Pre Match Manchester United v Leicester

[popillius]

Probably about the best we can hope for. Given the circumstance.

I think Benalouane looked much better than Morgan yesterday. If it is absolutely necessary to play one of them, I'd play him.

 

[Graz]

this is what I think it will be

Schmeichel

Ricardo Morgan Evans Chilwell

Iborra NDidi

Gray Maddison Albrighton

Iheanacho​

Agree with this, other than I think he'll start Silva instead of Iborra.

 

[Skitzo]

Agree with this, other than I think he'll start Silva instead of Iborra.

I'd be happy with that

 

[popillius]

Rightly or wrongly, I think Silva will start instead of Iborra.

The thought of either of them is not a pleasant one. I'd be sorely tempted to play Choudhury there or put Maddison in the middle with Iheanacho and Vardy up top regardless of his lack of a pre-season.

 

[City Fan]

The thought of either of them is not a pleasant one. I'd be sorely tempted to play Choudhury there or put Maddison in the middle with Iheanacho and Vardy up top regardless of his lack of a pre-season.

Yes it’s like choosing between catching either Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea. We have so many central midfielders but very few good ones.

I just think with Maddison dropped back into central midfield we could lose his creative influence. I think if Maddison played there he would need to stay deep as it'll be enough of a struggle to not get over ran in central midfield already.

 

[Graz]

The thought of either of them is not a pleasant one. I'd be sorely tempted to play Choudhury there or put Maddison in the middle with Iheanacho and Vardy up top regardless of his lack of a pre-season.

This is over the top in my opinion.

I expect both Silva and Iborra will look a lot better this season. Neither are bad players, I think it's just taken them time to adapt.

 

[Skitzo]

we've needed a proper 10 for ages we get one and now people want him played deeper, you couldn't make this shit up

 

[Lako42]

This is over the top in my opinion.

I expect both Silva and Iborra will look a lot better this season. Neither are bad players, I think it's just taken them time to adapt.

Very much this.


Choudhury isn't anywhere near either of them.

 

[popillius]

This is over the top in my opinion.

I expect both Silva and Iborra will look a lot better this season. Neither are bad players, I think it's just taken them time to adapt.

Very much this.


Choudhury isn't anywhere near either of them.

They've both looked as dreadful in pre-season as they did last year. Choudhury has been much better than both of them when he has played. This has been absolutely crystal clear.

I do actually agree, Choudhury isn't as accomplished as either Iborra or Silva as a fully rounded midfielder but then other than flashes from Iborra, neither he nor Silva have shown anything like enough to make me think they would be any more effective than Choudhury. Believe me, I want them to be as good as some people think they are but we've seen absolutely no evidence at all so far from either of them that they will cut the mustard. That being the case, I'd play Choudhury if only to show them that they need to up their game if they are to make that available slot in midfield theirs.

You'll get your wish - It'll be Iborra or Silva but if they play like they have since they joined us, we may as well leave a gaping hole in the middle of the park.

 

[Graz]

Interesting that Man City have all of their World Cup players other than Sterling and De Bruyne back for the Community Shield today.

Walker and Stones both start

 

[popillius]

we've needed a proper 10 for ages we get one and now people want him played deeper, you couldn't make this shit up

No. I don't want him to. I think he'd be better there in this game because our other options are piss poor right now. I must've forgotten the part where I wrote he should start every game there. It's all well and good having a no.10 but its pretty useless if the midfielders behind him can't pass or win a ball for him to feed on.

 

[Jeff]

Interesting that Man City have all of their World Cup players other than Sterling and De Bruyne back for the Community Shield today.

Walker and Stones both start

Walker only returned to training on Wednesday. De Bruyne is expected back tomorrow. Delph is back in training but isn't involved today.

I think Manchester City allowed the world players to return when they wanted, rather than give them a fixed holiday.

 

[popillius]

Yes it’s like choosing between catching either Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea. We have so many central midfielders but very few good ones.

