05 Aug 2024 07:50:33
Pre-season is over for another year and it's fair to say it has been a bit mixed.
Our line up for our last competitive game was Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot, Mainoo, Amrabat, McTominay, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford.
With two of those no longer at the club, two likely to move on if fees can be agreed and five having taken no part in pre-season, who should be lining up next weekend?
05 Aug 2024 09:35:53
Pre season isn’t over yet, we play City in a pre season game on Saturday and I think there will be a behind closed door game before that for the lads who haven’t had a minute yet to get some game time in their legs.
05 Aug 2024 10:03:19
Ask Pep and Klopp, if you win it, it count as a trophy, not a friendly.
05 Aug 2024 10:14:54
I’m good knowing it’s a pre season game thanks. No game against city will be a ‘friendly’ which will be good for fitness and intensity but it’s 100% a pre season game.
05 Aug 2024 11:05:45
Onana AWB Maguire Martinez Dalot Casemiro Fernandes Mount Amad Sancho Rashford.
05 Aug 2024 13:50:09
That's a team that wouldn't finish top half if it played ever week.
05 Aug 2024 14:09:08
Majority of that team finished third the season before last.
05 Aug 2024 15:52:19
Is Casemiro the same now as he was then?
05 Aug 2024 16:33:41
No but OP asked for team to start at weekend, Casemiro will play as he's had a full pre season, we could sign a DM to start ahead of casemiro or Mainoo can play there if needed for the actual season.
05 Aug 2024 16:55:26
Nonsense dsg.
Only Bruno and rashford started more than 24 games of that group that season
Onana 0
Maguire awb started less than half the games
Mount 0
Amad 0
Cas sancho martinez and dalot started between 21 and 24 games each
9 of that 11 started 7 times lady season losing won 1 lost 4 drew 2.
Definitely would finish in bottom half of the league imo.
05 Aug 2024 17:35:51
In your opinion Ken, and you’re wrong most of the time. DSG that looks close enough in terms of answering the OP. Clearly we have players coming back who may not be ready to play on Sunday, and we need more ins and outs.
Still 4 weeks to go so we live in hope until the window closes. Besides the opposition, Sunday is a glorified friendly so there’s no need for a meltdown if we lose, but we may still get one.
05 Aug 2024 17:53:21
So 6 out of 11 started over half the games that season which is a majority last time i checked.
05 Aug 2024 19:41:02
I suspect that line-up is close but I hope this false-9 Sancho nonsense is just talk to push his suitors into gear, with Zirkzee taking his place. I appreciate we haven't even seen him yet but a decent cameo against City and maybe he gets the nod.
I think our biggest conundrum is what to do on the RW as I feel Amad deserves a start, which is saying something when there are two £70-£90m players who should be ahead of him. Which leaves Rash/ Garnacho to duke it out on the left. I suspect Amad will be the one to miss out sadly.
05 Aug 2024 20:04:24
I would imagine the starting lineup against city will be the same as the previous friendly. The missing players are only just back from holiday, so they’ll probably be on the bench and make a short appearance in the second half.
05 Aug 2024 21:29:04
City will be out for revenge after losing to us in the Cup Final. They will also looking to put down a marker for the coming season and the players all know their positions and playing style So it's entirely possible they score a harmful against us
What bothers me most is that Utd still have not got in all the players they need and there is so little time to bed new signings in before the season proper starts. In effect we will be playing catchup to teams like City Liverpool Arsenal Villa Newcastle and Spurs who all have a fairly settled first team.
I understand that's it is extremely difficult to get rid of under performing overpaid unwanted players so guess that I am just have to be very patient this season and be realistic in what I expect from the team.
06 Aug 2024 00:27:43
Haven’t they lost the last 3 community shields and then gone on to win the league anyway, not exactly needed to put a marker down or taken that much interest in the community shield from what I can see.