*Official* United v Norwich Match Thread

Originally Posted by plopborsky

The speed of our play is what concerns me, fletchers passing is so £#%&!ing slow every time we go forward the passing got slower and slower giving Norwich time to recover. Carrick does the same slow £#%&!ing passing.

Those two will slow down the team whenever they come in as they don't play at a quick tempo.

I've been saying it for ages, and I know people have said Cleverley is still a kid and we shouldn't be relying on him, but he will make a huge difference when he comes back.

He loves playing quick, one-touch football and he's always looking for the ball and finding space; this makes him the perfect foil for Anderson. The two of them work really well together as Anderson likes to release the ball quickly, move, then receive it back before popping it off again.

I believe this is why our play was so good earlier in the season; Anderson and Cleverley playing that quick, one-touch stuff linking all the time with each other and Rooney, Young and Nani. As soon as Carrick or Fletcher come into the side it slows everything down and causes the dip in Anderson's game as he doesn't have that foil to link with in midfield.

Cleverley as well as Vidic will really improve our performances IMO. If they were fully fit I'd start both at Anfield, but I reckon that game might come a week too early for them.

Although I share your concerns, i cant help but think we are a little bit spoilt. There is no surprise that we arent playing as well as at the start of the season, considering we've had a £#%&! load of injuries.

Were doing better now at this part of the season than we've done in ages, except this season we've got City who look the real deal... If we even start to slack, they will take over.. self combustion apart..

i think you're being a little doubtful on Cleverley and Anfield, Baroo. if hes good enough then he should play.

Wilshere has been handling it for long enough!

its better than watching those 1-0 wins in 08/09

Originally Posted by Neo

Cleverley and Vidic could be back in two weeks apparently; not sure how long Gibson's out for though.

I'm sure I read somewhere that Fergie confirmed both the footballers you mentioned are back for liverpool

Originally Posted by Sloane

its better than watching those 1-0 wins in 08/09

this


fergie will tighten them up, nqat.

add vidic and smalling to that team (which is think should be our first-choice pairing btw), jones or rafael at right back, cleverley in the middle and young wide left, de gea in goal and watch how it plays. incredible to think that's six players who (imo) should be in the first 11 who weren't for one reason or another and not a peep about it.

Agreed; Cleverley welbeck and young make the football actually good to watch.

Originally Posted by PaulParkersPubes

I'm sure I read somewhere that Fergie confirmed both the footballers you mentioned are back for liverpool

Who, Gibbo??

Need to give Jonesy a go in midfield. Pace, energy, strength, technique and balls. Could easily get involved in the short 1, 2 touch stuff.

Proper mill town hair though.

We were awful yesterday. Not sure what Valencia was doing second, we had no right back, as he was 30 yards up the pitch. I assume he was acting on Ferie's instructions but it left us wide open.

Originally Posted by borsuk

this


fergie will tighten them up, nqat.

add vidic and smalling to that team (which is think should be our first-choice pairing btw), jones or rafael at right back, cleverley in the middle and young wide left, de gea in goal and watch how it plays. incredible to think that's six players who (imo) should be in the first 11 who weren't for one reason or another and not a peep about it.

Agree with most of that but you seem to be contemplating leaving jones out? Player of the season so far. I think him and vida are our best pairing at the back and I prefer smalling over jones at right back.

Originally Posted by PaulParkersPubes

Agree with most of that but you seem to be contemplating leaving jones out? Player of the season so far. I think him and vida are our best pairing at the back and I prefer smalling over jones at right back.

Behave

Maybe a reason for our sloppy performance yesterday?

themichaelowen michael owen
I would like to blame 1 of my kids for my illness but I got it from the club. One of the lads brought it in. Half of the team have it now.

Originally Posted by Rhodzy

Maybe a reason for our sloppy performance yesterday?

If so, you would have thought SAF might have mentioned it

Wasn't it Wolves at home last season where most of the players were struck down with some bug? Just scraped that one as well

Originally Posted by PaulParkersPubes

Agree with most of that but you seem to be contemplating leaving jones out? Player of the season so far. I think him and vida are our best pairing at the back and I prefer smalling over jones at right back.

jones makes too many errors at centre half as yet, which is fair enough as he's just a kid. does some spectacular stuff as well but smalling is a way ahead of him. i think smalling is superb tbph.

toss up between rafael and jones for rb. plenty of games for all of them, of course, i was just pointing out how many players we had out yesterday.

Originally Posted by MakeBelieve

£#%&!ing hell

Originally Posted by Coracao

We were awful yesterday. Not sure what Valencia was doing second, we had no right back, as he was 30 yards up the pitch. I assume he was acting on Ferie's instructions but it left us wide open.

I thought initially that Utd went to a 3-5-2 in the second half, Nani over on the left, Valencia advanced on right, and Park playing from central areas.

Evra kept getting very far forward as well though, leaving Jones and Evans to deal with the Norwich striker, who kept pulling towards Evans knowing that he had a good chance to win the ball in a physical battle.

Agree with Borsuk about Jones, wins a lot of plaudits for some of the very visible things he does, spectacular bits of defending and those bursting runs, but he is quite erratic at CB. Smalling is the more reliable defender at this stage, and Jones is probably better getting forward from RB.

Valencia at RB has not really worked, can not be too critical of him but he is uneasy positionally and far too cautious in supporting the attack,, seems to be really lacking in confidence in attacking areas.

Valencia and Hernandez can be compared, both fairly one dimensional in what they do. Valencia had an excellent debut season with Utd but has struggled to make the same impact since. Injuries have played a major part in that of course but opposition teams know what to expect from him and he has to show more variety. Hernandez is very similar, quite obvious last season that he needed to improve his all round game as teams adapted to him. The difference when Welbeck came on was stark, 2 forwards who can go behind or drop deep, pull wide and create and help the midfield in a possession game. Makes it a lot harder for defences to predict what is going to happen.