Manchester United Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - 2013/14 mod warning post#7259

F.J.

He didn't play there permanently last season and if he is thinking about playing there later in his career what is the issue with playing there in one or two games last season.

It is a weak excuse for trying to explain whatever happened with Ferguson.

onemorechance

He didn't have an issue with playing a couple of games in CM, he even said he enjoyed it. I think his issue was not being the main striker or playing centre forward in most games.

kryogen

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Disagree. SAF always had the club's best interests at heart. RVP came available, the league's best player that time, and went for him.

Always had the clubs best interest at heart?

Look, I'm not going to get into this, and I do not want to be bad mouthing him at all. I disagree with what you say however. Not that I think he didn't give a **** about the club, far from it. Simply the statement always had the clubs best interests at heart, when he didn't. Not always.

RVP was too good an opportunity to pass up, that is agreed by everyone I think.

onemorechance

Signing RvP wasn't in the best interest of the club!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHNxEVY9v98

kryogen

onemorechance wrote: »

Signing RvP wasn't in the best interest of the club!

Cant you read?

Video is quite ironic really

kryogen

I have a feeling I may need to walk you through this, read the bolded part properly now.

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Disagree. SAF always had the club's best interests at heart. RVP came available, the league's best player that time, and went for him.

Have another read just so your sure. Then read the next bolded bits

kryogen wrote: »

Always had the clubs best interest at heart?

Look, I'm not going to get into this, and I do not want to be bad mouthing him at all. I disagree with what you say however. Not that I think he didn't give a **** about the club, far from it. Simply the statement always had the clubs best interests at heart, when he didn't. Not always.

RVP was too good an opportunity to pass up, that is agreed by everyone I think.

From that you managed to get this statement

onemorechance wrote: »

Signing RvP wasn't in the best interest of the club!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHNxEVY9v98

Then posted a video in an attempt to ridicule, which just made you look ridiculous yourself. I have an image of you drooling on your keyboard for some reason

Discodog

The training regime has clearly changed.

"The training has been so hard," said Rooney.

"We've done a lot of different types of training, a lot more running; long running, quicker running, sharper running.o

"That's been of benefit to me. I feel as fit as I have done at any point."

Mitch Connor

Discodog wrote: »

The training regime has clearly changed.

"The training has been so hard," said Rooney.

"We've done a lot of different types of training, a lot more running; long running, quicker running, sharper running.o

"That's been of benefit to me. I feel as fit as I have done at any point."

Hasn't been of benefit to RVP seemingly, from what I have read and been told elsewhere - blames Moyes' training methods for the groin injury he picked up earlier in the season, pushing too hard.

Would also reckon such training methods would not be of help to Rio - if he is doing the same training as the rest of the squad.

Anderson seems to some how be negating the effects of the running though - haven't seen any improvement in his movement or stamina in the time we have seen him so far this season, which disappoints me. I was very clear that I thought Anderson had a real chance to come good under Moyes, felt he would be a Moyes project and player. Cleverley seems to have benefited a lot more though.

Dancor

Fasted player in the world apparently, pity he cant turn a player at speed anymore though.

Unearthly

Have to say I'm surprised to see Rooney 7th. He hasn't looked fast to me for a few seasons

kryogen

Unearthly wrote: »

Have to say I'm surprised to see Rooney 7th. He hasn't looked fast to me for a few seasons

Are you as surprised as when you saw it posted a couple of days ago?

Rooney used to be very fast, he either lost that pace or doesn't use it anymore sadly. You rarely see him run at defenders now and commit them.

homerjay2005

the harder training has both positives and negatives - it unsettles players like Rio, but suits others.

it could and i stress could be a reason why our season started so poorly, BUT it means that the potential is there for the team to really be bouncing later in the season when others may have gone stale. could explain also why moyes' teams at Everton traditionally started slowly.

only concern is that it may not be so good for older players, later in the season.

Giggsy11

homerjay2005 wrote: »

the harder training has both positives and negatives - it unsettles players like Rio, but suits others.

it could and i stress could be a reason why our season started so poorly, BUT it means that the potential is there for the team to really be bouncing later in the season when others may have gone stale. could explain also why moyes' teams at Everton traditionally started slowly.

only concern is that it may not be so good for older players, later in the season.

