Technically it wasn't an assist.
18
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 25
- Clean sheets
- 11
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 6
- Status
I suppose Rooney actually gets an assist for it? I believe Willian was given an assist for the own goal in the Chelsea match.
To be fair to him it was the first game of the season and his contribution no matter how big or small it was arguably a lot more than what the rest of our attacking players fired out. Some things didn't work out for him on Saturday, some did mainly the assist but to me he always looked like a threat to the Spurs defence.
I don't think he gets one either. It goes down as an own goal and nothing more. (Though I think someone jumped for joy at getting fantasy points for Rooney?)
Such low standards. Here's a list of players who were more prolific dribblers than Ashley Young last season (in the PL alone):
Hazard
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Victor Moses
Sanchez
Coutinho
Sterling
Zaha
Aguero
Mahrez
Bolasie
Montero
Sissoko
Cabella
Ozil
Cazorla
Delph
Barkley
Ameobi
Fer
Schlupp
Mane
Touré
Willian
Phillips
Di Maria
Ayoze Perez
Lamela
Wings
Puncheon
Silva
Welbeck
Bellerin
Matic
Kane
Johnson
Obviously dribbling is only one facet of a winger's game, but given it's put forward as one of Young's main strengths that says it all to me about how low our standards are. There's a direct correlation between Young being one of our most involved players in the build-up and our creativity being at its lowest point for as long as I can remember. Correlation does not equal causation and all that, but it's hardly a huge leap to suggest he's one of the causes.
Seems he did get one:
"Wayne Rooney was awarded the official Premier League assist having had the final touch of the ball before Kyle Walker inadvertently bundled into his own net"
http://www.teamtalk.com/features/16129/9944443/Real-Assists-League-Roo-Willian-lose-out
Really silly.
And no, I didn't have Rooney but I did have Willian so that's something. Deserved it more anyway ;-)
Yes it is. It's an enormous leap. It also makes no logical sense.
If Young is as poor as you imply then how come he's not being outshone by all the other creative players in our team? It's not as though his involvement somehow forces them to see less of the ball. He's not even playing in a central position. The whole of the centre of the pitch and the opposite flank is free for other players to step up and show Young how it's done.
The fact he's been one of our more consistently effective creative players during a period lacking in creativity says much more about the inadequacy of our other attacking players than it does about Ashley Young.
Instead of slagging him off we should be appreciative of his improved performances last season. Without them we wouldn't be playing any CL qualifier next week.
Does it not count for anything that at least, on Saturday, he was the only player actually trying to take anyone on? Walker in my eyes actually played quite well against him. As did Davies on Mata.
WhoScored
Does it not count for anything that at least, on Saturday, he was the only player actually trying to take anyone on? Walker in my eyes actually played quite well against him. As did Davies on Mata.
It counts for something, but not much. 2/11 is a pretty bad return.
Nobody faults Young for lack of effort, it's lack of end product that's the issue. The fact that he got 2/11 take-ons and none against Walker is pretty indicative of that.
Does it not count for anything that at least, on Saturday, he was the only player actually trying to take anyone on? Walker in my eyes actually played quite well against him. As did Davies on Mata.
He got the end product in this game though! It won us the game!
How many take-ons did the other United players attempt? I don't know the answer but assume it's a low number and is the main point behind mentioning those 11 attempts by Young.
I see people saying this but that was a pretty easy pass to make. No decent footballer should feck that up.
He also put one on a plate for Memphis (blocked shot)
Young might not have created much against Spurs but he created more than anyone else.
I'm saying it because it's bloody true regardless of how easy the pass was to make! Rooney's shot looked easy to me too but he messed that up and I'd still consider him to be a decent footballer!
Besides, it's not just the pass but the whole play. Simple but effective.
Young was 0/6 out of 11. 11 was the total of the entire team. Tottenham was 6/14 as a team.
A fundamental flaw in the entire front line is that they don't take people on enough, they are scared shitless to mess it up at a level where they are dropped for it. If you don't try and take people on and make things happen then you can't be seen losing the ball and be dropped.
I mean this entire inverted winger garbage is spawned from two players that like to get the ball and go inside. Young gets the ball and goes down the outside and turns back inside and plays a telegraphed cross inswinging across the face of goal. Mata gets the ball with his back to acres of space and then dribbles back 25 yards and passes it back to the defensive players.
I'm all for lumping them in a group and saying it's not working and that Young's end product is pretty awful but shy of getting the ball and running from the touchline to the edge of the area as many times a game as they can and shooting, I have no idea what the forwards (not wingers, I don't view Young and Mata in this system as wingers, in my eyes you can't be inverted and be deemed as a winger) are supposed to be doing.
They seem to have been keeping their place, playing nearly the exact same way every game. One must have to assume it is what Van Gaal wants? It is getting extremely hazy trying to understand what Van Gaal wants in terms of his forward players.
