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17 Feb 2015 21:18:35
Hi Ed,
I have a question about Domenico Berardi, is he partly owned by Juve? I banged on about Depay for the left for a long time and this lad looks like he could do a fantastic job for a big club in the EPL.
Rewz
{Ed002's Note - You need the European pages for this.}
17 Feb 2015 21:16:44
Ed or anyone else, am I correct in thinking that if an English team wins the Europa League, only the top 3 in the PL will get a CL spot? Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - No.}
17 Feb 2015 23:31:50
Cheers Ed.
18 Feb 2015 00:03:49
Same reply as the other day to this question:
15 Feb 2015 14:55:23
A liverpool fan tried to con me with this the other day and I told him where to go. The only way 4th place wouldn't be a champions league spot is if a team that finished outside the top 4 won the champions league, and a team that finished outside the top 4 won the Europa league, they would both make it and 4th place would miss out. In other words, it's not going to happen. There can be a maximum of 5 teams from one nation in the champions league next season so that the situation you mention cannot occur.
18 Feb 2015 10:49:06
Thanks GDS2
17 Feb 2015 20:39:13
Rather strange that 3 midfield players, we have been heavily linked with over the last 2 years, all have long term injuries. Vidal is showing signs of his old self at last, Strootman appears still injured and Gundogan (not seen enough of) starting to look injury free.
Reportedly both Vidal and Gundogan are available this summer, interesting.
Just watched verratti and he was v good again.
For all the people who go on about strootman i would love your opinion on verratti because he is 3 times the player
Verrati is absolute class.
18 Feb 2015 00:53:12
Much more mobile than Strootman. Bit of a streetfighter style about him. Always really liked him, but hadn't seen much of him recently. Good to see he still appears to be progressing.
I'd have him here before Strootman without even blinking.
I'd blinking well have him over Strootman too.
How good would he be behind pogba and herrera.
Good call Oxred
Verratti - Pogba - Herrera
Speed, skill, strength, wow.
JRed
Should have watched him against Barcelona, he was brilliant against that midfield too and class player. I have a feeling f Juve move Vidal or Pogba he will end up at Juve, if they can afford the fee. He has always said he would like to go back to Italy after France.
Gcu
Ive seen a good bit of him and i can honestly say I've hardly seen him have a bad game
18 Feb 2015 15:23:14
many times on here I have said veratti is the cloesest thing to Paul Scholes in todays game. he is magic, however the roles he excels at in the International team and in Paris is a no6 playmaker ala Pirlo in his prime and he does not have the physique to play that role in the epl so would have to adapt his game. however he is class enough to do that
On it herbie. I will send woody a letter and tell him to make it so.
17 Feb 2015 17:43:47
Bit of attitude on the page today!! Anyone would of thought some wanted 90 mins of dross to complain about, come on guys u got a good 50 mins of it u can't be to greedy!
Rooney diving against a league 1 team, shameful, falcao should be chucked on the scrap heap for good never rated him. Blind is Tom cleverly but Dutch and I always knew De gea would drop another clangger.
I tell u if we play as bad as we have over the last 18 games we might only win 12!!!! Shocking! who have we really played in that run thou let's be honest, if u take out Southamptonx2, spurs arsenal Chelsea and Liverpool we have played teams we should of beat.
LVG out.
Quality Chris
17 Feb 2015 19:30:12
Wonderful stuff matey.
All I can say to that Chris is I know it's winter so you mustn't be getting your kicks watching grass grow, maybe paint dry is your preferred hobby when not watching Utd. I would have loved to have seen how happy you were 3 or 4 years ago when we actually played quite well.
It's great to have loyal support, but you are trying to defend the indefensible and probably why so many neutral people are relishing our current pitiful situation - supporters who believe in myth rather than their own eyes.
Half the things you say in jest nobody is saying them. Its just a desperate rallying call, but hell I complain ardently about 90% of the dross we have been exposed to this season and it is solved by your last comment in my view.
17 Feb 2015 20:42:56
Too easy beast my friend to easy lol :)
17 Feb 2015 20:49:09
Haha beast who stole your sense of humour? Of course people aren't saying half the stuff chris said, that was the joke, he's having a bit of banter on a banter page and you've took it all a bit too seriously.
17 Feb 2015 21:23:18
Beast you need patience. Rome wasn't built in a day. We need the whole club rebuilding. We had one of the greatest managers in charge for 25 years, he was the club. The minute he left it collapsed. It needs rebuilding and this will be long and painful but needs to be done and done correctly. Do it wrong and we become Liverpool.
If the eds will permit me to plug something elsewhere go to twitter and look for Greg Ian Johnson. he's wrote a pretty good article which says this much better than I can.
Beast, I agree with a little t of what you say but you say it again and again. I do worry your head may explode
18 Feb 2015 10:44:32
I do too AJH, there is a lot of truth behind what Beast says it is just when someone says it over and over and seems to have a problem with the manager they can't get over it comes across as somewhat of a vendetta at times.
Vendetta is maybe too strong a word, obsession maybe but not vendetta.
Nice one MrE will take a look.
I'll try not to repeat myself, but its difficult when people keep saying the same contrary things to my own views and obviously LVG is the route of all our problems for me. (Couldn't resist one more time).
17 Feb 2015 16:23:26
I must say, I never thought I would make a post with these words:
"Ashley Young is a key player for us for the rest of the season".
I know, I'm as shocked as you are.
He has been really impressive and has worked hard for the team, his confidence is up and he has improved as a player. We could see what a difference width made yesterday, we ran them ragged in that half an hour (yes it was only Preston). But if we can get Di Maria on the right wing cutting inside or going outside and Young on the opposite wing doing the same then we suddenly become a much more direct and mobile side that is difficult to defend against.
