Static, slow motion zombie passing

Cina

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I was pretty happy with last night. Some of the "shit on a stick, sucking the life out of football" complaints are fecking retarded if you don't mind me saying.

We've been notoriously awful in midfield lately, with everyone (rightly) blaming our static central mid and reliance on wingers, so we tried something completely different and it looked like the germ of something interesting. It wasn't perfect, and it's not going to happen overnight, but with the important partnerships of Rooney & RVP/Ando & Clev not having a huge amount of game time together, I was heartened by their performances and when it did click, it clicked well. Certainly compared to the predictable dirge of the last few weeks.

Suck a dick haters.
I'd go along with this.
 

Forevergiggs

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I don't understand the reason to take stands either way, which some people seem to do be doing.

I don't see anything wrong in being happy with the win but at the same time point out the defeciencies. Why are you not allowed to post your concerns and observations about the game? Or do we have go out of the way to express our happiness after a win? Is this is a discussion forum or an affirmation forum after a win?

We haven't been great in the group stages in the past but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be in the future. Or does it?
 

Adebesi

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Sanctity, like a cat, abhors filth.
I don't understand the reason to take stands either way, which some people seem to do be doing.

I don't see anything wrong in being happy with the win but at the same time point out the defeciencies. Why are you not allowed to post your concerns and observations about the game? Or do we have go out of the way to express our happiness after a win? Is this is a discussion forum or an affirmation forum after a win?

We haven't been great in the group stages in the past but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be in the future. Or does it?
Not necessarily. But I think with the Euro away performances, they are not so much "poor" as "professional" - the difference being that SAF seems to have instructed the team to play a certain way. It seems to be about conserving energy and being very cautious, so as not to get caught on the break. Ive always reasoned it was about keeping half an eye on the PL fixture when we get home, as well as the old cliche about how European teams will punish you if you give them half a chance.

Given a lot of the weaker sides dont play with a great deal of ambition and let us have the ball, but we tend to be content to keep the ball and pass it about without really going for the jugular, it can make for very dull football. But, in theory at least, we win the games, or dont lose them, anyway - last year being the aberration where things didnt go according to plan.
 

Adebesi

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One of my best mates supports Spurs, last season he used to mock me before every group game - not after, because we had lost. We both had to make our choice about which game we were going to watch, and both of us knew before KO that he would be watching an entertaining game of football, and I would be wanting to ram a fork in my eye from the sheer desperation of having to sit through 90 minutes of us strangling the life out of our game. And that was before the insult was added to the injury, when we not only bored the shit out of everyone watching, but lost to boot.
 

Cina

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With sucking a dick?
Sorry, who are you?

You've made 2,000 posts and I've never seen your name until now so I can only assume they're as terribly shit as this one and I haven't bothered to pay attention.

EDIT: Oh wait, I've just seen the last line of Mockney's post. Ok, that's pretty funny, carry on.
 

Mockney

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We were hardly playing one of Europe's elite teams to make much of a judgement from that performance.

I want the orgasmic United back, once in a while.
Don't we all? Who doesnt want that? This was clearly a better step towards it than what we've been playing so far this season though.

Even if it was against a made up team.
 

noodlehair

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Did they have several angry long haired players who looked the same, or was it just the one guy running around the entire pitch getting fouled by everyone?
 

Ole's_toe_poke

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I think over the last few years SAF has made it a mission to see United win every game by doing just enough rather than going for it. Especially in European away games. And Tbf its coincided with our most consistent run in Europe over the last few years.
 

noodlehair

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That dude with the hairband and the curly hair?

He was hilarious and spend like 50% the game rolling over the floor in agony. :lol:
He was remaining fairly calm until Van Persie raked his studs into him for no real reason, and the ref just pointed for a throw in despite standing there watching it happen.

Then there was the other guy who had to go off injured because Evra kept literally jumping on his head.
 

gza the genius

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He was remaining fairly calm until Van Persie raked his studs into him for no real reason, and the ref just pointed for a throw in despite standing there watching it happen.
I think he was just a spaz, I remember early on him turning around and smacking Evra's arm away from him as he was making a run.
 

Ash_G

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Not sure if this has been mentioned but once again it was a pretty slow start by us, the system contributes somewhat but I think it's more the players. They just don't seem to get started until we've had a scare or conceded. It's been going in for a while now and you have to think its something the management need to address, I don't think it's certain players causing it.

Either way I thought there some promising things from yesterday and really thought Rooney shone in a withdrawn role. I'd like to see rvp as the main central striker which Hernandez seemed to be and then you can have Rooney where he was, maybe slightly more advanced and bring in kagawa in place of Hernandez. He and Rooney ca alter between who's the deeper player. Then I'd bring in nani for clev or ando. I don't think you need both, maybe if its a game where we're worried about the other team but in general I don't think so.

