United's defence

While many were bleating about the static attack, we overlooked what is essentially is a poor defence.

RIght now it looks like this is our first choice defence.

---- valencia ----- smalling ---- blind ------ young.

2 wingers, 1 midfielder.

No wonder we were struggling today. Blind is good against teams like sunderland, newcastle. the moment he has come up against good strikers, he has looked so poor. Gomis, Pelle, Walcott... Lukaku, Aguero and Bolasie up next...

Originally Posted by angrydimaria

While many were bleating about the static attack, we overlooked what is essentially is a poor defence.

RIght now it looks like this is our first choice defence.

---- valencia ----- smalling ---- blind ------ young.

2 wingers, 1 midfielder.

No wonder we were struggling today. Blind is good against teams like sunderland, newcastle. the moment he has come up against good strikers, he has looked so poor. Gomis, Pelle, Walcott... Lukaku, Aguero and Bolasie up next...

No, Blind is World Class. Every defender has an off day.

Originally Posted by angrydimaria

While many were bleating about the static attack, we overlooked what is essentially is a poor defence.

RIght now it looks like this is our first choice defence.

---- valencia ----- smalling ---- blind ------ young.

2 wingers, 1 midfielder.

No wonder we were struggling today. Blind is good against teams like sunderland, newcastle. the moment he has come up against good strikers, he has looked so poor. Gomis, Pelle, Walcott... Lukaku, Aguero and Bolasie up next...

no. whilst idiots bleat about the attack and idiots bleat about the defence, the simple fact is that van gaal picked a stupid midfield again. any defence will look shit with no cover unless it's paul mcgrath on his own.

Shows the folly in letting Rafael go. Didn't like that decision at the time.

One game though....

I know Rojo is injured but what's the score with Jones? I'd be happy with a Jones/Smalling partnership at the back long term.

RB? Do we need more cover?

LB? Shaw's injury is a catastrophe for us.

Midfield?

One of Carrick/Schweini plus Scheiderlin

Front 4: Mata, Hererra and Martial should be the key players in key games. Rooney should sliced and diced like in the movie Cube and fried in a Spanish Omelette.

Yep we really lacked Jones's mobility and calmness today

Originally Posted by andyroo

Yep we really lacked Jones's mobility and calmness today

This.

it really doesnt matter who is where. organisation is the key. that's why shit teams can defend amazingly. that's why it's such a shock lvg's defence is so underwhelming

We've been £#%&!ed since Shaw got injured. He brought pace and balance to the defence especially on Blind's side.

Darmain's drop in form is a big concern at the moment, he's been moved from left to right which hasn't helped but wherever he's played he's looked piss poor going forward. The decision to get rid of Rafael continues to not look good, he was a perfect squad player.

Smalling looks ace though, amazing the work van Gaal has done with him. He needs Jones next to him (they played the big games last season and we looked solid).

Originally Posted by That Boy Ronaldo!

We've been £#%&!ed since Shaw got injured. He brought pace and balance to the defence especially on Blind's side.

Darmain's drop in form is a big concern at the moment, he's been moved from left to right which hasn't helped but wherever he's played he's looked piss poor going forward. The decision to get rid of Rafael continues to not look good, he was a perfect squad player.

Smalling looks ace though, amazing the work van Gaal has done with him. He needs Jones next to him (they played the big games last season and we looked solid).

Agreed.

Full-backs a huge problem. Hard to believe 12 months down the line we're still resorting to average wingers in those roles. Really should be a focus in January to see if we can get more depth there. We've become used to the defence being alright, but ended the game with one player in the backline in their natural position. Would rather put up with the mistakes of a kid from the academy there.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Full-backs a huge problem. Hard to believe 12 months down the line we're still resorting to average wingers in those roles. Really should be a focus in January to see if we can get more depth there. We've become used to the defence being alright, but ended the game with one player in the backline in their natural position. Would rather put up with the mistakes of a kid from the academy there.

if we are going to play wingers as full backs, it would make sense to play three centre-backs. or at least three nominally defensive midfielders.

the problem really isn't lack of cover at fullback.... though that is an issue. we have a lack of cover at centre back. that's why blind is there. we have a lack of cover in midfield. which is presumably why van gaal keeps leaving midfielders on the bench. the only position we (apparently) have a surfeit is no 10 - the one position we don't £#%&!ing need in the team at all.

when it comes down to it, it is not injuries making us look bad - it is van gaal's persistent failure to pick a balanced team. no one in his right mind would go to arsenal with a two-man midfield (much less carrick and schweini). and we cannot afford to play all of martial, rooney, depay and mata. they offer nothing in terms of defensive cover, except rooney (and he shouldn't).

herrera's injury doesn't help... but van gaal wasn't picking him anyway. shaw is a massive blow. but how can losing a left back £#%&! up our whole team?

it's van gaal.

