27 Aug 2014 12:45:02
Thank God LVG knew the best style to play for our current crop of players until he could revert to his preferred system, this 3-5-2 has saved us from some real tankings and we have made the most of our imbalanced squad! Wait there we look even worse than before and now confidence is at an all time low.

I actually wouldn't mind as much if 3-5-2 was the long term plan so we improve the whole set-up eventually and if it takes 3 months fair enough, if it is guaranteed success long term. BUT isn't his master plan to have 4-3-3 as the system, which we have not played at all since he took over, yet had the perfect players for that system in comparison to a 3-5-2?

So do we have to wait 3 months from now, I'm confused? Is it a year now as well I noticed him slip in last night?

So why waste 2 months playing and more importantly training in a formation we don't have the players for and is completely alien to all of them, when the master plan is to play 4-3-3, is it just to give Mata a game?

Our Wingers could have played as wide attackers rather than wingbacks, RVP was out so Rooney could have led from the top, our CB's wouldn't have to adapt to 3 CB's and we wouldn't have had to shuffle square pegs again. The only one who would have logically missed out was Mata, and maybe he could have been tested as one of the 3 in midfield if it was trial and error time, as he won't be getting many games in a 4-3-3 if he doesn't drop back!

I'm bemused at how LVG thinks 3-5-2 was sensible with the players we had available when all along the plan was to go 4-3-3? No need to crush Shaw in training or keep hold of players like Young etc etc.

Now we are already playing major catch up in the league, have a confused and dejected group of players and we are out of one of the two cups we had a chance of winning. All to play a system that isn't suitable or going to be used much in the future. Am I missing something or is this not really really stupid?

If his plan is to have us capable of adapting between the two systems, then fair enough, but surely you perfect one and certainly don't get everybody working towards the second choice system first, which looks negative and boring by the way?

It's almost as if he deliberately caused as much carnage as possible so he could look like a genius when we start getting wins or he really is a genius and he knew this is the only way the chequebook would be opened - give the board no option but to buy the players he wants. If so I admire his balls, but I somewhat doubt he planned this and if that's the case he is one messed up guy.

Does he ever do anything on the bench as well, I thought he was quite a passionate guy, but he looks dormant, El Scribe.

1.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 13:19:58
"Major Catch Up" there has been 2 games, get a grip!

2.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 13:33:12
Beast,

You need to calm down a bit mate, we have played 2 games and we have 1 point, not ideal but also not the end of the world.

3.) 27 Aug 2014
I agree that's its only been 2 games but I have to agree with the rest of the post and what's worrying is the rot does't look like stopping anytime soon

4.) 27 Aug 2014
I find it amazing how so many posters on here know more about formations and tactics than a man with over 20 years managerial experience at the highest level. seriously have a word with yourself, its early days you have to give the manager time to adapt and the players to also adapt to his style. if he feels 3-5-2 is the way to go then I trust him to make it work.

5.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 14:38:29
red79,

The rot? You are aware we have lost 2 games under LVG and one was in the League Cup. You also need to calm down.

6.) 27 Aug 2014
We have dropped 5 points to teams our top 4 rivals will pick up 6 against. We are no further advanced from the first pre-season game and he admits it will take time to adjust, we are about to change formation so Burnley will be more experimentation, normally it would be a banker result I wouldn't put any money on it which is a joke.

Stretford - If 99% of top flight managers were hired Saturday morning before the Burnley game, I am willing to bet they would get a better performance and better result than what we get from LVG, no 6 weeks training, no major changes, just simply picking a 4-4-2 and saying do what you do best lads.

I understand the team needs to adjust, but the problem is adjust to what? We have spent 2 months failing to adjust to a system we aren't going to play. This season the league means more than ever and we are no further forward preparation wise.

Given the money he has been given there will be an improvement, but a Sunday league manager couldn't do worse than LVG has the first 3 games. The time is not now to complicate it all further, what was the point in pre-season?

