[Kakeru]

I trust LvG but this formation with three in the back is just weird. Doesn't look like he wants to change it either.

That is a major crime by the manager if you ask me.

 

[felipe]

Just tuned in, how has Di Maria been doing?

Best player on the pitch. Should've got atleast 2 assists.

 

[Will Singh]

Rooney and RVP look like 2 schoolkids who hate each other but have been told they must talk to each other.

The passing to each other looks so forced and unnatural.... will they ever be able to play together?

I've always said it, SAF knew it's time for Rooney to move on for a reason, which is he is unplayable in a partnership with RVP, his better with Welbz or Hernandez but you can't drop RVP because of another players fault...

 

[Mart R]

Pretty much the whole squad to blame here with some exceptions. Everyone's confidence has hit the the bottom. Di Maria shows a little hope, but he can't win it alone, one of the strikers has to stand up and start finishing the chances off. Btw, what the hell did Mata stumble on in the penalty box? He's coming on the ball with his stronger foot and pretty much alone. I was disappointed.
RVP looks out of shape as many have said, but I'm hoping to see Januzaj on for Mata instead of RVP. Welbeck for RVP and Januzaj for Mata look like good subs. The third sub must be used on the at midfield tho, Anderson gets around 30 minutes I think.
My prediction is that the game starts looking better for us in the second half, but we commit too deep into the attack and can be very vulnerable. 1-1 draw looks very likely and maybe 1-2 win. Don't see this one ending goalless.

 

[revel911]

Fletcher is doing nothing. Not picking anyone up. Lazy tracking back. Not picking the ball up from our defenders. Not showing for a pass. fecking awful.

I am starting to think this is the problem with the team.

Di Maria then has to come back, then Mata, then Rooney leaving RvP islolated. Or Rooney and RvP isloated.

 

[manufanatic]

We need a player like Scholes to drop deep and collect the ball from the defense. The back 3 has no idea what to do with the ball apart from hoofing it upfront. Absolutely no link between the defense and the midfield.

Isn't that supposed to be herrara?

 

[Lennon7]

This formation is not working, simple.

I'd like to say bring on another proper centre mid or sub one on for Fletch, but who else is there?

 

[Un4givableB]

Possession without control is useless,we had 58% possession of the ball & 1 shot on goal.
Burnley looked more likely score and if they do,this team in this formation can't up their game.

 

[Idxomer]

Netherlands didn't score any goal from open play in the knockout stage at the world cup. I wonder why van Gaal is so persistent on this formation.

 

[Needham]

Di Maria looks like a diamond in a steaming pile of horse manure.

He actually looks like a human bat. The hang upside down in a cave type of bat.

 

[Ish]

We're regressing, this is a shambles.

LvG's 3 at the back will not work in the perm, the attacking players have no confidence with the defence and that is showing.

Moyes is a better manager.

That last bit

 

[REJE]

I hate how he tries to simulate even when he is fouled. He is going to fall anyway but he makes a random movement to emphasize it.

Are you that much of an idiot? His actions are totally natural.. -sigh-

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Just tuned in, how has Di Maria been doing?

Best player on the pitch (our side at least). The rest have been shite.

 

[NessunDorma]

Not a great first half, but there were a few flashes. Di Maria's ball to put RvP through superb, and some intricate edge-of-the-box type stuff that didn't quite come off. But that might change as the game starts to open up in the second half.

Think we'll nick a couple to win 1-2.

 

[Fluctuation]

I hate how he tries to simulate even when he is fouled. He is going to fall anyway but he makes a random movement to emphasize it.

In this instance I think he's running off balance even before the contact so no simulation whatsoever this time.
His history is what hurts us.

 

[oncehorowitz]

Just tuned in, how has Di Maria been doing?

Fantastic, really a class above.

all of our better attacking moves (and not many) are directly or indirectly created by him.

 

[Chrissypop]

The main reason our defense is shit and panicking is because they have no help from Fletcher AT ALL

 

[Micha]

but we just keep hoofing it

To be fair to our defense at least, there have been numerous occasions when noone from midfield was dropping off to pick up the ball from them, leaving them no options other than long balls.

 

[revel911]

I've always said it, SAF knew it's time for Rooney to move on for a reason, which is he is unplayable in a partnership with RVP, his better with Welbz or Hernandez but you can't drop RVP because of another players fault...

