more chances to prove themselves. Hopefully one of them has what it takes, if both has it, then wow - the future is bright, at least in that position.

And one more thing, for the first time we have options and our starting elev is not predictable (offensively at least and LB).
GK, RB, CB, CB are occupied by DDG, AWB, Maguire and Lindelöf atm in OGS head, and it will take a lot to change it this season at least.

CDMs: Matic, McTominay, Fred
CM: Fred, Bruno, Pogba, VdB
Front three: Greenwood, Martial, Rashford, Cavani, Pallistri

Let's see if the lad can get himself fit and stay fit first.
 
---------------------DDG---------------------
AWB---Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
-------------Pogba-----Matic-------------
Greenwood----Bruno------Rashford
--------------------Martial---------------------

This really is our best line up on paper, but its the one we have been playing and it has been complete ass

Next few games i want to see

---------------------Henderson--------------
AWB-----Lindelof------Baily-----Telles
------------------------Matic--------------------
----------------VdB---------Fred--------------
---------------------Bruno----------------------
------------Greenwood---Cavani--------

Big questions about that CB pairing, but Maguire showed last night with England that he needs a break from football and needs to see a psychiatrist or something. Shaw has been awful so give Telles a shot, Pogba could be relegated to the reserves and shipped off in January for all i care, Martial should be there, but is suspended and Rashford has been poor for a ling time now
 
---------------------DDG---------------------
AWB---Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
-------------Pogba-----Matic-------------
Greenwood----Bruno------Rashford
--------------------Martial---------------------

This really is our best line up on paper, but its the one we have been playing and it has been complete ass

Next few games i want to see

---------------------Henderson--------------
AWB-----Lindelof------Baily-----Telles
------------------------Matic--------------------
----------------VdB---------Fred--------------
---------------------Bruno----------------------
------------Greenwood---Cavani--------

Big questions about that CB pairing, but Maguire showed last night with England that he needs a break from football and needs to see a psychiatrist or something. Shaw has been awful so give Telles a shot, Pogba could be relegated to the reserves and shipped off in January for all i care, Martial should be there, but is suspended and Rashford has been poor for a ling time now

A diamond won't work for us as AWB is simply not good enough offensively to trust him to provide width on the right. This formation is also heavily reliant on the CDM (Matic) being fast and positionally aware enough to provide cover for the CBs when the fullbacks are caught out on the counter, and we all know how that story goes.

I do like some of the players you are suggesting start over the incumbents though. Henderson and VDB need to be playing; Telles is a given over Shaw.
 
Henderson
AWB Baily Mengi Telles
Bruno Fred VDB
Greenwood Martial Rashford

Just leave all the jokers out of our squad. We need proper players, not jokers.
 
Criticize this.

Henderson​

Bailly Lindelof Mengi​

Williams VDB Fred Telles​
Fernandes Pogba​

Greenwood​
Oh my god... You can't be serious. That's a League Cup team.
 
DDG
Wan Bissaka Bailly Maguire Telles/Shaw

VDB Matic

Greenwood Bruno Rashford

Martial​

Need Pogba to pull his finger out and see who comes out stronger in the Telles/Shaw competition. Lindelöf unlucky to miss out but he's not quite there.
 
Fair enough but it can also mean the next match, or the one after. And i'd imagine most folk read it that way, or those that knew he was injured anyway.

Np, next time I'll use the term "asaa" next time, "as soon as available".

Just joking. I get your point and you mine so all good I hope :)
 
not sure we actually have a first choice 11 at the moment, add in not even sure we have a real system either or formation, players look lost on the park, which is awful for everyone, you can name nearly every teams best 11 apart from usually 2/3 players tops, we cant decide who is our best GK, our best cb's, our best RB is there because there is no competition, midfield gets steam rolled every game, Bruno, Rashford and Martial are really the only ones who seems to be in everyone's 11 at the moment,
 
A lot of people seem to rate Telles highly.
IMO, he is coming from a Portugese league and it may take him a while to adjust.
Further, Shaw isn't complete crap. He is a decent LB. His problem is injury.
Given the above, when fit, Shaw is our first choice LB and our first XI is probably the same as it was last season.
Cavani is the wildcard.
 
