He's come off the bench is the last two games to provide the game-winning assist.
Does anyone *not* want to see him start against City?
Does anyone *not* want to see him start against City?
Di Maria Has Earned Start Against City
- Thread starter gooDevil
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I want to see him start. This is his moment, his perfect moment.
If you can guarantee me he'll provide the game-winning assist from the bench next week, keep him there.
Me too. Get him up against Clichy or Kolarov and tear them to shreds.
Start with Fellaini/Herrara/Carrick to Traveller their shite midfield. Bring him on the 60th minute and let him run chaos on them like Messi did. We should smash them
I don't want to see him start, after his performance against Arsenal he hasn't earned shit yet.
Young has done enough over the last couple of games to justify a start, the game is about more than just assists and his overall play lately hasn't been good enough. Young deserves the start, Di Maria will have to play the super sub role.
Young has done enough over the last couple of games to justify a start, the game is about more than just assists and his overall play lately hasn't been good enough. Young deserves the start, Di Maria will have to play the super sub role.
Keep the same team. Who would you take out? Young? He's been pretty good too
From a tactical point of view I think Young is the better option. Not from a workhorse perspective either, but that he links with Blind behind him and I think they can really hurt City in that area. They generally lack diligence in the wide areas and having a 2 on 1 situation against Zabaleta could be really fruitful for us. Once Di Maria is on the pitch, the fullback stops being an attacking option for us because Di Maria would rather do it all alone.
But yeah, it's hard to not think 'it's fecking Di Maria, and it's fecking Ashley Young'.
But yeah, it's hard to not think 'it's fecking Di Maria, and it's fecking Ashley Young'.
I don't know. We'll want to impose our style on the game right at the very beginning, and we won't be able to do that if ADM comes in as if he has something to prove.
I quite like the idea of unleashing him from the bench. Also to give him much credit for the assist against Villa is a bit silly. It wasn't really any better than many of Young's passes/crosses. Rooney just found a way to make it work.
All the players starting against Villa have done a lot more to deserve their place against City. So if you go by that alone - clearly he shouldn't start
I think if you look at passing %, key passes, assists, pretty much anything, I doubt Young rates better than Di Maria. I think you can argue balance, but not that Young is contributing more.
I'm really happy with Young, I love his leadership out there, I don't want to see him dropped. I made a thread about playing him at RB when Di Maria comes back in, just looking for ways to fit him into the team.
I won't be worried if di Maria doesn't start, but it's hard to say he hasn't earned a start.
You could say that about any assist, or a poacher's goal, but the fact is his pass created he opportunity that lead to a goal.
I certainly agree it's not the end all, be all statistic, and I think Young's lack of goals and assists does belie his contribution. He's been excellent, as I said above a true leader on the pitch, and underrated even by United supporters.
About half of Di Marias' assists this season have an element of dodgy-ness (?) to them. I was watching a youtube video of all his assists this season and I think about 3 of them were mishit shots (Mata, Herrera and Falcao) and quite a few required the other player to pull of a moment of magic (Mata, Rooney, Fellaini vs West Brom). Another one was a 1 yard pass to Mata in the crystal palace match where he hit a 25 yard shot.
But then again, I'd prefer a dodgy assist rather than zero assists from Young.
As well as Young has played, it's time to bring Di Maria back into the starting line-up. He's just a significantly better player and we'll need him on the pitch.
He hasn't earned it per se, but I would like to see him start, he is constantly dangerous and with 9 players around him who understand their mission and work very well, he should thrive again.
I wouldn't start him yet. Not against City anyway
A comparison of Ashley Young and Di Maria in terms of stats this season. I would post the picture but I'm not sure how to on my macbook.
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...ul_take_ons_%/interceptions/fouls_suffered#90
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...ul_take_ons_%/interceptions/fouls_suffered#90
Yep, most talented player in our squad.
I'd definitely start him. He'll create the chances we need.
Besides, it's better than putting him on after 70 minutes when we're sitting back and killing the game of.
Besides, it's better than putting him on after 70 minutes when we're sitting back and killing the game of.
It's a choice between Young or him. Young provides us with much more defensive stability than Di Maria does. Di Maria clearly provides us with much more attacking potency.
Prefer Young to start. Smalling for Jones, otherwise no change.
This side is all about balance and Di Maria hasn't at any stage shown the ability to bring more of that to the side than Young. Stats won't show you all the times when Young has held position to allow his LB partner to move into position to attack, Stats won't show you all of the times when he has tracked back to shield his LB partner, stats however will show you that his pass success rate is higher than Di Maria's (Around 80% to Di Maria's 77% which is key in a possession orientated team).
This side is supposed to be about positional relationships and the side being more than just the sum of its parts, Di Maria will have to show that he can bring similar things to the side from the bench, I don't think LVG strikes me as the type of manager who would be overly swayed by assist and goal stats as much as he will be about balance within his side and the balance has looked pretty good for the last couple of games partly thanks in small part to Young's positional sense.
He has earned the right to start until there is an overwhelming reason to drop him.
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Maybe, but Young doesn't deserve to be dropped.
It's not that I don't want him to start but I don't think Young deserves to be dropped.
Easy there Martine.
