Reserves v Blackburn

I like Obertan. Great close control, and seems to have very good vision too. I feel that Tosic has reason to worry about his own and Obertan's performances.

Who came on for Eikrem?

Norwood.
 
FT. 3-0 Tosic screamer!

Plenty for Sir Alex to think about ahead of the Carling Cup game. Some players like Obertan, Tosic and Eikrem look ready for first team appearances. The rest of the team were also very good and the potential is clear for all to see.
 
We could have played this game with just two defenders. Blackburn could not pass after they pass the center line
 
Surprised Obertan is getting quite so much praise, didn't think he had a great game personally. Few nice moments but more sloppy ones. No real criticism, still feeling his way back from injury of course.
 
A lot of antivirus always have these annoying false alarms. No such thing reported on my KIS2010.
 
Had a decent enough game. His vision and passing is excellent and he's very quick.

Doesn't strike me as a genuine winger though. I can't remember him putting a single cross into the box, in either of his games so far. He's probably done enough to play in the Carling Cup next week, be interesting to see how Fergie uses him. I'm not sure he'll suit a 442.
 
Had a decent enough game. His vision and passing is excellent and he's very quick.

Doesn't strike me as a genuine winger though. I can't remember him putting a single cross into the box, in either of his games so far. He's probably done enough to play in the Carling Cup next week, be interesting to see how Fergie uses him. I'm not sure he'll suit a 442.

He reminds me more of Ronaldo in that sense (and before anyone gets antsy I'm not trying to say he's the next Ronaldo), in the sense that although he often plays wide he doesn't really look to get a cross in (a la Valencia) and seems to drift in an awful lot.
 
He reminds me more of Ronaldo in that sense (and before anyone gets antsy I'm not trying to say he's the next Ronaldo), in the sense that although he often plays wide he doesn't really look to get a cross in (a la Valencia) and seems to drift in an awful lot.

He passes the ball much better than Ronaldo did at the same age though. He seems a lot less selfish and a lot more aware of his team-mates. In fact, if I had to name the one thing that's impressed (and surprised) me most in his first couple of game it would be the timing and vision he shows when he passes the ball. Ronaldo only added this to his game in his last couple of seasons at the club.

What I've been less impressed with is Obertan's ability to beat a man and get dangerous crosses into the box, something that Ronaldo was doing from his very first game. It's gonna be really interesting seeing what his best position is. He is very effective as one of a front three but I'm less convinced about how well he'll cope as a conventional winger in a 442. Early days though and he's clearly still a bit short of fitness, which might explain his reluctance to go tearing up and down the wing.
 
I thought he was mainly disappointing once again. Very good goal though.

I thought Tosic was very bright. Aside from two ambitious efforts skewed (is that a word..hmm) wide, he was always in the thick of things and did a lot of good work

The run just past the halfway line resulting in a shot would have been a hell of a goal
 
Had a decent enough game. His vision and passing is excellent and he's very quick.

Doesn't strike me as a genuine winger though. I can't remember him putting a single cross into the box, in either of his games so far. He's probably done enough to play in the Carling Cup next week, be interesting to see how Fergie uses him. I'm not sure he'll suit a 442.


I agree and I think he'd be perfect in a 4-4-3. I feel Valencia is far too rigid to play that role. His pace and control means he can play as a winger but for me its clearly not his strongest or long term position.
 
I thought Tosic was very bright. Aside from two ambitious efforts skewed (is that a word..hmm) wide, he was always in the thick of things and did a lot of good work

The run just past the halfway line resulting in a shot would have been a hell of a goal

Tosic didn't impress me at all. He should be standing out in games at this level. One or two bright moments aside he did anything but.
 
OObertan ratings anyone ?

I'd say 6.5 which maybe misleading. You can see the boy has quality, composure and he makes a lot of good incisive passing.

The was a moment in the first half where he's running with the ball, slips king in and I sware he's so quick it's very difficult to see at what moment he actually passes the ball.