Again, never thought I'd say what I have just said!
He has been really good and I think very useful shad player and we should extend him. Cost of replacing him with the current market would be too expensive.
Fresh, whilst we have to remember it was only Preston, we can all see that with width, Herrera in and Rooney up front we look much more threatening. What are the odds on reverting to the boring formation next time though? Falcao needs a rest, Fellaini is not the answer up front, we need to play Rooney and 1 of RVP or Wilson (I think we will get more out of RVP as a lone CF), with Herrera starting. I'm not holding my breath
17 Feb 2015 18:51:35
Fair play to Young and to a lesser extent Valencia for making themselves useful squad members under the new manager. Both will have done their chances of staying on some good.
17 Feb 2015 19:02:40
If Nani had goings work rate he might of turned into the player we hoped. Shame
17 Feb 2015 19:12:10
Lol damn auto correct, obviously replace goings with Young.
big jugs guys
The way they are playing I begin to think Nani would have been better than ADM this season with all the freedom he is given. I think Nani would have delivered more, scored more and certainly not given it away as much which frankly I find remarkable.
17 Feb 2015 20:47:02
That's not a bad call and 1 I would of liked to have seen maybe beast, he wouldn't of put the work in as ADM does that's 100% but with a bit of creative freedom in the middle where ADM has played maybe we might of seen a few more consistent flashes although I think he might of just shot 20 yards over the bar at any given opportunity and been criticized by our fans.
Both Young and Fellaini have been revelations this season (no one is saying world beaters), it shoW's what hard work and determination can achieve.
Personally think Young gives more than Januzai on the left, at the minute. With ADM on the right and Blind/harera through the middle our midfield could actually look good.
17 Feb 2015 15:19:47
On a more serious note
Just from reading the site, lately i'm reading a lot of reaction in terms of our upcoming Fixtures and how we're certain to be crucified, by the likes of City, Chelsea etc.
If i'm not mistaken, wasn't this the reaction before we played these teams at the beginning of the season and was nowhere near as bad as some was making it out?
I'm in the same bandwagon as most people here when it comes to LVG. his confusing tactics and our inability to play well, but if we got through it before i have no doubt we will make it through the second.
And before people point out, I know teams are picking up a bit of form but they are no-where in terms of consistency that we're having. good performances or not.
I don't think many people have said we would be crucified by anybody. Whether we play Burnley or Chelsea, the performance would be very similar, that is the problem. We play every game as if we are playing City or Chelsea.
The scary thing for me is that Evans and Smalling seem to be getting worse as the season goes on and Jones does the usual starts showing some form then gets injured
17 Feb 2015 18:23:08
Beast I used the word as I felt it was apt, we both know that the word didn't need to be used in order for it to be implied. I Used it based on how posters feel we'll be beaten easily by teams in form and how we play compared to Chelsea as an Example?
I do have a crazy theory about VanGaal and his crazy decisions though.
He's been playing players in positions they're uncomfortable with, why? He's done it his whole career.
He said something in his interview after the game last night which was"he's been coming to me asking when he can play in his favoured position, but until now I couldn't play him" referring to Fellaini.
Then you have Rooney playing in Midfield who i'd say was stewing playing there, you'd be pissed if 2 misfiring strikers were taking your rightful position,as soon as he's upfront he was playing with determination and with a message.Herrera another example, let him stew hopefully he'll be the better for it. My theory is, he's playing them out of position build the confidence up, when they play where they want they'll give 110%.because they're comfortable.Last 30 mins of last night as an example.
LVG knows bloody well where those players are best suited, but like supporters the players have fear and anxiety they won't qualify for UCL. That's the reason why they stepped it up after going a goal down. He changed that formation after we got the goal back because he knew we'd play better.
17 Feb 2015 18:23:11
Beast I used the word as I felt it was apt, we both know that the word didn't need to be used in order for it to be implied. I Used it based on how posters feel we'll be beaten easily by teams in form and how we play compared to Chelsea as an Example?
I do have a crazy theory about VanGaal and his crazy decisions though.
He's been playing players in positions they're uncomfortable with, why? He's done it his whole career.
He said something in his interview after the game last night which was"he's been coming to me asking when he can play in his favoured position, but until now I couldn't play him" referring to Fellaini.
Then you have Rooney playing in Midfield who i'd say was stewing playing there, you'd be pissed if 2 misfiring strikers were taking your rightful position,as soon as he's upfront he was playing with determination and with a message.Herrera another example, let him stew hopefully he'll be the better for it. My theory is, he's playing them out of position build the confidence up, when they play where they want they'll give 110%.because they're comfortable.Last 30 mins of last night as an example.
LVG knows bloody well where those players are best suited, but like supporters the players have fear and anxiety they won't qualify for UCL. That's the reason why they stepped it up after going a goal down. He changed that formation after we got the goal back because he knew we'd play better.
17 Feb 2015 19:13:26
We did do better than many expected against the so called big guns before Christmas, some of our better performances came against them too.
Haha I like your theory Bgolgo.
I of course know you didn't literally mean crucified and meant a good beating. My point makes sense (I believe), we give teams far too much respect and that is why there is no real difference between when we have played City, Chelsea or Arsenal and when we play Burnley etc. We set-up to not get beat, so I think even against the top teams we would get similar performances and therefore similar results.
I doubt we would get beat 4-0 by any team in World football, but I doubt we would beat any top team 4-0.
