Manchester United Banter Archive February 11 2015

 

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11 Feb 2015 23:06:21
That was an ugly win. Embarrassingly, Burnley were by and large the better side.

Did it seem like we were playing a new system today, at least in the first 20 minutes when Burnley could have had 4? With Rojo and McNair frequently pushed up too far, it looked like a 2-6-2 and 1 of those 2 at the back was Evans!!!

Falcao - useless tonight - didn't even fluff a golden chance, but where was the service?
RVP - largely anonymous - one good possession and pass which led to the corner that led to the second goal.
ADM - one of many sloppy give-aways led to Burnley's goal, but at least he atoned for it by providing a great cross for the 2nd goal, and winning the penalty.
Januzaj - okay but too frequently and easily isolated, still got a lot to learn.
Rooney - wasted

Two players who need to be starting are Herrera and (i never thought I'd be saying this) Fellaini. The rest can fit in around them. If that means playing neither Falcao or RVP so be it. Rooney and/or Wilson can do at least as well up top, and maybe better if we actually have a proper formation.

Believable7 Unbelievable0

Can't really disagree with anything there

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12 Feb 2015 12:30:25
A midfield three of Blind, Herrera and Fellaini could work wonders. It has a bit of everything.

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11 Feb 2015 22:48:51
funny reading all the posts after todays game.

u think we won the title last season by a land slide and should expect to walk all the teams this season.

1 loss in 15 prem games, the 3rd best defence, 2nd best home record and not a bad goal difference, and 3rd in the table playing dreadful apprently.

yet people still aren't happy

Believable7 Unbelievable3

People need to stop reeling those bloody stats out yes we are third and games won/lost is ok but the fact is IF we keep playing this badly our luck will run out and as the table is getting tighter 2/3 draws or defeats would see us drop 4/5 places

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12 Feb 2015 00:54:47
Maybe stats make you happy, but I think most of us want to see the football we used to see at Manchester United: speed, creativity, putting passes together in attack and pounding the opposition's goal. I'm glad for the win, but it is frustrating to watch.

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12 Feb 2015 01:22:01
We all want to see that football but this season the aim is top 4 and if we get it then it has been a success and hopefully we will play a better style next season. People just expecting us to play 'the united way' a way we haven't played for about 7 years are on a different planet.

Red79,

You can say 'the luck is going to run out' but people were posting that on here 3 months ago and it seemingly hasn't run out, sometimes maybe its not just luck if it happens all the time.

I am by no means saying the way we are playing is good enough, but the overreaction to every little thing every week is ridiculous.

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12 Feb 2015 07:51:06
I wouldn't say that getting in the top 4 is a success more a requirement, success is winning things.
I think that people are getting agitated because we all thought at the beginning of the season that with LVG at the helm and the quality of player brought in, Champions League football would be assured and we may even have a chance at winning the premiership. That hasn't happened and we are starting to realise that we are in a real battle for a top 4 position, we need to start picking up wins away from home, starting at Swansea or come April when we get to the very difficult matches we could be in trouble.

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12 Feb 2015 08:25:01
Stoat,

Then you expectations were too high, this is where I expected us to be at this stage, we are not better than a settled manchester City and Chelsea and should not have expected to finish anywhere near them. We are only 5 points behind city as it stands.

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Why was expectations too high GDS? With the summer transfers we had, we should be doing better. There are no excuses for it! Before you say we are third, if were still there after this run of games, I will hold my hands up and say I was wrong, but I really don't think we will do well against the top half teams.

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12 Feb 2015 10:05:54
On what basis Wigan?

We did alright against them first time around didn't we?

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11 Feb 2015 22:21:55
What a very poor performance tonight against one of the weakest teams in the Ptemiership. Yet again we were overrun in midfield, lacked pace and there was no sense of an understanding of how we should be playing. LVG has spent huge amounts but I'm not sure the team, or the direction, is any clearer. Tinkering with better players to buy in is all very well but they need to come in to an established system that works and they can believe in. Not sure this is true at the moment.

Believable3 Unbelievable0

We could have messi and ronaldo in our team but if the manager is going to play them as a holding cm then it makes no difference for somebody who is supposed to be so tactically astute he doesn't seem to have a clue

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12 Feb 2015 01:23:43
Didn't one of the weakest teams in the premier league draw at City a few weeks ago? I thought burnley played pretty well in the first half as bad as we were they were unlucky and didn't deserve to go in behind. 2nd half they struggled to impose themselves after the ings miss.

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Don't really think there are that many weak teams in the premier league on there day any team can beat any team in this league which makes it the best in Europe imo .

