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2014-15 Performances


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5.7 Season Average Rating
Appearances
32
Goals
4
Assists
13
Yellow cards
3
Red cards
1
Status
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My MOTM, he put in a lot of effort and caused mayhem when he ran at them. I hope he gets over his personal problem and starts getting back on track!
 
This goes to show the Premier Leagues superiority.. In Spain he was winning games by himself and if not, had Ronaldo there to clean up. Needs to be quicker with and without the ball coming back.. Specially when we have Rooney playing as a 6..
 
His decision making let him down again. At one point he had three United players in the box against one defender, and for some reason tried to corss the ball with the outside of his foot when the angle he was running at meant he didn't have to. I seriously can't believe how stupid he is at times...he's worse than Nani when it comes to stuff like that.

On the other hand he managed to be our best player in spite of this.

Him and Januzaj would be good playing from either side as wide players in support of the front man. Pity we have a maniacle spanner as a manager. He'll drop one of them soon so he can carry on playing some kind of unworkable formation.
 
I wasn't overly impressed, to be honest.

He's a danger on the ball, but too often he slowed the play and it led to nothing. He also can't fecking pass. And other than the assist, his crossing was shite. In fact his range of passing is shocking for a supposed midfielder. I was willing to accept that his natural position was in the middle of the park because I rarely watched him for Real, but the guy doesn't have the technique of a Paul Scholes or Xavi. Let him loose in the opposition half and he becomes a different proposition. The problem is that he isn't going to play there as long as we go two up front.
 
I wasn't overly impressed, to be honest.

He's a danger on the ball, but too often he slowed the play and it led to nothing. He also can't fecking pass. And other than the assist, his crossing was shite. In fact his range of passing is shocking for a supposed midfielder. I was willing to accept that his natural position was in the middle of the park because I rarely watched him for Real, but the guy doesn't have the technique of a Paul Scholes or Xavi. Let him loose in the opposition half and he becomes a different proposition. The problem is that he isn't going to play there as long as we go two up front.
You thought he was the completely wrong type of midfielder then. He's not a center mid per se, he's at his best playing a half through the middle, half wider role where he has the freedom to run with the ball from deep and link the midfield and attack. He's not a player who dictates tempo or does simple passes, he runs with it and picks out through passes to the forwards making runs almost as good as anyone in the world.

His crossing was really good as well, not sure what you're on about. Not his fault falcao and Van Persie have been weak and useless in the air or don't put the extra bit of effort to get themselves in the right positions. Di marias crosses were poor vs West Ham but pretty much exactly what you want from your winger every time today.
 
His decision making let him down again. At one point he had three United players in the box against one defender, and for some reason tried to corss the ball with the outside of his foot when the angle he was running at meant he didn't have to. I seriously can't believe how stupid he is at times...he's worse than Nani when it comes to stuff like that.

On the other hand he managed to be our best player in spite of this.

Him and Januzaj would be good playing from either side as wide players in support of the front man. Pity we have a maniacle spanner as a manager. He'll drop one of them soon so he can carry on playing some kind of unworkable formation.
That outside the boot cross still ended up being a really dangerous cross that the defender did well to clear without scoring an own goal. He is really one footed though which is why he went with the outside of the boot instead of doing a normal right footed one, and it's a bit annoying at times but he's always been really one footed and does a fair bit of rabonas instead of just using his weaker foot.
 
His crossing was really good as well, not sure what you're on about. Not his fault falcao and Van Persie have been weak and useless in the air or don't put the extra bit of effort to get themselves in the right positions. Di marias crosses were poor vs West Ham but pretty much exactly what you want from your winger every time today.

This. Thank you. Some of the crosses he put in yesterday were bloody brilliant.
 
You thought he was the completely wrong type of midfielder then. He's not a center mid per se, he's at his best playing a half through the middle, half wider role where he has the freedom to run with the ball from deep and link the midfield and attack. He's not a player who dictates tempo or does simple passes, he runs with it and picks out through passes to the forwards making runs almost as good as anyone in the world.

His crossing was really good as well, not sure what you're on about. Not his fault falcao and Van Persie have been weak and useless in the air or don't put the extra bit of effort to get themselves in the right positions. Di marias crosses were poor vs West Ham but pretty much exactly what you want from your winger every time today.

