[Fortitude]

Falcao was making a lot of good runs last season when people around him ignored it but where he failed was scoring goals - his primary job. Rooney is being pulled up for the same. I seriously cannot understand how is this performance by him considered accepatable if we want to achieve trophies this season. Maybe the expectations are so less now that this passes off as good enough.

Falcao fluffed his lines, a lot. Even comparing what he offered to what Rooney did in this game is silly. Rooney probably had his worst game in our shirt a couple of games back, but do you think it's fair to assume that is his standard?

Our attack is unbalanced and incohesive. It needs time to grow and develop and currently Rooney is no worse than any other of the 4 charged with getting us goals, certainly not enough to be singled out amongst them and definitely not for this game, where he was better than at least 2 from the 4.

 

[lem8sh]

I understand the frustration of some fans, but remember last year - we scored 3 goals in our last 6 EPL games.
Teams knew that if they park the bus (PTB), then we can't score.
Last year we even had Di Maria and RVP available to us.
So, is it any surprise that when Newcastle PTB in the 2nd half, we dominated possession but could not score?
The issues of last year have not been addressed at all and I expect our attacking problems to continue, especially when teams PTB.

The good news is that we have the best defence in the league. In Smalling and Blind, we have a partnership which should see us concede very few goals (probably the least goals in the league).
If we buy a top striker, we can compete for the title. If we don't then top 3 is possible. Top 4 realistic.

Basically, we are the same as last year, but with a better defence.

The one constant is the manager.

 

[Lewis.no.9]

At this point clearly Herrera isn't liked by Van Gaal. He easily drops him and overlooks him as an option most times. He was our best midfielder last season. This is annoyingly another stubborn van gaal player fall out

 

[DomesticTadpole]

To the moaners, which one would you rather have? This one or the Spurs game?

A win atm.

 

[sunama]

If this might be of any worth to hope for, there's Zlatan Ibrahimovic out there. He is the closest there is to a Cantona-like figure of a center-forward. Seeing how Milan are sniffing around him, there has to be an opening somewhere.

I'd love Ibra to join us, but this wont happen.
1. he hates LVG's dictatorial way of management
2. he wont play second fiddle to Rooney. Rooney would need to either be benched or sold.

I dont see that happening, no matter how many goals he scores.

 

[pascell]

Too defensive in CM, should've brought Herrera on instead of Carrick to bring an attacking threat from midfield.
Memphis wasn't great, Rooney was off again and kept dropping deep to get the ball which starved us when we got the ball into the box.
Team we should've been beating at home, 2 points dropped imo.

 

[Rozay]

No strop from me. Was an excellent defensive performance from Newcastle, and I thought we looked like United for parts of that game, which is something at least. On another day we score early and win comfortably.

 

[Offside]

At this point clearly Herrera isn't liked by Van Gaal. He easily drops him and overlooks him as an option most times. He was our best midfielder last season. This is annoyingly another stubborn van gaal player fall out

He won his place in the team last year and he can do it this year. He will get plenty of chances to impress with Europe aswell.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I don't think we did too badly overall. It's frustrating not to score, but for a (cumulative) half of the game we were totally dominant and only stopped by Coloccini and Krul on top form. Marginal offside, hit the post, several crucial blocks. Could easily have won that by 2 or 3.

If we are struggling to score against Newcastle, imagine what it will be like against a team who actually do have a good defence and god forbid have a threat up front. They could have won as well today for all our attacks.

 

[K2K]

We had 20 shots 8 of which were on target. We weren't clinical enough. I think what you are saying sounds over exaggerated to me.

Fair enough,we differ in opinion.. but we have been poor at breaking teams down for a while now..Its one of the reasons why we have done so poor away from home to..a lack of clearcut goal scoring opportunities..the football we play for the majority of the time is far from that.

 

[Lewis.no.9]

He won his place in the team last year and he can do it this year. He will get plenty of chances to impress with Europe aswell.

So every season after proving himself the season before he starts back as 3rd or 4th choice?

 

[MarkC]

I think we done ok we did enough to win that game but we were unlucky against a Newcastle team who I think have improved a lot on last year. Our front 4 weren't great and I think Bastian started to struggle a bit after the first 25 so we couldn't maintain the tempo. Carrick did play better after being left out but if he'd started he would have dished up the same rubbish he has recently.

I think we lacked any real options today to come on and improve the front 4 which is a problem.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

As LVG said in his post match, we did not make the right choices from the wide positions. The game was not as bad as people say.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

It was offside.

It was, only just, but it was the right decision.

 

[Offside]

So every season after proving himself the season before he starts back as 3rd or 4th choice?

That's what happens. We have a strong midfield now and he is just one player. I would be starting him but he I'm not worried about him getting minutes.

