The midfield doesn't seem to work when Hargreaves plays does it?

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

I watched it on the stream tbh, but assume by the huge hole round the pen spot that none of our players attacked it

Obviously I've got almost no idea what they were doing out of frame at the time

Brown scores rising left-footed pile driver from edge of area after skipping the tackles with fleet of foot? Probably not!

yeah you're right that was never gonna happen.....O'Shea would have buried it though

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Bit silly blaming Hargreaves for having a dig for Spurs scoring.

He was the man busting a gut to get back btw

This scenario was played out almost in replica near the end when Rooney completely wasted a good situation and ended up running the length of the pitch to make up for his £#%&! up.

You're completely ignoring the context, though, which is the point.

There's a major difference between having a shot when your team shape is good and you've got plenty of men behind the ball or in position inside our half, or indeed if it's the dying minutes and you're desperate for a goal. That particular instance was a sustained spell of United pressure in which most of the team had got up to support the attack and were in the Spurs half. That he ended up being one of the players defending towards the end of the Spurs move shows how many players were ahead of him when he shot.

It's not simply about having a shot. It's about the decision-making in that particular instance.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Having a pop from distance is exactly what I want to see Hargreaves doing btw

Why? He's scored ten goals in his career, half of which came in the German Cup where they play amateur sides in half the rounds.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

You're completely ignoring the context, though, which is the point.

There's a major difference between having a shot when your team shape is good and you've got plenty of men behind the ball or in position inside our half, or indeed if it's the dying minutes and you're desperate for a goal. That particular instance was a sustained spell of United pressure in which most of the team had got up to support the attack and were in the Spurs half. That he ended up being one of the players defending towards the end of the Spurs move shows how many players were ahead of him when he shot.

It's not simply about having a shot. It's about the decision-making in that particular instance.


Why? He's scored ten goals in his career, half of which came in the German Cup where they play amateur sides in half the rounds.

Carrick was hardly prolific until last season

To play in centre mid for United - for any team, really, but especially United - you need to be a goal threat from range

Hargreaves can strike a mean free kick as he has proved. There is no reason at all why he shouldn't use that same technique to ping a few shots in

On the subject of decision-making in the final third though, I agree, United are almost complacently wasteful in most games they play

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Hargreaves can strike a mean free kick as he has proved. There is no reason at all why he shouldn't use that same technique to ping a few shots in

Er, maybe because it's a quite different technique? Striking a dead ball under no pressure is quite different to hitting a moving ball while having to adjust your body shape, with opponents closing you down all the while.

Originally Posted by Ether

Er, maybe because it's a quite different technique? Striking a dead ball under no pressure is quite different to hitting a moving ball while having to adjust your body shape, with opponents closing you down all the while.

You've never played football I take it

It is possible to stop the ball and then hit it

One or two players have even used this technique quite successfully down the years

Of course, perhaps you think that striking a slow rolling ball with a similar technique to a dead ball would be beyond Hargreaves?

I don't

Originally Posted by Rhodzy

Giggs is finished after one game.
Are people ignoring his performances over the last month?

So you're with me and the Care Bears then


Legendary SAF you are such a plank sometimes.

Fergie's MUTV interview:

"I didn't ask Edwin about that (handball) at half time because there was more to talk about than just losing the goal. What annoyed me was we had the ball on the edge of their box; Owen Hargreaves had a hurried shot which was blocked and in a few seconds we've lost a goal. Now that's disappointing that. I think when we get in these situations we should be showing more patience."

Anderson Carrick should be first choice pairing currently. Play the others when they can't or until their form dips.

Looks to me that Hargreaves was pulled off due to Ferie being pissed off with him.

The positive to take from the game is that Fergie will now probably use the centre midfielders better and will have a better indication of who is needed for when. I expect Anderson to start the derby.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Fergie's MUTV interview:

"I didn't ask Edwin about that (handball) at half time because there was more to talk about than just losing the goal. What annoyed me was we had the ball on the edge of their box; Owen Hargreaves had a hurried shot which was blocked and in a few seconds we've lost a goal. Now that's disappointing that. I think when we get in these situations we should be showing more patience."

Goodbye OH.

I hope so anyway.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Fergie's MUTV interview:

"I didn't ask Edwin about that (handball) at half time because there was more to talk about than just losing the goal. What annoyed me was we had the ball on the edge of their box; Owen Hargreaves had a hurried shot which was blocked and in a few seconds we've lost a goal. Now that's disappointing that. I think when we get in these situations we should be showing more patience."

Ties in nicely with Quieroz's interview with the BBC a few games back, then. Decision-making in the last third has often been poor this season, as has ball retention. Ferguson made a similar observation after the Arsenal game about their 1st equaliser, I recall.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

Looks to me that Hargreaves was pulled off due to Ferie being pissed off with him.

The positive to take from the game is that Fergie will now probably use the centre midfielders better and will have a better indication of who is needed for when. I expect Anderson to start the derby.

I don't.

Simply because Anderson starting the derby, would be the best option.

Alex never seems to do things the easy way.

"by january anderson will be in everyones starting line ups"

Originally Posted by legendary saf

Goodbye OH.

I hope so anyway.

do you have a list of brainless things to say, carefully sequenced so that each is more idiotic than the last? and how many more are there to go before we get back to the immortal 'rooney is crap' thread?

ffs, we spent the whole of last year with zero options up front and zero options in m/f, culminating in the entire team being £#%&!ed for the last cl rounds and the fa cup. hargreaves has had some superb games for us this season and has more than demonstrated his ability.

Originally Posted by marlo stansfield

"by january anderson will be in everyones starting line ups"

The Greek?

The talent in United's squad last season was enough to take us to the title, the Cup final, and the CL s/f. They were unfortunate to get such a succession of injuries all in a short space of time, and ultimately that's what found them out.

This season we have even more options and even greater talent. Hargreaves will be needed in the run in and he will rise to it as well, have no fear.