Closed Man United v Chelsea

[Chelsea? 892]

I'm beginning to believe Costa might actually be hurt. If so I think shurrler is our best bet

[iseah100 5,612]

well it is starting to look like CFC is going to have to adapt & overcome their current striker situation. I will advise you to Trust in Jose. The guy is Master Tactician.

THIS THIS THIS 1000X THIS!

Why does everyone think we will change the way we play, If Costa or Remy ain't fit....Drogba will probably start

Yea, probably. Drogs for 45-60 then Jose will figure it out.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

One more thing to add. Rojo is not a CB. Also Jones has liabilities. I am sure Mourinho will find a tactic to exploit that weakness. manure will try to outscore CFC & that is my worry. I can see the dirty red mancs getting a dodgy pk in the late minutes of the match. Personally I feel confident of getting a result in this match. A win would be the perfect result, because that will maintain the 5 point buffer CFC is enjoying over Citeh atm.

What I've seen from Man U this season leads me to believe they haven't figured what their best team is and also they don't have proper balance. The names will put fear in you(Falcao, Van Persie, Di Maria, Mata) but the style of play is nothing to fear at all. They look to make diagonal crosses to the back post, Terry and Cahill will devour that all game, not to even mention Courtois... Watching that West Brom game they looked like they are still looking for an identity.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Cesc as a false 9 would be great, if Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, and Busquets are supporting him in a possession minded transition....except we don't play that nor do we have the players capable of establishing a game like that.

[Wizacar 93]

Drogz to start no false 9 bullshit. We need to attack Man utd's soft core. Jones and Rojo will b eaten alive by the drogz. We need to impose our swagger on old trafford and have them clap us off the field at the end of the game

Courtois

Bane Cahill Terry Luis

Fabregas Matic

Borges Oscar Hazard

Drogz

Man u 0 Chelsea 4 Drogba Hazard2 Cahill

[Barbara 15,149]

Yea, and he's as good at CF as he is in midfield, right?

exactly.... this is the one thing that makes no sense to me.

So instead of being underwhelming in one position: ST people want us to be underwhelming in two, with Cesc being a F9 in England (completely different from being at Barça) and having no one to replace him at the wonderful job he does. I don't get people (to put it lightly).

[iseah100 5,612]

exactly.... this is the one thing that makes no sense to me.

So instead of being underwhelming in one position: ST people want us to be underwhelming in two, with Cesc being a F9 in England (completely different from being at Barça) and having no one to replace him at the wonderful job he does. I don't get people (to put it lightly).

Right? We had Fucking Torres for the last 3 years, will Solanke or Drogba be any worse? Keep Cesc where he is most effective and keep the rest of the team strong, we've been without an effective striker before.

[Barbara 15,149]

Right? We had Fucking Torres for the last 3 years, will Solanke or Drogba be any worse? Keep Cesc where he is most effective and keep the rest of the team strong, we've been without an effective striker before.

If Schurrle is fit, I'd rather Cesc feeding his runs with Drogba upfront. The thing is I don't see Mourinho not playing Willian... Willian has better work-rate than Schurrle, but Schurrle can win us the match whereas Willian doesn't look like a match winner (yet).

I don't think Solanke has any chance playing, but I also doubt Mourinho will move Cesc frm the position he's been brilliant. Despite Costa having scored 9 goals, we're the team in the EPL that has had more different players scoring (10 different goal scorers) and Cesc is involved in most of those goals (assisting, building up and he scored one himself). He needs to feed whoever goes up. Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle, Drogba, anyone could benefit from his assists and build up, so we move him to F9 and no one feeds him... yep, certainly sound like a great plan. I can't with it. People look like Willian when attacking - just think things halfway.

[iseah100 5,612]

If Schurrle is fit, I'd rather Cesc feeding his runs with Drogba upfront. The thing is I don't see Mourinho not playing Willian... Willian has better work-rate than Schurrle, but Schurrle can win us the match whereas Willian doesn't look like a match winner (yet).

I don't think Solanke has any chance playing, but I also doubt Mourinho will move Cesc frm the position he's been brilliant. Despite Costa having scored 9 goals, we're the team in the EPL that has had more different players scoring (10 different goal scorers) and Cesc is involved in most of those goals (assisting, building up and he scored one himself). He needs to feed whoever goes up. Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle, Drogba, anyone could benefit from his assists and build up, so we move him to F9 and no one feeds him... yep, certainly sound like a great plan. I can't with it. People look like Willian when attacking - just think things halfway.

I'm almost postivie Willian will play for the reasons you mentioned and to help stop Di Maria. He's their best player. I don't think Solanke will play, I'm just pointing out he should play at CF before Cesc does. But I absolutely agree, Cesc needs to stay where he has been playing, we can replace the striker, but not Cesc.

[Tomo 21,751]

One more thing to add. Rojo is not a CB. Also Jones has liabilities. I am sure Mourinho will find a tactic to exploit that weakness. manure will try to outscore CFC & that is my worry. I can see the dirty red mancs getting a dodgy pk in the late minutes of the match. Personally I feel confident of getting a result in this match. A win would be the perfect result, because that will maintain the 5 point buffer CFC is enjoying over Citeh atm.

