Greenlizard0 Weekend Football Thread ** spoilers ** [10th - 11th January 2015]

Moothead2 said:
That isn't luck. The only times you could argue luck in football are things like bobbles just before shooting or deflections landing to the feet of a striker running through on goal. Otherwise it's just ineptitude.
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If its ineptitude they wouldn't be the players they are (maybe younsters getting their first chances etc aswell)
 
Stewy said:
Thoughts? Frank?
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There have been a few games where we have dominated recently , but I would admit that the good free flowing attacking that Utd have been known for in the past has been patchy at the least, 5 minutes here or there.

You do have to consider the shocking state SAF left the whole squad in though, plus the injuries which Utd have had means that we haven't been able to consistently play even the core of the same team from one match to the next (and everyone should admit at the very least keeping your defence together for the most part is what makes a successful campaign). Losing Carrick (despite Utd buying Blind) was a huge lose for the first 10? games of the season, I still reckon we would have a handful of points more if he had started the season the way he came into it 11/12 games ago.

There are at least 1/2 dozen players still needing to be shipped out nothing like Utd quality from the 1st team squad (and Im not talking about youngsters here)

You can go on and on about how much LvG has spent , but when you consider that Chelsea have SPENT (not including the two fortunate sales recently that brought back nigh on £100m) nearly the same amount on a MUCH more mature / quality squad since JM has come back, it just shows how that sort of cash doesn't go that far when the club has to challenge for titles /CL spots etc.

I said in the summer and since then that spending some of the Di Maria cash on a couple of decent centre halfs would at this point have probably gained more points for Utd than Di Maria has so far , but I can also see the point that when that kind of player comes on the market a club like Utd have to at least try and get him


edit - Credit where its due LvG has also for the most part got Utd winning at OT again (which after last year was a must, even if that meant losing Moyes great away record). Ok so we lost today vs a top four side by one goal, and we lost vs Swansea on the 1st day of the season (1st day is always a bit of a lottery, especially for a new manager to a new country). Yes, some of those have been lucky, but that's down to the terrible injury prone centre-halfs that LvG didn't replace. Given the lack of quality in Utd's defence and wide areas (masked somewhat by Young's new lease of life as a wing-back) in some ways its amazing how far up the table Utd actually are.

IF LvG can keep the majority of the 1st XI fit from now on, Utd should find getting back into and solidifying 3rd place relatively easy even despite a few horrendous away days to come (like West Ham, Liverpool and Chelsea for example)
 
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Milkybk said:
Finishing is luck? You're more deluded than most, what a strange thing to say.

Also whilst you imply I'm a Saints fan I'm actually impartial. I support my local club, Sheffield United.
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actually I said NOT finishing was luck (for the gk/team)

Finishing is down to skill (and the cross etc)
 
Again for those who don't venture over to the European thread, Barca vs Atletico at 8pm. Barca having struggled lately against better sides and Atletico beating Real in a cup game midweek and strong in the league.

Think the last time they met was when Atletico got the equaliser to secure the title last season. Should be a good game.
 
Craterloads said:
Don't know if I'm simply being over critical of united but they haven't played good creative football for a while now. It just seems like its sidewards and backwards all the time, and on numerous occasions have my hands on my head shouting "what are you doing"
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What do you expect when Rooney gets lauded as the greatest midfielder of all time when 50% of his passes are him standing in the middle of the park playing low risk passes back to his defenders? he couldn't actually do it much today because Southampton were pressing so high but he played plenty of stray passes forwards and it makes me cringe how commentators won't say a word against him but when he does anything half decent they're talking him up as world class.
 
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Disappointing result today against Saints. Southampton played well and defended fantastically for most of the game, but Mata really should have put away one of his chances. I think today was the first game where LvG clearly got his tactics wrong, whereas Koeman got his spot on. Starting Di Maria up top alongside RvP didn't work, and unless Falcao is injured or too tired I can't see why he didn't play up top alongside RvP, or even instead of him. Also LvG's subs were poor today - we clearly got worse not better after the substitutions.
 
manic111 said:
Why do we have every player back at corners? It just stops us getting out.
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This absolutely drives me mental at Arsenal, especially when we aren't winning the match. We insist on having everyone back 99% of the time which just allows the opposition to throw men forward leaving hardly anyone back. There was one game I remember it was so bad they literally had their entire team (except keeper!) beyond the centre-circle, never mind halfway line.

I can totally understand having Giroud back because he can compete in the air. Drogba was great defensively. But the likes of Walcott, makes no sense to me. If you stick a fast forward on/near the halfway line, the opposition will be bricking it and will damn sure sit off him and/or have 2/3 men back for cover. It's not like a Walcott, or a Sterling etc is going to be dominating balls flung in to their box so they may as well be somewhere where they pose a threat.
 
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