Manchester United Banter Archive January 17 2015

17 Jan 2015 20:36:43
Watching Palermo vs Roma and I must say strootman looks distinctly average. I know he has been out for a while, but I don't think he is as dynamic as Vidal.

I am loving Paulo Dybala though. I would buy him all day long. Technique, pace and movement. Yes please.

I'd much rather go for pogba. I don't care if he's a mercenary he's exactly what we need and we've let too many world class players slip through our fingers through the years.

Thats because he is average

Even an injured Vidal playing with a dodgy knee is twice the player Strootman is. I genuinely don't understand the hype around Strootman, especially with the 30-40mil figures being mentioned. It would be a pointless signing along the lines of Blind in that he isn't better than what we already have.

18 Jan 2015 06:47:51
REDFAITH,

Reading down the page that is 3 times you have slagged off blind in 3 posts and I think it is totally unfair and uncalled for. I can hardly remember him making a mistake all season, he is calm in the ball and puts in plenty of good tackles and interceptions. I think he is a top player, maybe not the exciting fast skilful player you want but you can't have 11 of them in a team, it doesn't work. Maybe watch him more closely, maybe some of the work he does goes unnoticed, well it definitely does by you.

Huggy

That makes 2 of us. I have said this for over 18 months and people should watch him as he is a neither here or there player. Believe me when you look very average in the Italian league you are generally a poor player for the PL.

Many players in the pl who have been poor have made a carrier for themselves in the Italian league.

I would genuinely be shocked if we buy him and lose all faith in or approach of trying to build a trophy winning team.

GDS

Take a look at southampton game and when we switched and he was playing as a left wing back and watch the goal mate. No where to be found when they scored. His side, his man.

18 Jan 2015 09:31:47
GCU,

Who created the two clear cut chances that we had in that game? If you are going to pick up on one thing you have to be fair, the left sided centre back also has to be responsible for picking players up on that wing when your wing back has gone forward to add to the attack.

I agree with the CB also being responsible although it is well known CB are not great when they get pulled to the side and not their area of comfort.
On that note I believe Blanckett was brought on and he was in 6s and 7s for the goal too and was quite poor and all decisions come from one person.

That got very little mention here last week as a defensive substitution last year when leading with 10 minutes to go was seen as sign of the previous managers negativity and under qualifications for the job but what a difference a year makes LOL. You guys are a trip.

I was replying to your post that you said Blind has hardly put a foot wrong mate and makes no mistake :)

I like him as a player but not as a first 11 and more a squad player for me.

If LVG rates Strootman then I doubt he is very good. He seems to have no concept of where to play players or to best utilise their skills, the very fact he is the Darling of LVG makes me fearful. Maybe he picks players on their brown nosing capabilities.

17 Jan 2015 19:23:17
I was so happy to see James Wilson score his maiden goal for United this season. He got that off his chest and does look like someone who would don our shirt for years to come.
Forget Lacazette or Dybala, Wilson is the one we should slowly promote to the first team and even LVG has put a lot of faith in him.
Was it only me or does Wilson look more effective when he was played on the rightside forward position instead of the usual position leftside forward position. Central Striker position.
He held up the ball quite and won fair share of duels, and should be starting more often.
He has pace to burn, and on another day could have 2 assists.
He should start our next game, he provides something other strikers don't, which is pace. There have been games, where he has been dropping deep, which I feel he shouldn't.

{Ed007's Note - If Utd have any sense they should get him tied to the club with a long term contract at £250k a week, he's a potential Ballon d'Or winner who'll probably become the top goalscorer to ever to have lived.}

I take it you like him then bond, hope your right I'm going down to paddy powers

17 Jan 2015 17:33:14
Dodgy performance, but deserved the win. I thought Rojo was brilliant today, been a while since one of our central backs bullied the opposition centre forwards. Rojo may have the occasional rashness in his play, but I believe he could turn out to be a beast for us.

17 Jan 2015 18:44:36
I thought he played well today apart from a few sloppy passes but he defended very well and seems to be a bit of a tough nut unlike most our other CBs.

The only thing I noticed about Rojo was him goofing the ball forward at every opportunity. An area that should improve, but overall he is of the top CB's we have at the moment along with Smalling and Jones. Others are just awful.

17 Jan 2015 16:58:20
2-0 flatters us again. Poor performance. Shame Falcao didn't score, but pleased Wilson did. Falcao did the right thing every time, just a bit rusty and unlucky with the Caulker touch.

