The Manchester United Thread

[sunilvk7]

We posed far more of a threat than we should have done considering the loss of very key players and Rooney not up front. There is a reason they celebrated like mad men, and rightly so.

Yesterday our whole line up was ****** because of injuries. Few of the key reasons why we played so well in the recent games couldn't be implemented.

1. Herrera was key player on the right side with Mata and Valencia, his high energy pressing was very useful in winning the ball in final third. Yesterday he was played as a disciplined DM where his best assets were nullified.

2. Rooney as a striker and Falcao on the bench. Yesterday Rooney played as a midfielder and Falcao started which means we lost pace and also he was shunted to midfield where he was average.

3. Blind as LB. His ability to pick pass from left back spot was great and it's like we had 2 deep playmakers but yesterday we had none. Credit to Shaw though, he was brilliant.

4. Carrick. No explanation needed.

 

[Mike.]

The same way you lot celebrated after Van Persie's equalizer at OT? We celebrated like mad men after the game against QPR as well FYI. It's all about the fact that we are getting closer to the title

I think you have missed the point. I was pointing out how important that win was for them, and how relieved they were to win it.

 

[Sherkey]

ahh my bad should have read, its just some of my united mates were complaining that chelsea parked the bus blah blah and that they dont deserve to win the leagues. got me thinking that 2011 united champions were not even that good and were quite similair to chelsea of present.

Naw, that's rather stupid. Chelsea have been consistent throughout the season, and brilliant at times. Definitely deserve to win the League. Although, looking at our current form and play, I'm really excited heading into the new season, especially if we have a successful transfer window.

 

[Alcaraz]

Mourinho is more than capable of a defensive masterclass, we've been on the end of them before. Yesterday was not one of them.

Completely agree which is something I mentioned when I posted the article. But to conflate it with west hams performance vs chelsea last season was ridiculous

 

[Sherkey]

I have no idea what game you were watching. Chelsea was defending for 60% of the time, on the home pitch. Chelsea created little from open play, and only were dangerous when they skipped United midfield by Drogba holding his own against the world. It's not like Chelsea wouldn't like to hold the ball like United did, but they weren't able for various reasons, one of them is Mou realizing playing high up will leave Terry and Ivanovic even more exposed. United has 3 really good chances, Chelsea had 2 IIRC. On different day, it would be different result. But it didn't. Chelsea hold their composure when they needed it, Untied didn't. Thats why Chelsea will be champions this year. It wasn't Mou's typical defensive setup like against Bayern or Barcelona, but yesterday it was good enough to handle this United side.

I take that game as a very positive thing for United. Really looking forward to the next season. I would be scared if I wasn't United fan. For the first time in last 3 years, I think we have real chance of getting far, far in CL.

Gives you goosebumps thinking about it, doesn't it? xD

 

[sunilvk7]

Of course I am talking about active managers over a prolonged period and not looking at one season in isolation. Look at the entire period and you see that Jose's record is only matched by Ancelloti. If it's about the last 2-3 years then Simeone for me as well

I was talking about shorter span rather than prolonged period as like players managers also decline or gets found out.

 

[Mike.]

Easy to say that. We will see how it goes next season. It's not like you lot did a great job in the two comeptitions you were involved in this season. Jose took a similarly dysfunctional team to the brink of the title last season



Of course I am talking about active managers over a prolonged period and not looking at one season in isolation. Look at the entire period and you see that Jose's record is only matched by Ancelloti. If it's about the last 2-3 years then Simeone for me as well

Easy to say it based on er.... us doing for the last 20 years. Only an idiot would argue otherwise. All the players are built for it. LVG actually bemoaned the fact we didnt have it because it meant less games to learn.

 

[sunilvk7]

Completely agree which is something I mentioned when I posted the article. But to conflate it with west hams performance vs chelsea last season was ridiculous

No one said it was like West Ham performance. I just said how it was lucky when West Ham defended and achieved their target and how master plan it was when Chelsea defend and achieve their target.

 

[Mike.]

The whole issue for Liverpool is they they have not had the mentality for 4 comps at the top level in a long time. United live by it. Returning to the CL is resuming normal service. Should be noted that CL last season contained the majority of our best performances,

 

[iNickStuff]

This actually could have been a game where Ángel Di María flourished if he had started and Rooney returned to his natural centre forward role.

 

[Vanjagl]

We need to finish the top and get in the top 4 (3 really). Do that and we can bring in the few pieces needed to mount a serious title challenge and european run. The group stage will be hard work mind, we are a 2nd seed now so we will really need a good run this year.

One year without CL did this much damage, ****. It doesn't help that United didn't go through the group stages year before. But still, extremely optimistic.

Top 3 was the aim this year. Top 4 at the least. LVG probably got it, and thats with all injuries and some key player not clicking this season. I would love to see more consistent Di Maria. IIRC Robben was similar to Di Maria until LVG 'upgraded' him when he was at Bayern and Robben started to bloom. Lets hope he can do the same with Di Maria.

 

[Alcaraz]

I was talking about shorter span rather than prolonged period as like players managers also decline or gets found out.