17 Feb 2015 19:53:03
Cheers ;)
I think we're quite fragile at the Moment but we have that fight in us, we need to let it shine. I'm of the opinion whatever he is doing is for the greater good. I doubt that he is letting his ego get in the way, judging by the changes he's made due to media pressure. We may be unbalanced but the run we're on and not losing means confidence and confidence means better results. Don't be surprised if he loosens the lease in the next few games
17 Feb 2015 15:09:42
Hi All,
Here again to spread my joy :)
My positive post of the day will be dedicated to none other than old whipping boy Ashley Young. When he came on, the game changed, i'm not ignorant enough to say it was purely Ash that changed us yesterday because i know it was also down to the formation change.
He has come a long way and through a lot of abuse from us! He is starting to turn up for Manchester United and i actually sometimes here myself pleading for him to come on! I have to give him credit as he has played LB/LWB mostly this season and has adapted well.
To conclude, congrats Ashley, you've made me proud :)
Also i read an interview with him and he said that, what made him realise that he needed to start playing properly was when LvG spoke to him and told him that he was one of the more senior and experienced players at the club and he needed to start acting like it.
And just to poke the 'Hate LvG' bear for a laugh, that is great man management.
I agree that Young's performances this season have improved dramatically, I would argue they are at the level they should be at, and what we expected when we first signed him.
The poor individual performances from too many other players does emphasise his play though at the minute, he is no world beater but he is doing the job asked of him to the best of his ability. I wish some of our far more talented players lifted their games.
So Young is benefiting from being asked to do the basics well and a manager who relies on robotics rather than individuality. Much sooner have 8 of our more talented players performing better than one or two of our weaker ones (Young & Fellaini).
As I have said numerous times before this manager is perfect for mid-level players, not elite players - I bet we would see a more improved Cleverley at Utd under LVG as well!
I can't remember Young letting us down once this season? Really glad he's doing the business :) Him and Fellaini have definitely upped there game. Obviously we still need 2/3 top class players but we also need top squad players to rotate. So hopefully they keep it up :)
17 Feb 2015 18:19:57
Beast not sure where the robotics or not good enough for elite players comes from. He prizes intelligence in his players and look at the players he's managed
17 Feb 2015 19:05:40
Stop with the positivity, you're in danger of bringing the page up 😃
Intelligent machines MRE. The players need to concentrate too much on the tactical aspects and not their natural game - that is why we shouldn't be spending so much on natural talent, it should be on intelligent utility players if LVG is to stay in his job.
17 Feb 2015 21:38:18
Beast I have to disagree, Davids, seedorf, kkuivert, litmanen at Ajax, at Bayern he made robben and ribery the main part of the Attack.
Hes a system based manager, players have to be able to play the system. Its not pretty in the first stages. But given time the rewards are worth it.
Mre
That was over 20 year ago.
When lvg was a top manager his teams don't play like ajax did
17 Feb 2015 14:49:38
LVG: " Fellaini is my Secret Weapon"
Not anymore he's not. THANKS LOUIE ;)
If Fellaini is part of a mater plan then we should have bought Crouch
17 Feb 2015 19:13:50
Nah Tony, felli uses his chest better :)
17 Feb 2015 14:48:47
Yes, we need to look at our transfer policy. Marquee names appease the fans, but they have to be completed within the framework of an overall team strategy. That's what we've been missing for the last few years. We have simply failed to replace our best players with their equals. We missed out on Hazard, we invested in aging and/or injury prone strikers (true one of them was a big part in #20, but it was always going to be a short term punt at best), we took gambles on players like Bebe. We were unable or chose not to respond to the surge in prices caused by the influx of sugar daddy money.
Fergie's big defensive hopes, the players he thought could seamlessly slot into the big shoes left behind by Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra- Smalling, Evans, Jones, Rafael, Buttner? In fact there is not a player on our team who has not been the subject of withering criticism. Even de Gea in his first year was in the firing line. Which is the point, really, it takes time for young players to mature into a club/system. As for midfield, it's even worse. Who was supposed to replace Giggs, Scholes and Keane?
Moyes and LVG inherited a group of players. The ones they have brought in have so far have failed to impress. ADM? Okay, but 60m? Falcao? Mata - a fish out of water? Fellaini? Better in his second season, but the future of United? Herrera? I suspect he will be better next season too. Rojo was a good long term purchase as were (IMO) Shaw and Blind.
Let's face it. It hasn't mattered who we play or what system they're in, thus far this season and last, we have generally failed to impress. LVG is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't, because when it comes down to the final analysis, it's the players who aren't getting it done.
. except here we are - ugly or not, we're in 3rd position and into the quarter finals of the FA Cup. And we're doing that without much contribution from our primary forwards, and with a deficient midfield and defence. Perhaps LVG deserves some credit after all. Of course the final 16 matches will be the deciding factor, but i think we need to recognize that it is much harder and more time consuming to recreate a team rather than to add to one that's already running pretty smoothly.
People would lay off of LvG a lot if he just played players i their correct positions Rooney is a crap midfielder but a good striker he will not find this balance he is looking for with him in midfield
17 Feb 2015 14:36:08
Thought I'd try and lighten the mood a little with a funny story I found.
Enjoy
A different kind of receiver trouble now: remember the fun you had in German classes at school, when it came time to learn to count to 10? Eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf … sechs – ho ho! You said sex! Days of fun. So imagine the hilarity in 2004, when Franz Beckenbauer decided to take o2 up on the offer of a personalised phone number and chose 0176 (the usual prefix for chat lines) 666666. Hundreds of men apparently started calling Beckenbauer looking for sechsy times – enough to make a Kaiser pine for the days when "Sepp" would show up on screen as the phone shrilled into action.
