2 goals against Arsenal, 2 goals against Spurs. Good he's not taking sides in the north London rivalry 
Smashley Young
- Thread starter Red Defence
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
Marlo Stanfield, My Man!
bend it like ashley.
Sure was. I was a bit nervous when Nani didn't pass out in the box and they managed to get to it first but Young handled it very well. Similarly to his goal vs. Ajax where I thought the chance was almost gone but he pulled off a goal. Very happy with him lately.
He really like to shoot in that corner. Gave them no chances.
First Norwich, then Tottenham. Turns out to be very important player !
First Norwich, then Tottenham. Turns out to be very important player !
I knew the second reminded me of another goal he scored earlier in the season. Great finish and though he gets a fair bit of criticism he is more than capable of scoring blinders like that and his cross for Rooney's goal was good too.
What we need to do is blindfold him on the journey to every game, then try and convince him he's in North London.
I'd like to see him play in behind Rooney with Valencia on the right and Nani on the left sometime.
Why?
He shouldn't play behind a striker, we saw that in the england game as well.He is good on the left hand side cutting in IMO.
Saw him play there for Villa a couple of times and he looked good. Worth a try imo. Especially when you have wingers like Valencia and Nani, there'd be so much versatility in that front 4.
But that would require Rooney to play as the main striker but he is at his best playing behind a striker.Similarly, where would welbeck go? Changing the whole team for one player is just not sensible.
Myth.
He played well enough leading the line in the 2009-10 season. Erm, Welbeck wouldn't start? I'm guessing its not inconceivable that we might play with just one striker in some games, especially away in europe. Are you saying we don't chop and change formations/players or what? That last point doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Two great finishes today but I still thought he was poor in the first half offensively, although was vital in tracking back. He needs to run at defenders more, too often he just holds onto the ball and passes it infield or waits for Evra to overlap, which tends to slow our play down. Maybe it's a confidence thing, because he's noticeably dribbling less than the start of the season when his form was consistently good, so hopefully he'll become more direct in the next few weeks. He's certainly got the ability to be a direct threat in the way Valencia and Nani are, just needs to show it more.
Didn't think he had a great first half on the ball but he was key to the 3 points so credit to him.
Rooney did play as a striker and he did score goals but all that proves is he is a brilliant player who can also play as a main striker as well. But that doesn't mean he is at his best when played as striker. He is at his best behind a striker imo. As to the last point yes we do change a lot but why should we try young behind a striker and rooney as the striker for the first time this season, when we are already playing well? Plus do you really want to rest 3 strikers in welbeck, chicha and berba just to make room for young?
As for european games, that is totally different thing. May be we should play 4-3-2-1 in those games but that is just a different discussion.
Rooney can play as a striker there and score plenty of games, but when you look at how much he offers to the team, I think you're wasting him there to an extent. I feel that when you put him up front, you isolate him in a sense and limit what he can do. He may still score, however he can't control the game and drop back to support the midfield like he usually does.
Just because someone can play as a main striker doesn't mean that they should.
Hopefully these goals give him the confidence to find his very best form again
More to the point, when he plays such a role, he can influence more aspects of the match. He's a player of great abilities and should be playing a free role rather than being constricted to a role upfront.
And where do you fellas suggest Rooney play if and when we(which we will in some games) play with one striker?
He can play up front on his own but why Young behind him? He won't help control the midfield anymore, he isn't as creative as a Giggs or Rooney and it also lowers our goal threat. If you want to play Rooney up top on his own then it should be add another central midfielder like Giggs or Cleverley rather than Young.
Anyway, Rooney is one of the best players in the world and you won't find many other players who produces as much as he does behind the striker. 22 goals and 7 assists in 30 appearances, playing deeper than 'strikers'. Why push him up for someone who's nowhere near as good in that role? If he's to be pushed up in a big game then it should be a central midfielder or someone extremely creative like Giggs.
Btw two brilliant finishes from Young today, hope he finds some consistency now.
2 new pages make me happy as fan of Young
It's also good that the performs in the big games.
It's also good that the performs in the big games.
Still no marjen in this thread. Quite surprising, to be honest.
Obviously, when we're playing with a lone striker Rooney can go up front, but we don't really do that all too often. We usually play with two up front, and Rooney drops into a deeper role.
If we were to play with Young behind a main striker, that striker would have to be Rooney as I am not sure any of our other strikers are quite there yet to take on a defence on their own.
Leave Young where he is - on the wing.
Mr Mujac on twitter:
AShley Young is named Sky's MOM...didn't even know he was playing in the first half...Rio or Evans for me...both equally good today
Little bit harsh on Young, since you could say that on our whole team tbf, except Evans and Rio.
AShley Young is named Sky's MOM...didn't even know he was playing in the first half...Rio or Evans for me...both equally good today
Little bit harsh on Young, since you could say that on our whole team tbf, except Evans and Rio.
Up until his goal I thought he didn't do enough to get on the ball, personally. Both Scholes and Rio were giving him stick for not getting into an area where he can actually receive it. Yes we struggled to get any kind of possession game going but Nani, Rooney and Welbeck were still getting on the ball much more frequently even if they weren't doing much with it. Livened right up after that, but even then overall he still had less touches (statistically) than all of those three despite Nani being subbed off with 10 minutes to go and Welbeck being the most isolated of all. Still, the goals should do him a world of good so let's hope he builds on that.
Strange game for him, I thought he was horrible, especially in the first half. His passes didn't come off, rarely take his man. The second half didn't improve much, but then he pops up with two quality goals. The first one is a great piece of technique, hitting the ball like that while falling down.
He's starting to turn it on again, and at the right time too. People have forgotten very quickly what a talented player he can be. I just wish he would be encouraged to shoot more often around the box and sometimes be a bit more unpredictable with his wing play. He's one of those players who will find a way to contribute something when he sees enough of the ball.
This
I'll be brutally honest up until the goals he was shit again just as he was for England in midweek but amazingly to his credit however bad his overall game has been he's pulled out 3 very top class finishes.
Like you said hopefully these goals will bring him into some form though I must say take the goals away from the 8-2 against Arsenal was he that good in that game? I dont want to hate on him but I do think too much was made of his start to the season based on that Arsenal game.
I still dont think we've seen him have a game like we've seen from Valencia and Nani where he's tearing the full back a new arse hole putting in great cross after great cross
Can I complain about his crossing?
Please tell me you're joking? His crossing was instrumental in the last two wins. Injury time winner last week and the key opening goal against Spurs both came from exceptional crosses from Young.
No let's play everyone in their correct positions
He has played sometimes for Watford and Aston Villa in that position.
We have 4 strikers, 3 of which can play that position (Rooney, Berbatov, Welbeck). Unless some freak injury crisis occurs, Young shouldn't be playing there, IMO.
Hopefully can go on a good run now.
Very good performance, lets hope that the form continues. Well taken goals and shows what happens when your confidence is up.
Finally , we see the real Young in taking corners. He really whips them in from the right