[DomesticTadpole]

Rooney can do a job on the left wing. Or maybe even drop Herrera and have Rooney play in that role behind Martial.

What LVG really needs to do though is just give him a break. Maybe sit him for a game or two. He is not the same energizer bunny of a player he once was. He is 30 years old FFS. He needs to be managed just like BFS and Carrick.

Isn't this another problem he has created, three players whose gametime should be managed. One is fine, three is not good when even he has admitted the squad is too small. Which is down to LvG in the first place.

 

[Borys]

Pretty sure I saw mata collect the ball and immediately turn and beat his man during that game..

I hate it when somebody pulls out one situation as a proof of anything. Happens all the time on here.
But yeah, you're right. The thing is, he surprised the opposition player that time. He won't beat a player when playing wide/ up front.
What isn't really a criticism towards him as we all know his limitations.

 

[kouroux]

Rooney can do a job on the left wing. Or maybe even drop Herrera and have Rooney play in that role behind Martial.

What LVG really needs to do though is just give him a break. Maybe sit him for a game or two. He is not the same energizer bunny of a player he once was. He is 30 years old FFS. He needs to be managed just like BFS and Carrick.

I don't think I have seen a 30 years old player looking as physically bad as Rooney. 30 years shouldn't be old and isn't old for most pro footballers, it's still a "peak" (maybe the last one) year. Rooney plays like he is 35-36 years old.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

If LvGs English instructions to the players are as incomprehensible as the meaning behind his post match comments I think we may have stumbled onto something!

 

[DomesticTadpole]

If LvGs English instructions to the players are as incomprehensible as the meaning behind his post match comments I think we may have stumbled onto something!

If he is letting Giggsy do the team talks. Sabotage.

 

[Jammydodger7]

I don't think I've ever enjoy a game less

 

[Jazz]

Rooney can do a job on the left wing. Or maybe even drop Herrera and have Rooney play in that role behind Martial.

What LVG really needs to do though is just give him a break. Maybe sit him for a game or two. He is not the same energizer bunny of a player he once was. He is 30 years old FFS. He needs to be managed just like BFS and Carrick.

That's the best place to stick him - I don't agree with dropping Herrera at all. From what I've read because I didn't get to see the game, Herrera might not have had his best game, but he will more often than not offer us something in that role - far far more than Rooney.

 

[Jazz]

If he is letting Giggsy do the team talks. Sabotage.

I'm beginning to think this is correct. I know I read that he has - but continuing with this is crazy. He needs to take more responsibility with being more personal with the team, and not letting Giggs or Rooney do it as they are both a charisma free zone.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

If he is letting Giggsy do the team talks. Sabotage.

If he is, as some have mentioned, surely they are just conveying his instructions as they see them.

Can you imagine what Rooney's take might be on some of LvGs mumblings?

… sounds like an idea for a thread to me!

 

[Organic Potatoes]

If LvGs English instructions to the players are as incomprehensible as the meaning behind his post match comments I think we may have stumbled onto something!

Going from Moyes to him reminds me of that cartoon from the World Cup with Demichealis going from Maradona with the national team to LVG at Bayern.

(I would post it but I think they frown upon stuff like that in the football forums...).

 

[Minimalist]

I don't think I have seen a 30 years old player looking as physically bad as Rooney. 30 years shouldn't be old and isn't old for most pro footballers, it's still a "peak" (maybe the last one) year. Rooney plays like he is 35-36 years old.

That's an insult to some top players at that age.

Try 40+.

 

[Jazz]

If he is, as some have mentioned, surely they are just conveying his instructions as they see them.

Can you imagine what Rooney's take might be on some of LvGs mumblings?

… sounds like an idea for a thread to me!

This.
That's why he would have been better off choosing his own assistant - someone who understands his philosophy and is an excellent communicator in English... like Kliuvert for e.g. I feel he would be able to deliver instructions in a clear and non-threatening way to the players. LVG is strict so therefore he needs an assistant to negate that a bit. Giggs is not a great communicator - so it only compounds all the issues.

