Yesterday's midfield was not good enough.

Originally Posted by thrills_pills_bellyaches

CL final 2008, Stamford Bridge last season and yesterday, we've dominated chelsea in the 1st half gone 1-0 up and then just sat back and let them into it. We could have easily been 2 up at half time

i said the same thing yesterday

all last season we started well then seem to fade in the big games

if we took our chances we would be killing off teams before they had a chance to get back in it

it pains me to say it but is something that arsenal used to do very well when they won stuff

tear teams apart early, get a few goals up and then they could give key players a rest once the job was done

we muller sides without putting the game out of sight sometimes

We definitely need a midfielder. It's a shame if we don't buy one 'cos that will be our down fall this season. The rest of the squad is fine imo. We definitely need to sign a midfielder.

I'm actually starting to think the club are skint and are going to try and get away with it with the fans by not really buying anyone else because we've won the league 3 years on the bounce and got to the CL final 2 years on the bounce. The club know they can get away with it this season with the fans as long as we finish in the top 4.

Anderson wasnt even on the bench. Anybody know why?

The only 'weak link' as it were in midfield yesterday was Park, not in a 'he's so shit, what's he doing in the shirt' way. He's a player in for his work rate & movement, & ability to pin Cole back down the left, which, for me, isn't enough. He doesn't score anywhere near enough for an attacking player at Manchester United, he doesn't create anywhere near enough for a Manchester United player & his first touch isn't anywhere near good enough. All things considered, it makes the team lop-sided from an attacking perspective, if the ball goes to the right, Chelsea never, ever had to double up on him unlike Nani & Evra down the left. As such, he created the sum total of £#%&! all, and he started - inexplicably - playing centre forward for about 20mins of the 2nd half & miscontrolled literally every pass into his feet with his back to goal. Obviously not his strength, so what the £#%&! was he doing there?

I like the lad as a squad player, but I cringe like £#%&! when he starts these Big Games, because we all know he's there to spoil, to 'do a job'. In a 4-4-2, surely you should be providing as much creativity & attacking intent as you should work rate. The basics are missing from his game to be an out & out winger for us, he has all the attributes to do other jobs when the time is right, but I can't help thinking that if we started with Nani & Valencia on the wings, with genuine pace & creativity, we'd of buried Chelsea in the first half. & if we can bury Chelsea, we can do it to every other side in the league as well.

Originally Posted by Gog Coch

Anderson wasnt even on the bench. Anybody know why?

No, but lets speculate and talk shit.

i was happy with united yesterday. Berby is looking better and better everytime i see him and nani looked interested for an hour. Park grew tired and thats when chelsea took over for me and had the better of the second half.

no hargo,vidic, anderson and the second goal was a bit of a joke for them so no need for the doom just yet

Originally Posted by Whalefish

No, but lets speculate and talk shit.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

We definitely need a midfielder. It's a shame if we don't buy one 'cos that will be our down fall this season. The rest of the squad is fine imo. We definitely need to sign a midfielder.

I'm actually starting to think the club are skint and are going to try and get away with it with the fans by not really buying anyone else because we've won the league 3 years on the bounce and got to the CL final 2 years on the bounce. The club know they can get away with it this season with the fans as long as we finish in the top 4.

There really doesn't appear to be anybody to buy, no one on the radar at least.

Originally Posted by dunk

There really doesn't appear to be anybody to buy, no one on the radar at least.

David Silva.

Originally Posted by Whalefish

No, but lets speculate and talk shit.

what, on here???

give your head a wobble whaley

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

David Silva.

I'd be chuffed with him joining, but he isn't going to solve the midfield issues in terms of presence and players willing to graft and put a tackle in.

Originally Posted by dunk

I'd be chuffed with him joining, but he isn't going to solve the midfield issues in terms of presence and players willing to graft and put a tackle in.

I think Fletcher and Anderson can both do that job well, i think we lack a bit of creativity in advanced areas and Silva could solve them.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

I think Fletcher and Anderson can both do that job well, i think we lack a bit of creativity in advanced areas and Silva could solve them.

We do need an attacking midfield option. But the fact we are often out-muscled and out fought in midfield, especially against midfields that are high intensity just points to a lack of authority and power in there for me. We could do with a big unit like Yaya Toure or someone like that. imo.

really wouldn't read too much into yesterday, the game was nowhere near the intensity of a league game other than for a few fleeting moments when Evra was on thw warpath. Thought we were the better side over the 90 depsite some players going missing and others getting quite tired. ref had a shocker and we hit a couple of dodgy pens. hit the ground running on sunday hopefully. why on earth there are international games this week i'll never know.

Originally Posted by Smeggs

really wouldn't read too much into yesterday, the game was nowhere near the intensity of a league game other than for a few fleeting moments when Evra was on thw warpath. Thought we were the better side over the 90 depsite some players going missing and others getting quite tired. ref had a shocker and we hit a couple of dodgy pens. hit the ground running on sunday hopefully. why on earth there are international games this week i'll never know.

Good post!

Originally Posted by Whalefish

No, but lets speculate and talk shit.

Carry on , dont let me stop you.

saf has managed to have us in a position where only our defensive department is adequate.

every other department there are question marks.

and to think we haven't spent any proper money on our defence for years now.

our midfield isn't good enough and we haven't even got a strongest midfield.

our forward line, is quite frankly, poor for a club of our stature.

warm nothing talk is all good now, come november, there will be no where to hide and we will be shown up.

owen and valencia can not fill the tevez/ronaldo void. its as simple as that.

Originally Posted by marlo

saf has managed to have us in a position where only our defensive department is adequate.

every other department there are question marks.

and to think we haven't spent any proper money on our defence for years now.

our midfield isn't good enough and we haven't even got a strongest midfield.

our forward line, is quite frankly, poor for a club of our stature.

warm nothing talk is all good now, come november, there will be no where to hide and we will be shown up.

owen and valencia can not fill the tevez/ronaldo void. its as simple as that.

i dont think he got them to fill the void. We will play differently. This amazing team you talk of got dicked by barca. Fact is times move on and you should stop going on about how shit we are

Originally Posted by plopborsky

i dont think he got them to fill the void. We will play differently. This amazing team you talk of got dicked by barca. Fact is times move on and you should stop going on about how shit we are

Yup, that's what Fergie has said.

Originally Posted by marlo

saf has managed to have us in a position where only our defensive department is adequate.

He also put us in a position where we once finished last in a shit cl group, next season won the league, done it 3 times in a row now as well as reaching 2 cl finals.

He can do what he wants, marlo.