[RedDevilCanuck]

I thought Blind could take corners. Now he is shit. Rooney should take. Its not like he is an aerial threat these days.

 

[Ixion]

Blind is pretty good at corners, I think Monday was just a bad day for him. Our susceptibility to counter attacks from corners is a bit worrying though.

 

[HabeasC]

Ha! How the feck did you manage that?


Also, I just watched Hazards highlights for the game:


Honestly, your tactic of hacking him to bits was absolutely ridiculous looking back.

Didn't have a place to stay in Manchester this time so had to stay at a hotel and it ended up being the same one the Chelsea team were staying at.

We saw Courtois in the lobby too. He was a good foot taller than everyone around him.

 

[Acole9]

Another disappointing result but we played much better, especially in the first half. Hoping for more of the same vs Swansea but with goals!

 

[Tincanalley]

Good game. Chelsea played well, but United were pretty unlucky not to get the win. Also agree that the team faded a bit in the last quarter.

 

[MZX7]

Sure, we could've scored 4. But we didn't, as per usual.
We could've won the last 8 games and be sitting top of the league and CL group. But we didn't.Just saying.



In our case, they rarely go in.
1 goal per game, if we are very lucky, is the expectation.



We need an entirely new front 4. Martial, who is our best attacker, at his age, should be coming off the bench as an impact sub, while senior (better players), should be in our first team.
Martial is great for his age, but is not good enough to be our main striker yet.
Ruud Van Nistlerooy, Rooney (in his prime), RVP, Tevez, Yorke, etc - these were strikers for MUFC, who if available to us, would force Martial to be benched.

As for Rooney - when pundits award him MOTM when he could not score a goal (even though that is his job), meanwhile DDG is the actually saving goals and he hands MOTM award - this situation makes me mad. If Rooney took a dump on the pitch, the press would probably clap and say how beautiful that was.
Wayne "2 league goals" Rooney. Does he have no shame?

Rooney's lack of scoring is frustrating and maybe his goal-scoring days are done. But, I've heard from pundits and managers alike that he adds a lot off the ball. Now either I can't see it or they're all lying. So, I can't provide a 100% judgement about his overall contribution on the field. But, for a non-pundit and non-manager like me, he looks done as an attacking force.
I disagree that we need a completely new attacking 4. Sometimes the best way for youth players to develop and become great is early blooding and giving them a chance to play as much as possible with the experienced players. Maybe Martial is definitely unfinished but with a strong support around him and pacy attackers around him will make him flourish. Even at this unfinished state of his.

And Memphis can be a great player if he can keep his attitude in check and give it his 100%. And if we can bring back Januzaj and buy a quality striker and a star winger, we'll have a formidable attacking talent backed by experienced cup winners to support them.

We do have to rethink our style and attacking strategy though.

And there is no question in anyone's mind about our finishing right now. That can only improve. A lot of things are up to the manager on this one, but a share of the blame can also be attributed to poor form, low confidence and individual mistakes.

 

[sunama]

I disagree that we need a completely new attacking 4. Sometimes the best way for youth players to develop and become great is early blooding and giving them a chance to play as much as possible with the experienced players. Maybe Martial is definitely unfinished but with a strong support around him and pacy attackers around him will make him flourish. Even at this unfinished state of his.
And Memphis can be a great player if he can keep his attitude in check and give it his 100%.

When we were at our imperious best, we had Sherringham, Solkjaer, Yorke, Cole.
A few years later we had Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.
In all cases, all the attackers were contributing to creating and scoring goals, regardless of age and there were no passengers. They played only if they were good enough. Forland is the only exception who was given game time, even though he failed to score.
IMO, allowing younger players to gain experience while we finish in 7th place is not a good idea. Winning the league every year should be the target.
And Memphis has shown nothing. I mean nothing, to imply that he is going to be a great player. Martial has shown glimpses of quality.

And if we can bring back Januzaj and buy a quality striker and a star winger, we'll have a formidable attacking talent backed by experienced cup winners to support them.

Januzaj was deemed not good enough. We played with him at the start of the season. We gave him pre-season. LVG just didn't think he was good enough and he was loaned out, based on early season form.
He is not going to come back and play like Messi - lets not kid ourselves here.
With regards to buying players - LVG just doesnt know how to get the best out of any of our players. Whoever we buy play decently at first, then they go "off".

 

[MZX7]

I disagree that we need a completely new attacking 4. Sometimes the best way for youth players to develop and become great is early blooding and giving them a chance to play as much as possible with the experienced players. Maybe Martial is definitely unfinished but with a strong support around him and pacy attackers around him will make him flourish. Even at this unfinished state of his.

And Memphis can be a great player if he can keep his attitude in check and give it his 100%. And if we can bring back Januzaj and buy a quality striker and a star winger, we'll have a formidable attacking talent backed by experienced cup winners to support them.

We do have to rethink our style and attacking strategy though.

When we were at our imperious best, we had Sherringham, Solkjaer, Yorke, Cole.
A few years later we had Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.
In all cases, all the attackers were contributing to creating and scoring goals, regardless of age and there were no passengers. They played only if they were good enough. Forland is the only exception who was given game time, even though he failed to score.
IMO, allowing younger players to gain experience while we finish in 7th place is not a good idea. Winning the league every year should be the target.
And Memphis has shown nothing. I mean nothing, to imply that he is going to be a great player. Martial has shown glimpses of quality.



