*Official* Fulham v United Match Thread. Teams & post match rucks

Who cares MJ, it's better if our lads don't play international friendlies. £#%&! the begrudgers. As for Terry, I don't think there's a single Fredster who wouldn't agree.

Great to get the points today, that was the kind of scrap we had been making a meal of in recent times but we didn't today. £#%&!ing delighted.

Originally Posted by Coracao

Ramone doesn't do sense pal.

Bit harsh that, tbh - when he stays off his mancrush, anyway

Only kidding, MJ ;-)

It's a tough one that, extra days rest after the internationals or extra days rest before Madrid..

They could've at least made it an early kick off I suppose

http://youtu.be/3qgW-gXvWz8

Originally Posted by dunk

It's a tough one that, extra days rest after the internationals or extra days rest before Madrid..

They could've at least made it an early kick off I suppose

these Rooney goal runs usually last for about 8 or 9 games til he goes off the boil again so it should be the ideal time to let RvP recharge the batteries a bit. the near fully fit defence at least gives Fergie the chance to manage the situation this season though so...

Originally had the Real game been drawn to be played on the Tuesday 12th, us vs Everton would have been moved to the Saturday lunchtime (swap with Spurs/Newcastle)

FWIW Real play next Saturday against Sevilla at 10pm their time.

Originally Posted by thrills_pills_bellyaches

Why the lights went out at The Cottage. - YouTube

Originally Posted by Mr Castro

Originally had the Real game been drawn to be played on the Tuesday 12th, us vs Everton would have been moved to the Saturday lunchtime (swap with Spurs/Newcastle)

FWIW Real play next Saturday against Sevilla at 10pm their time.

it's a clear advantage to them

they should have the advantage as the home side obviously, but the TV contract in this country is a £#%&!ing joke, and this situation crops up over and over again as a result.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

That's the spirit, pol

At this stage of the season, a win is a win :cool:

Agreed. Not the best performance but will take a 1-0 all day long.

Hope liverpool do us a favour. Anyone trying to be a 'top red' saying they dont want liverpool to win needs to give their head a wobble

Originally Posted by barca99

Agreed. Not the best performance but will take a 1-0 all day long.

Hope liverpool do us a favour. Anyone trying to be a 'top red' saying they dont want liverpool to win needs to give their head a wobble

I don't want Liverpool to win. I think 7pts is a healthy lead at this stage. I'm happy United can carry on about their business and I hope that the final table will also show that Liverpool have once again failed to qualify for the CL.

Originally Posted by barca99

Luckily (for me) it doesnt upset me so you can put them away, please.

Shame.

I wouldn't want either Citeh or the Verm to win a raffle let alone a football game. I hope they both £#%&!ing lose today

Originally Posted by Billy Bigbollox

I wouldn't want either Citeh or the Verm to win a raffle let alone a football game. I hope they both £#%&!ing lose today

yhgr

ten in ten for big Wazza now

he was great yesterday unlucky not to get a hat-trick coming to the boil at just the right time, big win and good to see big Johnny back in defence was probably MOM ...(cue Jem)

still not sure how we didn't get a penalty for the foul on RVP in the first half

have defended Valencia but that performance yesterday:shakehead: we need Young back for the Madrid games

should £#%&! Valencia off in the summer unless there is a big improvement

Originally Posted by £#%&! KFC

have defended Valencia but that performance yesterday:shakehead: we need Young back for the Madrid games

should £#%&! Valencia off in the summer unless there is a big improvement

He had a crossing opportunity in the first half last night, plenty of space and time to line it up. The movement was not great in the box to be fair to him, 3 players all made a run to the back post but at least he had bodies to aim at. Ends up scuffing the ball low to the edge of the box, one of the worst attempted crosses you are ever likely to see.

But he has not shown any craft in his delivery all season, just hitting as hard as possible low across the box, or pulling it back to the edge. It is all percentage balls, almost as if I imagined the way that he used to shape balls in in his first season. Technically it is awful in that aspect of his game.

However I thought the first 20 mins of the second half was the most assertive he has been in a very long time, clearly looked as if he had a %@#$&!ing, deserved it of course, up against Riise and did not look to take him on at all in the first half.

His great form in the second half of last season was with Utd playing a fairly limited style, Scholes pinging him the ball at every chance, did not have to come out of his comfort zone, could just stay wide and do his thing. More variety in the play this year and he lacks the flexibility to work in that style.

Looks an even better result now

Valencia has 15 starts and 3 sub apps in a team with 20 wins from 25

the only thing he lacks is confidence



fwiw United's style is all about inswinging crosses and low flat balls either drilled across the box or pulled back. It's not just Valencia, it's off both sides. The RvP opener against Liverpool was a prime example. The truth is that Valencia tore the right side apart in his first season and ever since then he's been given special attention by the opposition. Getting it out to him early was a solution last season, whereas this season the solution has been to let him draw markers away from the centre. Yes he's £#%&!ed up a lot of crossing opportunities, but then against that you need to recognise that United are the highest scorers in the league.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

He had a crossing opportunity in the first half last night, plenty of space and time to line it up. The movement was not great in the box to be fair to him, 3 players all made a run to the back post but at least he had bodies to aim at. Ends up scuffing the ball low to the edge of the box, one of the worst attempted crosses you are ever likely to see.

But he has not shown any craft in his delivery all season, just hitting as hard as possible low across the box, or pulling it back to the edge. It is all percentage balls, almost as if I imagined the way that he used to shape balls in in his first season. Technically it is awful in that aspect of his game.

However I thought the first 20 mins of the second half was the most assertive he has been in a very long time, clearly looked as if he had a %@#$&!ing, deserved it of course, up against Riise and did not look to take him on at all in the first half.

His great form in the second half of last season was with Utd playing a fairly limited style, Scholes pinging him the ball at every chance, did not have to come out of his comfort zone, could just stay wide and do his thing. More variety in the play this year and he lacks the flexibility to work in that style.

I think that's exactly the reason Valencia is looking as poor as he is. The way Scholes passed the ball, the defender was often taken out of play, all Valencia had to do was whip in a cross. Now he has to beat a man with the ball at his feet, all he has is knock it past and hopefully barge that player out of his way!

United assists for the last 2 seasons:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/a...league?cc=5739

Last season United had 4 players on the main list with a total of 38 assists

This season so far there are 5 or 6 players (including Evra) on the main list, but the total is still 26 so far - basically 1 per game

Assist stats aren't particularly worthwhile, of course.

We have a world class centre forward playing right up front every game and as a result we have far more effective options in terms of point of attack. Assists have been spread out down both sides and through the centre as a result. It's nothing to do with individual limitations and everything to d o with the improved strength of the collective.