Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017

Kerrydude1981

Nalz wrote: »

He needs two or three touches then wants to shoot or Hollywood pass

As someone said last night the team is missing a Keane/Robson character but Im afraid them kind of characters arent in the game anymore

Very rarely would you see a fella fu*king a fella out of it now telling him to get the finger out,

Good few of the players last night could have done with a good shoe up the hole

duffman13

Ted111 wrote: »

If we're going to play Pogba then he has to take one or two touches on the ball at most. Early ball into Zlatan. Forget about roy of the rovers stuff for instagram.
Could of course play carrick and sweinsteiger in midfield. young on left, linegard on right. let jones and rojo defend without babysitter in front of them - they're good enough, one of the few things that's working. Focus on getting the ball in to the penalty area early, often and from every angle and score plenty of simple goals. Put two of zlatan, martial, rashford up front.

Too much tippy tappy, arsing around out the field at the moment. It's not complicated - get the ball into dangerous areas as often as possible, create chances - score more goals.

A midfield of Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Young and Lingard is as close as you could possibly get to our worst one. We had numerous crosses and corners flying in yesterday and was completely ineffective. Chances when they are created are from interplay or great passes, we just aren't taking them. Chance creation is not an issue, its conversion. With the midfield you've listed we would struggle to create a thing

Needed to have a cup of tea and a sleep after that bag of frustration last night, couldn't bring myself to post.

Here is my thoughts this morning after reflecting on the game:

1) Jose and his near obsession of pushing our primary attack via the right wing (Valencia). It was clear to me that this directive to filter nearly all of our attacks in the first half through Tony V just wasn't working for a couple of reasons.
Too slow and predictable in possession. For all his speed and pace he no longer possesses the skill to take a man on 1v1 and get around him.
When some nice one two were actually made he cannot deliver end product on the cross, absolutely infuriating seeing him hit the first man with a cross when he had so much time on the ball multiple times inside and outside the penalty area.
Rashford was near completely isolated from possession in the first half because of this.

2) Everything else was forced through the middle which again was predictable to defend against and every player taking way too many touches. It's just so pedestrian and predictable, it made it so Easy for Hull to defend.

3) The debate on Martial is the same, he's providing 50 / 50 this season when it comes to effort so currently he didn't deserve to start no matter what way you look at it. However he did deserve an appearance from the bench.

4) Bringing Rooney on to Replace Carrick at half time. Complete overreaction and a terrible decision so early in the game. When I look back Carrick was arguably our best player in the first half.
And what the hell did Rooney provide when he came on? What was his role? Just looked like he was getting in the way.

5) On Pogba: Awful first half, however to his credit I thought he had a very good second half. His distribution was much improved and he provided some of the best opportunities of the second half. I'm 50 / 50 o the whole "Drop him" claim. I think it's easy to get over-hyped and start pin pointing him because of his persona. People need to accept that just because you are 30+ years of age doesn't mean the youth of today can't enjoy themselves in the world of social media. It's part and parcel of football now and people just need to get over it and accept it. Making a big deal about nothing over a tweet. This is part of his appeal and the fact he's 23 means he's nearly the same age as the fans he is appealing too.

6) We need to stop blaming keepers for making wonder saves. If the attempt on goal is good enough then the ball will go in the net. Atrocious finishing yet again and it's been an obvious pattern all season. That lies with the players. Time to stand up and take responsibility.

7) To make things worse Jones is now injured and is such a shame considering he has been one of our most improved players under Jose. I hope he comes back quickly.

8) Because Tony V was choking up the right wing, Ibra & Miki for a time looked like they were playing a forced Striker / #10 partnership which clearly isn't working. Not utilizing Mikis pace in that position IMO. If you are going to put him out wide let him have the ball and do his thing.

9) A note on Daily Blind: His cross accuracy is also not good enough. Time and time again he also floated aimless balls into the box or could not beat the first man. Just as guilty as Tony V. this was more obvious in the 2nd half.

10) Herrera needs to practice on his shooting as it's becoming embarrassing. He's also not providing enough from an attacking sense. Too much negative passing.