I'm just glad we got the points and as much as our luck could run out isn't there a flip side to that where we could finally click and start playing the football we want to see? As much as some of the football is painful to watch the results keep rolling in as much as the pundits keep slating us we are still third God only knows where we would be if the team does click.

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11 Feb 2015 22:19:51
You guys will never guess where Falcao's Great Grandad was from?

If I hear a commentator tell us that little fact one more time, I think I'll scream - every single match without fail at least 3 times a game.

I've backed him, but he was truly awful tonight. Ditto with RVP but that goes without saying.

Believable4 Unbelievable1

Rooney must be played up front

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Something strange, Beasts gets more "Agree" than "Disagree". But who really can argue with what he said.

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mbd              

12 Feb 2015 12:30:43
Rooney has to go back up top. It is getting silly now.

I would love to see how Rooney and Falcao would work up top together. They seem like a much more natural partnership.

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11 Feb 2015 21:58:41
We got away there at least we got the 3 points, should rvp have left smalling take the penalty, Southampton drew not a bad result either.

Believable2 Unbelievable0

11 Feb 2015 21:44:21
The Glazers are in the stands tonight for what is really a relatively low key match against Burnley on a Wednesday night? Does anyone know as to why they're here? There'll be rumours about a few things LVG sacking?? Giving Woodward who was sat next to them the go ahead for summer transfers??

Believable2 Unbelievable2

Just because there watching the game. it means nothing

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11 Feb 2015 22:37:52
Would they not just ring ed and tell him?

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Lets hope it's to give LvG a warning to stop being so bloody stubborn

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11 Feb 2015 21:37:52
Winning ugly is becomming all too common, but while we keep winning it doesn't seem so bad.

Positives tonight:

McNair and Rojo both good defending and going forward.

Herrera got some good game time and may get more chances.

Just need carrick back.

Believable2 Unbelievable1

11 Feb 2015 22:09:21
Agreed

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The commentator said the Dutch call LVG the "lucky one" and they can see why - so can I.

We are truly awful to watch and this was at home as well. It is useful to have a lucky manager, because Moyes sure didn't have any, but this just isn't on - it's breaking my heart watching what we have become. Luck should be relied on now and again, not every game.

Rooney dropping in to make 3 at the back, RVP dropping into the "Rooney" role, Evans looking like the last one picked at school - just a shambles.

ADM giving the ball away every time he had it, as well as Januzaj. Bunch of wimps in midfield.

Worst game I have seen Falcao have, his head has gone as well. RVP may as well not have bothered, but he got his penalty so woo-hoo that's him in every game until the end of the season.

A Royal Dutch mess and I'm sick of it.

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Beast, I agreed with everything except your remark about Moyes. Moyes was useless. Period.

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11 Feb 2015 22:39:47
Beast,

Can I write your post after the Preston match mate? Reckon I've got it pretty nailed on now. Do you just copy and paste?

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To be fair though GDS the performances served up this year so far have been copy and paste as well

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11 Feb 2015 23:51:47
Red79,

Fortunately so have the results.

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Beast

Out of interest what did you say during SAF's final title winning season because the football we played then was no better?

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12 Feb 2015 07:01:48
it could be argued the football was worse redman.

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12 Feb 2015 07:24:15
It wasn't worse Chris. It most definitely was not worse.

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12 Feb 2015 09:25:19
Chris,

People have very very short memories don't they.

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Chris

SAF failed to invest properly over a few years, failing to push the owners into spending, then wasting money on average players. This problem has been building since Ronaldo left and the football was functional at best in SAF's last season certainly no better than what we are watching now. SAF had engendered a fear factor and it was effective, very effective. Then we appointed the wrong man and it became a 1970 size mess. LvG has his faults but the mess we are in has been building for years.

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12 Feb 2015 12:30:59
The manager mentioned Herrera after the game, so I hope to see him start on Monday.

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11 Feb 2015 19:21:33
Just seen the team for tonight can someone explain how januzaj or RVP are getting another start with no Herrera or mata and the person is playing tooney in midfield again. Doesn't anyone at United have the knowledge or bottle to tell that person what he's doing wrong as he is oblivious to it. The sooner he's sacked the better he makes Roy Hodgeson look like a tactical genius

Believable8 Unbelievable3

11 Feb 2015 19:32:53
He does it so he can make the excuse as there's no balance, so he can revert back to 3 at the back.
My opinion only.

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11 Feb 2015 19:43:01
Last year we were moaning moyes was playing mata on the wing, has anyone noticed you every see LVG and moyes in the same room, is he really in Spain

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30 minutes in and again an utter shambles it is as if LVG hasn't seen any of the previous games. This team is the the worst side to watch at the moment create nothing and are terrible at the back and in midfield. How good must Januzaj be in training because i haven't seen a worse player this season in the prem. Blind off and now bent nose has Rooney playing in front of the defence. PLease someone try to defend this fool whose team is as mishaped as his ridiculous hooter.

