Man Utd 1:0 Tottenham
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Quietly been decent this last couple of weeks.
Pretty much this. Hes great at the stuff that requires no thinking.hes class when hes not got time to think on the ball
To be fair, most of the criticism he received was for his lack of quality and/or confidence on the ball. But he very rarely loses aerial or physical duels. Imagine what he could be if he could bring the ball out and pass with a bit more confidence...He's been quietly brilliant this season. Some of this lot wanted him sold.
If he wasn't here we'd be playing our new shiny clown from Sweden, so suffice to say I'm pleased he's still starting and performing at his best.
People have been attacking his defensive abilities saying he's a mistake waiting for happen and is poor. Yet you can count his massive errors on one hand and he is one of our most consistent defenders. TBH I dislike this obsession with ball playing defenders. We don't need a team full of them, you also need those who defend first.To be fair, most of the criticism he received was for his lack of quality and/or confidence on the ball. But he very rarely loses aerial or physical duels. Imagine what he could be if he could bring the ball out and pass with a bit more confidence...
What could they possibly have been complaining about? He didn't put a single foot wrong and actually defended on the front foot which Bailly and Jones weren't.Still can't believe some people were having a go at him on the match day thread. He was very good and has been frequently this season, seems some cannot pass on a chance to have a moan about him.
Apparently he didn't play enough penetrative passes to Herrera and Matic who were obviously penetrating the Tottenham team from 15 yeards behind the half way line.Still can't believe some people were having a go at him on the match day thread. He was very good and has been frequently this season, seems some cannot pass on a chance to have a moan about him.
What could they possibly have been complaining about? He didn't put a single foot wrong and actually defended on the front foot which Bailly and Jones weren't.
No , he needs to build from the back that penetrative pass to matic and Herrera in space, when he has space.
Sideways is where there is highest pressure and there is no penetration with it. The more matic and Herrera get space and time on the ball when you beat high press the more chance we can create.
He did track him to the extent that it was possible. Dele came from deep with a lot of built up speed and the ball from Eriksen was great behind the line of defence. The only one who could have got to Dele there would have been a player who had started tracking him from deeper and had built the same pace as him.Solid defensively. Has been decent with the ball today too. Made good runs out of defence with the ball. Won that aerial ball in a tight space on the chest and then on the turn too, Fellaini-esque. I've always thought the criticism he gets for his ball playing is overly exaggerated anyway. He keeps it simple, but he's often capable of doing more, and he showed a fair bit of it today. It's a rep he'll never shirk.
I think he could have tracked Alli better on the chance he spooned just wide, but it was a great ball to be fair. Might be slightly harsh criticism, but that's just about the only thing you could put against him today.
I wonder if Barca fans complain about Messi's defensive contribution and lack of winning defensive headers in his own box? Some should appreciate a player for what he's good at, not expect him to be something he's not.Apparently he didn't play enough penetrative passes to Herrera and Matic who were obviously penetrating the Tottenham team from 15 yeards behind the half way line.
Eh? Smalling could and possibly should have got there, he simply let him get in behind him, but it was a brilliant pass.He did track him to the extent that it was possible. Dele came from deep with a lot of built up speed and the ball from Eriksen was great behind the line of defence. The only one who could have got to Dele there would have been a player who had started tracking him from deeper and had built the same pace as him.
Eh? Watch it againEh? Smalling could and possibly should have got there, he simply let him get in behind him, but it was a brilliant pass.