So deflated after that game.
Europa league now becomes priority in my eyes.
It's February lads, before you know it the season will be over and the bigger questions will be asked of Jose.

Liam McPoyle

Top 4 is still very much in our own hands.

We have to play everyone above us bar the Scouse.

The problem is that based on last night and other recent performances we havnt a hope.

Jose should know better at this stage than to give the media more ammo.

If he or Wenger had have screamed in an officials face like Klopp did there would likely be questions asked.

The issue is that Jose and Wenger have had a checkered record when it comes to their behavior.

Klopp is still relatively new to the league so will, rightly or wrongly, be allowed a certain amount of leeway.

Talking about other managers or officials when the team serve up the crap they served up last night is naive at best, utterly stupid at worst.

He just needs to stfu and do what he is paid to do.

sReq | uTeK

Well that was dossapointing

Hococop

Just up, still annoyed but don't feel like breaking anything now ha, still believe not winning last night means we won't get top 4 imo

Lord TSC

adox wrote: »

Maybe so re Smalling but all things being equal I'd have those two as first choice every day over the current two. I think they are much better defenders than Jones and Rojo

Jones should really be sold in the summer due to his appalling injury record alone but it's piling up the number of players the club needs.

I'm very surprised no signings were made in January.

Duncan Castle had that article a few days before the window closed that Jose wanted Bakayoko and (I think) Lindelof before the window shut. My guess is that the selling teams simply refused, and Jose decided rather than signing short term options, he'd wait 6 months and get the players he wanted long term. I'd think you'll see our transfers done very quick come the summer.

With Smalling...I know he's good but I just constantly feel he's got a brain-fart in every match; that I'm sitting there waiting for him to make a mistake that will lead to a goal. Right now, I'd probably go Bailly/Rojo as the CB pairing. Unless Jones wants to go, I'd think he'll survive the summer; he's worked incredibly hard for Jose this year and has upped his game dramatically. The injuries are a worry, but provided he's ok with being the back-up long term, I wouldn't be shocked if Jose had faith in him and rewarded this season with a stay of execution.

TitianGerm

Rod Munch wrote: »

Top 4 is still very much in our own hands.

We have to play everyone above us bar the Scouse.

The problem is that based on last night and other recent performances we havnt a hope.

Jose should know better at this stage than to give the media more ammo.

If he or Wenger had have screamed in an officials face like Klopp did there would likely be questions asked.

The issue is that Jose and Wenger have had a checkered record when it comes to their behavior.

Klopp is still relatively new to the league so will, rightly or wrongly, be allowed a certain amount of leeway.

Talking about other managers or officials when the team serve up the crap they served up last night is naive at best, utterly stupid at worst.

He just needs to stfu and do what he is paid to do.

United have the worst record against the Big 6 this year, as far as I'm aware, I can't find an updated table since 31/12/16.

If you do manage to turn it around though and win those 4 games you will jump up the table. But if you lose/draw those games it gets much more difficult.

Still an outside chance because Liverpool will drop some more points to bottom half teams and Arsenal always have a patchy February. I think City look to be getting it together a bit though so I'd imagine United would be aiming for Arsenal and Liverpool.

duffman13

Lord TSC wrote: »

Duncan Castle had that article a few days before the window closed that Jose wanted Bakayoko and (I think) Lindelof before the window shut. My guess is that the selling teams simply refused, and Jose decided rather than signing short term options, he'd wait 6 months and get the players he wanted long term. I'd think you'll see our transfers done very quick come the summer.

With Smalling...I know he's good but I just constantly feel he's got a brain-fart in every match; that I'm sitting there waiting for him to make a mistake that will lead to a goal. Right now, I'd probably go Bailly/Rojo as the CB pairing. Unless Jones wants to go, I'd think he'll survive the summer; he's worked incredibly hard for Jose this year and has upped his game dramatically. The injuries are a worry, but provided he's ok with being the back-up long term, I wouldn't be shocked if Jose had faith in him and rewarded this season with a stay of execution.

It shows the difference a run of games make to me that we are now more worried about a Smalling brain fart over one from Rojo. He's surprised me how consistent he has been, I've been waiting two months for a silly mistake which hasn't come so to be fair he deserves to be there with Jones.

