Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015

Pro. F

IrishIrish wrote: »

Valencia played right back long before Lvg came, Rooney had played midfield before Lvg came and plenty of people use to suggest Rooney should play midfield. Blind has also played cb plenty of times before coming to United.

And all this makes these choices good ones by LVG or not so good?

RobertKK

https://twitter.com/DavidMaguire3/status/630656038375694336

A bit of comedy for a Monday morning, Pedro's google search history 'can you die from mumps'...

Quite a serious viral infection http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/M/Mumps/Introduction.html
50% of men who get it end up with smaller testicles.
Can cause hearing loss.
maybe less fertile.
Can cause serious brain infection.

I say United will be happy to wait on Pedro, as symptoms of mumps can take 14 to 25 days to show after infection...

MagicIRL

Soothe your souls with the grammatical styling's of Juan Mata. http://juanmata8.com/blog/en/blog-is-back/

bucketybuck

I didn't get to see any football over the weekend unfortunately.

A quick look at the team sheet and I see my fears regarding team selection appear to have happened (Blind, Young, Herrera).

Was the game and performance any improvement on last seasons displays?

Adamocovic

bucketybuck wrote: »

I didn't get to see any football over the weekend unfortunately.

A quick look at the team sheet and I see my fears regarding team selection appear to have happened (Blind, Young, Herrera).

Was the game and performance any improvement on last seasons displays?

FYP :P

No wasn't a good performance. Some nice individual performances from Darmian and Smalling but up front was very poor and little created.

Saying that none of the top teams played well at all this weekend. No one seemed to hit the ground running and all looked quite poor.

Hopefully this weekend is different.

bangkok

bucketybuck wrote: »

I didn't get to see any football over the weekend unfortunately.

A quick look at the team sheet and I see my fears regarding team selection appear to have happened (Blind, Young, Herrera).

Was the game and performance any improvement on last seasons displays?

I would say of all the teams that played at the weekend, we had the least amount of shots on target than any other team which is a bit worrying.
Still missing that spark in the attacking zone, no real pace in the team

py2006

I missed the game, was away at a wedding at weekend. Anybody care to give me a brief one liner on how we played etc?

MagicIRL

py2006 wrote: »

I missed the game, was away at a wedding at weekend. Anybody care to give me a brief one liner on how we played etc?

Very, very solid defensively. Darmian is an absolute gem at RB. Going froward we were weak, but with Depay settling in to England and Mata having an off-day it is to be expected. Young was good, but his final delivery was very poor. Valencia came on for Darmian around 75ish mins, and you could see the difference as in black/white. All Spurs attacks went through Valencia for the end of the game.

All in all, not nearly as bad as people are making out in here, but I guess you knew that, since this thread is hopeless.

MythicalMadMan

Dennis Reynolds wrote: »

Maybe get Phil Jones on taking corners?

I really wish people would get over this, defenders have taken penalties corners and frees for a long time. Hell some goalkeepers have taken attacking free kicks and penalties for teams.

Just cause phil jones pulls stupid faces doesnt mean he cant take a corner, he was obviously doing well in training taking him.

Pretty sure in was in line to be our penalty taker if I remember correctly but pulled out of practising them when he found out he might be. (source some interview for last year although I could be wrong)

Polo_Mint

Im delighted with the win

Off the mark with 3 points with Chelsea and Arsenal messing up.

Adamocovic

Decided to do up some brief stats for the weekend and compare them with main rivals (in my eyes anyway). Obviously oppostion plays a part but decided to post nonetheless.

8-9 August Man United Spurs Chelsea Liverpool Arsenal Everton Southampton Swansea Man City
Total Shots 9 9 11 8 22 10 15 17 N/A
Shots on Target 1 4 3 3 6 5 5 10 N/A
Pass Success 82% 80% 79% 79% 86% 81% 77% 81% N/A
Aerial Success 39% 61% 40% 56% 64% 41% 68% 60% N/A
Successful Dribbles 2 7 14 9 22 6 8 13 N/A
Tackles 22 25 16 19 12 14 21 22 N/A


Really doesn't paint for good reading, but again it's only one game. Our aerial success is worrying but most importantly our successfull dribbles and shots on target are embarrassing. Really highlights how poor our attacking was.