Yeah, it might not be good for older player but I think players like Rio will have different regimes. He just can't train like other players with his back problems.

Also we can phase out Rio, Evra, Giggs for next season and probably only 3 players from the first 11 will be 30+. Carrick, RVP and Vidic.

kryogen

Personally I hope all this extra running they are doing is not taking away from the time spent working on ball skills and stuff related to that.

ericzeking

On the training...we will see the benefits later in the season as endurance takes above all else, time. It is almost definitely a contributory factor to our lethargic start. However, once this season is done and with the way players keep themselves in shape in the off season nowadays we should really see the benefit of the new training regime next season where there won't be the same base building period required, we should be flying out of the blocks and it should be sustainable. All positive.
Rio is surely still following his own plan...

RVP complaining about being pushed too hard, if that is true, it's b0ll0cks, he's a professional athlete with no such fitness problems as Rio for example.

Rooney being oh so happy playing as a striker provides us with a bit of a problem in that the general consensus is that we need someone playing that creative role as a no.10, more of an attacking midfielder and not a striker. It has been noticeable this season that while he drops back now and again he really has been playing as a second striker.

Mitch Connor

ericzeking wrote: »

RVP complaining about being pushed too hard, if that is true, it's b0ll0cks, he's a professional athlete with no such fitness problems as Rio for example.

Completely disagree. If you are pushing your players to the point of injuring them, you are pushing them too hard.

For example, Wenger said he might rest Per Mertersaker (sp) vs West Brom (didn't see the game, so don't know if he did) as Mertersaker was 'Red' in terms of conditioning and needed a rest, so as not to over-do himself and rist a fatigue injury. That is how you manage players - you manage their fitness. If that means dialing back your training methods at certain times, or even for certain players, then so be it. Any manager who treats all players the same with regards to fitness and conditioning work is simply doing their job incorrectly imo. a lot of stuff will be team based with everyone doing it - but just as some players need more, for example, running (Anderson) there will be players who need and can physically cope with (or be able to take) less.

As for RVP having no fitness problems such as Rio - RVP has been a well know injury waiting to happen throughout his career - only in the last 2 or three seasons has this not been the case. Maybe it is simply luck - but maybe the way he trains (as by Wenger/Fergie) was altered so better suit his physical conditioning and injury record - much as Giggs' and Rio's have been - and maybe the management team isn't sticking to those same fitness/training plans.

Giggsy11

RVP wrote:

I got an enormous stamp on my toe & I thought it had broken, but scan showed it was not. I played on Sunday but it hasn't got better

So RVP was playing even when he was not 100%. We have Hernandez who is not even getting any games in the league and keep on playing the half fit strikers.

We should just rest him and play Hernandez.

Mitch Connor

Giggsy11 wrote: »

So RVP was playing even when he was not 100%. We have Hernandez who is not even getting any games in the league and keep on playing the half fit strikers.

We should just rest him and play Hernandez.

The chances we have not taken to play Hernandez, Kagawa, Zaha and Fabio have been odd to me this season.

The fact Zaha hasn't had a minute is the oddest one - reckon he could be one for the chopping block to be honest. Have read that Moyes just doesn't rate him, at all (which if true, in fairness, is a good explanation as to why Moyes hasn't played him at all)

Giggsy11

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Completely disagree. If you are pushing your players to the point of injuring them, you are pushing them too hard.

For example, Wenger said he might rest Per Mertersaker (sp) vs West Brom (didn't see the game, so don't know if he did) as Mertersaker was 'Red' in terms of conditioning and needed a rest, so as not to over-do himself and rist a fatigue injury. That is how you manage players - you manage their fitness. If that means dialing back your training methods at certain times, or even for certain players, then so be it. Any manager who treats all players the same with regards to fitness and conditioning work is simply doing their job incorrectly imo. a lot of stuff will be team based with everyone doing it - but just as some players need more, for example, running (Anderson) there will be players who need and can physically cope with (or be able to take) less.

As for RVP having no fitness problems such as Rio - RVP has been a well know injury waiting to happen throughout his career - only in the last 2 or three seasons has this not been the case. Maybe it is simply luck - but maybe the way he trains (as by Wenger/Fergie) was altered so better suit his physical conditioning and injury record - much as Giggs' and Rio's have been - and maybe the management team isn't sticking to those same fitness/training plans.