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It's a shame to say that we pay MILLIONS to these players.

We are the worst side to watch in the BPL this season.

Shame.

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Best comment I've read all season on LVG from Neil Lennon.

"I love Louis van Gaal's interviews - he's prickly, he likes to confront the press, but he does it with authority. But I don't like how he keeps trying to educate us about football, because his United is not the free-flowing side of old."

The thing is LVG thinks he knows better than everybody and I don't care how many print outs he provides, the eyes don't lie, the team are playing s**t and he is not putting it right!!!

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I watched his conference today and my God does he talk down to people. He is so condescending. If I were a journo I couldn't resist, saying "who the hell do you think you are you ignorant tw@t?".

The guy is deluded and needs to surround himself with people that tell him how it is, not lap dogs!

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11 Feb 2015 18:55:05
What a chuffin surprise, just seen the team sheet, will someone wave a cup of coffee under van gaals nose so he can smell it and wake up?
I suppose we can't be as bad as Sunday, can we?
The only change at the back would shaw but we ant play him so rojo to lb is obvious other than that.
Not going to mention Herrera again, oops, it's getting repetitive, it's getting repetitive

Believable5 Unbelievable0

11 Feb 2015 17:56:12
Good Evening All,

Long time reader first time poster here so please be gentle.

I've seen that LVG divides opinions on here. I have to put my foot in the keep him camp. He is trying to build something here, just as Moyes was before him and SAF did over and over during his tenure, and if we let him go at the end of the season I think we'll be back to square one next season.

I believe, and it is only my humble opinion, that we have improved with LVG running the show. Now we're heading towards the business end of the season the pressure is starting to mount.

We must remember this is LVG's first season in British football not only at an expectant club like Manchester United and so he has a lot to get used to.

I don't know about everyone else but I see the unbalance in the team. We desperately need a commanding centre half and the right side of midfield aswell as defence needs to be addressed. I'm not convinced Valencia has ever been good enough for us and as for Rafael, well, if he could stay fit I'm sure he would improve but I'm afraid he maybe a little too lightweight for the premiership.

I can't for the life of me understand why we don't play 4-4-2. I know it's a bit antiquated but it has always been our most effective formation. Herrera and Fellaini in the centre of midfield would be more than enough to cope with any other midfield in the league especially if they were given enough time to form some kind of understanding.

Finally, just incase he reads this then for god sake put Rooney back up front. He is simply terrible in midfield not to mention a wasted talent.

Thanks for reading and sorry if I'm going over old ground but I had to get it off my chest.

Believable3 Unbelievable3

It is Ronald Koeman's first season too. Southampton lost half of their first team and had oodles of new players. I just don't think that's an excuse any longer.

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Not convinced that Koeman is under as much pressure to perform as LVG. However I concede the point.

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I can't agree i now feel that LvG needs to go in the summer he just doesn't learn or doesn't want to continually uses the wrong formation for the game, the wrong players picked and the wrong tactics he seems to do more wrong each week then he does right i would love to see us just once this season pick a decent formation for the players we have with the correct players in their correct positions and just go for it and attack a team

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11 Feb 2015 16:23:09
I don't think that it can be stressed enough how important tonight is. The 19th placed team at home and a chance to at least reclaim the 4th spot, we could even get our hands on 3rd as Southampton host a quality West Ham side. City v Stoke is also a massive game for us, if Stoke turn up and are the handful they usually are against us then we could be going into the weekend just 3 points off of City.

Tonight has to be firstly a clean sheet, but we need to press on as soon as we get our first goal. None of this get to 2-0 and just knock it about. Goal difference has to be looked at, ours is the worst in the top 5. A win by 3 or 4 would do confidence at home and the goal difference a wonder of good.

No disrespect to Burnley though as they are a fighting side. But this really should be a victory for us.

Believable1 Unbelievable1

11 Feb 2015 17:55:50
We will find out soon if we can read anything into LVG comments on rooneys position.
The forwards have to have the confidence that if they make a run or a move the ball will be played in and not as has been happening lately , if there is a chance we might lose the ball let's go backwards and keep the ball. Which is why we have not been scoring enough

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11 Feb 2015 19:03:14
Well he has picked the exact same midfield and attack that looked so poor at West Ham so I think we can accept that he will never stop playing players out of position. The question is how poorly does our midfield have to perform before Herrera actually gets a start? But let's all get behind van Gaal and the master plan, whatever it is this week.

