Difficult to know who's available, but assuming all the regulars are fit, I'd opt for this XI.

Pope
Lowts Tarks Mee Taylor
Cornet Cork Westwood McNeil
Vydra Wood

Newcastle got joy last night by pressing their defenders Varane especially, that's why I'd play Vyds up top, and Cornet has to play, he's our most likely source of creating chances.

I'm hoping the long lay-off has given big Chris a new lease of life, as he's looked jaded since returning from the Olympics.

Yep same for me.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:19 pm

Yep same for me.

Glad you agree.

Just watched the training video and could not see Pope, Cornet or Jay Rod.

tiger76 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:14 pm

Difficult to know who's available, but assuming all the regulars are fit, I'd opt for this XI.

Pope
Lowts Tarks Mee Taylor
Cornet Cork Westwood McNeil
Vydra Wood

Newcastle got joy last night by pressing their defenders Varane especially, that's why I'd play Vyds up top, and Cornet has to play, he's our most likely source of creating chances.

I'm hoping the long lay-off has given big Chris a new lease of life, as he's looked jaded since returning from the Olympics.

Swap Wood for Jay.

I think wood needs a bit of time away from the starting eleven.

If its pressing high up you're after, then Brownhill is a shoe in. He's superb at pressing in that old Hendrick role. Played it against Southampton and I thought he looked superb

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:22 pm

Swap Wood for Jay.

I think wood needs a bit of time away from the starting eleven.

I take your point, but that's why I'm hoping the longish break has recharged his batteries, as he's still our biggest goal threat, especially as our other strikers can't hit a barn door.

Jay getting the call wouldn't be undeserved given how he's played coming on from the bench in recent games, but this yet again highlights our lack of squad depth when our regulars are out of form.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:19 pm

Yep same for me.

Me too

Roosterbooster wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:27 pm

If its pressing high up you're after, then Brownhill is a shoe in. He's superb at pressing in that old Hendrick role. Played it against Southampton and I thought he looked superb

Would agree if Cornet does not start

Roosterbooster wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:27 pm

If its pressing high up you're after, then Brownhill is a shoe in. He's superb at pressing in that old Hendrick role. Played it against Southampton and I thought he looked superb

Yes he's great at the pressing aspect, but then he can't keep possession can he.

United struggle to break down teams that are compact, i'll be surprised if we press them high up

Pope
Lowton Tarky Mee Taylor
Brownhill Cork Westwood McNeil
Cornet
Wood

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:35 pm

Pope
Lowton Tarky Mee Taylor
Brownhill Cork Westwood McNeil
Cornet
Wood

This would be my preference too.

Wood wouldn’t have started had any of the last three been played

Remember Stephens is fit.

Burnley Ace wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 28, 2021 8:46 pm

Remember Stephens is fit.

I would honestly consider him in a midfield three.

Assuming Cornet and Rodriguez are fit

Pope
Lowton Tarks Mee Taylor
JBG Brownhill Cork McNeil
Rodriguez Cornet

Yep, Jay starts for me. He’s earned it I think. There will be those who won’t like that due to the lack of goals but it’s the same argument for not starting Wood, who let’s face it, has been absolutely SHOCKING when he’s played. And that’s coming from a Wood fan.

Tigers team but Jay for wood.

And tbh Vegas, I’ll be surprised (and more than a little pee’d off) if we DONT try to press Utd high up. They really don’t like it and don’t handle it well.

........................Pope
Lowton......Tarks......Mee......Taylor
Cornet..Brownhill..Westwood..McNeil
..........Rodriguez......Vydra

Agree with tiger, hopefully some good conversations have taken place between Wood and Dyche along with the coaching team since the West Ham game. We desperately need a cutting edge of some description now and if I was Sean, Wood's place is on the line now. Cornet has to start as well to bring out the best with Wood and to push us higher up the field. We need to be in Man Utd's faces from the kick off, we can't afford to show any respect to them and to sit back at all.

I think McNeil AND Cornet need to play left hand side (a bit like Elliott and Eagles used to do on the right) and this allows Dwight to get more involved in the game which isn’t a bad thing when he’s our best player. Cork needs to play centrally because right now he is a much better option than JB in central midfielder. I think an extra midfielder would come in handy when trying to retain possession and due to our lack of forwards this could be forced upon us anyway. I would push Brownhill high up on the right side for a high press but ultimately we do need more quality in CM and on the right hand side too. So, given that it looks like Pope might have COVID my team would be…..