1. Probably Arsenal are the last team we should be looking at for "how to manager players". Their injury list this season and last was much bigger than any team.

2. Is there any proof that all the players are following the same schedule? I'm assuming you meant that.

3. It's not luck. Last year in one of the interview he said he isn't playin withdrawn role or on wings. So he doesn't fight for the ball going strong in 50-50s which reduce the impact on his knees/ankles. He is playing as #9 purely so that helped a lot too. It is something RVP himself said.

Giggsy11

Mitch Connor wrote: »

The chances we have not taken to play Hernandez, Kagawa, Zaha and Fabio have been odd to me this season.

The fact Zaha hasn't had a minute is the oddest one - reckon he could be one for the chopping block to be honest. Have read that Moyes just doesn't rate him, at all (which if true, in fairness, is a good explanation as to why Moyes hasn't played him at all)

Yeah. Hernandez at least have done really well when he gets chances but still he ends up on the bench.

Fabio and Zaha should have had lot more games than they had till now. Maybe Zaha's case was we had hard fixtures so couldn't risk playing youngster but I can't find excuse for not playing Fabio at RB when Rafael was injured.

Mitch Connor

Giggsy11 wrote: »

1. Probably Arsenal are the last team we should be looking at for "how to manager players". Their injury list this season and last was much bigger than any team.

2. Is there any proof that all the players are following the same schedule? I'm assuming you meant that.

3. It's not luck. Last year in one of the interview he said he isn't playin withdrawn role or on wings. So he doesn't fight for the ball going strong in 50-50s which reduce the impact on his knees/ankles. He is playing as #9 purely so that helped a lot too. It is something RVP himself said.

1 - refering to the fact players condition has to be taken into account, the example is valid.
2 - The original comment indicates RVP should be treated the same as any other player (bar Rio) with regards to training and fitness work - so my comment is based on that implication - that all the players should be capable of the same training and STFU about any issues they have.
3 - Fair enough, that could be the reason. My point stands though - RVP does have a horrid injury record. And the general point is training has to be tailored to the individual to some extent in a good number of cases. If it is true RVP was pushed to the point of breaking (his opinion maybe that is the case) then the training schedule he was on was inappropriate.

ericzeking

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Completely disagree. If you are pushing your players to the point of injuring them, you are pushing them too hard.

For example, Wenger said he might rest Per Mertersaker (sp) vs West Brom (didn't see the game, so don't know if he did) as Mertersaker was 'Red' in terms of conditioning and needed a rest, so as not to over-do himself and rist a fatigue injury. That is how you manage players - you manage their fitness. If that means dialing back your training methods at certain times, or even for certain players, then so be it. Any manager who treats all players the same with regards to fitness and conditioning work is simply doing their job incorrectly imo. a lot of stuff will be team based with everyone doing it - but just as some players need more, for example, running (Anderson) there will be players who need and can physically cope with (or be able to take) less.

As for RVP having no fitness problems such as Rio - RVP has been a well know injury waiting to happen throughout his career - only in the last 2 or three seasons has this not been the case. Maybe it is simply luck - but maybe the way he trains (as by Wenger/Fergie) was altered so better suit his physical conditioning and injury record - much as Giggs' and Rio's have been - and maybe the management team isn't sticking to those same fitness/training plans.

RVPs previously poor injury record if I am not mistaken was due to brittleness, particularly around the ankles as oppose to a general fitness problem such as Rios back or Giggs hamstring, so they are completely different cases. I would say his record has improved due playing a more forward role in his last years with Arsenal and with United rather than any specific training, in that he isn't getting clobbered in the midfield area as much as he was earlier in his career.

I take your point about managing players differently, I agree. However, the way I read it was RVP complaining about hard training, maybe I am wrong.
I'm going to assume that if the groin injury was due to training or overtraining then it was some sort of repetitive strain injury due to the change up in training intensity, it is unfortunate but the staff could not have foreseen that his body would react that way, they will know in future.
On the plus side it shows RVP was pushing himself right to the limit in training for the new manager, very positive, in my opinion.

Mitch Connor

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Yeah. Hernandez at least have done really well when he gets chances but still he ends up on the bench.