However I think fergie clearly wants scholes involved as much as he can and the system doesn't work with him. He doesn't have the energy to play ahead of the holding player and can't be the pivot. The system would have to be adapted to having two deeper players which is what we do now. However if he adapts the players ahead, ie make sure Rooney/kagawa play as 3rd midfielders and that one of the other attackers plays more narrow, it could work, bot would like to see the team I mentioned above.
 

R.N7

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Yesterday was a decent performance and a step in the right direction but after we scored the second one we played for the result as per usual and it was really boring to watch. I was already dead tired before the game and nearly fell asleep a few times during that half.
 

Sam

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Well what'dya know, we put out a team with mobility, pace and movement and we get the best performance of the season.

What a surprise :smirk:
 

Devilton

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Oh look the boss fields a midfield trio with an average age under 30 and suddenly the balls zipping around fast as you like.

Who would have thunk it?
 

Randall Flagg

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Still think getting Scholes along side Carrick and Clev/Ando will work just as well.

Especially at home
 

Plechazunga

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Oh look the boss fields a midfield trio with an average age under 30 and suddenly the balls zipping around fast as you like.

Who would have thunk it?
What really takes it to the next level is when Welbeck's on his game. Rooney, Cleverley and Welbz have a real understanding. Looking forward to Danny getting a bit of confidence back.
 

Ash_G

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Well what'dya know, we put out a team with mobility, pace and movement and we get the best performance of the season.

What a surprise :smirk:
And carrick showed he could fit in with that style fine.

I think there's a lot of potential in this system but I just think we might get more joy from a 433 rather than the diamond. At times it forced Rooney really deep and in a three man midfield he could still influence but be in bette positions more regularly in the attack.

Also I think as we saw for a fair bit of te game once toon went more compact and made it much more difficult to pass we lacked other options as the majority of the attacking players don't really carry the ball well. Moving to the 3 and then having a nani or Valencia on one side would work well for me an used thought Valencia, although he was clearly not sharp added to our game. Playing a bit more advanced would really help kagawa as well imo. He wouldn't have to play wide and could drift in like silva and mata do. That'd reduce the amount of defensive work he has to do.
 

The Neviller

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One of my best mates supports Spurs, last season he used to mock me before every group game - not after, because we had lost. We both had to make our choice about which game we were going to watch, and both of us knew before KO that he would be watching an entertaining game of football, and I would be wanting to ram a fork in my eye from the sheer desperation of having to sit through 90 minutes of us strangling the life out of our game. And that was before the insult was added to the injury, when we not only bored the shit out of everyone watching, but lost to boot.
I too wish we were as good at playing in Europe as Spurs.
 

samabachan

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Another game where nobody shows for the ball and nobody moves. We are just lucky that Stoke are leaving too big gaps between attack, midfield and defence, and that van Persie is a footballing genius. Only RvP and Rafael ever make any effort to show for the ball, spent most of the half screaming out loud at my tv screen.
 

Randall Flagg

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Really? I thought we were good. Rooney and Welbeck also showed some good movement and the fullbacks supported well too.
 

Hectic

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Rubbish, we had plenty of excellent movement in that first half.
 

KingEric7

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People keep slamming on about the midfield being at fault, but it's underrating the problem. As good as the forwards have been at times today, they don't move aroundor ask for the ball enough. They're not spontaneous in their play or willing enough. That is easily as much of a problem as any midfield situation we have.

Still, it's been alright today. Not great, but not terrible either. 2-1 against Stoke isn't bad at all.
 

KM

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We were brilliant after our first goal. It's becoming a habit that every time we don't play, the phrase zombie passing must be used.
 

marjen

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Really? I thought we were good. Rooney and Welbeck also showed some good movement and the fullbacks supported well too.
At times, Welbeck, Rooney and van Persie has absolutely torn Stoke to shreds. But that's due to their pace, technique, movement and brilliant passing and vision.

In huge portions of the game we've been standing absolutely still, while Carrick and Scholes tries to bore Stoke into submission.

It happens every fecking time Fergie starts Carrick/Scholes in a midfield two.
 

iAm20Legend

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To be fair we created a handful of chances, even though the buildup wasn't exactly lightning. At least there wasn't as much of the hoof-and-hope approach
 

Hectic

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I wish this nonsense would stop. Hopefully people will realize it's not so relevant when it's used to describe every single match, seemingly regardless of how we actually play.
 

NM

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Another game where nobody shows for the ball and nobody moves. We are just lucky that Stoke are leaving too big gaps between attack, midfield and defence, and that van Persie is a footballing genius. Only RvP and Rafael ever make any effort to show for the ball, spent most of the half screaming out loud at my tv screen.
What? :lol: Our attacking interplay has been brilliant.