 

[SoCross]

I really enjoyed the last 25 or so minutes of the first half

Second half was wank though, we lost a lot of composure when Schweinsteiger went off and was surprised to see Mata taken off too. Had those two remained on with Martial down the centre, I thought we could have sneaked a win.

Would like to see Young start and we really need our full backs to attack more.

 

[Moriarty]

If he is letting Giggsy do the team talks. Sabotage.

Is he? Odd if true because neither Giggs or Van Gaal do much during games by way of shouting instructions from the technical area. Maybe that's just their way but if it is, then surely a leader on the pitch is a must. Rooney doesn't lead very well but there are others who are more than capable of doing the job.

 

[Fully Fledged]

I think people are forgetting Palace away is a fairly tricky game.

City only limped past Norwich at home today.

We're just about in touch with top, 4 points off.

Need some confidence from the next two homes though, as I don't overly fancy us against anyone away at the moment.

4 draws in a row, scoring 1 goal? Terrible stats

No it's not. Palace have only won 2 home games so far this season and drawn one (against us) while losing the other 3. They have been slightly more impressive away from home winning 3 out of 5 games.

 

[Moonred]

Ended the first half well and then did nothing. Pretty bad in general today. Needs to improve.

 

[Fully Fledged]

...Lee Harvey Oswald.

Well it definitely wasn't from anybody on the grass.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Some wise man once told:

insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result

LVG clearly hates that wise man!

I played Craps the other day. Picked up the dice rolled them down the table and the results were different the majority of the time. Does that make me mad?

 

[Ryan7]

Pathetic yet again. Once again showing there is no philosophy.

 

[RustyS]

Firstly, today's draw and the (penalty) loss against Middlesborough were not Rooney's fault. So we can't keep blaming him for everything.
But with regards to Rooney & LVG: LVG has stated many times, the Captain ALWAYS plays. I think our fans don't realise this. Rooney can score an own-goal hat-trick and will still get picked for the next game. He is undroppable and will play every game.



LOL, even that's an embarrassing stat.

We play a one striker system. The stats point to the fact that Rooney is failing miserably ag playing that role this season. On top of the stats, there is our own eyes and watching his shit show every week. He was not the worst player on the pitch today but he was his usual shit self.

Captain always playing is the worst excuse in the history of excuses. We have two vice captains, we can play one of them.

 

[Sarni]

No it's not. Palace have only won 2 home games so far this season and drawn one (against us) while losing the other 3. They have been slightly more impressive away from home winning 3 out of 5 games.

Palace are one of the 20 strongest teams in Premier League though.

 

[Halftrack]

What LVG really needs to do though is just give him a break. Maybe sit him for a game or two. He is not the same energizer bunny of a player he once was. He is 30 years old FFS. He needs to be managed just like BFS and Carrick.

A 30-year player shouldn't need to be managed, especially someone with Rooeny's injury record. BFS is only being managed due to his injuries the last couple of seasons.

And I'd rather we terminate Rooney's contract than start to drop other players in favor of him. Herrera might not have been brilliant, but he brings a lot more to the table than Rooney does.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Palace are one of the 20 strongest teams in Premier League though.

Is there any team in the league that doesn't look tough when we play them?

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Really poor performance.

I've said it before, but we should replace LVG in the summer if Pep/Ancelotti are available.

 

[Sarni]

Is there any team in the league that doesn't look tough when we play them?

Well I swear I've heard 'this is a tough game' about every single opposition.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Well I swear I've heard 'this is a tough game' about every single opposition.

He says it in every pre-game press conference. He said it before this game. If he goes into games thinking that then maybe it transmits to the players as well. Some of these games should really be a doddle. We make them difficult.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Well I swear I've heard 'this is a tough game' about every single opposition.

I know we're not entitled to anything. But we are fecking Man United. Crystal Palace should fear us, not the other way round.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Well I swear I've heard 'this is a tough game' about every single opposition.

There are no easy games in the Premier League anymore.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

He says it in every pre-game press conference. He said it before this game. If he goes into games thinking that then maybe it transmits to the players as well. Some of these games should really be a doddle. We make them difficult.

