Good, but reinforcements still needed

Blackett was also part of the build up to rooney and man utd first goal in game with quick pass forward through ball into space. Blackett good on one of ones against fast trickery players.

Van Gaal should have Shaw Rafael Blackett Evans.

players like fletch need to be squad players rather than first team, same with clev imo unless we get another attacking MF and play Herrera and clev with him

sad to say it but we need to see if its worth keeping kags, chicha as we are not in CL

need to be harsh this season, focus on top 4 and then look to strengthen for next season

Cm then Cb. Thats the order of priorities for me. Could live without the CB if we got someone like Vidal (unlikely I realise)

Lingard should play more regularly to. Its great to see the young blood are actually more talented and look more experienced then some senior pros.

comment by SAF_The_Legend-FreePalestine (U5768)
posted 56 seconds ago
Cm then Cb. Thats the order of priorities for me. Could live without the CB if we got someone like Vidal (unlikely I realise)
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Both a priority I think. If you are going to play 3 at the back you need a CB in the middle who is in charge and comfortable on the ball, and has good passing ability. Someone like Rio. Jones, Smalling and Evans aren't going to provide that but any two of them either side of a new CB will be fine.

comment by SAF_The_Legend-FreePalestine (U5768)
posted 2 minutes ago
Cm then Cb. Thats the order of priorities for me. Could live without the CB if we got someone like Vidal (unlikely I realise)
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Think after tonight it outlines the absolute need for 1 if not 2 cbs, we can get by in midfield with what we have, but we cannot afford to have sloppy cbs when playing the way LVG wants us to play!!

If we are going for 3 at the back, then we probably do need a CB just as much. One or two youngsters haven't done too bad and Evans isn't terrible on the ball.

We need a cb because we are short on numbers either way.

The defence has done well on tour, but it's early days. Baring in mind they've never played this system before and with the travelling they've had to do won't have trained as much as they could have, I've been impressed with them all.

In terms of their ability to bring the ball out of defence it's early days. Evans is very good on the ball, but there's still room for improvement that more time on the training pitch and more games can contribute to.

Look at what Rodgers has done with Skrtel. He resembles a footballer after working with Rodgers rather than a wrestler.

So they can improve their use of the ball, something they've done well with anyway, and Liverpool's pressing game in the first half doesn't mean it's a sign of what will happen all next season because very few teams in the prem can, or even do, press like that.

Would still be more confident with a class cb but our defence is nowhere near as bad as some will have you believe.

CM and CB. Should be enough for top four and with a bit of luck, a title challenge.

Vidal and Hummels have been mentioned but failing them, we need alternatives. Blackett, M.Keane back up CBs. James back up to Shaw. Young seems decent at either wing back position. Still prefer Rafael at RWB. Carrick, Fletcher and Cleverley as Back up CMs while new CM partners Herrera.

Anderson, Fellaini, Nani are surplus.
Hernandez and maybe Kagawa should move on for their own sake more than the club's.

Wonder if Lingard, Powell, Lawrence will be given time or sent on loan. Think Wilson will be sent on loan along with W.Keane and Henriquez. One of the keepers, too.

Promote from within for the CB slots and look to shore up midfield.

How will Evans, Jones and Smalling develop if they do not play. Give them till January or even the season to enable us make a proper assessment.

Promote Keane, Blackett, James and Janko. The class of 14