That statement would only applies when Alonso was around. Right now, they have a worse midfield than us. I would rather play a traditional 4-4-2 and go for their throats at the first whistle.
Central midfield this season...
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That statement would only applies when Alonso was around. Right now, they have a worse midfield than us. I would rather play a traditional 4-4-2 and go for their throats at the first whistle.
If they get their star players back for the weekend they will be a completely different opposition to the one we saw at Sunderland. I reckon they will employ the same tactics they did at Old Trafford in March, a high pressure and in your face approach. You can bet your top dollar that they will not allow us time and space when in possession. Lets not forget we have played 4-4-2 a lot this season only to be outplayed by what Sunderland at OT? plus a host of other teams as well.
With our options out wide not as good as they have been for a few good years, Gerrard likely to play in that free role of his and the defence leaking goals left, right and centre, I would say having an extra man in midfield might actually make a difference in terms of how we approach the game, cope with the tempo etc. Mind you, we only need to avoid a defeat in this game
Anderson needs to start against the dippers. He simply makes the team tick.
I'm inclined to agree with this. With no Xabi Alonso and Mascherano not in top form..We should be able to handle them with a 4-4-2. We just need to be more clinical than we were vs Bolton.
I can't imagne no other line-up then a midfield with Fletch Carrick and Ando with Giggs in free position and Roo and Berb upfront.
Pool will fight for there life's and we need steal in the middle to cool them down, maybe in the 2nd half we convert to a traditional 442.
But as usaual only the Good himself know.
He's quite good at stopping the opposition from ticking. But us? No, thats in the hands of the likes of Scholes and Giggs.On Anderson making us tick...
1. He doesn't stop the opposition from ticking nearly as much as people think. In games this season, a number of midfielders have got past him far too easily and have created opportunities to score. He doesn't get back and cover quick enough.
2. For me, Anderson's best position is in the advanced midfield position. He has the potential to be our Xavi or Iniesta I believe - his eye for a pass is fantastic, he has the ability to execute them and the goalscoring will pick up with time.
3. I don't know how to really structure our midfield. We want that attacking midfielder who really pulls the strings, but somehow need to compensate that with some defensive strength and wingers which have always been a traditional part of our play. To play as Barcelona do, a 4-3-3 variation, we wouldn't be using wingers, which we have so many of.
1. He doesn't stop the opposition from ticking nearly as much as people think. In games this season, a number of midfielders have got past him far too easily and have created opportunities to score. He doesn't get back and cover quick enough.
2. For me, Anderson's best position is in the advanced midfield position. He has the potential to be our Xavi or Iniesta I believe - his eye for a pass is fantastic, he has the ability to execute them and the goalscoring will pick up with time.
3. I don't know how to really structure our midfield. We want that attacking midfielder who really pulls the strings, but somehow need to compensate that with some defensive strength and wingers which have always been a traditional part of our play. To play as Barcelona do, a 4-3-3 variation, we wouldn't be using wingers, which we have so many of.
On Anderson, a couple of thoughts:
- gets himself into clumsy positions trying to pass the ball...mostly due to not trusting his right foot or favoring his left
- for all his energy, while defending/marking his player, at the critical moment, gets lazy and tackles (read fouls) his man
Otherwise, he's alright. Got ability for sure but has a few questions to answer to cement a position in midfield. Atm, seems like both central mid positions are up for grabs so no more excuses if he doesn't make it.
- gets himself into clumsy positions trying to pass the ball...mostly due to not trusting his right foot or favoring his left
- for all his energy, while defending/marking his player, at the critical moment, gets lazy and tackles (read fouls) his man
Otherwise, he's alright. Got ability for sure but has a few questions to answer to cement a position in midfield. Atm, seems like both central mid positions are up for grabs so no more excuses if he doesn't make it.
Fletcher and Carrick in the middle for Liverpool game, with Valencia and Giggs on the wings.
Fletcher and Carrick pick themselves but I am inclined to throw Anderson in there as well and play a 433 with Giggs, Berbs and Rooney up front, as 7even said.
4-4-2 every day of the week for me, wingers running at the full backs and winning corners/freekicks, set plays will likely determine the outcome of the match.
I think our midfield is seriously underestimated by people who arent United fans. Fletcher, Anderson and Carrick all seem to be viewed (by people I know at least) as better than average, but not-at-all brilliant footballers. Scholes is seen as over-the-hill. Our wide players - perhaps with more justification, are seen as below par.
The only plus side of it, in terms of the respect people seem to have for our club at the moment, is the credit SAF gets for getting so much out of players who are seen as so patently sub-United quality.
It is interesting the perception that people have of our midfielders, in particular, which I would put down to a lack of charisma or perhaps arrogance in their personalities. Perhaps Anderson has the potential to develop some of that, but until he becomes a natural first choice player he doesnt seem able to assert himself very much. Fletcher and Carrick just seem naturally unassuming.
I wonder if people on the outside will ever see past that to what great footballers they are. After all, we made the CL Final last year with more or less the same team. People seem to think it was only Ronaldo who got us there. Most of us know Fletch and Carrick played a massive part in that as well.