Which is why it's better to look at the prolonged period no? Managers like Mourinho, Ancelloti and arguably LVG has been consistently excellent for more than a decade now. Simeone has been very good for the past 2-3 years although he has yet to step out of his comfort zone with Atletico. Pep worked miracles at Barecelona but I don't even want to speak about his time at Bayern which he has essentially turned into a one-team league by raiding other clubs through financial might and winning trophies with a team built by others

 

[Vanjagl]

Gives you goosebumps thinking about it, doesn't it? xD

Yep, goosebumps and lots of mental pain. Still bitting myself everytime United plays. Simply cannot help myself. The older I get, it gets worse lol.

 

[Alcaraz]

No one said it was like West Ham performance. I just said how it was lucky when West Ham defended and achieved their target and how master plan it was when Chelsea defend and achieve their target.

Except west hams performance and mentality was markedly different from ours. They had no plan whatsoever. Big sam literally piled 9 bodies into the box and hoped for the best. Their GK Adrian put in a huge performance. They had no intention whatsoever of winning the game. The way they got the result was literally pure luck which you really can't say that for our performance

 

[Theatreof Dreams]

This actually could have been a game where Ángel Di María flourished if he had started and Rooney returned to his natural centre forward role.

That's what I wanted to see Di Maria in CM and Rooney stay up top. Not saying Falcao was utter **** I think we just moved to many players around. But fair play for putting in a performance like that despite injuries.

 

[Alcaraz]

Easy to say it based on er.... us doing for the last 20 years. Only an idiot would argue otherwise. All the players are built for it. LVG actually bemoaned the fact we didnt have it because it meant less games to learn.

Except what's the core of your team now? Players like Blind, Rojo, Shaw, Herrera, Di Maria and whichever new fella you decide to bring in. Key players who are not used to 4 competitions in an intensive league with no winter break

 

[Vanjagl]

The whole issue for Liverpool is they they have not had the mentality for 4 comps at the top level in a long time. United live by it. Returning to the CL is resuming normal service. Should be noted that CL last season contained the majority of our best performances,

Liverpool gambled this season way too much, even more than Moyes did at United. They banked on Strurridge staying fit, Balotelli maturing ( I know, lol) into something Suarez were and defender who has unbelievable record of ******* up at every club he was at (yes, Lovren). And biggest gamble was Gerrard. He was way passed it, you could seen it last season. Not getting proper replacement for him was suicide. That was one bad transfer period, could argue worst in modern BPL history. Spurs spending spree from 3? seasons ago come close.

 

[sunilvk7]

Which is why it's better to look at the prolonged period no? Managers like Mourinho, Ancelloti and arguably LVG has been consistently excellent for more than a decade now. Simeone has been very good for the past 2-3 years although he has yet to step out of his comfort zone with Atletico. Pep worked miracles at Barecelona but I don't even want to speak about his time at Bayern which he has essentially turned into a one-team league by raiding other clubs through financial might and winning trophies with a team built by others

I would say prolonged period for who had the better careers but not who is the best right now.

if we can find excuses for Pep then it's easy to find one for Jose too. He spend 100 plus million each year in the first few seasons when the transfer market was not as retarded as this much. Serie was very much definition of 1 team league with Inter winning 5 years in a row, 3 by Mancini and also Inter signed big players from rivals and other big players were signed by Inter and Barca.
At Madrid he spend world record sum and had the most expensive squad ever assembled.

For me the way Pep tries to innovate puts him in the top bracket along with Jose and few others.

 

[Alcaraz]

I would say prolonged period for who had the better careers but not who is the best right now.

if we can find excuses for Pep then it's easy to find one for Jose too. He spend 100 plus million each year in the first few seasons when the transfer market was not as retarded as this much. Serie was very much definition of 1 team league with Inter winning 5 years in a row, 3 by Mancini and also Inter signed big players from rivals and other big players were signed by Inter and Barca.
At Madrid he spend world record sum and had the most expensive squad ever assembled.

For me the way Pep tries to innovate puts him in the top bracket along with Jose and few others.

And yet he took that unfancied Inter team to a European title beating the brilliant Barcelona team along the way. First CL win in 50 years for the club wasn't it? Not to mention the unfancied Porto team as well. Anyways this is a tiresome argument anyways as I personally believe Ancelloti is a better manager myself but i would put Ancelloti, Jose and perhaps LVG in a bracket of their own in terms of sheer consistent winning and record of success in different leagues

 

[Mike.]

Except what's the core of your team now? Players like Blind, Rojo, Shaw, Herrera, Di Maria and whichever new fella you decide to bring in. Key players who are not used to 4 competitions in an intensive league with no winter break

Are you for real?

Only Blind and Herrera have become core there, and he is a CL player with Ajax, Herrera with Bilbao and regular competitor of multiple comps. Rojo certainly on his way though

But even then Di Maria is the same at the very top.
That also ignores:
De Gea
Carrick
Rooney
Mata
Valencia (this might be clyne though)
Young
RVP (could yet leave)
Smalling
Jones

Our biggest target is a defender who can do it all, and is a world cup winner in Hummels....

Weak point to make