Our Away Form?? Hmmmm

Originally Posted by wonky no

no, not at all.
i don't want to dislike anderson. i have no reason too. thing is for me, he does nothing when we're not in possession, he doesn't tackle anywhere near enough, he's loose with his tracking and marking and he offers nothing in attack.

he does play the simple pass quite well though and he does have his head up but its not enough. not for for me. he's useless in a 442 and that speaks volumes to me.

He's also got a fat arse and is difficult to dispossess. He can turn and run at a team with the ball. He's also demonstrated the ability to create and pull off a cute pass.

I think he needs a run of games. It's the least he deserves.

Writing off young players just seems wrong to me.

Apart from Gibson. Who is £#%&!ing shite.

None of our midfielders go ahead of the ball. Nani put a dipping cross in the first half yesterday and you had Rooney, Giggs and Fletcher in the box, none of whom broke the city back line.
Nani then out a cross in the second half along the ground the front post which Hart gathered easily to the right of centre about 3/4 yards out.

The first thing you teach players with crosses is to attack the front post.
We have no-one joining in from midfield and it's woeful.
A Cahill/Mireiles/Lampard/Scholesofold type player would make this 4-5-1 thing work so much better.

Originally Posted by wonky no

no, not at all.
i don't want to dislike anderson. i have no reason too. thing is for me, he does nothing when we're not in possession, he doesn't tackle anywhere near enough, he's loose with his tracking and marking and he offers nothing in attack.

he does play the simple pass quite well though and he does have his head up but its not enough. not for for me. he's useless in a 442 and that speaks volumes to me.

100% spot on. He was £#%&!ing crap again, yesterday.

Originally Posted by carlosartorial

100% spot on. He was £#%&!ing crap again, yesterday.

(almost) agree

the only thing I rate him for is going 1:1 manmarking a good opponent

did a good job on gerrard a couple of years back

Originally Posted by no fun

(almost) agree

the only thing I rate him for is going 1:1 manmarking a good opponent

did a good job on gerrard a couple of years back

He spend most of the game as a spectator. His best 10 minutes were immediatly prior to getting subbed (after their goal) as City started to make some errors in possession as they took a few more risks.

He's bobbins. Good celebration when we scored though....although not as good as mine, obv.

Originally Posted by carlosartorial

He spend most of the game as a spectator. His best 10 minutes were immediatly prior to getting subbed (after their goal) as City started to make some errors in possession as they took a few more risks.

He's bobbins. Good celebration when we scored though....although not as good as mine, obv.

think I saw you on telly, waving your half n' half scarf

The away form is down to an incapable manager.

Disappointing result & performance again yesterday.
The familiar story is not being able to cope in midfield when we're pressed...& a poor final ball when we do counter attack.
Far too negative & 'European' in our approach..

The list of 'away shame' is a pretty painful read.

Defeats at Liverpool, Arsenal & Chelsea
Goalless draws against City & Spurs.
(just 2 goals scored in the 'big' away games, & one of those was a stoppage time consolation)

Lost at Wolves after being a goal up

0-0 at Sunderland & Newcastle.
1-1 at Birmingham (although we were robbed tbf)
2-2 at Fulham, Bolton & Villa.
3-3 at Everton

Wins at Stoke, West Ham, Wigan, West Brom & Blackpool.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Disappointing result & performance again yesterday.
The familiar story is not being able to cope in midfield when we're pressed...& a poor final ball when we do counter attack.
Far too negative & 'European' in our approach..

The list of 'away shame' is a pretty painful read.

Defeats at Liverpool, Arsenal & Chelsea
Goalless draws against City & Spurs.
(just 2 goals scored in the 'big' away games, & one of those was a stoppage time consolation)

Lost at Wolves after being a goal up

0-0 at Sunderland & Newcastle.
1-1 at Birmingham (although we were robbed tbf)
2-2 at Fulham, Bolton & Villa.
3-3 at Everton

Wins at Stoke, West Ham, Wigan, West Brom & Blackpool.

The rot started at Fulham. Missing a pen and then conceding a late goal. Seemed to filter through the team and then when everton scored 2 in stoppage time it became apparent to everyone that this united team are soft in the middle and easily got at.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Disappointing result & performance again yesterday.
The familiar story is not being able to cope in midfield when we're pressed...& a poor final ball when we do counter attack.
Far too negative & 'European' in our approach..

The list of 'away shame' is a pretty painful read.

Defeats at Liverpool, Arsenal & Chelsea
Goalless draws against City & Spurs.
(just 2 goals scored in the 'big' away games, & one of those was a stoppage time consolation)

Lost at Wolves after being a goal up

0-0 at Sunderland & Newcastle.
1-1 at Birmingham (although we were robbed tbf)
2-2 at Fulham, Bolton & Villa.
3-3 at Everton

Wins at Stoke, West Ham, Wigan, West Brom & Blackpool.

But set a European Cup record by not conceding an away goal. How the £#%&!?

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

But set a European Cup record by not conceding an away goal. How the £#%&!?