Fabio and Zaha should have had lot more games than they had till now. Maybe Zaha's case was we had hard fixtures so couldn't risk playing youngster but I can't find excuse for not playing Fabio at RB when Rafael was injured.

The fact Raf missed so many games and Buttner ended up with more playing time than Fabio is perplexing - could have played him RB instead of Jones/Smalling or LB instead of Buttner (when resting Evra). Wrong calls, imo.

magnumbud

Mitch Connor wrote: »

The chances we have not taken to play Hernandez, Kagawa, Zaha and Fabio have been odd to me this season.

The fact Zaha hasn't had a minute is the oddest one - reckon he could be one for the chopping block to be honest. Have read that Moyes just doesn't rate him, at all (which if true, in fairness, is a good explanation as to why Moyes hasn't played him at all)

i dont really think its that odd about Zaha. like we are not that far into the season he will get chances but its a bit risky for a new manager to come in under massive pressure and give playing time in 2 key areas to 2 young lads. he would likely have got game time in the league cup first game had it not been liverpool and i would imagine he will get some against norwich and move on from there.

Mitch Connor

magnumbud wrote: »

i dont really think its that odd about Zaha. like we are not that far into the season he will get chances but its a bit risky for a new manager to come in under massive pressure and give playing time in 2 key areas to 2 young lads. he would likely have got game time in the league cup first game had it not been liverpool and i would imagine he will get some against norwich and move on from there.

Not playing at home vs Palace was a big surprise to me. Given how poor the wingers have been this season, if Zaha is as talented as some make him out to be, i'd have thought he should have been given a shot.

Maybe it is simply Moyes rates Januzaj higher and elected to give him the time instead (assumption being only one could be given the time).
Maybe he just hasn't found the time/place in the side for him just yet.
Maybe he just doesn't rate him.

v3ttel

Dancor wrote: »

Fasted player in the world apparently, pity he cant turn a player at speed anymore though.

Good ol' Frack Ribery.

magnumbud

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Not playing at home vs Palace was a big surprise to me. Given how poor the wingers have been this season, if Zaha is as talented as some make him out to be, i'd have thought he should have been given a shot.

Maybe it is simply Moyes rates Januzaj higher and elected to give him the time instead (assumption being only one could be given the time).
Maybe he just hasn't found the time/place in the side for him just yet.
Maybe he just doesn't rate him.

i was surprised and do wish he was given time just to show as yes our wingers have not been preforming as i said i am just looking at it that imagine if he had played both zaha and januzaj in some of those earlier games and the results had stayed the same. it would just simply have been another stick to beat him with. i would wait another 3 or 4 months and judge then why isnt he getting played. as i said it was unfortunate that the first league cup game was against a big rival as i would have had no doubt that both him and januzaj would have started had the game been one with less pressure on them.

chainsawman

Dont know why all the crtitics Moyes is getting. Let him do his own work, it is like a jigsaw puzzle. he is trying to find the right ones to click in. Could take weeks or months. As we all know Rome wasn't build in a day...

Mitch Connor

chainsawman wrote: »

Dont know why all the crtitics Moyes is getting. Let him do his own work, it is like a jigsaw puzzle. he is trying to find the right ones to click in. Could take weeks or months. As we all know Rome wasn't build in a day...

Really?

You can't see how failure to sign players, the results against Chelsea, Liverpool, City and West Brom, along with the performances in all of those apart from the Chelsea game, could contribute to people criticising Moyes.

On top of that - you will have criticisms that are completely natural with football all the time, such as where we disagree with the tactics employed or player selections, criticisms that are compounded and then very likely after poor results or performances.

With regards to training - we are simply going on what we have read and offering an opinion on it. Don't see the issue. Just said that while it may suit some players, it may not suit all players - and it might be too focused on physical stamina.

Also, Rome wasn't built in a day? We won the league last season - i'd be the first to say our squad needed new, talented, faces and a new approach was needed. However, it isn't a bad squad or team, Moyes simply isn't getting the performance out of them. Rome wasn't built from scratch in a day - the United side does not need to be built from scratch.

homerjay2005

chainsawman wrote: »

Dont know why all the crtitics Moyes is getting.

while some things have been OTT like calling for him to step down, most of the things said so far have been correct. he has made alot of mistakes so far.

its up to him to put it right - November and December will either make or break him. ill pass my proper judgement on him once this period is over, as we will know then where we stand.