 

[littlepeasoup]

I didn't watch the game, just caught a few of the flashpoints, so forgive me if my analysis isn't 100% on the mark, but it seems like this game really seemed to emphasise the worry around our squad, that it's not strong enough in the attacking positions and we'll fail to break down teams who come to defend 10 men behind the ball.

On the flipside I'm really pleased with how solid we've been looking defensively. 3 games in, MOTM performances in defensive positions.

 

[Kakeru]

I'd love Ibra to join us, but this wont happen.
1. he hates LVG's dictatorial way of management
2. he wont play second fiddle to Rooney. Rooney would need to either be benched or sold.

I dont see that happening, no matter how many goals he scores.

1. Van Gaal was NOT manager when Zlatan was at Ajax was given his chance; he was the sporting director. Furthermore, I thought we saw worse in Moyes and Rooney.
2. Who ever said he would be second fiddle to Rooney? Our Scouse is doing everything in his power to end up like Mark van Bommel did at Bayern.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

As LVG said in his post match, we did not make the right choices from the wide positions. The game was not as bad as people say.

It really wasn't that bad, I agree. It's just when you drop points at home to Newcastle there is reason to be angry.

 

[Unlikely lad]

The one constant is the manager.

What a load of shit.

It's the manager's fault our goal was harshly given offside?
It's the manager's fault Hernandez doesn't score his 1v1?
It's the manager's fault Smalling doesn't bury his first chance on that corner?
It's the manager's fault Smalling is again unlucky and hits the post?

We created chances today, we just didn't put them away, how can you blame LVG for being too defensive?

 

[santeria13]

Easily the best attacking display of the season. We were very unlucky not to score and if we had I'm sure the moaners would be singing a completely different tune. Frustrating ? Definitely. But we played well. Those last 20 mins we were very dangerous and in total control.

 

[legball]

At this point clearly Herrera isn't liked by Van Gaal. He easily drops him and overlooks him as an option most times. He was our best midfielder last season. This is annoyingly another stubborn van gaal player fall out

He was not our best midfielder last season, that would be Carrick, this is getting annoying, yes, everyone would like him to start, but you guys act as if he's Zidane. He's not even the best midfielder we have currently.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

What? The tempo sped up when Carrick came on. The middle of the game was when we lost direction that was when BFS was on the pitch.

Slight twist on my words, the game in the first 25 minutes was where we had the high tempo. We never reached that level again. Yes Schweinie tired, Carrick played some beautiful passes, but he did not imo speed up the tempo. It wasn't a mistake subbing Schweinie, but we lost something, as we played a lot more controlled football, rather than pass and move.

 

[Name Changed]

He won his place in the team last year and he can do it this year. He will get plenty of chances to impress with Europe aswell.

How the hell did he lose his place though? He shouldn't need to prove how good he is. He has already proved LVG wrong plenty of times.

 

[lem8sh]

What a load of shit.

It's the manager's fault our goal was harshly given offside?
It's the manager's fault Hernandez doesn't score his 1v1?
It's the manager's fault Smalling doesn't bury his first chance on that corner?
It's the manager's fault Smalling is again unlucky and hits the post?

We created chances today, we just didn't put them away, how can you blame LVG for being too defensive?

Yes because I'm basing everything on today against Newcastle. You do realise we have played games before this?

 

[NK86]

Falcao fluffed his lines, a lot. Even comparing what he offered to what Rooney did in this game is silly. Rooney probably had his worst game in our shirt a couple of games back, but do you think it's fair to assume that is his standard?

Our attack is unbalanced and incohesive. It needs time to grow and develop and currently Rooney is no worse than any other of the 4 charged with getting us goals, certainly not enough to be singled out amongst them and definitely not for this game, where he was better than at least 2 from the 4.

I brought is Falcao because he was poor and we compared him to a certain standard to come to the conclusion that he is not good enough for us. Same goes for Rooney. He may not be as poor as Falcao but that does not make him good enough. RvP, who I think is still a better striker than Rooney, was shipped out by LvG then Rooney's un-droppable position makes little sense to me.

 

[Name Changed]

He was not our best midfielder last season, that would be Carrick, this is getting annoying, yes, everyone would like him to start, but you guys act as if he's Zidane. He's not even the best midfielder we have currently.

He was our best attacking midfielder by a country mile. Nobody is saying he is Zidane but it is fecking plainly obvious that he should be playing.

 

[Raw]

 

[Unlikely lad]

Yes because I'm basing everything on today against Newcastle. You do realise we have played games before this?

That's why you're in every thread today blaming the manger right? I thought your gripe was that he was too defensive? shouldn't you be happy we created so many chances today?

