United Forum
Go Back   United Forum > Manchester United > Football
Closed Thread
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 01:55 PM
King Eric
 
Default

Second in the league, already qualified for the last 16 of the CL and play Bristol City to go into the league cup semis. If city were in such good form we’d be buzzing with this start, especially after what Moyes and LVG served up.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:01 PM
Billy Redface
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lok
I don't think Matic's mobility is a big issue. He rarely seems to get caught out of position.

The biggest issue he's had is that in Pogba's absence he needs to make things happen and he doesn't possess the ability to do that. His short range passing is fine and he can spot a quick through ball but rarely seems to have the ability to achieve it.

One thing that has impressed me is his ability to carry the ball forward. He can easily turn a defender or skip passed someone and I didn't think he had that in his locker.

Alongside more creative players he's fine.
Yep. Matic main problem is having to do everyone else's job in there aswell.

Not at his best yesterday, but he's been our best player this season and is the least of our problems.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:06 PM
Sparky***
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by King Eric
Second in the league, already qualified for the last 16 of the CL and play Bristol City to go into the league cup semis. If city were in such good form we’d be buzzing with this start, especially after what Moyes and LVG served up.
Nobody should be “buzzing” about 7 goals in 7 games and losing to Huddersfield. Regardless of who does what elsewhere.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:08 PM
Lok
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by forwardirektion
De Bruyne and Sterling have been playing there when i've watched them

Silva is like Usain Bolt when compared to Mata anyway

RE: the stats, Mata's got 1 goal and 0 assists so far this season and a massive 3 assists from 25 games last season
De Bruyne and Sterling tend to play wider but City rotate during the game so any of their front 5 can be in any position.

Over 200 games, Mata has a goal every .25 of a game an assist every .25 of a game. So either a goal or an assist every other game. And that includes being played wide for a season where he was hopeless.

It's moot anyway as Mourinho doesn't trust him there.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:26 PM
King Eric
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparky***
Nobody should be “buzzing” about 7 goals in 7 games and losing to Huddersfield. Regardless of who does what elsewhere.
We’ve played far more than 7 games, no team plays good all season and all teams mess up against lesser teams. The starts been very good, the best for a long time, maybe not the football being played.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:34 PM
Coracao
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparky***
He was an average winger and now he’s a slightly less average right back.

He offers nothing going forward, couldn’t cross his legs let alone a ball and somehow just being a ‘steady eddie’ is good enough?

He’s 32 years old so let’s not wait until he’s abysmal before replacing him.
He may be helped if we had anything resembling a right winger in front of him. I don't think there are many better right backs in the league, but that may so more about the dearth of right backs than anything else.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:39 PM
utd99
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lok
De Bruyne and Sterling tend to play wider but City rotate during the game so any of their front 5 can be in any position.

Over 200 games, Mata has a goal every .25 of a game an assist every .25 of a game. So either a goal or an assist every other game. And that includes being played wide for a season where he was hopeless.

It's moot anyway as Mourinho doesn't trust him there.
Though, obviously, what he did in the first 100/150 of those games is unlikely to be what he does in the next 50. Career stats always drop off.

This year Mata has looked even slower and weaker if that’s possible. What happened against Huddersfield was quite sad to watch really. You cannot be that feeble in this league.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coracao
He may be helped if we had anything resembling a right winger in front of him. I don't think there are many better right backs in the league, but that may so more about the dearth of right backs than anything else.
Depends what your standards are I suppose. I think your right back should be able to overlap and cross accurately, or cut inside once in a while. It adds a valuable facet to the team going forward. He should also be able to stay in touch with the rest of the back four and not constantly be the deepest man when play is building through the centre or on the left.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:45 PM
Sparky***
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coracao
He may be helped if we had anything resembling a right winger in front of him. I don't think there are many better right backs in the league, but that may so more about the dearth of right backs than anything else.
What the £#%&! is that all about?

Everything comes down our left...on the right it's just Valencia on his own. No idea who is supposed to play there
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:51 PM
utd99
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparky***
What the £#%&! is that all about?

Everything comes down our left...on the right it's just Valencia on his own. No idea who is supposed to play there
No one does. Whether it’s Mata, Lingard or anyone else, they all go walkabout once the game starts. So all we’re left with is a full back who can’t cross or cut inside and either shoot/play it through and is expected to cover 80 yards up and down every game. Is it any wonder our right side is like a black hole of creativity?
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 02:51 PM
Coracao
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by utd99
Though, obviously, what he did in the first 100/150 of those games is unlikely to be what he does in the next 50. Career stats always drop off.

This year Mata has looked even slower and weaker if that’s possible. What happened against Huddersfield was quite sad to watch really. You cannot be that feeble in this league.



