Manchester United Vs Bayer Leverkusen

[KM]

No Bender today, Emre Can is surprisingly starting for Leverkusen.

Leno - Boenisch, Toprak, Spahic, Donati - Rolfes, Reinartz, Can - Son, Kießling, Sam

Two newbs saying that this is not Bayern's best team by some distance. Would you agree with that?

 

[Theon]

4-3-3 with Valencia sitting closer to Carrick and Fellaini would be the best utilization of that line up for my money.

Nah Valencia will just be in that three behind RVP in a 4-2-3-1 I reckon, he'll just stay out there giving width on the right.

 

[Amar__]

Love that team!

Looking forward to this. Guess it will be Kagawa left but it will be interesting if Moyes changes it and goes for Rooney there

Judging by our preseason games, it's Kagawa on the left for sure.

 

[Scorpy]

Why is Bender on the bench?

 

[Siorac]

I hope Giggs isn't being saved for sunday....

 

[Irwinwastheking]

Surely you'd want kagawa tucked in rather than Valencia? Otherwise would becom very narrow and not like smalling gonna give much on the right. I'd rather let kagawa drift from the left with Valencia providing the balance by maintaining his width.

Rather have Kagawa more advanced if I was going to go with a 433

 

[Julian Denny]

Giggs is being saved for that match.

 

[moses]

Is this not on RTE?

 

[Irwinwastheking]

Nah Valencia will just be in that three behind RVP in a 4-2-3-1 I reckon, he'll just stay out there giving width on the right.

This is more likely but I'd rather the other.

Still very very happy with that team.

 

[Anduin]

Emre Can is surprisingly starting for Leverkusen.

Leno - Boenisch, Toprak, Spahic, Donati - Rolfes, Reinartz, Can - Son, Kießling, Sam

How highly do you rate him as Bayern supporter? Seen him a few times last year and read rave reviews, thought he was a cert to make an impact at Bayern. Do you think you will take him back in a couple of years via buy back clause?

Leverkusen line-up seems beatable IMO, though we need to be very careful about that front three. Sam's been in cracking form.

 

[Crumpsall Red]

Why is Bender on the bench?

Just coming back from injury isn't he?

 

[Balu]

Two newbs saying that this is not Bayern's best team by some distance. Would you agree with that?

Bayer not Bayern . Castro and Bender in midfield instead of Rolfes and Can would be their best line-up. Attack and defense are the usual players.

Just coming back from injury isn't he?

Yes.

 

[Ash_G]

Rather have Kagawa more advanced if I was going to go with a 433

Fair enough, I think there would be plenty of scope for him to drift as we've seen from welbeck/giggs there. Or if you were going 433 I'd stick one of Rooney or kagawa wide with the other at the tip of the 3, that way one of them is in the middle.

 

[BahamaRed]

Moysie must read the Caf. Never seen a lineup that pleased everyone on here, including me.

 

[That'sHernandez]

Why the feck would you play Smalling rb, doesn't make any sense when Fabio is fit.

Could be defensive reasons for it, like tall strikers for Leverkusen.

 

[Tibs]

Kagawa starting has made my day, week, life

#ShinjiIsFree

 

[Irwinwastheking]

Could be defensive reasons for it, like tall strikers for Leverkusen.

Could be that he's more concerned about City and is afraid of losing his only fit RB??

 

[Balu]

How highly do you rate him as Bayern supporter? Seen him a few times last year and read rave reviews, thought he was a cert to make an impact at Bayern. Do you think you will take him back in a couple of years via buy back clause?

Leverkusen line-up seems beatable IMO, though we need to be very careful about that front three. Sam's been in cracking form.

Not entirely sure about Can. He was physically way ahead of his age group which may have made him look stronger than he actually is. Hoijberg is imo the bigger talent. Schweinsteiger and Kroos are going nowhere, Alaba might move into midfield in a few years and we bought Thiago, so he needs to make a huge step to find a place in our midfield.

 

[Livewire1974]

Why is Bender on the bench?

Cos he is a bender.

 

[That'sHernandez]

Could be that he's more concerned about City and is afraid of losing his only fit RB??

Fair point, hadn't thought of that.

I'm a little disappointed by the bench, I'd have liked to have seen Nani on there.

 

[Livewire1974]

Is this not on RTE?

Its on TV3, their shite coverage starts at 7:30

 

[Earthquake]

Could be that he's more concerned about City and is afraid of losing his only fit RB??

Could have played Valencia at RB and Young(or Zaha... ) ahead of him.

 

[Nighteyes]

Fair point, hadn't thought of that.

I'm a little disappointed by the bench, I'd have liked to have seen Nani on there.

 

[Pexbo]

Could have played Valencia at RB and Young(or Zaha... ) ahead of him.

We could have, but what would be the point in that?

 

[That'sHernandez]

What's funny?

 

[ItsEssexRob]

Im gonna nip a few on Kagawa to score tonight.

 

[That'sHernandez]

Im gonna nip a few on Kagawa to score tonight.

That's racist.

 

[Crumpsall Red]

What's funny?

seriously?

 

[That'sHernandez]

Former Wales international Robbie Savage at Old TraffordManchester United v Bayer Leverkusen (1945 BST)
"Bayer Leverkusen are a big, strong physical side. It will be a tough test for Manchester United, as Sidney Sam and Stefan Kiessling are excellent players.
"I do not think Manchester United's midfield is strong enough to win the Champions League. They are all fantastic players, but nobody can beat people one-on-one."

Great insight, Robbie, cheers.

 

[That'sHernandez]

seriously?

Yeah, I don't get it?

 

[Crumpsall Red]

Yeah, I don't get it?

OK, on pretty much every page in this thread someone has asked about Nani and about 12 people have responded ....... HE'S SUSPENDED!!!!!

 

[RK]

Hopefully we'll rotate more as the season goes on. Surprised Rio played vs palace if he's starting tonight.

That said, we shouldn't underestimate Leverkusen - we've only got a 50-55% chance of winning so we'll have to be sharp.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Nani would be suspended having been sent off in our last CL match.

Funny you would forget that.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Hopefully we'll rotate more as the season goes on. Surprised Rio played vs palace if he's starting tonight.

That said, we shouldn't underestimate Leverkusen - we've only got a 50-55% chance of winning so we'll have to be sharp.

Pfft..it's Neverkusen. I'm not worried. The lads will take it seriously enough. Moysie will see to that.

 

[sullydnl]

Nice lineup. Our bench is looking quite weak these days though

 

[That'sHernandez]

OK, on pretty much every page in this thread someone has asked about Nani and about 12 people have responded ....... HE'S SUSPENDED!!!!!

No need to be rude. I forgot he still had a suspension and I haven't read the thread because usually it's a load of bollocks about guessing the lineup or what people would play before they even know who's playing.

 

[Ramshock]

Tell you what thats a solid line up. Just missing Rafael.

 

[Irwinwastheking]

Honestly, as much as I dislike seeing Jones or Smalling at RB I'd much rather see them as young defenders in need of game time there before Valencia.

 

[That'sHernandez]

Pfft..it's Neverkusen. I'm not worried. The lads will take it seriously enough. Moysie will see to that.

Aren't German teams our bogey nation in the CL? I'm sure you're right though.

 

[Irwinwastheking]

No need to be rude. I forgot he still had a suspension and I haven't read the thread because usually it's a load of bollocks about guessing the lineup or what people would play before they even know who's playing.

It was a little funny TBF.