Unpopular Opinions Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Stobzilla said:
Who around us hasn't been fortunate exactly ? Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and ourselves have been as bad as each other. Even City's position looks tenuous. Southampton come out of this looking rosy as they are over-achieving.
Click to expand...

Has Arsenal, Southampton, Liverpool been fortunate? I don’t know, I don’t watch them regularly, but we won against them (our main rivals this season) despite being the second best team on the pitch. That changes a lot in the table.

You say Southampton are overachieving, I would say we’re underachieving.
 
Borys said:
Has Arsenal, Southampton, Liverpool been fortunate? I don’t know, I don’t watch them regularly, but we won against them (our main rivals this season) despite being the second best team on the pitch. That changes a lot in the table.

You say Southampton are overachieving, I would say we’re underachieving.
Click to expand...

I actually think we are right about where we should be considering we have changed manager had a slew of outgoing experienced players and all coming off of our worst season for 20 odd years.

Last year should have served as a wake up call to a few fans. Turns most of them on this place are still the same entitled morons they always were. I don't include yourself in this.
 
I'm waiting to get shot down for this, as I really haven't given it the necessary thought that a comment like this deserves but... he reminds me a bit of SAF in the years immediately prior to his retirement.

SAF got loads of criticism in his final seasons for picking odd teams, incorrect players, forcing partnerships that didn't seem to work, etc but he kept winning. Yes, he was clearly operating to a higher standard than LVG currently is, with less quality in his squad also, but he was also at the helm for 2 and a half decades.

I'm feeling quite good about LVG. Yes, he's annoyed my recently but it feels like he is starting to make the required adaptations. 4 at the back looks like it's firming up now and he must be losing patience with our forward line. Herrera keeps on impressing when he comes on so hopefully that's starting to come into his thoughts now too, especially with Blind out.

He'll get there I think. A CB and a midfielder that he rates and we'll be taking shape.
 
Stobzilla said:
I actually think we are right about where we should be considering we have changed manager had a slew of outgoing experienced players and all coming off of our worst season for 20 odd years.

Last year should have served as a wake up call to a few fans. Turns most of them on this place are still the same entitled morons they always were. I don't include yourself in this.
Click to expand...
I agree with you. I never expected us to be 3rd in the league and this is great. However, I don’t think we should be ignoring how terrible brand of football we play just because we sit 3rd (2 points of 5th, mind you). League table can turn around in one weekend.

The thing is, I believe we have a bunch of very good players, but we don’t use them right.
 
=> LVG is one of the best managers in the world and has done a decent job so far
=> Any manager would have struggled hard with taking over after SAF retirement incl Mourinho, Pep, Klopp, Simeone and also Ancelotti
=> Mourinho would not have accepted the job even if it was offered to him because he would be scared of losing his face
=> LVG is doing a beter job for us atm than Mourinho would have done

=> Falcao is a better striker for us than RVP and if he would have played the same amount of minutes he would have better stats than RVP
=> Letting go of Welbeck was one of the best decisions LVG has made since stepping into office
=> It is logical Rafael isn't playing and he is heading in the same direction as Fabio
=> Nani and Hernandez don't have a future here
=> Fellaini should start more games
=> We are missing Young's presence on the left wing and his injury has affected our performances
=> Carrick should be let go in the summer like Fletcher was
=> Evans is one of the worst players ever to have been at United and has been playing on championship level for the last 2 years

=> SAF did a terrible job in the transfermarket over the last 6 years of his reign and the team he left for his successor was a total mess that will have set us back for atleast 2 or 3 years
=>The decision not to play Pogba regulary when he was a United player is one of the most stupid decisions in the history of football and will likely hunt this club for the next 10 years unless we manage to sign him this summer
 
Fellaini should be in the starting xi midfield always.

Both RVP and Falcao should be out of the team.

Di María should be winger.
 
We should load Rooney up with burgers and send him forward as striker. Hopefully the burgers would keep him from roaming all over the field..
 
ivaldo said:
But he's quite right to a large extent. The formation isn't the problem here.
Click to expand...
Well I think it's part of the problem - but not the main problem. Though deciding to play with two strikers, who have both been pretty underwhelming for their reputation, and having your main man play in a holding role against Burnley is a terrible "formation" of how you are putting together the team with the players you have. Also leaving two of our most creative players on the bench in Herrera and Mata.

If Rooney was the lone striker and we played with a midfield of Blind/Carrick, Di Maria, and Herrera I think we would see an instant improvement in the fluidity of our play.
 
