Manchester United v Crystal Palace

Originally Posted by TC23 Henchasaurus

Not sure about the pen but I was flabbergasted that Shearer said it wasn't a red
.

imagine shearer clean through, 18yds out, dead centre, thinking it wasn't a clear chance to score - what a complete £#%&!ing idiot to go on tele and say it wasn't a clear chance

Originally Posted by rogieop

Im astounded that virtually every programme ive seen so far everybody has been in agreement that the ref shouldn't have given the pen? Every one is banging on about the initial contact being outside the box.

So £#%&!ing what? i think the ref has done brilliantly, having rode the first tackle young is well entitled to have the referee play advantage because he is bearing down on goal, then the contact continues, all the way into the box where he either cannot keep his feet any more or decides he has been fouled sufficiently to deserve a penalty. Both of which h is well entitled to do.

Its a stonewall pen, and great refereeing. Three tough penalty decisions and three great decisions imo.

yep, it's as if they think the defender should be able to do what the £#%&! he wants as long as he starts outside the box ...

so a quick shirt pull just outside means if he keeps going you can sythe down the attacker inside and it's not a pen

Our play without the ball was very good yesterday, I thought, particularly in the first half. We pressed from the front in exactly the right positions and did so collectively, rather than dropping back into defensive formation in our own half and checking the player in possession one or two at a time, as has largely been the case for the past few seasons. Good level of individual aggression, too.

In possession, on the other hand, we lacked fluency and made a lot of individual errors. Still much improvement needed. Valencia, Young and Anderson all particularly poor. Rooney hit and miss. On the the positive side, though, Januzaj livened the match up hugely when he came on. Very exciting to see a young talent like him getting a chance.

Was also pleased to see Fabio start. Personally, I'd like to see him get some proper game time this season. He's missed a lot of football since he's been in England, but this still the player who shone as a teenager and was trusted to start a European Cup final not that long ago. Could perhaps be principal cover for left and right fullback.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Our play without the ball was very good yesterday, I thought, particularly in the first half. We pressed from the front in exactly the right positions and did so collectively, rather than dropping back into defensive formation in our own half and checking the player in possession one or two at a time, as has largely been the case for the past few seasons.

That has been the best thing about Utd this season , getting away from the more passive style that has been dominant recently.

I have concerns about a central 4 of Vidic-Rio with Carrick and Fellaini, pressing high up the pitch they could be quite vulnerable against better teams who can break the initial press. It is not the quickest spine.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Our play without the ball was very good yesterday, I thought, particularly in the first half. We pressed from the front in exactly the right positions and did so collectively, rather than dropping back into defensive formation in our own half and checking the player in possession one or two at a time, as has largely been the case for the past few seasons. Good level of individual aggression, too.

In possession, on the other hand, we lacked fluency and made a lot of individual errors. Still much improvement needed. Valencia, Young and Anderson all particularly poor. Rooney hit and miss. On the the positive side, though, Januzaj livened the match up hugely when he came on. Very exciting to see a young talent like him getting a chance.

Was also pleased to see Fabio start. Personally, I'd like to see him get some proper game time this season. He's missed a lot of football since he's been in England, but this still the player who shone as a teenager and was trusted to start a European Cup final not that long ago. Could perhaps be principal cover for left and right fullback.

It was nice to see Moyes take a couple of risks with his selection. Lots of people suggesting the most important thing was his first win at Old Trafford, battering Palace to make a statement etc, so it would have been easy for him to play safe. Making a few risky selections was encouraging. Obviously Fellaini or Cleverley will come in for Anderson, but it'll be interesting to see if Fabio keeps his place for Tuesday.

Think Young could stay in too, tbh. Probably deserves it more than Valencia.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

It was nice to see Moyes take a couple of risks with his selection. Lots of people suggesting the most important thing was his first win at Old Trafford, battering Palace to make a statement etc, so it would have been easy for him to play safe. Making a few risky selections was encouraging. Obviously Fellaini or Cleverley will come in for Anderson, but it'll be interesting to see if Fabio keeps his place for Tuesday.

Think Young could stay in too, tbh. Probably deserves it more than Valencia.

Farming Fabio out last season was a depressing decision. Fergie stopped even considering Evans for LB and hopefully Moyes has done the same with Smalling at RB, and Jones is blatantly not a full-back either.

Moyes has less to lose in a way by giving the young players more of a chance. He's got results pressure from day one obviously, but a clean slate with all the established players as well.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Farming Fabio out last season was a depressing decision. Fergie stopped even considering Evans for LB and hopefully Moyes has done the same with Smalling at RB, and Jones is blatantly not a full-back either.

Moyes has less to lose in a way by giving the young players more of a chance. He's got results pressure from day one obviously, but a clean slate with all the established players as well.

I've said a few times that I think Smalling might have been better off on loan this season. Hopefully, as Sers says, Fabio will be first-choice cover for both full-back positions and Moyes will probably see Jones and Evans as his 3rd/4th choices in the middle, so Smalling is really up against it to get the games he needs to progress. Given that he definitely has a lot to work on, he could have done with weekly football.

Originally Posted by TC23 Henchasaurus

I also hate Ian Holloway and every Crystal Palace fan on earth, bad bad £#%&!ers to a man.

I realise it probably makes me a minority on here, but I quite like him and always have done

Managing a horrible club at the moment, though.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I've said a few times that I think Smalling might have been better off on loan this season. Hopefully, as Sers says, Fabio will be first-choice cover for both full-back positions and Moyes will probably see Jones and Evans as his 3rd/4th choices in the middle, so Smalling is really up against it to get the games he needs to progress. Given that he definitely has a lot to work on, he could have done with weekly football.

he could have done with a transfer

it was worth a punt and he's very good in some aspects. but if ferdinand was to retire at the end of the season smalling would be an injury away from the 1st team and it would be negligent to allow that situation to stand

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

he could have done with a transfer

it was worth a punt and he's very good in some aspects. but if ferdinand was to retire at the end of the season smalling would be an injury away from the 1st team and it would be negligent to allow that situation to stand

He's nowhere near that bad. Evans has been given time to settle after a very inconsistent early career, and now looks like he is maturing into a quality centre back.

If Smalling is given the same time then he has the potential as well. He's decent cover and has got some very good attributes, particularly his pace and ability to carry the ball from the back.

Improving his reading of the game and positional sense will all come with experience. I agree with S/Side that he perhaps should have gone on loan this season to another Premier League club where he'd start every week.

The gif you've all been waiting for has arrived

:shakehead:

It was in a promising position, too

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

The gif you've all been waiting for has arrived

:shakehead:

MUNICHS v CRYSTAL PALACE eh, what £#%&!ing channel is that off then?

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

The gif you've all been waiting for has arrived

:shakehead:

His run back afterwards had me laughing as well, he looked absolutely ready to drop.

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

The gif you've all been waiting for has arrived

:shakehead:

He's so £#%&!ing terrible

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

MUNICHS v CRYSTAL PALACE eh, what £#%&!ing channel is that off then?

Good spot

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Good spot

same as barclays fantasy football

Barclays are £#%&!ing scum

Can't beat this one:

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos...al-highlights/