Manchester United Banter Archive January 31 2015

31 Jan 2015 22:41:24
Our first goal was offside. Our second goal was an opportunist striker's goal from a parried shot, and our 3rd was an own goal. Yes, we won comfortably and controlled possession but one can hardly say we played with the dynamic creativity we are all looking for. Their goalie had hardly anything to do.

In the second half we looked anemic, but I suppose the players had one eye on the daunting prospect of having to play Cambridge United in midweek.

While the next league match at West Ham may not ultimately prove to be definitive as regards the season, it should indicate whether we are going to be in contention for a CL spot.

01 Feb 2015 00:30:04
So now when we score 3 goals they weren't good enough and they needed to be 40 yard screamers or 300 passes before we score? Give me strength, I guess it's nice that that is the negative you can find. All goals count for 1.

01 Feb 2015 00:43:14
You've not been taking your medication again or you are masquerading as a united supporter. I can't be bothered to normally respond to posts such as this but the vin rouge has got the better of me. I take it you've hopefully finished your homework and you've got the weekend free now to annoy us before you return to your dumbed down education plan on Monday.

I didn't catch the game because of work; but the scoreline suggests we did enough to not need to play well. I've been critical of our performances this season when we have played poorly and scraped a result - but by all accounts this game was done and dusted by half time. I'd expect us to win comfortably against a team of Leicester's caliber and we did - and so it's hard to criticise on that basis. Hopefully the lads have it in them to step it up against better opposition.

On a side note - I am going to be critical of LVG's continued omission of Herrera. He's our best midfielder and should be the second name on the team sheet behind only DDG. Add to that the amount we paid for him and LVG at the very least owes an explanation as to why he is not playing.

Never saw the game but watched MOTD, the 1 thing that stood out for me is we was actually moving the ball forward a lot more which made us look more dangerous AND confident, 3-1 is a good result regardless where Leicester sit in the table, it keeps us on track.
Cant for the life of me figure LVG's stance on Herrera, if he don't start getting games I can see him asking for a transfer and he would be right to ask under the circumstance.

Shawthing did you watch the same game as the rest of us?

I watched it and agree with Shawthing.

Rooney was awful despite us dominating possession. He is not a possession footballer he is an impact player and he gives the ball away time and again - Herrera needs to be in there instead of Rooney without a shadow of a doubt - our possession will be creative with more technically capable midfield players, Rooney is a striker and that is it.

We created next to nothing yet again. The score line was fair considering how we battered them possession wise and DDG only had a couple of things to do - still more saves than Schwarzer probably!

1st goal offside? 2nd a tap in from a keepers parry, 3rd an own goal? Well they all point to us being in their area, which means we were attacking. isn't that what we were calling for?
LvG aready said that at HT he told the players to close the game, like they should have at Leicester. LvG appears to have learned something.

01 Feb 2015 12:04:49
Beast,

We had 12 shots 5 of which were on target, leicester had 5 shots 1 on target. Are 12 chances 'next to nothing'?

If you are going to continue the negativity despite a good win at least come up with real accurate points and not just make things up to suit your argument, you are better than that.

12 shots aren't the same as 12 chances. Nugent brought a great save from DDG despite it not being a shot. Stats can be twisted however you like mate. Name me one save that Schwarzer made that didn't lead to a goal?

I can think of one save he made which Falcao followed up on.

Were you happy with our chance creation GDS2?

31 Jan 2015 18:29:55
A good 3 points played ok in the first half, nothing to get over excited about, we beat a good championship side with a 42 year old keeper, we will need to step up against better opposition, Herrera should be starting, the sooner lvg goes the better, can't see us getting top 4, call it a moan or a groan but we are still a long way off been the top side in england

31 Jan 2015 18:36:04
Yawn yawn yawn, I was sat at the game today happy with the result wondering how people would put a negative spin on an easy home win, you managed it, well done.

An easy home win against the worst side in the league, what would you give the team out of ten for that, Rooney around the middle where he shouldn't be, after we play for 1 hour we look jaded, what's going on in the training ground I'd love to know, players getting injured and look tired after playing for an hour, what did you think of the 3 goals we got, a good 3 points is the only positive from that game

31 Jan 2015 19:09:47
'A good 3 points is all we can take from that game', brilliant, I think that's what you need to get when you play against the lower teams, obviously you are looking for more.

We have rarely over the last few years hammered these teams but today after we scored there was no chance we weren't winning that game. We had total control. Not a perfect performance in the 2nd half but the play in the first half more than made up for that, I would have liked to see us go for 5 or 6 but we got bitten earlier in the season against leicester and I'm sure that was in the back of the players minds today.