The final straw came when the thing went off at 3am, and Beckenbauer answered to "a gruff man" asking him to "talk dirty" and "turn him on". Beckenbauer, who earned the number after appearing looking serious but satisfied – hey, stop that at the back – in a series of adverts for the mobile company, had wanted those digits so that it would be easy to remember, but he decided at that point he could handle something more complicated than his "hot number"
17 Feb 2015 12:14:05
Last night showed us a couple of things
1 Rooney is a striker.
2 Herrera has to play
3 We are missing a creative midfielder
4 Di Maria is best on the wing
5 433/4411 is the way to go and Mata would do well behind the striker with Di Maria and Januzai or Young on the wings
RvP and Falcao need to stay as far away as possible from the team. Never thought I would say that.
Deeps.
We need a quick striker because Rooney, RvP and Falcao look like they are running on toffee. Wilson is inexperienced, but is the future. We need pace upfront badly and certainly not Fellaini. Fellaini can score from corners whilst playing in midfield. He is not a striker and we are becoming a laughing stock. Last ten minutes needing a goal there's no problem chucking Smalling or Fellaini up top, but what we are doing now is cringeworthy, winning or not winning.
Kind of makes you think Welbeck would have been handy doesn't it?
Yeah, it's an absolute shame that with all our attacking problems we have to watch Welbeck setting the league on fire at Arsenal. It's almost as if Welbeck picked up exactly where he left off for us last season and now Arsenal are reaping the benefits.
17 Feb 2015 14:22:55
Yeh, he's (welbeck) dynamite and can't stop scoring, his finishing is brilliant, something we seriously lack.
I can honestly see Falcao going elsewhere and RVP being sold to accommodate either Cavani or Benzema. They both would lead the line better and have more pace and hold it up better.
Its not his finishing, its his movement we lack. Creating space and pushing defenders back, the job Wilson will no doubt do better in a year or two. I said at the time we should have let RVP go and not Welbeck. Players like ADM, Mata, Rooney, Januzaj, would have far much room to operate and we would score bucket loads more with a Welbeck.
Take away the politics of whether he wanted to play week in week out, we lack a lot of the qualities he would bring to this current team.
17 Feb 2015 15:32:54
Nothing wrong with Rooneys running syd.
So should we sign up my terrier because he runs around a lot too?
You really need to get over the Welbeck boner. The lad wanted to play up front and got stroppy with Moyes (first) and the van Gaal because they didn't feel he was good enough to play there. He moved to Arsenal promising goals and was given an excellent opportunity when Giroud was injured. Instead of grabbing the opportunity, he proved that he is goal shy and goes missing against good teams. Now he has been relegated to the bench and has a bit part role on the wing (exactly what he was whining about at United).
Eventually Welbeck will either resign himself to being a versatile sub for a top team or a starter for a mid table club. The fact that we got over £15m for a bit part player who didn't want to do the job required of him is a good bit of business. RVP was a world class player who has started to decline but is still capable of moments of magic, Welbeck is an average player who thinks too highly of himself.
Say what you like, but you are guilty of picking players on reputation here Danny.
Welbeck would have done far better than RVP this season. RVP had a class 4 months with us when he signed, after that he has been a passenger 90% of games.
I said set aside the politics for a reason, so we don't get bogged down in what he wanted. Maybe all Welbeck wanted was a fair chance and he saw players like RVP being picked ahead of him despite not performing. Wouldn't you be peeved?
I'm not saying Welbeck is quality, he is simply needed more than we needed RVP this season. Fair enough and the evidence performance wise and what we lack makes this point more than credible.
18 Feb 2015 08:58:54
I agree completely Beast. Welbeck would thrive in this system because he would always come deep and go wide to look for the ball. It's a good point mate.
C'mon guys Bambi is Bambi lol, whether here or at arsenal. He is Bench warming now with Ozil and Sanchez and when you see Giroud in that set up, you realise Danny is miles behind in terms of being a good striker.
I predicted he will end up at a mid league team in a few years as a main striker and still believe so. Not good enough for any top club and he wants to play as a central striker so the options are to trade down.
17 Feb 2015 12:01:07
Fellaini turns in another decent performance. He was the butt of everyone's jokes last season but is turning out to be a better buy than any of lvg's150 million disappointments.Not too sure I'd want him spending my money again, come summer, would you?
17 Feb 2015 12:17:36
Wow another anti LVG post after a good victory. Some people really have made their minds up haven't they?
17 Feb 2015 12:37:49
I'm not sure where all the fellaini love has come from. He was the worst player on the pitch for 70 minutes, constantly barged off the ball, outmuscled, giving it away constantly and turning like an oil tanker.
Of the summer buys the only one who was poor was falcao.
Gds
you can't resist
I'm sorry but is it only me who is cringing at the site of watching us play Fellaini upfront? Whether he scores or not this isn't good to watch and it isn't how we should be playing. Embarrassing! Wins are good, but at what cost?
17 Feb 2015 13:05:20
How many of the deals were chosen by LvG? And did he negotiate the prices? He has made many mistakes there's no need to add fictional ones on top. The club as a whole need to re-think the transfer policy its certainly not a reason to sack the manager.
17 Feb 2015 13:23:19
It just gets a bit frustrating jred, I feel like some people just come on here to vent and don't actually think before they post, Fellaini played well so we shouldn't trust LVG, it makes no sense.
There are plenty of things to have a go at LVG about without having to make things up.
