Manchester United Thread

I'd be over the moon with LVG if he'd just ditch this horrendous 3-5-2 bullsh*t. We've once played well with it in a competitive match. Not once.

We had enough fit defenders to start yesterday (of course we then lost our obligatory CB) with a 442 but still persisted with a formation that seems best at putting us under constant pressure.

Still, 12 months ago imagine being told we'd have to play half our matches with at least 3/4 of Valencia, Young, and Paddy McNair in the back 4. Yeah.

41 injuries in the first week of December. I listen to a podcast that features some 'tough old players' - who basically said that in football, no player is ever 100% fit during the season. The difference between the 'model pros' and 'today's players' is that in the past 100 years of football, you just get on with it and do your job at 95%. For some reason today's young players seem to believe they should only set foot on the pitch if they feel perfect all over.

I think there's a balance between that view and muscle injuries that can lead to more serious problems, but it's crazy. I cannot believe Phil Jones is only able to play 10 matches a year. He's a big f*cking softie. As much as I love Rafael, I think he's the same. The second a little niggle comes up, off he goes.

It gets to the point where I'd rather have someone not as good as those two, but that can actually play 40 matches a year. Sacrifice talent for dedication. Because this year is a joke.
 
Might have something to do with that. It's probably also the fact that today footballers are far better athletes than in the past and being right at the edge makes you more susceptible to muscle injuries.
 
Godotelli said:
Might have something to do with that. It's probably also the fact that today footballers are far better athletes than in the past and being right at the edge makes you more susceptible to muscle injuries.
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But it's just us! (and Arsenal, and Newcastle).
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Look at Chelsea and City - both teams actually playing a lot more than United too, but nowhere near the injuries.
 
The likes of Utd have more injury prone players. Been the same for years. The fact that footballers need to push themselves to a higher athletic level to compete can only exasperate things. JJones, Evans et al may have been ok in the 90's and prior.

Our inuries are few but have occurred to the more important players (Kompany, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Jovetic, Dzeko)
 
Saw this on reddit and thought it was cool :

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Academy players used-

Rafael
Evans
Januzaj
Fletcher
McNair
Lingard
Blackett
Wilson
Welbeck
Cleverley
Vermijl
James
Keane
Janko
Pereira
 
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Nah. You can't decry the 'injury curse' and then pat yourselves on the back for fielding a bunch of youngster because of it. Not on my watch :SHAKE:

The funny thing is that the 2 on that list who probably played the most in recent times have both been let go.
 
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I think Arsenal's list should be increased now, as Maitland-Niles, O'Connor and Zelalem played. From the top of my head, these are the academy players we've used this season:
Szczesny
Martínez
Gibbs
Hayden
Bellerín
O'Connor
Ajayi
Wilshere
Zelalem
Coquelin
Gnabry
Akpom
Maitland-Niles
 
Buying almost made prodigy players of 16, 17 years of age sure boost your "academy" players numbers. Homegrown talent right there.
 
They still count as academy players. 15/16 years of age is the most important age in the development process.
 
What is scary is that you have won 6 in a row with most of your best players missing at one time or another, you have had to chop and change your defence and you have a new manager still learning this league.

Financial Fair Play will benefit you long term as well because you will still be able to spend loads of money every season as you bring in huge attendances and sponsorship money. Bit like us - but Wenger doesn't target players we need, he just wants flashy number 10s.

I admit, I am jealous. We should have got LVG in and you should have stuck with Moyes for another 5 years!

Good win today well done.
 
Damjan said:
They still count as academy players. 15/16 years of age is the most important age in the development process.
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For a normal player yes. For a Kid that reaches 18 and he's playing regulary first team football not really, like the likes of Januzaj or Rafael. Those type of players you know they will make it, the question is just will they make it at elite level or not.
 
Fray Bentos said:
What is scary is that you have won 6 in a row with most of your best players missing at one time or another, you have had to chop and change your defence and you have a new manager still learning this league.

Financial Fair Play will benefit you long term as well because you will still be able to spend loads of money every season as you bring in huge attendances and sponsorship money. Bit like us - but Wenger doesn't target players we need, he just wants flashy number 10s.

I admit, I am jealous. We should have got LVG in and you should have stuck with Moyes for another 5 years!