Some people can't help themselves. Only 5 points off 2nd playing as we are. We shouldn't really complain, when things do start to click we could be flying high. Bring on cambridge now and let's have a good go at winning the fa cup!

For god sake. We won. We had 14 shots. We could have scored another 3 goals. Leicester had one shot and scored from it.
Lets be happy and enough gloom.

GDS, You are one of my buddies on here but the OP is pretty fair comment albeit a bit dramatic. We were playing the bottom team, we beat them but I agree we will need to step it up against better opposition. A good 3 points, back to winning ways but still some questions to be answered. Let's hope we can build on this.

31 Jan 2015 21:19:03
So what if we were playing the bottom team? The fact that they are bottom does not mean they are complete crap. Bottom teams can beat 'top' teams to, as we have seen over and over in the EPL. I am all for constructive criticism, but jeeez man, we complain about everything.

31 Jan 2015 21:33:15
We won Tony that's all that matters atm, I think gds frustration is born out of the last 3 weeks, it's ok people having a whinge but I do agree with him that recently it seems people just want to be noticed or attract attention to themselves and simply post for effect.

This page is split atm between a lot of ppl, your either were only a few points in top 4 or your were only a few points behind city.
myself like u and gds am in the camp of let's see how things unfold before making rash judgment calls.

Today we beat Leicester, nothing special granted but it was a game where nothing really was to be won from it. We win and everyone thinks we should anyway, we lose and all the negs are out in full flow.

My view on the game is this, we won. Job done, now move on to the next and try and gain some momentum we have lost recently.

They already beat us this season, we are one of the top teams in Europe, all credit to the bottom teams but we shouldn't be worrying about playing them, the money we spent compared to them, I love to see the bottom teams having a go and the top teams great to watch, our players in my opinion are not been managed properly, every one is entitled to their opinion it would be boring if we all agreed.

31 Jan 2015 21:57:11
AJH,

I agree with all of that, it wasn't perfect of course it wasn't, I was hoping we would come out 2nd half and get 5 or 6 but it didn't happen unfortunately. I wasn't slagging the OP off, I was disagreeing, some people would have come on here even if we had won 7-0 and said 'well it was only leicester'.

31 Jan 2015 23:21:04
People wanted 4 at the back.

People wanted blind in midfield with Carrick out injured.

People wanted di Maria centre mid.

People wanted januzaj to get game time.

People wanted falcao to start.

People wanted more forward passing.

People still ain't happy.

People saying were still 3rd, wait till we click etc. how do you know we haven't clicked? Because I can't see any signs that we are or getting better! All we seem to do is struggle for a few games then beat a couple of lower teams, then repeat!

01 Feb 2015 00:37:06
Anotherwiganred,

We have lost 1 in 15, winning 10 of them games and people will accept that we haven't been playing at our best. Results are the important thing and what lvg will be judged on. Last season we got 2 points out of 9 from games 24, 25 and 26 so after the next 3 games I imagine we will see the end of the lvg v moyes comparison as it won't suit the argument anymore. We didn't have 43 points last year until game 27. I know people like to compare the 2.

I can't understand some people. We win comfortably, play well, and it is not good enough.

I can see an argument for both sides and some valid points for everyone. Next weekend is quite an important weekend with Liverpool away at Everton and Arsenal away at Spurs and us playing away at West Ham.

It will create some separation would we win and I want to stress again we have to have a big February and March as we have a brutal schedule come april May with April looking very tough with a stretch that involves, city at home followed by Chelsea away and Everton away. We also have Arsenal in there can't remember the date. Our last 7 games are very tough fixtures and we need to have some gap in points as we can easily lose 3 on the drop given those fixtures.

Personally i just want to see points on the board and hopefully we gel along the way. It is not vintage football by any measure but the points will help allay the worries :)

Our players are exhausted despite having all the possession. Our possession is worth nothing if we don't work the opponents in advanced positions, we are more tired than them - the tactics are wrong and our training is wrong.

As Mr E says LVG did everything most of us wanted him to do fair play - but the performance and chances created was poor on the whole despite this, it doesn't make sense. There is something wrong with the mentality or the instructions. We had the most attacking players I have ever seen yet created jack yet again. No relationships on the field still, just a mess of very slow build up and no end product.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the win, but we usually have a good game then play our boring, slow, predictable football again nearly straight away! I agree that they played well in the first half and I would love it if we played like that all the time but it was one half against the worst team in the league. That is the minimum we should be expecting against teams like that, even before spending over 100 mill and signing two of arguably the best in the world in their positions. You can't simply say after one good performance that were back in the right direction.