Indeed.
It's pretty mad when you look at it like that

I guess the conclusion is that in Europe the pace is slower & we aren't pressed as much in possession

Originally Posted by Sparky***

The rot started at Fulham. Missing a pen and then conceding a late goal. Seemed to filter through the team and then when everton scored 2 in stoppage time it became apparent to everyone that this united team are soft in the middle and easily got at.

agreed.

so frustrating

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Indeed.
It's pretty mad when you look at it like that

I guess the conclusion is that in Europe the pace is slower & we aren't pressed as much in possession

Also in European football aggressive pressing is something that has to be done correctly. In the premier league any old johnny clogger can steam up and down the pitch booting your best players up in the air and get away with it, much to the amusement of the home crowd.

In europe, players are sent off for that. Take Ramires's red card at old trafford as a perfect example. He'd have probably gotten away with that in a league game. Especially at stamford bridge.

Also, the european refs aren't aware or subjected to the hysterical media campaign that follows every favourable decision united get. They aren't afraid to give us free kicks or penalties away from home because they won't be destroyed by their own media for doing so.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Also in European football aggressive pressing is something that has to be done correctly. In the premier league any old johnny clogger can steam up and down the pitch booting your best players up in the air and get away with it, much to the amusement of the home crowd.

In europe, players are sent off for that. Take Ramires's red card at old trafford as a perfect example. He'd have probably gotten away with that in a league game. Especially at stamford bridge.

Also, the european refs aren't aware or subjected to the hysterical media campaign that follows every favourable decision united get. They aren't afraid to give us free kicks or penalties away from home because they won't be destroyed by their own media for doing so.

exactly right.

our away form in the league has been woeful however. our flimsy, one paced midfield gets shown up away from home.

I cannot think straight atm. I dont even care about midweek. Next Sunday has my stomach churning ffs

Originally Posted by Part 36 Offer

exactly right.

our away form in the league has been woeful however. our flimsy, one paced midfield gets shown up away from home.

I cannot think straight atm. I dont even care about midweek. Next Sunday has my stomach churning ffs

We all knew our midfield was flimsy as £#%&! before the season started mate unfortunately.

If we implode now, it will be the worst since 1992 imho. At least then that team had a genuine reason for running out of steam, playing 4 games in 8 days. This team has woefully underperformed away from home and in crunch big games.

Like I've said before far to many "johnny do-a-job's" in the squad and not enough quality.

Top 4 or 5 vs the top 4 or 5 - how many teams have gone away to a big rival and turned them over?

Home form will decide this title imho.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Also in European football aggressive pressing is something that has to be done correctly. In the premier league any old johnny clogger can steam up and down the pitch booting your best players up in the air and get away with it, much to the amusement of the home crowd.

In europe, players are sent off for that. Take Ramires's red card at old trafford as a perfect example. He'd have probably gotten away with that in a league game. Especially at stamford bridge.

Also, the european refs aren't aware or subjected to the hysterical media campaign that follows every favourable decision united get. They aren't afraid to give us free kicks or penalties away from home because they won't be destroyed by their own media for doing so.

Pretty sure TalkSport have mentioned Rooney's "elbow" at Wigan EVERY DAY since

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Also in European football aggressive pressing is something that has to be done correctly. In the premier league any old johnny clogger can steam up and down the pitch booting your best players up in the air and get away with it, much to the amusement of the home crowd.

In europe, players are sent off for that. Take Ramires's red card at old trafford as a perfect example. He'd have probably gotten away with that in a league game. Especially at stamford bridge.

Also, the european refs aren't aware or subjected to the hysterical media campaign that follows every favourable decision united get. They aren't afraid to give us free kicks or penalties away from home because they won't be destroyed by their own media for doing so.

Spot £#%&!ing on Sparky.

About 15 minutes in to the QF first leg Ashley Cole look bemused at the fact he was getting pulled up for shit he constantly gets away with against us. Not talking big game changing shit but the constant niggling and cynical shit they do
and is part of their make up.

If we want to get owt Sunday we need a proper ref. Oh £#%&!ing hell.

"weak midfield". "symptomatic of the season". blah blah blahbaddy £#%&!ing blah.

united were short of numbers in midfield yesterday was the first problem. on the goal park didn't track his man was the second. ferguson said this was because he wasn't given the instructions quickly enough, so motwyw.

the ramsay goal was probably arsenal's first real chance to score. they didn't get at the back four much, especially through the centre, and hardly got at eddy at all. united have managed just 1 goal in the last 3 league games.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

"weak midfield". "symptomatic of the season". blah blah blahbaddy £#%&!ing blah.

united were short of numbers in midfield yesterday was the first problem. on the goal park didn't track his man was the second. ferguson said this was because he wasn't given the instructions quickly enough, so motwyw.

the ramsay goal was probably arsenal's first real chance to score. they didn't get at the back four much, especially through the centre, and hardly got at eddy at all. united have managed just 1 goal in the last 3 league games.

Throb, we've been short of quality in the centre of midfield for huge parts of this season.Again, we were crying out for someone to get hold of the game and create something out of nowt - but there was £#%&! all.Look at that @#%&! Lampard, anonymous for 99% of the game vs Spurs but turns the game with a speculative effort (yes, I know, it wasn't in) but at least he's getting a shot on target.The lack of goals from our midfield this season (wingers apart) has been woeful for a club like ours.

It's undeniable and it's been an accident waiting to happen since at least the summer.