Fulham 2006-07 season 5-1 at home. One of the best starts.
It took 60 minutes to get a shot on target.
- Thread starter VorZakone
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Fulham 2006-07 season 5-1 at home. One of the best starts.
Both teams were poor today, with the other gifting the other an own goal. So no, I dont think we were creatively very good. And I didnt say I say that the manager is at fault for every thing. But the type of possesion football that we play has led to us being very blunt in our attack, and that was very evident last season especially from home. Free kicks? Really?
When we did play well last season, he was part of the reason why. And the failure to win with him, surely shows that we have more problems than just playing without him, which can be partly attributed again to manager .
And to defend this type of poor football by saying that it is better than the football played by a team coached by the manager with the third shortest tenure in United history, and the worst since Wilf McGuiness isnt really much a defense of LVG at all.
I am not saying that everything wrong is down to LVG, but rather than some of the major factors leading to our poor perfomances are things He can control.
Yes, agree. Not too bad for the first game, defence looked ok except for the heart-in-mouth moments with Romero's passing and their chance in the first half.
But Rooney looks way off the pace, and Young didn't threaten much. I just hope Depay and Rooney can strike a vein of form or we'll definitely struggle. Particularly against those that park the bus
1 shot on target ar home against spurs?
im glad we got the 3 points but going forward we were poor. simple.
It's unusal for you to be negative...
nah i think yhe defence was good today, romeo suprised me also. Midfield was good to.
im just real.
At least we didn't lose..
I don't count the end of last season as part of the current run of matches.
Neither team wanted to lose.
We are not champions, we've had one shit season and one average one, we are not going to be blowing teams away.
We are not champions, we've had one shit season and one average one, we are not going to be blowing teams away.
It's OK to have occasional optimism, I remember you having the same 'real' view over our transfers, Schneiderlin perhaps?
We always start slow so I'm fine with the display and especially with the result. Hate that thing having Mata and Depay out of position tho.
May as well have, we didn't win all the stats.
This is what frustrates me the most about him. He seems to wait till he has no choice but to do the obvious but it's too late.
Piss poor going forward. Big gap between our midfielders slows the build up and forces us to go to the flanks. Young was the only one creating chances and making runs against the oppo FB, Mata failed to the same.
I'd love to see us be more creative through the middle. United have traditionally wanted to play the ball wide but it's often a very predictable way of playing. When we hit those high cross field passes from right to left or vice versa it gives the opposition full back so much time to position themselves and judge the flight.
I wouldn't want us to be as tippy tappy as Arsenal but a bit more inventiveness and clever movement in the final third would add an exciting dimension to our play.
I wouldn't want us to be as tippy tappy as Arsenal but a bit more inventiveness and clever movement in the final third would add an exciting dimension to our play.
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This. People saying we need to buy X player or Y player need to realise there's nothing wrong with the squad. We could have Lewandowski up top and it'd make no difference. The gap between our midfield lines is so huge we cant get any kind of build up going. Our front four are mostly passengers watching the ball be hoofed at or over them. We could have had Cristiano Ronaldo out there today and it would have made no difference. You cannot start with two holding players who rarely go forward and expect your team to link up well. The change away from 4-3-3 has made us a lot worse. Nobody who saw us smash Spurs 3-0 a few months ago can look at the way we lined up today and think Van Gaal's tinkering has improved us. We have gone backwards since the end of 2014/15, and its the manager's fault.
I admire your confidence (and you may be right), but I don't share it.
Last year, it was , "RVP, Di Maria, Rooney, falcao" and we struggled just as we did today.
Given that it took 60 minutes to get a shot on goal today, IMO, we need to change the system. Our system of play is what is holding us back.
If you cant score goals with Di Maria, Rooney, RVP, Depay, etc, then its difficult to blame the players.
To compare further (using stats):
Leicester, for example scored 4 goals today.
We have scored 4 goals in our last 7 games.
Lets also not forget that our real problems occur in away matches and when teams park the bus. Today Spurs didnt park the bus and it was a home game.
The real test will come next week against Villa.
In saying all of the above...it is still the start of the season, so even though I sound negative, I am currently neutral.
Yea, and the following season a wonderfully entertaining 0-0 draw at OT against the might of Reading.
I agree with most of your assessment thought I think its too soon to judge I mean its just the first game and we had 4 debutants in the starting lineup not to mention the fact that Memphis, Blind and arguably Mata playing out of position.