Januzaj was deemed not good enough. We played with him at the start of the season. We gave him pre-season. LVG just didn't think he was good enough and he was loaned out, based on early season form.
He is not going to come back and play like Messi - lets not kid ourselves here.
With regards to buying players - LVG just doesnt know how to get the best out of any of our players. Whoever we buy play decently at first, then they go "off".

That's not true. I think Luke Shaw was performing well before he got injured. Blind has been consistent barring errors when he's played iut if position, as CB. Smalling and Young have shown improvements under Van Gaal. Lingaard had grown in confidence before his injury. There are a lot of positives and a few negatives. Only looking at things from a negative perspective isn't fair.

He has done it before at other clubs and he can get a benefit of doubt, at least until the end of the season. And no, we won't finish below fourth worst case.

Also, if the players are still fighting for him. The staff and management are behind him, then I'm sure he's doing a lot right too.

Yes, it may not be attractive and that is frustrating for the fans and maybe he'll change, maybe he won't. But, giving him time till the end of the season, won't be all doom and end of the world like some make it seem.

 

[Sandikan]

I disagree that we need a completely new attacking 4. Sometimes the best way for youth players to develop and become great is early blooding and giving them a chance to play as much as possible with the experienced players. Maybe Martial is definitely unfinished but with a strong support around him and pacy attackers around him will make him flourish. Even at this unfinished state of his.

And Memphis can be a great player if he can keep his attitude in check and give it his 100%. And if we can bring back Januzaj and buy a quality striker and a star winger, we'll have a formidable attacking talent backed by experienced cup winners to support them.

We do have to rethink our style and attacking strategy though.

That's not true. I think Luke Shaw was performing well before he got injured. Blind has been consistent barring errors when he's played iut if position, as CB. Smalling and Young have shown improvements under Van Gaal. Lingaard had grown in confidence before his injury. There are a lot of positives and a few negatives. Only looking at things from a negative perspective isn't fair.

He has done it before at other clubs and he can get a benefit of doubt, at least until the end of the season. And no, we won't finish below fourth worst case.

Also, if the players are still fighting for him. The staff and management are behind him, then I'm sure he's doing a lot right too.

Yes, it may not be attractive and that is frustrating for the fans and maybe he'll change, maybe he won't. But, giving him time till the end of the season, won't be all doom and end of the world like some make it seem.

There was hardly a worse player to get injured than Shaw for how he affected our play.

One of the bad bits of luck Van Gaal has had.

We definitely wouldn't have lost that stack of games if the Schmidfield had been available in all as well.

Has it all to do these next few games with most of the team back available though

 

[SalfordRed1960]

There was hardly a worse player to get injured than Shaw for how he affected our play.

One of the bad bits of luck Van Gaal has had.

We definitely wouldn't have lost that stack of games if the Schmidfield had been available in all as well.

Has it all to do these next few games with most of the team back available though

Pretty much my thoughts. Context is always relevant. We look a totally different team with Schmidfield and Herrera, and Blind and Smalling CB. I fancy us to progress. If Depay can step up icing on the cake.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Pretty much my thoughts. Context is always relevant. We look a totally different team with Schmidfield and Herrera, and Blind and Smalling CB. I fancy us to progress. If Depay can step up icing on the cake.

I think Memphis started well, once Luke got injured his form went south.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Januzaj was deemed not good enough. We played with him at the start of the season. We gave him pre-season. LVG just didn't think he was good enough and he was loaned out, based on early season form.
He is not going to come back and play like Messi - lets not kid ourselves here.

This. Fans seem to forget why he went on loan and anyone who is not here seems suddenly so appealing because the current lot is not good enough and everyone wants to see some change.

 

[MZX7]

This. Fans seem to forget why he went on loan and anyone who is not here seems suddenly so appealing because the current lot is not good enough and everyone wants to see some change.

It's not about having the best starting 11 with Januzaj. It's more about having quality in depth.

Van Gaal underestimated the Premier League with a weak squad and the injuries that were inevitable due to high playing time have hit the team's progress hard.

Having players like Januzaj provides additional options for rotation. Keane has already been called back from loan. Time for serious damage control now in the January transfer window.

This is something we keep forgetting while shouting for getting rid of LvG. That point being, firing him now, replacing him, does not provide our team with any guarantees of any success more than what LvG can also easily achieve (Top 4). That's the worst that LvG will be allowed to fall to at the end of the season. Fourth. At least it gives the players a chance at stability and growth for five more months. And a chance to shore up the squad in Jan by recalling some loanees, signing some quality back ups to kep positions. A marquee signing is gonna be tough in Jan. But, if that happens, and a start quality player is signed, we still will be in a better shape as a team and as a squad. And we'll have a better sense of keeping or replacing LvG. Which would be the smarter move on the club's part after already firing the last manager. Another firing, in the middle of the season, will upset the mood, confidence at Carrington and things might actually turn to worse. And if that happens, the new coach will have a tougher rebuilding job.