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11 Feb 2015 19:03:17
Well he has picked the exact same midfield and attack that looked so poor at West Ham so I think we can accept that he will never stop playing players out of position. The question is how poorly does our midfield have to perform before Herrera actually gets a start? But let's all get behind van Gaal and the master plan, whatever it is this week.

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11 Feb 2015 14:55:28
It's a shame that instead of having a dossier, LVG didn't just produce a hand with the Middle finger stuck up. That would have been quite entertaining rather than looking desperate.

I'll get abut more serious now. While LVG has made the players more confident he still has been unable to get the best out of the players. His philosophy has been quite good but lacks the cutting edge. In my opinion top managers should realise that when their tactics aren't working they should change them. Each opponent is different but surely with the abundance of top attacking quality we have we should make that our focus and concentrate on our strengths not weaknesses.

So far LVG has done a good job but not a great job. People say get rid of him yet I disagree. This squad needed a complete overhaul and LVG hasn't finished this yet. He has tried for top CBs but not many are readily available or are drastically overpriced in which we may have to accept that we may need to overpay to them

Believable2 Unbelievable2

I think part of it stems down to our transfer policy in the summer. Were some players purely bought because of who they were? Like Falcao, there was no need for him and our time would be better spent chasing a centre back or a winger but we went for players that potentially weren't needed.

I hope this summer there is some structure to our policy as last year it seemed like we just had a big list of exciting names to target. A new striker, wide forward and a centre half are a big priority in terms of our shape. A right back and a central midfielder are also needed to improve our quality. That's 5 players and they all need to be world class.

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I would say Falcao was needed because of how poor and unreliable RVP is (fitness wise). LVG doesn't fancy Rooney up top, Wilson is inexperienced and Welbeck wanted to start every week.

Falcao was a shrewd acquisition, it's just the system that is wrong and the way the team are told to be robots.

The only player that seems to be doing well is Blind and dare I say that is because he is best playing football at a snails pace?!

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Id say rojo has had a pretty decent start to his united career too. Herrera started well but we've not seen him since his broken rib as lvg doesn't play him

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11 Feb 2015 14:46:25
I really think we should be preparing for life without Di Maria. I would like to see a Blind Herrera Rooney and Mata Diamond tonight with maybe Falcao and Fellaini up front. Burnley are more than likely going to park the bus and I think Falcaos movement and Fellainis ability to win aerial duels would be a good combination. probably not a popular opinion but its mine

Believable1 Unbelievable7

11 Feb 2015 15:53:28
Life without Di Maria?
Has he been kidnapped by ze Aliens or something?

On a serious note: we just forked out over 50 million quid for him. The player hasn't settled properly, but that is no reason to believe he will leave the club. Plenty of players struggle when they move to another country. There is nothing to suggest that Di Maria won't settle.

He will come good. He has to much ability not too. It is just a matter of adjusting to the rigours of the PL.

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Why exactly? Who has £60m to buy him from us? Di Maria will not be going this summer whether he likes it or not.

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11 Feb 2015 16:12:55
Why would we prepare for life without Di'Maria? The only thing he complained about was the Weather? He gave no indication he was unhappy and said after his UTD career he wants to finish his playing in Argentina.

Agree with your assessment about the diamond but not Fellaini, i'd prefer Wilson, having Fellaini will encourage us to play "Long balls" and after LVG hilarious rant yesterday he won't want another media backlash

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Di Maria will more or less be sold on in the Summer, he cannot handle the physicality of the prem. there's no doubting he has talent but his previous role was in Spain (Lots of time and space to suit his style of play) remember the day you all laughed when i posted about preparing for life without Di maria he will go to PSG

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11 Feb 2015 14:00:07
I wonder if any of the Ed's know what the clubs management reaction was to LVG's press conference yesterday?

Thanks

Believable1 Unbelievable1

{Ed002's Note - Why would they care?}

I'd imagine the perception the manager gives is very important to the clubs hierarchy: sponsors, future transfers and PR - all don't help share prices or commercial aspects if the manager looks like a fool.

Would you invest in a business where the management seem out of touch with reality?

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{Ed002's Note - They will just suck it up and move on. People are over analysing stuff again.}

11 Feb 2015 18:30:39
Haha yea the share price will go down because the press didn't like lvg giving them a dossier. Give over beast, I've heard it all now.

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11 Feb 2015 13:02:46
With ageing van p. And falcao's move not looking to be renewed do the utd. Heierachy have any strikers in mind for the summer?

Believable0 Unbelievable0

Age has nothing to do with it, rvp is still a world class striker.

i wouldn't want him gone and falcao atm isn't worth 40 million but in our luck someone will snap him up n he will be a star next year.

falcao just needs time, ild personally try strike a deal with monaco to reduce the fee they want.

