Ricardo de la Vega
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- Aug 23, 2013
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Can you imagine Lewandowski leading the line for this team? Holy shit we'd be class.
The problem is that all the outstanding talent over the last 5-6 went to Barca, Real, Bayern, City, Chelsea and PSG.Can you imagine Lewandowski leading the line for this team? Holy shit we'd be class.
In 07/08 (with those 3) we scored 80 Pl goals at a rate of 2.1 goals per game. Last season we scored 62 goals at 1.6 goals per game, and this season we're averaging 0.6 goals per game. Its a completely different kettle of fish.The way people talk about the "attack", you do think we've never played 0-0 before with Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez in the squad.
2008/09, we scored 68 goals, we won the league by 90 points( 3 points more than the prior season we scored 80 goals) and we had Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Berba in squad. Number or type of striker(s) is irrelevant. What matters is what the group can deliver as a unit. If the current becomes difficult to beat and learn to steal games away with 1 goal, they will get to similar point level.In 07/08 (with those 3) we scored 80 Pl goals at a rate of 2.1 goals per game. Last season we scored 62 goals at 1.6 goals per game, and this season we're averaging 0.6 goals per game. Its a completely different kettle of fish.
And just to put our attack in a bit more perspective, of the 3 teams we've played this season, and not actually managed to score a proper goal against, 2 of them were fighting relegation last season, and will almost certainly finish in the bottom half of the table this. And we haven't been able to score a non opponent assisted goal against them in 180 minutes of football.
There's absolutely no way you can dress this up. Our attack has been horrendous since the start of pre-season.
People aren't using this game to judge! Seriously, why do people keep saying this? This issue has been talked about all the way through pre-season, its the most non knee jerk thread going. Just look at the date I started this thread, July 30th.2008/09, we scored 68 goals, we won the league by 90 points( 3 points more than the prior season we scored 80 goals) and we had Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Berba in squad. Number or type of striker(s) is irrelevant. What matters is what the group can deliver as a unit. If the current becomes difficult to beat and learn to steal games away with 1 goal, they will get to similar point level.
Again, what matters is what the "group" can deliver as a unit. Our pre-season was not horrendous at all. We scored 7 goals in 4 games. People need to stop using this game to judge. We were unlucky, Rooney's goal should have stood at least and we had a ball cleared of the line. If another striker or wing forward comes in, fine by me. If not, fair enough. I have faith in LVG, after all he's not stupid.
People were saying we needed a defender, he's showing us we don't although, some are still doubtful. If he says a striker is not needed, then I will wait to see what he has in mind. His job is on the line here and he can't be that foolish.
Edit: We open that season(08/09) with a 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle. We had 58% possession, 21 shots with 7 on target. Scholes that was saying crap today on BT sports was in that team.
Today we had 70% possession, 20 shots with 8 on target on got zero goal. And yet Scholes will have us believe there was nothing in the game and we are screwed unless we buy Zlatan.
Forwards, creativity, and goals are over rated, anyway.So as it's shaping up we are shipping out 3 more forwards and adding one who while talented is a pretty unproven 19 year old.
That means we have 2 strikers, 2 wingers, a Mata and 2 CM's filling in as #10's.
At this rate I'm going to have to change the title to 'Our attack is non existent'So as it's shaping up we are shipping out 3 more forwards and adding one who while talented is a pretty unproven 19 year old.
That means we have 2 strikers, 2 wingers, a Mata and 2 CM's filling in as #10's.
You're right, it's all about ball poseshion.Forwards, creativity, and goals are over rated, anyway.
It's crazy, especially when you consider that 2 of them are 21 and 19 respectively and are fairly unproven with one strong season to their name.At this rate I'm going to have to change the title to 'Our attack is non existent'
We don't dribble enough. One of the first things I noticed against Swansea is that several of their attacking and midfield players were comfortable taking on two and sometimes three players and dribbling their way out of trouble. I'm not talking about picking it up and going all Dejan Lovren and charging at our players. I'm not talking about being under pressure and turning on it and running backwards, as well as the kind of ambling up the park on the ball and as soon as someone came near us scrambling a pass somewhere like a hot potato desperate to not be on the ball type of stuff that we play. They seemed to be happy to take the ball into dangerous situations and use it to create overloads in other areas.
We just pass the ball around for the sake of passing it then shit ourselves and offload the ball to stop ourselves from losing it. It is absolutely fecking tragic if you ask me.
But how is some people's optimism worrying? It wouldn't make any difference if we did panic. If fans on a forum going crazy could affect the club, we'd be in bigger trouble than ever.More worryingly, several here think it's nothing to worry about
Now that was a team Can someone please email that to LVG?
I just watched this. Wow! Forgot how good we were to watch back in those days.
