West Ham vs. Manchester United

[The Red Thinker]

Was always going to take some time for him to settle in. Injuries did not help the transition either.

Good to see him go from box to box. Been a long time since I've seen a united midfielder truly do so.

Yes! and the fact that he's a giant with superior aerial ability can only bode well.

 

[DevilRed]

Yes! and the fact that he's a giant with superior aerial ability can only bode well.

Needs to work on not giving away so many fouls though. Hard to avoid I suppose since people tend to exaggerate when going up against him.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Disagree. We always play through our touch line hugging right winger anyway for some reason whether it's young or Valencia with the left winger tucking in and generally seeing less on the ball. Kagawa has been good IMO. He's linked very well with mata, helped us retain possession well and control the game. Still needs that goal to get his confidence in front of goal back.

yeah I tried to have an open mind and saw it much more in the second half. You get the feeling fletch mata and kagawa could keep the ball for 20 minutes straight, which is what we need at times when hanging onto a lead

 

[Red Dreams]

master stroke of a signing by Dalglish...Carroll.

 

[Striker10]

We were excellent today. I can't think of too many chances they created. We were quite solid. There was a good tempo at times though out the 90 mins but we were sensible. We've got a game on tuesday so there was no point going nuts.

 

[TheNewEra]

I may get attacked here but, just calling it like I see it.

If Moyes wants to persist with 4-2-3-1, he could play Cleverley in that system, with Mata and Kagawa, all are capable of playing short passing football, just Cleverley lacks the improvisation or skill of Mata and Kagawa, unless we turned to somebody like Januzaj or Nani to provide a real winger in that system.

 

[Pexbo]

I may get attacked here but, just calling it like I see it.

If Moyes wants to persist with 4-2-3-1, he could play Cleverley in that system, with Mata and Kagawa, all are capable of playing short passing football, just Cleverley lacks the improvisation or skill of Mata and Kagawa, unless we turned to somebody like Januzaj or Nani to provide a real winger in that system.

Cleverley also lacks pace and penetration.

 

[TheNewEra]

Cleverley also lacks pace and penetration.

Yes he does, but I'm saying for short passing and moving he fits that profile, he could be deeper lying in that system almost as a midfield 3, just means the ball isn't wasted so much on the likes of Young and Valencia.

Utd really need a top winger in the summer, that's apparent to all, and a few world class midfielders, today proves what people have been saying all season, playing Rooney and RVP ruins the balance of the team, as then Mata is played out of position and Kagawa isn't given a minute of football.

Only reason it worked midweek is there was no Mata.

 

[Jaap]

If only our home form was as good as our away results.

Best team in the league away from home with 30 pts from 16 games so far.

 

[TheNewEra]

If only our home form was as good as our away results.

Best team in the league away from home with 30 pts from 16 games so far.

Next year it'll be different, probably roles-reversed but we just have to press on the end of the season, put impressive performances out in Europe, be clinical against Bayern and perhaps show potential transfer targets that it's an exciting team to play football and this season was nothing more than a transition.

 

[mattsville]

We were good and comfortable in possession, looked a threat going at them with our front four, but they were shit throughout, they never even had one spell where they tested us which is unreal given the back four we had. It seemed like Rooney's wonder goal completely deflated them so early. They had after all won their previous 3 home fixtures. Everyone did well, again granted we just weren't tested at any point, good to see Fellaini get up and down and show some good technique, graft and delicacy with short range stuff when required. Looked like we knew what we were doing which is something we haven't done enough even when we have been afforded so much possession against other opposition this season. Special mention to Rooney, that goal was unbelievable, and although there have been a lot of high scoring wins this weekend, that goal will headline every sports bulletin. For all his effort, signing the new contract this season etc that is the Wayne Rooney that is worth the money, the instinctive street footballer. More please.

 

[Devil may care]

There was some nice play between Rooney, Mata and Kagawa in the first half, the movement was very good between that trio. The second half saw us defend well against about 15 minutes of pressure and then simply see the game out. Carrick was excellent in that period though, playing out of position I felt he marshaled the back 4 really well. We didn't offer much on the counter until Danny came on as we didn't have much pace, but never really looked like conceding.

 

[TheNewEra]

There was some nice play between Rooney, Mata and Kagawa in the first half, the movement was very good between that trio. The second half saw us defend well against about 15 minutes of pressure and then simply see the game out. Carrick was excellent in that period though, playing out of position I felt he marshaled the back 4 really well. We didn't offer much on the counter until Danny came on as we didn't have much pace, but never really looked like conceding.

