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08 Nov 2013 14:31:04
Ed are there any clubs interested in any of Young, Anderson and Nani? {Ed002's Note - Try the search engine please.}
The England Diving team are hoping to sign Young in time for the Commonwealth Games
08 Nov 2013 13:37:21
Reading we are interested in Kurt Zouma again or still great prospect. Also watched his "terribla terribla" tackle, which I thought was a perfect tackle. Yes he goes in full bore but so did the guy "Guibert sp" he tackled and Moura gets the ball first a good 9 inches before they make contact.
08 Nov 2013 13:23:32
Whats all this nonsense about Moyes being too afraid to upset star players etc. He is merely playing the formations that will bring the best out his best players and utilize the squad to its maximum potential. He does not have the personnel to make a 5 man midfield work. Whenever Sir Alex had 2 or 3 quality strikers available against Arsenal, he played with two strikers anyway.
To beat Arsenal we need to drop deep, intercept their passes and then break at pace with the wingers. Carrick is good at starting off counter attacks and turning attack into defense, I hope he plays. I hope Nani and Januzaj have a great game. Most importantly, what has been important to our success against Arsenal is the ability of our strikers to bury any chance that comes their way. We have been very efficient at converting chances.
So Nani, Januzaj to start the game, with Valencia and Hernandez to come on late in the second half to take advantage of some tired legs from their outing in Dortmund. Should be an interesting game. Funny thing is I look at positions individually and apart from the central midfield obviously, we have the better players for every other position. Its how we play as a team that will give us a result. Biggest game of the season for us. Bring it on.
What makes you think Nani will start over Valencia? Nani's last game was the worst i've seen him play in a long while hence why he was benched against Fulham and Sociedad.
Redfaith, you think we should drop deep against arsenal and let them come on to us? That's what we do all the time and it clearly has not worked especially against the technically efficient teams.
Why would we invite arsenal onto us? We should attack them and rush them high up the field. It is the only way you will get joy against them. If they lose the ball high up the field, then our attack will definitely come up on top against their defence.
If Moyes plays nani, then we might as well give up.
Just my two penneth on tomorrow:
we should give them no space in midfield. to achieve this we should play a high line and three in the middle
Jones should man mark ozil.
we need Mobile, quick thinking players who can pick a pass and we should try to catch them on the counter attack.
they won't play with much width so we should push the full backs up on sagna and Gibbs.
@Ozwald
Valencia played midweek, I think Nani might start this game. Either way both of them have given Arsenal left backs a torrid time in the last 5 years.
@Nomidfield
Yes, we have to drop deep. That is how we have always played against Arsenal. Dropping deep and intercepting the ball and then breaking forward at pace. You either win the ball right after you lose it in their half of the pitch (something which Dortmund did) and if you can't, you drop deep and let them come onto you. Since the center will be too crowded for them to play through, with no way through they are forced out wide and limited to crossing, where we have the advantage with the likes of Vidic defending.
Watch the games from the last 5 years, we have never tried to attack them or rush them or take them on in midfield, rather we have played a "reactive" game knowing that midfield is not our strength. We have allowed them possession, frustrated them by dropping deep and forced them to commit extra men forward to counter our sheer number of men behind the ball and one mistake and we win the ball back, with acres of space out wide and with us having spare men waiting to counter with deadly effect.
Pretty much every goal we have scored against them has been this way. Attacking Arsenal and trying to take them on at their own game in midfield is suicidal, unless you have the kind of midfield strength that the likes of Barcelona do. They like teams playing a high line, it makes their through balls a lot more effective.
Dropping deep hasn't worked against teams who have crossed the ball well into the box (have a look at the goals we have conceded) and have people to get on the end of them. With only Giroud being the target for Arsenal we need to limit them to crosses or shots from outside the box.
I am confused. You are saying that we either win the ball high up in their half (which Dortmund did) and if we can't do that, then we have to drop off deep? When are we going to have the time to do that?
Personally, I think the only way to play against these teams like city, Chelsea, arsenal and barca, is to match the numbers in midfield. This is something that neither Ferguson or Moyes seem to want to do. Against city we played 442 and got thrashed, the same happened against barca in the two finals. Even against the lesser teams, Southampton, wba, we insisted on playing with two wingers. If Moyes decides to play with two wingers leaving our two immobile midfielders to match up to Wiltshire, ozil, Ramsey and roscisky, then I think you will find that we will lose the game comfortably.
