Is it though? Unless you're going to rely on the young lad you'll have to buy a new keeper as neither Fabianski or Almunia seem up to it, IMHO. Neither of the centre halves on show tonight have convinced me (though both are new to the country and may find their feet) nor has Djourou ever looked like someone you could really count on, so that may be a second player. Every team can improve but your weaknesses seem to have a recurring theme.
Manchester United v Arsenal
- Thread starter Maciej
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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.
Is it though? Unless you're going to rely on the young lad you'll have to buy a new keeper as neither Fabianski or Almunia seem up to it, IMHO. Neither of the centre halves on show tonight have convinced me (though both are new to the country and may find their feet) nor has Djourou ever looked like someone you could really count on, so that may be a second player. Every team can improve but your weaknesses seem to have a recurring theme.
Yeh, he's good at that, but I wouldn't say that we need a midfield overhaul.
We played badly tonight, and arguably deserved what we got, but there's no need for us to think about changing things dramatically. When we get Cesc fit again, we'll be fine. Song's a top player, and we have one of the leading young midfielders in the world in Wilshere. I'm not going to over-react after one poor display - we could take Carrick, and he'd do a decent job for us I guess, but I'm not overly worried about the midfield situation.
In what way was it an even game? you didn't create a thing all night, the scoreline remained respectable due to our bloopers from clear cut chances.
Song and Wilshere were very poor and gave none of our AM any kind of platform.
I thought Song was probably your only midfielder to turn up, Rosicky and Wilshere were terrible.
I thought luck didn't exist alastair?
Last I checked fortune is luck.
Oh god, not this again
. It was sort of fortunate because the irony is that Clichy actually defended the situation quite well - he got the block in. Should he have defended it poorly, you probably wouldn't have scored.
That's the trouble with you Goons - you think a good team is made up of 11 Zidane's since Wenger's been in charge. The "dog players" like Park do all the dirty work so that players like Nani and Rooney can shine. Stop being so bitter.
Anyway, Gooners are calling into You're On Sky Sports tonight and blaming the ref and saying they were robbed - even the presenter is telling them they lost to the better side and he's a diehard Chelsea supporter!
Isnt calling Park a dog borderline racism?
Take the broad view pete, ye with more of the ball and less of the chances/goals ... happens a little too frequently against top sides to be coincidental.
I've always said it, ye will hammer average teams in a manner that makes ye appear better than you are.
Anyway, Gooners are calling into You're On Sky Sports tonight and blaming the ref and saying they were robbed - even the presenter is telling them they lost to the better side and he's a diehard Chelsea supporter!
You hear the last one? Complaining about the pitch, 'They were falling all over the place'
So is it fair to say arsenal are the dirtiest team in the league?
It seems true.
It seems true.
To be fair, both sides were slipping all over the place. Wenger didn't use it as an excuse for the defeat, he said it affected everyone, which it did. It needs re-laying.
This is actually true.
Oh god, not this again
It was sort of fortunate because the irony is that Clichy actually defended the situation quite well - he got the block in. Should he have defended it poorly, you probably wouldn't have scored.
I wouldn't exactly say he got the block in. It was a half-block anything.
I like your logic though - if Clichy had been shit as usual, Park wouldn't have scored.
Actually thought Clichy didn't have a bad game. Dispossessed us a couple of times when we looked menacing on edge of box. Nani to blame for trying to beat him with the same trick that failed first time - I suppose we can forgive him for thinking Clichy would fall for it given previous encounters.
Was impressed with Clichy tonight actually, handled Nani quite well, Nani did skin him a few times especially first half but had one of his spazzy nights unfortunately.
Seeing things from peterstory's point of view only serves to make our success in the last few years even more impressive as we've somehow managed it with a mostly shit team.
How could they possibly blame the ref for the loss?That's the trouble with you Goons - you think a good team is made up of 11 Zidane's since Wenger's been in charge. The "dog players" like Park do all the dirty work so that players like Nani and Rooney can shine. Stop being so bitter.
Anyway, Gooners are calling into You're On Sky Sports tonight and blaming the ref and saying they were robbed - even the presenter is telling them they lost to the better side and he's a diehard Chelsea supporter!
I wouldn't exactly say he got the block in. It was a half-block anything.
I like your logic though - if Clichy had been shit as usual, Park wouldn't have scored.
Actually thought Clichy didn't have a bad game. Dispossessed us a couple of times when we looked menacing on edge of box. Nani to blame for trying to beat him with the same trick that failed first time - I suppose we can forgive him for thinking Clichy would fall for it given previous encounters.
I thought Nani had a poor night in fairness - Clichy is still our weak link defensively, despite being good for most of this evening. And however ridiculous the point about the cross sounds, it is true. If only Clichy hadn't stuck out his leg.
You hear the last one? Complaining about the pitch, 'They were falling all over the place'
Yep I heard him, the senile old Cockney!
Thing is I don't think anyone really stood out today, I could say we defended well as a team and perhaps Anderson perhaps was our best player. Arsenal actually defended better than expected but failed a bit on the pass and move game. We didn't really have much to prove and still won, the onus was more on you guys and another loss doesn't do much confidence to a title bid. It's still early days anyway, had we lost I wouldn't be too worried. Great win for us though.
