Did today's game demonstrate why we should get rid of Tevez?

Originally Posted by Whalefish

No but then neither Berbatov or Rooney are IMO.

It's Rooney and Berbatov when all fit and available. I'd probably prefer a more traditional number nine as an option off the bench.

I can't be arsed to go into a debate re a more traditional 10/9 combo save it can become very predictable. However at the moment are attacking contingent are largely predictably frustrating.

I thought the midfield today - until the end - was largely a pedestrian affair which certainly didn't help our attacking players. Very solid but lacking any guile of incisive play.

Edit: That was Tevez's 29th game for Utd today, so the commentator said. Is that 29 starts or 29 appearances. Even so, he's getting games.

Exactly, that why we should be in the market for a clinical finisher.

Not saying we would win the league by 20 points with a Saha-type player, but I'm convinced that such a player would make life more confortable for ourselves and that we would score more goals.

everytime tevez does something that benefits the team I always feel there was an element of luck. today included. now while I appreciate that, the goal is to always get to the stage where you can crush opponents with sheer brilliance, not scrape through on luck.

if this was championship manager I'd be shopping for replacements, as he isnt ours, I'd be looking at who I would buy instead.

Saha brought a lot to the team, but clinicism (is that a real word?) in front of goal wasn't one of those things; something which is clearly reflected in his goal record. A lot of missed one-on-ones in particular (something he got a fair bit of criticism for at the time). You can certainly argue that his style of play had a positive influence on the overall dynamic of the team though. Although personally I thought that once we got going our football last season was of a very similar standard to our play with Saha in there, just a bit less consistent, particularly away from home.

tevez lack of pace is his only problem

Originally Posted by Luffy

everytime tevez does something that benefits the team I always feel there was an element of luck. today included. now while I appreciate that, the goal is to always get to the stage where you can crush opponents with sheer brilliance, not scrape through on luck.

Every time he does something good it's down to luck? Wow. I think that possibly says more about you than it does about Tevez.

Originally Posted by Father Christmas

tevez lack of pace is his only problem

I think he keeps the ball far too long at times as well.

Really can't see us paying the sort of fee that they're looking for. It's a question of who we bring in to fill the void. I don't think it will be a major signing, as I think Berbatov and Rooney will be seen as the first choice pairing. I think a player like Fabiano may be looked at in the summer (not specifically him though, as he is 29 this year). It will be an interesting one, are there any players similar to him in Europe? I feel talk of Benzema is unrealistic, given the amount we spent on Berbatov and the previous summer.

Originally Posted by Luffy

everytime tevez does something that benefits the team I always feel there was an element of luck. today included. now while I appreciate that, the goal is to always get to the stage where you can crush opponents with sheer brilliance, not scrape through on luck.

if this was championship manager I'd be shopping for replacements, as he isnt ours, I'd be looking at who I would buy instead.

so tevez' whole career is down to his 'luck' then? £#%&! me.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Saha brought a lot to the team, but clinicism (is that a real word?) in front of goal wasn't one of those things; something which is clearly reflected in his goal record. A lot of missed one-on-ones in particular (something he got a fair bit of criticism for at the time). You can certainly argue that his style of play had a positive influence on the overall dynamic of the team though. Although personally I thought that once we got going our football last season was of a very similar standard to our play with Saha in there, just a bit less consistent, particularly away from home.

Saha was a inconsistent finisher, but the way he could stretch teams, especially away from home, created so much danger. Utd have been generally toothless in away games,less than a goal a game, heavily reliant on the defence.

Utd have lacked penetration all season,in some parts this is down to the midfield being quite pedestrian and Ronaldo not reaching the heights.

Being top of the league with the level of performance so far is remarkable, have Utd even played at 80% of their potential, in the defence yes, whcih will stand us in good stead in Europe, but the lack of fluency in attack has persisted.

As has been noted a 27 yo Andy Cole would be a good match for this Utd side.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Every time he does something good it's down to luck? Wow. I think that possibly says more about you than it does about Tevez.

i remember the times when we only had rooney and ruud too call upon.

i remember the time when ruud slowed down each and every attack.

i remember the times when ruud left and we only had saha to depend on.

i remember the times when saha got injured when we really needed him then took a further 5 games to get back on form.

i remember the times when we were getting pelted by the media for playing rooney upfront on his own.

and now we have berbs tevez and rooney in the same team. all offering something different and people are complaining? wow.