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I still think falcao will come good, i hope he stays i think he will be great next season .
I thought rvp might of left last summer i wouldn't be surprised if he does move this summer

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If it was me I would not take up the option on Falcao right now (unless he stuns us all in the remaining weeks). Next year I would be looking for either Benzema or Lacazette along with Rooney, RVP and Wilson.

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11 Feb 2015 11:40:49
What was lvg doing during the press conference? It wasn't long ago that our own saf used to throw some comments in and wait for other managers to explode (Keegan, benitez etc) and we all sat and laughed our head off and watched a genius at work.
Now we have Sam allardyce making a tongue in cheek remark and our manager, who has seen it, done it, got the proverbial T-shirt, lose his mind, composure and start giving all the press a blow by blow account on our tactics using A4 paper diagrams!!
It was embarrassing, unprofessional, unnecessary, and to be frank, damn right stupid!! Scholesy on ESPN was dumbstruck when he watched it.
If the manager is feeling the pressure and showing it as he did, then we might as well call it a day as the players would have seen that too. The players feed off the manager, and what lvg did was really pathetic and cannot help our cause one bit! Get a grip lvg!!

Believable8 Unbelievable1

I thought it was just me. I was cringing and thought it was reminiscent of Benitez's facts rant. An off the cuff joke would have been better instead of waving its of paper around. And let's hope if we are 2-0 up at half time tonight the players re allowed to play and try and score more.

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Exactly what I thought. Mind games are to be played with rivals, not with club that finished 13th last season. It reminded me of Rafa's facts rant: a struggling manager who had been pushed over the top.

If van Gaal wants to prove that he isn't a long ball merchant, then send the team out to prove it in the next game. Don't go waving a 'dossier' around in a press conference. Because, ultimately, he did resort to long balls to get back into the game. So instead of arguing semantics with Sam, work on making sure that plan A actually bloody works in the future.

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I thought it was pretty amateurish too and LvG looked a plum, however Big Sam didn't do it to get a rise from LvG, he done it because the media has always dubbed his teams long ball teams.

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11 Feb 2015 12:52:05
Said the same last night. However, slightly in his defence, I think the fact he doesn't have a natural grasp of English does him no favours in these types of situation.

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11 Feb 2015 13:03:51
I thought it was far from a raffa moment, raffa was claiming a conspiracy lvg was defending his style.

I agree amateurish in the sense that fat Sam was really only commented for self gain rather than a swipe at man utd.

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99 makes a good point, i think bits get lost in translation a little bit but when he got the diagrams out it was a bit embarrassing

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11 Feb 2015 13:30:23
It was a bit silly and embarrassing and he must know by now the press love any United story to beat us over the head with and claim a 'meltdown' but to compare it to Rafa's rant is crazy and just people trying to stir the pot and laugh at us.

As Chris says, Rafa was claiming a big conspiracy and that everybody was against them, this was something totally different.

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11 Feb 2015 10:47:10
I see there's a change in the fonts etc Ed using it on a pc everything is large befitting an old fart like myself atm it's a little too big is this staying this size?

Believable1 Unbelievable0

{Ed033's Note - i'll drop it down

11 Feb 2015 08:53:22
Ed002 I believe I have seen you state on a few occasions that your are from the USA and I was just wondering if you could give me a run down of your views on soccer in America.

Do you believe the growing MLS could eventually grow to the size of the EPL or La Liga in the coming years? Is there keen investors willing to put serious money into the MLS?

After a great World Cup it seems 'soccer' is catching the imaginations of many people in the land of the free and with the influx of star names heading over to ply their trade in the MLS it seems to be growing year by year.

Also is their any up and coming young players of US nationality we should look out for in the future?

Sorry this isn't Man Utd related but it would great to hear your views.

Believable0 Unbelievable0

{Ed002's Note - I left the US in 1981 so it was the North American Soccer League I recall from the 60s and 70s. I grew up in an area that didn't care for soccer as there was no local team. At the time it was seen as quaint.

As far as the MLS goes, it is an entirely different organisational and financial structure and cannot really be compared the Premier League etc.. There is horizontal division in to conferences rather than a vertical division in to leagues with promotion and relegation. They are OK with managed expansion but will never attract (or seek) players who could regularly face the likes of EPL sides and expect any great success. As a select few players get to the tale-end of their careers then the MLS is a viable option (as the Middle East is becoming) for a couple of years. Within 10 years the MLS will be upto 24 teams whereas the breakaway pan-European league will be close in Europe - rupturing much of the structure of football under UEFA.}

Very interesting 002. I wonder if it is still seen as quaint in the location you speak of. It just goes to show how soccer and sport in general has grown in the past few decades.

