Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber
Thus says Kemo
No is the answer
Well hes not because we were poor with him as well. But after this performance you'd think he'd be on the next teamsheet before Maguire and BaillyLindelof will certainly be smirking today. He looks totally vindicated.
I suspect we’d not have conceded that first goal if he had played, and that equaliser so soon changed a lot I think. Maguire is terrible though.Well hes not because we were poor with him as well. But after this performance you'd think he'd be on the next teamsheet before Maguire and Bailly
I don't think Lindelof could have done much about the one man wrecking crew that is Harry Maguire.I suspect we’d not have conceded that first goal if he had played, and that equaliser so soon changed a lot I think. Maguire is terrible though.
It's surprising that you find people having different opinion on which area to strengthen as 'arrogance'.The thing is, I saw tons of fans here who said that no CB/ defensive player is needed, only based on the fact that United conceded the 2nd less goals in the league. To me this is a very dangerouus take and to me it looked like Ole and the board shared the same thought.
It is insane with what kind of arrogance some people said it when youu look back at the threads.
It's amazing that Chelsea are letting him go. He's their best defender and would be the best at United too if they signed him.Can’t we loan Rudiger from Chelsea or something?
Indeed, I don’t get it. But then managers have suddenly become very weird with the centre half position anyway. If you ask me, we are also trying to get rid of our best centre half. Everyone is trying to reinvent the position so it’s a new day now.It's amazing that Chelsea are letting him go. He's their best defender and would be the best at United too if they signed him.
I agree. It seems like stopping the opposition from scoring goals is no longer a key requirement for a centre back. As long as you can play out from the back.Indeed, I don’t get it. But then managers have suddenly become very weird with the centre half position anyway. If you ask me, we are also trying to get rid of our best centre half. Everyone is trying to reinvent the position so it’s a new day now.
Tbh the writing has been on the wall since even goalkeepers are judged by their ability to create more than anything else.I agree. It seems like stopping the opposition from scoring goals is no longer a key requirement for a centre back. As long as you can play out from the back.
It's just the latest fad.Tbh the writing has been on the wall since even goalkeepers are judged by their ability to create more than anything else.
Indeed. After the City 6-1 we won 4 of our next 5 games 1-0...and we would have won all five if the ref hadn't given one of the worst awards of a penalty I've ever seen at Old Trafford to NewcastleAfter a bad defeat, SAF used to go 'back to basics' on the training ground and we'd often see a few weeks of grinding out results and clean sheets. Nothing I've seen under the current regime suggests we have the right people coaching the side to make them more defensively resolute.
He's fecking trainwreck. Roma rather paid money for Smalling (even though trying to be saint), when Rudiger is being whored around by Chelsea for loan; says it all. Rudiger "knows the club", and everything.Can’t we loan Rudiger from Chelsea or something?
When he has good games, he is their best, but when he has bad days, he would make Maguire worth 80mil. Of course, good games he didn't have that many. Kepa let in a few savable goals, but the rest had more to do with players before him, which Rudiger was one of the suspect.It's amazing that Chelsea are letting him go. He's their best defender and would be the best at United too if they signed him.
pretty soundTowards the end of last season we actually looked okay in defence. I think the impressive record perhaps painted a slightly rosier picture than the reality, but we were certainly improving.
This season has started off as a disaster, which I think is as a result of a combination of contributing factors (beyond our defenders being shite...):
After a bad defeat, SAF used to go 'back to basics' on the training ground and we'd often see a few weeks of grinding out results and clean sheets. Nothing I've seen under the current regime suggests we have the right people coaching the side to make them more defensively resolute.
- Maguire has started this season dreadfully - I think we all got used to the occasional brainfart from him last season but he was generally quite solid and calm at the back. His inexplicable involvement in Spurs' first goal, attempting to head it back towards Bailly, suggests he's just not focused. I think his summer ordeal has absolutely impacted his mental state.
- Matic had a resurgence towards the end of last season which I think lulled people into believing he was still the right choice for our DM position. Fact is, he's still painfully slow and, more worrying for me, he seems to have lost his positional intuition. This has caused our CBs to have to push up to cover the gap behind him which is resulting in space in behind for strikers to run into or, if the full backs attempt to narrow to cover, miles of space out wide to exploit.