I do think we don't see players taking on there man as much with VG as they seem to prefer to pass it off and run into space. Hopefully next week we see more attacking and players beating their men.

MythicalMadMan

homerjay2005 wrote: »

they have all won the champions league?

Ronaldos left foot is better than Ashley youngs right foot for f*ck sake.

Gets given a list of 6 players, picks one and compares him to Ashley Young good lord

you failed to address his point about inverted wingers though. You spout some about of inane negative drivel and when people make points back to you, you completely ignore it.

It seems you agenda is to have a whinge without basis to your points and its staring to get boring mate.

brinty

The Star running a "discreet enquiry" made for Arry Kane again - at this stage if the prices was right it'd take it
Rooney was pure shocking on Saturday. Was played at CF and did very very little. I'm on record for my dislike of him, so maybe that's a biased opinion.

Also see West ham are set to offer £12m for Chico, if that's true i'd do the deal (provided we have a replacement) its too good a price to turn down

homerjay2005

KH25 wrote: »

Surely Memphis would be in the starting 11 anyway? Who would keep him out of the team?

knowing Van Gaal, either Daley Blind or Fellaini!

brinty

MagicIRL wrote: »

Very, very solid defensively. Darmian is an absolute gem at RB. Going froward we were weak, but with Depay settling in to England and Mata having an off-day it is to be expected. Young was good, but his final delivery was very poor. Valencia came on for Darmian around 75ish mins, and you could see the difference as in black/white. All Spurs attacks went through Valencia for the end of the game.

All in all, not nearly as bad as people are making out in here, but I guess you knew that, since this thread is hopeless.

Thank heavens for Mike Smallings awareness and covering of Valencia on those last 15 minutes. We could easily have snatched a draw from the jaws of victory. Hopefully that's the end of the Valencia at RB experiment, cos its not working.

bangkok

Adamocovic wrote: »

Decided to do up some brief stats for the weekend and compare them with main rivals (in my eyes anyway). Obviously oppostion plays a part but decided to post nonetheless.

8-9 August Man United Spurs Chelsea Liverpool Arsenal Everton Southampton Swansea Man City
Total Shots 9 9 11 8 22 10 15 17 N/A
Shots on Target 1 4 3 3 6 5 5 10 N/A
Pass Success 82% 80% 79% 79% 86% 81% 77% 81% N/A
Aerial Success 39% 61% 40% 56% 64% 41% 68% 60% N/A
Successful Dribbles 2 7 14 9 22 6 8 13 N/A
Tackles 22 25 16 19 12 14 21 22 N/A

Really doesn't paint for good reading, but again it's only one game. Our aerial success is worrying but most importantly our successfull dribbles and shots on target are embarrassing. Really highlights how poor our attacking was.

I do think we don't see players taking on there man as much with VG as they seem to prefer to pass it off and run into space. Hopefully next week we see more attacking and players beating their men.

great table, it really does confirm to anybody who watched the game how poor we were in attack. Hopefully not a carry on from last season. We were very lucky to come away with the 3 points so better to just move on to Fridays game away to Villa. Be nice to have 6 points on the board after 2 games

bucketybuck

MagicIRL wrote: »

Young was good, but his final delivery was very poor.

How completely unsurprising.

It sounds like we were back to the turgid crap that comprised most of last season. Wonder will it take as long this time to realise the effect Herrera has on our play when he actually gets onto the field.

homerjay2005

MythicalMadMan wrote: »

Gets given a list of 6 players, picks one and compares him to Ashley Young good lord

you failed to address his point about inverted wingers though. You spout some about of inane negative drivel and when people make points back to you, you completely ignore it.

It seems you agenda is to have a whinge without basis to your points and its staring to get boring mate.

you used the top players in the world as an example to justify the fact that several of our players are played out of position and are misfiring badly for months in them - you then have the cheek to talk about your point being ignored and mentioned the word drivel,something that is dripping from your own posts. that post you made deserved to be ignored and ridiculed as several other posters have done.

theres an ignore button there on the left hand side there under username, feel free to press it if you dont like my posting style because from now on i certainly wont be interested in the s*it that you're putting up.

