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Manchester United Thread

Ugh, I've been pretty much dreading West Ham since we were made to look an U-17 team against Everton. For whatever reason, our midfield and defense really don't 'like it up em' and Big Sam's WHU are the best team of that type in the division.

Expect Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan to absolutely dominate one or both of the CBs - I think Evans is decent in the air but Ferdiand most decidedly is not - and a knock down at some point to result in a goal or two for the anti-semites, erm, Hammers.

In theory Fergie should recognise our wingers are in awful form and this team is f*cking massive, so the wide play to the diminuitive strikers isn't the best plan - bring back the midfield diamond! Also it worked well against the team that actually plays the most long balls in the division - Newcastle.

But this being Ferige I expect Giggs and a re-signed Park in midfield, with Hernandez on the wing, Welbeck on the other and Bebe through the middle ;)
 
Alrighty, at long, long last myself and other armchair managers are getting the team sheet we want:

--------------Lindegaard--------------
--Rafael---Smalling--Evans--Evra------
--------Carrick----Cleverley----------
--------------Anderson-----------------
-----Rooney----Hernandez-----RVP-------

Let's see if the team looks as good as it should!
 
Well, great start but unable to get a second.

Absolutely dominated but still feel that 1 isn't enough. WHU haven't had a shot on target yet, BUT, their ability to just play a long straight ball even from their own half means they'll always get a chance.

Need a second to finish this off.
 
We always do this when we concede first.

Dominate up until the first goal and then do absolutely naff all.

Usually more worrying like this when we score first, would rather West Ham had taken the lead cause we know all too well what happens then.
 
PLF said:
He's one of the most greedy and selfish players out there! Absolutely HUGE ego as well! He's talented and has a lot of potential but he THINKS he's a lot better than he actually is and this keeps him from working as hard as he should to reach his big potential.

And if you look, apart from Tony Valencia, he's had a lot more minutes on the pitch than Nani and Ashley Young.
Click to expand...

He's got world class status written all over him if he gets the right coaching and direction.

He may not be able to reach C.Ronaldo levels, he probably lacks CR's pace, but the similarities are there for all to see. Utd could do alot worse than to ditch Young and sign Adel. Fergie would be good for his career aslo
 
Absolutely detest Rooney in this withdrawn attacking midfield role. Not even a quarter of the player he was even a couple of seasons ago when he played right up top.
 
How good was Anderson overall? seemed really good in the highlights pack I saw.

a few times thought it was Nani from the right with this intricate passing and dribbling.
 
He looks a bit awkward at times playing from the right of the diamond. The diamond's narrow enough without playing two people on the "wrong" side of it.

Rooney just looks out of place at the tip of it. Would be interesting to see Kagawa there and Rooney further forward.
 
Ando was fantastic - he and Rafael were the best players on the pitch. Carrick and Evans also had solid games.

Rooney, Cleverley and RVP were a bit disappointing though.

A day later still not sure what to make of the match. Happy we won - obviously - but the performance was so typically lackluster and just a bit boring.

It has to be said part of that was down to West Ham - who looked like they could literally care less about scoring except from set pieces. In the first half I'm not convinced more than 2 players made it out of their own half! It's always hard to play against 10 defenders, in any situation.
 
Few updates from the boss today: Vidic might be back next week, which would be a real boost if he can start getting his fitness back. But of course, being a United injury report, bad news had to follow. No updates on Kagawa, Valencia isn't back yet and Nani is now out til the new year.

I do wonder if we'll ever see our best XI on the pitch this season. Vida, Kagawa, Valencia and Nani - that's a serious amount of genuine talent to be missing all at once.

Lots of games coming up, lots of players looking a bit off form and getting back to fitness. Should be interesting. Missing the two best wingers will mean Fergie has to play an 'uncomfortable' system, hopefully we see the same midfield as against WHU on Saturday, in preparation for City next week.
 
Gilluminati! More control of the FA from Fergie, ensuring that we trick the world into thinking refs don't give us decisions. Brilliant.

Possibly the worst 25 minutes of defending I have ever seen from United, but Reading are there for the taking.

Two subs is a worry though, especially with Fletcher who's looked terrible and will need replacing at some point.
 
That was a crazy first half if I've ever seen one. I've gotten to the point where I am always not worried anymore when United fall behind, it almost seems like they like to add a bit more of a challenge...come back, and then just be lazy and sit back the rest of the game. Unfortunately I don't think that same "tactic" would be wise to employ against City.

I'm sure Rafael got the hairdryer treatment after his little tantrum today :COAT:
 
Manchester derby next week, way we are performing and record city have at the etihad, at very best, we may sneak a draw. our defending is the worst in the league by a mile at the moment and our midfield can't keep the ball.
 
aitken said:
Manchester derby next week, way we are performing and record city have at the etihad, at very best, we may sneak a draw. our defending is the worst in the league by a mile at the moment and our midfield can't keep the ball.
Click to expand...

We'll prolly get spanked at the Etihad, BUT, because of City's recent lackluster performance that'll mean we're level on points. Could be worse, given we've spent a good chunk of this season without Vidic, Smalling, Jones, Kagawa, Rooney and Nani.

I've got to give Mancini one thing, whatever training regime he has his team on it, it works. City had less injuries than any other team in the league last year (and that INCLUDES Owen Hargreaves!) and are the least injured team this year too.

Fergie could learn that from the Italian, if not much else (aside from perfectly arranging a scarf, of course)
 
We are leaking goals like a broken water pipe lately.
This "you score 3,we'll score 4" mentality is not gonna work for us...We all remember what happen on the last day of last season but I am not gonna go there.

What irks me was why the heck was Evra marking Jason Roberts during corners? I mean no disrespect to Evra but we couldave put a bigger man on Roberts...He was there to disrupt the concentration and Reading got two goals from it...Lindegaard staying on his line also didnt help...he seems like more interested to push and shove rather than to get to the ball too.

I hate to say it because he is my favourite United player but here goes nothing...Rio Ferdinand is done...I have been focusing on him for the last 5 games or so and I think he is just on cruising mode...just going thru the motions with no real lack of command at times.
 
And in typical United of the last 3 seasons fashion, the 2 games before our biggest match of the season to date we lose 2 more midfielders. Meaning that there's a decent core of a team missing for Sunday through injury:

Vidic, Nani, Valencia, Anderson, Cleverley, Kagawa.

Who's next do we think? Maybe a good Rooney metatarsal?

Do we even have a fitness regime anymore?
 
I thought I read that Valencia & Kagawa could be back soon, but not sure if it's in time for Sunday.
Hopefully Cleverley is ok too, otherwise it's a midfield 3 of Scholes, Carrick & Fletcher (although Jones could do a job there). Gulp!
 
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