Bailly has looked good but a bit rash at times aswell. IMO It's gonna be the end of the season before we can actually say where he fits in the team/squad. Looked top quality at times and then been caught by high or bouncing balls at others

Cantona's Collars

So,should I watch the highlights or will it just dampen my mood for the day? What I've read so far is Valencia couldn't complete a single cross out of a dozen and a half attempts.Nothing changes there,it pretty much nullified our threat down one side of the pitch.Our attack depends too much on clever play to try and work the ball through a packed midfield and when we do get through we miss too many chances.
It's shocking that we create so many chances in games this season and not convert them.It's odd that last season we created so little but generally converted what few chances we got,if we were even half as clinical this season we'd win every game by 3 or 4.

sky88

Rod Munch wrote: »

Top 4 is still very much in our own hands.

We have to play everyone above us bar the Scouse.

The problem is that based on last night and other recent performances we havnt a hope.

Jose should know better at this stage than to give the media more ammo.

If he or Wenger had have screamed in an officials face like Klopp did there would likely be questions asked.

The issue is that Jose and Wenger have had a checkered record when it comes to their behavior.

Klopp is still relatively new to the league so will, rightly or wrongly, be allowed a certain amount of leeway.

Talking about other managers or officials when the team serve up the crap they served up last night is naive at best, utterly stupid at worst.

He just needs to stfu and do what he is paid to do.

No team that is behind the top 4 has it in their hands no matter the fixture list. i dont think its gone but it will be a struggle.

the simple fact is that this team right now cant finish. i dont think theres any great goalkeeping displays its mainly poor finishing. i dont think you can single out one player it just seems to be whoever steps into the line up.

just watching the highlights of the city game and they seem to have got a gem in gabriel jesus granted he was playing against a terrible west ham

jayo26

Top four is so over rated

Mars Bar

The product coming from the right is horrendous. Herrera and Valencia's crossing is atrocious. Look at Basti's cross against Wigan. Head up, picked his target, appropriate cross for said target, goal.

adox

Nalz wrote: »

I agree... So what are we missing? What kind of player(s) would have made the difference last night? And vs Pool, Stoke twice, West ham, Burnley and Arsenal??

Well we have missed a lot of chances but even those are drying up a bit.

I still think that, while not the only issue, the root cause of the teams problems is the midfield. The team will never be right until its sorted.

Nalz

adox wrote: »

Well we have missed a lot of chances but even those are drying up a bit.

I still think that, while not the only issue, the root cause of the teams problems is the midfield. The team will never be right until its sorted.

Not picking on you at all, this is a genuine question...

Whats the steps to improve the midfield? Is it how we play or is it personnel?

adox

Nalz wrote: »

Not picking on you at all, this is a genuine question...

Whats the steps to improve the midfield? Is it how we play or is it personnel?

I think its the personnel. I dont think we have two midfielders in the squad that could play in a midfield two i.e proper midfielders. I realise we play a three but even that isnt balanced imo.

Its why I asked questions about the signing of Pogba last night. He has all the talent but is a player you want to add when you have a solid functioning midfield and want to add that sprinkling of magic to it. Its why I suggested Utd may have gone arse about face in trying to fix the midfield. I was suggesting that maybe Pogba is the right player at the wrong time. I think its worth consideration.

Oh and you are in no way coming across as picking on me. If I`m putting points forward then I should expect to be questioned on them or to elaborate.

sReq | uTeK

Nalz wrote: »

He needs two or three touches then wants to shoot or Hollywood pass

To be fair his Holywood passes had Ibra in twice and Rashford in once. Both of whom should have done better. He was the only one that created goal scoring opportunities, and was on the end of Ibras flick.

If he scores in the 1st half and Rashford finishes that, we are looking at a goal and an assist and discussing what a great game he's had.

Very fine margins

bucketybuck

adox wrote: »

I still think that, while not the only issue, the root cause of the teams problems is the midfield. The team will never be right until its sorted.

I think the problem is Zlatan and our performance is dropping off as his performance is dropping off, which is something I fully expected his performance to do as the season went on.

