Carling Cup Quarter Final Games - **Spoilers**
- Thread starter Robert1986
- Start date
Fergie: "My apologies are to our fans today, because that was not a Manchester United performance.".
It's true certain players underperformed spectacularly but he really has to take a lot of blame too. I have no issue with playing fringe players but to start with a mediocre striker (diof) being asked to play on the wing, a front two of Macheda and Berbatov (surely the least mobile, slowest attack you will ever see) and then to stick park into the middle...It might not have been a "manchester united performance" but for me that's not a manchester united lineup, carling cup or not.
He has to take responsibility for not addressing the fact that certain players simply aren't good enough.
The only positive was the excellent Smalling, who showed once again that he is the outstanding young defender in England right now, not Jones.
It's true certain players underperformed spectacularly but he really has to take a lot of blame too. I have no issue with playing fringe players but to start with a mediocre striker (diof) being asked to play on the wing, a front two of Macheda and Berbatov (surely the least mobile, slowest attack you will ever see) and then to stick park into the middle...It might not have been a "manchester united performance" but for me that's not a manchester united lineup, carling cup or not.
He has to take responsibility for not addressing the fact that certain players simply aren't good enough.
The only positive was the excellent Smalling, who showed once again that he is the outstanding young defender in England right now, not Jones.
Well here's a coincidental twist of fate if we end the season without a trophy it'll be for the first time in 7 years, if Arsenal end the season without a trophy it'll be for the 7th year on the trot
Just sayin like
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2007
- Posts
- 3,875
The thing is, we haven't really seen a 'United performance' since we started to dip after the excellent start to the season. After that 5-0 against Bolton where we looked so good, I thought potentially the sky was the limit for us this season. Now, I'm fully expecting a trophyless season.
All coincides with that Kevin Davies 'tackle' on Cleverley, we've lost all the quick one touch play in midfield since he's been injured
Of course the fact that we're now relying so heavily on a player with less than 10 games to his name for us is a worry on it's own but I guess we could have spunked 30 million on Sneijder in the summer and had the same problem had he got injured. Definitely shows that we're at least 2 central midfielders short though and we should be in a position that we're using the likes of Fletcher and Anderson (I know he's injured) for games like tonight rather than resting them for 'important' games
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2007
- Posts
- 3,875
Precisely my thinking. It's hard to doubt Fergie, and Fletcher has improved a lot over the last few years, but I don't see him being a world-beater, and the same goes for Anderson. Fergie said recently that we've got a lot of young talent in the squad, and that our midfield will improve, but I just think that's a way of saying that we can't compete with City financially and have to rely on such players improving. As you say, the fact that people are crying out for Cleverley's return shows how poor our central midfield really is. As I said recently, City have Silva, and Tottenham have Modric. We don't have anybody who comes close to either of those two, and getting someone like that should be United's priority come next summer.
The only thing I'd say to that is Silva doesn't really play in midfield per-say, I feel to want someone like Silva or Mata in your side (both fantastic players) really means a change of formation and playing Rooney as a sole striker rather than United's traditional two wingers and two strikers. Modric would be perfect though and I'd like to think had it not been for Chelsea's interest we'd of been his main suitors this past summer and not them. From City I think Yaya Toure would be more suitable for our needs although whenever I see him he always looks out on his feet after 10 minutes
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2007
- Posts
- 3,875
The only thing I'd say to that is Silva doesn't really play in midfield per-say, I feel to want someone like Silva or Mata in your side (both fantastic players) really means a change of formation and playing Rooney as a sole striker rather than United's traditional two wingers and two strikers. Modric would be perfect though and I'd like to think had it not been for Chelsea's interest we'd of been his main suitors this past summer and not them. From City I think Yaya Toure would be more suitable for our needs although whenever I see him he always looks out on his feet after 10 minutes
Yeah I agree with regards Silva, he plays more of a free-roaming role. The thing is, do we really want Rooney dropping deep all the time? I know now that we've got Hernandez, it seems to work well with Rooney dropping deep and Hernandez on the shoulder of the last defender, but I can't forget how good Rooney was in the 09/10 season when he played in a much more advanced role.
My only issue with Yaya Toure is that although he's a very good midfielder, I don't think he scores enough goals. To me, there's currently too much of a burden on Rooney, Hernandez, Young and Nani to get the goals, because very little are coming from central midfield. What we really need is two central midfielders, one a really solid, physical defensive midfielder who will sweep up and protect the defence, and an out-and-out attacking midfielder who can support the other four pushing forwards and can score plenty of goals in and around the box. Something a player like Lampard was doing for Chelsea up until a couple of seasons ago is what I'm thinking of. Modric would be ideal, but I don't think Spurs would sell, and even if they were willing to, I think there are other clubs who would outbid us.
Exactly - effectively playing with 9 men, Gibson and Diouf were worse than useless (and not helped by Rafael and Fabio both going off with injuries)
Morrison and Pogba should have started, with Valencia and Park out wide - at least then there would have been a little more balance and skill in CM which was non existant for the most part
Well done Palace fully deserved (even if the winner was off-side)
Gibson was significantly better than Pogba when he came on and for that matter significantly better than most of his team mates. Agree Diouf was rubbish but Macheda, Park & Valencia were also far worse than Gibson tonight incidentally all players who should have been showing some semblance of movement for the holding midfielder to pick out
How do professional footballers still think grabbing another player's shirt is acceptable? I'm a terrible player, and I've still only done it maybe three times in my life. How on Earth do they think they'll get away with it at a proper level?
I'm glad people are finally realising how much we miss Cleverley, I stated it a good many weeks ago. It doesn't take a genius to see he's our most creative midfielder regardless of how many games he's played, when the season started he was the player linking up the play in the midfield area with quick incisive passing and movement.
The link up play between him, Nani, Anderson, Rooney, Young and Jones was superb and the reason we started so well, it's no coincidence that we haven't been the same since the Bolton game where he got injured.
The link up play between him, Nani, Anderson, Rooney, Young and Jones was superb and the reason we started so well, it's no coincidence that we haven't been the same since the Bolton game where he got injured.
- Joined
- 17 Apr 2007
- Posts
- 23,162
- Location
- stat city
Palace were playing a team that plays togther every week. UTD put together a random team because younger players need games. Didn't deserve to get anything from that game. Palace played better.
Pogba looks very good! Give him a few more years and he'll be a first team XI.
Pogba looks very good! Give him a few more years and he'll be a first team XI.
Thats exactly why I suggested playing Morrison and Pogba in the middle together - because they are USED to playing together, random players (some of whom are out of position) just thrown together are never going to work
I still think the original 11 had the hallmarks of a team thought up at 2am without any thought to actually winning the match.
I just hope the Da Silva's arent too badly injured
I still think the original 11 had the hallmarks of a team thought up at 2am without any thought to actually winning the match.
I just hope the Da Silva's arent too badly injured
Caporegime
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2008
- Posts
- 25,158
- Location
- Lorville - Hurston
United -> LMAO