Of what? If this team wins the league, the loaves and the fishes will have competition.
this team wont win the league without strengthening the midfield, which is what I hope we do in January.
Moyes So Far!
- Thread starter RedTillI'mDead
- Start date
- Status
this team wont win the league without strengthening the midfield, which is what I hope we do in January.
That simply isn't true, mate. We haven't been great, we all know this - but there is no evidence that Moyes is attempting to make us into a hoof ball team. We haven't lined up with Fellaini as a target man yet, not once - so let's not go over the top, eh? Moyes knows very well hoof ball is not an option for Manchester United. You may doubt him in all sorts of ways, but he does know this is the big league - he's not under the impression that some kind of stone age football will be the way to go for us.
That was meant to say "cross", instead of "hoof". I don't doubt Moyes at all, but we kept crossing the ball in. Persistence pays off, as they say, but it's ridiculous to keep crossing the ball into the box, expecting to beat defenders who are very strong aerially. The problem is that we're not looking strong in central areas at the moment, compared to last season.
Aye - I don't disagree with that. It's no Moyes trait as such, though, as our default mode in seasons past has been to ping it out wide and cross it - whenever we have needed to actually construct an attack rather than hitting the opponent on the counter. Not sure we are actually weaker centrally compared to last season either - I think it's more a case of our obvious deficiencies in CM being more of a problem for anyone who doesn't have Fergie's magical ability to negate it somehow.
It has to be done from the right areas. It was a cross that got us the winner but Evra got to the touchline and gave Hernandez a chance. We need to get to the touchline more often.
Yes - and that's a good point. Crossing is no bad thing in itself. Playing intricately through the middle as per default is not something we should aim for either. The problem isn't that we cross - it's rather that we too often resort to pushing it out wide and crossing it, because we seemingly have no other ideas.
It's a lack of movement and initiative, more than anything.
I was happy enough with the starting line up
Obviously Rafael is a better right back than Smalling but then again Rafa played Wednesday and I could understand Smalling getting picked based on his height
Smalling was very good in the last game at rb iirc away in Shaktar
An off day for Chris and Moyes is learning we need attacking the technical players when chasing games
Obviously Rafael is a better right back than Smalling but then again Rafa played Wednesday and I could understand Smalling getting picked based on his height
Smalling was very good in the last game at rb iirc away in Shaktar
An off day for Chris and Moyes is learning we need attacking the technical players when chasing games
Why was the defence so shocking today?
Good question, just watched our match on the (Polish) MOTD and Jesus Christ, what Evans has done for the first goal ( of course bar that shit defending from Nani, Smalling and Cleverley alltogether ) is a bloody criminal, my stream was of shite quality so I didn't see it at first, it looks like he literally kicked the ball into Crouches' legs ( even though there was some movement from Crouch while on the ground naturally ).
Then this idiotic foul from Jones and on top of that quite many 'ugh' moments from our defenders, being all over the place, completly 0 help from the midfield. And here lies the problem. Fellaini can get as much shit from people here about his sloppy passing, not doing this or that, but he's shielding the back four very well imo. It was lacking today. I thought that we'd be sound with Jones-Evans partnership but after today, I'm afraid we're yet to find our golden mean.
Chesterlestreet said:
I'd still prefer to see Smalling at right back than Jones
credit to Moyes for the subs this week - dont think there was much wrong with the original line up though
not sure what the hell the defence were doing, really shouldnt be struggling with bloody Crouch and Walters!
not sure what the hell the defence were doing, really shouldnt be struggling with bloody Crouch and Walters!
It was like the back 4 decided to all be inept at the same time. It made no sense. I don't get whether its the coaching, poor form or they simply are not behind the manager.
It'd be a treat if, from now on, Moyes sticks to using both as centre backs instead of a right backs. When comparing Smalling to Jones at right back its all relative, like asking what's nicer 4 day old milk or 4 day old cheese? They're both centre backs and it shows, a lot, when they're played elsewhere. We had Rafael available today there was no need not to play him and, when he's not about, Fabio can deputise as he did at Wembley in 2011. Hopefully Moyes will make this thing of playing centre backs out of position when we play 'big' teams a thing of the past.
Possibly - neither is any good, really. But for me Smalling is even worse suited. Jones is a better footballer allround, for me, and thus a - slightly - better alternative. Smalling is a centre half and that is all he is. Use him in that department or don't use him at all.
Good to see Moyes change things in our favour. Deserves credit for the right subs.
Last week i've said Moyes has made a lot of terrible decisions with the subs against Southampton.
Today......well done David!!!!!!!!!
Today......well done David!!!!!!!!!
Moyes did well with the line-ups and substitutions bar starting Smalling over Rafael. What encourages me though is that he seems to learn from his mistakes rather than being defensive about his decisions so I think we wouldn't see a repeat of that.
We were infinitely better when attacking than most of the games this season. Yes the movement could still be a lot better but this game was a clear sign of improvement for me.