The stupidity of the full back situation is that Varela is good enough to take up a slot in our Champs League Squad but can't even make a bench when we're reduced to playing Young and Valencia back there.

Originally Posted by jem

if we are going to play wingers as full backs, it would make sense to play three centre-backs. or at least three nominally defensive midfielders.

the problem really isn't lack of cover at fullback.... though that is an issue. we have a lack of cover at centre back. that's why blind is there. we have a lack of cover in midfield. which is presumably why van gaal keeps leaving midfielders on the bench. the only position we (apparently) have a surfeit is no 10 - the one position we don't £#%&!ing need in the team at all.

when it comes down to it, it is not injuries making us look bad - it is van gaal's persistent failure to pick a balanced team. no one in his right mind would go to arsenal with a two-man midfield (much less carrick and schweini). and we cannot afford to play all of martial, rooney, depay and mata. they offer nothing in terms of defensive cover, except rooney (and he shouldn't).

herrera's injury doesn't help... but van gaal wasn't picking him anyway. shaw is a massive blow. but how can losing a left back £#%&! up our whole team?

it's van gaal.

Of course, van Gaal as ever pal. Is van Gaal still making Rooney play like a @#%&! with his vicious system btw?

Tbf today I kinda agree with you. Though I felt the issues were more about positional play rather than systems or personnel. No reason why Schweini and Carrick couldn't be a bit deeper and shield the back four, but the pressing of the midfield left ridiculous gaps, especially as there was a lack of cover from the wide players. And Arsenal the side most likely to take advantage of that.

But the attacking threat from the full-backs is almost non-existent. That not only damages us going forward, but certainly invites more pressure down the sides. We signed half a dozen players over the last year or so, yet still lack depth in those areas. Needs sorting.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Is van Gaal still making Rooney play like a @#%&! with his vicious system btw?

rooney is not playing that badly, but... yes, it is the system. we cannot afford to have rooney, memphis and mata offering nothing much in attack or defence. martial deserves to play. one of the others should play. at the moment, it's probably not rooney. but, if rooney plays, it should be centre forward, with martial on the bench (and then he would need service he's hardly had), or wide left, with memphis on the bench. then play a proper £#%&!ing midfield behind them.

if everyone is fit, I have always said carrick, schweini, schneidi and herrera play, with two of the others in front of them. all of those midfielders offer something with or without the ball. then the wing backs could provide some width without worrying too much about there being £#%&! all behind them. with herrera out, no reason why valencia shouldn't play right midfield - which would make darmian look much better in defence and, if mata played, would make mata look better too.

Originally Posted by jem

rooney is not playing that badly, but... yes, it is the system. we cannot afford to have rooney, memphis and mata offering nothing much in attack or defence. martial deserves to play. one of the others should play. at the moment, it's probably not rooney. but, if rooney plays, it should be centre forward, with martial on the bench (and then he would need service he's hardly had), or wide left, with memphis on the bench. then play a proper £#%&!ing midfield behind them.

if everyone is fit, I have always said carrick, schweini, schneidi and herrera play, with two of the others in front of them. all of those midfielders offer something with or without the ball. then the wing backs could provide some width without worrying too much about there being £#%&! all behind them. with herrera out, no reason why valencia shouldn't play right midfield - which would make darmian look much better in defence and, if mata played, would make mata look better too.

He put a shift in second half, but he's giving us £#%&! all going forward and that has largely been the case for way too long. He may be better as a striker, but he's a good enough footballer with a decent enough skillset to do much better with the time and space he gets.

I reckon he's only a couple of games away from being dropped, which would be embarrassing given how must trust LvG has put in him.

Surely even you must be sick of the sight of that @#%&! Valencia by now?

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

He put a shift in second half, but he's giving us £#%&! all going forward and that has largely been the case for way too long. He may be better as a striker, but he's a good enough footballer with a decent enough skillset to do much better with the time and space he gets.

I reckon he's only a couple of games away from being dropped, which would be embarrassing given how must trust LvG has put in him.

Surely even you must be sick of the sight of that @#%&! Valencia by now?