Apart from two or three chances last night Preston were poor enough and kept us out of the game for 50 minutes when we turned on the style we could of scored 5 it was one of the better performances of the season and the scored when the had the bodies forward from a shot our keeper would of usally saved its not all doom and gloom we have scoed 6 goals in two games and conceded two
Mr E - we bought ADM in the Summer.
Gds
The sites for everyone
Im sorry Mr E but you are wrong i agree Falcao was poor last night but so was Di Maria
17 Feb 2015 14:27:52
jred,
I'm aware of that, never said it wasn't, said I get frustrated at people not thinking before they post.
GDS2
You are like the criticism police and funny you say people don't think about what they post.
I would ask the same question off you, maybe you should read what is bing said without being sensitive and read it for what its worth.
His only saviour is injuries to certain players where he is unable to set us up the way he wants and forced to play players where they are suppose to be. With a full squad he will sink us.
Third in the league is getting old mate, there are a number of teams on our heels, and third one week and fifth the following week is matter of one bad result, so if I were you I would stop quoting it until we see some day light between us and the rest.
17 Feb 2015 15:54:25
GCU,
Was the deliberate? Having a go at me for not reading posts then telling me to stop quoting something I didn't quote?
I geddit, I think?
Gds
Dear me you really can't see it
GDS
How am I having a go. You keep saying one loss in 18 and 3rd in the league, have a look at who we have played mate.
I don't think his tactics are winning us anything if anything we play like a bunch of misfits and look terrible.
We seem to come alive when our backs are against the wall and he ditches his tactics and goes to 442. That is a United, fergie trait and nothing to do with this guy, he has better players than we did last year or year before to play a 442.
You can disagree with me but it is just a simple observation mate and if you think he is doing a great job by how he send a team out and sets us up, then we are watching different teams.
Do you see city, chelsea changing tactics almost every game? changing means you got it wrong because if it was right why change it, how many times has he done this. Almost every game mate.
My point is the games we have played has allowed him to get away with it because let's face it the opposition has not been exactly worldly. The best of the lot were southampton and west ham and we did not fare well, did we.
17 Feb 2015 17:10:32
Not everyone has the same thoughts on what constitutes a good performance. Yet again it was the usual dross for 60 minutes and then we played better and beat the force that is pne. My point about Fellaini was that he was used as a stick to beat Moyes but Lvg is supposed to be supported despite making Di Maria look like our worst waste of money since Veron and all his other signings playing worse than before they signed for us.Why is that? I am not one of the glory hunters on here who have only known success.it wasn't great in the early seventies and we had to wait a long time and I am prepared to wait again if I can see the plan and vision for the future.for me , Lvg is not that vision and we are all allowed our opinions. Still hope he proves me wrong though.
17 Feb 2015 18:32:36
Good post, porsche. Couldn't disagree with any of it.
Porsche
Just to ensure you are accurate on Fellaini. We used him as a "stick" as you put it to beat Moyes, firstly because he bought someone who was not a United style player and was seen as below the level needed as it seemed he had been bought to play central midfield. Secondly and most importantly, having bought him he didn't play him in the position he excelled at at Everton. Ok we have players out of position now but last season he seemed scared of putting Fellaini up front as a plan B as well and that I criticised him for. It is well known he didn't do something with RVP because he feared the reaction and in the case of Fellaini it also seems he was scared of bringing "Everton" football to OT even as a plan B.
The point I make is that like or hate LvG (I do neither) he does not worry about pushing Fellaini into plan B position.
Redmam
Or pushing rooney into plan d
Di maria plan E
Scared to drop rvp.
18 Feb 2015 11:06:17
'Not a Utd style player'.
I really get fed up with hearing this line. The great Mourinho had been linked with this Belgian international player. Wenger had been sniffing round, and that man knows nothing about decent football.
How have these two fools, and the Belgian manager, along with this Id1ot, LVG, been suckered into thinking that Fellaini might be a decent player?
I mean, he's tall and gangly with a silly haircut, so he obviously doesn't look like a Utd player.
17 Feb 2015 11:46:20
We are at a cross roads with our club at the moment.
We need to choose between style and substance.
Last night when we went 442 the performance improved, suddenly the game was stretched and we had time and space to create chances and we scored three goals.
But we need to remember this was a league one side, and although we were able to go toe to toe with them and come out on top this maybe wouldn't get the same results in the premier league.
All great United sides have been built on a solid defence, names such as Irwin, Neville, Stam, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra have been the main stays of our team. It has been that defensive stability that allowed us to pour forward and over commit to the attack thus flooding our opponents without too much concern about leaving the back door open.
But that is not the case atm. If we went toe to toe with most teams in the premier league now we would still score plenty of goals, players such as Rooney, Di Maria, RvP, Mata, Falcao and Januzaj means we have one of the best forward lines in the world even if it maybe contains more goal scorers than creators. But when we commit those guys forward who is left watching the shop?
No more do we have Keane prowling the midfield, now it Blind, a good player but certainly not the same presence as Keane.
Gone are the quality full backs of yester year. We have Rafael who is always injured or Valencia who is a winger on the right, neither are world class in their defensive play and neither would have even stood a slight chance of displacing a 28yr Gary Neville. On the left Shaw is a great prospect but is still a teenager. He isn't in the top 10 best LB's in the world atm, in time maybe. But he is learning his trade and will there for be liable to the odd mistake.
In the centre of defence it gets worst. Rojo looks a solid but unspectacular option and he's our best CB. Jones in an injury or penalty waiting to happen with his style of play. Smalling is solid defensively but has the odd lapse in concentration and his distribution is suspect. Then Evans has been a calamity waiting to happen for the last 18 months and needs to be moved on.
