At the risk of sounding like a Kagawa fanboy, I think it's time he got a start in these next three games.
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Ahead of?
There's no easy answer here, but... perhaps Mata.
... Ugh. Even I cant agree with that. But considering Mata could very well be on his way, why not?
I'd start him at the top of the diamond next week, he needs the boost IMO.
He's not going to improve without getting minutes. I genuinely can't see him starting until December. How much of an impression can you make covering numerous positions and playing so few minutes? I hope he plays with the Reserves on Monday at least.
He hasn't shown anything so far (albeit hasn't had many chances) to be selected ahead of Mata, start with Juan and bring Adnan on later in the game, have him run at tired defenders.
I'd imagine he's first choice sub, as he can come on for any of the front 5.
The problem is that in the diamond formation he has less opportunities to run at defenders.
He's not had a chance to start and been played all over the place as a sub. Mata in a similar situation was even worse last week.
I'd start him ahead of RVP with Rooney out now.
I hope he plays for the reserves on Monday. It's a lower level, but at least he can show what he has to offer and keep some sharpness. Hopefully he puts an emphasis on his passing and vision as he has already shown to LVG that he can score.
RvP scored and played very well today. I f you want to drop a striker for him then it's Falcao.
Falcao did everything better than RVP today except the goal for me.
Pressed harder, held up the ball better and linked up equally well getting a assist.
RVP just isn't involved enough in this system for me and with his lack of speed and workrate as such seems a luxury to carry at times even though he somewhat was better today till the 2nd half where he went AWOL.
I disagree, I thought RvP had the better game and linked up very well. He got knackered and should have come off after the red card IMO.
I miss seeing him play to be quite honest. Hope he will start a game soon, hasn't had many chances so far to prove himself under LVG. Then again, he is competing with one of the best strikers in the world.
Just noticed while doing my prediction team that Januzaj should play this weekend.
With both Rooney and possibly Herrera out due to the back injury, both Mata and Januzaj should start. Unless we are going to play Valencia or Fletcher in Herrera's place, and I cringe at the thought.
Only other thing would be to have Jones play CM with Blackett or McNair in CB. Wouldn't be opposed to that however it would be having Jones play out of his supposed best position in CB.
My current team would be
With Jones in defence Januzaj and Mata would play. Another possible formation
Playing Jones in the midfield would result in either Mata or Januzaj being dropped with McNair in defence.
With both Rooney and possibly Herrera out due to the back injury, both Mata and Januzaj should start. Unless we are going to play Valencia or Fletcher in Herrera's place, and I cringe at the thought.
Only other thing would be to have Jones play CM with Blackett or McNair in CB. Wouldn't be opposed to that however it would be having Jones play out of his supposed best position in CB.
My current team would be
With Jones in defence Januzaj and Mata would play. Another possible formation
Playing Jones in the midfield would result in either Mata or Januzaj being dropped with McNair in defence.
He's far too good for U21 football. But he's also a level behind di Maria and Mata and Rooney, and we need to field our strongest eleven as much as possible. I think a loan wouldn't be too bad for him in January.
I thought he was really quiet tonight for the u21's, first half you barely heard his name, only he knows if he meant the goal or not but.. yea he shouldn't be playing at that level, the only gripe I have against LvG's tenure so far is the lack of opportunities for Januzaj.
jeez, that's a beautiful goal.
man i miss watching him play. it's just a bad combination of no champions league, no capital one cup and absolute and proven world class players in front of him on the senior team (not such a bad comination).
I can't really complain about the lack of playing time for Januzaj right now, we need results and clearly di Maria, Rooney and Mata are all superior players. I'd like to see him loaned out, hopefully van Gaal intends to implement a 4-3-3 eventually...
surely we intend on giving him an opportunity to show himself though... RVP is one candidate who surely doesn't have a lot of time left at the top of his game.
Whatever we do with Adnan in the near future, it better be with the full intent of having him be an integral part of the team by next year or the year after at the very latest.
Whatever we do with Adnan in the near future, it better be with the full intent of having him be an integral part of the team by next year or the year after at the very latest.
I'd agree, I personally would like to see what he could do at the top of the diamond, potentially even over Mata, but I'm a closet Januzaj fanboi.
Let's see if LVG can drop RVP for Januzaj.
That will be showing balls and commitment to youth players regardless of age more than playing young defenders for one odd game when all others are out injured.
I think managing time, man managment and rotation for Januzaj will be a big test of LVG's management abilities in this regard as to keep him happy. Or else he will leave soon enough which will be criminal.
That will be showing balls and commitment to youth players regardless of age more than playing young defenders for one odd game when all others are out injured.