Both he and Pogba are not playing well, so thats the spine of the team not functioning surrounded by a mix of players who either don't have the talent or don't have the character to step up and drag us to victories.

sReq | uTeK

bucketybuck wrote: »

I think the problem is Zlatan and our performance is dropping off as his performance is dropping off, which is something I fully expected his performance to do as the season went on.

Both he and Pogba are not playing well, so thats the spine of the team not functioning surrounded by a mix of players who either don't have the talent or don't have the character to step up and drag us to victories.

Good point but I'd state that our problem is finishing.

Mata has missed two absolute sitters in the last two league games against Stoke and last night against Hull.

Pogba should be scoring so too Rashford after he's taken it down.

Our finishing has been atrocious as has our crossing into the box. How we can't hit a 6ft 5 monster and we just drill it or hit the 1st man is just unacceptable.

TheDoc

adox wrote: »

Jose obviously livid with the ref.

Letting himself down a bit talking about Klopp. Would prefer to hear him say the team weren't good enough tonight.

Talking about himself though instead of the performance as he does. Some say to take the heat off the team. I'd just like to hear an honest assessment of the teams lack of performance than all that fluff.

I'm now becoming increasingly interested in knowing in how this finishing issue gets dealt with from a managers point of view. Not that I'm questioning the manager, I'm simply fascinated that the team for so long now can be so wasteful in front of goal. It's not a phase or a blip, its been an achilles heel for this team.

I doubt any journalist is going to be competant enough to form the question, but I'd love for the manager to be queried when this happens, do you organise or put on specific finishing drills or attacking sessions, or do you just keep trying to talk up and keep confidence high with the players, telling them its nothing to worry about

Obviously for us, its a massive concern. The talent and players in that front 3 and behind are all good technical players. We create chances, they are just squandered.

This is kinda where I think Ander will be in danger. He is a good player, an excellent player, but he's definitely upgrade able in the first XI, and I'd say he could well lose out if a CM becomes available or is available, that is someone who can chip in with goals.

Our wide players are definitely not contributing enough in terms of goals. Mhiki I'm happy enough to excuse from his first half season treatment, but would expect more from him going forward. Martial has been a massive disappointment. Mata is chipping in as usual and I'm happy enough with him.

Zlatan has clearly been brilliant, but I'm concerned how there is no rotation there. Martial was poison at the weekend up front, so could well be Mourinho is just sealed on him not being ready,good enough ,or good enough to be a striker.

Rashford doing his bit, don't want expectations on someone his age, we are bigger then relying on a teenager carrying the club for goals.

Lingaard, meh, still yet to be convinced with him and its growing stronger on me he wont be good enough for the clubs ambitions.

The talent is clearly there. I'm just hoping maybe we just need to thrash someone, and then from there everyone feels ten foot tall or something

TheDoc

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its the usual craic, whoever wasn't there becomes the player who would have saved us. Had Martial played I would have expected pretty much the same he usually gives us, a whole load of not very much.

That Carrick being hauled of now twice with the team not being good enough and playing well enough?

Do we jump to the other extreme now that Carrick is the root cause of our problems and needs to be removed?

Can we have a cartoon drawing of him looking at a tactic board, cowering in the corner shaking and in tears?

Or can we finally accept that he is not the solution to anything, hes not the problem to anything, he's just been a good supporting midfielder for the club for a long time, and in the summer will likely be replaced with a superior player

TheDoc

Also just on Pogba, I'll play devils advocate here

• While obviously a youth player, Pogba never played(factcheck?) a premier league game for United
• He has been settled in another country,league,team and environment. Do we not afford everyone some first season slack to get settled?
• He has gone from a team with incredible players, dominating a league, to a MASSIVE club with all expectations and hope on him. Can we cut some slack to a young player with unbelievable expectations from millions of fans?
• He played a full European tournament to the final where he lost, and then arrived into the Premier League and has played nearly every game. Can we maybe think he might be getting fatigued or tired?
• He has played in two different roles in two different systems. Might it be the case he is still learning and might not be fully comfortable with what is required of him.