Where's the cross going if he doesn't block it though?
For the attention of some gooners on here who were apparently watching a different game to the rest of us:
NANI:"Go careful Ji Sung, you may slip on this awful pitch and do yourself a mischief!"
Across the face of goal to a thoroughly ineffective Rooney?
Hehe, I bet you weren't thinking he was ineffective when that lob was looping in, only for the valiant efforts of Chesney (if Arsenal fans don't call him that already they should - get it started).
I thought Rooney actually led the line very well tonight, couple of wonderful individual efforts (that chip would have been replayed over and over had it been an inch higher) and laid on Anderson who should have scored early in the second.
Of course a penalty miss will render all that totally obsolete.
Of course a penalty miss will render all that totally obsolete.
Where the feck was Berba? SO lazy I didn't even see himget involved.
Couldnt even be bothered to warm up either, i say we sell the cnut before it catches.
Spot on. Seriously though Afo, It's getting a bit frustrating. If we can't play two strikers at OT, I don't give a feck against what opposition, when do we play them?!? Don't expect to see him vs. Chelsea away next week as well.
SAF is just playing the cautious game, fair and all, but I just want to see us play both of them especially when they have played well together lately.
SAF comes out and gives this long spiel about tinkering too much with the squad and the forwards, blah, blah, blah, and feck me, he does it again.
What the feck do I know. He is SAF, not me.
You know my position on that one pal, i agree and i wonder at times what Berba thinks to himself on such nights, hes just scored 5 in his last league game and yet hes on the bench when the big games comes around, it must mess you up a bit mentally id have thought, its a shame really.
Id like to think we would go 2 up top against Chelsea, if Sunderland can go there and do it and expose blatant flaws in Chelseas game surely we can? but i dont see it happening and to be fair this system has worked for us in recent years especially against Arsenal, not so much Chelsea which is why maybe 2 up top ala Sunderland might be the way to go.
Still i suppose if theres one good thing to come out of this is it proves those theories that Berbatov was left out of the big games due to poor form etc were utter bollox, i remember having that debate with a certain few on here who insisted it was nothing to do with tactics and everything to do with him not being good enough as to the reason we played with the 1 main striker system, "if he played well enough hed be in the side no question" was the mantra, it was bullshit then and its still bullshit now.
Berbatov scored 5 in his last league game and still didnt play in a big game, why? tactical decision clearly and no slight on the player.
Berbatov scored 5 in his last league game and still didnt play in a big game, why? tactical decision clearly and no slight on the player.
Fergie got a system in big matches in PL and CL that works fairly well most of the time, with 3 central midfielders controlling midfield and protecting the back line with a roaming Rooney alone up front supported by the hard working Park and the creative Nani. He is unlikely to change this system as long as it gets results. And unfortunately Berba and Hernandez are the odd men out.
1) What is this desire to play 2 strikers?
2) Barca / Real play with 1 striker - are they cautious?
3) Yes exactly
We should play 4-4-2 no matter who the opposition is?
1) What is this desire to play 2 strikers?
2) Barca / Real play with 1 striker - are they cautious?
3) Yes exactly
We should play 4-4-2 no matter who the opposition is?
Barca and Real play with one striker in the traditional sense but they both have a wide player each who scores more goals than any striker in the world.
1) What is this desire to play 2 strikers?
2) Barca / Real play with 1 striker - are they cautious?
3) Yes exactly
We should play 4-4-2 no matter who the opposition is?
No Sunshine, you know very well that this is not what I meant, you are just being petty.Wipe that smirk off your face
Our two main forwards have the quality to switch positions, play in one line, play behind each other, switch to the wings etc. Very similar to Barca and Real.Maybe I should have called them 'forwards or attacking players' to be more exact.
Especially Barca are a good example since I consider both Messi and Villa and actually Pedro as well, very flexible forward players.
True. Good point.
No Sunshine, you know very well that this is not what I meant, you are just being petty.Wipe that smirk off your face
Maybe I should have called them 'forwards or attacking players' to be more exact.
Especially Barca are a good example since I consider both Messi and Villa and actually Pedro as well, very flexible forward players.
True. Good point.
Then why has SAF persisted with this formation and team selection. Why doesnt SAF just play Rooney and Berba in a 4 3 3. SAF gone cautious? Why does he select Park? More to the point whats going to make Saf change his mind. Unfortunately untill that happens I dont see Berba getting a start in these games.
Obviously since it has been getting the results in most cases and I realize this, if we have to generalize without going into details. I was just expressing my opinion that I would like to see Rooney and Berba play up front together on a more consistent basis especially when they have shown good form in the last matches.
But yes, I agree, that SAF will probably stick to this as long as we get results. The only way it will change is if we have issues in midfield and he has no choice.
Even though it is unrealistic, I still hope we go out to the Bridge and start with 2 forwards and bomb them from the start as Sunderland did. Now would be as good of a time as any to do this.