7.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 14:47:59
I'm glad you have given the manager and players ample time to adapt, lol. LvG has always had a slow start for this reason, is that not widely known?

8.) 27 Aug 2014
I have great confidence that LVG will achieve great success, but at the same time we are entitled to give our opinion against the 3-5-2. Is not that the point of this website, to share our opinions on how the team is playing?

Hardly any of us were ripping the 3-5-2 in the summer when results went our way. Now with our slow start, many are saying defensively it has been a lot to learn, especially with inexperienced players. And offensively, it does not work without any pace from the front three. Those are fair criticisms.

But for a manager to change and adapt along the way is normal. Guardiola is always up to something, and gets his share of criticism. Ancelotti switched midseason last year to the 4-3-3 with Di Maria as a center mid. Both are great managers.

We can have a go at LVG's decisions, and debate his tactics and selections, and still have faith that he is a great manager who will prove himself in time.

9.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 15:13:06
Beast,

You are aware City haven't won at Sunderland since 2009, in fact they have picked up a single point in that time. Clearly going to beat them this year though, might as well just stop the league now and give the results out.

A manager coming in and playing the game against Burnley might do better with a 4-4-2 but what's to say that will then be right for the rest of the season? That is the whole point of learning a new way of playing, to adapt to a new system and master it to beat other teams and be good throughout the season, not just win one game. Moyes won the odd game, in fact he won the 2 games LVG has failed to win, but his finishing position wasn't exactly what we were after was it?

Maybe wait until Christmas, if we are still 13th have a moan, I guarantee we won't be.

10.) 27 Aug 2014
Has he always done 2 months with one formation that doesn't suit anyone, then switched it after spending shed loads of cash, is that his normal strategy (I genuinely don't know)?

It doesn't mean you aren't loyal supporters if you say he has made a bad mistake. I am confident he will correct matters eventually if given time, but he has made a pigs ear of things so far, surely even the greatest optimist can see much of what has gone wrong was of his own making and it seemed for no apparent reason as we aren't even going to play that way.

I don't think LVG realises how vital time is, he did say 12 months last night as well. Do you think the board can accept that? I am willing to be patient, so long as we aren't saying one thing then doing another. We have gone backwards without doubt and hopefully after the Intl break it will be a clean slate, he has wasted arguably the most important 2 months of the next 5 years for me.

11.) 27 Aug 2014
GAV

slow is one thing but yesterday was like comedy hour. Honestly never seen a team of 11 players this dysfunctional, they were all sh. t and maybe one or 2 were less s. t than others.

12.) 27 Aug 2014
GDS2 this rot has been going on for a year now players are gradually getting worse I am not just talking about this season

13.) 27 Aug 2014
If 3-5-2 was the way to go in the premier league more managers would be using it

14.) 27 Aug 2014
So beast, you think we should have one formation that we stick to at all times. What happens in a game where a particular formation doesn't work. The success of holland at the World Cup was down to their ability to adapt their formation to suit the game. You exemplify everything that's wrong with the modern fan. Wants instant success and three games in starts shouting the odds if it's not working out! Thought our fans weren't that fickle. How wrong I was

15.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 16:20:02
The answer is easy then Beast, go and support someone else and stop crying about it.

16.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 16:26:48
Wow lol.
Thanks goddness school starts back up soon!

17.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 18:16:44
Beast, my point is it takes time to adapt to a new style, philosophy, formation. Sure LvG will make mistakes, he is human, but its too early to totally write off the preferred style and philosophy of a world class manager based on what we have seen imo. Some posts are sounding petulant.

Sharham, I agree we were useless. My point was about adapting to a new shape as I just explained. I would add that many of the players from last night may have played their last game for United e.g. Hernandez, Anderson and some of the youth which will be a good thing for us.

18.) 27 Aug 2014
27 Aug 2014 18:30:35
Patience is a virtue.

19.) 27 Aug 2014
Beast is right, he's had plenty of time. Out out out!