I guess the general point being, just because he cost a nortical ****tonne, does not mean he might not experience the same issues all new signings or foreign players suffer. And while he was obviously a United player previously, he actually knows sweet **** all about the premier league, and this is a massive learning experience for him.

He's going to have to learn to play faster and think quicker. He isnt getting the time and space and respect here as he had with Juve in Italy.

But he clearly posses' all the tools and attributes to make it work.

TheDoc

Lord TSC wrote: »

Bashing a young player for posting a social media video of some friends messing round annoys me.

Like...there's plenty to actually bash him about. Do people expect him to sit at home between training sessions staring at a wall?

Yes, Pogba has been poor for a few games now. THAT should be the focus of attention. Moaning about him dancing with some friends in downtime is just unnessecary imo.

BUT....BUT MEMPHIS....HE WORE HATS....ATTITUDE PROBLEM ALERT!!!!!


</sarcasm>

TheDoc

StringerBell wrote: »

Always a magic wand fix mentality.

There is no magic wand.

This ^

Cool we get Griezemann, and then have to deal with the problems Deschamps had through the euros and still contends with, on how the **** you get both Pogba and Grizemann firing on all cyclinders.

We will then have two players you would argueably "build your team around" but as of yet, the evidence seems to be you can't maximise the ability of both.

Young enough to learn and adapt, but all fingers would point to Pogba needing to change.

Mitch Connor

TheDoc wrote: »

This ^

Cool we get Griezemann, and then have to deal with the problems Deschamps had through the euros and still contends with, on how the **** you get both Pogba and Grizemann firing on all cyclinders.

We will then have two players you would argueably "build your team around" but as of yet, the evidence seems to be you can't maximise the ability of both.

Young enough to learn and adapt, but all fingers would point to Pogba needing to change.

Play Pogba where Deschamps played Sissoko.

The 'problem' was created by Deschamps playing Pogba in a deep/defensive role rather than the much freer role he gave Sissoko.

TheDoc

adox wrote: »

I think its the personnel. I dont think we have two midfielders in the squad that could play in a midfield two i.e proper midfielders. I realise we play a three but even that isnt balanced imo.

Its why I asked questions about the signing of Pogba last night. He has all the talent but is a player you want to add when you have a solid functioning midfield and want to add that sprinkling of magic to it. Its why I suggested Utd may have gone arse about face in trying to fix the midfield. I was suggesting that maybe Pogba is the right player at the wrong time. I think its worth consideration.

Oh and you are in no way coming across as picking on me. If I`m putting points forward then I should expect to be questioned on them or to elaborate.

What if Pogba is the first piece of a midfield Jose sees he will build?

We know you can't build a team in one window, but what if Jose knows his team, or has a vision for what he wants to build?

Bit of devils advocate again, but maybe Pogba is just the first piece of the puzzle?

TheDoc

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Play Pogba where Deschamps played Sissoko.

The 'problem' was created by Deschamps playing Pogba in a deep/defensive role rather than the much freer role he gave Sissoko.

Did he not go 4-2-3-1, with Sissoko on the right of the three with Griezemann in behind Giroud, and then Payet out on the left? And then Pogba was in alongside Kante?

Also, I read something fascinating about 4-2-3-1 earlier in the week. Think it was from that site FootballPlanet or something. They have some good articles every now and then that I really take note out.

The essential premise was that 4-2-3-1 is a bit of a myth formation, for managers to convince strikers to play wide, and that its basically a 4-4-2. Kinda blew my mind reading about it and then thinking about it, as I advocated that formation for so long

Leroy42

SUrely we can question how Jose has totally failed to deal with the goalscoring issue.

We have an attacking line up Miki, Rooney, Rashford, Zlatan, Mata and Pogba. Any team in the world would love to have that. And yet Jose felt there was nobody available in Jan to improve an area that is clearly not functioning as it should.

So therefore he believes that they can do more, so what is he doing about it?

I agree that midfield is a major problem. We simply do not control the second ball when it comes out from a cross. How many times last night did d cross go into Hull's box, get headed away and then we are chasing them to get the ball back. In times past we would be winning those balls and forcing the other team to drop deeper and deeper. Them winning the ball gives them the time to come out and we start all over again.