Rooney is just a massive waste of time in Midfield, it not only wastes his talent it also takes away the best of ADM. Its just plain wrong.

Clean sheet thanks to DDG again, but I was pleased we limited QPR second half as I thought they would be more threatening.

No surprise we look much better going to 4-4-2 (I don't need £6mil a year to know that) - will the penny drop for LVG, bet its 5-3-2 next game?!

GDS2 - I'd still sack him!

I'd sack him as well

17 Jan 2015 17:29:58
Glad the change to 4-4-2 worked almost immediately, we looked far better and that should make him realise it's the way to go, much more creative.

Didn't think 2-0 flattered us, we had chances to make it more as you said yourself, thought it was a fair result against a battling QPR side who played ok and hadn't lost at home for 7 games.

I thought 2-0 flattered qpr, we had countless chances to score 3 or 4 in that game, yeah first half was dull but what did qpr actually do apart from a few long range efforts and half chances which dea gea should save.

we totally dominated the game yeah wasnt nice to watch in the first half but overall we deserved it

17 Jan 2015 18:49:36
It was a game of two halves. If we played 4-4-2 in the first half who knows what the final score line would have been.

I hope we don't see Mata starting the next game in midfield with Rooney because he's too lightweight, yes he can make a brilliant assisting pass but he doesn't offer much else. He needs to be in a team with a big, stronger quality DM behind him and a few pacey forwards, like at Chelsea. That's when he becomes one of the best players in the league.

I'd like to see Carrick, Fellaini and Herrera start in midfield with Di maria at the tip of the diamond with Rooney and Falcao up front.

We always look better when we switch to 4-4-2; and yet LVG always goes back to 5-4-1 for the next game. He doesn't seem to have any idea what he's doing and was lucky to pick up a result against one of the worst sides in the league. The first half was typical of how we've played all season and had QPR equalised at the end I would not have been surprised in the slightest. I can only think of four games this season where we've gone into the final minute not looking like we might concede and lose points. That we've only won by more than the odd goal five times this season is criminal given how much we have spent (Chealsea have done so 18 times).

17 Jan 2015 16:46:51
I think there is one thing we can all agree on after this game, Rooney is not a midfielder

I've said this all along, against teams that pressure he gets found out. The team selection and tactics have been very very odd

17 Jan 2015 17:08:42
His passing today was just woeful. Numerous times he hit it hoping someone was there, no head up looking for the pass, was very disappointing to be honest.

Van Gaal should of brought on Herrera and pushed Rooney forward instead of Wilson. Although, fair play to Wilson for the goal

17 Jan 2015 17:20:30
Thought wilson was fantastic, creative and a breath of fresh air when he came on.

17 Jan 2015 18:09:18
Lvg should have brought on Hererra for Rooney. end of

Rooney should play as a number 10 and time for us to drop Mata.

I believe carrick, fellaini partnership has worked quite well when both have been on the pitch with fellaini as an advanced midfielder and gives us options in the final 3rd and the strikers and the number 10 can play off of him. 4231 for me.

We need a right winger as Valencia is such a poor crosser of the ball.

17 Jan 2015 15:36:53
Another game and another day where I wonder if anyone has checked if LVG had a coaching badge. Defenders are championship level at best and now he's started playing more players out of position. Along with Rooney in midfield he plays ADM up front. How long before DDG plays RB. I want LVG out would rather have giggs someone who knows how we made our history playing football. LVG is worse than moyes absolute egomaniac without a clue

17 Jan 2015 15:46:48
The most comical of them all is Phil Jones on corners!

Phil jones taking corners, what t f is going on, omg looks like the manager plays for a draw and hopes for a win

Herrera must be thinking I wish I stayed were I was

17 Jan 2015 17:26:50
Bang bang same old drum. We won, bet you are gutted.

Jamie 79 if you put giggs in charge he will go and sighn vidic and ferdinand and give
them five year contracts we are rebulding and only got half the players he needs we are in the top four yes playing poor wait until the project is done and then judge

Giggs is not the answer but if rather have him than LVG £200 million spent an I expecting too much then. U say it's a rebuild well the players he bought have been awful apart from di Maria and now he's playing him out of position along with Rooney.

Why worry it ain't you're money if he dose not make top 4 he will be gone any way just relax and enjoy the ride

17 Jan 2015 09:53:27
Lets cut the crap . Qpr are 19th we should win today

We should destroy them, but I said that about Crystal Palace at home!