What gets me is how all the pundits refer to how well Utd did after restart.... but the last few matches of the season and cups we were woeful, pretty much playing like we are now......

Agreed.
We limped over the line and our rivals were terrible after lock-down.
However, this season, where our rivals have come out of the blocks fast, we are limping at the same speed as we finished last season.

Another point of note is the Bruno factor.
Bruno was the guy who was influential in dragging us to 3rd. His form dipped towards the end of last season (and the start of this season) and we have gone back to how we played last season, before he arrived.
 
DDG
Wan Bissaka Bailly Maguire Telles/Shaw

VDB Matic

Greenwood Bruno Rashford

Martial​

Need Pogba to pull his finger out and see who comes out stronger in the Telles/Shaw competition. Lindelöf unlucky to miss out but he's not quite there.

I like this, but would definitely drop Maguire, AWB and Shaw. Williams, Lindelof and Telles in for me.
 
I really don’t like that Wan Bissaka is undisputed first choice with no competition. He’s ok, but so limited. He really needs competition.
 
..........,.........De Gea
AWB Lindalof Maguire Telles
................... .Matic
... ..........Donny Pogba
.....................Bruno
..........Rashford Martial
 
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For Saturday I hope for something like this lineup

Henderson
McT Tuanzebe Lindelöf
James Van de Beek Fred Fernades Telles
Rashford Greenwood​
 
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I would try 3 at the back, we have everything to gain from trying this and with our lack of pace at the back we would be less vulnerable.

---------------------------------------------------------------------De Gea----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Tuanzebe-------------------------------------McTomminay-------------------------------Bailly/Mengi-------------
----Wan-Bissaka---------------------------------------Van de Beek------------------------------------------------------Telles----
----------------------------------------------------------------------Bruno-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----Martial------------------------------------------------------Cavani-------------------------------Rashford/Greenwood-----

We have to do something with our defence and we just don't have the right personnel to play with a back 4 IMO. Scotty has played well there for Scotland and I think this combo of a back 3 would have enough pace to counteract any positional mistakes they may make. Pogba and Maguire out of the 11 for a bit, have not been good enough so far this season.
 
Mengi's barely kicked a ball at senior level, Williams hasn't played right back properly since he was about 15, 2 of the back 3 can't head a ball, you're missing 2 of our top 3 scorers from last season.

:lol:
 
I think our first xi is still good, just been a couple of games in the season, so I'm not going to kneejerk.

---------------------- DDG -------------------------
--- AwB -- Bailly -- Maguire -- Shaw --
-------------- Pogba --- Matic -----------------
---- Greenwood -- Bruno -- Rashford -
-------------------- Martial ------------------------
 
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I suppose it is something like this... 'everyone fit' being a bit questionable at the moment.

----------------------De Gea-----------------‐--
AWB-------Bailly------Maguire---Telles
-----Fernandes--Matic--Pogba---------
Greenwood----Martial-----Rashford

Lots of positions in doubt though.

That would make our second XI something like:

--------------------Henderson------------------
Williams--Lindelof--Tuanzebe--Shaw
--Van de Beek--McTominay--Fred---
Mata--------------Cavani----------Lingard

Quite a bit in a 3rd XI too... something like Romero, Laird, Rojo, Jones, Mengi, Fosu-Mensah, Galbraith, Pellistri, James, Elanga, Ighalo

thank you.

would probably like to see henderson, Tuanzebe, williams, Mctominay, fred, van de beek and cavani feature as starters in cup games.

also, wouldnt mind seeing van de beek replace pogba
 
Consistency has been the biggest issue obviously and the constant switching of formations is the biggest culprit imo. Ole clearly likes 4-2-3-1 and he doesn't look to be changing the CB partnership any time soon, so he needs to keep the dog soldier double pivot in place. With that said I thinkk 8 players are certain starters, keeper, CB's, CM's, AWB, Bruno and Rashford.

