Andre Onana

Originally Posted by Ethers

We’ve noticed pal.

Originally Posted by marlo

leave them...

personally this window has been a mess. could be really mad for us when we are conceding and not scoring.

Then it’s getting even better 👍

Originally Posted by 20LEgend1999

Yup, can see us conceding 7 against Liverpool and 6 against City if we keep this up...

Ffs

Originally Posted by 20LEgend1999

Yup, can see us conceding 7 against Liverpool and 6 against City if we keep this up...

Think you ignored or missed my point.

We also had the (joint) 3rd best defensive record in the league last season.. but lolz

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

Think you ignored or missed my point.

We also had the (joint) 3rd best defensive record in the league last season.. but lolz

De Gea may have pulled the odd worldie save out of the bag to keep us in games, but far too often he brought on too much pressure with his pathetic distribution and we’d have no control of games

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

Think you ignored or missed my point.

We also had the (joint) 3rd best defensive record in the league last season.. but lolz

Probably has something do with Maguire being dropped for the majority of the season, Martinez and Varane being a dream centre back pairing, and Luke Shaw and Lindelof acting as more than adequate back ups when required.

I reckon our defensive record will be just as good, if not better this season, with the added benefit of having a keeper who can actually pass well under pressure, which will compliment the style of play Erik obviously wants from us.

Originally Posted by silv

De Gea may have pulled the odd worldie save out of the bag to keep us in games, but far too often he brought on too much pressure with his pathetic distribution and we’d have no control of games

With playing out from the back it’s not just the goalkeeper that has to be on board, you need confidence throughout the back 4. It seems like a high risk way to open up opposition up with the squad we have at the moment.

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

With playing out from the back it’s not just the goalkeeper that has to be on board, you need confidence throughout the back 4. It seems like a high risk way to open up opposition up with the squad we have at the moment.

martinez and varane hopefully are up to the challenge

We have some of the best ball playing defenders in the league, so tbh that seems a strange thing to worry about

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

With playing out from the back it’s not just the goalkeeper that has to be on board, you need confidence throughout the back 4. It seems like a high risk way to open up opposition up with the squad we have at the moment.

The problem with playing out from the back literally was de Gea though. The centre backs were more than capable, so much so that we had Martinez taking goal kicks last season instead of Dave.

I’m very interested in seeing where de Gea ends up btw.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

The problem with playing out from the back literally was de Gea though. The centre backs were more than capable, so much so that we had Martinez taking goal kicks last season instead of Dave.

Varane is injury prone so then you’re looking at Lindelof.. or Maguire.

Last night was probably an extreme example of a team taking us on from the back. They were European champions 2 seasons ago.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

The problem with playing out from the back literally was de Gea though. The centre backs were more than capable, so much so that we had Martinez taking goal kicks last season instead of Dave.

I’m very interested in seeing where de Gea ends up btw.

the goal kick thing constantly boiled my piss

you’ve got this whispy beard stick insect in goal that can’t even take a goal kick. hardly worried the opposition

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

Varane is injury prone so then you’re looking at Lindelof.. or Maguire.

Last night was probably an extreme example of a team taking us on from the back. They were European champions 2 seasons ago.

Lindelof is decent at playing out from the back. I’d argue it’s one of his strong points. Shaw was also above Maguire in the pecking order and again, played out from the back very well when called upon last season.

I’m not even one of de Gea’s biggest haters - he made some great saves but he has definitely lost consistency over the past couple of seasons and I’d say it’s pretty undeniable that his lack of composure with the ball at his feet led to pressure being piled on non-stop during several games. He just wasn’t the right keeper for the way Erik wants us playing.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Apologies if posted elsewhere but watching DDG and Harry do some of the below would make me very nervous indeed.

https://twitter.com/cantona_collars/...n2KM8_MGvd9NWg

If he wanders out like that in the prem, he will get caught out. Reminding me of Fabian Barthez - loved him but he was a bond villain (Donald Pleasant)

Originally Posted by Ethers

We have some of the best ball playing defenders in the league, so tbh that seems a strange thing to worry about

Not a worry, a slight concern that may be quashed.

If a defender does lose the ball.. it’s usually a chance on goal. As mentioned, it can be a risky way to play.

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

Not a worry, a slight concern that may be quashed.

If a defender does lose the ball.. it’s usually a chance on goal. As mentioned, it can be a risky way to play.

It is, but I don’t believe it’s coincidence that almost every top team plays that way (to differing extents).

Not a huge fan of statistics in football, but I would imagine that people far smarter than me have worked out that over a period of time, and with the right personnel, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. In poker terms, it has a positive expected value.

Would say that in general with these things, it pays to be ahead of the curve. Does feel like we’re pretty late to the party with this one, and as with anything, teams will gradually get better and better at countering against it, and it will become less effective. Hopefully that’s a while off yet though

Originally Posted by NedKelly

He just wasn’t the right keeper for the way Erik wants us playing.

And that's pretty much the clincher isn't it.

Getting a bit hung up on the playing out from the back imo. What this fella does is allow us to mix it, play out from the back if we can, or hit the flanks accurately and consistently; maybe even into a number 9 if we ever get one.

It’ll be making the decision when to do one or the other, then being able to do it competently that will be the difference. With he who shall be named no more, we had to play short regardless because anything long lost possession, this enabled oppositions to squeeze us in and just wait for the inevitable £#%&! up. Actually being confident in going short or long will hamper the oppositions ability to stop either and give us more space and less pressure. Imo.

Originally Posted by ryanMUFC

With playing out from the back it’s not just the goalkeeper that has to be on board, you need confidence throughout the back 4. It seems like a high risk way to open up opposition up with the squad we have at the moment.

It doesn't work and often turned into a disaster whenever it was De Gea to Maguire - horrendous stuff.

There were times where we actually looked like we could play out from the back when the ball was going to Martinez and Varane though. With a better keeper, who's obviously 100% better than De Gea with his feet, I'm not sure how it's particularly high risk for us.

De Gea can make the coolest of players look flustered.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

It doesn't work and often turned into a disaster whenever it was De Gea to Maguire - horrendous stuff.

There were times where we actually looked like we could play out from the back when the ball was going to Martinez and Varane though. With a better keeper, who's obviously 100% better than De Gea with his feet, I'm not sure how it's particularly high risk for us.

De Gea can make the coolest of players look flustered.

And better midfielders. Playing the ball to Fred in that deep position as he’s getting pressed is a recipe for disaster.

We’re rapidly reducing the players in the squad who aren’t comfortable on the ball in tight areas.

We’ve gone from De Gea, Maguire, Fred and The Scottish Player being front and centre to people picking holes in Varane’s distribution. If he’s the biggest problem on the ball then we don’t have a problem.