I think the outcome of City’s game against L’pool is going to galvanize us further: win or lose. Win and we have to win! Lose and we want the points gap to widen (City looks to be winning this one comfortably). Obviously, Xhaka is always a concern particularly against mobile opposition. I’d start Partey on the bench, as without him at Anfield is not worth contemplating. I imagine Arteta will go with a 433, but I’d prefer a 352 to keep winning the lost ball retention in the middle of the park. I think the 352 suits our available players better ands shores up our midfield.
Leeds have their 3 top players out, so moving the ball with one and two touch football to the final third is essential. Leeds like to play frantic or chaotic football when they get the time and room. Flooding the midfield makes that type of pacey football very difficult for Leeds to navigate.
Our lads will be up for it as the countdown to the Wolves’ game commences again today. Beat Leeds today and we’ll be 8 points clear again today. We need to be at our best at defending in their final third and if we can’t rob the ball there, then upset the Leeds balance enough to be dispossessed in mid field.
Partey looks fit and injury free with him not playing in Ghana’s last game. However, I’d still play him from the bench if need be. Obviously, Tomi, Elneny and Eddie are short with Tomi out for the season. I’d like to see some invention from Arteta for the Leeds game:
Ramsdale
Holding Gabs KT
White Kiwior Jorginho Trossard Zinchenko
Saka & Martinelli
Apart from KT, all our players are playing their preferred positions with Kiwior dropping to 6. KT is the fastest defender in the league, so should keep the high line in tact. Kiwior is no slouch either and can keep Jorginho covered.
I don’t see a Leeds Midfield being more pacey or as technical as the five we would be putting out whether attacking or defensively. Gabs is a powerhouse at the back in the air and Holdinho generally is good aerially and defending if pace isn’t used against him. Kiwior will be a good sweeper in front of the back three. Jorginho can do what he does best and be the midfield general using his experience over his lack of pace with a minder looking after him.
This is what I think we’ll see:
Ramsdale
White Holding Gabs Zinchenko
Ode Jorginho Xhaka
Saka Jesus Martinelli
Xhaka walk about free role the opposition doesn’t care about. Zinchenko inverting and Jorginho getting caught out being speed challenged with Xhaka. Arteta’s main hope is our front three finding the net several times. Leeds are likely to win the MF battles more with this tactical set up giving our defense too much work to do and I’d see a silly goal against at some stage.
Saliba is the biggest concern. It’s too risky to play him against Leeds, but should be saved for the City, BHA and Pool games. Partey is probably ok for today, but again Arteta should manage Partey’s involvements in all the remaining games to keep him as fit as possible by reducing Partey’s minutes per game.
I’ll predict 3:0 if we play 353 or 3:2 if we play our rigid system with keep players missing.
See you at the game.
So there I was having a good day – we won yesterday, the suns shining, just watched a very entertaining F1 race, looking forward to watching the Newcastle v ManU game with a huge pot of Coq au Vin marinating since yesterday for dinner and then it happened.
Sky announced that Brendon Rogers has left Leicester – surely he’s got to end up at the Spud’s?
If that happens there’s a good chance I’ll laugh so much I’ll have to change my underwear!
Salivating now.
West Ham are very poor with Southampton worse. Rice looks average in a poor side.
Do you remember Walcott’s nickname Wally Something related to a coffee machine he won?
He’s still the cul de sac king.
On the subject of food in the stadium – its awful and that Camden Hells beer is fucking undrinkable.
For more or less the same price you can grab a pint in the Tolly and something off their matchday menu – Thai Green Curry (A mate swears by it), Chicken Stir Fry (my personal go to), decent burger & chips etc.
They also do a wider Thai menu which I haven’t got round to trying but the food looks pretty good. There used to be a Thai restaurant on Holloway road that was really pleasant as well but I don’t know if its still there.
Well that was like watching paint dry watching the Hammers game. As uninspiring as Moyes looks on the touchline. I don’t see West Ham as a serious threat to derail our hold on the Title.
