Manchester United's Team Preperation

Wasn't sure what to name this thread, but it follows directly from a post from Sandman in the Leighton Baines thread,

http://www.utdforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=724

Specifically; Coaching staff want to keep 4 attackers on half way line when defending a corner...Management team reluctant to take risks..Last season they experimented with keeping two on half way line

Granted it's from Twitter and could be/is bollox, but
it also raises the question of who is our coaching team, who exactly aside from Froggy would our management team consist of? Rene and Phelan?

How much input and influence do the coaching team have on tactics?

Was our start to last season- exciting, open, risky football a product of the coaching team tactics?
Did Ferguson then decide to change the way we play to become more solid/boring and ultimately less risky in dropping points?

Finally, I see our pre season is taking us on a trip around the world. Of course it's about money,
but it worries me that despite our increasing injury lists,
we continue to ferry our players to play pointless games
when the emphasis should be on optimising conditioning for the upcoming season and ironing out niggly injuries.

Might also be interesting if people could dig out stories about United's youth coaches, scouts or medical staff!

Cleverley and Anderson. started beautifully last season

Originally Posted by Barcabal

Cleverley and Anderson. started beautifully last season

both dead by the end of it

there is a god

Originally Posted by Barcabal

Cleverley and Anderson. started beautifully last season

They did, in fact it was entertaining, exciting and effective

Originally Posted by waynes ear's

both dead by the end of it

Both dead by mid season wasn't it ... such a shame

Originally Posted by waynes ear's

there is a god

I see that Stoney has had a word then

half the squad will be dead by the end of the pre season tour. we'll have to start the premier league campaign with scholes as a centre half and bobby charlton as right back.

Originally Posted by tetrisblock

Specifically; Coaching staff want to keep 4 attackers on half way line when defending a corner...Management team reluctant to take risks..Last season they experimented with keeping two on half way line

i wish they'd experiment with playing some midfielders in midfield, not 40 year old wingers and dogshit korean man-children.

To be fair, with the olympics and euros going on i'm not even sure how many of our players will be doing both South Africa AND china.

So not too worried really, should be good opportunities for the kids.

Only a couple of games in SA and one in china anyway over 3 weeks, hardly gonna wreck professional athletes who have been sitting on their arses for 2 months.

I heard it was 6 players not 4. They reckon Smalling has more chance of running under the ball if there's less team-mates for him to get in the way of.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

I heard it was 6 players not 4. They reckon Smalling has more chance of running under the ball if there's less team-mates for him to get in the way of.

Let it go ffs. The kid has made one major mistake in 2 seasons. Look elsewhere for scapegoats not Smalling!

i'm sure we have an idea how to win the league

Originally Posted by wonky no

i'm sure we have an idea how to win the league

I'm sure we have...but I'd be surprised if there wasn't a knock-on effect from last season tbh , One way or another it'll be a big factor next season.

We had an 8pt lead with 6 games left. It was an unparalleled £#%&!-up..the biggest collapse in top flight history.
I don't think it'll effect the players too badly. They've probably forgotten about it already ..but worryingly Fergie might be more cautious than ever..& that's a terrifying thought.
Our team sheet at Anfield last season was a cowardly disgrace. I'm expecting more of the same.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

I'm sure we have...but I'd be surprised if there wasn't a knock-on effect from last season tbh , One way or another it'll be a big factor next season.

We had an 8pt lead with 6 games left. It was an unparalleled £#%&!-up..the biggest collapse in top flight history.
I don't think it'll effect the players too badly. They've probably forgotten about it already ..but worryingly Fergie might be more cautious than ever..& that's a terrifying thought.
Our team sheet at Anfield last season was a cowardly disgrace. I'm expecting more of the same.

knowing fergie, the only thing on his mind will be "goal difference, goal difference, goal difference, goal difference, goal difference" eating away at him. He'll completely ignore the god awful performances in big games right through the season and focus on buying 'steady eddies' for defence.

Originally Posted by redrose

Let it go ffs. The kid has made one major mistake in 2 seasons. Look elsewhere for scapegoats not Smalling!

The Smalling mistake at City needs to be remembered mostly because, contrary to popular belief, that's how close United were to being league champions yet again, and fully deserving champions too. It's not about scapegoating Smalling at all...

Smalling has done well most of the time and his progression has been remarkable since turning pro, but he was exposed at times last season, not just in that incident. For example, Rooney may have missed an open goal from 3yds out in Basel, but what the £#%&! was Smalling doing for their winner?

I'd question the bloke's belief, self-confidence and composure more than his ability though. I think he has flaws that probably can't be coached out of him to be honest, and they're the type of flaws that will prove very costly at the highest level - will continue to prove costly at the highest level.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

The Smalling mistake at City needs to be remembered mostly because, contrary to popular belief, that's how close United were to being league champions yet again, and fully deserving champions too. It's not about scapegoating Smalling at all...

Smalling has done well most of the time and his progression has been remarkable since turning pro, but he was exposed at times last season, not just in that incident. For example, Rooney may have missed an open goal from 3yds out in Basel, but what the £#%&! was Smalling doing for their winner?

