Play him in the middle of midfield all the time 
Shinji Kagawa
- Thread starter Baby Faced Assassin
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
- Status
I think he is second choice, though Januzaj is already staking a claim there. Those asking for him never to play down the left again are daft, he'd never play!
Rooney still comfortably ahead.
Kagawa always looks good when the game is stretched.
I'm not sure he is. This season Giggs, RVP and Welbeck have all played through the middle ahead of Kagawa.
Made more chances in his 30 mins than Rooney!
The game must have magically become stretched the minute that sub was made then...
True; confidence and authority. Although I think the biggest thing today was his first touch was back to its usual perfection, even from the wing. For the first few games of this season he's had a few ropey touches every game and never looked 100% but he was looking better from the beginning tonight.
Yes he did well in his natural position, but by God he doesn't half slow our game down when played on the wing at times!
The conundrum isn't going away just because he was better than Rooney today. Rooney produces off RvP and so will play - Kagawa needs to start producing at all to get more chances in behind a striker.
The conundrum isn't going away just because he was better than Rooney today. Rooney produces off RvP and so will play - Kagawa needs to start producing at all to get more chances in behind a striker.
Grew some larger testicles tonight. Should've had an assist. Positive performance
Invisible? What game were you watching?!
The 2nd half the game was far more stretched so he had more space to play in and thrived.
You thought he was effective on the left?
Yes I liked Kagawa in no.10 position but wasn't necessarily him that changed things. Thinks it's more to do with Kagawa/rvp being a more suited forward line in CL than Rooney/Hernandez. Kagawa and rvp all about movement and one touch play. Rooney gets the ball, plays it wide and gets into the box - it just doesn't work in some games, and tonight was one of them.
...when he was moved into the middle.
agree completely
What don't you get? He looked good when the game was stretched in a central position. He can move there when playing on the left and did, but was ineffective until the game opened up.
Best player on the pitch by a mile. Shame Hernandez couldn't finish the big chance after super play from Kagawa, even though he got a nasty bounce.
Had Rooney left in the summer, I think Kagawa would have been fine playing in the hole (most of the time) but I just can't see Moyes giving him enough playing time centrally to make his case ahead of Rooney. Realistically, the best Kagawa can hope for is to rotate with Januzaj on the left.
Had Rooney left in the summer, I think Kagawa would have been fine playing in the hole (most of the time) but I just can't see Moyes giving him enough playing time centrally to make his case ahead of Rooney. Realistically, the best Kagawa can hope for is to rotate with Januzaj on the left.
you're funny Datura. There's not a thing I don't get. I just find it odd that you seem keen to put his improved display down to the game opening up rather than him being moved into his favoured position. Even though the difference was noticeable within about 20seconds.Now, either the game opened up by coincidence at that exact time or maybe it was down to the position change.
Likely it was a mix of the 2 mind...
AJ on the left, Kagawa in the middle and Nani on the right would see us play some great stuff. Wont happen though, Rooney and RvP are to good to drop, i just hope it happens occasionally.
He created the Hernandez chance while still playing from the left, he was our best attacking player tonight and created 3 good openings for us, with better finishing from Hernandez and RvP he'd have had 2 assists tonight. His movement is excellent and he created a lot of the space we got once he moved to the #10 role.
Now, either the game opened up by coincidence at that exact time or maybe it was down to the position change.
Likely it was a mix of the 2 mind...
He's never looked particularly good when he is playing centrally in a tight game which is why he rarely gets picked there ahead of Rooney (and now Januzaj). Moyes seems to have picked up on this and now moves him there when the game is opening up and he has looked far more of a player in the last 20/30 mins of a game.
Indeed - still a bit sloppy with his passing at times, but overall he offers so much more than Rooney in that position. His quick turns and great technique is what we should want from that position.
I think you may have cause and effect mixed up. Rooney compacts the play these days as he's not direct. From what ive seen id say Kagawa is better in a tighter game due but just my opinon
Moyes, are you impressed now? Grow some balls before the weekend, and let Kagawa take the spot behind the main striker. Let RvP sit on the bench with an evil grin on his face, to make the Arsenal players nervous
I think he looks better when you are playing quick counter attacks as he is too easily bullied off the ball by defenders when he has his back to goal. I don't think Rooney is perfect in that position either, and the best no 10 performance this season has probably been Januzaj v Norwich as he can bring the skills from playing up front in his hold up play, but is also more consistent in his use of the ball and more elusive when running with the ball too.
