Today reminded me why i love football so much, and how you can go from feeling dejected for 80mins, to suddenly ecstatic. RvP i could kiss you
Manchester United
If we play like that every week then a top 6 will be unlikely. Can't rememder the last time I saw such a poor performance from so many players. Apart from the keeper who did not really have that much to do, only three players showed anything.
RVP, Valencia and Scholes. Carrick was the worst player on the field(he could'nt pass water) Evra and Rafael are just terrible defenders as is Rio.
Southampton deserved better than that, although Adkins did take off his best two players when they were leading 2-1.
Agree with Rafael, have never rated him.
This article is gold
Post international window it's Wigan at home, Galatasaray at home midweek and then Liverpool at Anfield. And looks like Nani has been told to pull his head in. Wonder if he is the 3rd member of the "sad" rich football list with Cristiano and Cesc?
Any time you score four and get 3 points is great but the two central defenders are still a problem for me. I know he thinks he is great, but Rio is just not good enough. I've seen milk turn quicker. Against strikers of the quality of the City ones I'm afraid we just don't match up.
Still being second can't be too bad.
Wahey, YF working at work again, I'm back fellas.
Loving the football being back. We haven't hit any sort of heights just yet, but now we are breaking into three games a week we should hopefully see some consistency come through. Looking forward to the Gala game, it's been quite a while since a European match!
Think we'll see Kagawa, van Persie, and Evra all start on Thursday morning - potentially Evans for Ferdinand given it's a quick turn round. I think Anderson and Cleverley will play as well.
Any time you score four and get 3 points is great but the two central defenders are still a problem for me. I know he thinks he is great, but Rio is just not good enough. I've seen milk turn quicker. Against strikers of the quality of the City ones I'm afraid we just don't match up.
Still being second can't be too bad.
Hard to disagree Leggy but not many options at present with Smalling and Jones injured. SAF has to keep 2 of Rio, Vidic, Evans playing every game - unless Carrick, Valencia or a youngster is used.
Think we'll see Kagawa, van Persie, and Evra all start on Thursday morning - potentially Evans for Ferdinand given it's a quick turn round. I think Anderson and Cleverley will play as well.
Agree it will be Evans /Vidic and after last seasons disaster SAF will play conservative/experienced team until qualification to next round is guaranteed. I reckon it will be something like:
De Gea, Evra, Evans, Vidic, Raffa, Scholes, Carrick, Kagawa, Nani, Valencia, RVP
Think we'll see Kagawa, van Persie, and Evra all start on Thursday morning - potentially Evans for Ferdinand given it's a quick turn round. I think Anderson and Cleverley will play as well.
Agree it will be Evans /Vidic and after last seasons disaster SAF will play conservative/experienced team until qualification to next round is guaranteed. I reckon it will be something like:
De Gea, Evra, Evans, Vidic, Raffa, Scholes, Carrick, Kagawa, Nani, Valencia, RVP
Not a bad side but Nani never seems to play well when Valencia is in the team.
Think we'll see Kagawa, van Persie, and Evra all start on Thursday morning - potentially Evans for Ferdinand given it's a quick turn round. I think Anderson and Cleverley will play as well.
Agree it will be Evans /Vidic and after last seasons disaster SAF will play conservative/experienced team until qualification to next round is guaranteed. I reckon it will be something like:
De Gea, Evra, Evans, Vidic, Raffa, Scholes, Carrick, Kagawa, Nani, Valencia, RVP
And I'm picking Anderson and Cleverley to start in the middle. Maybe Carrick and Cleverley. But Scholes won't play after Saturday and with Liverpool away coming up. Agree with the rest of the team, unless Young is fit, who might come in for Nani.
I was spot on - but they SHOULD have played Cleverley and Anderson. OMG some of it was awful. Lucky to get 3 points there folks.
Fletch back is a bit of a surprise (good for him obviously). Still, I'd like to see Kagawa as a forward-ish midfielder with TC and Anderson holding (Anderson and Kagawa can work the left hand side), with Rooney in behind RVP and let Nani/Valencia/Young battle it out for the right wing position.
Reckon we'll see more of Buttner too.
what sort of team will you guys be playing against us, do you think? i hope there is none of this shite going to be sung from either side. will be very pleased, regardless of result, if everyone is well behaved and supportive of the families, which is ultimately the most important thing of the occassion.
what sort of team will you guys be playing against us, do you think? i hope there is none of this shite going to be sung from either side. will be very pleased, regardless of result, if everyone is well behaved and supportive of the families, which is ultimately the most important thing of the occassion.
