[Just Do It]

Stop forcing Mata. He's been shite for last 3 games. Kagawa should have a chance as n.10

 

[Fully Fledged]

Valencia looked solid? Really?

Didn't Rodwell run off him for the equaliser.

 

[Edy2]

Tbf we have many players out due injury. Rafael, Evans, Smalling, Shaw, Herrera, Carrick.. I bet I forgot someone..
And Di Maria is coming.

We should buy at least one more CM before the window closes, should change to 4-3-3, Valencia and Young shouldn't start anymore, instead of them Januzaj and ADM on the wings and one of Rooney and RVP should be benched. LVG shouldnt make a same mistake as Moyes and try to work with both Rooney and RVP in the team. It seems it isn't working.

You can't afford to bench one though. It's leaving too much quality on the bench. He has to find a way to play both and that's what he's trying to do.

 

[Matthew Dyer]

Rooney looked like he had given up in the second half, he looked bright in the first.

I hope when our injured players return things get better, Carrick and herrera is a damn site better than Cleverly and fletcher.

I just dont see the players we have fitting to the 352 system so unless lvg plans on replacing 8 of the 11 that played today he needs to rethink.

 

[Idxomer]

Out of all players you mention DDG.. Just cause in one instance he didnt clear the ball....

The other horrendous performers don't need mention really , their mistakes are too obvious and most of them won't start in the future anyway.

 

[Redtilldead84]

Jones Blackett looked okay today the best players for us! Young Valencia cleverly fletch no good get rid there never Man United players! I do believe you put Rafael rojo shaw Herrera di Maria and one quality holding mid in that team and we will have lift off unfortunately it could be too late for this season but I do believe we will be back! And lvg will get it right!

 

[vidal7]

Valencia looked solid? Really?

I did not say comfortable, but as a wing back, yes, he had an assist and was decent enough in the game. The game wasnt won because of the midfield. Had herrera played and so did carrick we would have dominated them. Its unfortunate our injuries make the system look worse than it is.

 

[sticky]

What were people actually expecting to see from us with that back three and Cleverley-Fletcher in the middle? A point with the team we put out is a good result. We just need to make sure that after this week we never have to put out such a poor team again. We don't need someone as good as Vidal, even De Jong would be a huge improvement over what we had today.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

We have to be careful not to run into a historic loss in midweek (not that we play that bad but confidence is very low at the moment and football is crazy game)

They got rid of the last manager. These are grown men, they should be on top of the world. We are spending money on the team, take note Mr. Rooney. They have one of the best managers. LVG cannot be impressed with them.

 

[Manucho the boss]

Welbeck is still important to us with his pace and mobility up front, Rooney has majorly slowed down already, can you imagine him in another couple of years?

Madness if we sell Danny.

 

[GRon]

I've never gone in for moaning at Cleverley. But for me he was top of the sh!T pile today.
Gave away loads of fouls, gutless sidewards passing, just a non performance.

Probably doesn't help his game if Van Gaal has told him he's on his way out.
When you know you're only playing due to injuries and signings not being made it's not great for confidence.

I thought Rooney and RvP were the worst of the lot today. I just do not see how they escape criticism while Fletcher and Cleverly get slaughtered.

 

[Matthew Dyer]

Anderson should stay he's better than those fecking shite players fletcher and cleverley. Anderson is better in every aspect ranging from passing , creating chances , and being able to commit himself to making surging runs from midfield to the opposition box

Couldnt agree more at least he will run forward with the ball and play a through ball

 

[Mesutargie]

Please no more 3-5-2. We must stop because Di Maria is coming and he never suits the fecking system.

 

[sharpiesdance]

Jones Blackett looked okay today the best players for us! Young Valencia cleverly fletch no good get rid there never Man United players! I do believe you put Rafael rojo shaw Herrera di Maria and one quality holding mid in that team and we will have lift off unfortunately it could be too late for this season but I do believe we will be back! And lvg will get it right!

Agree withthis BUT also need top-class CB

 

[OldTrevil]

G Nev thinks Di Maria will start in a front 3, mentioned Mata too. Is he advocating the unthinkable? The choice of 1 of Rooney OR Rvp?

It shouldn't be unthinkable imo, we can't keep playing two forwards that can't work together just because of their names. The best for Man United is the only thing we can't compromise.

 

[Mali_Zeus]

You can't afford to bench one though. It's leaving too much quality on the bench. He has to find a way to play both and that's what he's trying to do.

But if it isn't working it isn't working.
They're not god given to start every game..

