[sbu_large_image] Dugout Discussion
14 December 2014 4120 comments
Mark Mark
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The Gameweek rolls on courtesy of a clash between two old foes. United host Liverpool in an Old Trafford cauldron to provide a tumultuous start to the day’s action which concludes with Tottenham’s visit to the Liberty Stadium to face Swansea.

This afternoon is all about events in Manchester, however, as old rivalries are renewed against a backdrop which finds both sides battling to maintain a challenge for a top four place. United’s lot is much improved following five straight wins, whilst pressure on Brendan Rodgers mounts following a string of poor results and hollow performances.

The team news finds Louis van Gaal tinkering once again. It appears that the Dutchman has reverted to a 4-4-2, recalling fit-again Phil Jones and Jonny Evans to his defence, with Marcos Rojo sidelined with a training ground injury. Despite Falcao’s availability, James Wilson comes into the attack alongside the revived Robin van Persie, with Wayne Rooney presumably adopting a withdrawn role or even deployed in wide areas.

Rodgers also makes changes – big ones at that. Simon Mignolet is the fall guy after an assortment of abject displays between the sticks: Brad Jones is the beneficiary as the Belgian drops to the bench. He’s joined by Rickie Lambert and the returning Mario Balotelli, as the Liverpool boss looks set to give Raheem Sterling a run in attack, deploying the likes of Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho to buzz around him in support; an intriguing set-up.

The Old Trafford clash is followed shortly after by our tea-time fixture as Spurs drop in on Garry Monk’s Swansea – a scenario which will have Fantasy managers willing Gylfi Sigurdsson to raise his game and return points against his former employers.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

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  1. Nabs Kebabs
    11 years, 10 months ago

    GJ @CB
    Hendo @RWB
    Sterling @lone ST

    LOL @BR

    1. Heels_Over_Head
      11 years, 10 months ago

      yup

  2. HurriKane
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Sterling looking dangerous

    1. Rafabio
      11 years, 10 months ago

      That's the problem. "looking" delivering

  3. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    need sterling and ADM to keep falling in price - just in time for the winter wild card.

  4. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Kolo CS coming.

    1. Kerz
      11 years, 10 months ago

      The new (and improved) Demel?

      1. Mílanista
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        11 years, 10 months ago

        That's Sir Alan Hutton, Kolo is just Kolo

  5. TeamSteam
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Rooneys finish "world class". Please. Open goal 11 yards out with no pressure.

    1. Sheep Flavour
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Open goal?

      1. Licky
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Jones was on the complete other side, practically open.

      2. TeamSteam
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Basically. Brad Jones had already dove to the wrong side before he even took his shot. 80% of BPL strikers would score that. Finish is not world class. Not even worth calling "class".

        1. Professor Abel X
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          11 years, 10 months ago

          Still bent it round the covering defender though. Not saying it was world class but it was a composed finish

          1. TeamSteam
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            11 years, 10 months ago

            Composed, thats actually the perfect word to describe it.It was a fine, composed finish. Something you would come to expect from every international "all the time". Getting a cut back on his favourite foot from 11 yards without any pressure with a few bodies in front.

        2. Camp No No
          11 years, 10 months ago

          Just saw it. 100% of PL strikers would have finished that one >90% of times. It was almost like a penalty where the GK dives before the player finishes his run (of course, it was on moving ball, so with that difference).

    2. Ady87
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Wow...

    3. Licky
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Against our defense. RVP even pulled our defenders into the box away from him for him.

    4. Professor Abel X
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      It was a fine finish

      1. TeamSteam
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        11 years, 10 months ago

        I agree, it was fine. But not class, not world class. Its a finish that he should score every time.

        1. Debauchy
          11 years, 10 months ago

          * This , nothing more , nothing less

  6. Mr. Grv
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Dat touch by fellani

  7. davies
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Fellaini is pure shite.

    1. Sheep Flavour
      11 years, 10 months ago

      He wants to play cdm but he isn't good enough he is fantastic at being a lump you can pump the ball up to and worry defenders and that's what etc did the season we sold him

    2. Efan Ekoku Pops
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yep!!!

  8. davies
    11 years, 10 months ago

    In their prime...

    Lampard, Gerrard or Scholes?

