Team v. Man United

[HotspurFC1950]

Think it will be:

Lloris

Trippier
Toby
Jan
Rose

Bentaleb
Dembele

Lamela
Eriksen
Chadli

Kane

Obviously Dembele being deeper isn't ideal (much prefer him more advanced), but I think Poch will opt for experience at OT given our lack of options for CM at present.

I'd be very surprised if Ali started this one.

What would your bench be ?

 

[Romulus]

pretty gutted at dier being shunted out of the side in favour of the brittle belgians but i hope we don't see him alongside nabil. alli won't be fazed, play him.

Agree, if alli is showing up in training and in the matches then play him

 

[yankspurs]

Lloris
Trippier Fazio Vertonghen Rose
Carroll Dembele Bentaleb
Lamela Kane Eriksen

Vorm, Dier, Alli, Chadli, Onomah, Walker, Coulthrist/Soldado

Need. More. Attacking. Players.

 

[Mr Pink]

What would your bench be ?

Vorm, Dier, Fazio, Davies/Walker, Ali, Caroll, new forward

 

[yiddo23]

Think poch may surprise some

Lloris

Trippier
Toby
Jan
Rose

Bentaleb
Ali

Lamela
Dembele
Eriksen

Kane

 

[Giovanni]

I think yiddo23 has what the line up SHOULD BE!! However id swap alli and dembele and have alli driving at that united defence. Trippier is a better and more honest player than walker who cant keep concentration for more than 5mins at a time. But the above lineup is the best for me. Fingers crossed

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Think poch may surprise some

Lloris

Trippier
Toby
Jan
Rose

Bentaleb
Ali

Lamela
Dembele
Eriksen

Kane

I agree with this

 

[dondo]

What would your bench be ?

Made of wood with a bit of ronseal painted on it to protect it from the rain

 

[Grapo2001]

Think poch may surprise some

Lloris

Trippier
Toby
Jan
Rose

Bentaleb
Ali

Lamela
Dembele
Eriksen

Kane

In what world would that line up be a surprise?

 

[Blake Griffin]

In what world would that line up be a surprise?

it looks tactically intelligent for a start.

 

[Flashspur]

we seem to have played so few games as a first team squad. We'll have the Audi Cup but its so close to seasons start I dont know whether it will blow the cobwebs away or tire us out for the opening at OT.

It will all be on HK's shoulders again. Look for CE to disappear as he does in big games. Its hard to see where the creativity will come from. Lamela is not match fit, Mason and Pritchard still injured so there is just Dembele and Alli for cover. I dont see how those two will cope vs Utd. We'll either nick a lucky draw or get ripped to shreds. I just feel the season has come too early for us.

 

[mike_l]

we seem to have played so few games as a first team squad. We'll have the Audi Cup but its so close to seasons start I dont know whether it will blow the cobwebs away or tire us out for the opening at OT.

It will all be on HK's shoulders again. Look for CE to disappear as he does in big games. Its hard to see where the creativity will come from. Lamela is not match fit, Mason and Pritchard still injured so there is just Dembele and Alli for cover. I dont see how those two will cope vs Utd. We'll either nick a lucky draw or get ripped to shreds. I just feel the season has come too early for us.

It doesn't even feel like we've started pre-season yet to me! We had a couple of training ground games featuring a fair few of the kids where we didn't even wear the proper kit, then a match against the MLS Allstars and now two matches literally days before the season starts where I'd fully expect us to get a hiding.

Hope to be proven wrong obviously but it seems like our match preparation has been shoddy this year, fingers crossed they've been training like rabid badgers behind the scenes...

 

[billmcg]

An opening day defeat at OT is predictable but don't want to ruin our goal difference so early. I think we'll have a young fit team that won't get heavily beaten. Hopefully it doesn't knock their confidence.

 

[Adam456]

...................Lloris
Trippier Toby Vertonghen Rose
................Dembele
....Alli.......Bentaleb.....Chadli
..............Lamela
.....................Kane

Why keep playing Lamela as a winger when we know he doesn't have the top speed. Give him the ball to feet in and around the box. I see this as a 4-5-1 when not in possession but when we are have just dropped Demb back to illustrate that he is the back 4 protector (notice I didn't try to say DM)

 

[WiganSpur]

we seem to have played so few games as a first team squad. We'll have the Audi Cup but its so close to seasons start I dont know whether it will blow the cobwebs away or tire us out for the opening at OT.