It does. But Bale, Reus and Januzaj (and Martial as things stand) don't play for us at the moment. So the reality is:Could argue we're only a great right winger away from having a fine attack, really. Doubt it will be tomorrow, but along with LCB and GK, should be the main priorities that we address next summer:
--------------------Rooney/Martial--------
Memphis/Pereira---Mata/Herrera---Bale or Reus/Januzaj
That looks good
What I'd give for us to play like that again..
I just watched this. Wow! Forgot how good we were to watch back in those days.
In LVG's (and Woody's) defence, we haven't played like that since. It's not a recent thing, ever since about 2011 at the latest our standard of play was declining.Now that was a team Can someone please email that to LVG?
Amazing to see how fast Rooney used to be too.
Oh yeah, I'm looking more to next year already. I'm assuming Martial will sign and Memphis will be a better player in his 2nd year (and aged 22) then he will be this year, and that we'll hopefully be a tad less rigid (or else signing Martial, who drifts left and isn't Inzaghi in terms of poaching).It does. But Bale, Reus and Januzaj (and Martial as things stand) don't play for us at the moment. So the reality is:
Rooney/Martial
Memphis/Pereira -- Herrera/Felliani -- Mata/Young
But, how does that compare to all the possession we keep, these days?
I just watched this. Wow! Forgot how good we were to watch back in those days.
He insists on having players carry out multiple roles. That might work if you're managing the Netherlands where players are accustomed to it but we still have our share of one-dimensional players.It's bizarre how short LvG has left the team in attack, after our game I watched the City/Juve game and City had Aguero, De Bryune and Navas to come on, we don't even have a proper second option at RW as Young isn't comfortable out there and it takes away the most dangerous part of Memphis game.
The whole world outside of the Netherlands is full of one-dimensional players who perform admirably at the top. And guess what: the Netherlands have won jack shit since 1988 while plenty of nations with one-dimensional players have won continental and world titles. That's what Van Gaal will have to shove down his thick skull.He insists on having players carry out multiple roles. That might work if you're managing the Netherlands where players are accustomed to it but we still have our share of one-dimensional players.
I just don't understand the logic in getting rid of Januzaj, Nani, RVP and Hernandez and then leaving our attack so short. I get the logic in the latter three leaving, but not replacing them is madness.It's bizarre how short LvG has left the team in attack, after our game I watched the City/Juve game and City had Aguero, De Bryune and Navas to come on, we don't even have a proper second option at RW as Young isn't comfortable out there and it takes away the most dangerous part of Memphis game.
We have no depth at all, which is what I was getting at in my prior post that @Kakeru replied to. LVG seems to think that he can keep a squad of Young, Valencia, and Fellaini when none of them can really fill the multipurpose roles that are typical for players like Blind and Memphis. Like you said, I think we were right in selling off those players but we should've gotten a couple of reliable multiposition squad players, which should be very easy for a club like us to do.I just don't understand the logic in getting rid of Januzaj, Nani, RVP and Hernandez and then leaving our attack so short. I get the logic in the latter three leaving, but not replacing them is madness.
We resorted to Valencia in an attacking position again last night...are you really telling me he's a better attacking option then ANY of those 4 we got rid of?
Incredibly short sighted, and poor, management imo. A knock to two of our attacking players at the same time, and we're absolutely screwed.
- Fellani isn't a striker.We're not that short up top:
-----------Martial-----------
Depay-----Rooney-----Mata
------------Fellaini------------
Young-----Herrera-----Pereira
Plus Lingard, ok it's a bit lightweight I suppose but there is good quality there, and the youth will get a good chance. Plus they'll be supported by a top midfield two.
It's the defence that's concerning me more now.
Agreed with most of that.Funnily enough, yesterday was probably the most encouraging game from us from an attacking viewpoint. Plenty of chances, good chances at that. Just one of those days that it didn't come off. The last 20 minutes were shit but the first hour was actually good from us and if we play like that consistently, we'll win the majority of games. Put Rooney in there as well, instead of Mata, and I think we'll be even better.
Agreed with this too.The only worry is our lack of depth. On the left we're okay, with both Memphis and young. But up top, only Martial has shown that he can play there with Fellaini and Rooney doing nothing. At #10, Rooney will play when fit so that'll be his spot (with nobody really excelling there, apart from Herrera but he can play elsewhere) and I have no problem with that, think we could bring the best out of him again as well. We can play fellaini, mata or Herrera there, but its not much for changing a game as a substitute either. On the right we have Mata/Herrera/young basically, and they're all cover for other positions as well. No idea why we got rid of januzaj as I felt we needed a starting right sided player alongside Januzaj to be his cover, but oh well. We basically rely on Martial/Memphis/rooney/mata to win games from the start (its a pretty great attack tbf), and only have Young really who can change games as a sub, or fellaini for hoofing. Probably the reason we won't win the title (along with Shaws injury now). Next few windows we need to focus on squad depth though. Memphis and martial will become stars, maybe bring in one more top attacking player for the right side, and then our starting 11 will be fine I think.