Instead of excitement, I have a knot in my stomach - ridiculous it has come to this!

17 Jan 2015 10:20:27
100% mate. These are exactly the games we should win.

We will win 3.0.

I agree. We have a pretty easy run now and should make the most of it by playing quick attacking football to get some confidence back in the side, especially the attack.

We played a diamond the last time we played QPR and absolutely slaughtered them and I am hoping we do the same again. Play our best players in their best positions and let them run riot.

17 Jan 2015 12:06:49
I think if we play 3 at the back it will be a scrappy game, and the longer it goes on QPR will think they can get a result.

I think we will rip them to shreds. Beast what is this defeatest 'I have knots in my stomach'? We are Man United!

Couldn't agree more and with our best players playing today I think we should win by two clear goals. Falcao and Herrera must play. If LvG is playing with three at the back, then we need Herrera and ADM attacking mid, I'd play Fellaini just behind them for this game. Carrick as the central defender, Jones and Rojo either side. Valencia and Shaw as wing-backs. Rooney in the hole with Falcao and Wilson upfront. Obviously David in goal :)

JMB - I'm not being defeatist, I'm being realistic. I genuinely feel edgy today, I was massively upbeat for Southampton down to what the gaffer said about identifying our chance creation problems and having a full squad to choose from. However that confidence eroded quickly, I am now back to worrying about the way we are going to set-up and how attacking we will be. I hope today is the day that the shackles come off, although I doubt it now.

If we attack we win with ease, if we do what we have been doing it will be very edgy.

Have I just named 12 players? This flu is messing me up good and proper.

Will lvg play di maria and falcao as a front 2 ?

Jred, I think he probably will play Di Maria upfront. It could go either way with Falcao, will he be stubborn against the media and bench him, or will he play him? I'm not sure, but it will be interesting to see what happens.

I hope he plays di maria somewhere in midfield

I am with you on that one, we are lacking speed from midfield, Herrera and Di Maria in midfield would trouble any side.

17 Jan 2015 14:04:51
Di Maria is a total waste up front, I hope Van Gaal knows he's playing with his job, if we don't come top 4.
Why play a great offensive midfielder somewhere he isn't familiar with and is not as effective, sounds so me he wants pace to hit on the break :(

Falcao starts which I am so glad to see, would have liked to see Herrera in there mind.

LVG is so stubborn, I feel like I'm watching some Italian boring football without the Italian quality defenders.
Even the traditional 4-4-2 system is better than this.
We play with 3 CB's when we have the least bit of depth and quality in that position. Great tactic.
The game is going to be boring and drab.
Herrera benched again? Fellaini benched?
How is Mata starting the CM position baffles me.

FZZ, don't get me wrong, if we are 2.1 up with 15 minutes remaining and QPR are pushing for a goal, I would leave ADM on the halfway ready to latch onto a Rooney ball, but I wouldn't start him there. Midfield for me all day long.

17 Jan 2015 14:38:56
I'm a big United fan but a realistic one, I don't think we will win every game just because we are United.
I think today's game will be very tough, QPR are good at home, it's a tight pitch and our away form is a little iffy.
I'm not confident of a win today, think it could be very scrappy with a single goal deciding it.
As always though, hope I'm wrong and we stuff then 5-0!!

17 Jan 2015 15:18:10
yes Sydney i agree.

Jred

100% agree. At this rate we will soon justify losing to championship level teams.

We will be out of the top 4 today if we don't win.

Going exactly as I thought it would - shocking.

Totally agree beast and gcu. Even I've lost faith in lvg. The tactics are non existent. Jones with corners? No Herrera? What the hell is going on?

I'm going with Beast! We look crap. Just too many passes for nothing.

Playing with the back 3, QPR can take something today. We're playing against the worst team of the EPL but we still struggling.

We must play better at the second half and win. Another draw or defeat we can easily say bye to top 4 because we'll drop many more points.

Gcu, do you still think Liverpool will not make top 4?

No midfield
Liverpool will make top 4 if sturridge comes back, stays fit and fires. He will be the difference between 6th and third.

Nomid

I still think Liverpool will finish 6th. I believe 3rd, 4th and 5th will be between United, Arsenal, Spurs.

How many last minute goals has Erickson score this year to win games or a draw for spurs. Must be a record.

Southhampton has a chance as long as Schneiderling stays healthy.