Van Persie was excellent when he came on. No way should our best player be dropped for Sunday.Moyes, are you impressed now? Grow some balls before the weekend, and let Kagawa take the spot behind the main striker. Let RvP sit on the bench with an evil grin on his face, to make the Arsenal players nervous
Moyes, are you impressed now? Grow some balls before the weekend, and let Kagawa take the spot behind the main striker. Let RvP sit on the bench with an evil grin on his face, to make the Arsenal players nervous
Adnan is next in line to that throne.
He's not going to start on Sunday lads. Adnan has the left side spot and it'll be Valencia on the right. Rooney and RVP up front.
feck no! Adnan is, unlike Kagawa, pretty much just as good on the left wing as he is in the AM position. We ought to take advantage of that, now that we lack good wingers on form on the left.
Valencia - Kagawa - Januzaj
---------- Striker ---------
That's the way to go!
Either very involved in, or directly responsible for, every chance we had today. So good at finding space, and always moving as soon as he passes the ball.
Yep this is always going to be our best option.
He was awful in the first half on left every time he got the ball he'd run a few yards and as soon as he came up against a defender hed pass tha ball back to someone else. He was better once he moved into the 10 position but again disappeared after a while. Maybe we should play him next to Fellaini, if Giggs can play there I don't see why Kagawa cant, Rooney behind RVP will always be the best option.
Did ok when he moved inside, but not to the level that some are making out. Did disappear again towards the end as others said, smashing a long ball over Young's head and into the stands somewhere during the phase.
I thought he did well and should've gotten at least an assist. He looked far better inside though. He was left a bit isolated out wide and didn't really have any passing options other than Evra and that changed when he moved inside.
Like others have said, the greater problem is that his game doesn't adapt to that particular role on the left very well. He doesn't really have the necessary skillset to beat players using speed or strength or to make a yard of space and shoot from distance like Rooney did when we used to play him out there. He needs players around him passing and moving, it strikes me that he would have fit perfectly into the style of play we started the 2011-12 season with where we had Anderson and Cleverley in midfield, not so much into the more measured way in which we play now.
Like others have said, the greater problem is that his game doesn't adapt to that particular role on the left very well. He doesn't really have the necessary skillset to beat players using speed or strength or to make a yard of space and shoot from distance like Rooney did when we used to play him out there. He needs players around him passing and moving, it strikes me that he would have fit perfectly into the style of play we started the 2011-12 season with where we had Anderson and Cleverley in midfield, not so much into the more measured way in which we play now.
Sell Rooney in January and bring in midfield reinforcements?
Seems like it might solve a lot of our problems and he's going to leave eventually anyways. He's playing well so he'd probably go for a fat stack!
I love Rooney btw
Seems like it might solve a lot of our problems and he's going to leave eventually anyways. He's playing well so he'd probably go for a fat stack!
I love Rooney btw
Yes, that smashing the ball into the stands should be highlighted and not the quality he displayed.
As much as some of you call people in this thread fanboys, it's almost like some of you are looking to call him shit at every chance.
Sell Rooney in January and bring in midfield reinforcements?
Seems like it might solve a lot of our problems and he's going to leave eventually anyways. He's playing well so he'd probably go for a fat stack!
I love Rooney btw
The current problem with this team is trying to cram the best players into a system in which they don't all work together.
Does anyone else feel like instead of going for someone like Herrera we could buy a Keane style combative defensive midfielder and play Kagawa along side like when we had Scholes and Keane in a 4-4-2? In Europe we would probably get overrun against possession teams like Barcelona, Dortmund etc. and would have to play a different system but it might work in the Premier League. Or do you feel like football tactics and style have changed too much on the last 10/15 years for that to be possible?
It's pretty simple if you are willing to contemplate either RvP or Rooney on the bench, or if Rooney were more willling to play deeper... I'm still of the opinion that something like this could be amazing:
---------------------RvP
Januzaj----------------------------Valencia
-----------Kagawa-------Rooney
------------------Carrick
There's plenty of workrate and tracking back in those four ahead of Carrick, would they be disciplined enough though (and willing)?
I don't really fancy him starting that deep in a Scholesque playmaking rol. It's the approach play in the final third which I think brings the best out of him and best utilises his close control.
But that's the main problem. Rooney wants to be a striker and he doesn't want to play deep.
We'd be better off with Rooney playing out wide and giving Januzaj or Kagawa a shot at 10, because they both seem to excel there.
But, we'll continue trudging along, playing not very good football, with Rooney not dropping deep enough to link up with the midfield, until Rooney leaves in the summer.
- Status