Yes I agree the structure is completely different but I find it fascinating that players who could still potentially play at the top level are opting to join the MLS sooner rather than later instead of playing at the top for as long as possible. Players such as Henry, Beckham, Villa, Gerrard, Lampard and Defoe to name a few are a grand coup for the competition rather than previous marquee signings of say JP Angel etc.

I like the way the MLS are going about its work by enforcing salary caps etc but still allowing a few superstar arrivals. I must admit though the financial aspect of our game intrigues me to no end and I do find it unfortunate that you do not discuss finances (although I can understand why).

My final question would be about this super league you refer to. Is this pretty much certain to happen and if so where does it leave UEFA? And what is FIFA's take on it? I'm trying to imagine how this super league would work but I can't get my head around it at all.

Thanks Ed.

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{Ed002's Note - There really isn't much interest even now where I grew up. There is no team based in the City. All of those players are or were at the tail end of their careers with limited ability to play at the top-level for any sustained period. Fabregas arrived to replace Lampard at Chelsea for that very reason. Salary caps are not applicable for those players you mention.

The on-going discussions between clubs about a pan-European league do not include UEFA although UEFA are very aware of it. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football - perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well.}

Haha Ed that little sneaky insight into the breakaway european league. very good

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{Ed002's Note - I have given a great deal of information about it - why not try the search engine.}

Ed, i have read most of what you've posted on it tbf. top job

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One of the essential differences between the structures is the franchise system, which is typical of American sports. Having bought the franchise, owners acquire the right to stay in the league, irrespective of results. There is no relegation or promotion. In practice, the only changes are through franchise expansion, change in ownership, or some sort of financial irregularity that allows the league to step in.

There are various factors mitigating against the league becoming dominant. Firstly it's competing with a number of major well-established sports, on both a college and professional level. College sports, in particular, have fanatical fans. The University of Tennessee stadium in Knoxville (pop c. 185,000) has a capacity of a little over 102,000. and average attendance around 90,000. Secondly the geographical spread of the league across the country means large swathes of the nation do not have a team within realistic weekly traveling distance. Thirdly, there is no extant quasi-tribal historic rivalry. Fourthly, there are few managers and ex-players with the gravitas to boost the enterprise - hence the importation of stars coming to the end of their careers in the major leagues overseas.

Identifying with a team, creating rivalries, is essential to the league's success. An adverse factor in this respect is that a franchise can move cities. So, if a host city upsets the owners, and another one steps in with a great stadium deal or the like, the team can move. This has happened on a number of occasions in the major sports, going back to the Brooklyn Dodgers moving to LA in 1957.

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11 Feb 2015 08:54:33
I don't wanna jinx it but United's injury concerns have reduced massively, maybe LVG altered his methods.
Jones, Evans and Smalling have been fit for a decent amount of time together, which is remarkable.
The only positive about LVG is that he has improved the team morale very much and he is trying to play Rooney in a midfield to make everyone happy.
Even ancelotti tried that with Kroos and Modric in midfield, and mind you they were ripped apart initially but gelled along well partly due to the quality of both those players.
Although Rooney and others have failed to deliver and I hope to see a change tonight.
Another positive being the fact that the guy has gotten rid of a lot of players that the previous 2 managers failed to do.
Anderson, fletcher, zaha, Bebe are gone. Nani and Hernandez are virtually gone. And I think come summer another 7-8 shall leave too, trimming our squad of under performers and filling in with versatile and less injury hit players.
He has shown faith in Lingard, which I really liked. Same goes with McNair and Wilson.
LVG has a plan but his stubbornness is costing us dearly.
SAF too was very stubborn I remember. He twice played 4-4-2 vs Barca in the final and got ripped twice.
I feel we will finish third.

Believable4 Unbelievable2

11 Feb 2015 09:25:24
Well Kroos and Modric had proved themselves in that position before they went to Madrid so it was just a matter of when they find form and consistency instead of if.

Rooney on the other hand has no past record to suggest that he can play well in that role and at the moment is does not look like he is capable of playing there long term.

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I would replace LvG whether we get top four or not. He's an improvement on Moyes, but he is not the best option out there. He's steadied the ship so to speak, if Ancelotti or Klopp became available I'd go for one of them in the summer. I am not saying LvG has been a mistake, I just think he isn't our long-term answer.

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Lvg certainly does have the credentials to be a successful manager for us. But I think his ego is what is costing us and preventing us from playing attractive football. He seems the right man for the job, but keeps making absurd decisions.

