Manchester United FC

(22-09-2014 17:09 )bytor Wrote:  We needed to invest in solid, quality defenders before the summer and we still need to now but I'm hopeful that Shaw, Blind and Rojo will provide some defensive steel for us. Evans is probably our best defender atm but at best ranks as cover for the first team. Smalling just does not cut it at all for me. Saying all this, I still think we will win more than we lose. Liverpool, City and Spurs are having their rocky moments too in losing games you would expect them to win.
I never once thought we would win or even challenge this season but I do want to see improved performances on the pitch and some confidence from the squad.

Trust me Rojo is not a defender...

No I know. He has his limitations but he is better than others we have at the moment-just have to hope its rectified in January.
We were crying out for defenders but the philosophy seems to be you score 2 we'll score 4 but that embarrassingly isn't working at the moment.
How we can dispose of players of the calibre of Vidic and Ferdinand and not replace them with similar quality then look surprised when we concede soft goals baffles me. At this point last season under Moyes we had let in 4 goals. Under Van Gaal 11 have been scored against us. I think he is the right an for the job but he has a task on his hands to get those things right.

As a neutral I have to say the aura has gone from Manchester United.
I suppose it was inevitable that losing Sir Alex was going to take a while to recover from after all he helped create that aura like him or loathe him.
He got out at the right time and the transitional phase has proven very problematical it seems.
The sense of clear structure and leadership suffered a big hit and teams suddenly felt that Old Trafford was not the fortress of years gone by.
Respect for the man at the top is key.
My feeling with Moyes was everyone was just looking at him thinking 'What have you ever won?'.
With Van Gaal I sense he has the respect of the players but not a cohesive unit playing wise.
Too much a team of individuals rather than a effective, intense, functioning unit.
Yesterday was a horror show for them. No wonder Van Gaal had his head in his hands.
It was a giveaway of epic proportions .

I think we have to give the new players and the older players time to gel and get injured players back before judgement is made. Van Gaal himself has said the squad is not right yet. While we rolled over it also has to be said that in this case Leicester deserve some credit for their win and have so far given other teams a decent game.

Although the pen incident was a bad one that was only 3-2. We went 2 up and they scored straight from the kick off that was a route back in straight away. We just need that little bit of luck. Falcao hitting the bar at 2-1, but we lost our way from 3-2.

I still cannot understand why we didn't bolster the defence with more quality in the summer. I can only assume that it was either not available or the price was considered to steep to lure the better defenders.
With all players fully fit we still have a weak defence and with Jones and Evans both missing and new players still finding their feet we must accept the defence will be breached if we continue with an all out attacking philosophy. To be able to play in such a way we need a stable and solid defence from which to launch attacks. Not sure that the answer is Carrick though, playing as a CB if the papers are to be believed. Though he can't be any worse than Smalling.
By playing Mata, Herrera, Rooney, Di Maria, RvP and Falcao we have an unbalanced team that leaves little in the way of defensive support from midfield. Mata is struggling with little pace and gives the ball away far too often and what more needs be said of Rooney. Blind shows some much needed mettle but he cannot be expected to single handedly cover the whole width of the midfield rear behind all these attacking options.
Have to laugh though. The gossip mongers among the press have resuscitated the rumours about Vidal coming In January, and that we are also going to do a deal from Pique (odd as he has only just signed a new 5 year deal with Barca). Strootman is also a near enough done deal according to the Mirror too, even though Roma are saying elsewhere he is not for sale. Oh the excitement as January gets nearer

Carrick as CB would be comfortable with the ball but might be exposed when he's up against physically fit and/or athletic strikers. Blind is good at reading the game but like you said he can't be expected to do all the defensive work himself, from what I've seen Herrera seems to be the only midfielder that is willing to help him out. With so many attacking options, I don't see why Fletcher doesn't start.

Last season the problem was the lack of goals and attacking football, it seems like its the opposite now. Still early in the season but can't make a habit of throwing away two goal leads.

Allegedly a deal has been done with Dani Alves to bring him to United on da free transfer in the summer. We are also supposed to be favourites over Athletico Madrid to sign Galatasary defender Semih Kaya. Could be interesting if true.

Interesting interview on BBC with Moyes. While he doesn't seem to accept any blame for mistakes made last season I do think he has been treated harshly in some sections of the media. He was out of his depth at United for sure but it was the lack of quality and depth that was key to the poor performances. I have said for several seasons that the investment in defence and midfield had been ignored by the United heirarchy. A fact that has now been proven. One of two decent defenders, another central midfielder and I feel we will be moving forward with some real purpose.

Alvez the former Brazillian international who we dropped for Maicon in the summer?

(18-10-2014 12:55 )Fernandez Esperenda Wrote:  Alvez the former Brazillian international who we dropped for Maicon in the summer?

Its just paper talk at the moment. Nothing has been confirmed. Signing a 31 year old is only papering over the defensive cracks anyway though suppose if he's on a free then the costs will just be his wages. Can do a job.