Man Utd vs Dinamo Bucurest (wed)

Richter said:
They worked, thx for the goals and credit to you for coming to the forum again after a defeat to Man United. Not many guys do that.
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Thanks, but don't think you have gotten rid of me just yet :nono: :devil:

I'll be back here in the 2nd leg, because Dinamo actually plays better away...

It's not over 'till the fat Romanian lady sings :lol:
 
DinamoRedDog said:
Thanks, but don't think you have gotten rid of me just yet :nono: :devil:

I'll be back here in the 2nd leg, because Dinamo actually plays better away...

It's not over 'till the fat Romanian lady sings :lol:
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Cheers.

Thanks for being such a good sport and for posting such nice stuff.

We'll have to see what happens on the Away leg.
 
VanNistelrater said:
Thanks.

Hope you stay around here, you could go and argue with the Liverpool fans in the Football Forum ;)
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Let's hope Dinamo get to stuff them in the UEFA....
 
My assessment.

Competent performance after a shakey start. Defence as a whole was caught out on the first goal. We generally looked sluggish and often second best for the first half hour but Bucharest pretty much out of it once Giggs had equalised on 38 minutes. After that we took over the game, aprt from one or two scary breaks. One thing that was pleasing was how Keane and Mickey carried or passed the ball intelligently out of defence rather than a defensive mid coming back to collect it. Gave us more options going forward as a result. Just a thought but perhaps Roy needs to stay further forward when playing in mf. Passing was pretty crisp and accurate all round with good movement off the ball, so we held on to the ball well. That said, the opposition were nothing special. Two goals was scant reward for the amount of possession we had in the second half. The only negatives for me were how easily we conceded early on and that we didn't create more clear cut chances, but hardly a big issue for a scratch side.

Looked like a 4-4-1-1 formation to me, rather than 4-1-3/4-2/1 as predicted. O'Shea and DJ2 seemed to be playing side by side most of the time, and O'Shea got forward an awful lot, more so than DJ2.

Howard fairly untroubled in goal. Got a couple of good touches and generally commanded OK. Spilled the ball once early on.
Gazwas Gaz. Solid at the back and got forward well. Some excellent crosses. Booked for nothing of any consequence near the end.
Keanelooked solid. Got caught for pace early on but soon settled in to command.
Mickey was solid, no desparate blunders, anticipated problems and made good clean tackles, increasingly carried the ball out with confidence.
Fortune looked a bit short of match practice. Early on was caught out of position, slow brain boot co-ordination on the goal, got forward a lot but crap crossing. Got a lot better as the game progressed. Was sweating buckets as usual. Overall solid and confident.
Fletcher had a very good game. Skillful on the ball, pretty strong in the tackle. Some useful distribution. More than adequate whilst Ronnie is out.
DJ2 very solid game, closing space, clean distribution, and ball winning. Always in the game. Beginning to impress.
O'Shea looked comfortable on the ball and in the tackle, covered and got forward well. Looked more confident than in a while. Definately not out of place and his height very useful in central midfield.
Giggs didn't get at their defence as much as I'd have liked but I'm sure he was under orders to protect the left flank with Fortune behind him. Goal was sublime. Took the ball just outside our area on the left, passed it forward and kept going himself into space, a one touch pass from Scholes (I think, maybe Fletcher), which Giggs was in position on the right middle of their half to receive, raced it past the advancing goalie and away from goal and under pressure from a covering defender passed it round him side footed into the net. Could have had a second from long range too.
Scholes looked sharp again playing in the hole, some nice tricky touches and a fulcrum. Always looked dangerous in and around the box. Booked for a really cynical professional late tackle.
Smith my MOTM. Combatative, sharp, good touch, held the ball incredibly well under pressure, good lay offs and exellent movement, hit the inside of the right post with a crisp left-footed shot, an opening made by excellent interplay between Gaz and Fletcher. A couple of dodgy studs-up going for the ball, but all genuine efforts and not dirty play. Booked for one that I thought was actually a good ball win. Good headed goal (disallowed) from Gaz free kick (ref wasn't ready!!). Looks MUQ.

Miller got 35 odd minutes replacing Fletcher. Intelligent player with some excellent touches and tackles. Looks like he's been in the team for years. Made the second goal (og) by driving it across the goal from close in on the by-line.
Phil replaced Giggs late on and played wide left. Didn't have long on the pitch but competent as ever.
Forlan got to play extra time (?!!!?) in pace of Scholes. Not sure he even got a touch.

On this basis, with these available players I would certainly persist with Keane at the back and O'Shea in the middle. We look more solid at the back, DJ2 is getting better game by game as a midfield enforcer and Josh can play to his strengths amongst which quick witted last-man-muscle defending is not one. Josh's distribution and ball skills look a cut above Phil's in the middle too, he can close space just as well and his long legs give him an advantage in the tackle.
 
Red Molly// Would rather see Fletcher and Djemba in middle and Miller on right if Keano is playing defender. I know Fletcher is suspended against Chelsea but I mean this for other games. And I don't think anyone of us would like to see O Shea in the middle against Chel$ski.
 
My man of the match - Smith
Miller looked good when he came on, didn't look unfit. he could be our answer to the right wing until ronaldo returns. Fletcher did ok there tonight too.
The Smith shot off the post was unlucky.
I thought we didn't play that well first half, too many sloppy passes and no runs being made. O'Shea didn't seem to run about much. I'd have switched positions for him with Keane. 2nd half was a bit better but we still allowed Dinamo some good chances.
The bookings were daft and there was no need for the players to do that.

Fortune what on earth were you doing, 2 chances to clear and you mess both up. Wasn't his best of games

Does anyone else lack confidence in Silvestre lately?
 
a_devil_inside said:
My man of the match - Smith
Miller looked good when he came on, didn't look unfit. he could be our answer to the right wing until ronaldo returns. Fletcher did ok there tonight too.
The Smith shot off the post was unlucky.
I thought we didn't play that well first half, too many sloppy passes and no runs being made. O'Shea didn't seem to run about much. I'd have switched positions for him with Keane. 2nd half was a bit better but we still allowed Dinamo some good chances.
The bookings were daft and there was no need for the players to do that.

Fortune what on earth were you doing, 2 chances to clear and you mess both up. Wasn't his best of games

Does anyone else lack confidence in Silvestre lately?
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Silvestre has been looking a little shaky without his mate Rio. Hopefully Silvestre's form will improve with Rio back.
 
Richter said:
Red Molly// Would rather see Fletcher and Djemba in middle and Miller on right if Keano is playing defender. I know Fletcher is suspended against Chelsea but I mean this for other games. And I don't think anyone of us would like to see O Shea in the middle against Chel$ski.
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Josh isn't strong enough to place at the back alongside Silvestre, who needs a strong partner. Can't think of another reason why SAF has played Keane back there pre-season and tonight. O'Shea's chief attribute at present is he is experienced and available, and without Fletcher it's going to be O'Shea or Phil alongside DJ2, with Miller on the right probably. Not ideal, but the only other option is Gaz alongside Silvestre with Phil at right back in order for Keane to play with DJ2. I'd have played that formation, but clearly SAF, who knows better, believes RK is his best option to shore up the back four.
 
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