The United Effect

CivilServant

You all know what I'm talking about. United's consistency to score vital goals in the last 10 mins usually in injury time to add further humiliation.

2-1 to United against Chelsea today, but is it any wonder it happened? First of all Ranieri makes a tactical mistake taking Gudjohnsson off then putting 5 across the midfield. And as for individual mistakes what the hell was going through Zola's head in the last minute of injury time...."Hmmm I think I'll try a cool little back flick....doh that didn't work.....s****! if only I took the ball down or kicked it into touch, mama mia!!"

Teams shouldn't change their formation or tactics late in the game, just cos Utd put on an extra few attackers just means the play is going to be more stretched. Taking off your own strikers means your matching up against the attack and we all know Man Utd are one of the best teams at attacking. I say leave the formation alone it's worked for 80 odd minutes why not 10 more plus there's going to be gaps at the back for the opposition to exploit. Just don't fall foul to the United Effect! Please!! I'm sick of it!!

Steve_o

Chelsea tryed to hold the draw and such things are stupid against man utd!! offence is the best defence against man utd!! ps man utd RULE!!!!!!!

jonno

We all know that going into defence mode trying to hold onto a win is pointless. Liverpool tried it and were found out (and they continue to do it).

Im a pool fan and I still say any team that play like that deserve to be beat no matter who they are. It's pointless especially when you only have a one or two goal lead

kingconor

Really, it doesn't matter when the goals come as long as they come!!! United dominated the second half and fully deserved to win!!!
Forlán is a legend!!!!
Scholesy for player of the season!!!

Greenbean

In all honesty, was it a clear cut mistake? Even as a United fan I'd be very hard pushed to say that goal from Forlan was an enevitability. Holding for a draw is tricky, but as clear as day is night, pushing for attack does weaken your defense.

It was a matter of Chelsea deciding that come the last ten minutes if they stretched themselves attacking, they'd come out worse than a United team doing likewise. So they opted for the safer option of trying being seiged, try take the draw or even a win through a counterattack. Seems a bit of a mistake given the performance of Chelsea up until the last 15 mintues, but not a huge one, Utd were definitely going to push up field for those last 15 minutes - the goal might have only arrived earlier if the changes hadn't been made.

smuckers

I thought Chelsea matched Mancs all the way what other team has gone to Old Trafford and restricted them to one shot in the first half unfortunately a goal and their first corner was in the second half. Jimmy going off didn't help as Zola and Eidur aren't strong enough as a pairing, even though Mancs dominated the second half Zola should have scored from a Zenden cross and a clear penno Lampard being pushed in the back with 2 hands by Ferdinand, but then again you never get a penno at Old Trafford just ask Blackburn.

smuckers

not being bitter they deserved to win as they were much more stronger in the second half but the ref ws one again wearing rose tinted glasses.

cournioni

Originally posted by smuckers
not being bitter they deserved to win as they were much more stronger in the second half but the ref ws one again wearing rose tinted glasses.

I seem to remember Babayaro or Melchiot handling the ball clearly in the area and there was no penalty then. And don't give me that crap about ball to hand. He had plenty of time to move out of the way and he stopped Uniteds good positional advantage by doing so. Therefore it was a clear penalty.

smuckers

Yes but it wasn't as deliberate as Sammi Hypia's hand of god in the cup final, that was more blatant. Gallas and Desaily made Van the man look inept for the most part.

smuckers

but Scholes was the catalyast for you on Sat.

Waylander

Credit where it is due Cudiccini is a magnificent keeper. I know he could have cleared his lines better for his first goal, but the two saves he made in the second half were incredible. The man is pure class and by far teh best keeper in the premiership to my mind.

smuckers

I thought he pushed it into his own net but what a magnificant save, the error was stupid I thought Lampard could have turned away from the defenders but Carlo could have put it for a corner and not kick out to the player who has the most lethal cross Beckham

Mr_Roger_Bongos

Just don't fall foul to the United Effect! Please!! I'm sick of it!!

Civil servant, do your really think premiership managers are going to read boards.ie??? If nto who are you instructing not to fall foul of the "United Effect"

Man Utd beat sunderland with late goals, but if wasnt due to a change in tactics, it was just breaks in concentration by a sunderland team that had kept them out for all of 80 mins.

Claudio's tactics were sound because;
- United would not get the ball from defence (long ball) because teh chelsea defenders had won every header sent their way (in defence) all game. Therefor ethe only area the ball was going to come form would be midfield.

- Playing 5 men in midfield would act as a further defensive barrier against attack ( as opposed of overcrowding the box with defenders, which would cause confusion).

The ball that veron played (absolutely superbly) to forlan, was from a mid field with 5 chelsea players in it. Why did they not stop the attack?