Depends what your standards are I suppose. I think your right back should be able to overlap and cross accurately, or cut inside once in a while. It adds a valuable facet to the team going forward. He should also be able to stay in touch with the rest of the back four and not constantly be the deepest man when play is building through the centre or on the left.
Who is he supposed to be overlapping? There is no @#%&! there

Valencia pretty much has to do everything on the right hand side of the pitch. His crossing lets him down, but the way people go on you'd think that some right backs in the league were chipping in with tens of assists. They aren't.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 03:12 PM
utd99
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coracao
Who is he supposed to be overlapping? There is no @#%&! there

Valencia pretty much has to do everything on the right hand side of the pitch. His crossing lets him down, but the way people go on you'd think that some right backs in the league were chipping in with tens of assists. They aren't.
That’s correct, so there are two issues at play here; there’s what he does, and there’s what the team does. Which one gets emphasised usually depends on whether the poster is pro or anti Valencia, but both are equally relevant.

Over the years we’ve all seen the value of a good interaction between right back and right winger or whatever variation of wide men we’ve gone with. Right now -and for some time- we’ve had none of that. Zero.

An absolute number of assists or chances created is nice if you can get it, but less important than what that dangerous width creates in terms of space for the rest of the team and forcing the oppo defence to play you honestly across the whole back line. The way we play is too easy to defend against. Full backs know to show our right inside and our left outside, every time.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 03:18 PM
Coracao
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by utd99
That’s correct, so there are two issues at play here; there’s what he does, and there’s what the team does. Which one gets emphasised usually depends on whether the poster is pro or anti Valencia, but both are equally relevant.

Over the years we’ve all seen the value of a good interaction between right back and right winger or whatever variation of wide men we’ve gone with. Right now -and for some time- we’ve had none of that. Zero.

An absolute number of assists or chances created is nice if you can get it, but less important than what that dangerous width creates in terms of space for the rest of the team and forcing the oppo defence to play you honestly across the whole back line. The way we play is too easy to defend against. Full backs know to show our right inside and our left outside, every time.
Just don't think he is one who needs replacing in the next two windows personally. I think he is a good enough right back to win the league with.

LB, RW, AM and decent options for CM are more pressing for me atm.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 03:30 PM
utd99
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coracao
Just don't think he is one who needs replacing in the next two windows personally. I think he is a good enough right back to win the league with.

LB, RW, AM and decent options for CM are more pressing for me atm.
He’s not young anymore, and we have to get past this tired acceptance that playing converted wingers at full back is the new normal. It’s not.

The thing with Valencia is that his strengths -workrate, strength and dependability- kind of blind you to his weaknesses. It’s almost as though there’s always another priority somewhere else -usually some shitbag who’s not pulling his weight- so what should have been a stop-gap ends up lasting years. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to even have specialist full backs.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 04:23 PM
Coracao
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by utd99
He’s not young anymore, and we have to get past this tired acceptance that playing converted wingers at full back is the new normal. It’s not.

The thing with Valencia is that his strengths -workrate, strength and dependability- kind of blind you to his weaknesses. It’s almost as though there’s always another priority somewhere else -usually some shitbag who’s not pulling his weight- so what should have been a stop-gap ends up lasting years. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to even have specialist full backs.
That's because usually there is with our squad in its current state.

The lad O'Connor is worth keeping an eye on. Be surprised if he doesn't make the step up to the first team. Still fairly young though.
 
Unread 06-11-2017, 06:13 PM
sa7
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparky***
Nobody should be “buzzing” about 7 goals in 7 games and losing to Huddersfield. Regardless of who does what elsewhere.
The squad should be buzzing, having been tasered, the @#%&!s

Quote:
Originally Posted by red in cumbria
Nothing new, some of us are old enough to remember Dennis Bailey
I hate everything
Closed Thread
Thread Tools
Similar Threads for: The writing was on the wall with this lot when they scraped a draw against Stoke
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
OLIVER HOLT: Writing off Klopp's Liverpool now is the fanciful delusions of the jealous. fred tissue Football Auto-Threads 0 23-01-2021 10:40 PM
IAN HERBERT: The writing is on the wall for a likable but out-of-his-depth Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fred tissue Football Auto-Threads 0 09-12-2020 04:00 PM
Writing? Hubris. antonin jablonsky Football 69 24-01-2019 07:35 PM
I'm thinking of writing a book about the season just gone. Betty's Hotpot Football 132 31-05-2008 07:44 PM
All times are GMT. The time now is 01:42 PM.
Copyright ©2006 - 2024 utdforum.com. This site is in no way affiliated to Manchester United Football Club.