How stupid are Manu?

[Jim Lahey]

Can't think why everyone thinks United fans are arrogant.

You can't generalize a fanbase. Are all Everton supporters 'bitter'? I don't think so.

Do you think Utd's main problem is the midfield rather than the defence. When i say midfield, i mean the two (or three) central midfielders.

Yes. We haven't addressed the midfield problem for a long time, which is why we were found out in Europe time and time again after we won the thing in 2008. Back then we had Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney to paper over the cracks, plus a very good Carrick-Scholes partnership which wouldn't last forever, and hasn't.

Fergie refused to invest in midfield and employed slightly different tactics as Carrick got older and Scholes retired. He informed every player to use the wings at every possibility and to push the other team as far as possible. That was what his genius was, especially at home:

You would see:


------------------ GK -----------------

----------- Halfway Line ----------------

------------ CB - CM - CB ---------------

RB ------------- CM ------------------ LB

RM ---------- ST ----- ST ------------ LM


This is why you'd see team panicking at Old Trafford, they couldn't get out. Fergie was the master at that. It didn't always go to plan, obviously - but he won many titles from simply suffocating the opposition into submission.

Van Gaals approach is different and will be different. It will be more technical. He doesn't like players having more than 2 touches of the ball. Paul Scholes said "playing against Van Gaal's teams was like playing against 13 men" or something like that. He will need time to bring in his playing personnel.

He knew when he took over that Fergie and Moyes had left him with a [Poor language removed] squad. But he wanted to give everyone a chance and see for himself if they might have been up to it - but he's been proven right.

Van Persie, Rooney, Mata, maybe Rafael, Jones, Evans (on his day a very composed CB), De Gea and Carrick still have futures at United. But he's looking at shipping out the rest and bring in proper quality.

We have signed some very good players in this windows and apparently there are at least 2 more faces to come in. Kagawa is off to Dortmund (has just been announced), Cleverley to Villa, we've got rid of the older players before them. So the future isn't as bleak as many would like - but at the same time, it's going to be difficult - and most United supporters aren't thinking otherwise. And when I say "United supporters", I'm on about the matchgoing fan - not the idiot that posts on RedCafe who creates the "MESSI V RONALDO!!111" threads.

I'm off to Burnley on Saturday - can't wait.

 

[peteblue]

If I were a Burnley player, I'd be fancying my chances on Sat............

 

[blue4eva77]

You can't generalize a fanbase. Are all Everton supporters 'bitter'? I don't think so.

Do you think Utd's main problem is the midfield rather than the defence. When i say midfield, i mean the two (or three) central midfielders.

Yes. We haven't addressed the midfield problem for a long time, which is why we were found out in Europe time and time again after we won the thing in 2008. Back then we had Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney to paper over the cracks, plus a very good Carrick-Scholes partnership which wouldn't last forever, and hasn't.

Fergie refused to invest in midfield and employed slightly different tactics as Carrick got older and Scholes retired. He informed every player to use the wings at every possibility and to push the other team as far as possible. That was what his genius was, especially at home:

You would see:


------------------ GK -----------------

----------- Halfway Line ----------------

------------ CB - CM - CB ---------------

RB ------------- CM ------------------ LB

RM ---------- ST ----- ST ------------ LM


This is why you'd see team panicking at Old Trafford, they couldn't get out. Fergie was the master at that. It didn't always go to plan, obviously - but he won many titles from simply suffocating the opposition into submission.

Van Gaals approach is different and will be different. It will be more technical. He doesn't like players having more than 2 touches of the ball. Paul Scholes said "playing against Van Gaal's teams was like playing against 13 men" or something like that. He will need time to bring in his playing personnel.

He knew when he took over that Fergie and Moyes had left him with a [Poor language removed] squad. But he wanted to give everyone a chance and see for himself if they might have been up to it - but he's been proven right.

Van Persie, Rooney, Mata, maybe Rafael, Jones, Evans (on his day a very composed CB), De Gea and Carrick still have futures at United. But he's looking at shipping out the rest and bring in proper quality.

We have signed some very good players in this windows and apparently there are at least 2 more faces to come in. Kagawa is off to Dortmund (has just been announced), Cleverley to Villa, we've got rid of the older players before them. So the future isn't as bleak as many would like - but at the same time, it's going to be difficult - and most United supporters aren't thinking otherwise. And when I say "United supporters", I'm on about the matchgoing fan - not the idiot that posts on RedCafe who creates the "MESSI V RONALDO!!111" threads.

I'm off to Burnley on Saturday - can't wait.

Good post mate.

With the signing of Di Maria and this wank formation that Van Gaal keeps playing. Where does the 30m Luke Shaw fit in ?

You heard anything that the 3-5-2 could be scrapped or do you think he will stick to it

 

[Del]

Good post mate.

With the signing of Di Maria and this wank formation that Van Gaal keeps playing. Where does the 30m Luke Shaw fit in ?

You heard anything that the 3-5-2 could be scrapped or do you think he will stick to it

Erm, Left wing back, Obviously

 

[blue4eva77]

Erm, Left wing back, Obviously

I heard thats where they were going to place Di Maria. Thought it was strange myself like

 

[Jim Lahey]

Good post mate.

With the signing of Di Maria and this wank formation that Van Gaal keeps playing. Where does the 30m Luke Shaw fit in ?

You heard anything that the 3-5-2 could be scrapped or do you think he will stick to it

All he has said is "Now we have Di Maria I can change my system, yes."