With no quality in defence and no great midfield shield in front of them we would concede as many as we score maybe more. To play attacking football is to leave our champions league hopes up to chance.
LvG knows we need width further forward to open space up for our forwards, he isn't an idiot. He's actually pretty up on his tactics. He just has his job and his reputation on the line atm, and to keep it in tact he needs to qualify for the UCL without a world class defender in his ranks. He has there for had to make sure we are hard to beat, and one loss in 19 games would suggest that we don't get rolled over that often.
If we don't get UCL football next season then signing these world class defenders to allow our forwards to attack won't sign.
So we have a choice uninspiring football for the next couple of months to allow us to set ourselves for the next 3/4 years, or play a more attacking brand of football and gamble our future on a whim of hopefully we'll score one more goal than you.
17 Feb 2015 12:05:09
Shappy what happens if the uninspiring perfomances don't get us CL? How do we, the fans, react to a season of absolute dribble being served up all year?
Jmb, how could you be so sure that we will miss out on champions league. I don't believe that will happen, we will continue to pick yp points and there is too much at stake for us not to make top 4 .
I completely agree with Shappy, i rather watch boring footie for next 3 months then to miss out on champions league next year because of taking extra few risks to entertain our fans.
17 Feb 2015 13:53:13
Excellent post Shappy.
jmb, yes there is a chance that we may not make it CL next year but LVG has increased our chances of qualifying by compromising on the football style rather than compromise on our chances to qualify by playing attractive football.Smart choice imo.
Shappy,
Thanks again for putting my thoughts in print. Only negative i can give about your posts is that sometimes they are too far apart. Keep them coming mate!
How does anybody know if he has increased our chances of qualifying by playing this rubbish - you don't make any sense as you haven't seen the reverse long term, in fact when we have seen us play better in patches we actually do better?
I would argue that the best teams to watch are the ones doing best typically.
Your arguments are flawed, yesterday he changed formation to a more typical attacking 4-4-2 and look what happened.
How do you know we wouldn't be winning most games 4-2, instead of drawing 1-1 and looking like an old version of Stoke City?
So if we had played attacking flowing football we would be mid table.
The only way we can get top 4 is if lvg play boring defensive some times long ball football.
so our performances aren't the managers fault he has to play that way .
Lvg can do no wrong
17 Feb 2015 11:40:18
Guys, I know we're all desperate to see some improvement in our play, but please.
I don't even have to go over to the Scouser's site, or the Arsenal site, to know that they'll be sitting there laughing at the sight of Utd fans having a collective wet dream over a decent 30 minutes against the mighty League 1 side, Preston North End.
Is this really what we've become?
17 Feb 2015 11:56:44
Noucamp - watch what you say mate you will have GDS on your back because we can't say 'it was only Preston'.
17 Feb 2015 12:08:30
No wet dream mate, still a long way to go, but the problem at the moment is the performance rather than the results, the results have been ok. For 30 minutes last night we saw the performance as well. It is not enough obviously, and like people keep pointing out, it was 'only Preston' but people have been crying out for us to play like that, so when we do we have to be happy about it surely?
I spoke to some Liverpool fans this morning who said they are worried about us because we are already getting the results, with the performances as well we will pull away from them, not sure they have any right to be laughing, our season has been better than both of theirs so far despite us not playing great football.
I'm confused with 'Is this really what we've become?'. Why would we not celebrate winning well, remember City and Chelsea both lost to lower league teams, these games are not easy, Preston are in good form, and we passed the test, sometimes it is ok to celebrate surely?
17 Feb 2015 12:15:55
JMB,
Never said you can't say it, I said my point below had nothing to do with the opposition, more to do with our own performance.
17 Feb 2015 12:26:29
GDS, I just think, in our craving for something positive to take from games recently, we've lost sight of the fact that, with all due respect to PNE, we should not have to be relying on a good 30 minutes to put them away.
I didn't say that they were laughing at us in terms of comparative performances this season, I said they were laughing at our collective response to beating a league one side.
'Why would we not celebrate winning well'? Come on, mate. If you class that as 'winning well', then we really have hit rock bottom! :) What happened to, 'yeah, we won. As we flipping should have against a league one side. Now let's move on'
The truth is, up until LVG realised, once again, that his system wasn't working, we'd just served up another 60 minutes of absolute dross. I struggled to see who was the Premiership giant, and who was the league one team, despite having more possession.
Yes, it was a win, and that comes first and foremost. Just let's not get carried away. I read some of the posts on here after beating PNE, and I think we must have become the best team in the world overnight.
Just like the over-reactions when we lose, draw or win playing badly, would have you think we were a Conference-level side.
17 Feb 2015 12:43:20
I should say, results like Chelsea against Bradford, can and do happen. But they're fluke results. One-offs. A blip in the normal run of things.
We've had Yeovil, Cambridge and PNE, and in every one of those games, we could have lost, through not creating enough chances, playing one-paced football, and serving up a quality of football not far removed from the level of the teams we were playing against.
You can't compare one-off, freak results, against a pattern of similar performances.
Like you said last night, in these type of games van Gaal has been overcomplicating. Preston, Cambridge and Yeovil are far from world beaters. In these games you don't need to try anything clever. Just play with width and pace to tire them out, and they'll soon start making mistakes.
All we saw last night was a PL side playing with pace and width forcing a lower division team into mistakes. It wasn't an amazing performance but it was important in showing how much better we look when we're not trying to cleverly incorporate players into 'innovative' systems. It's two games on the trot now where a shift to genuine wingers has won us the game. Hopefully this will carry through into upcoming games and we will start looking like a United side again, in style if not yet quality.
