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Manchester United Thread

Got dominated by a poor side for far too much of the game and that was down to Giggs (*spit*) and Carrick. What's funny is that Giggs (*spit*) played a few passes late on and the commentators start handing out the 40 year old award. Pass me the sick bucket
 
^ Wouldn't say dominated. Never was De Gea really tested bar the first half save? Never was it really backs to the wall. 10 into the 2nd half was a bit slow but Sociedad never really dominated, not sure where you get that from.

First half was ruined by the ref. The second half United should have scored at least another 2-3 more. The tempo in both home games in Europe have been miles better than the league games, please take something from them and move on!
 
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Thought we did alright, its shocking how bad are midfield is, were going to basically be vulnerable against ANYONE until that's sorted and it needs addressing as soon as January window opens.

great that Kagawa played so well, our attacking options are looking brilliant with Nani, Januzaj and now Kagawa proving what there capable of I expect Moyes to reward that (he has so far!) and with Valencia looking much better and Zaha still waiting for that opportunity we should continue to improve with people fighting for gametime.

Young can still fuck off.
 
Godotelli said:
Got dominated by a poor side for far too much of the game and that was down to Giggs (*spit*) and Carrick.
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Wait what game were you watching? Other than 5 minutes after halftime, we absolutely coasted. 55% possession, hit the post twice, should have scored another handful and only really gave them a chance off a free kick.

We've been desperately poor this season, but today wasn't a case of that at all.
 
Kinda sad but in a way I almost don't care how we do in Europe, as long as we make it out of the group and qualify for CL action again next year. Gonna be tough for Moyes to attract some big guys (and I don't mean literally like public head) otherwise. I can handle not competing for the title for a year or two as long as we don't slide into oblivion like Liverpool. Still think we have some massive potential w a fresh replacement for Evra (No not Buttner), and a dynamic playmaker. Perhaps Rooney and RvP should rotate.. Agree with the Red Cafe perceptionthat that ppartnership still hasn't taken off.
 
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If that is Utd coasting a game you've let your standards drop. RS bossed the midfield from about 10 minutes before half time for long spells. Granted, RS didn't have a Rooney up top but Utd played like the away team for long stretches. Most of the chances came on the break late on when RS were pushing for the equaliser.
I was impressed with Rooney but not at all impressed with Utd. Still had to rely on an OG which really shouldn't have stood.
 
Godotelli said:
If that is Utd coasting a game you've let your standards drop. RS bossed the midfield from about 10 minutes before half time for long spells. Granted, RS didn't have a Rooney up top but Utd played like the away team for long stretches. Most of the chances came on the break late on when RS were pushing for the equaliser.
I was impressed with Rooney but not at all impressed with Utd. Still had to rely on an OG which really shouldn't have stood.
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I kind of see what your saying (especially since your probably comparing us to yourselfs) but our midfield is paper thin, were going to look average in that area of the pitch because barring Carrick it's essentially what we are.

The attacking and defending was very good though, really impressed with the Jones/Evans partnership also.
 
I dunno, I think Utd have a decent midfield that can control and create but Kagawa and Januzaj need to both play, not one or the other.

----------RVP-----------

Kagawa---Rooney---Januzaj

----Fellaini--Carrick

I know RVP was injured last night but that would be my pick. I'm not a fan of wingers tho and it's a big fetish for Utd. Personally think Moyes should be brave and ditch it
 
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Fellaini's probably the worst partner for Carrick we have at the club. I'm convinced there was more mobility in the O'Shea-Gibson midfield we fielded against Arsenal in a cup tie a few seasons ago.
 
Godotelli said:
If that is Utd coasting a game you've let your standards drop. RS bossed the midfield from about 10 minutes before half time for long spells. Granted, RS didn't have a Rooney up top but Utd played like the away team for long stretches. Most of the chances came on the break late on when RS were pushing for the equaliser.
I was impressed with Rooney but not at all impressed with Utd. Still had to rely on an OG which really shouldn't have stood.
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You were clearly seeing what you wanted to see, imo. As the stats showed, we dominated possession (you need the midfield for that) had almost twice as many shots and hit the post twice - both before playing on the break.

United have never been a team that uses 'sterile domination' to control matches - we've always been about turning attack into defence as quickly as possible, generally using width. Which is what we did yesterday.

I know City and many other top teams play a far more controlled, slower and more dominant style where most things run through a packed midfield - and that's very good and obviously bring loads of teams tons of success - but for whatever reason United have kept it old school, and still have the same old strategy: get ball, immediately get it out wide, run down wing, get it in.
 
Aboutreika18 said:
Fellaini's probably the worst partner for Carrick we have at the club. I'm convinced there was more mobility in the O'Shea-Gibson midfield we fielded against Arsenal in a cup tie a few seasons ago.
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Yep. I don't think either player is terrible, but together we're far to easy to carve up. Don't know if Moyes has an answer, tbh, but all signs indicate Fellaini wasn't the only type of midfielder he was trying to sign in the summer - that he was looking for a more mobile, creative type to (presumably) replace Carrick.
 
It's disheartening though to have spent close to around 80M in central midfielders since we signed Carrick and yet he's still our best option along with a youth academy player in Cleverley.
 
Man Utd defense vs fucking Stoke is ALL OVER THE PLACE! We could have been 0-3 down if not for De Gea saving our ass!

Are there players with AMBITION IN MAN UTD?! (except for Rooney, all don't know what to fucking do on field).

This season is dire and Moyes is partially to blame with his constant squad rotations.

