M Bison
Full Member
I maintain it’s getting better and better every week. Still not perfect but it’s starting to look good, and all 4 today stepped up a gear.
What always amazes me on set pieces is that we never seem to have Maguire defending the front post even though he is supposedly the best header of the ball in this teamIt really hasn't. We are woefully bad at set pieces (and much of anything else!)
basically we can either do one or the other. A poster said this a few months back when we started our good run. He wasn't getting hyped about our position and questioned the manager as the poster felt we can't defend and attack well in the same game. I think this was the game after the Leeds match. Cannot remember the posters name.It's not a personnel issue it's a tactical one. We had one of the best defensive record last season in Europe if I'm correct. Starting this season the defence has massively regressed, the coaches in need of heavy criticism when it comes to instructing the players positionally and how to assertively apply discipline. If the impetus is on us to attack we are awful at the back but if we are required to absorb pressure we are more robust. Ole needs to find a balance because you can't collect change with a hole in your pocket.
That looks like a kickabout with mates ffs.No, we cannot defend and our defensive record speaks for itself. Sheffield's second goal is simply shocking, the amount of space their players got in the box in the space of 5 seconds is just mindblowing
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Well, it was supposed to be walk in the park, that's why Tuanzebe and Telles started.It's not a personnel issue it's a tactical one. We had one of the best defensive record last season in Europe if I'm correct. Starting this season the defence has massively regressed, the coaches in need of heavy criticism when it comes to instructing the players positionally and how to assertively apply discipline. If the impetus is on us to attack we are awful at the back but if we are required to absorb pressure we are more robust. Ole needs to find a balance because you can't collect change with a hole in your pocket.
12th*2 seasons ago people thought our defence was a disaster. We had the 10th worst defensive record in the league, middle of the 20 premier league teams.
This season we have the 8th worst defensive record. We're even worse by 2 places.
Last season we did have a better record but this season and at this point in time, we've clearly regressed and we're actually doing the worst we've done for quite a while in this area. I really rate our fullbacks but as a collective, from the keeper to the defence, to the protections from midfield and tracking back we're doing very poorly defensively this season and we clearly havent improved
We've regressed because we are expected to come onto teams and attack them more. Last season we played 2 holding midfielders and reacted to opposision as we only had the players for that. No Bruno no Pogba no Martial/Rashford for periods so we played like a midtable side for large parts. Now we have to attack teams as they respect our attacking talent but it leaves us exposed and we don't know how to attack well and defend well in the same game.......2 seasons ago people thought our defence was a disaster. We had the 10th worst defensive record in the league, middle of the 20 premier league teams.
This season we have the 8th worst defensive record. We're even worse by 2 places.
Last season we did have a better record but this season and at this point in time, we've clearly regressed and we're actually doing the worst we've done for quite a while in this area. I really rate our fullbacks but as a collective, from the keeper to the defence, to the protections from midfield and tracking back we're doing very poorly defensively this season and we clearly havent improved
Shaw has been fantastic though this season. He deserves a lot of praise.This back 5 isn't good enough to win any major trophies, IMO.
We have two big problems in the shape of AWB and Maguire. AWB is not the worst defender we have at the club, but he's just average. He's not a £50 million defender. And I know bringing money into it as an argument is always tricky because it can come off as a bit vague as it's difficult to judge monetary worth, but I think people will know what I'm getting at. There's just so much lacking in his game. One on one, he's still excellent. But other areas of his game are either lacking or just nonexistent. And just like Maguire, because he cost so much and he's supposed to be ort main RB, he's always going to play.
But Maguire is the bigger problem, for me. Not because he's the worst defender in history or anything daft like that, but he's just painfully average and not good enough for where we want to be. But he cost an absolute fortune, he's the first player on the team sheet, he plays every game and he's our captain (which is mind-boggling). So with all that you expect a leader who marshals his backline, is cool under pressure and doesn't panic. He doesn't do any of that. He's an absolute nervous fecking wreck when he's under pressure. And the reason why he's a big problem is that he's always going to play, and will do for the foreseeable future. Certainly under Ole, anyway.
Oh, 100%. Particularly these last few weeks, he's been excellent. Been our best defender, definitely.Shaw has been fantastic though this season. He deserves a lot of praise.
Just post it?On MNF after the Liverpool league game, Gary Neville did a brilliant piece on where he thinks we can improve (our right side and defence), the piece on the defence was really interesting. He was talking about a 2-3 yard shift, out of the box or closer to the play. I think it can be found on youtube, under what do man utd need (not sure if I can post the link here).
After watching that, there were a few examples against Fulham - namely in the second half when RLC had a few chances, but yesterday's second goal was a case in point. Our defence, led by Maguire seems to take on a position close to the 6 yard line and camp there until we get control of the ball on an attack - essentially backing ourselves to deal with the crosses rather than the risk of some space in behind. I think we actually deal with crosses pretty well, and the reason for conceding more is probably because of this approach which means we face more of those sort of attacks.
Yesterday is only one game, and as many other posters have mentioned we were due one of these especially considering with how lucky we were against Brighton and Southampton, I add Wolves to that as I thought we were not very good, and West Ham who have looked really good this year - we could have been put away by West Ham before having a chance to come back (potentially some fortune in Pogba's goal there) so hopefully yesterday has taught OGS that in the league we cannot risk such wholescale rotation - but if it gives us the kick up the backside which other losses have done this season it is what it is.
Well putThis. Baily can look like a world beater one match, then the next he plays like a weasel on cocaine. If he was consistent he would be one of the best CB's in the world, but unfortunately hes not