This. What has Young done to be dropped? Nothing. He's given us good performances since he's started for us - he doesn't deserve to be dropped at all.
Di Maria may be the better player, but it's about form and right now Young has shown to be able to give a more balanced performance. Di Maria's brain-feck in that Arsenal game shouldn't be forgotten - it was a big game, and he decided to be an idiot. He needs to earn that trust.
Two assists in two games or not, that isn't a good indicator at all. For what it's worth, as noted by pundits, his "assist" for Rooney's goal wasn't even a good pass - it was behind everyone in the box, and if it wasn't for Rooney's touch and volley, he wouldn't have had that assist to his name.
There will come a time when he will start again, but if it ain't broke don't fix it. Young and Blind are showing to be a solid wing, defensively and offensively.
Maybe my bitterness over ADM's antics against Arsenal and whatnot may be affecting my opinion, but I can push that aside and still think that Young has done enough over the past few weeks to deserve to start against City.
Going forward Di Maria can do everything Young can do, and usually do it better.
If he can be briefed properly that he has to do a job on Zabaleta, it's a no brainer. He's put in big contributions in other games of this magnitude, the telling cross vs Chelsea, the counter at Arsenal, and I don't doubt he could put something on a plate for Rooney or Fellaini.
My only concern would be defensively. Neither he or Mata can work like Young defensively so you'd need Blind and Valencia to be clever.
If he can be briefed properly that he has to do a job on Zabaleta, it's a no brainer. He's put in big contributions in other games of this magnitude, the telling cross vs Chelsea, the counter at Arsenal, and I don't doubt he could put something on a plate for Rooney or Fellaini.
My only concern would be defensively. Neither he or Mata can work like Young defensively so you'd need Blind and Valencia to be clever.
Its not about who is individually the better player, its about who brings the greater overall stability and balance to the side and right now its Young. We beat both Tottenham and Liverpool by being the better overall side on each occasion and being much greater than just the sum of our parts (forming the kind of passing triangles we have done lately will do that).
Young has earned the right to start another key game especially when you consider that Di Maria got himself sent off only a few games ago against Arsenal. Young should start, Di Maria can prove himself from the bench should he be needed.
I'd love to see him start and rip them to shreds but dropping Young who maybe ain't as good at crossing and as fast but Young tracks back and has proved he can defend which for the first 60 or so mins of the game would be a better choice, basically do the same as the last 2 games bring ADM on in the 2nd half!
I would love to see him start attacking wise but I feel we look so much weaker defensively as soon as he is on the pitch. I know that's not specifically his job but Young has been great in that department, we look solid with him on the left. I would even debate swapping Di Maria for Mata in this one but Mata has also been great. If he plays I could easily see him creating atlaest 1 goal but at the same time leaving us open to concede at the other end. Im glad im not the manager for once.
Young has earned it, Di Maria hasn't...
People keep banging on about Di Maria's assists but you have to admit a lot of them have been awfully lucky.
Young will start, Di Maria will come off the bench.
People keep banging on about Di Maria's assists but you have to admit a lot of them have been awfully lucky.
Young will start, Di Maria will come off the bench.
LVG has repeatedly stated that he needs a team with balance. Young provides us with balance. Di Maria doesnt.
We must start with the same XI players which has seen us win the last 3 games (Smalling in, if he has recovered). And Di Maria and Falcao on the bench.
All the tinkering has been done so we can find our best XI players and we now have our best XI. So, why should we unnecessarily make further changes for one of the most important games of the season?
I say: keep the same team.
We must start with the same XI players which has seen us win the last 3 games (Smalling in, if he has recovered). And Di Maria and Falcao on the bench.
All the tinkering has been done so we can find our best XI players and we now have our best XI. So, why should we unnecessarily make further changes for one of the most important games of the season?
I say: keep the same team.
I'd start him, no question about it. Young has been good, but Di Maria is levels ahead of him despite his form.
It would be extremely unfair to Young if we start Di Maria (wind the clock a year back, can anyone believe this being said ever?). However I think he should start ahead of Young simply because as stated before, he is more talented and capable of moments of brilliancy which we will need against City. However, an alternative substitution can be Di Maria for Fellaini and switch Mata to the center of the pitch as an attacking midfielder.
---------------Rooney---------------
Young---------Mata--------Di Maria
--------Carrick-----Herrera---------
Young is in fantastic form I think if we start Di Maria, I hope this would be the attacking line up
---------------Rooney---------------
Young---------Mata--------Di Maria
--------Carrick-----Herrera---------
Young is in fantastic form I think if we start Di Maria, I hope this would be the attacking line up
Yeah lets just blatantly ignore Young and Mata's performances, and play Di Maria.
Why fix what ain't broke? Bring Di Maria off the bench, if necessary.
I'm really surprised by the Caf's response, I thought the overwhelming majority would want di Maria to start.
Perhaps I need to read the "Why do United supporters hate di Maria" thread.
Perhaps I need to read the "Why do United supporters hate di Maria" thread.
We're just thinking logically. Chemistry and balance is more important than the upgrade of talent in one position (and it may not even be an upgrade on matchday if he decided to have a stinker). We shouldn't risk losing the rhythm and momentum we've built up over the last couple of weeks.