Hennessy
Lowton Tarkowski Mee Taylor
Cork
Brownhill Westwood McNeil Cornet
Wood

But it won’t happen……

I would play a central midfield 3 with Cork holding, Westwood and McNeil ahead of him. Cornet wide with JBG, if we can dominate their midfield which I think has McTominay, Pogba, injured we can have a real go at them.

What I'd like

Pope
Lowton Tarky Mee Taylor
Cornet Brownhill Westwood Cork McNeil
Jay

Lennon for Cornet if Cornet isn't fit.
451/433 getting up around Jay when and where possible

Wood simply has to get a rest ( kick up the arse ) and can't keep starting and offering zilch, the ball wasn't even sticking.
JBG like wise, we need pace and someone to carry the ball, draw fouls and get us up the pitch, generally when JBG is involved plays stalls and/or goes backwards, we can't afford thst with the rare times we get in their half with the ball.

Score 1st and the crows and the players tempers will quickly turn.

Bbc mentions we are waiting on some covid test results. Any news on this? Can't find anything

Roosterbooster wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 2:43 pm

Bbc mentions we are waiting on some covid test results. Any news on this? Can't find anything

Think Dyche said we had a couple of cases yesterday. Could be wrong though

Club just posted a video from training.

No Pope, Cornet, Jay, Roberts, Bardsley or Barnes.

From the U23s Thomas, Bedeau, Armstrong and Waller* were all training with the first team.

*this to me says Pope is a real doubt, would be no need for him to be training with the first team if we had 3 available senior keepers

I'll hazard a guess and say that tomorrow night we will have more fringe/U23s on the bench than any of the teams conveniently getting their matches postponed would've had, had they been forced to play.

Mattster wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:01 pm

Club just posted a video from training.

No Pope, Cornet, Jay, Roberts, Bardsley or Barnes.

From the U23s Thomas, Bedeau, Armstrong and Waller* were all training with the first team.

*this to me says Pope is a real doubt, would be no need for him to be training with the first team if we had 3 available senior keepers

Pretty sure Tucker can be seen in the video as well

I wonder if its our turn to play the covid card.

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:52 pm

Pretty sure Tucker can be seen in the video as well

Can't spot him myself

Well if it is in doubt lets here if it's off sooner rather then later.

Peter Loo wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:59 pm

Well if it is in doubt lets here if it's off sooner rather then later.

Don't reckon it's in doubt, we've plenty of senior players. Just a few of our better players look like they won't be involved

Don’t read too much into training videos. I believe they are filmed the day before they are released.

If we're not close to having all our key players fit then we really do need to do what the other teams have been doing. We have less strength in depth than most so we need to use the situation to our advantage

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 2:44 pm

Think Dyche said we had a couple of cases yesterday. Could be wrong though

I think that they were waiting on the PCR results, could end up being negative.

claretandy wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:08 pm

I think that they were waiting on the PCR results, could end up being negative.

As Cornet had Covid recently I'd be surprised if he has it again, which leaves Pope from the first 11.

Mattster wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 3:01 pm

Club just posted a video from training.

No Pope, Cornet, Jay, Roberts, Bardsley or Barnes.

From the U23s Thomas, Bedeau, Armstrong and Waller* were all training with the first team.

*this to me says Pope is a real doubt, would be no need for him to be training with the first team if we had 3 available senior keepers

I didn't see Taylor or Long either.

Taylor is definitely on the video. Spotted him a few times so he'll be fine.

ksrclaret wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:25 pm

Taylor is definitely on the video. Spotted him a few times so he'll be fine.

Don't know how I managed to miss him

SalisburyClaret wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:47 pm

If we're not close to having all our key players fit then we really do need to do what the other teams have been doing. We have less strength in depth than most so we need to use the situation to our advantage

Normally I would agree; take the **** like everyone else. But with the number of games we have already had postponed I don't think adding another will do us any favours.

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 6:30 pm

Normally I would agree; take the **** like everyone else. But with the number of games we have already had postponed I don't think adding another will do us any favours.

May as well get this one done.
Some would call it "a free hit" because we are not supposed to be able to beat them, despite our recent successes against them

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 6:37 pm

May as well get this one done.
Some would call it "a free hit" because we are not supposed to be able to beat them, despite our recent successes against them

Better playing Utd now, when they aren't firing on all cylinders, than later in the season when they may have improved.

And we already have enough games to fit in as it is.

tiger76 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 7:16 pm

Better playing Utd now, when they aren't firing on all cylinders, than later in the season when they may have improved.

And we already have enough games to fit in as it is.

And, going by the training video, we could field an almost full strength 1st 11
Hennessey,
Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor,
JBG, Cork, Westwood, McNeil,
Wood, Vydra.