I think managing time, man managment and rotation for Januzaj will be a big test of LVG's management abilities in this regard as to keep him happy. Or else he will leave soon enough which will be criminal.
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He's not gonna drop van Persie, he's scoring goals. And lets be honest, Januzaj has yet to impress in his cameos thus far this season.
I have a sneaky suspicion that it will be Januzaj who replaces Rooney, not Mata.
Hope he gets a good loan to a foreign club in January, preferably still competing in the CL. He's far too good to play for the reserves and won't be playing ahead of RvP, Rooney, Mata (not enough games to rotate the squad) ....
It's good to see him give a shit in the u21s. It would be very easy for him to have a strop and stroll around doing nothing, but he's taking it seriously.
He's in that awkward situation where he needs the minutes in the first team but from the midfielders you wouldn't drop anyone right now and at this moment no one is dropping RVP or Falcao for him either. Hopefully he keeps his head up and is ready to step up when inevitably some sort of injury gets him a route into the side.
He's in that awkward situation where he needs the minutes in the first team but from the midfielders you wouldn't drop anyone right now and at this moment no one is dropping RVP or Falcao for him either. Hopefully he keeps his head up and is ready to step up when inevitably some sort of injury gets him a route into the side.
He did pretty well when he came on as a Sub vs Swansea for around the full game and was our best player.
Rest of the cameos have been all over the place and for short durations which is something even Mata struggled at even more vs Leicester.
And RVP has gotten 2 goals but then so did Mata who got dropped and so Can Januzaj as he's showing more for the U21s now then in the past if given a chance and it's not like RVP is playing that well either and now Rooney is out too. (Was RVP even on the pitch for the 2nd half of last 2 games for example?)
As i said above, I think managing time, man managment and rotation for Januzaj will be a big test of LVG's management abilities in this regard as to keep him happy. Or else he will leave soon enough which will be criminal.
Or Van Gaal figures out that playing 3 centre forwards at once doesn't work at the highest level.
Yep but he seems reluctant to drop RVP no matter what given his performances. Rooney he said will get more privileges as captain and then there is Falcao who he brought in for a big deal last minute when we didn't really need him that much either.
Will be interesting what he does in this situation as Januzaj has a compelling case for more game time too and it might not be working as you say especially across balance of games. Will he drop RVP if his performances overall don't improve ?
He seems to be developing a knack of scoring goals now which bodes well for us. I hope he gets to play at the tip of the diamond against Everton.
Sometimes the manager just has to have the bollocks to play a kid regardless, like Wenger did with Ramsey until his faith was rewarded and he finally sparked into life, Januzaj should be getting games at United, he epitomises what this club stands for, even if it means having to rotate a star like Mata or whomever to get him in.
Alternatively 433 would equally solve the issue.
Alternatively 433 would equally solve the issue.
We're not playing with 3 centre forwards though.
This. SAF did it with Ronaldo and Rooney as well you could say during some lean years till they eventually started to pay off in trophies and as the crux of the team 2006 onwards.
He is the the test of Van Gaal's emphasis on youth and focus on long term and Identity talk much more than the odd defenders he is using when everyone else is injured. And he's good enough too as you don't necessarily need a established star everywhere.
He's mad if he think's this set up is right. One could argue he's picking it due to the level of opposition but I feel we should be trying to figure out our best way of playing. The current top heavy formation would see us get slaughtered against good opposition (or Leicester). No decent team at the top level is trying anything like it.
And yes Januzaj has a great argument for game time. He's provides width, is extremely creative, clever and is adding goals to his game. RVP is getting the place on reputation to the detriment of the team and bigger picture imo.
He's still 19 so playing the odd u-21 game is good for his development. We know he's a much higher level above that but for now he'll benefit from it.
What a goal.....
I don't understand some people on here. Adnan is a great player and has a bright future ahead of him. Whats the big deal having him play in the starting 11, he will get his playing time in due time. A team does not rely only on the 11 starting players but the whole squad and he is a part of that. LVG does rate him very highly as he's on the bench week in week out. He's 19 ffs he will develop more as a player and as long as he is developing we needn't worry. People discussing whether RVP or Mata should be next to go to make way for Januzaj is rather ...... We should be wanting players like Valencia, Young, Fellaini, Fletcher, Anderson to leave not RVP and Mata.
Have to agree with you there and could add that Januzaj gives us more flexibility to switch formations during the game, than Mata or Van Persie. We could play 4-4-3/4-3-3/4-2-3-1 in one game just by changing the positions occupied by Rooney, Di Maria and Januzaj.
LVG seems reluctant to make the decision we, including him, all know he has to make at some point, choosing between Van Persie and Falcao. This indecision is forcing us to send out an unbalanced side with weaknesses that stronger sides will pick on and do great damage to our, already shaky defense.
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