Playing with two strikers who don't seem to understand each other is a terrible idea, especially if one of them is only here on loan.

Selling Kagawa and Welbeck was a mistake. I understand Danny wanted more game time, but I just know LvG let him go because he saw him as a striker and wasn't too keen on 442/433 so he decided to cash in.
 
ivaldo said:
But he's quite right to a large extent. The formation isn't the problem here.
Click to expand...

Its part of the problem, as well as tempo, playing players out of position, and playing 2 out of form strikers up top.
If we wanted to pick our most inform and productive players this season, in the positions they have performed in best this season we would need to change the formation.
 
Cassidy said:
Its part of the problem, as well as tempo, playing players out of position, and playing 2 out of form strikers up top.
If we wanted to pick our most inform and productive players this season, in the positions they have performed in best this season we would need to change the formation.
Click to expand...
Its player selection then. We don't have the players to play with wingers right now.
 
ivaldo said:
So what formation do you suggest?
Click to expand...

----------- Rooney/RVP-----------
-------------Mata/Rooney---------

Di Maria Blind Fellani/Carrick Herrera

Shaw Rojo Smalling/Jones Rafeal
--------------De Gea----------------

Thats one example, I'm sure there are others too, point is we should pick the best team and formation based on the players we have, not how we want to play with players we don't have.
Not every team plays with wingers, if you don't have enough wingers then you need to find a way of playing without them that is the managers job.

TBH though we have some players who can actually play on the wing Di Maria, Januzaj and Valencia if we wanted to play with wingers.

-----------Rooney/RVP------------
Di Maria --------------------Januzaj/Valencia

------Herrera Blind Fellani/Carrick-----
Shaw Rojo Smalling/Jones Rafeal
--------------De Gea----------------

EDIT: Like I said though formation and personel is only part of the problem, LVG also has to allow the team to play with freedom to attack the opposition.
 
Cassidy said:
----------- Rooney/RVP-----------
-------------Mata/Rooney---------

Di Maria Blind Fellani/Carrick Herrera

Shaw Rojo Smalling/Jones Rafeal
--------------De Gea----------------

Thats one example, I'm sure there are others too, point is we should pick the best team and formation based on the players we have, not how we want to play with players we don't have.
Not every team plays with wingers, if you don't have enough wingers then you need to find a way of playing without them that is the managers job.

TBH though we have some players who can actually play on the wing Di Maria, Januzaj and Valencia if we wanted to play with wingers.

-----------Rooney/RVP------------
Di Maria --------------------Januzaj/Valencia

------Herrera Blind Fellani/Carrick-----
Shaw Rojo Smalling/Jones Rafeal
--------------De Gea----------------

EDIT: Like I said though formation and personel is only part of the problem, LVG also has to allow the team to play with freedom to attack the opposition.
Click to expand...
Both formations contain wingers or 'wide players'. 1 month ago the diamond was the holy grail and we are equally as shit in it as we have been with 3-5-2.
 
ivaldo said:
Both formations contain wingers or 'wide players'. 1 month ago the diamond was the holy grail and we are equally as shit in it as we have been with 3-5-2.
Click to expand...

Herrera isn't exactly a winger/wide player, but he can do a job. Just like Silva does for City at times.
The Diamond is the formation we have played the best attacking football with this season I think, but if you play with with 2 out of form Strikers up top or players out of positions (Rooney & Di Maria) it isn't going to work.
The main issue I have with all the formations used this season is the insistence on playing with 2 strikers.

EDIT: The whole point I was making anyway is that the problem isn't just one thing, its a combination of formation, tempo, instructions given to players, and players not exactly being picked on form.
 
Mister_Stubbs said:
Wrong thread mate (wait, is there a joke thread?)
Click to expand...

Robbie Boy said:
That's not an unpopular opinion, it's utter madness.
Click to expand...

pseudo_canadian said:
I'm sorry, but that is just very far from the truth.
Click to expand...

Revan said:
I think you've mistaken this thread with 'mental football forums posts' thread.
Click to expand...

Gents-

With Smalling, Jones, Evans, Rojo and McNair, I think we have good enough CBs to challenge for the title.

Even though, the defending has looked/been haphazard at times this season, I believe this is primarily down to a lack of protection from midfield (we looked much more composed when Carrick returned from injury, and even went on a decent run), and the fact that we've been playing a 3-5-2 which exposes our weaknesses and hides our strengths. I think we've got the 2nd or 3rd best defensive record (a lot of this down to DdG).

I think Smalling this season, injuries and the red card v City aside, has really stepped up and played with a lot of composure and intelligence. He should be our number 1 CB (when fit).

