Man Utd Thread:

[Boycey]

Terrible terrible game, you could make a case that West Ham might have nicked it. Utd are labouring badly and have lost that zip of a month or so ago.

If I was Leicester I'd fancy my chances Sunday as although they are in absolutely pants form it's now down to a 'Cup Final' as such. One thing that will stand to Utd is that Leicester will have to play on the front foot and United are much better playing on the counter attack

[Maroon Manc]

United are so tired, thatsa th4th performance in a row that United have laboured for long periods of the game. In particular Fernandes and Rashford were very poor and Id imagine since we restarted they'd be 1 and 2 in terms of minutes played for any premier league player including FA Cup minutes. Looking back at the Villa & Bournemouth games when both games were won after an hour he left it too late to make changes. Are United players as fit as Liverpools yet? I doubt it.

If Ole had played his strongest team against Chelsea its fairly obvious they'd have been beaten.

Matic's form has dipped the last few weeks, he was appalling last night. Needlessly gave the ball away in the first on so many occasions and then in the 2nd he continued to do that combined with giving away stupid fouls. Fred has had a really good season and I'm really surprised he's been cast aside since the restart.


I'm very concerned for Sunday, Leicester have been poor for a long time but their home form has still been decent. They are missing 3 out of their first choice back 4 and even their second choice elft back is out but they've had a full week to prepare against a very tired team.

[NAG1]

United are so tired, thatsa th4th performance in a row that United have laboured for long periods of the game. In particular Fernandes and Rashford were very poor and Id imagine since we restarted they'd be 1 and 2 in terms of minutes played for any premier league player including FA Cup minutes. Looking back at the Villa & Bournemouth games when both games were won after an hour he left it too late to make changes. Are United players as fit as Liverpools yet? I doubt it.

If Ole had played his strongest team against Chelsea its fairly obvious they'd have been beaten.

Matic's form has dipped the last few weeks, he was appalling last night. Needlessly gave the ball away in the first on so many occasions and then in the 2nd he continued to do that combined with giving away stupid fouls. Fred has had a really good season and I'm really surprised he's been cast aside since the restart.


I'm very concerned for Sunday, Leicester have been poor for a long time but their home form has still been decent. They are missing 3 out of their first choice back 4 and even their second choice elft back is out but they've had a full week to prepare against a very tired team.

Definitely one to be concerned about on Sunday after the last two performances. There is no doubt about it they look jaded and physically drained.

Rashford has fallen through the floor in terms of performance level he can't even get his first touch sorted. He could have been hooked at HT.

Was TFM injured or was it just his performance he go subbed for? I know he isnt a natural right back and would prefer playing CB but he looked like someone who wants a move.

Hoping that we get something out of sunday and leicester probably not the worst team to be playing style wise, but there is alot of work to do with the squad yet I would say Ole is well aware of this.

[Boycey]

Interesting to see the attitude towards the Europa League IF and it's a sizable IF they qualify for Champions League on Sunday.... A run to final would mean there is almost a month left of the season with the next one almost ready to start. It puts United on the back foot for next season straight away....

[snoopdog]

Interesting to see the attitude towards the Europa League IF and it's a sizable IF they qualify for Champions League on Sunday.... A run to final would mean there is almost a month left of the season with the next one almost ready to start. It puts United on the back foot for next season straight away....

Or is it more beneficial than playing friendlies. Hard to know what's best. If we got new players in pretty quickly it might help them settling in and playing real competitive matches. But yeah squad is pretty bare.

[NAG1]

Interesting to see the attitude towards the Europa League IF and it's a sizable IF they qualify for Champions League on Sunday.... A run to final would mean there is almost a month left of the season with the next one almost ready to start. It puts United on the back foot for next season straight away....

Yeah that has been intriguing me as well. I would like to see qualification sealed and then it can be a preseason tour as opposed to a slogging match to qualify by winning it running into next season.

[Boycey]

Interesting to see the attitude towards the Europa League IF and it's a sizable IF they qualify for Champions League on Sunday.... A run to final would mean there is almost a month left of the season with the next one almost ready to start. It puts United on the back foot for next season straight away....

Or is it more beneficial than playing friendlies. Hard to know what's best. If we got new players in pretty quickly it might help them settling in and playing real competitive matches. But yeah squad is pretty bare.

I'd be thinking more in terms of rest and holidays before coming back to play again. I know they are highly paid multi millionaires but they are also human beings.   