4:16 Ball too straight and in front of the defenders
18:02 Too high, looping and easy to defend
19:10 Good cross, tbf
26:14 Shite. No elevation
30:55 Straight into Trippier's legs
46:56 Mis-kicked it about 30 yards into the sky
47:24 Cross for the goal. Good
65:22 Shite. Along the ground into about 3 defenders
75:32 We had 3vs2 and he missed them all
86:19 Counter-attack with Wilson storming into the box. Completely fluffed his lines. Certain goal if he'd found him. Couldn't even beat the first man.

2 good crosses.

I can't believe I just rewatched all of that. I'm wasting my life.
 
4:16 Ball too straight and in front of the defenders
18:02 Too high, looping and easy to defend
19:10 Good cross, tbf
26:14 Shite. No elevation
30:55 Straight into Trippier's legs
46:56 Mis-kicked it about 30 yards into the sky
47:24 Cross for the goal. Good
65:22 Shite. Along the ground into about 3 defenders
75:32 We had 3vs2 and he missed them all
86:19 Counter-attack with Wilson storming into the box. Completely fluffed his lines. Certain goal if he'd found him. Couldn't even beat the first man.

2 good crosses.

I can't believe I just rewatched all of that. I'm wasting my life.
:lol: fair play, can't be arsed re watching anything from that tumescent game other then the goals but from what I remember, most of his crosses seemed dangerous and if we had strikers with better movement or a better leap and not just half hearted attempts, we could have had a few more.
 
He was excellent last night and that performance reminded me of the performances he put in at the start of the season. Hopefully now he's found his form again.
 
I'm not sure he's consistent enough to succeed playing 'philosophy'. Louis is not adverse to having a player who plays "outside the lines" so to speak, but that individual has to be consistent in what they do ala Robben.
 
That outside the boot cross still ended up being a really dangerous cross that the defender did well to clear without scoring an own goal. He is really one footed though which is why he went with the outside of the boot instead of doing a normal right footed one, and it's a bit annoying at times but he's always been really one footed and does a fair bit of rabonas instead of just using his weaker foot.

Yes but it shouldn't have been a dangerous ball which the defender struggled to clear, it should have just been passed on to one of the unmarked United player's heads. He had a choice of players to pick out with relatively easy balls ffs, and managed to find the only Burnley player in the box because of his compelling need to try and do something flash.

Don't get me wrong I thought he played well and his work rate is fantastic, but he needs to cut shite like that out.
 
I enjoyed the part where he got kicked, didn't get the foul, got up and went into a stupid challenge that resulted in a yellow card. I honestly liked that, it showed a bit of fight and grit I didn't know he had in him. This was just before or just after a huge run back from an attacking position where he sheperded a ball out of play against a Burnley player.

Overall thought it was a very good performance by him!
 
I've heard people and reports saying he isn't happy at United but it was good to see his reaction after all the goals last night. He was visibly delighted when each one went in.
 
He won the UCL last year I'm sure hes not happy with things at the moment, and thats only natural. Doesn't mean he doesn't want to stay and improve things and help us get back to where we belong. If he was happy with the current state I would be worried, I hope none of the players and the manager are happy with it.
 
Was good yesterday, slowly getting back into his groove, he was unplayable at the start of the season so he is capable in this league.
 
Definitely his best game in ages. Really liked the way he seemed so fired up and worked so hard. Agree with the comments about his final delivery, though. Extremely hit and miss. More miss than hit, if we're honest. That pass he cocked up when Wilson would have been in acres of spaces was really terrible for a player with his reputation. Still, baby steps. Hopefully something for him to build on from here. I've made the comparison with Nani before and I think it's still valid but I prefer his dribbling style to Nani's. None of that stop start crap which must make it a fecking nightmare staying onside. Just a shimmy of the hips and he's burned past them at full speed. Great fun to watch.
 
He has the worst pass completion ratio in a World cup game, I think ?
 
4:16 Ball too straight and in front of the defenders
18:02 Too high, looping and easy to defend
19:10 Good cross, tbf
26:14 Shite. No elevation
30:55 Straight into Trippier's legs
46:56 Mis-kicked it about 30 yards into the sky
47:24 Cross for the goal. Good
65:22 Shite. Along the ground into about 3 defenders
75:32 We had 3vs2 and he missed them all
86:19 Counter-attack with Wilson storming into the box. Completely fluffed his lines. Certain goal if he'd found him. Couldn't even beat the first man.