Need to be in top 3 by then.
Need to be in last 16 of Europe.
semi final spot in league cup would be a nice bonus, but i dont think many will judge him on it, unless the other 2 campaigns are a disaster.

Ferguson would have got the same stick if the results were the same, as the performances so far have been really really poor. added in some faux pas in the media and the transfer window and he has not made it easy for himself at all. the break comes at a good time however, our fixture list is ok for october/early november and it gives us a chance to build now over the next 4 weeks with Arsenal on the 10th at home, a real big test for us...

the period between Arsenal to Everton in early December is our most important part of the first 6 months of the season IMO.

bullvine

homerjay2005 wrote: »

while some things have been OTT like calling for him to step down, most of the things said so far have been correct. he has made alot of mistakes so far.

its up to him to put it right - November and December will either make or break him. ill pass my proper judgement on him once this period is over, as we will know then where we stand.

Need to be in top 3 by then.
Need to be in last 16 of Europe.
semi final spot in league cup would be a nice bonus, but i dont think many will judge him on it, unless the other 2 campaigns are a disaster.

Ferguson would have got the same stick if the results were the same, as the performances so far have been really really poor. added in some faux pas in the media and the transfer window and he has not made it easy for himself at all. the break comes at a good time however, our fixture list is ok for october/early november and it gives us a chance to build now over the next 4 weeks with Arsenal on the 10th at home, a real big test for us...

the period between Arsenal to Everton in early December is our most important part of the first 6 months of the season IMO.

I agree! if hes not in Top 3 come Jan 1st hes gonna be under some serious pressure!

Julez

Top 4 this season and qualify from CL group and I'll be happy as long as we make some solid moves in the summer and the team start playing some positive, good football. The transition was never going to be seemless, but as manager of Manchester United DM should be expecting critisism as the standards are so high. For now Moyes is getting my full backing. No panic buttons here.

chainsawman

Yeah, Remember what happened to United after when Matt Busby retired, theey were sacking managers right, left and centre, was all over the place til they find their feet in 1986. We dont want that, Look at Arsenal, great patience they have, pays dividend in the end with Arsenal on top with a very healthy bank account.

astonaidan

Dancor wrote: »

Fasted player in the world apparently, pity he cant turn a player at speed anymore though.

I wonder what Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks about this chart

kryogen

bullvine wrote: »

I agree! if hes not in Top 3 come Jan 1st hes gonna be under some serious pressure!

He doesn't absolutely have to be in the top 3 come January for me tbh, the team just has to look like it has made progress, both in the results and the performances (though that would be secondary to results)

If I feel he is starting to get to grips with the club and heading it in the right direction that will be good enough for me. Either way, barring a total disaster I want him to get 2 years at least so I am prepared for some (lots) of bumps along the way. He hasn't experienced managing at the top level before. He will get better I am sure, will he get to the level required? Who knows

kryogen

astonaidan wrote: »

I wonder what Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks about this chart

Probably wondering, like me, how Sanchez is 10th on that list

Kylo Ren

astonaidan wrote: »

I wonder what Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks about this chart

I'd say he'd change the font and maybe a lighter back round colour.

Robson99

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Hi mystic meg, nonsense absolute nonsense. Suarez gets banned for Liverpool, omg where will the goals come from, oh that's right Sturridge steps up.

Berba top scorer for united 2 seasons in a row, out of favour, wow where will the goals come from, okay let'is play Rooney up top? No problem 35+ goals.

If we didn't buy RVP have no doubt the goals would have come somewhere else they always do. stating RVP won us the league is complete dross, stating he would have won it for our rivals is complete dross as well, One thing city have in abundance is goal scores all over the pitch, they didn't lose the league from missing chances, they lost the league by dropping points to mid table teams,

Complete dross... ur having a laugh. Everyone has there opinion. But I think you will find a lot of people would agree with me.