Can't believe, Nani is playing and wasting chances. Again!!!!
 
WELL WASN'T THAT FUCKING DIFFICULT!

The fact we look best when Rooney is in central midfield is awful irony isn't it.
 
If we cannot play 4 at back, try with 3.

Move Valencia to up, bring Kagawa to center, Januzaj on another wing, Fellaini might be in DM, Carrick in center, play Rooney and Persie up front.

We look so lost in defense it's shocking! Those guy didn't know what to do at times :LOL:.

Glad to get 3 points, but long way to go...
 
were not a team but essentially a bunch of individuals at the minute, we have the quality but as a unit were awful.

It's the reason we mainly look so awful, a lot of surgery is required unfortunately and its not even about keeping our so called 'best' players as some of them are part of the reason we look so bad as a team.

we have a serious problem with Rooney and our midfield again as he's easily the best option there along with Carrick but with all the talk of him wanting to play in his 'proper' position other than emergencies like today that's not an option.
 
Confidence is definitely an issue, some of the team are playing with fear caused by an uneasy atmosphere about the place.

We're scrambling about in defense, attackers are afraid to take risks, which is part of the reason we look a far better team when Adnan comes on.

Booing players like Nani certainly won't help either.
 
Two key issues:

1. Chris Smalling cannot play RB
2. Fear

But hey, that was a glorious FIFA formation at the end:

----Carrick----Rooney-----
--Januzaj--RVP--Kagawa----
----------Hernandez-------

Have that!
 
No, he came off the bench and helped change the game for us.

It's quite embarassing that we have to rely on someone so young because our current first teamers lack any enthusiasm or balls.
 
Only watched the first hour. Utd were utter wank and lucky not to have been 3 or 4 down.

Still, didn't think Stoke would hold out, they started sitting back far too early.

Comebacks are always confidence boosters tho no matter the performance beforehand so maybe this result will kickstart your season?

Booing Nani is hang your heads in shame stuff. Jesus... talk about being spoilt
 
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United weren't that bad in attack, but conceded chances so easily. So much of it comes down to Chris Smalling at RB. He can't turn, can't accelerate and can't pass. He's like a black hole for the team in that part of the pitch.

He's okay as a centre back, but playing him wide is like playing with 10 men. Almost all of their chances came from him just being significantly slower than the LMF.

We weren't that bad though, absolutely attack vs. defence for about 80 minutes of that match. De Gea saved us but should also have saved the free kick.

Something big needs to change if we want to compete with the sugar daddy clubs though. A chronic lack of investment has left us where our spending indicates - a upper mid level team. Need some serious quality and soon.
 
I wouldn't blame Smalling, it was a catalogue of errors that we suffered from.

It's strange that we've gone from complaining that Smalling was being used at RB instead of Jones in early 2011/12, to complaining that Jones is a terrible crosser at RB last season to now complaining about Smalling again.

The solution is to play Fabio or Valencia at RB when Rafael is injured/rested/unavailable.
 
Aboutreika18 said:
I wouldn't blame Smalling, it was a catalogue of errors that we suffered from.

It's strange that we've gone from complaining that Smalling was being used at RB instead of Jones in early 2011/12, to complaining that Jones is a terrible crosser at RB last season to now complaining about Smalling again.

The solution is to play Fabio or Valencia at RB when Rafael is injured/rested/unavailable.
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Varela has looked really good in the reserves as well, he's probably only a few months from making the jump up.

Good stuff from Moyes today though, can't complain about the formation, team sheet or subs.
 
Jones stupidity lead to freekick.

Jones was terrible at whatever position he played in defense, but our whole defense was wank today to say the least. 1st goal conceded was pathetic! (how could Pieters dribble past 3!! of our defensive players O_O).

Yeah we could have been down by 3 easily if not for De Gea saving our ass.

Somewhere near 70 min stats popped up for the game on attempts made and on target attempts.

It read something like 15 to 10 (MU - Stoke), but 3 to 5 (on target).

Seriously, if away team has MORE ON TARGET attempts from LESS chances than home team, it signifies MASSIVE problems.

Cleverley losing ball like crazy, Carrick misplacing passes, van Persie not looking sharp like last season, Nani blasting it wide from long range (when he didn't need to shoot)... And we still stick with attack wide, cross, hope someone will get to it type of play. Lack of any variety.

Wish we could play how Borussia is playing now.
 
Listen, it could be worse. We're definitely going through transition, and it's been as rocky as we feared it might be. A lot of the blame should be reserved for Ferguson, he seriously underinvested in the future of the team, presumably so that his legacy could be kept intact.

Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll be at most 3 points behind Chelsea or City. Given our worst ever start to a season.

The premier league is more competitive than more or less my whole life right now. Almost every team (sorry Palace) is capable of beating any other team on their day - I mean Southampton and Everton are in the top 4!

To conform with FFP City and Chelsea won't be able to spend another 100m every season, so that should bring them back in line. Arsenal have it all going their way at the moment which is good to see, and Liverpool look to have sorted themselves out and if they can keep Suarez they'll be a contender too. And of course Spurs turned the big Welshman into a whole new team.

Everyone is closer together, and United need a good window or two if we want to elevate ourselves back up to the elite position of better than everyone else. I'd argue that the league looks more like a league now, and less like a competition of whether or not Manchester United can beat all 19 other teams, or if 1 will manage to pip them for a season or two.

It's exciting. And with Kagawa starting to get games, and Januzaj featuring heavily, we have a few things to be cheerful about :)
 
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