- Our full backs have zero position sense. They're both pretty good 1 v 1 defenders and enjoy the odd spectacular last ditch tackle but, in terms of working in a marshalled defence, they're always in the wrong position. The amount of times that AWB ends up in the middle of the area as the ball sails over his head to the opposing left winger.... infuriates me!
- Total inability throughout the team to play out from the back. Of our entire defence and midfield, the only player I have confidence in receiving the ball in our own half under pressure and still being able to find an outlet is Bruno. Pogba's deterioration in this sense is absolutely remarkable: he used to revel in dropping deep with his back to an opposing player so he could receive the ball, control it, turn and get a pass away. Yes, he would occasionally showboat and frustratingly lose the ball, but that's the risk / reward debate. However, now he seems almost physically unable to control and shield a ball under pressure.
You can add Mengi to that list, as he's been training with the first team.We currently have
- Maguire
- Ljndelof
- Bailley
- Smalling
- Rojo
- Jones
- Tuanzebe
- Fosu Mensah?
That's our list of CBs. We can field a starting 11 of CBs/ provisional CBs and not one that can inspire confidence. It's a joke. Can't even sign a new one until we can figure this mess out
none of which we have addressed. It’s laughableIt's surprising that you find people having different opinion on which area to strengthen as 'arrogance'.
IIRC majority on caf agreed that RW is the priority position and then split between CB, LB and DM. All these were considered as problem areas.
Apart from the LB we are signing.none of which we have addressed. It’s laughable
Tbf LB is addressed.none of which we have addressed. It’s laughable
I honestly think Pogba has lost his confidence/happiness. Looks like a depressed man out thereTowards the end of last season we actually looked okay in defence. I think the impressive record perhaps painted a slightly rosier picture than the reality, but we were certainly improving.
This season has started off as a disaster, which I think is as a result of a combination of contributing factors (beyond our defenders being shite...):
After a bad defeat, SAF used to go 'back to basics' on the training ground and we'd often see a few weeks of grinding out results and clean sheets. Nothing I've seen under the current regime suggests we have the right people coaching the side to make them more defensively resolute.
- Maguire has started this season dreadfully - I think we all got used to the occasional brainfart from him last season but he was generally quite solid and calm at the back. His inexplicable involvement in Spurs' first goal, attempting to head it back towards Bailly, suggests he's just not focused. I think his summer ordeal has absolutely impacted his mental state.
- Matic had a resurgence towards the end of last season which I think lulled people into believing he was still the right choice for our DM position. Fact is, he's still painfully slow and, more worrying for me, he seems to have lost his positional intuition. This has caused our CBs to have to push up to cover the gap behind him which is resulting in space in behind for strikers to run into or, if the full backs attempt to narrow to cover, miles of space out wide to exploit.
- Our full backs have zero position sense. They're both pretty good 1 v 1 defenders and enjoy the odd spectacular last ditch tackle but, in terms of working in a marshalled defence, they're always in the wrong position. The amount of times that AWB ends up in the middle of the area as the ball sails over his head to the opposing left winger.... infuriates me!
- Total inability throughout the team to play out from the back. Of our entire defence and midfield, the only player I have confidence in receiving the ball in our own half under pressure and still being able to find an outlet is Bruno. Pogba's deterioration in this sense is absolutely remarkable: he used to revel in dropping deep with his back to an opposing player so he could receive the ball, control it, turn and get a pass away. Yes, he would occasionally showboat and frustratingly lose the ball, but that's the risk / reward debate. However, now he seems almost physically unable to control and shield a ball under pressure.
Rudiger is nowhere near our best defender. He's been ruined by injuries - lost all his pace and now can't win a header to save his life. He's comfortably our worst CB at the moment.It's amazing that Chelsea are letting him go. He's their best defender and would be the best at United too if they signed him.
He's gotta do something that is for sure. maybe go with 3 at the back (though I am not a fan), or play a diamond in midfield, or go with Fred and McTominay or Fred and Matic as the 2 holding midfielders. Give Maguire a few weeks off to get his head right, give Smalling a couple chances if he is not sold. Anything besides what this team has done for the first few weeks of the season. The team has conceded 3 to Crystal Palace, 2 to Brighton when it could have been 5 if not for the woodwork, and now 6 to Tottenham.I think Ole has to revert to a more defensive shape from now on. Concede possession and try to fill in the gaps in the defense, and try to nick a goal or to on the counter.
We have a decent defense and we saw that last season, but the horrific start to this season is probably due to several factors.Now the focus should be on playing a lower line and try to grind out results.