On last point, when we beat the arsenal teams of the past 4-5 years, they had no ozil in their team, Wiltshire and Ramsey were still learning their trade, and the attack was bentdner. Rvp gave us plenty of problems and so will giroud.
Over to you Moyes!
Spot on Nomid, I totally agree with you. Invite Arsenal on to us and we will get beat. And you are right about the last 4/5 years too. In those meetings we had the better, stronger team and were expected to win. The 8-2 , although we played well, was a freak result. Things are very different now with the players Arsenal have, and we need to up our game if we are to beat them. Of course we are well capable of winning, and may well do, but inviting Arsenal to come at us could backfire badly.
@Nomidfield
We either win it immediately after we lose it by our strikers pressurizing their defenders, if we can't, we let them come at us, retreat tactically and force them out wide or intercept the ball if they try to play through. This is something Michael Carrick does exceptionally well, so does Tom Cleverley to an extent. Watch the City away game from last year, where we played the same tactics in the first half, Yaya changed it in the second half, thankfully Arsenal don't have a player like that. This year's city game was a poor performance overall, Carrick was ill and we played an immobile Fellaini. Also the wingers provided no cover for the full backs.
You mention the Arsenal games from before, I am glad you do, they had Fabregas, Nasri, Song back then, all good players and we still came out on top with this approach.
The key is to having one winger tuck inside while defending and crowding them out. Remember Ji Sung Park?
We play with two strikers and wingers because that is our strength, you play to your strengths. There is no point in setting a gameplan to defend and leaving out the players who can change the game and cost us in attack. We will be toothless in attack if we play a 5 man midfield, we don't have the midfielders to play that way. You need mobile midfielders for that, we don't have any. So we try to play a counter attacking style with wingers and strikers.
You talk of them having Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere and I agree its a formidable midfield, hence why its wise to not take them on in midfield, they are used to playing when pressurized and will play through us. We rather ALLOW them possession but crowding them out making it difficult when they get closer to the box, force them out wide. That is how we have always played against Arsenal.
RVP caused us problems because he is a world class player, with amazing movement, not sure Giroud is anywhere near his class.
It will have to be a 4-4-1-1 where Rooney pressurizes their defensive midfielder who brings the ball out. A bit like Welbeck did to Xabi Alonso when Real Madrid came to OT.
P.S. You mentioned Barcelona, to beat them you not only need tactics, but also world class midfielders in the side, or a huge slice of luck. We had none. Bayern played a 4-4-1-1 and destroyed them, because they had quality players.
Arsenal leave an enormous amount of space behind the defenders. If we can get the ball in behind them! We can hurt them, but it will be a big ask the way their midfield is playing. We ned to pressure high and hit them hard IMO
08 Nov 2013 12:20:40
So come sunday, we have our biggest game of the season. In many ways, this should lay down a marker for the rest of the season. United written off by all and sundry, muppets scrutinizing every move of Moyes, Arsenal going all guns blazing and everyones eye candy. If there is a statement to be made, it has to be this game. It will not be easy and it will be moronic to ignore our current plight. But I think this is the game where our "big game players" will have to have a stormer.
The likes of Rooney, Van Persie, Vidic etc are winners. If we feel down in the dumps, can't imagine how they would be feeling. I think they would be up for it. Specially Persie, I am expecting a huge game from him. He will not want the gooners to rub it in at any cost. With Rooney downplaying Arsenal's chances as far as the title is concerned, he better turn up. To be fair he usually rips Arsenal a new one.
Can't wait for this. I am quietly confident about our chances.
Deeps.
I for one hope Kagawa doesn't start we need to keep the ball and he loses it far too much for my liking. He isn't going to replace Rooney in the number 10 role so it's the bench for him I would think.
Nathan, don't worry i'm sure Januzaj will start on the left and Valencia on the right. Not often you'll hear me say this but I hope Carrick and Cleverley form the midfield partnership with Evans or Jones partnering Vidic in defence. We'll see though Moyes seems to prefer using Kagawa in the CL which makes sense as he's struggling to adapt to the PL.
Pink your confident and we are very confident too, could well be a classic with you looking to show all who wrote you off far too soon just how wrong they are and us looking to prove ourselves to be the real deal yet again to all who refuse to accept it.