Problem against City is they are possibly capable of smothering Mata and Kagawa, we need a three in the attacking role (if thats the system we play) that can rotate freely, Young can't rotate he's not even a one trick pony, he's a none-trick pony, Januzaj may bottle it on the big stage, so what does Moyes do?

Does he play Fellaini further up in the AM? or does he play welbeck on the left and allow Kagawa and Mata to do what they did today? that provides much more pace and penetration, the thing is Yaya Touré needs to be pegged back defending with Fernandinho the entire game in order to succeed, and Fellaini being in the AM role... with Vinceny Kompany out, could provide Demichelis with so many problems.

 

[bosnian_red]

I may get attacked here but, just calling it like I see it.

If Moyes wants to persist with 4-2-3-1, he could play Cleverley in that system, with Mata and Kagawa, all are capable of playing short passing football, just Cleverley lacks the improvisation or skill of Mata and Kagawa, unless we turned to somebody like Januzaj or Nani to provide a real winger in that system.

I see where you're coming from, but he wouldn't fit in as part of the 3. Maybe if he got bucket loads more confidence and resilience about himself, and then improved defensively, he could be part of the 2. There needs to be somebody with pace, quality and directness on the other side though, someone like Welbeck or Nani. Really hope we see something like that on Tuesday with a normal defence. The passing was much improved throughout as well.

 

[TheNewEra]

I see where you're coming from, but he wouldn't fit in as part of the 3. Maybe if he got bucket loads more confidence and resilience about himself, and then improved defensively, he could be part of the 2. There needs to be somebody with pace, quality and directness on the other side though, someone like Welbeck or Nani. Really hope we see something like that on Tuesday with a normal defence. The passing was much improved throughout as well.

The reason it works better is, Rooney isn't capable of "Pass and Move" because of his physique, he can't get into the next position as fast as a Mata or Kagawa can, and turn and take the ball that fast.

Kagawa and Mata are capable of doing it in tandem because they have the same footballing brain and they are singing from the same page, it's been obvious since the start of the system, the reason this is difficult against city is they play a narrow midfield, with wing-backs overlapping, so we need atleast 3 players in the midfield, not 2.

Or we are going to face a problem, so Fellaini Carrick, Fletcher possibly, then with Mata, Rooney, and Kagawa as a narrow 3 to try and penetrate, it's difficult because City are very difficult to play this season, but yes Welbeck is a great option there too, it's trying to fit players that can effect the game, but also pegging players like Touré back because he is the main influence in the city game, Nasri is a player that can be bullied and shut out of a game, Silva is a different story.

If Utd were to play Welbeck against city, his instructions should be clear, "Run at Demichelis".

 

[Devil may care]

Problem against City is they are possibly capable of smothering Mata and Kagawa, we need a three in the attacking role (if thats the system we play) that can rotate freely, Young can't rotate he's not even a one trick pony, he's a none-trick pony, Januzaj may bottle it on the big stage, so what does Moyes do?

Does he play Fellaini further up in the AM? or does he play welbeck on the left and allow Kagawa and Mata to do what they did today? that provides much more pace and penetration, the thing is Yaya Touré needs to be pegged back defending with Fernandinho the entire game in order to succeed, and Fellaini being in the AM role... with Vinceny Kompany out, could provide Demichelis with so many problems.

I think we'll play Welbeck, Valencia and Young behind Rooney, hoping that their pace and pressing will force Yaya to remain deeper to protect their shape with Demichelis being such a liability. It wont be as attacking of a mindset as today IMO.

 

[TheNewEra]

I think we'll play Welbeck, Valencia and Young behind Rooney, hoping that their pace and pressing will force Yaya to remain deeper to protect their shape with Demichelis being such a liability. It wont be as attacking of a mindset as today IMO.

We're at old trafford.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Good game today. Felt we passed it well, especially in the first half and were unlucky not to get more goals. I thought the interchanging of Kagawa, Mata and Rooney was very good, at times, causing confusion to the West Ham defence.

Second half saw West Ham attack more and get more crosses into the box, but I felt we were solid defensively and dealt with the aerial threat very well.

Hope we can keep up this great momentum going in to the City game.

Also, great goal from Rooney today. Such a special player.

 

[Devil may care]

We're at old trafford.

I don't think that will matter, we are not in any kind of form, we wont go gun-ho in my view, Moyes will be very cautious.