Hull should have won that game last night, we were lucky to get a point. That is a disgrace.

Yes we are playing better style than under LVG but we don't seem to have improved much since the start of the season. And thats the worrying thing for me. Jose does not seem to be addressing the clear issues with the team.

Our defence is fine, but any team is always one bad ref call, unlucky bounce etc away from conceding. The best teams score to mitigate against that. Utd simply don't. We rely on our defence to unsure that a lucky goal or two will be enough.

It seems that the winning run was the anomolly rather than the new normal and we have reverted back to our level. This team has shown nothing to suggest that they have enough to win enough games over the remainder of the season to get into CL spots.

Lord TSC

I can't massively blame Jose when there were four clear cut chances last night and none were put away. He can't put the ball in the net. I'm not saying he's been perfect, but Jose's tactics are creating chances galore for the players, dominating a lot of teams in the process. He can't physically finish the chances though....

Leroy42

Lord TSC wrote: »

I can't massively blame Jose when there were four clear cut chances last night and none were put away. He can't put the ball in the net. I'm not saying he's been perfect, but Jose's tactics are creating chances galore for the players, dominating a lot of teams in the process. He can't physically finish the chances though....

I would agree if it was just a once off. But it is a clear pattern throughout the season. So either the players are not good enough or they are not training and learning properly.

The second one is defo on his shoulders, the first not as much except that he choose to ignore the issue during the transfer window so has accepted that this is as good as it gets.

StringerBell

Normally don't like when they wheel out Dermot Gallagher, but he has been spot on this morning.

TheDoc

Leroy42 wrote: »

SUrely we can question how Jose has totally failed to deal with the goalscoring issue.

We have an attacking line up Miki, Rooney, Rashford, Zlatan, Mata and Pogba. Any team in the world would love to have that. And yet Jose felt there was nobody available in Jan to improve an area that is clearly not functioning as it should.

So therefore he believes that they can do more, so what is he doing about it?

This is I guess why I'm interested to know, from an actual managerial point of view. I've no doubt he is doing things to try address it, just wondering what you can do.

Van Gaal had the same problems. Moyes in some regards had it too. Serious firepower on the pitch, but its just not happening.

You can see where a manager organises a defence, I'd argue probably the easiest to spot. you can see how manager stamps his style onto how the team moves through defence, midfield and into the final third.

But what do they do when it gets to the final third? Like Henry mentioned Pep just had everyone do what he wanted up until a point in the pitch where he then was like "your better players then I ever was, I don't have to, or should tell you, what to do here".

Then someone like Benitez we learn is meticulous in every pattern of play. To the point it alienated a massive amount of their attacking players.

Van Gaal we learned or know looking back didn't work on patterns of attacking play, but instead focused on the technical aspects of each player. Telling Rashford to stay in the width of the posts, telling some players to take a touch etc.

Klopp appears someone to me that does work on, and have patterns and style visible in the final third. The way Liverpool, in their pomp this season, were swarming into the final third and opposition box made it out like there is an idea there.

Where as you look at Wenger, and in that final third you might say he probably has sometimes too much influence when Arsenal used to walk the ball in the net, but then when Arsenal had their TOP attacking players, it was nearly like he didn't tell them anything.

I just wonder if you have a frontline of Mata, Mhiki, Zlatan, Rooney (less so Rashford and Martial who are young and need to be coached) do you maybe assume these guys are best left to their instincts and their own devices.

I actually don't know if I can put my finger on a coach or manager where I'm like "wow, they know how to orchestrate an attack".

Like did Fergie? Or did he just get quality strikers and attacking players, put out a basic premise and then leave them too it.

I maybe wonder do managers focus so much on the defensive organisation and the midfield passages, because that is what leads up to attacking, and you just leave your attack(typically your most talented players) to figure the rest out.

Like we know Van Gaal, and now Jose, is having to deal with SO MANY teams sitting deep, stacking two banks of four. What can a manager do to instruct his players to break that down. It's nothing you or I couldn't come up with, and we arn't elite managers. you maybe just need to rely on those guys getting their **** together?

