Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - See Mod Warning in OP, 09/11

Hococop wrote: »

Seems city can't break Europe

Their recent form (failing to best CSKA twice, losing once along with defeats to west ham and newcastle) certainly takes any gloss of those who took "positives" out of our defeat the last day.

You could argue given the circumstances and how poor City were against 10 men that it was a great chance missed and perhaps a game that should have been won.

homerjay2005 wrote: »

Their recent form (failing to best CSKA twice, losing once along with defeats to west ham and newcastle) certainly takes any gloss of those who took "positives" out of our defeat the last day.

You could argue given the circumstances and how poor City were against 10 men that it was a great chance missed and perhaps a game that should have been won.

True I believe we would have atleast got a draw only for the red card, ah well its easy to say what if

DM_7 wrote: »

6 games is a tiny number.

Van Gaal is going to change a huge amount that will impact on the players he brought in so it won't be a waste of money from his management. He didn't buy Mata. He bought Herrea, Shaw, Rojo, Di Maria, Blind who are all in his first team this season. Falcao was brought in late because he became an option and his quality level was beyond anything else at the club.

If formation changes the ideas about how he wants his players to operate won't change much so time isn't going to be wasted either.

Indeed he didn't buy Mata. But that doesn't absolve him of the responsibility of getting the best out of the resources (players and money) available to him. If LVG doesn't get the best out of Mata because he got in another CF and the new system doesn't suit Mata then that is a failing on LVG's part.

Points have been wasted this season by changing formation so much. Van Gaal's philosophy can stay the same but the players will still need time to adapt every time the formation and line-ups are changed. We've seen the evidence of how that is damaging to the team performances.

Maybe Mata will kick on and improve in the 10 role behind two CFs. I had doubts when the formation was first proposed and as yet there has been no evidence to put my doubts to rest.

DM_7 wrote: »

It would be shocking of it was undeniably true. United signed 7 players that can play in the first team. Without Champions League the squad numbers needed to be lower and only quality needed to be bought, a back up right back was way down the list when back up right backs were already available within the squad.

Huge issues with squad balance in midfield and attack is, in my opinion, an exaggeration of the situation.

Slight changes in formation dictated by players available or the requirements of a particular game should not be a problem once the players understand what is required and the general idea about defending, build up play etc stay the same.

Overall the defending is the worry and the area that is deserving of criticism.

Back-up right backs were not available in the squad. Smalling and Jones were injury prone and needed at CB. Valencia is not a right-back. We had one right-back, no back-ups.

We have had the most dramatic changes of formation possible. 532, 442 diamond and 4231 (or 433 as LVG likes to call it) are as far apart as formations get. There is no way you can describe those as slight changes in formation.

It is no exaggeration to say there are still huge issues with squad balance in midfield and attack. As it stands my claim is supported by the constant changing of formation required by any injury to the front three; the complete lack of cover for Di Maria; the over reliance on Di Maria for creativity; the lack of strength in depth on the wings and the under performance of Mata at 10 with these narrow midfields.

This might all be sorted out in time. But anybody saying that LVG hasn't been guilty of poor planning and wasting money since he took over is plain wrong.

irishfeen wrote: »

Jaysus Phil did very very well for himself... she's a fine thing :eek:

My god the man can't make a normal face ha