I don't think this team are as bad as a lot of you lot have made them out to be.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Few people, myself included, would have thought we would be where we are when Newcastle made us look like complete dicks at the start of 2012. Still a job to finish, though

Might not have got the results right, but I kept the faith that they would start to crumble, got to finish the @#%&!s off yet though

http://www.utdforum.com/forum/showth...83#post2710083

Can't be arsed reading the whole thread but...

We started off playing quality stuff. We were open because we had a young team, especially amongst the back 5. But going forward with Rooney and his talent and experience there to lead the line, we were awesome.

We suffered injuries which didn't help. We didn't have an substitute to fill in for the front 6 who were playing at the start of the season. Anderson, Cleverley, Nani, Welbeck, Rooney, Young. If one of those was injured there wasn't a player who could really step in to replicate those. Maybe Scholes or Carrick for Anderson, but neither were available/in form at the start of the season.
Cleverley is key to the way we were playing early on in the season. He has great vision, speed of play and eye for a pass and movement off the ball. When he got injured we wobbled a bit, add more injuries and we took a hit that was always on the cards with our open defense. After that, we shit ourselves, stopped rotating players as much and settled on more experience.

Scholes coming back caused a turn-around. I think the key moment was actually him coming off the bench at Chelsea. He was snapping into tackles, taking quick free-kicks and generally setting the tempo for us to continue our comeback.

We have played some good stuff, but we've played some absolutely awful stuff. We're United. We should be playing with the the stinginess in defense of the last 10 games, and the flair and overwhelming attacking intent of the start of the season.
Hopefully, in August, with all those players another year on, some youth products making a step up in whatever way, a new signing or two, we will have the United of the 20th century back for good - attractive, free-flowing football, combined with trophies. The two shouldn't be mutually exclusive.

If I couldn't count on one hand the games we've looked like a league winning team this season I'd agree. However, who gives a £#%&!

Originally Posted by Argentina

Cleverley is key to the way we were playing early on in the season. He has great vision, speed of play and eye for a pass and movement off the ball.

agree completely. i think cleverley's a standout player, thought so for years, back before the loans when he was in the reserves. if he can stay free of injuries he'll be a fixture in the side. if.

rooney needs to play with more discipline, stop going to where the ball is and give us an option ahead. playing far too deep at times imo.

It's really annoying that if cleverly and Anderson could step up and play a full season we wouldn't need a new CM. Carrick and Scholes have been immense but they suit games where the opponent is camped in their own half trying to soak up pressure.

Against teams who press us we need more mobile midfielders who can work the ball in tight spaces. Teams who sprint after us require us to run a lot more than our midfielders currently run both on and off the ball.

Originally Posted by Luffy

It's really annoying that if cleverly and Anderson could step up and play a full season we wouldn't need a new CM. Carrick and Scholes have been immense but they suit games where the opponent is camped in their own half trying to soak up pressure.

Against teams who press us we need more mobile midfielders who can work the ball in tight spaces. Teams who sprint after us require us to run a lot more than our midfielders currently run both on and off the ball.

Anderson is shit.

hth.

anderson get £#%&!ed, how the £#%&! can people still rate that dope.

anderson

carrick's stats for distance covered per game are the best in the team, up there with the best in the league iirc. scholes works the ball in tight spaces better than any player i've ever seen.

Tbf, I think a lot of people (me included for a couple of weeks of madness) though cITY would piss the league this season. I think with our squad being so young, it was another transitional period. We haven't been brilliant this season but we've played better than a lot of people are giving us credit for.

I think this season's shambles in europe will do us good for next season. I think SAF was the big problem rather than the team and he made 6 mistakes in the group stages. Every single game was taken lightly, like we only had to show up to get the 3 points. Europa league doesn't even register with me. I've already forgotton we were in that.

As for next season, we'll be stronger and harder to beat and players like de Gea, Yooung & Jones will have their first taste of success. They'll be hungry for more.

If I was offered 'just the title' this season, I'd have snatched their hand off. We've become very greedy as fans because we expect to win every comp we're in. The title is our bread and butter and a) we've stopped cITY winning it & b) it rubs those scouse @#%&!s noses in it AGAIN

League title > league cup > spending £500m

Originally Posted by wiganste

League title > league cup > spending £500m

we're top of the par league as well mate

no chance of the class and dignity shield tho fergie out

Originally Posted by wiganste

We've become very greedy as fans because we expect to win every comp we're in.

I don't.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I don't.

Scholes return has been amazing, truly the catalyst and I was very skeptical, but that brief retirement recharged his batteries rather than finished him off. But, it has to be noted that our league form improved some time before Scholesy's return and coincided with Carrick's return to the midfield as a regular pick. It was only when we Had to move him to CB that the form dipped again just prior to Scholes return. The much maligned Mr. Carrick deserved a hell of a lot of credit imo.

Originally Posted by borsuk

we're top of the par league as well mate

no chance of the class and dignity shield tho fergie out

Marvellous.

I wonder what the prof has to say about that? A league devised to stop 'dem pesky mancs' winning it and them to win it, and we're top. YCNMIU, although they have.

Just need to hit the wookwork a few more times in out next 6 games and we'll be top of that league too.

I gave up on the class and dignity titles a long time ago

Originally Posted by dunk

Scholes return has been amazing, truly the catalyst and I was very skeptical, but that brief retirement recharged his batteries rather than finished him off. But, it has to be noted that our league form improved some time before Scholesy's return and coincided with Carrick's return to the midfield as a regular pick. It was only when we Had to move him to CB that the form dipped again just prior to Scholes return. The much maligned Mr. Carrick deserved a hell of a lot of credit imo.

Indeed. As does Jonny Evans who has been our best defender this season.

Originally Posted by wiganste

Indeed. As does Jonny Evans who has been our best defender this season.

evans has been fantastic and he's shown some really classy touches as well, not just being safe and solid but bringing the ball out, starting attacks, switching the play with diagonal balls out wide. tremendous stuff.

I wonder if Patrick Vieira is feeling like a complete dick yet for his Scholes comments?

Originally Posted by borsuk

evans has been fantastic and he's shown some really classy touches as well, not just being safe and solid but bringing the ball out, starting attacks, switching the play with diagonal balls out wide. tremendous stuff.

Yep. The Benfica game at OT (I think it was) he was probably our best playmaker, striding out of defence, beating players through the midfield, great to watch. Started the season 5th choice and it would be difficult to drop him now.

Originally Posted by Stickman

I think were better than last season, slightly.

I agree. We have had a few shockers which everybody knows about - but the overall standard has been a bit better (though still not quite as good to watch as in the 2009/10 season)

Originally Posted by dunk

Yep. The Benfica game at OT (I think it was) he was probably our best playmaker, striding out of defence, beating players through the midfield, great to watch. Started the season 5th choice and it would be difficult to drop him now.

Rio & Evans are more direct (in terms of travelling with the ball & committing opponents) than any of our central midfield players. They can both drop a shoulder & go past somebody.
The pair of them have been £#%&!ing brilliant in our recent run.