I really don't know, but im maybe coming around to the idea that the manager (managers in general I think get FAR too much importance on them now then they used to) actually can't influence that side of the game as much as the rest

bucketybuck

Leroy42 wrote: »

So either the players are not good enough

If I'm right, come the summer and over the next few seasons we are going to get an answer to this, and the answer is that too many of our players aren't as good as we think they are. I think he should have bought now but I can understand why he didn't, the January window being what it is.

adox

TheDoc wrote: »

What if Pogba is the first piece of a midfield Jose sees he will build?

We know you can't build a team in one window, but what if Jose knows his team, or has a vision for what he wants to build?

Bit of devils advocate again, but maybe Pogba is just the first piece of the puzzle?

Well then as I said hes doing it arse about face and hes the right player at the wrong time.

duffman13

January was a bad month

Hococop

I would have picked rojo

Tony V, jesus

TitianGerm

duffman13 wrote: »

January was a bad month

And I thought Liverpool had a bad January :pac:

Rojo or Jones have been very good. Either of those should have got it.

bangkok

Valencia deserves that. He is a right back first and foremost. defending is his no1 job and he has been excellent at that.

bangkok

bangkok wrote: »

Valencia deserves that. He is a right back first and foremost. defending is his no1 job and he has been excellent at that.

Has he? He has been caught out of position all month, including multiple times last night

Cantona's Collars

http://www.espnfc.com/story/3052167/man-united-want-antoine-griezmann-and-another-forward-sources

United want 2 proven strikers in the Summer.The best bit in the article is Jose's surprise at the lack of contribution from Rooney.

bangkok

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Has he? He has been caught out of position all month, including multiple times last night

we only conceded 3 goals all month and he was a big part of that.

bangkok

zerks wrote: »

http://www.espnfc.com/story/3052167/man-united-want-antoine-griezmann-and-another-forward-sources

United want 2 proven strikers in the Summer.The best bit in the article is Jose's surprise at the lack of contribution from Rooney.

should have signed Dembele after we had scouted him for so long. only cost celtic 500k!!!

bangkok

bangkok wrote: »

we only conceded 3 goals all month and he was a big part of that.

That's not what I said
Has he or has he not been caught out of position?
There are 4 defenders and a keeper normally when we talk about a teams defence

bucketybuck

bangkok wrote: »

He is a right back first and foremost. defending is his no1 job

Such a bull**** excuse. It's 2017, full backs at top clubs have multiple jobs and in an attacking team like ours each job is as important as the other.

If De Gea was booting every goalkick into the stand would you shrug your shoulders and say "saving shots is his no.1 job and sure isnt he great at that"? Of course not, you would recognise that wasting possession from every goal kick was a problem that needed addressing.

So less of the "he is just a defender" bull**** because it is bull****.

TitianGerm

bangkok wrote: »

we only conceded 3 goals all month and he was a big part of that.

Who did you play in that time? 5 home games out of 8. Hull 3 times, Reading, West Ham, Stoke and Wigan, none of those are likely to score loads anyway.

Liverpool were the only team of note and they were missing a few players with others only coming back into the team in the middle of a horrific run of form.

Cantona's Collars

bucketybuck wrote: »

Such a bull**** excuse. It's 2017, full backs at top clubs have multiple jobs and in an attacking team like ours each job is as important as the other.

If De Gea was booting every goalkick into the stand would you shrug your shoulders and say "saving shots is his no.1 job and sure isnt he great at that"? Of course not, you would recognise that wasting possession from every goal kick was a problem that needed addressing.

So less of the "he is just a defender" bull**** because it is bull****.

Valencia gets to the byline more than many wingers but his end product is generally terrible. The team as a whole are pretty solid defensively so that part of his game doesn't get exposed so much.If he wasn't so tentative in his attacking play he'd be a beast on that side.

Leroy42

Where were we in terms of points and goals scored at the same time last year? Where is the best place to get those comparisons?

0gac3yjefb5sv7

Why don't we complain about the right winger not putting in crosses rather than Valencia. He is playing right back. Fair enough he can have some contribution but he isnt Beckham and it's not his job to be.

Toni V were attacks go to die, jesus thats mental player of the month sigh roll on saturday