I can see some rotation With Shaw and Telles and I know there's an element of our fanbase that wants Cavani to start but I doubt he can play week in and week out and I think Ole appreciates Martial's hold-up play, but there could be some rotation there, ultimately the formation stays the same though. The big uncertainty remains the right side, at the moment Ole is favouring Mata and I think that's because he offers some control to balance out Bruno and Rashford who are very direct. Mata isn't good enough or sustainable in the role though, James isn't good enough and Lingard has disappeared, which leaves Mason and Van de Beek, to me if you want to keep the control and intelligence of Mata but with more speed and better stamina then Van de Beek makes the most sense.

 
Anyone claiming Martial shouldn't be in our team is off their rocker.

Just did a quick tally - Since June -

Firminho 18 games, 2 goals, 3 assists

Martial 17 games, 6 Goals, 9 Assists

The best team we have is one that has two fullbacks crossing regularly and some creativity behind the strikers to give Martial opportunities.
 
Anyone claiming Martial shouldn't be in our team is off their rocker.

Just did a quick tally - Since June -

Firminho 18 games, 2 goals, 3 assists

Martial 17 games, 6 Goals, 9 Assists

The best team we have is one that has two fullbacks crossing regularly and some creativity behind the strikers to give Martial opportunities.

Isn't Firmino mostly played as a false 9 though?
 
We are done with experiments. Everton game proved that these are the players Ole trust the most when he wants a result. He has more trust in Scott, Fred and Bruno to save his job than any Pogba or VDB, though I don't think we will change this much in the main lineup anymore for good time now.
 
1. RW is the only thing not confirm at the moment.
Best candidate is Greenwood of course, but then.... alternatively Mata seems the 2nd choice with Ole reluctant to use VDB or Pogba there. Rashford seems to be 3rd choice but Ole favored him more at LW.

2. LB is Shaw for now, because Telles is still not showing better performances plus integration with the whole best 11. Telles is going to have good chances though with Shaw's injury.

3. CDMs definitely Fred and McTominay, no questions asked.
 
1. RW is the only thing not confirm at the moment.
Best candidate is Greenwood of course, but then.... alternatively Mata seems the 2nd choice with Ole reluctant to use VDB or Pogba there. Rashford seems to be 3rd choice but Ole favored him more at LW.

2. LB is Shaw for now, because Telles is still not showing better performances plus integration with the whole best 11. Telles is going to have good chances though with Shaw's injury.

3. CDMs definitely Fred and McTominay, no questions asked.
Telles has played once & looked really good...
 
Still the same as when we had our great run last season;

............................De Gea
AWB.........Lindelof.....Maguire........Shaw
...............Fred...............McTom
........................Bruno
Greenwood....Martial.....Rashford

Don’t think anyone has done enough to get into that XI yet but against teams that park the bus I wouldn’t mind trying;

............................De Gea
AWB.........Tuanzebe...Maguire........Telles
..............................Fred
...............Bruno...............VdB
Greenwood........Martial.....Rashford

As I don’t think we need too many defensively minded players on the pitch, so Tuanzebe helps with having a high line against them, Telles can provide overlaps and VdB can try and pick the lock with Bruno.

I thin Pogba will be gone in the summer at the latest so,happy for him to be an impact sub with Cavani unless they make themselves undroppable.
 
Solskjaer's only going to play the ones he can actually trust from now on. I think the formation below is the one he'd ideally like to play. Due to injuries I think we'll see quite a bit of Mata, Cavani and Telles in the starting XI too.

De Gea
Wan-Bissaka / Lindelof / Maguire / Shaw
Fred / Fernandes / McTominay
Greenwood / Martial / Rashford