He's can be subtle like that. He did mis place a few but for him it's early days and obviously fitness. He'll need a good handful of games to get that and be able to hopefully produce moments for 90 minutes of games

ps: Incidently i'm not sure if it was mentioned? But Obertan hit the post with a decent strike to the near post.
 
Tosic didn't impress me at all. He should be standing out in games at this level. One or two bright moments aside he did anything but.

he didn't impress you at all? if obertan put in tosics performance, people would be wanking about it.....

Infact he was similar to obertan - with your observation that he doesn't strike you as a typical winger - Tosic was pretty much the same.

I appriciate your view, but I think you should watch it again :)

People talk about this level, it's not easy to stand out. The level is already so high as we're talking about a player who's probably only 2 years older the rest of them

He rarely gave the ball away, he was incisive, he was always involved, he made a mistake or two, he could have had two goals, he got one, he was an influence and we played decent as a team. We really didn't kick on
 
I agree and I think he'd be perfect in a 4-4-3. I feel Valencia is far too rigid to play that role. His pace and control means he can play as a winger but for me its clearly not his strongest or long term position.

We played a 433 a lot in the CC last season and it worked really well. Wouldn't be surprised if we do the same thing again. A front three of Welbeck, Macheda and Obertain could be extremely effective.

The only potential problem is that SAF might want to give Owen a run out and he wouldn't fit into that system at all.
 
I don't need to watch it again, thanks.

what did he do wrong for you?..

btw people if Brandy was a bit taller, do you think the hype with him would be similar to our other young strikers?

He's a lively little player with goals in him that's for sure
 
Tosic's only flaw last night was that he tried way too many shots from distance, but even that paid off in the end.

He was mazing through 3-4 defenders most of the time and coming out with the ball. He showed some great skill to beat his man and some nifty passes - one in particularly to Obertan.


Obertan is obviously not fit yet, he spends most of the time just walking around the pitch. His vision and passing is definitely what has impressed me most with him.
I don't think we should worry about him being capable of beating his man using skill - that was after all how he's made a name for himself since he was 16.
 
Tosic's only flaw last night was that he tried way too many shots from distance, but even that paid off in the end.

He was mazing through 3-4 defenders most of the time and coming out with the ball. He showed some great skill to beat his man and some nifty passes - one in particularly to Obertan.


Obertan is obviously not fit yet, he spends most of the time just walking around the pitch. His vision and passing is definitely what has impressed me most with him.
I don't think we should worry about him being capable of beating his man using skill - that was after all how he's made a name for himself since he was 16.

hell no, he has that in spades.

His style of running both normally and then at full pace reminds so much of Henry. Maybe that french academy just make them that way.
 
MEN's take on last nights match........lazy bastards

United res 3 Blackburn res 0
October 23, 2009

MAGNUS Eikrem is fast gaining a reputation as United Reserves' set-piece specialist.

The 19-year-old Norwegian cracked home a brilliant long-range free-kick against Sunderland earlier in the month and he gave a repeat performance in Thursday night's game against Blackburn at Moss Lane, Altrincham, to give United an 18th-minute lead.

He also bagged one from the penalty spot in a friendly match at Clyde last Sunday.

United should have added to Eikrem's thunderbolt during the first half, but Joshua King and Sam Hewson's luck deserted them in front of goal.

Substitute Febian Brandy enjoyed better fortune eight minutes from the end when he headed home Zoran Tosic's corner.

Tosic blasted United's third goal from 25 yards out to send the Reds to the top of the Premier Reserve League table.

UNITED: Amos, R Brown, Dudgeon, De Laet, Gill, James, Obertan, Hewson (C Evans 46), King (Brandy 72), Eikrem (Norwood 76), Tosic. Subs not used: Zieler, Stewart.
 
You got to love the divide of opinions. One says Tosic was great, the other the total opposite.. What did he not do well Pogue in your opinion?

Were his corners any good, I read that he set up a goal from a corner.
 
Personally I dont think Tosic had a particularly good game tried far too many shots from distance when there were far better options on. I have seen him play a lot better for the reserves but in the end he did get a goal and an assist which you cant complain about. I also think he looks far better on the right side than the left.