Originally Posted by Tronics

and now we have berbs tevez and rooney in the same team. all offering something different and people are complaining? wow.

If Tevez could be signed then that trio would/will be mint.

Originally Posted by Crumps

He's really slow, his decision making has been pretty poor of late, his goal return isn't great although he has scored some vitally important goals. Looks a shadow of the player he threatened he would be earlier in his career where he was quick of the mark then used his strength to stay in front of defenders and scored goals for fun. His performance against Barca is up there with my favourite by a red ever and I love the way he selflessly works for the team and never gives up. Darren Campbell she be brought in or something as he could really do with sprint training.

Disagree with you on his goal return, but it's hard not to agree on the rest. I thought he was good last season - there were times when he was poor and others when he was great, but overall I think that's a fair assessment - but still some way off what he's capable of. At the start of this season it looked like he might step it up to the next level, albeit as a slightly different style of player to the one he was as a lad, but he's actually ended up going backwards. I don't think this is all his own fault, but it's still disappointing. And as you say, at the moment he really isn't showing too many signs of being the player he could have been - a few glimpses, but that's about it.

Originally Posted by Spaniard

No my stream messed up, was it a good'un?

.

To be fair, it was a brilliant piece of play from Tevez.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Saha was a inconsistent finisher, but the way he could stretch teams, especially away from home, created so much danger. Utd have been generally toothless in away games,less than a goal a game, heavily reliant on the defence.
Utd have lacked penetration all season,in some parts this is down to the midfield being quite pedestrian and Ronaldo not reaching the heights.

Being top of the league with the level of performance so far is remarkable, have Utd even played at 80% of their potential, in the defence yes, whcih will stand us in good stead in Europe, but the lack of fluency in attack has persisted.

As has been noted a 27 yo Andy Cole would be a good match for this Utd side.

Am I correct in thinking we have only scored more than one away goal once this season? 2-0 at Blackburn?

We're pushing our luck and we really do need to quicken and sharpen up away from home.

I think a lot of it is simply attitude. As basic as it sounds, we just seemed to try a bit harder to score towards the end of the first half today because it was comin to a close. We need to be a little more direct, imposing and aggressive as we seem to allow large parts of away games to drift away and before you know it, it's heading towards the last ten minutes.

Originally Posted by Crumps

Oh to have Andy Cole in his pomp in this team.

word

Originally Posted by Grimson

To be fair, it was a brilliant piece of play from Tevez.

It was.

Did he hanball it to control the ball?looks like he patted it down with both hands.surprised the media havent picke dthat up.

Originally Posted by Grimson

To be fair, it was a brilliant piece of play from Tevez.

Bebs and Tevez have both set each other up for late winners in each of our last two away games.

Best partnership in the league! Rooney can £#%&! off for all I care

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Bebs and Tevez have both set each other up for late winners in each of our last two away games.

Best partnership in the league! Rooney can £#%&! off for all I care

Are you on a wind up?

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Saha was a inconsistent finisher, but the way he could stretch teams, especially away from home, created so much danger. Utd have been generally toothless in away games,less than a goal a game, heavily reliant on the defence.

Utd have lacked penetration all season,in some parts this is down to the midfield being quite pedestrian and Ronaldo not reaching the heights.

Being top of the league with the level of performance so far is remarkable, have Utd even played at 80% of their potential, in the defence yes, whcih will stand us in good stead in Europe, but the lack of fluency in attack has persisted.

Agree with this. Saha did provide something different - principally that extra bit of directness and aerial threat. Last season Ronaldo compensated to a large extent, and Tevez and Rooney definitely brought their own qualities to the team (for me, the biggest problem with them last season was their finishing, which was at times abysmal for players of their quality), but there were also times when we could have done with a Saha style player. Overall it didn't work out too badly though.

This season Ronaldo's form has dropped and his position changed into that of a more orthodox winger, so we haven't had so much of that compensating factor. And beyond that, I just don't think we've been playing with the same aggressive mentality that we showed in the prior two (and a half) seasons.

In fact, I honestly think I could count the number of really good team performances this season on one hand. That we're in the position we're in is quite remarkable really, as you say, and I guess is a testimony to our defence and to the individual quality we have in the squad.

Originally Posted by Coracao

Are you on a wind up?

I'm whatever you want me to be.