Tony-big ups to you for even attempting to come to grips with our Swiss miss enigma…one can only hope that at some future date the “real” circumstances surrounding his peculiarly untouchable run at our club will be revealed, although I highly doubt it…the only real consolation is that if he continues to pot a few of the seemingly endless amount of sliver-plattered opportunities, it just might help us win the title, which would be a lovely parting gift for all involved
as for this Hammer/Hampton affair, the first 70 or so was right up there with watching paint dry or reading the footnotes of a governmental document…only Moyes would play an aging Ings on his own up top, as everyone and their brother knows that his best performances have typically come when he was deployed with a partner…then again it could be worse, you could be relying on Walcott to help you secure a point or 3…this match is a perfect example of why we can’t look our gift horse season in the mouth, as there’s a lot of layups and unsettled “big” clubs currently in the PL
Marc-If you’re ever in a decent eatery and Massaman Curry is on the menu, I strongly suggest you try it. My wife’s mother makes it when we have guests here and cooks it overnight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massaman_curry
It’s unlike the traditional Thai Green and Red curries with a very light sweet taste with the many spices infused. No spice over powers the other if cooked well.
KP-That’s not forgetting the Giros and souvlaki with Greek tomato salads with fresh caught calamari spiced delicately that melts in your mouth.
The move to Europe will allow us to be able live outside the house, especially in the evenings where Thailand is too hot for 9 to 10 months a year depending what part you live in.
Hoping to see Newcastle rip Manure a new one.
I must admit I have mixed feelings about this United/Newcastle matchup…my heart obviously leans towards a soul-crushing Newcastle victory, but my head suggests that a United win actually serves our purposes more…ever since the Pool masacre, United were functionally no longer a threat to our title aspirations, but in the grand scheme of things I think a thinning of the PL herd actually helps our cause moving forward…having a more viable United on the scene requires us to remain firmly on our acquisitional toes come the summer, which will hopefully curtail our all-too-familiar tendencies to settle
regardless of what may transpire when new ownership emerges at Old Trafford, the chances of another Fergie-like run reoccurring are slim to none…that said, their mere presence in the race is a far greater motivating force than that of an oil-rich Newcastle, especially under Howe’s tutelage, or a very watchable BHA, who will undoubtedly remain a selling club for obvious reasons…in the end, our organizational pursuits should be rather straightforward, create a squad who can compete with the best and the brightest on our own merits and I truly believe this is more obtainable goal if United is nipping at our heels
Newcastle should be 2 up by half time with Manure being kept on the back foot. Hope not the case of missed chances for Newcastle. Eddie Howe has to be applauded for his work with the Geordies in short time.
Will be probably the hardest test for us after City and maybe L’pool.
TRVL- Manure will probably nick a result as seems to be their way when De Gea is displaying his best irrepressible form. Will be a travesty, which is not uncommon in football.
Tony-that certainly wouldn’t surprise me either, even though they’ve been outplayed thus far…I certainly have nothing but disdain for the boys in red and white, but I so relish the notion of us raising the crown against a field of well-known in-form combatants
Get in Willock!
Remind me why we sold Willock.
can’t help but think what Willock would look like on our present squad instead of you know who
Got to love football Newcastle 2:0
I really thought that having won the League Cup ManU would use it as a springboard to push on and have a strong close to the season.
Their PL results since winning it: Absolutely spanked by Liverpool, drawing at home to Southampton and now 2 nil down to Newcastle with a few minutes left.
I couldn’t be happier, Marc. 🙂
Laughing at the Xhaka redemption arc.
If he scores the goal that wins the league, we’ll be derided as revisionists. Sitting there in the corner explaining to anyone who’ll listen how bad the first 7 years really were. An Andy Linighan for the future generations.
United are definitely starting to feel just how difficult life can be when you don’t get scoring from the Striker position…I have no problem with Weghorst being a late-game, change of tactics bench option, but he’s not the kind of player you can depend on to lead the line as an everyday starter…good on Newcastle for not only winning the match, but not settling for a 1-0 scoreline…Howe could have easily gone into park the bus mode, considering that they’ve struggled at times to create separation, but thankfully he resisted that temptation on this night…the battle for the final two CL invitations could be rather epic