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11 Feb 2015 10:04:05
rohan,

I agree on the positives, if you look at our ins and outs this season, especially the outs, they are exactly who most people were saying needed to leave last season, players who were getting games for the club but were clearly not good enough.

I also agree with Sydney that LVG is clearly not the long term man for the club and if somebody better became available he should and probably will be replaced. I would not say he needs to go this summer or that he was a mistake because unlike some I can see the good he has done so far, but I think a forward thinking manager with the players we have could put us back where we belong, and feel we will be there in 2-3 years time, just people want immediate results and don't seem to understand how these cycles work.

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So who is the long term option?

I don't think Klopp would be quite right for us, For me he reminds me of Rafa Benitez. Has taken a fallen big team back to the top of his domestic league, but then struggled. that's not to say that they aren't good managers but I would be weary of going for Klopp. He has already go one team relegated, he might have two relegations on his CV by the end of the season. He has only had success at Dortmund where his excentric style has fitted in well with the fans. I don't think he wiould be as good a fit with most top clubs.

Simeone is flavour of the month, but i'd want to see him succeed at a club that he didn't have such a close affiliation with.He also plays a strong defensive/counter attacking style similar to the player he was. Now that's not a problem but it's not the way I would like to see us play.

Ancelotti would be a good choice if available, tactically intelligent and a good motivator. And he knows the premier league.

Other than that for me it has to be Conte or De Boer as younger more long term options.

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11 Feb 2015 10:39:39
Ancelotti or Blanc for me Shappy, but I am not against giving LVG his full 3 years to steady the ship and leave the new manager with world class players and blooded youngsters to play with.

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I believe LvG is changing how he sees the premier league whether or not he will do it quickly enough is another matter
Tonights game against Burnley should see a change in his thinking in my opinion, maybe rooney up top still not sure Herrera will start but if he doesn't change very soon it will be too late for 4th place and he'll be out on his arse

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Shappy

It may just be paper talk but I read that Ancelotti is under pressure after the recent bad loss to Athletico. Perez, Madrids Chairman, went to meet and talk to the players after the abject performance and again there are rumours of discord particularly due to a Spanish clique (which Mourinho tried to sort out if rumours were true) noting that no Spanish players apparently attended Ronaldo's birthday party. It is said that Zidane is lined up as Ancelotti's replacement this summer. That is how they treat Champions league winning coaches. Interestingly I read a piece I think in Marca that said Ancelotti was stubbornly sticking to his tactics and didn't beef up midfield for the game insisting on sticking with slow passing tactics (sound familiar?).
It remains to be seen what Madrid do but unless he wins a big trophy it is likely he will be out, even if he wins they still may dump him, it is just what they do. Would he be interested in us and would we be interested in him? My concern would be SAF and his influence, for example if he wants Lauren Blanc. If LvG does move on then we must get the right man and for me it isn't Blanc.

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{Ed002's Note - There is a push from a third party to offer CA to both Manchester clubs this coming summer. He has signed a new contract that means Real Madrid can ask for significant compensation.}

What about Blanc Shappy? I am a fan of his.

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AC will bring a lot of experience but so did lvg!
Simone is my choice as I like the fighter spirit within him, we need the next manager to be a fighter. And the man has turned athletico from also rans to winners. He's bought most of the players so he's obviously got an eye for them. Even Torres is playing well under him.

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GDS - if Ancelotti became availalble this summer and LVG secured third spot would you advocate him being replaced?

Just out of curiousity. I wouldn't.

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Thanks Ed

I was not sure if he had signed because Marca said today that Ancelotti " accepts that his contract renewal could be in the bin in just seven days. From the iron-clad certainty of being renewed after the Club World Cup to feeling the cold winds of change down his neck after two defeats"

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{Ed002's Note - It was signed a while ago simply to ensure that compensation would be payable.}

Redman can i ask what it is you don't like about blanc?

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11 Feb 2015 12:32:21
Juanmatas,

Very good question and one that has got me thinking which way to answer that. I think I would be on the fence to be honest, not too bothered either way. If we finish 3rd I will in no way be thinking we should get rid of LVG as I think he will have hit his target for the season, but if a better longer term option was only available this summer then I wouldn't mind too much if we made the change.

I expect LVG to leave the club in a better position than it was in 18 months and 6 months ago, and I believe if we finish top 4 this year it will be in a much better position, with a large spend in the summer on the correct players we would be a dominant force again next season, no doubt about that, and before people say 'well anyone can do well if they spend loads of money', I feel the big money going out now should have been split over the last 5 years and if it had we would not be in this position now anyway.

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Jmb, in a heartbeat!