Robson99

kryogen wrote: »

He doesn't absolutely have to be in the top 3 come January for me tbh, the team just has to look like it has made progress, both in the results and the performances (though that would be secondary to results)

If I feel he is starting to get to grips with the club and heading it in the right direction that will be good enough for me. Either way, barring a total disaster I want him to get 2 years at least so I am prepared for some (lots) of bumps along the way. He hasn't experienced managing at the top level before. He will get better I am sure, will he get to the level required? Who knows

Would agree with this however I dont think the Stretford End will put up with bad performances. He has got to get the team playing good football and not long ball stuff

magnumbud

chainsawman wrote: »

Yeah, Remember what happened to United after when Matt Busby retired, theey were sacking managers right, left and centre, was all over the place til they find their feet in 1986. We dont want that, Look at Arsenal, great patience they have, pays dividend in the end with Arsenal on top with a very healthy bank account.

not sure if serious or sarcasm? bar 2 managers (mcgunniness and o'farrell) united gave each manager nearly 5 years.

Vic Vinegar

Robson99 wrote: »

Would agree with this however I dont think the Stretford End will put up with bad performances. He has got to get the team playing good football and not long ball stuff

You don't know what you're talking about if you think we've been playing "long ball stuff" or that Moyes did whilst at Everton for that matter.

Robson99

Bombleswizzum wrote: »

You don't know what you're talking about if you think we've been playing "long ball stuff" or that Moyes did whilst at Everton for that matter.

Well we certainly are not a joy to watch this season are we. And Everton were certainly no Arsenal in terms of playing good football.

homerjay2005

Robson99 wrote: »

Would agree with this however I dont think the Stretford End will put up with bad performances. He has got to get the team playing good football and not long ball stuff

the strettie will be the one part of the ground, that will support him until the end. its the clowns who sit elsewhere who will turn on him first.

there were boos from the north stand after west brom, the team was clapped off down the tunnel by those in the strettie.

Bombleswizzum wrote: »

You don't know what you're talking about if you think we've been playing "long ball stuff" or that Moyes did whilst at Everton for that matter.

pipe down a bit, our football has been poor this year, no matter what way you want to describe it. its not exactly Stoke/Wimbledon stuff, but getting the ball wide and wipping in 40+ crosses per game from 40 yards out, is pretty agricultural football to be honest.

Maximus Alexander

Robson99 wrote: »

Well we certainly are not a joy to watch this season are we. And Everton were certainly no Arsenal in terms of playing good football.

United haven't been "a joy to watch" in years, but sure that's obviously all because of Moyes.

Vic Vinegar

Robson99 wrote: »

Well we certainly are not a joy to watch this season are we. And Everton were certainly no Arsenal in terms of playing good football.

True, we're not a long ball team though and Moyes isn't a long ball type manager... which is kind of what you were implying.

Watch some Stoke from last season and Wimbledon from the 80s & 90s for some classic hoofball.

Vic Vinegar

homerjay2005 wrote: »

pipe down a bit, our football has been poor this year, no matter what way you want to describe it. its not exactly Stoke/Wimbledon stuff, but getting the ball wide and wipping in 40+ crosses per game from 40 yards out, is pretty agricultural football to be honest.

lol... grow up.



We're not playing sexy samba football but it's not as bad as you're making out either.

Headshot

its horrendous stuff

crossing the ball in at any angle like a typical Everton team under Moyes

Robson99

Bombleswizzum wrote: »

True, we're not a long ball team though and Moyes isn't a long ball type manager... which is kind of what you were implying.

Watch some Stoke from last season and Wimbledon from the 80s & 90s for some classic hoofball.

Fair enough but I wasnt implying to the extreme of Stoke, Wimbledon etc.
As Homer said crossing from 40yds , full backs not overlapping, and the thoughts of him playing Fellani in the hole when Kawaga is available is what worries me

Mitch Connor

Bombleswizzum wrote: »

lol... grow up.



We're not playing sexy samba football but it's not as bad as you're making out either.

i think it is fairly accurate.

Look at the fact most our goals in the PL have come from set pieces, with the rest off crosses from wide.

We have scored nothing via inventive play through the centre, and we have hardly created chances from it either. Our play is: Get the ball wide, cross it in. Last season we played, on average, amongst the lowest long range passes in the league - this year we rant amongst the highest (17th last year, 3rd this year).

It isn't 'Put em under pressure' long ball football, no, but we are playing more long range passes in terms of balls over the top or played to the striker to hold up, and generally only creating by getting wide and crossing.

Mitch Connor

I would also say we'd likely be seeing even more of a reliance on crossing if Baines had been signed.