Whether he will remains to be seen. He doesn't like the opposition to know what he's up to and that's off the pitch as well (he is awfully quiet on transfers where as Moyes told everyone what players he wanted/who he was persuing when he was here.)

I think, long term, we'll see 4-3-3 and a 4-4-2 diamond.

 

[Del]

All he has said is "Now we have Di Maria I can change my system, yes."

Whether he will remains to be seen. He doesn't like the opposition to know what he's up to and that's off the pitch as well (he is awfully quiet on transfers where as Moyes told everyone what players he wanted/who he was persuing when he was here.)

I think, long term, we'll see 4-3-3 and a 4-4-2 diamond.

Think the press are hilarious the way there jumping all over him after 3 games, 3 ffs

Think once he's got a fully fit squad and settled in Utd will be fine

 

[d34noj]

Di Maria as a wing back?

Your buying policy over the last 18 months has been scattergun and lacking in both planning and strategy imo.

Your latest acquisition is a very talented player, but I just don't see how he fits into Van Gaal's chosen 3-5-2 formation.

Mata was bought when you already had 2 or 3 No.10's on the payroll. Fellaini a last minute panic buy. Rojo a world cup purchase. Herrera not even chosen by the current manager, with chunky Shaw the same.

You're in a mess and a marque signing isn't going to change that imo.

This. DI Maria was bought because United fams wanted a marque signing - and even he didn't want to join by his own admission.

 

[Raymondo077]

Come back when you,ve got eighteen, they did.

Would love Utd to get 6 CL just to nail their coffin closed once and for all... NEA!

 

[Jim Lahey]

Think the press are hilarious the way there jumping all over him after 3 games, 3 ffs

Think once he's got a fully fit squad and settled in Utd will be fine

Yep. It's very early days. But the modern day fan loves a good kneejerking! It was always going to be a bumpy ride to begin with.

LVG is getting stuff sorted behind the scenes - he's not dithering like Moyes did either.

Can't wait until we've got everyone fit and more new faces in.

 

[Tree13]

All he has said is "Now we have Di Maria I can change my system, yes."

Whether he will remains to be seen. He doesn't like the opposition to know what he's up to and that's off the pitch as well (he is awfully quiet on transfers where as Moyes told everyone what players he wanted/who he was persuing when he was here.)

I think, long term, we'll see 4-3-3 and a 4-4-2 diamond.

It might not even be long term - depend how the rest of the window goes. Both of those formations allow you to put more of your better players on the pitch than the current 3-4-1-2 does, both allow Shaw and ADM to play in the same team and both will see only one of Smalling, Jones and Evans playing at CB. Both require less incoming transfers as a result.

 

[Durham Toffee]

If I were a Burnley player, I'd be fancying my chances on Sat............

I've said this.

I think it's well worth a £10 punt...

What are the odds, I wonder...?

 

[Toffeelover]

You can't generalize a fanbase. Are all Everton supporters 'bitter'? I don't think so.

Do you think Utd's main problem is the midfield rather than the defence. When i say midfield, i mean the two (or three) central midfielders.

Yes. We haven't addressed the midfield problem for a long time, which is why we were found out in Europe time and time again after we won the thing in 2008. Back then we had Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney to paper over the cracks, plus a very good Carrick-Scholes partnership which wouldn't last forever, and hasn't.

Fergie refused to invest in midfield and employed slightly different tactics as Carrick got older and Scholes retired. He informed every player to use the wings at every possibility and to push the other team as far as possible. That was what his genius was, especially at home:

You would see:


------------------ GK -----------------

----------- Halfway Line ----------------

------------ CB - CM - CB ---------------

RB ------------- CM ------------------ LB

RM ---------- ST ----- ST ------------ LM


This is why you'd see team panicking at Old Trafford, they couldn't get out. Fergie was the master at that. It didn't always go to plan, obviously - but he won many titles from simply suffocating the opposition into submission.

Van Gaals approach is different and will be different. It will be more technical. He doesn't like players having more than 2 touches of the ball. Paul Scholes said "playing against Van Gaal's teams was like playing against 13 men" or something like that. He will need time to bring in his playing personnel.

He knew when he took over that Fergie and Moyes had left him with a [Poor language removed] squad. But he wanted to give everyone a chance and see for himself if they might have been up to it - but he's been proven right.

Van Persie, Rooney, Mata, maybe Rafael, Jones, Evans (on his day a very composed CB), De Gea and Carrick still have futures at United. But he's looking at shipping out the rest and bring in proper quality.

We have signed some very good players in this windows and apparently there are at least 2 more faces to come in. Kagawa is off to Dortmund (has just been announced), Cleverley to Villa, we've got rid of the older players before them. So the future isn't as bleak as many would like - but at the same time, it's going to be difficult - and most United supporters aren't thinking otherwise. And when I say "United supporters", I'm on about the matchgoing fan - not the idiot that posts on RedCafe who creates the "MESSI V RONALDO!!111" threads.

I'm off to Burnley on Saturday - can't wait.

Whichever way you look at it De Gaal has a very difficult task. You have not sure but before any new signings some 20 odd players in your PL squad. From which many have to be shipped out to make way for the projected new signings. That will not be easy. In many cases the wages they are now on will not or can not be matched by clubs who wish to take them on. It is going to take time. The circumstances seem very similar to when Ferguson arrived from Aberdeen.

 

[Durham Toffee]

2-1 Burnley win for £10 brings you £190 on Bet365.

Tempted.

 

[Durham Toffee]

The Sun also claims Manchester United may not ever be able to play new signing Marcos Rojo due to issues with third-party ownership still not being resolved. The Argentine has also yet to have his work permit approved.