Manchester United fans in the Transfer Tavern are in a foul mood, cursing the standard of pitches over in Russia.
The Red Devils face Russian outfit FC Rostov in the Europa League on Thursday evening and mid-week trips to the other side of Europe are always difficult, but they’re even harder when they also involve rather attritional playing surfaces.
According to Press Association journalist Simon Peach, Jose Mourinho has already made his feelings felt after discovering the pitch his Red Devils side will be playing on tomorrow night.
Mourinho: “It is hard for me to believe that we are going to play on that field, if you can call it a field. I don’t know what team to play”
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) March 8, 2017
Mourinho compares the Rostov pitch to the Bird’s Nest in the summer. Just raised concerns to UEFA official, who told him players are insured
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) March 8, 2017
Easy to understand #MUFC‘s anger with the Olimp-2 surface. Mourinho just looked over & laughed. Asst Rui Faria posed for a photo holding it pic.twitter.com/oDJl6HxY20
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) March 8, 2017
Herrera & Rojo testing out the bounce of the ball in Rostov pic.twitter.com/BGTBQHeULv
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) March 8, 2017
Safe to say, that high bounce doesn’t particularly play up to the strengths of technically gifted Premier League footballers, but Manchester United fans have been quick to suggest an obvious solution – Marouane Fellaini.
Indeed, the Belgian battering ram has never been the most popular of figures at Old Trafford and plenty in the Tavern would happily pack his bags and drive him to the airport if it guaranteed a move away before the start of next season.
But if there’s one occasion in which Fellaini’s cumbersome physicality could prove vital, it’s surely a European away day in Russia where the pitch makes silky football impossible. That’s what United fans on Twitter reckon anyway…
Look at the state of the pitch! Play Fellaini up next to Zlatan and avoid the midfield… pic.twitter.com/wqbErSZN1g
— dj (@DonalSean) March 8, 2017
These are the games why we have players like Fellaini, Lingard, Darmian. Just play em
— DB17 (@SkUnited17) March 8, 2017
If ever a pitch screamed “marouane Fellaini”. https://t.co/VA0D1s3Veh
— Andy Davies (@AndyDavies84) March 8, 2017
Need fellaini start tomorrow. Don’t want to see my man ander playing on sand.
— Erma (@Ander21Control) March 8, 2017
Put fellaini and zlatan up top and play hoof it up ball. https://t.co/eT1ZflG4Yy
— Lucky Lefty (@InnoWire_Maluks) March 8, 2017
@UnitedStandMUFC Fellaini. to start?
— star ritchlow (@newfienick1) March 8, 2017
Fellaini deserves to play on that Rostov pitch tbh
— (@KKT___) March 8, 2017
Looking at that pitch..he’s playing Fellaini isn’t he
— Rob ‘Padz’ Padbury (@Padz86) March 8, 2017
Should Fellaini start against Rostov, United fans? Let us know by commenting below!
