Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:14 pm  

Judging by tonight's game United will struggle in the Europa League as well. Look at the midfield they had tonight, it's absolutely terrible. They are fine at the back, I'm sure 99% of their troubles come from their lack of a midfield despite De Gea's mistakes.

Park, Jones, Giggs. What kind of midfield is that in a Champions League game? No matter who you come across in that competition, you can bet they will be tactically disciplined and work very hard. Basel tonight were absolutely perfect for 89 minutes. Pack the middle of the field, let them have it wide. They know United didn't have anyone capable of troubling them from headers with only Young, Nani and Rooney in advanced positions. So they just defended very narrow and it was very comfortable for them for most of the game. Nani had a field day against the fullback, but it didn't matter as it would have taken remarkable luck to get the ball through to the front men.

Ferguson is getting like Wenger now in his stubbornness. Going into the season without any real central midfielders was a horrendous mistake. With the quality they have at the back (When fit), wide and up front, they didn't need a Sneijder. They didn't need to catch Barcelona, they'd need 7 or 8 players to do that. They just needed an established midfielder or two. There are tons about and they wouldn't have needed to break the bank for them either.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:19 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Judging by tonight's game United will struggle in the Europa League as well. Look at the midfield they had tonight, it's absolutely terrible. They are fine at the back, I'm sure 99% of their troubles come from their lack of a midfield despite De Gea's mistakes.

Park, Jones, Giggs. What kind of midfield is that in a Champions League game? No matter who you come across in that competition, you can bet they will be tactically disciplined and work very hard. Basel tonight were absolutely perfect for 89 minutes. Pack the middle of the field, let them have it wide. They know United didn't have anyone capable of troubling them from headers with only Young, Nani and Rooney in advanced positions. So they just defended very narrow and it was very comfortable for them for most of the game. Nani had a field day against the fullback, but it didn't matter as it would have taken remarkable luck to get the ball through to the front men.

Ferguson is getting like Wenger now in his stubbornness. Going into the season without any real central midfielders was a horrendous mistake. With the quality they have at the back (When fit), wide and up front, they didn't need a Sneijder. They didn't need to catch Barcelona, they'd need 7 or 8 players to do that. They just needed an established midfielder or two. There are tons about and they wouldn't have needed to break the bank for them either.

His interest in Rodwell will surely be renewed in January???....

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:20 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Judging by tonight's game United will struggle in the Europa League as well. Look at the midfield they had tonight, it's absolutely terrible. They are fine at the back, I'm sure 99% of their troubles come from their lack of a midfield despite De Gea's mistakes.

Park, Jones, Giggs. What kind of midfield is that in a Champions League game? No matter who you come across in that competition, you can bet they will be tactically disciplined and work very hard. Basel tonight were absolutely perfect for 89 minutes. Pack the middle of the field, let them have it wide. They know United didn't have anyone capable of troubling them from headers with only Young, Nani and Rooney in advanced positions. So they just defended very narrow and it was very comfortable for them for most of the game. Nani had a field day against the fullback, but it didn't matter as it would have taken remarkable luck to get the ball through to the front men.

Ferguson is getting like Wenger now in his stubbornness. Going into the season without any real central midfielders was a horrendous mistake. With the quality they have at the back (When fit), wide and up front, they didn't need a Sneijder. They didn't need to catch Barcelona, they'd need 7 or 8 players to do that. They just needed an established midfielder or two. There are tons about and they wouldn't have needed to break the bank for them either.

the midfield has needed work for years, as has been mentioned for years too.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:22 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

His interest in Rodwell will surely be renewed in January???....

probably 'no value' in january, cant be any excuses for not getting out of that group,

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:27 pm  

flipper wrote:

probably 'no value' in january, cant be any excuses for not getting out of that group,

He's going to have to do something??.....Possible that the League will be your only hope (forgetting the pointless Europe distraction) and United will have to strengthen if they hope to claw City back.

Or will United's fans accept a season of failure in mid-January, and wait until summer to make some signings?

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:28 pm  

Funniest thing is Citeh going out. I knew Mancini struggled at the highest level, but this is a new low. I don't care how long this Citeh team has played together, it's absolutely p*ss funny seeing all these players who 'want to win things' flop. Lovely stuff.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:34 pm  

How bad must Man United be to lose to a herb?

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Wed Dec 07, 2011 11:27 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

Funniest thing is Citeh going out. I knew Mancini struggled at the highest level, but this is a new low. I don't care how long this Citeh team has played together, it's absolutely p*ss funny seeing all these players who 'want to win things' flop. Lovely stuff.

I'm just disappointed Lescott got to play this long in the CL but cracking that they've gone out. None of them went there for the money but to win things

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

His interest in Rodwell will surely be renewed in January???....

Nah, possibly the summer but not January. Moyes wouldn't sell someone like in Jan, probably not at all unless they put big, big money across.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:13 am  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

Would it be fair to say that any other manager at a club with the stature and expectation that United has, would be looking at the sack in the morning?

Average start in the league, hammered by your neighbours at home, out of the League Cup at home to a Championship side, and now humiliated in Europe.....In all honesty, he would be gone anywhere else.

One of our best ever starts in the league, might be our best actually. Well made up though. 5 points better off than last year at the same stage. Going out the CL is a disaster but we will regroup and have a crack at the league and FA cup.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:24 am  

Whatever happens at Utd between now and next summer, the cracks are obvious and a serious rebuild will be required for next season. it will be intersting to see who Fergie will aim for in midfield as this is clearly where the problem lies. At present money rates Utd will have to spend at least 100 million to close the gap on Barcelona.