Why we will not win the league: Midfield

Not because it isn't good enough, but because it isn't being given a chance to be good enough. And as we know it is the most important part of a team. Last season saw a disgusting amount of rotation there and we couldnt play any coherent football for most of the season.

This season, 2 completely different midfields faced Burnley and Birmingham....why? Bizarre rotation, and im shocked the press havent picked up on it. I guess you can get away with it if you keep winning leagues but we havem't got a devastating finisher to build the side around that masks some problems we've had since 2007 wihch was the last season we played fluent football practically every week.

To sum it up. Our problems are a midfielder of Scholes quality that has the spark to lift a team, to create openings etc. Carrick is a top player but doesn't have the balls to be more than just that.

I like Fletcher, but him and Carrick is too negative. We have some interesting question marks there. For me Carrick should start every game, him and creative CM that will get freedom due to Carrick sitting back.

Anderson hasn't been allowed to grow due to constant rotation so he looks off it atm, and he looks even worse when played wide in a 442. What the £#%&! was that all about...

So yeah, 2 unlikely scenarios to help us: Either go out and buy a player or two in the next 2 weeks or stick with a consistent 4.

Sir Alex won't do either.

They all need games atm, selection will calm down in a few weeks.

Originally Posted by dunk

They all need games atm, selection will calm down in a few weeks.

But Sir Alex has been rotating like a mad man for the last 2 seasons, why is it gonna change now? Especially with Ronnie gone.

I just don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Originally Posted by armchair

You are a %@#$&!.

At least point out one thing you disagree with. Surely it cannot be that hard if you have come to such a damning conclusion on myself.

I'd safe another 36 games of this by killing myself. Just advice.

Originally Posted by Aloe Blacc

At least point out one thing you disagree with. Surely it cannot be that hard if you have come to such a damning conclusion on myself.

Writing United off after a loss so early in the season is mental.

i meant "save". either way leg saf if this is going to be your way i would sooner know who marlo has bumped into.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

Writing United off after a loss so early in the season is mental.

Originally Posted by armchair

I disagree on making judgements on the entire season now, you %@#$&!...or is it savant.

This judgment is based on the last 2 years, and we've now sold one of the few 'guaranteed' starters to create even more confusion, yes theres the possibility of us coming out the better in all this as early as the next few months but with Fergusons rotation tendencies, I find it hard to see that happening.

This isnt a spontaneous view. The current players here are good enough to win the league this season, if we chop and change our team and midfield every week then there will simply not be any sort of fluency.

And, savant it is. Thanks for listening, sirs.

I don't have a good feeling about this all tbh

Originally Posted by Aloe Blacc

This judgment is based on the last 2 years, and we've now sold one of the few 'guaranteed' starters to create even more confusion, yes theres the possibility of us coming out the better in all this as early as the next few months but with Fergusons rotation tendencies, I find it hard to see that happening.

This isnt a spontaneous view. The current players here are good enough to win the league this season, if we chop and change our team and midfield every week then there will simply not be any sort of fluency.

And, savant it is. Thanks for listening, sirs.

I don't have a good feeling about this all tbh

can you scour youtube tonight and give us at least something to look forward to in the morning.

Yeah and the last two years you thought we were £#%&!ed too.

Beep, Beep!

Originally Posted by Aloe Blacc

Not because it isn't good enough, but because it isn't being given a chance to be good enough. And as we know it is the most important part of a team. Last season saw a disgusting amount of rotation there and we couldnt play any coherent football for most of the season.

This season, 2 completely different midfields faced Burnley and Birmingham....why? Bizarre rotation, and im shocked the press havent picked up on it. I guess you can get away with it if you keep winning leagues but we havem't got a devastating finisher to build the side around that masks some problems we've had since 2007 wihch was the last season we played fluent football practically every week.

To sum it up. Our problems are a midfielder of Scholes quality that has the spark to lift a team, to create openings etc. Carrick is a top player but doesn't have the balls to be more than just that.

I like Fletcher, but him and Carrick is too negative. We have some interesting question marks there. For me Carrick should start every game, him and creative CM that will get freedom due to Carrick sitting back.

Anderson hasn't been allowed to grow due to constant rotation so he looks off it atm, and he looks even worse when played wide in a 442. What the £#%&! was that all about...

So yeah, 2 unlikely scenarios to help us: Either go out and buy a player or two in the next 2 weeks or stick with a consistent 4.

Sir Alex won't do either.