    1. Kerz
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Scholes

    2. Mr. Grv
      11 years, 10 months ago

      scholes

    3. Declan
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Scholes

    4. Licky
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Depends on the rest of the team.

    5. Sheep Flavour
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Scholes

    6. Nabs Kebabs
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Scholes
      Lamps
      -
      -
      -
      -
      Gerrard

    7. Robe Wan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Scholes

    8. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      GLS
      in that order

    9. Efan Ekoku Pops
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Scholes, but I'm biased.

      1. FPL Daniel
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Lampard by a mile. U r all bias utd fans

    10. laGan1n1
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Gerrard

    11. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Before you answer Scholes - think of all his bookings and sendings off. Great player, but capable of horrendous tackles, rendering him overall less effective than Lampard.

  9. Robe Wan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    I tell you what, the Spanish and German teams must be terrified by the techniques on display today

    #fellainidribble

  10. Beamer
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Fellaini might get RED card today.

    1. Ady87
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Will get swapped for Fletcher second half.

  11. Alan The Llama
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Cmon Fellaini ags.

  12. Benteke10
    11 years, 10 months ago

    @lanley stay real thank you for teaching me how to do this face: 😯

  13. Ady87
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Michael Carrick is playing brilliantly. His decision making is perfect.

  14. Alan The Llama
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Carrick's turned into Lothar Mattheus

    1. Declan
      11 years, 10 months ago

      He wouldn't lace Lothar Mattheus' boots

      1. Boss Hogg
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Now he was a class player.

        Should have retired about 5 years before he finally did though.

  15. Rafabio
    11 years, 10 months ago

    LOL @ Joe Allen.

  16. Sheep Flavour
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Allen is getting taken apart by val.

  17. Gnu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Yes, this is the much more 'technical' performance that Brendan promised. 😉

    1. Vardy Gras PBFC
      11 years, 10 months ago

      He's trying the W-T-F formation that LvG has successfully employed in the last two away games.

    2. TeamSteam
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Because its always BR`s fault.

  18. davies
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Yuck Allen's spit coming from his mouth..

  19. Camp No No
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Johnson injured?

    1. Heels_Over_Head
      11 years, 10 months ago

      groin

    2. TeamSteam
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Who cares

  20. Heels_Over_Head
    11 years, 10 months ago

    wilson looks winded

  21. Breadbin
    11 years, 10 months ago

    I would have scored that Rooney goal, Theodore I am world class.

    1. davies
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Who's Theodore?

    2. Syd.
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Keeper sold himself

      1. Boss Hogg
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Soiled himself?

    3. Mr. Grv
      11 years, 10 months ago

      yea but u r sitting on couch

  22. Vardy Gras PBFC
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Young with the "Mata wont beat the first man" signal. Good to watch.

  23. Efan Ekoku Pops
    11 years, 10 months ago

    I fancy the Dog and Duck to nick another before the half time cigarette break.

    1. Licky
      11 years, 10 months ago

      You don't think the Pig will score again?

      1. Efan Ekoku Pops
        11 years, 10 months ago

        He plays for the Dog and Duck 😉

  24. Pinky and Brain
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Joe allen is championship quality

    1. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      was very good at swans. not sure what happened.

  25. Sheep Flavour
    11 years, 10 months ago

    RVP ambling round the pitch 🙂

  26. Heels_Over_Head
    11 years, 10 months ago

    can benteke score on this manu defense next weekend?

    1. davies
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Different kettle of fish when United play home/away. They're very vulnerable away from home.

      1. GREENDREAMS11
        11 years, 10 months ago

        theyve looked vulnerable today, pool should have scored, theyre anything but tight

    2. Syd.
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yes

  27. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Liverpool are dreadful. Shame; it was great watching them last season

    1. Heels_Over_Head
      11 years, 10 months ago

      yup to all that

    2. Declan
      11 years, 10 months ago

      * watching Suarez

    3. Sheep Flavour
      11 years, 10 months ago

      It was fantastic watching Saurez last season.

  28. Forza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Giroud (C) material for next week at this rate.

    1. Forza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      11 years, 10 months ago

      And QPR the week after...

    2. Make United Great Again
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Sanchez*

    3. S.Kuqi
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Will probably get him in instead of Austin.

  29. davies
    11 years, 10 months ago

    What a ball from Slippy G.

  30. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Costa-out-for-Rooney.Tempting.