Any megged pass over that kind of distance in my eyes is worthy. Considering the amount that Valencia hits the oppositions shins from similar positions. I feel that down playing the pass is harsh. I actually thought the little dart in behind the broken play was a very intelligent run as well, showing that in a transition play that he has the potential to be a dangerous player if we can just focus on creating some broken play with dynamic ball movement rather than sitting back waiting for it to happen high up the field. Or expending copious amounts of energy trying to force it.
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They do have another option. Shape to go inside, then go outside instead. Young actually does mix it up a bit. Mata almost never goes outside. Could probably remove "almost" from that sentence.
I'm hazy on Van Gaal's expectations too but I've read that the whole purpose of all the possession football is to engineer a one v one so our creative players can express themselves. Unfortunately, only Ashley Young seems willing to try and dribble his opposite number, however ineffective that may be.
Agreed about Young. I am not towing any line of abuse of his ability. But I see them both more as players who are optimal at falling in line with the possession football mantra of always keep the ball instead of needlessly giving it away. As opposed to being really good natural wide players who are being picked because of their devastating ability. It isn't a slight on either of them and I don't feel any hatred or excessive need to call for the axe.
But I honestly have no idea what they are even trying to do half the time. It literally makes no sense and I can only assume Van Gaal wants them to play that way, which in itself makes it even more puzzling.
I like Ashley Young a lot. Hope he scores against Villa.
I sometimes look at Young and think, given the same chances Nani would honestly create and score so much more. I can only think that Nani never applied himself in training. Because when it comes to taking on players and crossing/shooting, He is miles better than Young.
Too adventurous for LvG. Hence why he removed very quickly.
You're absolutely right. Some people just don't want to give any of our players any credit if they have made up their mind on them.
Young did really well to delay his run as well in order to stay onside for the through ball. It was great execution of fundamental football abilities.
Thing is, even Fergy overlooked Nani for large periods. That's why I mention the training part, Nani must be an awful trainer because ability wise he has it all.
Only in 12/13, where I think Nani picked up an injury or two. Although, Fergie trusted him in the biggest game of our season, that year.
Agree with that. Young tried to take on Walker many times against Tottenham. Just that he failed pretty much everytime as all he does is put the ball past the player and try to run past him. Mata just isn't quick enough to even do or try that.
Does it not count for anything that at least, on Saturday, he was the only player actually trying to take anyone on? Walker in my eyes actually played quite well against him. As did Davies on Mata.
The way he tried to go past Walker was ridiculous. Just putting the ball past a defender and trying to overtake him doesn't work too often. Walker had him in his pocket.
We had 2 (?!) successfull take ons during the whole of the game? This is a joke.
It happens. Winger don't always get the better of fullback you know?
The last time we faced Spurs, he made Walker look like a clown. Has that been forgotten already?
The last time we faced Spurs, he made Walker look like a clown. Has that been forgotten already?
Yeah, he owned Walker the last time we played Spurs at Old Trafford. Made mincemeat of him. That was helped by the great support he got from Fellaini, of course. With Carrick and Schneiderlin both playing so deep it's no surprise that our wide men found it hard to get much joy but credit to Young for at least having a go.
Except for the small matter of di Maria never helping out defensively at United.
I'm not a fan of stats, over what I watch.
And for me, Young is our most effective attacker right now.
Which obviously is worrying.
We're using Mata in a way that he's only about 50% of his level, and Depay in that weird, just off, but mostly as a striker role was pure oddness.
Didn't like the look of it at all.
Aston Villa 0:1 Man Utd
No comments on Young being dropped at all? Weird.
I'd prefer if he came on with 20-30 minutes left, and used his pace against a tired opposition.
I imagine he will play on Tuesday.
Forgot he even played yesterday, only had 10 minutes to do anything to be fair to him.
I'd like Memphis to be given more time on the left but I imagine we'll revert back to the usual lineup of Memphis as a #10 and Young out wide.
I'd like Memphis to be given more time on the left but I imagine we'll revert back to the usual lineup of Memphis as a #10 and Young out wide.
I imagine he will feature tuesday against Brugge so he got a rest. Have a feeling that BFS and Fellaini will play as well.
Do you think he might start tomorrow? I know Memphis had the big game in leg 1 but we need to protect our lead and Young can give us added defence on the left.
I think so, LvG's comment about needing to rotate makes me think him and one of Fellaini/Herrera will definitely start. Nervous for my line-up prediction, though.
Brugge 0:4 Man Utd
You have to love our teams collective effort to make sure he doesn't get any assists.
Falcao truly has left his mark on our club.
Falcao truly has left his mark on our club.
He whipped in one or two perfect balls last night begging to be put away 
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