2 good crosses.

I can't believe I just rewatched all of that. I'm wasting my life.

Good assesment, since half the people on here apparently can't remember what's actually happened during a match.

In the end Angel helped us to win. But him losing that ball when Burnley scored put so much pressure on our team, it cost us the first half because it gave Burnley confidence and initiative. Especially if you're playing in a team with Paddy as a right back, Evans & Rojo who looked pretty clueless, a midfield one + Rooney, make two early subs. You can't do that if you're one of the experienced, Champions League winning players. Especially since it wasn't the first time this season he started a match poorly, giving away balls for no reason.

He made up for his mistake though, fought himself back in the match with the assist and the penalty, so I'm not too bothered with him.
 
Hard to believe that some people are criticising him for last night, I have no idea what such people expect from him.
 
Player with the balls to try and make things happen, isn't always going to get it right, but when he does it usually leads to a good chance or a goal. Issue is there is quite a bit of pressure on him to produce since most of the rest of the team don't seem to have the balls or the leeway to try and make things happen. You need more than one risk taker in the team to ease the burden and allow their game to flow.

Its no suprise his better games came when Rooney played a more advanced role and Herrera was playing too.
 
He goes for it. Doesn't always happen for him but he has the ability. And good too see he is taking responsibility to create.
 
Hard to believe that some people are criticising him for last night, I have no idea what such people expect from him.

consistent well played football matches. he didn't have a great match he had a very good second half , 45 mins of good football in the last few matches isn't good enough.
 
Just a shimmy of the hips and he's burned past them at full speed. Great fun to watch.
We need to see more of this from him and the team in general. The pass from Herrera and subsequent run into the box from AdM was much more aggressive than what we've seen recently.

Burnley were tired by that point, which may all have been part of the master plan, but it would certainly be nice to us mix up the approach a bit. Obviously I don't want to go down the "long ball" route, but balls in the channels for the wingers/forwards to attack. RvP and Falcao aren't quick enough to get in behind, so something has to change, and AdM up front wasn't the answer either.

Hopefully LvG saw what happened when he switched the system and will make the changes needed for the next match.
 
In facts, he had one assist and won a penalty. If you’re relying on statistic he was good yesterday.

But in my opinion, he wasn’t good enough because of the system, and a bit the philosophy.

In the diamond shape, the two wide men, Di Maria and Rooney, have to play centrally when we have the ball, bombing forward for Di Maria, and the must play wide (to counter the full backs) when we lost the ball.

The PHILOSOPHY (it’s important to understand that), include 4 steps, in which Di Maria is great in 3 I would say. He’s one of the best in offensive transition (when we get the ball back), very good when we’re attacking, and always in place when we’re in defensive position…. When he’s less concerned is when we lose the ball, the example of Burnley goal yesterday. At Madrid, he was surrounded and protected by Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Modric, and had a winger, in Ronaldo, closing, a bit yes, the full back, but he was more focused on the 2 part of the PHILOSOPHY

I really think that we have to build a team around him, exploiting his flashes the best way we can. Right now, he’s just good when we’re counter attacking, and probably why LVG tried him upfront. I would hope we buy another great midfielder to control more the ball, so Angel can play more freely and hurt midfielders by pace and penetration.

To get back at yesterday, he had too much ground to cover, and I’m sorry but Evans, Blind and Rojo didn’t helped him much, so he had to come inside and go left too many times as we didn’t had enough control of the ball and the tempo. I didn’t like his first half in terms of pressure and activity….

The thing is that when he played wide in second half, he was better, and more natural. Not as good as his preferred position, but nevertheless, he was better and played better. For the sake of the team LVG should just play players at their natural (almost) position.
 
consistent well played football matches. he didn't have a great match he had a very good second half , 45 mins of good football in the last few matches isn't good enough.
In a dysfunctional team his performance yesterday was more than good enough.