I agree that there's too much changing, both in personnel and system. I'd like to see a three-man midfield system established. I still think starting with Carrick and Fletcher with either Giggs or Anderson ahead of them could function very well. It's easy to forget that Carrick-Fletcher-Giggs ran rings around Inter's midfield at the San Siro. I'd say it's more a question of depth in those two deeper positions, rather than anything else. When Carrick or Fletcher is out (or playing like shite, as Carrick is) our options become extremely limited. Scholes hinders rather than benefits the side in a deeper position these days, while dropping Giggs too deep means we lose his influence further up. Another strong, athletic central midfield player in the squad really would make a difference.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I agree that there's too much changing, both in personnel and system. I'd like to see a three-man midfield system established. I still think starting with Carrick and Fletcher with either Giggs or Anderson ahead of them could function very well. It's easy to forget that Carrick-Fletcher-Giggs ran rings around Inter's midfield at the San Siro. I'd say it's more a question of depth in those two deeper positions, rather than anything else. When Carrick or Fletcher is out (or playing like shite, as Carrick is) our options become extremely limited. Scholes hinders rather than benefits the side in a deeper position these days, while dropping Giggs too deep means we lose his influence further up. Another strong, athletic central midfield player in the squad really would make a difference.

yeah but carrick missed a penalty so he is shite.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I agree that there's too much changing, both in personnel and system. I'd like to see a three-man midfield system established. I still think starting with Carrick and Fletcher with either Giggs or Anderson ahead of them could function very well. It's easy to forget that Carrick-Fletcher-Giggs ran rings around Inter's midfield at the San Siro. I'd say it's more a question of depth in those two deeper positions, rather than anything else. When Carrick or Fletcher is out (or playing like shite, as Carrick is) our options become extremely limited. Scholes hinders rather than benefits the side in a deeper position these days, while dropping Giggs too deep means we lose his influence further up. Another strong, athletic central midfield player in the squad really would make a difference.

I'm the same. Unfortunately Berbatov, Rooney and Owen prevent us from having a midfield 3, imo.

Originally Posted by dunk

I'm the same. Unfortunately Berbatov, Rooney and Owen prevent us from having a midfield 3, imo.

Because you'd always start two of them and both would have to play central? At the moment, I'd favour a front three of Nani, Rooney and Berbatov. This would, of course, involve Rooney coming from a slightly wider position. Or perhaps with Rooney as the central point and bringing in Valencia for Berbatov.

the interesting thing about that game in Milan was that Berbatov was the fulcrum, Ronaldo andd Giggs were superb, and Rooney didn't play.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Because you'd always start two of them and both would have to play central? At the moment, I'd favour a front three of Nani, Rooney and Berbatov. This would, of course, involve Rooney coming from a slightly wider position. Or perhaps with Rooney as the central point and bringing in Valencia for Berbatov.

Precisely. I think Rooney is a bit of an issue if you want to play 3 in midfield, in that his best position is as the man playing off the central striker in a 4-4-2. For me, he isn't at his best playing as the furthest forward or as the middle player of a 3, bearing in mind the central player could end up becoming isolated, something you don't want happening with Rooney. His short comings on the left were evident in the CL final, although he works well from there, despite the collective teeth gnashing of pundits and fans alike. He does narrow the 3 though.

Berbatov isn't versatile enough to play the one or top, he has put in some good shifts up there, but he does stifle the movement and interchangeability of the 3, has little pace and can't really operate from wide.

Owen isn't even an option in a front 3 imo.

As for the wingers we have, Nani is probably capable of working in a 3, I'm not convinced with Valencia. I would probably use him in the midfield before the front 3, I'm not sure he is enough of a goal/attacking threat to play in the front 3, just Park isn't now we no longer have the behemoth that was Ronaldo to balance it out.

I am quietly hoping that Macheda, Welbeck and Obertan can eventually become good enough and adaptable enough to operate within a front 3, I guess.

Apologies if some of that doesn't make sense, this laptop is being a @#%&!.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

the interesting thing about that game in Milan was that Berbatov was the fulcrum, Ronaldo andd Giggs were superb, and Rooney didn't play.

Originally Posted by dunk

and the problem we have - and have had for a while now imo - is that obviously Rooney has to play

now imo his decision-making simply isn't good enough - way too erratic. Ronaldo was so devastating partly because he had the advantage of a team-mate like Rooney, but mostly because he had the personality to show Rooney who was the boss on the pitch.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

and the problem we have - and have had for a while now imo - is that obviously Rooney has to play

now imo his decision-making simply isn't good enough - way too erratic. Ronaldo was so devastating partly because he had the advantage of a team-mate like Rooney, but mostly because he had the personality to show Rooney who was the boss on the pitch.

It's been puzzling me for a couple of years.

The biggest loss in Ronaldo leaving is the effect his movement had on Rooney.

Rooney isn't the player to lead the team from an attacking pov in Ronaldo's absence imo, and that is our biggest problem we have atm.

As strange as it may seem and as much as it goes against all the rules of being a United fan at this moment in time, I think Rooney is a real problem for United, and have done for a while.