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FrankMead Posts: 26Registered: 06/09/2014 |
22 Sep 2014 21:57 We saw exactly how average our defence was yesterday. Now that they dont have the experience of Rio and Vidic alongside them, Evans and Smalling got shown up for what they really are - good defenders, but certainly not great defenders. Then there's Phil Jones. Will he ever stay fit long enough to develop they way he should? Someone with his talent should be a future United and England captain, but this guy could injure himself having a shit! Even though Ferdinand and Vidic are a couple of years past their peak, we should have kept at least one of them. Their experience would have been invaluable yesterday, but neither Smalling or Evans strike me as natural born leaders, yet they are our most experienced centre backs. I do like the look of Rojo, but he's a newcomer to the Premier League and it would be unfair to expect him to be the one organising the defence. I do hope Tyler Blackett doesn't let yesterday's sending off affect him too much. He will be gutted, and it was a rookie mistake to make but he was our best defender throughout the game. In fact, he's been our best centre back all season. And don't even get me started on Rafael. Yes, he was fouled, but seriously, how stupid is he? Once Clattenburg has waved away United appeals for a free kick, he would have been on the alert for a reaction. It's true, there was minimal contact, but the way Rafael charged over to him was ridiculous. There's no doubt it was the turning point in the game, because Leicester got their tails up after that. We still should have been able to deal with it, though. Unfortunately, that game is going to show everyone in the Premier League how to get at United. Attack them with pace, and they panic. There isn't enough cool heads in our back line to deal with that type of pressure. You cant even blame missed chances, because if you go away from home and score 3 times, you cant accuse the attack of not doing their job. But with our defence, I think they are going to have to do it even more until the issues we have in defence are dealt with properly. |
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TheSalmon Posts: 21Registered: 18/09/2014 |
24 Sep 2014 22:35 What you have to say is that, when you think about what United have achieved over the last 20 years, winning league titles, getting to Champions League finals, do Smalling or Evans strike you as the sort of defenders that are good enough to achieve those sort of things? No, me neither? They wouldn't get in the squads of Chelsea, City or Arsenal, so what are they doing playing for England's biggest club. They could get away with it when Rio and Vidic were around, as they did all of the organising. But I think it speaks volumes that, despite both of them having Premier League medals, neither of them were considered for the captaincy. For me, that role should always go to somebody who plays in defence or midfield. They can see how the team is shaping up, and where they are going wrong. The fact that it has gone to a striker says everything. Also tells you that there is not a lot of natural leaders at the club. That needs to change, and fast. |
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Giggsy'sChestRug Posts: 40Registered: 20/11/2014 |
03 Feb 2015 22:57 Just skipping through this now, and not a lot has changed. A lot has been made of the three at the back formation, but I think it's possible that LVG is getting the players used to playing that formation when he needs to hold a lead, like against Leicester at weekend. Think about it, although we always look vulnerable with that formation, we haven't actually conceded many goals while playing it. I think the commentator tonight said it was something like 8 goals we have let in during the last 15 or 16 games. And it's been almost four months since we last conceded most than one goal in a single game - not bad considering how shit we are at the back.I think LVG knows exactly what he is doing, but at the moment, he hasn't really got players that he trusts to play with a back four (I dont think he trusts Rafael at all). But if you look at the teams he has set up in the past, at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern, I dont remember them playing with a back three. He generally favours a 4-3-3, and I think once he has the tools to do it, that;s what he'll do going forward. But by then, the players will also know how to play in a back three as well - considering how many clean sheets we have kept using that formation, it could be a pretty smart move. |
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GeneHunt Posts: 37Registered: 20/11/2014 |
04 Feb 2015 19:10 @Giggsy'sChestRug - This is a good point actually. I hadn't thought of it like that, but it's true we haven't conceded many goals using that 3-5-2 formation. The football is not pretty to watch when we do play it, but he has made us hard to beat. I'm not too worried at the moment because I have faith that LVG will get it right eventually.I think too many people thought that he would come into the club and instantly restore us back to being title challengers, especially because we spent so much money in the summer, but that was never likely. And those people that seem to think that we haven't improved, just because we were on the same points as Moyes had at the same stage a few weeks back want to give their head a wobble. This time last year, even the most optimistic of Reds knew we weren't going to be playing Champions League football this season, even though it was mathematically possible. This year, we have as much chance of qualifying as any of the teams around us. |
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