You could be talking about Davie Moyes there

 

[DomesticTadpole]

You could be talking about Davie Moyes there

Yep. Uncanny isn't it.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Is there any team in the league that doesn't look tough when we play them?

Or the championship?

 

[Sarni]

There are no easy games in the Premier League anymore.

Indeed. The toughest league in the world with so much quality that abysmal terrible Spanish and German teams would probably not win a single game in the league. NBA of football.

 

[Dans]

Reading the first page of the thread suggests to me people are starting to realise that the LVG way is no way for our club.

 

[Viral United]

Rooney is awful but I do thing there is no support for any players for him.
Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger are good in steady the deface, but they don't provide any support in attack which is worrying.
2 or 3 time today we cross the ball and there was no one in the box to score.
Its look like if Rooney is not in box no one will going to take his position.
I think that's the reason we are not creating anything.
I just hope it not tactic or other wise we are going to see lots of game like this.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Reading the first page of the thread suggests to me people are starting to realise that the LVG way is no way for our club.

We have a good squad, but not deep enough. Whose fault is that? With a manager who is far too rigid in how he wants the player to play. He doesn't get the best out of them instead is beating them round the head with his philosophy until he has knocked any verve and skill out of them. He's like footballs version of Mogadon.

 

[Red Dreams]

we have played teams that press against us. in that situation we need players around the player who is being pressed to take the pass.

Our problem once again is we are very slow in the final third.

We allow teams to get ready.

Young and Martial can get behind defences but Rooney is far from lethal.

Our squad needs further strengthening.

Another striker and winger at least.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Pardew has accused United of targeting Cabaye. Boo hoo.

Shame on United for not letting that hotheaded pseudo-hardman go around kicking the shite out of everyone in a white shirt. After he needlessly hacked down Schweinsteiger with a nasty cnut of a challenge from behind and got booked, of course he was targeted. There is nothing more predictable in football than going at a player who has been booked and is looking riled.

Pardew would have had his players do the same every day of the week.

 

[Spock]

I haven't read every post in this thread so I'm sure what I am about to write has already been written here.

Our overall performance as a squad today was dreadful, although credit goes to our back line for some very good work except Darmian. Young, incredibly, was fantastic at right back. Our defensive mids were solid enough, at times very good and at other times anonymous.

The problem -- no newsflash here -- was our lack penetration in the last third. Off the top of my head their keeper made only one save, the weak free kick from Rooney.

When you break down the play of our attacking four -- Rooney, Martial, Mata and Herrera -- the weakest link by far was Rooney. I'm not a Rooney hater, but his play was so shocking today I can't get my head around the fact that he continues to get starts ever week. The manager, desperate to keep him on the pitch, moves other players out of position to accommodate him. This cannot continue.

We have the squad to destroy Palace. Play Martial up top. Young and Mata wide, Herrera in the middle. Mata, who should never have been subbed off today, is a bit predictable at times but he does know how to deliver the final ball and find pockets of space for himself to take the shot. Young has the pace and moves to beat fullbacks and deliver a quality final ball. Herrera, who didn't have a great day today, is pure class.

Whether Rooney just needs rest, needs counseling, needs to get into shape or whatever, he needs to take some time off. He's working hard, but to no productive end. He's gone beyond being a passenger to being an actual liability. Louis, grow a pair!

 

[Jacob]

Looking good? We were dire at the setpiece marking and in the second half, Zaha & Bolasie really put us under pressure.

The possession definitely helps but our midfielders are just instructed to hang back and protect the back four. Nobody seems to be allowed to make a forward run or a run behind the defence. Its whats causing us to be absolutely predictable and shite in attack.

Yes, good. We've conceded the least amount of goals in the league so far, if that isn't good then I guess you have pretty high standards.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Yes, good. We've conceded the least amount of goals in the league so far, if that isn't good then I guess you have pretty high standards.

The defence is fine, except without Shaw and Valencia there is no attacking threat from them. Rojo isn't bad, but not in Shaw's class and Darmian is a defender, end of, except today of course. That is not helping with any attacking threat.