Mitch Connor

It is clear LVG doesn't want his players taking risks - so we only really see simple passes, and basically no attempts to take on a player.

Its god awful to watch, and I don't see it changing.

We aren't going to win anything like this, and we are going to be fecking boring to watch while failing.

Giggsy11

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Just read a quote on twitter from LVG saying we may buy a cb. But saying we have 3 cbs, smalling, mcnair and Jones. Quote must be BS...... Evans and rojo?

Tbf to Van Gaal, he said we have 3 RCBs and we will sign other CB only if they are much better than them.

But the United manager insists the new man must be good enough to oust Smalling from the first team – a player he says will be hard to find

He said: “We have three (right-sided) centre backs, we have Smalling, Jones and McNair but if he is much better than them then it is possible. We go for the best players and it has to be possible.

This is more or less his common reply. He always says if the player is better than what we have then only we will buy. Nothing to worry about Smalling's place in the team.

Also this **** Right footed CB and Left footed CB is just nonsense. You just play your best CBs. Can't wait to see Rojo back in the team. At least we will have 2 natural CBs and 2 CBs who satisfy Van Gaal's criteria.

TheDoc

My immediate reaction to the game was disappointment of the performance, happiness with the win, and giving benefit of the doubt it was just the early season cobwebs.

Looking at the other matches over the weekend, can be pretty happy with that win. Chelsea looked very out of shape imo, and struggled big time in the second half. Arsenal were Arsenal, and Liverpool and Stoke played out a horrific game for the neutral.

Hopefully string a few wins together while team sharpens up. It's early door, but need to capitalise on every slip up by rivals.

TheDoc

Mitch Connor wrote: »

It is clear LVG doesn't want his players taking risks - so we only really see simple passes, and basically no attempts to take on a player.

Its god awful to watch, and I don't see it changing.

We aren't going to win anything like this, and we are going to be fecking boring to watch while failing.

You have that perception in your head now, and from looking at your posts you are going to preface everything with that perception, and clearly going to take a lot of convincing.

Maximus Alexander

MagicIRL wrote: »

Soothe your souls with the grammatical styling's of Juan Mata. http://juanmata8.com/blog/en/blog-is-back/

Brilliant:

but I don’t want you to get bored: this is the first post, I know it’s been a while since you don’t read the blog and you have to get used to it again ;-)

It's almost like he's subtly talking about Saturday's performance.

Mitch Connor

TheDoc wrote: »

You have that perception in your head now, and from looking at your posts you are going to preface everything with that perception, and clearly going to take a lot of convincing.

How can you look at how we play, and read/hear what LVG says about how he wants us to play - and not come to the same conclusion with regards to the 'philosophy' LVG is implementing.

He has stated that he doesn't want players playing instinctively. Andy Mitten said last season that Di Maria was the only player allowed the freedom to dribble/take on players.

I will change my mind when I see us trying to play exciting football. I've not seen it under LVG, it has been pragmatic play from the start. We don't take enough risks, though I would also say we have few players capable of taking risks. We need players with spark and dynamism - Memphis is the only first team regular (or I guess will be) that I would look to for that, similar to Hazard or Sanchez (not saying he is on their level).

TheDoc

Mitch Connor wrote: »

How can you look at how we play, and read/hear what LVG says about how he wants us to play - and not come to the same conclusion with regards to the 'philosophy' LVG is implementing.

He has stated that he doesn't want players playing instinctively. Andy Mitten said last season that Di Maria was the only player allowed the freedom to dribble/take on players.

I will change my mind when I see us trying to play exciting football. I've not seen it under LVG, it has been pragmatic play from the start. We don't take enough risks, though I would also say we have few players capable of taking risks. We need players with spark and dynamism - Memphis is the only first team regular (or I guess will be) that I would look to for that, similar to Hazard or Sanchez (not saying he is on their level).

Nothing I can say is going to change, hopefully the team can actually get to grips with it this season, and then we will see.

The days of United playing with pace down the flanks, and blowing teams away with explosive football is gone. That aint coming back, apart from the odd counter attack goal.