Against teams like Stoke you don't let them cross and then challenge their giants for header, we are better off closing them down and tackling harder in the wide areas or even double marking the player with ball in wide areas. I won't lay the entire blame on defence but we could have closed their players down better in wide areas as a team.
I don't understand the doom and gloom after the game. We needed a win like that to lift everyone up and to show everyone else that we didn't lose our ability for late comebacks along with Fergie.
We were infinitely better when attacking than most of the games this season. Yes the movement could still be a lot better but this game was a clear sign of improvement for me.
Against teams like Stoke you don't let them cross and then challenge their giants for header, we are better off closing them down and tackling harder in the wide areas or even double marking the player with ball in wide areas. I won't lay the entire blame on defence but we could have closed their players down better in wide areas as a team.
I don't understand the doom and gloom after the game. We needed a win like that to lift everyone up and to show everyone else that we didn't lose our ability for late comebacks along with Fergie.
Hope this comeback is a turning point, Moyes is probably learning more and getting better every game.
My guess is that Rafael didn't start because, 1. Smalling needs games, and 2. Rafael seemed to do his best midweek to get himself needlessly sent off.
no problem with him really except when he decides to play negative/sit-back (but i felt the same about SA). the dropped points this season are from sitting-back and trusting defenders, who are in very dodgy form, to hold on.
Most probably, the reason was height, I should think, which is a defensive mindset imo something which Sir Alex did a coupe of seasons ago as well until Rafa firmly established himself last season.
THat was the only real blemish though.
Not easy the situation for him.
The squad have big lack of quality in defence and in the mid.
We suffer a lot the pressing for that
Fellaini a panic buy, the 10th choice after Fabregas, Ozil, Modric... and even Khedira.
The squad have big lack of quality in defence and in the mid.
We suffer a lot the pressing for that
Fellaini a panic buy, the 10th choice after Fabregas, Ozil, Modric... and even Khedira.
He did get a couple of things wrong, but the high block (high defensive line) we played contributed to us coming back. Evans and Jones were poor in the first half, but they were much, much better in the second half. Credit to Moyes.
I keep seeing posts such as "Moyes is still learning" or such like. The guy has been a Premier League manager for 10 years, he knows how to set teams up and he knows how to scout the opposition and drill his players.
There is no organisation or true direction on the pitch, players dont seem to be tactically aware and that must be his responsibility. We are simply relying on our great strikers (or Januzaj) to conjure up moments of brilliance to drag us through games.
He needs to get things organised and quick, there are tough games coming up and its not enough to say "this is perhaps the way things are going to be for a while." That's the flip-side of offering a man a long term contract, there doesn't appear to be any urgency in Moyes, more a hopeful thought that things will turn around in time, which they won't as long as United continue to look disorganised and vulnerable on the pitch. We were that close to being 11 points behind Arsenal yesterday. Luckily there is a chance to try and build some momentum.
There is no organisation or true direction on the pitch, players dont seem to be tactically aware and that must be his responsibility. We are simply relying on our great strikers (or Januzaj) to conjure up moments of brilliance to drag us through games.
He needs to get things organised and quick, there are tough games coming up and its not enough to say "this is perhaps the way things are going to be for a while." That's the flip-side of offering a man a long term contract, there doesn't appear to be any urgency in Moyes, more a hopeful thought that things will turn around in time, which they won't as long as United continue to look disorganised and vulnerable on the pitch. We were that close to being 11 points behind Arsenal yesterday. Luckily there is a chance to try and build some momentum.
I still can't figure out why he bought Fellaini. If he was that keen on having him here, why not make a bid as soon as the window opened and Moyes' feet were under the manager's table?
That's what we should've done, no doubt. But Moyes wanted Baines as well and Woody seems to have thought it was a great idea to include the pair of them in a double deal. That was clearly not a great idea, as it turns out. But it would explain why it went all the way to the closing of the window.
I don't buy this, I think Moyes would have wanted Fellaini but for one reason or another was swayed away from signing him, at which point on deadline day yeah he became a panic buy but it's not unlikely that Moyes would have targeted Fellaini from the moment he walked through the door.
Maybe this has something to do with it?
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/...ts-manchester-united-to-switch-to-new-surface
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/...ts-manchester-united-to-switch-to-new-surface
Roma have won 9 out of their first 9 Seria A matches with Kevin Strootman running the show in central midfield. That is a phenomenal start to a season beyond words........Come the end of the season and with a possible finish outside the top 4 .....hope Strootman's not another player that ends up on the long list of what might have been....Moyes really needs to get it right in January to save his dwindling reputation
I really wanted Strootman. Similar player to Cleverley, but he's more authoritative. But, I'm not too concerned about lack of signings. It's the system that's disjointed. Too much focus on wing play. Individuals winning us the game, instead of team.
nothing wrong with wing play...that's how we have always played. agree Strootman would have prevented the poor start.
What dwindling reputation?
I have faith in him.
If that hasn't been photoshopped in any way, I am speechless.
It's been photoshopped.
At least they Photoshopped some eyebrows in.
Looks like quite a few who were in the Stoke end yesterday.
- Status