*OFFICIAL MATCH THREAD* - Crystal Palace vs Manchester United - 09/05/2015

Originally Posted by utd99

Blind is one of the smarter players on the team. Shame he plays in concrete wellys.

Yeah at that free kick I was left thinking "wow, such intelligence"

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Every manager will tell you that he can not play the way he wants until he gets his players in. Their task is to get the best out of what they have not wait for an ideal. His use of Fellaini becomes to difficult to rationalize with his reputation as a footballing purist.

I am critical of him because I respect how good his teams can be.

He's not a footballing purist.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Every manager will tell you that he can not play the way he wants until he gets his players in. Their task is to get the best out of what they have not wait for an ideal. His use of Fellaini becomes to difficult to rationalize with his reputation as a footballing purist.

I am critical of him because I respect how good his teams can be.

If Di Maria had kept any semblance of form, or Carrick and Shaw had managed to be fit for sustained periods I'd tend to agree more. As it is, I think he's almost been forced to rely on others, and the reality is that we have a functional squad, especially without those guys. I just struggle to see the group we're working with being much more than efficient.

If we're here in 12 months with Depay and a few others, with better fitness records for Shaw and Carrick, then I'll expect much, much better. At the moment, I see a team with Smalling, Jones, Valencia, Evans, Fellaini, Young and Falcao and I don't expect artistry.

Originally Posted by andyroo

Yeah at that free kick I was left thinking "wow, such intelligence"

Come on now.....

How have we managed to lose 3 more players to injury as well. As for £#%&!ing Shaw.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

How have we managed to lose 3 more players to injury as well. As for £#%&!ing Shaw.

Only 1

Rooney had a dead leg so is fine for next week and LvG said Smalling had cramp

Shaw has gone to hospital but LvG doesn't think it's serious

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Rooney had a dead leg so is fine for next week

Ffs, the @#%&! is like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable.

Enjoyed today. Got more points today than pandas in Scotland multiplied by Scottish Tory MPs so can't complain really.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Every manager will tell you that he can not play the way he wants until he gets his players in. Their task is to get the best out of what they have not wait for an ideal. His use of Fellaini becomes to difficult to rationalize with his reputation as a footballing purist.

I am critical of him because I respect how good his teams can be.

Fellaini is one of the only midfielders we have and he has been effective this season. We will be a better team when he is replaced in the starting XI though.

We are light in key positions and have had atrocious luck with injuries as well as all the expected problems we had in changing the set up completely in th space of a year and having a very high turnover of players.

As a club continuity and stability had been a massive positive and key to the success of the previous 25 years, that went out of the window and we had 12 months of taking backwards steps. The amount of defensive experience we lost was ridiculous too.

The excuses for our performances this season are staggeringly obvious and will be rectified by the start of next season imo.

Originally Posted by Ethers

He's not a footballing purist.

I agree, he is intensely pragmatic at this stage of his career, the Dutch style of play in the WC showcased this approach.

I have a feeling that some are so infatuated with the idea of what they hope to see from a LVG side that they are choosing to ignore/whitewash some of his more questionable decisions.

I am hoping for a massive improvement next season, results and style, if the rumours are correct Utd will be close to matching last summers spending, which will be close to a £300 million outlay in 12 months.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

I agree, he is intensely pragmatic at this stage of his career, the Dutch style of play in the WC showcased this approach.

I have a feeling that some are so infatuated with the idea of what they hope to see from a LVG side that they are choosing to ignore/whitewash some of his more questionable decisions.

I am hoping for a massive improvement next season, results and style, if the rumours are correct Utd will be close to matching last summers spending, which will be close to a £300 million outlay in 12 months.

Can you be described as intensely pragmatic when key objectives are to dominate the ball and play in the opposition half?

Originally Posted by Neo

Ffs, the @#%&! is like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable.

then shaw is samuel l jackson.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Can you be described as intensely pragmatic when key objectives are to dominate the ball and play in the opposition half?

Yes, the possession is a lie, hoofing it to Fellaini is the real approach to winning games.


I am just frustrated watching it, so tedious, boring passive sideways play and it feels like all the players who might step outside that rigid framework have been marginalized. A chore to watch.

We've beaten City home and away, the verm home and away, beaten arsenal away..

If he can inject some pace into the side and get some quality to score against sides who put 11 men behind the ball we'll have a good chance.

So in the summer I want a new back four, new striker and new CM as good if not better than carrick please.

Originally Posted by Neo

Ffs, the @#%&! is like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable.

Originally Posted by Lazlo Panaflex

then shaw is samuel l jackson.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

We've beaten City home and away, the verm home and away, beaten arsenal away..

If he can inject some pace into the side and get some quality to score against sides who put 11 men behind the ball we'll have a good chance.

So in the summer I want a new back four, new striker and new CM as good if not better than carrick please.

we lost to city away.

but i have faith in louis against the better sides. he's a bit like our benitez.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Nah, we were set up fine and had a decent first half in which we played good football at times. But when you have such technical limitations and a team with no real leaders, you'll always find a fair bit of individual caution and lack of creativity.

Van Gaal can coach them into being better players to an extent. He cannot coach them into being more talented footballers.

it's not lack of talent, it's lack of intent.

and blind was invisible in the second half. with fellaini, mata and herrera pushing forward, we had no midfield. falcao was just a passenger, as usual. this lack of balance in the team and persistence with falcao is lvg's fault.

he's not the £#%&!ing pope.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Yes, the possession is a lie, hoofing it to Fellaini is the real approach to winning games.


I am just frustrated watching it, so tedious, boring passive sideways play and it feels like all the players who might step outside that rigid framework have been marginalized. A chore to watch.

If hoofing was the approach, then dominating the ball, building from the back and playing in the opposition half would be illogical.

I agree it's been dull. Though again today I thought the intent was there, and there was some good passages of play. But the quality of the players is absolutely a factor. Give Guardiola or Bielsa that back four, Fellaini, Young and Falcao and I think you'd get similar tedium.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

If hoofing was the approach, then dominating the ball, building from the back and playing in the opposition half would be illogical.

I agree it's been dull. Though again today I thought the intent was there, and there was some good passages of play. But the quality of the players is absolutely a factor. Give Guardiola or Bielsa that back four, Fellaini, Young and Falcao and I think you'd get similar tedium.

I'll go one step further and say it's the factor.

£#%&! em anything but Moysey , Vg till my balls ache
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