Most teams can now get their r&r now and prepare for yet another pre season in a month or so, those still in Europe don't have that luxury. Typical Liverpool, getting rewarded for their mediocrity 

[Maroon Manc]

Interesting to see the attitude towards the Europa League IF and it's a sizable IF they qualify for Champions League on Sunday.... A run to final would mean there is almost a month left of the season with the next one almost ready to start. It puts United on the back foot for next season straight away....

Yeah that has been intriguing me as well. I would like to see qualification sealed and then it can be a preseason tour as opposed to a slogging match to qualify by winning it running into next season.

United can play the second string against Lodz, the quarter final is 5 days later; I don't see why De Gea, Wan Bisaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Matic, Fernandes, Pogba, Rashford, Martial & Greenwood can't go away for 5 or 6 days. It would give them 8 or 9 days preparation for the Quarter Final. If United can get to the final its on the 21st of August which is 3 weeks before the start of the league. I think United can let the players have a week off then too, it shouldn't affect their sharpness too much.

[Boycey]

There are ways and means of getting some rest of course but there is no avoiding that most teams can give their players 3/4 weeks off from Sunday and have them back for a prelude to next season around the same time other clubs may be only finishing this season. It can't be up for dispute it's a fact in these strange times?

On looking again you would expect Utd to make the semi stage at least given the draw? The semi is not til 16th August so at that stage Final is only 5 days away so you'd think they give it their all any roads... But there surely has to be a knock-on affect into next season given how jaded United already look?

We were bitching last week about Chelsea having two extra days rest before a cup semi how do you think a season might go with players performing basically straight through?

[magpie seanie]

He's been really good since the restart but what Pogba did last night was an absolute outrage. I'm still seething about it to be honest. Yes United were poor again and yes West Ham had some moments but you just simply cannot hand goals to teams and expect to get away with it. And while DeGea's plentiful mistakes are infuriating, this was at a different level altogether.

I'd be nervous about the Leicester game though hopeful Wolves could help out (6th gets a Europa spot doesn't it?). Agree Fred needs more game time. Matic went through a phase last night of constantly fouling which was totally bizarre though he has been good recently. Thing is when he's not good he tends to be pretty bad....no middle ground with him. His height an asset defending set pieces probably in his favour too.

[Cunny Funt]

There are ways and means of getting some rest of course but there is no avoiding that most teams can give their players 3/4 weeks off from Sunday and have them back for a prelude to next season around the same time other clubs may be only finishing this season. It can't be up for dispute it's a fact in these strange times?

On looking again you would expect Utd to make the semi stage at least given the draw? The semi is not til 16th August so at that stage Final is only 5 days away so you'd think they give it their all any roads... But there surely has to be a knock-on affect into next season given how jaded United already look?

We were bitching last week about Chelsea having two extra days rest before a cup semi how do you think a season might go with players performing basically straight through?

Educated guess would say burnt out by Christmas. Its the 2nd season in a row where United have faded badly towards the end of it. A new conditioning coach might be no harm before the 2020/21 season starts.

[Boycey]

Faded badly? They the form team since Feb, table toppers since Covid break I think (wonder if there's a trophy for that  ). They out on their feet at this stage cause they basically played same 11 since the return.

I'm just wondering whether the peculiarities of this season are gonna affect United more than most next season...

[Cunny Funt]

Team performance levels in the last 3 or 4 games has faded badly to where they were. Has been bits of individualism from the like of Greenwood, Martial, Bruno to keep the unbeaten league run from February going.

Yes playing the same 11 since the restart has played a big part in that though Ole has to show more faith in his squad,  Its all hindsight now but he should have rested more players last Sunday.

[thebigfella]

I don't think Utd can beat Leicester on Sunday. Leicester will be more up for it and better rested.

Best Utd can hope for is Wolves do a Liverpool and destroy Chelsea in the first half to take a bit of pressure off.

[magpie seanie]

Team performance levels in the last 3 or 4 games has faded badly to where they were. Has been bits of individualism from the like of Greenwood, Martial, Bruno to keep the unbeaten league run from February going.

Yes playing the same 11 since the restart has played a big part in that though Ole has to show more faith in his squad,  Its all hindsight now but he should have rested more players last Sunday.

Can't agree with this. With the possible exception of Fred and McTominay, none of the other non-starters would have performed any better. Mata, Lingard, Pereira, James......who would have improved things? United's first XI is good but the squad is woefully thin.