Van Gaal is all about dominating possession, starving the opposition, and picking them off. I agree with you to an extent, I don't like it. I disliked Barcalona in their pomp massively, I found them incredibly boring to watch, genuinely incredibly boring. For every one minute of exciting intricate plays and goals, there was 15 minutes of Puyol, Pique and Busquets knocking it between each other.

But I do feel there will be more freedom for the front 4 this season, as hopefully there will be more solidity behind.

But with most teams going to sit back deep against us like last, and try play on the counter, we need to be cautious against that which means recycling possession and probing.

There are people though, I'm not exactly one of them, who jzzed a pound of butter when watching Barca under Pep, or even at times last year, and love that dominant possession football. I personally prefer that high tempo end to end stuff the PL was so famous for, that is being watered down a lot in recent years, but I'm slowly coming to terms with appreciating it also.

but I'd also say to your "I havn't seen it under Van Gaal" it was clearly there at times, and if you didn't get excited and giddy as we carved open Spurs, Liverpool and Man city with incredible play, then you just have an agenda and aren't willing to concede so its pointless.

MythicalMadMan

homerjay2005 wrote: »

you used the top players in the world as an example to justify the fact that several of our players are played out of position and are misfiring badly for months in them - you then have the cheek to talk about your point being ignored and mentioned the word drivel,something that is dripping from your own posts. that post you made deserved to be ignored and ridiculed as several other posters have done.

theres an ignore button there on the left hand side there under username, feel free to press it if you dont like my posting style because from now on i certainly wont be interested in the s*it that you're putting up.

I didnt make the original point? Then you call my posts drivel LOL.
You say that point deserved to be Ignored but you responded to it
Your all over the place, its even harder to take you any way serious now.

I wont ignore you and will keep responding to your negative and hyperbolic nonsense,

bucketybuck

TheDoc wrote: »

My immediate reaction to the game was disappointment of the performance

Performance is everything. wins and results will follow if the manager gets the players to actually perform, but to this point in his reign performance has been badly lacking from Van Gaals United.

Its the first game, but I do think people can tell the difference between a rusty team and a team simply not playing well. No point belaboring the point now, but I do suspect should we revisit this point in ten games time the same concerns will be there.

Not the same concerns from the weekend, the same concerns from the performances of last season.

Adamocovic

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its the first game, but I do think people can tell the difference between a rusty team and a team simply not playing well. No point belaboring the point now, but I do suspect should we revisit this point in ten games time the same concerns will be there.

Not the same concerns from the weekend, the same concerns from the performances of last season.

Time will tell, it will be interesting after 5/6 games to see how we are performing and what are results will look like.

Ed The Equalizer

TheDoc wrote: »

There are people though, I'm not exactly one of them, who jzzed a pound of butter when watching Barca under Pep, or even at times last year, and love that dominant possession football.

Not quite a pound of pound of butter but I'm really enjoying watching United under Van Gaal. I hated watching us playing Barca as they completely controlled the game. Now we're becoming the team in control, as we were last year against the big teams. Now with our stronger midfield and defence we're only going to get better at it.

The front 4 is still an issue. Despite having their good points, I think we can do better than Rooney, Young and Mata.

Lord TSC

While I get there was a bad performance, it saddens me that the negativity has gotten worse over the last 48 hours, and I can't help but feel that we're only a step or two away from some calling for LVG's head

And before it's said, I don't buy the "we just want him to pull his head out of his ass" line, because LVG is doing what he's always done, using the same tactics he's always done. He's not going to change his game style with two years or so left in his career. The only way United are going to be shifting away from possession based football to a faster counter attack football is with a change of management.

Leroy42

Given the continued sideshow of DDG, the fact that Darmien was such a good performer and Depay looks likely (hopefully) to be a star, I wonder why English teams are not putting more effort, or maybe the effort is there but the approach is wrong, to building up players from UK.

Look at Terry's years of service for Chelsea, Scholes etc for Utd, Gerrard for Liverpool. Course you are still going to have some move but at the moment it seems UK teams are totally dependent on players choosing to leave their current top club. This normally means that A) that club doesn't see them as good enough for their 1st team, is heading towards the end of their career and looking for a last big contract, C) the current team just doesn't fit their talents.

You can bet that if Darmien starts doing great RM etc will be in for him. Not being from UK the ability to move is increased.