See you Sunday lads when one of us will be put on a pedestal and the other ripped to shreds by the pundits,
Gunner62 et al, I'm loving the fact that the majority of both sets of fans can have a grown-up discussion about the relative strengths and weaknesses of our two teams - something that's nigh on impossible with City, Chelsea, and especially Liverpool fans.
I love these games, especially back in the Keane/Viera days. Good, old-fashioned blood and thunder matches, with not an inch given or expected.
I've a lot of respect for your club, and especially Wenger, who for some of his faults, has a footballing philosophy that he refuses to compromise on. His ethos is one of the main reasons that so many home-grown players are now realising just how professional they have to be, in order to make it in today's game - no more pints and chinese takeaways. Also, thankfully, very few long-ball teams around anymore.
I think fans of both sides, appreciate the focus on youth and entertaining football, that each other's clubs at least try to initiate, with varying degrees of success at different points in our histories.
You've every right to come to OT on Sunday with high hopes. You're team are playing some very good football, and in Oezil, you have one of the very best. Glad to see young Ramsay doing well too. Equally for us, it's time Moyes and the team put down a marker to the rest of the league, that we may be down, but we're most definitely not out. Time to stand up.
Good to see these games meaning something again. It's been too long :)
Hi Steviek
We are all football fans who love our teams but are able to appreciate and respect other teams qualities too mate.
There will always be the play ground people who throw insults and snipes but if we can all swap opinions views and a bit of friendly banter football is the winner.
So come Sunday if you do pull off the shock of the season and manage to get a draw ( joke honest) I will be happy to come back and take a bit of fair banter.
Have a great weekend, well up until late Sunday afternoon that is :-)
Well said StevieK.
Nice post Steviek
08 Nov 2013 09:18:23
I really hope that as a pre match preparation Moyes and the team watch the 8-2 game against Arsenal and the game in which we ended their 49 game unbeaten streak.
I watched it and it filled me with confidence that yes we know how to beat Arsenal, we have done it in past and we will do it on Sunday and will make a statement.
Yeah we know how to beat that Arsenal team 8-2 let's do it. Oh wait that's a completely different Arsenal team we will be playing Sunday. pointless!
Ashley Young was a star performer from that game. Just saying. ;)
Devil dust and redfaith, you are prime examples of how united fans are behaving ATM, I talked about confidence and you just cannot get the sense in my message.
God save united.
08 Nov 2013 04:21:30
Read a rumour that we are interested in Valencia left back Alberto Moreno.
Anybody seen him play? Any good?
He plays for Seville mate ;) From what I've seen of him he is quite similar to Evra with his strength going forward. Haven't seen much of him defensively though. Seville play betis on a website in a couple of weeks so if rumours are still circulating, you can make your own judgement. {Ed002's Note - I think it unlikely that Alberto Moreno will be sold in the January transfer window. The full release clause for Spanish clubs is being asked by Sevilla and that has so far put off interest from Chelsea, Spurs and Real Madrid. Manchester United may well be one of the clubs that has also had him looked at.}
Yes. The kid is good.
Very impressive with the ball at his feet, has good concentration, likes getting forward and contrary to popular opinion, he has good positioning.
He does have some aspects in his game he needs to improve to reach his potential, mainly his passing, which is very hit and miss ( quite rare for young spanish players ). His crossing isn't the best but few Spanish teams rely on crossing, and his tackling is rather Scholesesque.
08 Nov 2013 11:46:55
Another young left back who I don't think gets enough mentions is Ben Davies at Swansea. Everyone seems to get caught up with Shaw as he's overhyped because he's english, or a flash foriegn name.
But Davies is only 20 and is one of the best LBs in the league, he wouldn't take time to adjust like other targets could and he wouldn't cost the earth like Shaw.
He would be an improvement on what we have currently and he is 5 years away from his peak. He would also help us keep a british core to our squad.
Plus the forgotten man at Swansea, Neil Taylor who up until his injury was developing into a top player.
don't know whether he's lost it because of the injury, but if its just a case of laudrup fancying Shaw more then he could be a shrewd purchase.
07 Nov 2013 23:29:49
So edd the papers and twitter are linkin us with kheideira and a left back off sevilla any interest?
cheers {Ed007's Note - I do use tw@tter but I'm not that interested in tabloid newspapers.}
Khedira in my opinion would be a great signing. He and Herrera would make a good partnership in the future.
Fresh, add gundogan to those two and we really are in business.