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He's a clogger but he's what we've got, I guess you could functionally swap Bentancur and him around in the 6/8 roles but I'd rather have Bentancur's much silkier passing and dribbling further up the pitch, not to mention he was finding an eye for goal before his long layoff.
Villa are diabolical away, they scraped past us because we were completely fucked by injuries and suspensions but they've lost to worse teams than United away this season.
It makes more sense, but every time I see Hojbjerg playing he drops too deep and that's exactly the part of the pitch he should be avoiding. I don't know if it's Ange's instructions but I guess no, given he apparently lost his position to Skipp recently.
Man Utd will show up and this isn't the easy game people think it is in my opinion.
I'm not taking Utd for granted, when the stars align for them they play alright, but IMO too much of what they do hinges on Bruno having a good game, they have no one on the final third of the pitch to make things happen for them other than him right now. Not to mention I think a lot of past times we were going away to the top 6, we were dropping points because of mentality, which I would say hasn't been an issue so far under Ange. I fear Woolwich far more than United and we went there and took a point off them, I fear City far more and likewise we got a point there with a threadbare squad. I'm not precluding that we will win (or not lose) but there's absolutely no reason to fear this United team.
I hate going there,anfield and the bridge but the times are changing. They will raise their shit game against us but it all comes down to being clinical. We will dominate possession but we need to punish them when we have the chances.
I think our recent performances have worried me greatly when it comes to this one personally.
We rode our luck big time against Everton. We lost to Brighton. Got incredibly fortunate that Bournemouth couldn't score.
I guess we'll find out how much we've missed actual centre backs against United in terms of our overall play because play like we have the last three weeks and this won't be pretty.
If VDV and Dragusin start vs United I think we will look much, much better in defence. It's not just on the back foot that we suffer playing 4 full backs, our passing out from the back is much less assured as well. VDV's recovery pace is a massive asset for us that we have sorely missed, a lot of the shit goals we have conceded of late we would never have had to deal with if he had been in the starting XI because he's so good at charging back 40 yards to recover possession.
I hope so.
I do think our play is very reliant on centre backs. From not only just a high line point of view but from an actual build up point of view.
Bentancur being the 6 also helps tremendously. So much press resistant than the alternatives outside of Bissouma.
This game will certainly be a good test. Do we want top four? If so, not losing would be good. Do we want more? Cannot drop points.
Normally I prefer Skipp, but just like Skipp plays better with Sarr (who doesn't), PEH plays better with Bentancur, so I'd start him in this one, since GLC is out.
View: https://x.com/CDEccleshare/status/1745072159305671110?s=20
I doubt Romero will start for us, but if he is in the squad, even travelling as non playing sub, I suspect it will be a morale raiser for the team - as well as the signings of Dragusin and Werner.
ATM, ManU only seem to be celebrating the loan out of Jadon Sancho.
I'd be quietly happy with a draw.
Keep the vibes ticking over and buys us time until Brentford to really have everyone fit and raring to go to smash the second half of the PL season.
Just as we solve the defence issue, the attacking one rears it's head.
I'm concerned for our goalscoring without Son.
Yeah fair, tbh neither are good enough but with Biss/Sarr away and Maddison still out (& Gallagher not here yet!
) I’d personally stull opt for HojbjergAssuming Romero, Davies and GLC are injured.
Assuming Dier and Spence are gone and Reguillon is on his way.
These are all our fit players:
Assuming Dier and Spence are gone and Reguillon is on his way.
These are all our fit players:
| 1ST TEAM | SUBS | |
| VICARIO | FORSTER | |
| PORRO | ROYAL | |
| UDOGIE | SESSEGNON | |
| DRAGUSIN | DORRINGTON | |
| VDV | ||
| SKIPP | HOJBJERG | |
| BENTACUR | GIL | |
| JOHNSON | SANTIAGO | |
| KULUSEVSKI | DONLEY | |
| WERNER | ||
| RICHARLISON | SCARLETT |
Don't be a daft cunt...
Madders?!!
It's a problem when we don't have Sarr or Bissouma.
If we have Biss but no Sarr, then Bentancur can play R8 and Biss 6.
If we have Sarr but no Biss, then Bentancur plays 6 and Sarr plays R8.
Both cushdy.
As soon as we are choosing Skipp or PEH as the R8.... no bueno.
At a push, I'd play Skipp 6 and Bentancur 8 but given Bentancur is still recovering from injury not sure I'd want him doing all the running that has to be done by that R8 job. So PEH or Skipp it is.
The midfield options with player availability are :
Kulusevski, Bentancur, Skipp or Hojbjerg
Ange brought Donley on for last 15 minutes against Bournemouth in a CM role (where he has played in youth football), but that would be a huge step up for him to play in this match except off the bench. Would need to play a no 8 role as although he tackles well he lacks the discipline to play as a DM