I don't think rooney is playing well, but I have consistently said he doesn't have a role with martial playing centre forward. right now, I don't see how you can drop martial (except as part of a long-term strategy of having him fit and available), so rooney maybe should miss out. it would be easier if memphis was playing well. or if mata made any more sense.

valencia as a fullback has no clue what the rest of the back four is doing and his positional sense is terrible. as a winger, he doesn't take people on or cross... and that is partly due to van gaal and partly due to him just being a @#%&! now. however, I still think he's a good player who can tackle, run with the ball and is a tough bugger - ie: he is ideal for a midfield role. which is where I have always suggested playing him. if he is going to play as a wing back, we should have three centre-backs and three central midfielders. whatever you think of valencia and however disappointed you are with schneidi's quiet ineffectiveness, playing carrick and schweini against arsenal was an obvious mistake. which was called when the team sheet came out.

you can laugh about how I always blame van gaal, but that was such a clearly wrong team, what choice is there? players can play badly, but the one thing van gaal should be doing is setting out a properly balanced team, with players who know what their roles are. we managed to be undermanned and shapeless. there is no excuse for that.

and his post-match interview suggested it was all about individual form. he doesn't get it. despite the pages of philosophy and the trophy list. he just doesn't £#%&!ing get it.

Originally Posted by jem

I don't think rooney is playing well, but I have consistently said he doesn't have a role with martial playing centre forward. right now, I don't see how you can drop martial (except as part of a long-term strategy of having him fit and available), so rooney maybe should miss out. it would be easier if memphis was playing well. or if mata made any more sense.

valencia as a fullback has no clue what the rest of the back four is doing and his positional sense is terrible. as a winger, he doesn't take people on or cross... and that is partly due to van gaal and partly due to him just being a @#%&! now. however, I still think he's a good player who can tackle, run with the ball and is a tough bugger - ie: he is ideal for a midfield role. which is where I have always suggested playing him. if he is going to play as a wing back, we should have three centre-backs and three central midfielders. whatever you think of valencia and however disappointed you are with schneidi's quiet ineffectiveness, playing carrick and schweini against arsenal was an obvious mistake. which was called when the team sheet came out.

you can laugh about how I always blame van gaal, but that was such a clearly wrong team, what choice is there? players can play badly, but the one thing van gaal should be doing is setting out a properly balanced team, with players who know what their roles are. we managed to be undermanned and shapeless. there is no excuse for that.

and his post-match interview suggested it was all about individual form. he doesn't get it. despite the pages of philosophy and the trophy list. he just doesn't £#%&!ing get it.

I saw the interview and I thought he looked quite shocked. I don't think he was looking to assign the blame, but he did mention some players not doing what was agreed, which for example could mean Memphis not covering his flank and leaving us badly exposed. Neville picked up on it once during commentary. He'll do a tactical analysis also, and will no doubt look at himself and where he went wrong.

But these games happen. They happened under Fergie. I thought the team looked all over the place, largely once again due to being too cavalier in our midfield pressing without being effective and therefore leaving huge spaces, but again - it happens. Barca just got tonked 4-1 by £#%&!ing Celta last month. Ultimately I back him and the team to respond, and to keep building us up. The spirit - if not the confidence - was there for the last hour.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I saw the interview and I thought he looked quite shocked. I don't think he was looking to assign the blame, but he did mention some players not doing what was agreed, which for example could mean Memphis not covering his flank and leaving us badly exposed. Neville picked up on it once during commentary. He'll do a tactical analysis also, and will no doubt look at himself and where he went wrong.

But these games happen. They happened under Fergie. I thought the team looked all over the place, largely once again due to being too cavalier in our midfield pressing without being effective and therefore leaving huge spaces, but again - it happens. Barca just got tonked 4-1 by £#%&!ing Celta last month. Ultimately I back him and the team to respond, and to keep building us up. The spirit - if not the confidence - was there for the last hour.

well, I know you will always be optimistic.

expecting memphis to cover the flank defensively, I would regard as wildly optimistic. expecting our four forward players to do much pressing was optimistic. expecting carrick and schweini to roam the wide spaces of midfield was optimistic. schweini, I actually thought made a manful effort. particularly when arsenal withdrew. maybe because arsenal withdrew.

I really think van gaal underestimates the opposition. he did the same against psv, playing herrera in a two-man midfield. I don't like going away with no real intent to win - I remember arsenal had two years at o.t. with one shot in total, both games. shocking. but we really should be more reserved going to the emirates with the team they have and the team we have. control the game. then win it. and if you can't win it, control it.

Originally Posted by jem

well, I know you will always be optimistic.

expecting memphis to cover the flank defensively, I would regard as wildly optimistic. expecting our four forward players to do much pressing was optimistic. expecting carrick and schweini to roam the wide spaces of midfield was optimistic. schweini, I actually thought made a manful effort. particularly when arsenal withdrew. maybe because arsenal withdrew.

I really think van gaal underestimates the opposition. he did the same against psv, playing herrera in a two-man midfield. I don't like going away with no real intent to win - I remember arsenal had two years at o.t. with one shot in total, both games. shocking. but we really should be more reserved going to the emirates with the team they have and the team we have. control the game. then win it. and if you can't win it, control it.

Fair enough.