Good win today well done.
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Yeah its easy to forget how much rotation in nearly all positions we seen this season after a streak like this. Hell re the defense: we ve been playing Valencia and Young as freaking wingbacks for what..2 or 3 games now? To be fair - they've been fairly decent at it..especially Valencia with his strength but it really is utter improvisation in the absence of now Rojo, Shaw, Smalling, Rafael and Blind. Not to mention this was Evans s first full game in a while and Jones first since the injury.
 
Phew, always one of the toughest fixtures of the season when we come up against the old nemesis. To get through the match and take three points is really against recent form with the perennial enemy. Was terrified when I saw the official team sheet.

Anytime we win against Martin Atkinson, you've gotta say luck is on our side. As it was today.

*of course nice to beat Liverpool too.
 
Godotelli said:
Best bit about the game was Fellaini's 1st half performance. Looked like a fan had blagged his way into the team Haha
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best bit about the game was the 3 points off our most hated team.

Yup performances are still poor but i'll take that, 8 points off top isnt a massive gap considering how bad we've been

Better than last year, all be it playing in less comps, thats all United supporters wanted.
 
Godotelli said:
Best bit about the game was Fellaini's 1st half performance. Looked like a fan had blagged his way into the team Haha
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Fellaini actually did well breaking up play and setting off counter attacks yesterday. van gaal is getting better performances out of him, young and the other poorer players under Moyes.

Not looking forward to Man U having Di Maria, Shaw, Blind etc back. 3rd is nailed on for them, van gaal 2nd best manager in the league behind Mourinho.
 
Fray Bentos said:
Fellaini actually did well breaking up play and setting off counter attacks yesterday. van gaal is getting better performances out of him, young and the other poorer players under Moyes.

Not looking forward to Man U having Di Maria, Shaw, Blind etc back. 3rd is nailed on for them, van gaal 2nd best manager in the league behind Mourinho.
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2nd half maybe. 1st half he was terrible
 
Godotelli said:
2nd half maybe. 1st half he was terrible
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In the grand scheme of things it doesnt matter though, Man U still keep picking up 3 points whilst playing badly and with loads of injuries.

6 wins a row is pretty good, manager means everything.

meanwhile we have a stubborn old fool in charge which is why Arsenal will never move forwards as a club unless we change our philosophy from top to bottom.

Can I touch on De Gea, Man U supporters? Best GK in the league right now?? I laughed when you signed him I must say, I thought he would never make it in England.

WOW he is amazing and will only get better. You know what i am going to say next - WHY doesnt Wenger look at getting in a world class Keeper?!!! Its how you win titles.

City won title with a very good Joe Hart (he is looking good again these days too, nowhere near De Gea or Courtois class though)

Chelsea with Cech.

Man U with Van De Sar and De Gea.

Arsenal? Sir Chesney. Will never reach the heights of previously mentioned GKs.

Aaarrrggggh I cant handle more Wenger!!! (Sorry I will take that to Arsenal thread)
 
De Gea is a top shot stopper but the trick to scoring past him is to aim your shots anywhere but right at him. LFC players didn't get the memo

Football coverage is far too hyperbolic these days. eg. Solsjjaer saying his performance yesterday was the best Utd GK performance he'd seen. He was better vs Everton - those were some great saves. You'd be disappointed not to stop most if not all of those yesterday, as LVG hinted at.
 
gerd said:
Strange that Solskjaer would say that, he played with the best GK ever, Peter Schmeichel.
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He isnt the best GK ever but he was a great United player. It could be argued that VDS was a better keeper for united than Schmeichel, I saw both and I know who I would rather have in my team.

I think its difficult to compare GK in that way, is a keeper who plays behind world class midfielders and defenders better than a GK who doesnt and has to make more saves per game?

Personally I prefer VDS over Schmeichel, De Gea has a way to go to match either of them but his improvement over three years is impressive, shot stopping, distribution and all round play are spot on and from what I hear unlike his two esteemed predecessors he is a decent guy.
 
VDS was a great GK too.
But to me Schmeichel is the best ever.

Other alltime greats i have seen:

Southall (my favourite)
Banks
Preudhomme
Dasaev
Maier
Zoff

What was your all time best GK ?
 
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