What sort of team? A winning one will do me! I think Cleverley and Anderson will play instead of Scholes, Carrick.
Yeah, with you on all of that El Pistol. Let's hope football is the winner on the day, eh?
what sort of team will you guys be playing against us, do you think? i hope there is none of this shite going to be sung from either side. will be very pleased, regardless of result, if everyone is well behaved and supportive of the families, which is ultimately the most important thing of the occassion.
Plus 1
I was spot on - but they SHOULD have played Cleverley and Anderson. OMG some of it was awful. Lucky to get 3 points there folks.
Fletch back is a bit of a surprise (good for him obviously). Still, I'd like to see Kagawa as a forward-ish midfielder with TC and Anderson holding (Anderson and Kagawa can work the left hand side), with Rooney in behind RVP and let Nani/Valencia/Young battle it out for the right wing position.
Reckon we'll see more of Buttner too.
Too many players not at their best. I had picked 2-0 but it shows that there are no mugs in this league.
After last year's abject failure to make it out of your 'Group of Death' I would expect you to take every challenger serious.
After last year's abject failure to make it out of your 'Group of Death' I would expect you to take every challenger serious.
We do, but of course we have had a lot more success in the last 7/8 years than your lot have.
what sort of team will you guys be playing against us, do you think? i hope there is none of this shite going to be sung from either side. will be very pleased, regardless of result, if everyone is well behaved and supportive of the families, which is ultimately the most important thing of the occassion.
Well said.
After last year's abject failure to make it out of your 'Group of Death' I would expect you to take every challenger serious.
We do, but of course we have had a lot more success in the last 7/8 years than your lot have.
We're 12 years in a row making it out of the group stages, which is what we were talking about. We do alright!
I forget how much Carrick does sometimes, god he's the least exciting player ever, but he covered nearly 12km in that Galatasaray game! Good honest goal too.
I forget how much Carrick does sometimes, god he's the least exciting player ever, but he covered nearly 12km in that Galatasaray game! Good honest goal too.
Your right, but he keeps giving the ball away. He does have days that he is very good, but I think he is too inconsistent. Has not really been the big signing that he was meant to be.
I forget how much Carrick does sometimes, god he's the least exciting player ever, but he covered nearly 12km in that Galatasaray game! Good honest goal too.
Your right, but he keeps giving the ball away. He does have days that he is very good, but I think he is too inconsistent. Has not really been the big signing that he was meant to be.
you're not your
After last year's abject failure to make it out of your 'Group of Death' I would expect you to take every challenger serious.
We do, but of course we have had a lot more success in the last 7/8 years than your lot have.
We're 12 years in a row making it out of the group stages, which is what we were talking about. We do alright!
All right is better than alright.
Predictions for tonight? Two nil United Van Persie and Welbeck to score.
I guess we will play well at some stage of the season. Another poor performance but three points. Liverpool would feel hard done by as I thought they were the better side. Too many Utd players are out of form and are not performing. Rio,Giggs and Evra should be sold ASAP as they are not up to it.
Yes please sell giggs! that'd be hilarious...
one wife, one club
oh wait...
I guess we will play well at some stage of the season. Another poor performance but three points. Liverpool would feel hard done by as I thought they were the better side.
I'll take 3 points at Anfield any day of the week; but bigger issues are there for all to see.
Topic: United midfield. Discuss.
Aaargh! As we have all known for some time, we have a problem and the gaffer does not appear to have addressed it.
Latest episode: Liverpool tore us apart in the middle on the weekend. After starting Carrick and Scholes mid week in Europe SAF then omits Cleverley and Anderson - again; against a bottom 3 side (sorry, my Liverpudlian friends). If he hasn't bought a top-line midfielder to replace Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher then surely TC and Ando are the future and you sprinkle appearances from the older brigade - but not to give them any game time? What's all that about? But here's the rub: SAF clearly doesn't believe in the future of a TC/Ando midfield combo. And wasn't Kagawa meant to be a midfielder? He's simply seems to have taken the pecking order spot of Wazza/Wellbeck/Hernandez.
Either play Cleverly and Anderson as our #1 pair or clear the decks and buy 2-3 in January. Agree?
Topic: United midfield. Discuss.
Aaargh! As we have all known for some time, we have a problem and the gaffer does not appear to have addressed it.