It will all be on HK's shoulders again. Look for CE to disappear as he does in big games. Its hard to see where the creativity will come from. Lamela is not match fit, Mason and Pritchard still injured so there is just Dembele and Alli for cover. I dont see how those two will cope vs Utd. We'll either nick a lucky draw or get ripped to shreds. I just feel the season has come too early for us.

In addition we're woefully underprepared from an incomings perspective.

I know it's not a disaster until the window is over etc, but it's hardly ideal is it having only Coulthirst to bring on up front for the first 4 games of the season and not having another DM. If Bentaleb gets injured over the next 4 then we're potentially going to play Alli and Dier as CMs which is a bit of a joke really for a club of our stature.

We do this and then sometimes we wonder why we only just miss out on 4th.

 

[Redfap]

In addition we're woefully underprepared from an incomings perspective.

I know it's not a disaster until the window is over etc, but it's hardly ideal is it having only Coulthirst to bring on up front for the first 4 games of the season and not having another DM. If Bentaleb gets injured over the next 4 then we're potentially going to play Alli and Dier as CMs which is a bit of a joke really for a club of our stature.

We do this and then sometimes we wonder why we only just miss out on 4th.

I don't think it would be a disaster.

We have moved on Paulinho, Kaboul, Vlad and Capoue all of whom virtually did not feature in our team at all from the half way mark of last season. Therefore, our first team hasn't really changed. In fact you can argue that we have improved a team that finished 5th by adding Trippier and Alderweireld. Additioanlly, I think given the age group of our core first team I think we can also expect a degree of natural improvement/development. I personally think we can do worse than play a midfield of Bentaleb, Alli and Mason. Regarding strikers, Soldado is still available as backup to Kane until he is sold, if he is even sold at all. I'm assuming that.

I think that we will bring in two more first team/rotation players, obviously a wide forward/striker and a defensive type central midfield player. However, keep in mind that we did finish 5th last season without these two likely additions.

I don't think the window has been ideal, but it has been far from a disaster. I think it is important that we don't go too crazy and give the youth we have a chance to shine, I think that 5th last year with that squad was a good achievement for a team in transition with a new manager.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Flashspur]

I don't think it would be a disaster.

We have moved on Paulinho, Kaboul, Vlad and Capoue all of whom virtually did not feature in our team at all from the half way mark of last season. Therefore, our first team hasn't really changed. In fact you can argue that we have improved a team that finished 5th by adding Trippier and Alderweireld. Additioanlly, I think given the age group of our core first team I think we can also expect a degree of natural improvement/development. I personally think we can do worse than play a midfield of Bentaleb, Alli and Mason. Regarding strikers, Soldado is still available as backup to Kane until he is sold, if he is even sold at all. I'm assuming that.

I think that we will bring in two more first team/rotation players, obviously a wide forward/striker and a defensive type central midfield player. However, keep in mind that we did finish 5th last season without these two likely additions.

I don't think the window has been ideal, but it has been far from a disaster. I think it is important that we don't go too crazy and give the youth we have a chance to shine, I think that 5th last year with that squad was a good achievement for a team in transition with a new manager.

Just my 2 cents

...hate to break it to you but Mason is still out with a knee injury and has no return date...and he has not beein in full training I understand. Townsend hasnt trained with his shoulder injury. Lamela is behind the group in fitness as he returned late. So I cant see these three starting.

 

[chrissivad]

So depending on Mason, Townsend and Lamela fitness and any incoming we have over the next week

Lloris/Vorm
Walker* Alderweireld Vertonghen Rose
Bentaleb Alli Dembele
Eriksen-------------------------Chadli
Kane​

Only have Walker as I didnt see the game against The All Stars, so Tripper could start as he seems to be getting good reviews

 

[E17yid]

I'm surprised to see so many including Alli in their starting line ups. Great prospect and all that, and did well against them in a cup game but the kid hasn't even had 1 minute of championship football let alone big boy shit.

Admittedly, I thought the same thing about him when I first saw Bentaleb, composed and didn't look fazed by any of it but I think a baptism of fire like this is a bit hasty.

Even though I hate people that say this but.......... I'm happy to trust poch on the one, I suppose.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

I'm surprised to see so many including Alli in their starting line ups. Great prospect and all that, and did well against them in a cup game but the kid hasn't even had 1 minute of championship football let alone big boy shit.

Admittedly, I thought the same thing about him when I first saw Bentaleb, composed and didn't look fazed by any of it but I think a baptism of fire like this is a bit hasty.

Even though I hate people that say this but.......... I'm happy to trust poch on the one, I suppose.

On the flip side a young hungry team may be less fazed by the old trafford experience and just go out there and play like they want it. I really think Utd are there for the taking, particularly in the first game of the season.