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Fresh, I like Blanc but he is untested domestically outside of France with his only managerial experience coming with Bordeaux which he won the league with against the odds, he then had a turbulent reign as the French national coach, then became the manager of PsG at a time when PSG have such spending power and star quality they should walk away with the league every year. So far this season Lyon and Marseille are playing better football and are above PSG in the league. So that doesn't look good. I'd want him to prove himself in Spain Germany Italy or England before we took a serious gamble on him. He is a good manager but I have questions on whether he is a top level manager.

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Nomid, can Simeone speak a word of English?

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Simeone would be my first choice but i have a feeling he will end up at city.
I don't see pep stopping at munich long term .
If ancelotti signed today i'm sure you would see an instant improvement .

I wouldn't want blanc anywhere near the club

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11 Feb 2015 15:26:35
If the manager gets it right and ticks all the box's, why would there be a need to replace him?

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How about Marcelo Biesla, I remember our game against bilbao in the europa league and we hardly had the ball. And he has done well in Marseille as well.

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Strebor

Shappy summed up Blanc pretty well and are my thoughts as well. The problems he had when national manager are a concern. I also want to add that it is perhaps only my impression but Blanc is likely SAF's choice and after the last effort I do not want SAF to have such influence again. Yes he did an amazing job as manager but that did not make him a good judge of a replacement, as we saw and paid a very high price for. My opinion is that SAF is but one voice not the only voice and he was tarnished by the horse affair and the resulting impact on our club so I would like to see his influence limited. Blanc seems to cosy a choice to SAF so another reason not to want him.
I really don't think we should rule out Guardiola, who if SAF had had the right conversation was a better fit as his replacement. What I see is LvG putting in foundations and structure for playing a particular way and Guardiola is the natural choice to take us to the next level. I wouldn't say no to Ancelotti, but if LvG carries his task through then Pep seems obvious. I said at the beginning of this season LvG is short term and the club should be lining up his replacement already. Hopefully they have learnt from the previous disastrous transition.

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11 Feb 2015 01:27:40
Hey eds/everyone,
What do people think of the dybala/icardi rumours?any truth in them?it does seem that LVG wants to bring in a fast striker.quite a lot of players with pace being watched for different positions so sounds like he wants more pace/energy in the team in general?the talk of marquinhos seems to be strong too.thanks guys

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11 Feb 2015 08:25:13
I am not surprised to see us linked with these players (I mean we have been linked with everyone else) but when you consider that Rooney is almost 30 years old, Falcao likewise (and most probably gone come June) and RVP a year older still, other than young Wilson we don't have a fresh faced forward in our squad.

In terms of those you have listed I believe both will be completely over priced such is the modern game but that has never stopped us from getting a player we want. I will admit I have seen very little of Dybala. I watched him last weekend against Inter and he was very poor, maybe it was just an off game.

Icardi on the other hand I have seen a few times and I think he's a decent player. He still has plenty of room to improve but the positioning and striking instinct seem to be there along with a little bit of arrogance.

It will be interesting to see where these two 21 year olds end up if they decide to leave Serie A.

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Dybala and Icardi, haven't seen much of them but to sign them only for 1 season's wonder may be the wrong decision. And I read Dybala has only 1 goal in 2015, I'd stay away from both of them. And don't really think Italian strikers fair well in England, Borini, Osvaldo, Balotelli(was half decent for city though), shevchenko, lamela, etc. Most of them flop badly.

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I imagine Icardi's club are hawking him around because he's a nuisance. The media will link him to most clubs between now and the summer. Dybala seems to be hotting up to be the next Cavani/Aguero/Falcao which will go for big money in the future. When do we ever go and pay top dollar for this type of player? We usually wait a couple more years and pay three times the amount that we could have got him for before the penny dropped.

The editor is mentioning Benzema. He wouldn't be my choice due to attitude issues, but I have to admit there aren't many top notch strikers out there.

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Rohan, injuries are improving but we got a new physical trainer from Southampton three months ago, so maybe his methods are working.
Re modric and kroos, I didn't understand your point that they were moved to midfield? They're already midfielders, so no one had to move them anywhere. Rooney is an attacker who has unsuccessfully been moved to midfield, and should be moved back to attack immediately.

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Sydney

I agree to an extent we do usually stay away from that type of player to our cost, yet Ronaldo was an exception where we did act decisively. I wrote some background on here about Dybala a few weeks ago, particularly interesting as he has a passport allowing him to play in Europe. Phil Neville watched and raved about him but all I have seen is a few clips. Hopefully we now have some good scouts who can assess better than a few YouTube clips.

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RM, I think Palermo will be very difficult to deal with, I think Dybala will end up someone's cash cow. Usually this means we are out of the question.

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