A good point was made on MOTD over the weekend that the top 4 are finding it harder to attract the top talent (Ronaldo, Messi etc) whilst the teams just below (Spurs, Swansea etc) are able to get players not top class but better than they had previously.

Barcelona of now, and Utd in 1999+ were built on a core of homegrown talent, meaning that it is harder to pry them away from the club. You're team either needs to be much better already, or pay way more than them.

beno619

Lord TSC wrote: »

And before it's said, I don't buy the "we just want him to pull his head out of his ass" line, because LVG is doing what he's always done, using the same tactics he's always done.

I dont think he has though, he's not playing a genuine #10 and Mata isnt a true inside forward.

Rossi IRL

Sky saying we might be signing Biglia for 17mill£ but they want 30mill£.

No no no no no this is turning into Gaitan levels of stupidness.

He is a average 29 yr old center mid, dont need him

py2006

Smalling is a scouser??

Kerrydude1981

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Sky saying we might be signing Biglia for 17mill£ but they want 30mill£.

No no no no no this is turning into Gaitan levels of stupidness.

He is a average 29 yr old center mid, dont need him

Was just about to ask what kind of a player is he?

TheDoc

Lord TSC wrote: »

While I get there was a bad performance, it saddens me that the negativity has gotten worse over the last 48 hours, and I can't help but feel that we're only a step or two away from some calling for LVG's head

And before it's said, I don't buy the "we just want him to pull his head out of his ass" line, because LVG is doing what he's always done, using the same tactics he's always done. He's not going to change his game style with two years or so left in his career. The only way United are going to be shifting away from possession based football to a faster counter attack football is with a change of management.

To be honest this is a new system again. I mis interpreted what his 4-3-3 was going to be this year. While previously articles and books I read that herardled his 4-3-3, I didn't realise it was with a 10. I thought the 4-3-3 last season was his "thing", and found it fascinating because it didn't have a 10, and used clever space in that area.

Now I understand his 4-3-3, and re-reading what I had done, now knowing what it looks like, I'm excited.

And to be honest from that material I read "boring" or "pragmatic" was not exactly the two words that seemed to jump out. All the indication was a team that could deal with various scenarios and situations at once, but also being a pretty fluid attack.

Still feel it maybe risky putting Memphis in that 10 role. My gut instinct would be to play him instead of Young, Mata in the middle, and then Young on the right. So he can cross with his right foot, and not have to constantly cut in. Let Memphis do that from the flank.

And if Pedro arrives, Mata central, Pedro right, Memphis left.

As has been said I can "see" why he might want to mould Memphis into a 10, he has an eye for a pass, a clever player, and a whopper shot on him. And Mata was developing nicely on that right flank into an auxiliary striker.

Maximus Alexander

py2006 wrote: »

Smalling is a scouser??

No?

ElChe32

Happy birthday to the greatest midfielder I've had the privilege of seeing live. I've met him on a few occasions and he's an absolute gent.



44 today!

Cookiemunster

py2006 wrote: »

Smalling is a scouser??

He's a Londoner.

Pro. F

Rossi IRL wrote: »

Sky saying we might be signing Biglia for 17mill£ but they want 30mill£.

No no no no no this is turning into Gaitan levels of stupidness.

He is a average 29 yr old center mid, dont need him

I wouldn't be worried about his age, but in terms of ability he's very ordinary as you say.

The_Kew_Tour

ElChe32 wrote: »

Happy birthday to the greatest midfielder I've had the privilege of seeing live. I've met him on a few occasions and he's an absolute gent.



44 today!

He was the greatest, but some will have him up there with Hitler and Pol Pot

Adamcp898

TheDoc wrote: »

Nothing I can say is going to change, hopefully the team can actually get to grips with it this season, and then we will see.

The days of United playing with pace down the flanks, and blowing teams away with explosive football is gone. That aint coming back, apart from the odd counter attack goal.

Van Gaal is all about dominating possession, starving the opposition, and picking them off. I agree with you to an extent, I don't like it. I disliked Barcalona in their pomp massively, I found them incredibly boring to watch, genuinely incredibly boring. For every one minute of exciting intricate plays and goals, there was 15 minutes of Puyol, Pique and Busquets knocking it between each other.