17 Feb 2015 13:32:12
I have not meant my posts to come across as an overreaction mate, I have said that the first 60 wasn't good enough, I just think all of us have been waiting for what happened in the last 30 to happen and it did, so let's enjoy it.
I get that beating Preston should be how you said it, 'well that was easy, next game please', but the way the last 18 months has gone that isn't quite how we are anymore is it? I appreciate we all want to support world beaters and win every game, but at the moment we aren't. Last season we lost in the FA cup 3rd round at home, this season we have come through 3 tricky (even if lower league) away ties, conceding 1 goal from a deflection and scoring 8 in the process so it is something to celebrate.
I sit through the posts after we lose or draw a game getting more and more depressed at the negative overreactions, so when I think we have done well I will say so.
Fingers crossed we kick on after that last 30, I am hoping we do but think in reality we might not.
Our season without Europe has been much worse than Liverpools season without Europe.
17 Feb 2015 14:29:10
It has also been better than a lot of other team's without Europe. You have 1 example of a team that did better without Europe in about the last 10 years, well done.
17 Feb 2015 14:40:27
GDS, it certainly wasn't aimed at you in particular, mate. I was guilty of it myself after the game last night, talking it over with a Liverpool fan.
Felt I had to even though, deep down, I felt the way I did in my OP :)
17 Feb 2015 14:45:28
True, Beast. But then they hadn't been through the relative upheaval that we've been through over the last few seasons.
Look at them this season, when they've tried to incorporate a number of new players to the squad and lost their best player. The same sluggish first half of the season that we're having, but without as many points to show for it.
Koeman's Southampton, are the only team I've seen recently who've coped with such large-scale changes.
Plus, like I told my Liverpool mate. This may as well have been a season out of Europe for them as well.
17 Feb 2015 11:30:02
Let's not get too excited by that half
Hour showing, after all we were playing Preston. But, heart has to be taken from the decisions that were made. Introducing Young was a genius move and won us the game.
For half an hour we pressed high, played with speed and had width. That's what we need every week.
I hope that the League game against Swansea see's us keep width from the start. Play Young and Di Maria on the wings, together they have pace and crossing. Get Rooney up top with van Persie or even Fellaini and keep Herrera in the side. 4-4-2 is the way to go for now.
17 Feb 2015 11:57:45
Ohh Fresh you can't say "it was only Preston". You will be reprimanded by the LVG brigade!
17 Feb 2015 12:19:10
JMB,
You are on one today, are you a little bit happy that we won last night or disappointed because it meant you can't slag LVG off?
17 Feb 2015 10:05:37
Finally more people are realising, Rooney is a striker, not a number 10 and dear god not a CM! Dunno if I ever mentioned it, but he isn't my favourite guy, but, he would be one of my 2 first choice strikers every week. Short passing, first touch and vision are shocking but he can chase all day and is a quality finisher. We need more round peg round holes, no more trying to play players where they aren't capable. first half hour of football I've enjoyed in a while.
17 Feb 2015 09:46:34
for the last 30 minutes last night we had a great keeper, 2 good centre backs, 2 flying full backs supporting 2 wingers capable of coming inside and getting past his full back, a midfield player sitting and a midfield player linking up the play, 1 centre forward as a target man and the other playing on the shoulder of the defence willing and capable of stretching the defence. felt like dejavu and I loved it. my son always asked me the best formation to play and I always say 442 in possession and 451 when out of possession. I hope that we keep this formation of round pegs in round holes even if better quality players are sat on the bench.
And that all happened when we took Falcao off. hmmmm
17 Feb 2015 10:19:21
gnev,
It worked last night, we will have to wait and see if it works in other games, Preston didn't offer too much all over the pitch and you always felt like we might have too much for them, but the performance and the formation in the last 30 minutes was great to see.
I think, like you say, sometimes better players will have to sit out for the good of the team.
One thing I did enjoy last night which has not been mentioned yet was Valencia crossing the ball in with a bit of height and not just blasting it at the first defender. LVG said we have been working on the Fellaini goal in training, it seems like someone has finally shown Valencia how to cross, as he put a few decent lofted balls in last night, something he has not done for quite a long time.
The last 30 minutes were a joy to watch but we need to be doing that over 90 minutes.
17 Feb 2015 09:24:09
Interested in Beast's opinion on last night to be honest, I thought the last 30 minutes were some of the best we have played all season, I just want to see what spin you put on it to be negative, or whether you will give us a credit for a decent performance.
GDS i agree that the last 30 mins we played a lot better but you must question why he doesn't start like that playing people in their actual positions from the start it looked to me that as soon as we did it we seemed to find that elusive balance that LvG is always banging on about
17 Feb 2015 10:04:54
Like everyone else he will proaise the last 30 minutes and scoff at the first 60. A good 30 minutes against Preston (who's team and assets are worth less than Angel Di Maria) doesn't warrant a parade.
I saw players thriving in their preferred positions. we played with width which is something that I believe is essential. most people think 442 is dead but as long as it turns into 451 when defending I think its the best formation.
17 Feb 2015 10:21:24
JMB,
Exactly like when a poor performance against other teams doesn't deserve a meltdown?
I wondered who the first person to say 'it was only Preston' would be, but that isn't really the point here, it was also 'only Cambridge' and 'only Yeovil' and 'only Burnley' but we were rubbish in them games, last night for the last 30 minutes we weren't, we were very good, and its been a long time coming.
Exactly right guys in my eyes. First 60 another copy and paste, the change in formation obviously flummoxed Preston and they didn't have the calibre of players to adapt, especially as they were clearly getting tired. Would we have seen the tactical change at 0-0 I doubt it?