The only plus side of it, in terms of the respect people seem to have for our club at the moment, is the credit SAF gets for getting so much out of players who are seen as so patently sub-United quality.
It is interesting the perception that people have of our midfielders, in particular, which I would put down to a lack of charisma or perhaps arrogance in their personalities. Perhaps Anderson has the potential to develop some of that, but until he becomes a natural first choice player he doesnt seem able to assert himself very much. Fletcher and Carrick just seem naturally unassuming.
I wonder if people on the outside will ever see past that to what great footballers they are. After all, we made the CL Final last year with more or less the same team. People seem to think it was only Ronaldo who got us there. Most of us know Fletch and Carrick played a massive part in that as well.
Oppo fans and journo's etc can go on underestimating our players forever, it can only serve to make victories sweeter.
And to be fair there are plenty of United fans who underestimate them too, like the guy who commented yesterday that Hargreaves would walk into our midfield the minute he regains fitness as he is the only midfielder capable of doing his job
And to be fair there are plenty of United fans who underestimate them too, like the guy who commented yesterday that Hargreaves would walk into our midfield the minute he regains fitness as he is the only midfielder capable of doing his job
True, obviously there are a lot of muppets among our number. And true, people underestimating us is to our advantage. But still, it seems strange that people havent cottoned on with Fletcher and Carrick in particular. Anderson still has a lot to prove, and people who dont watch him as often may not see the potential. But the other two are already there.
I think Fletcher is starting to get the recognition he deserves from outside the club, and Carrick goes about his game in such a manner that he won't get the attention that other midfielders will. Like you said above it may be a lack of charisma or arrogance or something.
Yep, I've noticed that as well. He was partly at fault for the goal on Saturday because he let Mark Davies just run straight past him barely even making a challenge, despite the fact he could see him running at him for 20 yards away.
id say ferguson should shoulder some of that blame anderson was clearly tiring even 10 min before that, a change should have been made because that would never have happened earlier in the game, anderson had lost energy n his performance dropped off a level, fresh legs would have prevented that penetration. He is no fletcher but he gets stuck in and closes down space, his slide tackles are great. His main improvements this season are his willingness to make space and show himself for recieving a pass, he has become more patient and more decisive with his passing. Keep it up ando.
No we don't, and that's exactly the shift implemented by Fergie this summer when he could have bought an attacking midfielder who would have been labelled as a top dog. We are seemingly developing an orthodox 4-man midfield with tasks and creative freedom being shared amongst all protagonists.
It will be nothing short of a miracle if we win the Champions League with this midfield.
It was poor today but with Scholes back and Anderson showing signs of really kicking on we'll be fine.
Anderson looked shattered today.
Anderson looked shattered today.
Disagree if Scholes is available.
We're not regularly found wanting in big games in midfield.
You've got to be kidding! We've got a good midfield. Obviously the players are shot having to play that many games within such a short space of time.We won't win the champions league. No chance.
In a league type of setup I'm confident we can slug it out for top spot with the likes of Barca/Madrid, because we're dogged and know how to get the points... we have a good squad and a great manager who knows how to use it.
But in one vs one matchups over one or two games I'm far less confident and fear even the likes of Bayern and Lyon would do us...
We can't keep the ball well enough, without Scholes we lack creativity and we misplaced more passes today than Barca have all season.
That's because you're an eternal pessimist.
Think the midfield struggled today, Anderson and Carrick have been excellent the last month or so but looked tired today. Fletcher is still struggling for form and injuries in that area and out wide are not helping.
You got me confused with kelvin.
Now where's that "do you regret your username" thread.
Think the midfield struggled today, Anderson and Carrick have been excellent the last month or so but looked tired today. Fletcher is still struggling for form and injuries in that area and out wide are not helping.
Think the midfield struggled today, Anderson and Carrick have been excellent the last month or so but looked tired today. Fletcher is still struggling for form and injuries in that area and out wide are not helping.
Good but not good enough to win the champions league
You got me confused with kelvin.
Now where's that "do you regret your username" thread.
Is right and has been a known weakness of us against the more continental teams. This was also a problem when Ronaldo and Tevez were here, but individual class from the front players and an iron defence compensated for it.
Weird bump. This thread is from march 2009.
Ahh my mistake. I certainly did.
In spite of the fact our best three wide players (Giggs, Nani and Park) were unavailable and our first choice central midfielder (Fletcher) was out right?
I am a bit more optimistic in a cup format than in a league because I worry on our match winning prowess but with one of the best defenses in Europe, I wouldn't bet against us keeping clean sheets against any team in Europe.
Shows we should have addressed this in the summer or even before then. I think we have an excellent midfield but to be honest we are missing one world class player there and have done for a couple of years.
I'm not one to create a new thread when a perfectly good one already exists. I genuinely can't understand why we don't have a midfield that can keep the ball at will, compared to the rest of our squad our central midfield is so average.
Its not a midfield thing, its the way we are set up to defend, we sit too deep away from home. When we attack it's rarely involves more then the wingers and striker, the other 6 don't push up so as soon as the attack breaks down the opposition have an easy time mopping up possesion, that's why we aren't keeping the ball well
I think a lot of the problems with cm today can be at least partially atttributed to how poorly Obertan and Neville were.
I agree