But I do feel there will be more freedom for the front 4 this season, as hopefully there will be more solidity behind.

But with most teams going to sit back deep against us like last, and try play on the counter, we need to be cautious against that which means recycling possession and probing.

There are people though, I'm not exactly one of them, who jzzed a pound of butter when watching Barca under Pep, or even at times last year, and love that dominant possession football. I personally prefer that high tempo end to end stuff the PL was so famous for, that is being watered down a lot in recent years, but I'm slowly coming to terms with appreciating it also.

but I'd also say to your "I havn't seen it under Van Gaal" it was clearly there at times, and if you didn't get excited and giddy as we carved open Spurs, Liverpool and Man city with incredible play, then you just have an agenda and aren't willing to concede so its pointless.

With all the way in this post apart from the last paragraph; I think the importance of those games has been overvalued and the strength of the performances was largely due to a gimmicky offensive tactic that isn't sustainable for a whole season.

But we are moving towards a possession based side which unfortunately means a lot of languid and lethargic football to the eye.

Mitch Connor

Also, the Barca style worked because they had some exception incisive attacking talents. We don't.

DM_7

United needed to get through 6 games in 22 days. Now it's 5 in just 16 days.

Game management is important between now and international break. Van Gaal will want controlled games to do that. United won't be busting guts from the start of games unless the game requires it such as the Liverpool game that follows the international break will. They may have to step things up during games if the control doesn't pay off.

Van Gaal's approach and idea on getting through games is what other managers such as Jose would do with 6 games in 22 days.

At this stage his approach won't actually tell us how good he can get the side performing based on what lies ahead between Friday and 30th of August. Things need to be restrained imo.

Pro. F

Adamcp898 wrote: »

But we are moving towards a possession based side which unfortunately means a lot of languid and lethargic football to the eye.

No necessarily! Many of the most exciting teams to watch have played possession based rather than counter-attacking. Pep's Barca was only one extreme style of possession football.

Adamcp898

Pro. F wrote: »

No necessarily! Many of the most exciting teams to watch have played possession based rather than counter-attacking. Pep's Barca was only one extreme style of possession football.

And I don't think we're going to try to be a replica of Pep's style either. But we are aiming to be a side which wants to possess the ball even when we don't plan on doing anything with it......if that's not too much of a contradiction. The whole clichéd "we rest when have the ball", " they can't hurt us if they don't have the ball" etc. goes some way to describe it but is too simplistic and too much of a sound-bite.

If we figure a way to both probe at sensible times and stop deferring to the default of keep the ball at all costs even when half a chance appears to do something then it'd be a lot more entertaining.

DM_7

Adamcp898 wrote: »

And I don't think we're going to try to be a replica of Pep's style either. But we are aiming to be a side which wants to possess the ball even when we don't plan on doing anything with it......if that's not too much of a contradiction. The whole clichéd "we rest when have the ball", " they can't hurt us if they don't have the ball" etc. goes some way to describe it but is too simplistic and too much of a sound-bite.

If we figure a way to both probe at sensible times and stop deferring to the default of keep the ball at all costs even when half a chance appears to do something then it'd be a lot more entertaining.

Agree with above

The latter part will only come when the way of playing is instilled in the players and they have full confidence to do it. The cliche of the process does exist.

Van Gaal sees control as the way to last the season in an tough league and we have to see if he is right.

Giggsy11

https://twitter.com/SkySportsNewsHQ/status/630695576691167232

For 12-13 Million that's a fantastic deal. If we are struggling for pace we should have signed him. Very quick and can play behind striker and Depay as LW.

Adamocovic

Pro. F wrote: »

I wouldn't be worried about his age, but in terms of ability he's very ordinary as you say.

Agree, and also not what we need. I'm hoping it's more nonsense rumours, I'd be disappointed if we wasted money on him rather than using it to address the attacking problems.

bangkok

Giggsy11 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/SkySportsNewsHQ/status/630695576691167232

For 12-13 Million that's a fantastic deal. If we are struggling for pace we should have signed him. Very quick and can play behind striker and Depay as LW.

he is very hot and cold, there is a reason Bayern didn't want him and Inter are getting rid of him so quickly. potential to be a good player if he pulls his socks up