How is anyone saying this? Rooney brought down two great balls and made good passes to RvP who didn't take the shot.

I think the partnership isn't as bad as everyone is making it out to be.

 

[QuackQuack]

Clearly I'm a retard then, I think we're doing pretty well.

Took our chances and got the penalty we should have and we'd be 3 up.

If we use that logic then Burnley could have scored two themselves.

 

[Drifter]

I believe in Van Gaal so don't take this the wrong way but Fergie would have this team complete with players like DiMaria and Mata, destroying teams like Burnley.

No doubt about that.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

What irritates me is we don't have anyone like Ferdinand who could play the ball out of defense. Instead we have Evans who can't do anything at the moment, and Blackett who just hoofs it forward whenever he gets a chance.

Actually rip has been useless in recent years at playing from the back and Evans has looked really good.

The problem is that they're bricking it and showing zero bottle.

We really really need the first goal today. Need Rooney and rvp to turn up and show their class now. Enough of this clumsy ragged form.

 

[Retorus]

Just tuned in, how has Di Maria been doing?

Best player on the pitch.

 

[Cro_Devil]

After 45 min we are not that aweful at front but defence is just silly. Evans look like he never played football at all. Fletcher loks like alien abduction he dont have clue where he is or where he plays. Few great balls from Di Maria other then thad my eyes hurt from football we play.
We are so aweful that good thing is we can only play better in comming mathes. Hoping for better secon half.

 

[acnumber9]

Yeah, thats the problem we have, this system requires excellent wing backs. We're stuck with one dimensional failed wingers, who cant beat a man, cant put a decent cross in and dont understand the idea of 'overlap'. Cant fecking wait till Rafael and Shaw are fit.

Overlap what though? They have no support on the flanks. The system seems to be leaving every single player on the pitch outside of the centre backs isolated with no options or link up. I wouldn't hold too much hope out on Rafael and Shaw being able to play a whole flank on their own.

 

[OldTrevil]

No blame should to our defenders for the long balls, there was literally no option to pass to every time Blackett had the ball for instance

 

[legball]

No words.

 

[LostNova]

I'd say give this formation for 60 mins then change back to 4-4-2

 

[Earthquake]

He actually looks like a human bat. The hang upside down in a cave type of bat.

Batman, "the player Man Utd deserve......." etc.

 

[R'hllor]

Some people here act like they are 90 years old scared that they might die next week so asking for anything just to see a win today even if that means negative impact for future progress.

 

[Dylan94]

Mata off. Januzaj on. Did a good job at CM last week. And Rooney off Welbeck on.

 

[Adnandos]

I wonder why we don't get enough shots on. I feel like we aren't allowing ourselves to score enough really.

 

[diarm]

Kagawa not on bench mate. Finalizing his move back to the BvB

sorry!!! i meant to say januzaj. you can see in the next sentence i said adnan!!

no idea why i typed kagawa!

 

[narnar]

Yeah, disastrous. What's so funny? Is Mata even on the pitch?

Mata has been quiet yes. I'm not sure Kagawa is the solution though, and to say it would be disastrous to let him go is laughable.

 

[untitled_6899]

You can see LVG still sticking with 3-5-2 even when we have everyone fit and available to accommodate RVP and Rooney

One of them should be dropped until we get our foundations sorted

 

[senorgregster]

Just tuned in, how has Di Maria been doing?

The best on the pitch

 

[acnumber9]

Van Persie is absolute shite in this form. Doesn't give a monkeys, makes no effort. Let him play his way into the side rather than get in by default.

And yet the only forward to look like scoring.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

I believe in Van Gaal so don't take this the wrong way but Fergie would have this team complete with players like DiMaria and Mata, destroying teams like Burnley.

SAF scored 8 against Arsenal with a team a lot worst than this one.

 

[Getsme]

Yeh, but refs who see who it is and not what happened have no place in top-class football

I'm afraid you're wrong there, if a ref is 50/50 on a penalty decision, if the ref knows the player to be a diver then it's going to away him.

 

[poisson]

This is what will happen 2nd half:

- Burnley will come out of the blocks and be all over us
- United eventually calm down and get hold of the ball but pass it between the back three
- Burnley score
- Game over

 

[ItsEssexRob]

Anyone else get tired of the ' our attackers have been poor because of the midfield and defence' line?

They've been poor because they are playing poorly themselves. Great players make things happen themselves ADM isnt playing so static is he?