I think this is another case of LvG over complicating matters when things should be straightforward. Imo Herrera is the only midfielder we have with the mobility to bring the ball up forward and link up play to get through the middle or pass it on the flanks so he should start regardless of the formation. Memphis is not a striker, second striker or a #10 he should be played on the wings, ideally on the right so as to enable him to cut in to score. Rooney should not be treated as the undroppable reincarnation of Jesus Christ, if he doesnt do well up front he needs to be subbed and we should have enough competition for his position.
I'm not as bothered today about the performance itself compared to how LVG just doesn't make the in-game changes that are glaringly obvious.
It was clear by halftime that Young and Mata were accomplishing nothing on the wings. Young was a bit better with his runs but Walker was dogging him the entire time and we weren't able to get any crosses in consistently. Young could've switched sides and been replaced by Memphis on the left so that he could play apart from Walker but he was on the left the entire time. We also clearly needed Herrera to provide some kind of link between the holding middles and front but he came on when we'd fallen into a defensive shell and he had no counterattack to work with, primarily because our only speed (Memphis) had been taken off.
I am wondering how long it will take before we finally see Memphis as a winger for more than a few seconds like today. At the moment our wings are dead and it's silly to play Memphis centrally because he's trying to adapt to play in the PL while in one of the most harried areas of the pitch. His skills would be much better utilized if he's on a wing, where most of the time you are in 1 v. 1 confrontations. Mata is intelligent with the ball but he's never going to have breakthrough abilities that a fast winger can take advantage of.
People will be quick to criticize Rooney but the service he got today was no better than last season. For a striker to be successful he needs service every two or three minutes, not twice or three times per half. Spurs defended well today but it will be 100 times worse when we're up against teams like Villa, who will have everybody behind the ball.
It was clear by halftime that Young and Mata were accomplishing nothing on the wings. Young was a bit better with his runs but Walker was dogging him the entire time and we weren't able to get any crosses in consistently. Young could've switched sides and been replaced by Memphis on the left so that he could play apart from Walker but he was on the left the entire time. We also clearly needed Herrera to provide some kind of link between the holding middles and front but he came on when we'd fallen into a defensive shell and he had no counterattack to work with, primarily because our only speed (Memphis) had been taken off.
I am wondering how long it will take before we finally see Memphis as a winger for more than a few seconds like today. At the moment our wings are dead and it's silly to play Memphis centrally because he's trying to adapt to play in the PL while in one of the most harried areas of the pitch. His skills would be much better utilized if he's on a wing, where most of the time you are in 1 v. 1 confrontations. Mata is intelligent with the ball but he's never going to have breakthrough abilities that a fast winger can take advantage of.
People will be quick to criticize Rooney but the service he got today was no better than last season. For a striker to be successful he needs service every two or three minutes, not twice or three times per half. Spurs defended well today but it will be 100 times worse when we're up against teams like Villa, who will have everybody behind the ball.
We won't be a free scoring team, we will probably get between 60 and 75 maximum in the league with them but this could ensure a solid finish.
That's a bit of a ridiculous comparison. You conveniently didn't mention that Leicester conceded 2 goals while we had a clean-sheet today.
What's more worrying is it took us 94 minutes to win a game today. What's that all about?
Cannot blame the strikers, team did not create anything. Barely any movement from players when we had possession, making them easy to mark. Rooney will get a lot of the blame throughout the season, just like RvP and Falcao last season. A Midfield 3 of Herrera, Schneiderlin and either Carrick or Schweinsteiger with Rooney and Memphis and Young would do a world of good for the team if they are told to attack, attack. Guess we will break the back pass record again this season.
Free kicks aren't arbitrarily given. They are given when we are in the opposition penalty area and they concede a foul. Of course maybe we were just loitering around their penalty box. We created a decent amount of chances which were saved by the keeper or were high/wide.
Yes he was part of a reason why. He was not THE reason as you made out to be the case in your earlier post. Main difference was Carrick meaning he is the one who provides stability and all others are dispensable. Herrera is a good player but starting him today wouldn't have made any difference. It's also to note that it's not as if we were playing duds. Mata and depay are talented players both of whom were good.
LvG has never played the hallmark United style football in any of his previous stints so it would be pointless blaming him for not playing that. He played a very good XI. Unfortunately Spurs played well to negate the attack.
People like Louis Van Gaal?
No..he knows what he is doing
Nice to see some perspective on here
Quite the meltdown on here of late.
I'd prefer 1 shot on target and win than Chelsea's 3 and draw!
We played way below our potential and won, against a top 6/7 team on the first day of the season when the points are all that matters.
We used to call that the mark of champions.
We used to call that the mark of champions.