We did look a lot better the last 30min, it was hardly vintage, but certainly much better. I was impressed with Rooney's movement and pace, didn't think he had that speed anymore to be honest. Makes you wonder even more what RVP is doing anywhere near the first team.
ADM yet another shocker - when did he last play well, Leicester away I think?
I think Falcao has had enough and his performances reflect that. He hasn't looked the same since all the agent stuff kicked off, if your heart isn't in it, it is difficult to not be a bit sloppy. He may have been better with the new formation though.
My prediction was a cagey 2-1 with Fellaini getting the winner, almost right.
It is ridiculous how many games the manager gets it wrong and then has to change it late on to salvage a game. Preston had 2 great chances before we scored (I think) as well, which could have meant a different result.
Our best performance against League 1 or 2 opposition. let's see what he starts with the weekend, I somewhat doubt it will be 4-4-2 with wingers.
I'll be glad when we start playing like that for a full 90 mins. Unfortunately I can't see it anytime soon, especially against teams in our division!
17 Feb 2015 10:48:54
At the end of the day GDS it was 'only Preston' as you put it. Let's play that way for 60 minutes against the Gunners and see what happens.
I think the first 60mins being poor were down to the wrong tactics and the players being poor i know a lot of people on here like the diamond formation but for me it just doesn't work too many times last night we had the ball in the middle and blind/herrera looked to play out wide but nobody was there because valencia has to run 60yds to get up with the play but by that time our midfield has turned back inside and started playing across to the other side in the hope our other fullback has made the run if not then repeat again and again.
On another point i totally agree about the last 1/2 hour but with Lvg saying that RvP will be fit for the swansea game does anybody else think he will revert back to his normal team/formation/tactics?
17 Feb 2015 11:06:25
Beast,
Fair play mate, I agree with pretty much all of that, very impressed with Rooney, anyone would think he was trying to tell the boss he wanted to be a striker!
No penalties all season and then 2 in 2 games when we switch to a 4-4-2 and start playing with pace and running at people, surely not a coincidence.
I agree we need to start seeing that for 90 minutes, or at least from the start of games. The change yesterday was to a 4-4-2 and play to our strengths but without lumping balls up to Fellaini which is what we saw at West Ham.
We all want to see improvements and LVG learning from mistakes (especially your good self) and last night I felt like for one of the first times, we actually saw that. Fingers crossed you are wrong and we don't go back to the same boring dross on Saturday, Swansea and Sunderland are there for the taking, 6 points and good performances would really put us in a good position going into the tough run.
17 Feb 2015 11:11:20
Last time we played the Gunners we played like that for the full 90 and won 2-0 JMB
Gds
What will your opinion be if we do go back to the "same boring dross "
17 Feb 2015 11:38:39
Yes with them in poor form and our keeper to thank. Here's hoping lightning strikes twice for our sake.
17 Feb 2015 12:14:55
jred,
The same as it has been all season mate, I'll be disappointed with the performance but it will depend on the result obviously. I want us to play top attacking football as much as everyone else, but I also want us to win, the ideal is both of them, but the priority is winning for me.
17 Feb 2015 08:56:47
Was last night the final nail in falcao's coffin, really wanted him to do well was personally the most exciting signing for me since veron, but we all know how that turned out
17 Feb 2015 09:44:37
Not sure it is the final nail as such, I would imagine the decision has been made not to keep Falcao a while ago, the money would be better spent on positions we actually need, and buying a top midfielder would allow us to play Rooney back up front where he should be. It is a shame as you can tell Falcao is trying hard to get back some form (maybe too hard at times) but it is just not happening for him.
Sometimes the best players don't make the best team, who would have thought Ashley Young would make a team 100 times better than Radamel Falcao?
Looks like it, just not happening for falco, and di Maria another one who is not doing it at the moment, a few of his crosses and passes last nite were bad would have to expect more from a 60 million player,
17 Feb 2015 09:57:16
I think the writing was on the wall before last night mate. I wanted him to do well also but he has been shackled in a slow dreary set up that hasn't helped him. I hope we get to see some of his class before he departs in the summer.
I think with Falcao it also comes down to who he plays up front with i think him and Wilson work well
17 Feb 2015 11:12:27
Doesn't look great for Falcao at united. Was v excited by his signing unfortunately its not worked out to date.
17 Feb 2015 11:56:48
Gutted it's not working out for him. Thought he's been one of the best strikers in world football for years, and was actually more excited over his move, than Di Maria's. Seems a likeable bloke too. Shame.
17 Feb 2015 06:50:24
Does anyone else think that the team that ended tonights game should be the team to face Swansea?
17 Feb 2015 07:26:27
I agree. I'm glad we put Fellaini up there because every time we cross the ball we have had no one who could get on the receiving end of them. We are a team of crossers
17 Feb 2015 06:06:25
Lets not get too carried away by last nights result, its great that we got through to face Arsenal but my word that first hour was horrible to watch and some of our players (no names) should feel ashamed to pick up there pay check. Was we trying to bore Preston into submission?
60 minutes in, sub made, game changer and we looked like great, why we didn't start like that is beyond me but who cares, we won.
LVG - tactical genius OR mad scientist? the jury is still out.
17 Feb 2015 09:46:10
Bit of both I think, what is important is that he is gradually learning, and while he is we are still picking up points. We are an extremely difficult team to beat now, whether he can make us an exciting team that is difficult to beat remains to be seen, but there were definitely some signs of life last night.
I agree with you he does seem to be learning and listening to the critics.
Maybe the owners had a word but things do seem to be improving(play wise), slowly but surely.