hoopLA:
Let's be optimistic.

As daunting as the fixtures look it is meant to test us in view of where we really are as a squad relative to how we began the season.
The season was wrecked by Jose (who I supported initially and I owe the house an apology for that). At this point despite the excellent start under Ole I think we should see his tenure as a rescue job in terms of salvaging what we can from what is left. In my view we ought to temper our expectations in light of the fact that Ole is just the interim boss and that we are about to take a loss in terms of our projections for the season.

Of course Ole would like to use this as an audition to get the job full-term and as such will go out to do his case good. But the reality is that there are deficiencies both in terms of personnel and from the tactical side that would eventually be exposed.

Just saying. Please I'm no kill joy

Criis:


Are you facing PSG before and Liverpool after?

afrodoc2:


This is a killer fixture list, even SAF go sweat. The danger is that we might struggle in some key games and the board might use that to judge Ole, which would be unfair.
I am already convinced Ole can do the job if given the support in the transfer market that Mourinho was given at the beginning. However if we lose steam during this marathon run of tough match after tough match the board might revert to their foolish ways and start looking for what is not missing.

And the main reason i think we would struggle with this run is the lack of capable replacements outside the first 11, especially in midfield.
Lukaku and Sanchez can do a job as replacements for Rashford and Martial, and Mata might still be able to contribute so the attack is not so bad BUT outside Pogba, Matic and Herrera that midfield is suspect.
In defence they are almost all equally bad so that is a known issue, however luckily in Romero we have probably the best no 2 GK in the world so no real problems there BUT our midfield might suffer during this run.

Leyqute:


Well said.

Do you think he should get the job if he emerges well from the tough fixtures and qualify us for UCL next season?

patrickmuf:
I really do not think folks are concerned because we harbour any fears but rather because of the fixture list. If we had each game against a rival duly spread in between games against smaller teams, most folks wouldn't voice out.

Regarding deficiencies in the team, no questions about that but on the tactical side, I can't say just yet.

afrodoc2:


This is a killer fixture list, even SAF go sweat. The danger is that we might struggle in some key games and the board might use that to judge Ole, which would be unfair.
I am already convinced Ole can do the job if given the support in the transfer market that Mourinho was given at the beginning. However if we lose steam during this marathon run of tough match after tough match the board might revert to their foolish ways and start looking for what is not missing.

And the main reason i think we would struggle with this run is the lack of capable replacements outside the first 11, especially in midfield.
Lukaku and Sanchez can do a job as replacements for Rashford and Martial, and Mata might still be able to contribute so the attack is not so bad BUT outside Pogba, Matic and Herrera that midfield is suspect.
In defence they are almost all equally bad so that is a known issue, however luckily in Romero we have probably the best no 2 GK in the world so no real problems there BUT our midfield might suffer during this run.

eph12:

We have exhausted our budget for hosting parties for the less privileged this season. Come back next year

eph12:

Na wa o. Who we offend na? And we don't have the quality to rest Matic, Herrera and Pogba in that midfield.

I strongly believe we can get this done.. Let's be optimistic fam.. OGS is here to prove a point and he'll do everything to get something out for those fixtures. I have a strong faith

Lana1:
I still believe the FA is not helping matters with these kind of Fixture congestion despite the lack of a winter break. Same thing every year. Why cant they just spread out these fixtures properly across the season. Not every week we must ve a top 6 match up.

I dont think it was this bad during the top 4 days. And if they keep squeezing the fixtures together like this without a winter break, it would be hard for the EPL to produce another UCL winner or even a treble winning side.

Without Herrera there would be so much less of the control in United’s midfield that has allowed them to give their forward players the room in which to revel. What he offers is a work-rate unmatched elsewhere in United’s ranks. His rate of assists per game of 0.27 compares favourably with Georginio Wijnaldum, Fernandinho and N’Golo Kante this season, while he has got through far more work off the ball than any of that trio too, with 3.36 tackles per 90 minutes and 2.83 interceptions.

On current form it would be crazy not to offer the fan favourite a new deal. There are not many players in this world with the work-rate, desire, stamina and passing ability of Arturo Vidal, but Ander Herrera is proving to be one of them.

afrodoc2:

This fixture list makes it now even more imperative that we win the next 3 games against Burnley, Leicester, Fulham.
Those ones are very winnable. Use the first 11 for all 3 games and get all 9 points, and when the horror fixture list starts we can start making use of the larger squad.

afrodoc2:


Well we benefitted from a relatively easy fixture list when Ole came in (at least the first 5,6 games), so we have to take this one as well as part of life.

elrony:


By our former standards that's no relatively easy fixture list..

The outcome woulda been 2 labourous W , 1 D, 3 L and gnashing of teeth

JayKayMaybachz:


We should give this guy a new contract.. We could still sign a world class player for his role nonetheless.

Fred and Perreira should better sit up now. We need them rn

JayKayMaybachz:


RT.. I swear down

elrony:


He deserves a contract, with El Capitan Fellaini sold to Antayalaspor as cherrie topping same day

elrony:


We for still dey do guerilla warfare for here

JayKayMaybachz:
Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could become the first ever manager to win his first seven Premier League games in charge of a club. Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea) and Pep Guardiola (Man City) both also managed six.

JayKayMaybachz:


I can't wait to see that unproductive iroko gone

JayKayMaybachz:


Chai!! That agidi man dealt with us eh. Watching Man Utd games was painful and bitter

MRTA7:


Obviously I'm not coaching expert, But feel rotation has to begin now especially in midfield. The number of minutes the midfield 3 have in their legs now will start getting to the fatigue and injury zone. Fred and Perreira have to come in sooner rather than later. If 3 play our main midfield 3 for the next 3 games then the Feb/March big fixtures will be problems for them in my view. We can just manage in attack and defence since they're are not far off in quality from each other but currently the middle drop off is big if we lose them to injury.

I believe something like changing 1 of the 3 per match might help preserve them. Of course this is real life and not championship manager but these run of futures will test any team in world football.

elrony:


We need beat Burnley today any which way!!!

elrony:


Utter waste of time

MRTA7:


Obviously I'm not coaching expert, But feel rotation has to begin now especially in midfield. The number of minutes the midfield 3 have in their legs now will start getting to the fatigue and injury zone. Fred and Perreira have to come in sooner rather than later. If 3 play our main midfield 3 for the next 3 games then the Feb/March big fixtures will be problems for them in my view. We can just manage in attack and defence since they're are not far off in quality from each other but currently the middle drop off is big if we lose them to injury.

I believe something like changing 1 of the 3 per match might help preserve them. Of course this is real life and not championship manager but these run of futures will test any team in world football.

JayKayMaybachz:


Mehn We need Martial in form. He's being nonchalant recently.. Dafuq is wrong with him? Mou is gone naa. What's his excuse?

We need to beat Burnley anyhow