Moyes = Started with a 4-1 win looking great.
I could care less about winning and looking great on the opening. Nice steady win with no injures, no fuss, and no mess. Don't care how it's done, opening day means next to nothing on the overall scheme of things.
I could care less about winning and looking great on the opening. Nice steady win with no injures, no fuss, and no mess. Don't care how it's done, opening day means next to nothing on the overall scheme of things.
The only service he got, he fecked it up. More than ever we will also need him to be extra efficient with the few chances we'll create.
Yes we won, but seriously with the talent at our disposal we should win at home to Spurs. It is about perspective.
That said I just don't understand what we are doing. With LvG there has been one brief period where we were healthy and I could see what he wanted the team to do on the field. late last year starting with Spurs we played a 4-1-4-1 and battered our opponents. Again when you think we have more talent now why are we playing a 4-4-2 and looking like that?
I mean I am flexible but in today's modern game I would think a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3 or a 4-1-4-1 is the way to go forward. For arguments sake lets just break that down into the 5 in the back. 3 CMs and the wings and the attackers.
If I was in charge here are my for sure starters...
Back 5- DDG (if he stays and gets his head clear), Darmian, Smalling, and Shaw. Honestly those 3 defenders were excellent today and I think they have earned their starts. Not sure who gets the other spot I would have brought in some talent via transfer but I think LvG is in love with Blind so moving on.
Center 3- Carrick or Schwienstieger, Scheiderlin and then i want Herrera or Mata. When we get Herrera in there we have some real energy. if you need a moment of magic put Mata there, but why does Memphis start at the 10? Why?
Attacking 3- Rooney is locked on and it seems Young although I would love to see an upgrade there. Then why can we not see Memphis on the left? Shaw and Memphis donw the left would destroy teams with their pace and work rate.
So yeah we are frustrated watching a team with so much potential NOT get a shot for 60 mins.
That said I just don't understand what we are doing. With LvG there has been one brief period where we were healthy and I could see what he wanted the team to do on the field. late last year starting with Spurs we played a 4-1-4-1 and battered our opponents. Again when you think we have more talent now why are we playing a 4-4-2 and looking like that?
I mean I am flexible but in today's modern game I would think a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3 or a 4-1-4-1 is the way to go forward. For arguments sake lets just break that down into the 5 in the back. 3 CMs and the wings and the attackers.
If I was in charge here are my for sure starters...
Back 5- DDG (if he stays and gets his head clear), Darmian, Smalling, and Shaw. Honestly those 3 defenders were excellent today and I think they have earned their starts. Not sure who gets the other spot I would have brought in some talent via transfer but I think LvG is in love with Blind so moving on.
Center 3- Carrick or Schwienstieger, Scheiderlin and then i want Herrera or Mata. When we get Herrera in there we have some real energy. if you need a moment of magic put Mata there, but why does Memphis start at the 10? Why?
Attacking 3- Rooney is locked on and it seems Young although I would love to see an upgrade there. Then why can we not see Memphis on the left? Shaw and Memphis donw the left would destroy teams with their pace and work rate.
So yeah we are frustrated watching a team with so much potential NOT get a shot for 60 mins.
haha that's true.
Guess it was a good thing i was wrong ? Thought he was good today. Hopefully the attacking improves as the season goes on, today wasn't good enough going forward.
surely acknowledging that isn't being negative ?
Err. Rooney or any top class striker for that matter, should have hit that first time. Walker made a mistake but surely Rooney knew that he didn't have time there.
I fecking hate posts like this one. We fecking know its the first game of the season and all that. Have you fecking missed last season? Was exactly the same.
This. You can't always play good, we all fecking know that. But today was an awful performance in terms of offensive display, totally United-unworthy.
Perspective and all that.
I don't understand the need of having lots of shots on target? Does that really make anything feel better? For instance alderweireld vertonghen Dier and even Kyle walker played well today. Meaning it was difficult to play against. We had lots of shots or got into good positions but they defended well. There isn't anything that we can do when other teams defend well.
LvG sees Memphis as a 10. He even played him there in the World Cup similar to how robben was played. He may have played on the left for PSV but he had maybe 4 or 5 assists in the whole season showing he is not exactly the winger that we expect. He scored a lot of goals showing that he is a finisher. So why not start him at 10 where he can take more shots? This is probably what LvG thinks too.
Blind played well today. We can't just buy any old defender. Do you really prefer we buy Ron Vlaar or something just so that we buy a defender? We need an experienced defender and there aren't many available
This. I dont mind a dirty, boring win. Last season we had 4 good games max.