 

[Sandikan]

I thought Rooney and RvP were the worst of the lot today. I just do not see how they escape criticism while Fletcher and Cleverly get slaughtered.

Because striker is a harder position, and however good you are, you can go long periods without seeing the ball.
Centre mids are on the ball a lot more, and so it's much more noticeable how limited they are.

I thought Cleverley and Young were having their own game of who could give the most fouls away at one stage.

 

[sharpiesdance]

Welbeck is still important to us with his pace and mobility up front, Rooney has majorly slowed down already, can you imagine him in another couple of years?

Madness if we sell Danny.

Sorry I just dont see the PACE people talk about. Supposedly Di Maria is quick and Shaw certainly is

 

[felipe]

Geoff has apparently read this

http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2014/05/21...se-ten-rules-for-interviewing-louis-van-gaal/

 

[luke511]

With his start and stop runs followed by another backward pass?

Solid defensively I was talking about, attacking wise it was the same old predictable shit..

 

[sharpiesdance]

Really horrid performance. Agree withthose that Jones had one of his better games and Blackett did some good things. Other than that... wouldn't pay them their salary this week! Why oh why was there no one on the front post for their goal? We are going to be embarrassed when we play Lierpoll, City and Chelsea and probably Everton Spurs and Arsenal too. Cannot see us in the top four on the first two performances of the season

 

[fordemonk]

Mata? I thought Mata was one of the better players today along with Jones.

No he really wasnt

 

[sharpiesdance]

No he really wasnt

THink Jose really conned us on this one...

 

[Touseef]

I know a lot of people out here want a major overhaul but let's be honest. With 8 days left and considering we've already spent more than 140 Mn Euros(including Di Maria), we aren't going to spend a lot.

Defense is clearly a weakness with a severe lack of depth in quality CBs (Only Johnny Evans and Phil Jones, possibly Rojo) are upto a top 6 PL team standard. However, I believe we have good quality on the wing backs with Shaw and Rafael and in-order to ensure we are not left exposed by the lack of depth in CBs, we may need to go back to 4 in the back with Shaw, Rafael, Evans and Jones/Rojo. That should be the starting backline and with adequate support from the CMs, that should work for now with Reece james, Blackett, Smalling, Keane, Valencia as back-up. Although there is a severe drop in quality in the back ups, the fact that we have no european competition might just help us play the best back 4 for most of the season (fitness permitting). It is possible that LVG might go for one cheap LB option for backup.

As far as the Midfield and attack goes, we need to fit Mata, Herrera and Di Maria for sure as they are the big buys this summer and that leaves us with 3 places- a CDM, a LWM or LAM and a striker (if we play a 4-3-3) or CDM, two strikers (with mata playing LW). 442 would waste the talents of Mata and also expose the defense due to only two CM. I feel the best way forward with the given players would be a 433 meaning Januzaj/Rooney/RVP cover up the LAM/Striker roles. This might explain why Welbeck is asked to leave.

To function in this role with minimum pay, we need a good CDM who disrupts play and adds defensive soldity and with strootman not possible till January, a De Jong might make sense possibly along with a Blind who might play in a back up LB and CDM role for us. That seems the best way right now given we wont spend a lot right now.

De Gea

Rafael (Valencia) Jones (Rojo) Evans (Smalling) Shaw (Blind)

De Jong (Blind)

Herrera (Carrick) Mata (Kagawa)

Di Maria (Rooney) RVP (Rooney) Adnan (Rooney)

 

[Matthew Dyer]

oh and y is mata taking corners?????

i think weve had 10 in the last to games and none of them were ne good

 

[marlowe78]

First half was terrible, it was unavoidable that the second was much better. Mind-numbing that we can't get three points against a squad like this but considering the backline after Smalling went off I guess I'm satisfied with a point.

The entire problem with our game ATM is a lack of pace. We are without a CM who can make a decisive forward pass into spaces that will allow the attackers to outrun and stretch opponents. Cleverley and Fletcher are both poor against PL clubs and it debilitates our entire forward play. Herrera will help us with this but we need at least one other middle who can cover for him in the event of an injury. To have Cleverley and Fletcher in the hub of our lineup is totally unacceptable.

Mata I thought played pretty well and showed good movement. van Persie was anonymous except for those couple of late chances, although the situation is same as last year, there's no one to get the ball to him. Rooney's touch was terrible today. Welbeck actually put much more into our attack than either of them.

Valencia's assist was basic League Two-type play even though he showed good pace. Otherwise, he and Young gave us nothing on the wings offensively. We still spend too much time tossing the ball around on the perimeter and can't figure out a way of breaking into the penalty area. Valencia, to be fair, was very good with his runbacks when Sunderland countered.