 

[Fully Fledged]

Slight twist on my words, the game in the first 25 minutes was where we had the high tempo. We never reached that level again. Yes Schweinie tired, Carrick played some beautiful passes, but he did not imo speed up the tempo. It wasn't a mistake subbing Schweinie, but we lost something, as we played a lot more controlled football, rather than pass and move.

I will admit that the first period was when we looked good but that was because they set up to play football once they retreated back into their area the game slowed right down.

 

[sunama]

For those making out that Hererra is our saviour:
I'm afraid that Hererra is becoming somewhat of a cult figure here, when in reality, though decent, he isn't great.
And to remind you, in our last 6 games last season, when we scored 3, we played with virtually the same team throughout and Hererra was in that team.
The last time I saw Hererra play (on Tuesday), he was giving the ball away a lot and made very little contribution.

I just can't see him getting much game time, unless he improves.

What we are looking for is a player with the X-Factor. Ronaldo. Ibrahimovic. Di Maria (yes, the guy we just sold). Bale. Messi. Neymar. Suarez.
All of the above possess the X-Factor who can conjure up a goal from (almost) nothing.
Herrera does not fall into the above category.

 

[lem8sh]

That's why you're in every thread today blaming the manger right? I thought your gripe was that he was too defensive? shouldn't you be happy we created so many chances today?

Well today we played Newcastle so the thread is called...... "Post Match vs Newcastle". If that helps.

 

[legball]

He was our best attacking midfielder by a country mile. Nobody is saying he is Zidane but it is fecking plainly obvious that he should be playing.

No, it's not obvious, unless you're the manager. He was in the side last season when we had a lot of similar results. It's really reductive thinking to watch a game for 90 minutes and think it could have taken only one player to do better, it's more than that, we could have had Messi out there and still lose.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

We must have the slowest team in the PL, Rooney, Adnan, Depay & Mata are just too slow for me.

We are desperately lacking pace, if you look at our midfield again it's not the quickest.

Apart from that Rooney was shit again, let's hope LVG isn't stubborn when it comes to buying a striker.

If Rooney wasn't so near to Sir Bobby's record we would have got rid. Too sentimental this club. That is the only thing keeping him here.

 

[Unlikely lad]

Well today we played Newcastle so the thread is called...... "Post Match vs Newcastle". If that helps.

Yes, and as I have already outlined, we created quite a few chances. What's your gripe with the manager today?

 

[sunama]

I will admit that the first period was when we looked good but that was because they set up to play football once they retreated back into their area the game slowed right down.

You nailed it.
In our first 3 games - all teams tried to play/score against us. They lost.
In today's game - once they parked the bus (PTB), for all our possession, we could not score. We saw exactly the same thing happen last year. No matter what players we use, we struggle against the PTB tactic.
It does amaze me that LVG hasn't come up with a plan specifically to deal with the PTB tactic, because we will lose a lot of points, against the PTB tactic, if we don't find a solution.

 

[Name Changed]

No, it's not obvious, unless you're the manager. He was in the side last season when we had a lot of similar results. It's really reductive thinking to watch a game for 90 minutes and think it could have taken only one player to do better, it's more than that, we could have had Messi out there and still lose.

We don't have Messi. But you play your best team. Why the hell would we play two defensive midfielders at home to Newcastle? Why the hell would we play two defensive midfielders away to Aston Villa? We need an attacking player who may unlock something in the middle instead of the constant passing out to the wing which culminates in pointless cross after pointless cross to absolutely nobody in the box who might win a header. I can understand a cautions defensive midfielder partnership against a big side, but against a relegation threatened side, it's stupid.

 

[lem8sh]

Yes, and as I have already outlined, we created quite a few chances. What's your gripe with the manager today?

My gripe is with him in general not just today that is pretty obvious. To repeat myself, we have played matches before today.

 

[Nate Dogg]

If Rooney wasn't so near to Sir Bobby's record we would have got rid. Too sentimental this club. That is the only thing keeping him here.

Don't care about Bobby's goal scoring record, if you are off form then you are out.

LVG wielded the axe with Rvp, Falcao and ADM and he should do the same with Rooney or simply drop him for a couple of games so he can get his shit together.

 

[Name Changed]

Yes, and as I have already outlined, we created quite a few chances. What's your gripe with the manager today?

The tactic of getting the ball out wide and crossing it to nobody over and over again is a tactic that is being employed by guess who? LVG. That's my gripe personally.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

He was not our best midfielder last season, that would be Carrick, this is getting annoying, yes, everyone would like him to start, but you guys act as if he's Zidane. He's not even the best midfielder we have currently.

Carrick hasn't been our best midfielder this season. That is typical Michael has a great year, then has a Moyes year, has a great year, then not been great so far this year.