GDS

I think it hard to gauge our team in a game against leicester at home and formulate a view that we are jelling as the second half took the shine off the first half. I think what people want to see is going away to some tough places and winning key points against mid table opposition which up to now we have not been able to.

The next few weeks will be quite telling as draws do not bode well for us given our fixtures coming towards the end of the season. Having to win against the likes of chelsea, city, arsenal will not be say and most likely possible.

I forgot we also have to go to Anfield and they were by far the better team against chelsea at home in the league cup and in good form.

There is also Everton away in there and newcastle and crystal palace, which all can be banana skins. Maybe we are worrying too much and we kick on from here but let's start with west ham this week and see how play against the.

31 Jan 2015 17:12:16
Status quo I guess and would think Liverpool and Spurs results are better wins given the opposition and in spurs's case away. Expect arsenal to win quite easily too.

Next weekend will be a big weekend and can be quite important in term of our season.

Not sure why Herrera is not being played but we won so i am content but wish we had scored a few more in the second half as goal difference might play a role.

31 Jan 2015 15:48:35
Really pleasing first half, for the first time in a while I'm watching us with a smile on my face. I have to say though, januzaj has been pretty anonymous, please bring Herrera on.

Di Maria has not been great either TBH. RVP and Falcao both quite good upfront.

31 Jan 2015 17:41:39
Yeah it looks like a bit of an understanding could be building up between rvp and falcao, if those two click and start banging goals in it will be incredible to watch!

31 Jan 2015 07:55:01
~Banter Please

I was reading Elvis's post about 5 Highlights of the season and his #3 being Rojo got me thinking. However, Does Rojo remind you of the early Evra? Full of Fight, Passion. Like to play with the ball at feet and on occasion caught out. Rojo for me has a lot of potential, If he can keep that desire to fight and to learn and develop then he could be a true servant to this club like Evra.

He reminds me a little of Rio Ferdinand. Composed, good in the air, always trying to usher the defence into position and likes to try to play from the back. He is quite athletic, pacey and likes to get forward. If he can knuckle down and work hard he could be a top player.

I feel underwhelmed by him. He did well against Cambridge, it was Cambridge guys! But his distribution on the whole has been shocking, he looks a bit indecisive and reckless. I particularly don't like how he hoofs the ball forward any chance he gets.

The positives are he is quick and doesn't shirk a challenge and isn't quite so bad on the ball as our other defenders, but that isn't saying much.

I haven't been that impressed in all honesty, it does take time to settle as you say, but he needs to be learning from an experienced pro ASAP, all of our defenders are lacking guidance and they won't develop without it.

While Beast is maintaining his glass half empty view of the world, on this occasion I tend to agree. I don't have a downer n Rojo but I'm not clear why people are singling him out spas a success. He may turn out to a great servant but so far, he just looks to be trying to settle in.

Without been to down on the chap he is reckless at times but has speed good airial ability and isn't afraid of a tackle.
I wouldn't be too harsh on his passing I mean what is he going to pass to an opposition player our own midfield is nearly non exicsitent

Good point on the lack of options. I use that to excuse for other players so only fair I should apply it to Rojo. although I have noticed he does tend to hoof before looking a lot more than our other players.

I'm sure with the right experienced CB coming in he will do very well, but I also think Smalling & Jones would as well. They are all first over the trench kind of players, you need somebody giving the orders for them to be effective though!

Beast. Smalling and Jones will never do well and are always injured. Totally unreliable and neither intelligent enough to be first choice cb for United.

30 Jan 2015 22:52:04
My favourite LVG quote was today: "With the 3-5-2 we concede less but we haven't created enough chances so now I return to the 4-4-2.

We can only hope.

31 Jan 2015 07:56:44
Agreed Fresh! Looking forward to seeing if it's all smoke and mirrors or he's actually considering a win!

Would your least favorite be
"We are not signing anyone this transfer peroid" ?

What about on Daivd De Gea "it's possible he may leave". That talk should be quelled immediately. SIGN HIM UP!

Yes they would be the worst. Conforming a deadline day deal for Vidal however would also be very nice.

We have a problem as a club with being unable to move players and that has also hindered buying squad players when maybe in a window like this one first or second choice options are not available.

We need to clear a lot of wages of our books this summer to be able to buy our preferred options.

The like of Nani, Hernandes, Cleverly, fletcher, Zaha and most likely 1 or 2 defenders need to be moved on as we cannot have a squad of 30 players.

We are already struggling with getting the likes of Mata, Herrera, Fellaini which is something like 90 million sitting on the bench into some or many games so just buying more does not solve this issue and LVG was right in saying we are looking to sell.

I do not expect big signings this summer unless we sell quite a few players including some big names.