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

Pro. F wrote: »

I'm impressed with Rojo as well. He seems to have all the physical and mental attributes needed to be top class.

I think all of Rojo, Jones, Smalling and Evans have good skill on the ball - certainly more than Vidic ever had imo. Evans is the only one who I have seen being consistently weak in the air. I haven't noticed Rojo having that problem, like others have said, so I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

I've never understood how people don't rate Smalling and Jones highly. Imo it's only the injuries holding them back, but the injuries are definitely a mark against them. If they can't stay fit then they will have to be let go eventually.

I think Blackett and McNair have looked very impressive as well.

Overall I think we have oodles of quality in our defence and it's just the injuries and, to a lesser extent, the management that have caused the problems at the back. Hopefully some suitable pair of centre-backs can get a run of fitness together and we see what they and the coach can produce when tested.

Agree with this. I don't think it was so obvious as people make out we needed to buy a CB.

Some serious punditry hindsight going on, which is easy to do when you see the injuries we have. But a collection of Smalling, Jones, Rojo and Evans should have been more than sufficent to enable the team to be assured at the back to challenge for top 4. The emergence of Blackett and McNair has been nothing short of a wonderful bonus.

That is a pretty good Centre Back lineup. Sure it would be nice to have a flashy big name in there, but there is few and far between stand out CB's left in elite world football, and I don't think it's as obvious a problem we overlooked as people make out.

Smalling looking promising lately, but consistency really needs to become a staple of his game now to really show hes becoming more then a potential player. Jones I feel really needs to hit a run of games where he doesn't injure himself.

We have a coach that made Ron Vlaar look like one of the best CB's in the world, I've confidence he might make Jones and Smalling realise their potential.

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I wish I could watch the bloody thing. Listening to MUTV on Saturday was painful.

PM sent.;)

I'm working so it'll be Newstalk for updates & highlights later.

Headshot wrote: »

Cant wait for tonight.

Come on utd.

You know what lads, I just enjoy watching is alot recently. I know its alot of work to be done but I can see the difference.

I wish I never have to remember last season ever again.

Enjoying it myself, even the games we haven't won but played some good football, sort out that defence and we're laughing.
Also have that feeling back when no matter how late it is in the game I think we're going to score and get a result..

Liam O wrote: »

I've never noticed Smalling to be a standout in the air tbh. Jones has had some Vidic-esque games in that respect though. Smalling's issue on the ball may be nerves but so many times he's just looked uncomfortable with it. Maybe it's the disappointment with him not improving from a very strong start and going backwards in ways that's in my mind now.

Evans' issues in the air are hugely overstated imo. He's done fine for years against brutes in the PL. I guess at United you are more scrutinised and one mistake from a defender lives long in the memory but yeah if they could stay fit I would see United as the 3rd best central defense in the league at the moment after Chelsea and a fully fit Arsenal. City only really have Kompany there with Mangala finding his feet and the others out of favour. If is a word that is plaguing both United and Arsenal this season though

I think apart from against Villa (Benteke) I always find Smalling comfortable against physical players. This is something that is against Evans as he is the one who struggles most with physical players.

I was a big fan of Evans but when he played with Vidic as Vidic dealt with long balls all day.

Also re Smalling when we signed him he looked very comfortable on the ball but later on he regressed so much. Not sure if this has to do with him playing as full back when his confidence was shot to bits.

M!Ck^ wrote: »

For me; It's the visible improvement in both the way in which we are playing attacking football again and also the squad performance / moral that has re-surfaced.

It's so obvious that ManUtd improved this year but the obvious people (other fans and too very specific few on boards) bring up points tally to sell their nonsense.

Liam O wrote: »

If Nani was to come back in good form and another winger was signed then it's only right back that needs to be urgently addressed imo. The squad is already nearly there I think it's just getting them to play consistently well that's the problem now, and yeah actually getting them onto the field would be a start

I really wish people wouldn't get so carried away after a win.

I enjoyed the comfortable performance too, it was a welcome relief, but the squad still isn't there to get us back to the top where we belong, we still aren't good enough to win the league or the Champions league.

Midfield is better than it was, but it can still be better again. The defence can be better. The form of a lot of our expensive attackers needs to improve quite a bit. The squad is not there yet, and a win against a woeful Hull side shouldn't hide that.

It is nice to control a game again though.

Slightly off topic...

Stephanie Roche who is up for goal of the year in the Puskas awards is a Man United fan.
She certainly worked hard plus trained hard and had no better team to inspire her.

Hopefully Stephanie and Van Persie are the top two.

madcabbage wrote: »

He should be rested I think. Better for him to shake off the knock then risk another injury. Put him on the bench as impact sub if required.

It's him or Mata, isn't it? I'd have had the Stoke game down as a must play for Rooney, ahead of Mata.

What does a small tear equal to in weeks out?