We need to start four in the back again, at least until our injuries are sorted or if we sign another back in the next week. We are simply giving opponents too much space to work with and there is no one ATM who can command the backline. Jones I thought was tremendous in how he stepped forward today but he is far from the solution. Keane had that one horrendous moment after he came on, but he did surprise me to an extent.

The only comfort I have is that we didn't concede in the last minute.

 

[Edy2]

But if it isn't working it isn't working.
They're not god given to start every game..

Well I think it's too early to dismiss this system yet. Once the window is shut and if we don't have suitable players for the system then yeah maybe look to change. An important week ahead then!

 

[vidal7]

Post match interview-

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[RooneyLegend]

Pathetic really, cant believe how poor we're looking at the moment. We need a squad overhaul and im just not confident we have the scouts to pull it off. We're gonna need to make some great buys. Not expensive one's, great ones. The back 7 were an absolute embarrassment today and thankful we aren't facing any quality sides any time soon cause we'd really get torn apart. There's no way a man United should put out a side that looked like that. You can say all you want about our injuries yet even in such circumstances no other top club puts out a back 7 with such a distinct lack of quality.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Not much to be said about that match... Shocking

The lack of a quality CM was evident. If we don't sign one we need Herrera back soon. Cleverly will clearly never work out.

We also need more pace up front. Assuming we sign Di Miria I reckon 433 is the way to go with januzai and di Maria on the wings.

Still have faith in Van Gaal though. He'll get the players playing well soon enough. Hoping for top 4 this season.

 

[vidal7]

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[sharpiesdance]

LvG not looking happy when asked about the tempo we played at. Ooops and he is turning into Fergie over penalties...

 

[Matthew Dyer]

Sorry I just dont see the PACE people talk about. Supposedly Di Maria is quick and Shaw certainly is

More energy than pace

 

[sharpiesdance]

Well I think it's too early to dismiss this system yet. Once the window is shut and if we don't have suitable players for the system then yeah maybe look to change. An important week ahead then!

Didn''t someone say we would get our business done early this time... bloody Woodward

 

[Loublaze]

Mata was a let down. He didn't see enough of the ball but he did very little with it. I used to think he can actually beat players and create space. Guess I was wrong. He also tried the chipped pass a few times and it never worked. In our very last attack he had space to shoot with his favored left and he opted to play a through ball into a crowded area. He was dead center in front of the 18! It sucks that his place is basically guaranteed. I want to see him dropped for Kagawa for a game.

 

[fordemonk]

Mata was our best player today. Jones looked better at CB. The rest total bollocks, even the subs did sod all.

Mata was our best player? What game did you watch??

 

[KYcinco]

He likes Vidal

 

[m1y2]

three biggest issues: Start just one from Rooney/RVP none of them can really put a pressure on defenders, add to that athlete like Mata who cant really press and we have absolutely no player to start the pressure up front. What a lazy player van Persie is. He needs to get his fitness back, he is woeful if he doesnt have fitness. Our play suffers from it. Rooney didnt do much better, he doesnt seem to be that workhorse as he used to be IMO. Play Welbeck off rooney/RVP or Januzaj, please no CM - this was a sign of clear desparation. We cannot start the league with Fletcher and Cleverley, it was horrendous. Thats the biggest issue none of them cant get the game thicking even that, they do a lot of mistakes and are all scared when we are pressed. Fletcher at least tries but cleverley is such buck-passer. He should be replaced by Pearson immediately or anyone younger he shouldnt be even considered as squad player..Rothwell wouldnt do worse. He cant defend cant pass forward cant pass backwards, he is scared to do anything..third problem is our wingplay which is not working weve seen some better performances from young earlier in preseason but this is just the reality, give chance to James he was decent not much better going forward but disciplined and will not dive and works hard.. Valencia what else to say, he did the assist but he sucked at everything else, he had probably 5-7 chances to beat a player, and what a desperation in last minutes ffs, just try to beat a player or get some cross in...
in addition to that the team cease believing into themselves, we need more brave and confident players, we need Rafael, Rojo, Herrera - aggresiveness and Welbeck/Januzaj - power, confidence

 

[Anustart89]

Didn't Rodwell run off him for the equaliser.

I wouldn't say run off him. Rodwell took three steps in one direction and Valencia, like the headless chicken that he is, went off to the corner flag. Incredible.

 

[SpeccieB]

It's killing but this season's matches are nothing more than a series of filters. First match filtered Chicha, this match filtered Clev & Fletch.