Latest episode: Liverpool tore us apart in the middle on the weekend. After starting Carrick and Scholes mid week in Europe SAF then omits Cleverley and Anderson - again; against a bottom 3 side (sorry, my Liverpudlian friends). If he hasn't bought a top-line midfielder to replace Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher then surely TC and Ando are the future and you sprinkle appearances from the older brigade - but not to give them any game time? What's all that about? But here's the rub: SAF clearly doesn't believe in the future of a TC/Ando midfield combo. And wasn't Kagawa meant to be a midfielder? He's simply seems to have taken the pecking order spot of Wazza/Wellbeck/Hernandez.
Either play Cleverly and Anderson as our #1 pair or clear the decks and buy 2-3 in January. Agree?
I for one have never really rated Anderson.He is too hot and cold and he seems to have an attitude problem. (same as Nani) Carrick has a distribution problem and the jury is still out on Cleverly.Giggs should not be playing. It is a pity that Scholes is not 25 years old as he would be the best midfielder in the UK.(or close to it)
And wasn't Kagawa meant to be a midfielder? He's simply seems to have taken the pecking order spot of Wazza/Wellbeck/Hernandez.
That was always going to be the case. Kagawa likes to play just behind a striker in the same way Rooney has done when paired with another striker. That's why, IMHO, the RVP deal was strange at the time, when there are issues of quality else where.
Would still love to see the attacking form from the beginning of last season, Nani's goal in the Charity Shield
Milk Cup v Toon.
Good to see the young quartet of defenders get the nod for this game - even if it was against a below strength Newcastle.
Anderson & Cleverly - I rest my case. It's the future until we add the big name playmaker who will join in January. In the meantime one of Fletch, Carrick, Scholes will have to do.
End of the Manchester United winger? Here's an issue - none of RVP, Wazza, Wellbeck, Chicha, Kagawa are naturally wide players; yet looks like 3 of them will play each game. Throw in a 3 man midfield - holding plus 2 and it makes me wonder if we are heading towards a much narrower non-specialist-winger formation. Out and out wingers like Nani, Valenica, Young may have a limited future - especially if they're not in form.
Oh, I also like that de Gea and Lindgaard are both getting enough game time to keep the pressure on the other: perform or else!
Rooney dropping deeper today and putting in some good balls.
Have always thought that he would make a excellent midfield player.
Same here, they have already hinted that as he ages he will play deeper. Absolutely fantastic to see Fletch back out on the field. He has the sort of energy that Scholes and Carrick don't.
*one massively feckin humungous smiley emoticon - not seen since 1989, if there were any back then*
Not taking anything away from Spurs but the 1st half was embarrassing. Can't remember the last time Utd played as badly as that.
Seeing Carrick,Scholes and Giggs line up together was a disaster waiting to happen. Giggs contribution was zero.Effectively playing with 10 players you are always going to struggle regardless of who you are up against.
Don't know who is the defensive coach is but they should find someone else. All three goals were poor defending. When players are running at defenders there is not much point in everyone backing off indefinitely. First and second goals. 'Stay with the runner' is something Rafael obviously does not understand. Even junior players would be unlikely to make that mistake.
When Rooney came on the game changed and Utd actually played very well and could have grabbed a point but overall with such a poor performance in the 1st half probably did not deserve it.
First 20 mins were the best Utd have played this season, perhaps even the last few weeks of last season.
Have not seen Evra play that well for a year and shows that he may have a bit of his confidence back. Even Carrick had a much improved game. Newcastle I thought gave to much respect in the first half but played well in the second. There were some thuggish tackles from quite a few of the Toon players which did spoil an otherwise good game.
Well done you lot. re tackles (although I only read the reports)... RvP??
3-0 v Newcastle. Critique: Nice result but problems remain.
Loved the energy of the way we started but poor defending gave us the two headed goals from corners though Evan's movement to get into space was superb. Don't expect those 2 to score too many more this season.
We played way too narrow. Had no options wide on the counter whatsoever. It is a big ask for Evra and Rafael (who both played well) to go from defending deep in the box to contribute at the other end on the counter. SAF realised this I reckon, hence Valencia's introduction early in the 2nd half.
The head of the arrow: Rooney, RVP, Wellbeck and Kagawa at the same time - no, no, no! They were getting in each other's space and in each others way all game. None of them knew where they should play in relation to the other. Note that of the three goals we scored, none came from our forwards.
Rooney did a great job dropping back into a midfield role with Cleverly and Carrick, but to be honest he was being crowded out of space up front centrally.
De Gea is looking like a right flapper at present. He didn't catch or even punch one single high ball. He's a gonner in the EPL if he can't sort it and after that performance EVERY team will be targetting him. Smalling, Jones and Vidic or the young bucks desperately needed as Evans and Rio can't play every game.
Couple of tough games after the international window. Still work to be done.