I just think with Maddison dropped back into central midfield we could lose his creative influence. I think if Maddison played there he would need to stay deep as it'll be enough of a struggle to not get over ran in central midfield already.

I agree. I think you're absolutely right in that it would be a waste of his creativity but I'm just playing the odds I guess. I'd rather him there for now so he can look to thread passes forward to the striker/s than have him feeding on absolute scraps because Silva or Iborra are constantly giving away the ball or failing to find him with the simplest of passes; something which has happened time and time again throughout pre-season. I think he will have to come deep anyhow to help out the midfield two from what we have seen so far.

It's all academic really as I think you called it correctly. It'll more than likely be Silva. I really do hope he turns into the player I hoped he was.

 

[homer]

Walker only returned to training on Wednesday. De Bruyne is expected back tomorrow. Delph is back in training but isn't involved today.

I think Manchester City allowed the world players to return when they wanted, rather than give them a fixed holiday.

And as a result will probably be playing close to a full strength side next week

We, on the other hand, have made a right cods of it

 

[Jeff]

And as a result will probably be playing close to a full strength side next week

We, on the other hand, have made a right cods of it

There was a report on Thursday saying that Stones wasn't going to play today as he wouldn't be back in training until Monday. And he's started today's game. So I expect Maguire to be fully fit and ready to go on Friday.

 

[popillius]

And as a result will probably be playing close to a full strength side next week

We, on the other hand, have made a right cods of it

Yep. Maguire and Vardy should both be starting on Friday. There is no excuse for them not to be ready. They probably won't of course.

 

[H T B]

Yep. Maguire and Vardy should both be starting on Friday. There is no excuse for them not to be ready. They probably won't of course.

Only question mark on Vardy is his groin injury.
Has it fully recovered?

 

[big_mac4824]

Only question mark on Vardy is his groin injury.
Has it fully recovered?

I think he played on injections at the world cup, I hope it has cleared did he not need time off towards the end of the season for it? I really we hope we have a right good go at them on Friday!

 

[glyn]

When was the last time we played in the Prem without Vardy and Mahrez, and what’s our record without them both I wonder?

Certainly remember the pre-Champions League games that Claudio ‘rested’ them a couple of times.

 

[Miles Away]

Got the Opta Data Pack this morning. Will attach these regularly if interest:

- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games against Leicester City, winning four and drawing three, and have lost just one of the last 18 (W13 D4).

o At Old Trafford, Leicester City have lost on seven of their last eight visits in the league (D1), scoring a total of just three goals in that period.

o Man Utd have won their opening fixture more often than any other side in Premier League history (17).

o The last time Man Utd and Leicester City met on the opening weekend of a Premier League campaign was back in 1998-99, with Man Utd coming back from 0-2 behind to draw 2-2 at Old Trafford.

o This is only the second time in English Football League history that the top-flight season has kicked off on a Friday, and Leicester have been involved both times. The other occasion was last season, when Leicester lost 3-4 at Arsenal.

o Manchester United have only lost one of their 10 Premier League games played on a Friday (W6 D3 L1), though this came in their last such match, vs Brighton in May 2018.

o At home, the Man Utd are unbeaten in 20 top-flight league games played on a Friday (W14 D6). Their last such defeat came back in April 1950 (0-2 vs Birmingham).

o Leicester have never won a Premier League game played on a Friday before, drawing two and losing three.

o Man Utd forward Romelu Lukaku has scored four goals in his last six Premier League games against Leicester, though all of those strikes came while he was at Everton. Leicester were one of just three clubs the Belgian faced twice in the league last season, but failed to register a single goal or assist against (also Arsenal and Man City).

o Man Utd’s Juan Mata has scored four goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Leicester, though only one of these has come at Old Trafford. Only against Norwich (5) has the Spaniard scored more Premier League goals than he has versus Leicester (4).