Glad he played well. Hopefully it gives him confidence to adapt quicker
 
His decision making let him down again. At one point he had three United players in the box against one defender, and for some reason tried to corss the ball with the outside of his foot when the angle he was running at meant he didn't have to. I seriously can't believe how stupid he is at times...he's worse than Nani when it comes to stuff like that.

On the other hand he managed to be our best player in spite of this.

Him and Januzaj would be good playing from either side as wide players in support of the front man. Pity we have a maniacle spanner as a manager. He'll drop one of them soon so he can carry on playing some kind of unworkable formation.

If I was left footed and in that position, I would have likely tried the same type of pass/cross. Go and re watch that moment again please, he either had to cross it or pull it back, and no one was there for a pull back. The cross itself wasn't even bad and would have been a goal if their defender didn't clear it.

He delivered a similar cross for Aguero I think back in November and everyone creamed themselves over it...
 
His decision making let him down again. At one point he had three United players in the box against one defender, and for some reason tried to corss the ball with the outside of his foot when the angle he was running at meant he didn't have to. I seriously can't believe how stupid he is at times...he's worse than Nani when it comes to stuff like that.

On the other hand he managed to be our best player in spite of this.

Him and Januzaj would be good playing from either side as wide players in support of the front man. Pity we have a maniacle spanner as a manager. He'll drop one of them soon so he can carry on playing some kind of unworkable formation.

Sometimes playing the ball with the outside of the boot is the most natural thing you can do in a position, (when your avoiding using your weaker foot). Haven't seen the incident, but it doesn't neccesarily mean he was trying to be flash.
 
I no problem with Di Maria trying flash passes. It's the nature of that type of player, once who you want to watch. I'd much rather him be doing things like that, in those positions than what we've seen of him in his last half a dozen games or so before.
 
Sometimes playing the ball with the outside of the boot is the most natural thing you can do in a position, (when your avoiding using your weaker foot). Haven't seen the incident, but it doesn't neccesarily mean he was trying to be flash.

It was a decent enough cross. Kind of bugs when people are so one footed they use the outside of their foot in a really flashy way (think Quaresma) but curling the ball with the outside of your foot is a legitimate technique in football and he actually delivered a dangerous cross. A lot better than some of the crosses he hit with his instep anyway!

EDIT: 05:10s on the video above
 
Can't watch youtube videos at work so I'll have another look later. I seem to remember him having enough time to basically cross it however he wanted to. I wouldn't consider a decent cross to be one that misses all of your own team mates and finds a defender though...especially not when your team mates outnumber the defenders and aren't even being marked by anyone. That goes down as a fecked up chance.

In fact, it flew over Wilson's head and he was in front of the defender who cleared it. So yeah, piss poor cross.
 
It was a decent enough cross. Kind of bugs when people are so one footed they use the outside of their foot in a really flashy way (think Quaresma) but curling the ball with the outside of your foot is a legitimate technique in football and he actually delivered a dangerous cross. A lot better than some of the crosses he hit with his instep anyway!

EDIT: 05:10s on the video above

Yeah can't see much wrong with what he did there tbh.
 
Can't watch youtube videos at work so I'll have another look later. I seem to remember him having enough time to basically cross it however he wanted to. I wouldn't consider a decent cross to be one that misses all of your own team mates and finds a defender though...especially not when your team mates outnumber the defenders and aren't even being marked by anyone. That goes down as a fecked up chance.

In fact, it flew over Wilson's head and he was in front of the defender who cleared it. So yeah, piss poor cross.

Why do you constantly make stuff up to back up wildly exaggerated points?

There were three United players in the box. Wilson was being well marked and their second defender split the remaining two players and made an excellent clearance. Good defending.
 
Why do you constantly make stuff up to back up wildly exaggerated points?

There were three United players in the box. Wilson was being well marked and their second defender split the remaining two players and made an excellent clearance. Good defending.
I don't. I've just watched it and our players outnumbered Burnley's. Wilson was in front of his man and would have had a scoring chance if the ball hadn't been put over his head, and no one else was being properly picked up. It should have ended in a goal. It's as simple as really. The defender did well in a desperate situation but he shouldn't have been given the chance to clear it.

I don't get why it's so hard to accept that. There's a video of it right there. As well as the whole general point of Di Maria's decision making being really bad, because it is. He tries passes or shots that just aren't on all too often.
 
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