Evans is playing with 0 confidence at the minute, but we all know he's a good defender as evidenced by his form under Fergie. I think he's a good option to have, but shouldn't necessarily start every game at the minute.

Jones-well, I suppose we're all waiting for the penny to drop with him. Injuries have hampered his progression, but if he has a good spell not injured, I think he can make a similar step up to what Smalling has made.

Rojo for me should be starting most matches. He can be a little rash, but I suppose we can put that down to the South American tenacity in him. I don't think he should play LB.

McNair-has a big future ahead of him.

If we take Chelsea's defence to be the benchmark, Ivanovic/Terry/Cahill/Azpili have started pretty much every game together, and it's that consistency and experience that we lack. Injuries have taken their toll on us.
 
In terms of slating our defenders, the grass really is greener elsewhere, I've seen Ramos/Varane/Pepe/Cahill/Kompany/Mangala/Silva/Hummels all putting in some pretty abysmal performances, some even worse than our defenders, Ramos too gets caught out of position easily, there's an illusion that all the 'top CB' play on a much higher level and never make mistakes etc, fact is, nowadays, there's no world class defender. There is hardly a defender close to Vidic/Ferdy/Nesta/Maldini/Pique/Terry/Stam, this has to do with the evolution of ball playing defenders, ability on the ball has become a primary quality a player should have. So to say that we don't need defenders isnt something completely ridiculous imo, the problem is they cant stay fit, but Jones, Smalling, Rojo are/could certainly be good enough for title contenders.
 
They can't stay fit though, so we definitely do need CBs. They're not going to suddenly stop getting injured so what's the point in talking as if they might?

Anyway, we should be comparing ourselves to the best in the league, right? I mean that's supposed to be our standard. The entire Chelsea back four would probably walk into our team atm, as a unit and individually too. That's quite an advantage to hand someone you're competing against.....
 
Uzz said:
Gents-

With Smalling, Jones, Evans, Rojo and McNair, I think we have good enough CBs to challenge for the title.

Even though, the defending has looked/been haphazard at times this season, I believe this is primarily down to a lack of protection from midfield (we looked much more composed when Carrick returned from injury, and even went on a decent run), and the fact that we've been playing a 3-5-2 which exposes our weaknesses and hides our strengths. I think we've got the 2nd or 3rd best defensive record (a lot of this down to DdG).

I think Smalling this season, injuries and the red card v City aside, has really stepped up and played with a lot of composure and intelligence. He should be our number 1 CB (when fit).

Evans is playing with 0 confidence at the minute, but we all know he's a good defender as evidenced by his form under Fergie. I think he's a good option to have, but shouldn't necessarily start every game at the minute.

Jones-well, I suppose we're all waiting for the penny to drop with him. Injuries have hampered his progression, but if he has a good spell not injured, I think he can make a similar step up to what Smalling has made.

Rojo for me should be starting most matches. He can be a little rash, but I suppose we can put that down to the South American tenacity in him. I don't think he should play LB.

McNair-has a big future ahead of him.

If we take Chelsea's defence to be the benchmark, Ivanovic/Terry/Cahill/Azpili have started pretty much every game together, and it's that consistency and experience that we lack. Injuries have taken their toll on us.
Click to expand...

Their defence is quite simply better than ours, though.

Even if you've got a good bit of faith in the players above, and make some decent points regarding them, I just struggle to see why anyone wouldn't want to improve upon it if given the chance.

Consistently playing together in a stable formation would help them out, yes, but it's not going to fix the fact that in the centre back area, we just don't have particularly great defenders.
 
Di Maria isn't enjoying his football, doesn't want to be here and will look to move on as soon as he can.
 
Sammyjunn said:
In terms of slating our defenders, the grass really is greener elsewhere, I've seen Ramos/Varane/Pepe/Cahill/Kompany/Mangala/Silva/Hummels all putting in some pretty abysmal performances, some even worse than our defenders, Ramos too gets caught out of position easily, there's an illusion that all the 'top CB' play on a much higher level and never make mistakes etc, fact is, nowadays, there's no world class defender. There is hardly a defender close to Vidic/Ferdy/Nesta/Maldini/Pique/Terry/Stam, this has to do with the evolution of ball playing defenders, ability on the ball has become a primary quality a player should have. So to say that we don't need defenders isnt something completely ridiculous imo, the problem is they cant stay fit, but Jones, Smalling, Rojo are/could certainly be good enough for title contenders.
Click to expand...

Agreed - and I'm very glad Evans didn't make it to your list.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.