Manchester City – Without Pogba
This topic contains 207 replies, has 30 voices, and was last updated by Kickass23 6 years, 3 months ago.
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December 4, 2017 at 5:23 pm #1565822
HRoleuys,
Not a new poster, just a new name as I felt like a change. Used to be Sprog37, now decided to go by the name UnitedMatas. New name, new discussions to be had. Same profile and post history etc.
Thinking ahead to City (I think CSKA is a bit redundant as I really don’t see us losing by 4) and I’m concerned about Pogba’s absence. We are definitely a different team without him. Reckon our options are Herrera or Fellaini, neither of who inspire as much confidence in me although both can do a job I guess. Maybe the answer would be Zlatan… Different position but same presence and physicality as Pogba. He won’t drop Lukaku it seems, so I’d be interested in a deeper role for Zlatan behind Rom for that presence and composure and Herrera next to Matic to do the hard work.
I doubt it will happen and reckon Mo will pick Fellaini if he is available, but the idea is nice to flirt with.
I’d take a 1-0 now and run to be honest after that red card was pulled out on Saturday.Cheers.
December 4, 2017 at 8:11 pm #1565864Welcome back Sprog lad,I would go with 5 in midfield tbh,with Matic,Herrera,Fellaini,Young and Lingard! Rojo to fill-in for Young @ lb,with Bailly hopefully back and Smalling in cd!
December 4, 2017 at 8:13 pm #1565865Jose told the German Sky Sports that he wants 3 new players in January,with Shaw and Darmian free to leave!
December 5, 2017 at 4:12 am #1565962Welcome back – I applaud the manner in which you have changed nick – openly telling people from the kick-off.
Its a clever nick but I fear you’ll be changing it again after the summer.
I’ll give my pre-match punditry later.
December 5, 2017 at 8:12 am #1565994Pogba is going to be a massive miss however we need to do the business without him. It’s going to be a big ask to win the match even if Pogba was in the team however we are definitely a team that can break down even the strongest attacking teams if we play to that plan. It’s going to have to be counter-attacking stuff next weekend so my line-up would be as follows:
De Gea
Valencia – Lindelof – Smalling – Young
Matic – Herrera – Fellaini
Lingard – Lukaku – MartialLooking at the team it doesn’t look intimidating compared to that of City’s – here’s to hoping home advantage, our good home form and the importance of getting a win push the players up a peg (like against Chelsea last season where we weren’t given a chance of winning yet did so quite comfortably).
December 5, 2017 at 8:21 am #1565997reposting this where it might be more appropriate.
i grew up watching schmeichel and then after him the next great keeper to come to united was van der sar. with no disrespect to them, i believe de gea is the greatest of the three keepers. his saves have papered over bad performances and individual errors for years. even if pogba hadnt been banned for the city game and de gea was at his magical best, it would take an under par city for us to be able to beat them. they are that good. i honestly dont think i’ve seen a better team in english football ever.
December 5, 2017 at 8:39 am #1566003Have they won the treble yet?
December 5, 2017 at 11:36 am #1566101MacGuffin- I very well could be changing it again, sadly, for me. Will have to work on my puns now already.
Sympathy – I think your line-up could be very close to what Jose sets out if you ask me. I personally wouldn’t play Lingard though- I know he’s on a bit of a purple patch but would you really select the lad for this game? I still don’t trust him enough and would rather see Rashford playing in your line-up. Rashford should get some time at CSKA, and if he impresses, Mo has a selection headache. I’m also hoping Bailly is fit for this one.
englishbob – We are certainly underdogs. It will be very interesting to see if Jose acknowledges that and, in Pogba’s absence, sets up very defensively as he did against Liverpool and tries to sneak it on the counter. To be honest, it’s not the United way, but it might be the wisest way to approach this game. Or, maybe he goes out with attacking intent, like he has consistently done at home this season. If he does that and we win, I will be very pleased, and incredibly surprised. IF that happens then United are clearly a much better outfit than even I (ever an optimist) think they are.
December 5, 2017 at 1:20 pm #1566149@unitedmatas – no I don’t rate Lingard much despite his form right now and I reckon Rashford is already a much better player however form matters right now and Rashford is completely off it at the moment – he doesn’t even seem capable of beating his man at the moment whilst Mhkitaryan and Mata don’t have the defensive capabilities to keep up with the City attack (which I’m sure Mourinho is going to require for his game plan). That only really leaves Lingard as a viable option and, given his recent form, I’m not feeling obliged to object him starting.
Cheers
December 5, 2017 at 1:23 pm #1566154@englishbob. You really are a prize plum aren’t you. Your desperate attempts to wind us up have even me in stitches hehehehe.
December 5, 2017 at 3:39 pm #1566244December 5, 2017 at 5:24 pm #1566293@unitedmatas – at the risk of giving redblood and hatters more fuel for paranoia, i haven’t seen united play in the united way since 2008, irrespective of results.
i do however see players in rashford and martial that have incredible talent. just a shame they operate from the same side. i dont think we have the players that can set up defensively and soak up the pressure. city will just keep coming at us in waves. i think what would give us the best shout would be going all out attack and immediately pressuring them and closing them down when they have the ball. i’d say man mark kevin but then do we have to do the same with silva? and then what about aguero/jesus (still dont get why he doesnt play them together anymore)? i hope we sign griezman in january, or dybala the young lad from inter would be perhaps even better. sign jose’s come in we are getting there. i do hope news of shaw’s fitness is true and that jose gives him a chance because he really was someone, before he was injured, that could run at defences much like neville did from the right for so many years
December 5, 2017 at 6:17 pm #1566314Why would anybody be paranoid about what you are saying @englishbob? You can support whoever you like,we all know you are just a class A WUM,lol.
December 5, 2017 at 7:45 pm #1566345@redblood i certainly have spent a few quid on giggs shirts over the years, which i suppose is what a wind up merchant might do if he’s serious about what he does. that was of course before he cheated with his brothers wife for seven years. after that, i have no time for the man.
December 5, 2017 at 7:52 pm #1566347Lol.
December 6, 2017 at 11:55 am #1566602We need to soak up the pressure and play on the counter. We can’t just park the bus especially at OT.
I’d go with a back 3.
de Gea
Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo
Valencia ,Herrera, Matic, Young
Lingard Martial
LukakuSoak it up and break with pace. We just can’t afford to let them play the passes through to Sane and Sterling for them to just slide rule pass it across our 6 yard box to Aguero or Jesus. Stop their supply and you stop them scoring.
December 6, 2017 at 2:04 pm #1566658How does graham souness get paid to come out with so much rubbish; http://www.football365.com/news/mediawatch-a-bizarre-attack-on-very-poor-paul-pogba-manchester-united
Henderson and carrick over pogba was pretty good from souness though
December 6, 2017 at 2:12 pm #1566661Manthistel – yeah I think that’s the team he will go with and should go with. Same plan as Arsenal although hopefully not concede as many chances! Maybe with Herrera in that might tighten things up for us in the middle.
December 6, 2017 at 6:08 pm #1566741I can’t see Mourinho not playing three at the back. That means we’ll only have two CM’s up against Fernandinho, Silva and de Bruyne. We could play 5-3-2 with Fellaini, Herrera and Matic in midfield and Lukaku and Martial upfront but that’d be too defensive for a home game.
I reckon we’ll line up with Manthistle’s lineup but with Mourinho in charge and players like Zlatan also available, you never knowDecember 7, 2017 at 5:14 pm #1567242I`m going for a 1-1 draw on this one without Pogba,otherwise I would have been a bit more confident about nicking a 2-1 win! Hope to be proved wrong again.
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