I don't think they will try and outscore us, LVG isn't Wenger and for all these soundbites about his philosophy etc etc he is more than partial to dirty/defensive/park the bus tactics or whatever it's called these days. You only need to look at how he set Holland up in the World Cup semi final, I honestly expect something similar from him in this one (funny how there was no park the bus criticism for King Louis hey? ).

LVG will know that he doesn't have the resources to fight fire with fire on us Sunday so will likely go defensive and hope Angel and Radamel will muster something up.

[iseah100 5,612]

I don't think they will try and outscore us, LVG isn't Wenger and for all these soundbites about his philosophy etc etc he is more than partial to dirty/defensive/park the bus tactics or whatever it's called these days. You only need to look at how he set Holland up in the World Cup semi final, I honestly expect something similar from him in this one (funny how there was no park the bus criticism for King Louis hey? ).

LVG will know that he doesn't have the resources to fight fire with fire on us Sunday so will likely go defensive and hope Angel and Radamel will muster something up.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/manchester-united-attack-chelsea-sunday-4472156

Lol[emoji24] [emoji23]

[dee25 1,044]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just play Drogba upfront especially with Luis playing in LB? Drogba is past it but he still has some degree of aerial dominance and that paired with Luis' crossing ability can surely be an asset no?

Who to select for the two positions behind the striker is more of a dilemma to me. Schurrle gives us a goal threat, provide runs off the ball, takes up good positions and tends to be a big game player. With Cesc being very adapt at picking out runners, it just makes sense to play Schurrle.

Between Willian and Oscar I would probably opt for Willian simply because we'll be playing on a large surface and you need pace in front of Cesc and Matic. But Willian's performance against City was so excruciatingly poor and that's not even an exaggeration......

[FabHazard 655]

I think schurrle will play the striKer role...I expect a comfortable Chelsea win...

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just play Drogba upfront especially with Luis playing in LB? Drogba is past it but he still has some degree of aerial dominance and that paired with Luis' crossing ability can surely be an asset no?

Who to select for the two positions behind the striker is more of a dilemma to me. Schurrle gives us a goal threat, provide runs off the ball, takes up good positions and tends to be a big game player. With Cesc being very adapt at picking out runners, it just makes sense to play Schurrle.

Between Willian and Oscar I would probably opt for Willian simply because we'll be playing on a large surface and you need pace in front of Cesc and Matic. But Willian's performance against City was so excruciatingly poor and that's not even an exaggeration......

I agree that playing Drogba has some advantages, but I don't want Drogba to start basically for the same reasons you provided: we need a runner and we need our AMs too. Drogba can't give us runs. Willian's pace is needed against Di Maria. Oscar has been great in the last couple of games and our pivot lads are used to playing with him, so I don't think it's wise to drop Oscar either. He's a link between our CMs and AMs. So if Costa and Remy are really unavailable, I'd prefer Andre taking the striker's position, with our AMs unchanged or maybe Ramires starting instead of Willian if Jose wants us to be more solid defensively.

[Jase 43,479]

Good point. Perhaps I'm more optimistic due to the fact that Hazard, Oscar and Fab are in form and have established some good chemistry. In my amateur opinion, most football games are won and lost in the midfield, not in the striker position. Remy got one shot away vs. Crystal Palace and you that game was more lopsided than the score would indicate.

I guess what I'm saying is the approach or change from say, Remy to Schurrle is not that great. They both will look to stretch defenses and play better on the half turn as opposed to playing with their back to goal.

I'm also not sure what to make of this game but our best players at the moment are Matic, Hazard, Fabregas, Willian and Oscar, if they build on recent form we should win. Utd's biggest problem stems from lack of understanding on the pitch. They have a bunch of individuals and lack a team...

Point taken but Palace are no United, even if the latter lack any real organization/structure within the side. They are also going to cause us more problems defensively than Palace did.

[Viper22 2,418]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/manchester-united-attack-chelsea-sunday-4472156

Lol[emoji24] [emoji23]

He's either a liar, or a moron. Either way.

[Viper22 2,418]

Reading through the last 4-5 pages, when did this forum become a bitch fight/shit slinging match? So many pathetic comments and over the top comparisons. I swear I saw some tit comparing starting Solanke up top to Hiroshima.

[Special Juan 28,141]

Reading through the last 4-5 pages, when did this forum become a bitch fight/shit slinging match? So many pathetic comments and over the top comparisons. I swear I saw some tit comparing starting Solanke up top to Hiroshima.

Don't start name calling please, it just ends in bitching like you claim is happening.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

It doesn't matter who plays up front, I think the most important thing is that Jose deciding to play good counter attack/attacking football instead of extremist defensive bus parking like at City/Atletico/MU away last season. That is all we can ask for. It doesn't matter if Ramires or Oscar or Willian instead of Schurrle, but the approach. I don't think anyone will be happy with a 0-0 again especially if we repeat last year style.

[Viper22 2,418]

Don't start name calling please, it just ends in bitching like you claim is happening.

Yeah I know i'm sorry. Just got a bit wound up is all.