I'd question the bloke's belief, self-confidence and composure more than his ability though. I think he has flaws that probably can't be coached out of him to be honest, and they're the type of flaws that will prove very costly at the highest level - will continue to prove costly at the highest level.

Jonny Evans.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

The Smalling mistake at City needs to be remembered mostly because, contrary to popular belief, that's how close United were to being league champions yet again, and fully deserving champions too. It's not about scapegoating Smalling at all...

Smalling has done well most of the time and his progression has been remarkable since turning pro, but he was exposed at times last season, not just in that incident. For example, Rooney may have missed an open goal from 3yds out in Basel, but what the £#%&! was Smalling doing for their winner?

I'd question the bloke's belief, self-confidence and composure more than his ability though. I think he has flaws that probably can't be coached out of him to be honest, and they're the type of flaws that will prove very costly at the highest level - will continue to prove costly at the highest level.

Normally agree with you on a lot of things but that's a load of %@#$&!s. Smalling was probably our best player that night, yes Kompany beat him in the air but £#%&! me, give the lad a break. He's gonna be £#%&!ing class.

Originally Posted by dragflick

Normally agree with you on a lot of things but that's a load of %@#$&!s. Smalling was probably our best player that night, yes Kompany beat him in the air but £#%&! me, give the lad a break. He's gonna be £#%&!ing class.

Hang on a minute, so you're saying that Smalling didn't £#%&! up for the goal? That it's a load of %@#$&!s that he got caught under the ball?

Kompany didn't beat him in the air, he had a completely free header.

anyway, whatever and fwiw I was hoping that Smalling may develop into a real contender as United's ball-playing centreback. Sometimes he looks superb playing out from the back with real intent and the class to draw challenges and move the ball on to exploit the spaces.

some of his panicked clearances and positional errors towards the end of the season betrayed real concerns about his temperament though for me. Shame really, and hope he can overcome it.

in his favour it has to be said that while he was involved in the shambles against City at OT and also the Bilbao farce he wasn't part of any of the other games where United shipped goals for fun - Everton, Chelsea, Basel at home, Benfica, Blackburn, Newcastle...

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

anyway, whatever and fwiw I was hoping that Smalling may develop into a real contender as United's ball-playing centreback. Sometimes he looks superb playing out from the back with real intent and the class to draw challenges and move the ball on to exploit the spaces.

some of his panicked clearances and positional errors towards the end of the season betrayed real concerns about his temperament though for me. Shame really, and hope he can overcome it.

in his favour it has to be said that while he was involved in the shambles against City at OT and also the Bilbao farce he wasn't part of any of the other games where United shipped goals for fun - Everton, Chelsea, Basel at home, Benfica, Blackburn, Newcastle...

I can see your viewpoint but don't completely agree that he makes alot of errors, I feel alot of his mistakes are down to inexperience, but unlike the twins he has shown a capacity to learn from them!

Again though, is this down to a lack of foresight on the training ground?

Take what Neville has said about our approach to the semi-final against Barcelona all those years ago. We had a coherent plan, better players also, but we could all see what we were trying to do.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...Barcelona.html

Compare that to our crucial game at city, not a shot on goal, Giggs, Scholes in midfield, along with Park who having only started one game in the previous 3 months was expected to shackle the Leagues most dynamic midfielder in Yaya Toure, while also supposed to be supporting the attack. A farce of a decision!

Last season we relied on Valencia beating his man, crossing it in for Rooney.
Hernandez being started up front on his own in some games, when he patently is not suited for this role.
De Gea being messed around early in the season, yes he made mistakes but he's twenty and had Lindegarden not got injured we may not have seen De Gea for a season or two!

Originally Posted by tetrisblock

I can see your viewpoint but don't completely agree that he makes alot of errors, I feel alot of his mistakes are down to inexperience, but unlike the twins he has shown a capacity to learn from them!

Again though, is this down to a lack of foresight on the training ground?

Take what Neville has said about our approach to the semi-final against Barcelona all those years ago. We had a coherent plan, better players also, but we could all see what we were trying to do.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...Barcelona.html

Compare that to our crucial game at city, not a shot on goal, Giggs, Scholes in midfield, along with Park who having only started one game in the previous 3 months was expected to shackle the Leagues most dynamic midfielder in Yaya Toure, while also supposed to be supporting the attack. A farce of a decision!

Last season we relied on Valencia beating his man, crossing it in for Rooney.
Hernandez being started up front on his own in some games, when he patently is not suited for this role.
De Gea being messed around early in the season, yes he made mistakes but he's twenty and had Lindegarden not got injured we may not have seen De Gea for a season or two!

There were a lot of those last Season.

Scholes & Giggs should have retired this summer. We need to move on. Take Fergie's security blanket away.

There have been no concrete links to a midfield player which is £#%&!ing outrageous.
I bet Kagawa can't wait to play in a midfield 2 or as an out & out left winger.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

I bet Kagawa can't wait to play in a midfield 2 or as an out & out left winger.