Berbaking
Don't forget our first two goals against Chelsea and our first two goals against City.
4 great counter attacking goals and this season
ok sure, but they are few and far between, i think it's fair to say.
Berba
Fair, but there's no coincidence they were against teams that attacked us.
Too many teams come to OT now and just sit back and try and lose by as little as possible.
I agree that our style of play has been nothing special for years. I've no problem with results but our play has not been that exciting for a long time which is why neutrals talk about this team as being inferior to United teams of old. That view is not born out of results, clearly, so it has to be down to our style of play.
Also, people say we are in transition but a lot of fans have been saying that since 2008. Even today alone people are talking about Nani and Ando fulfilling their potential but they are 26 and 25 years old respectively....That is not that young to consider this team "in transition" (Ando will be 25 in about 3 weeks, fyi). In fact, the only youngsters in our first 11 are Rafael and Cleverley imo. The rest are still squad players.
As Red Russian says, we may be partly in tactical transition but even that is probably nearly always the case as SAF looks to get the best out of the players he has at his disposal.
RedMisty
You're forgetting De Gea, Welbeck, Kagawa and RVP.
You don't have to be young to be in transition. The 4 aforementioned players are all fairly new to the side.
I think that next season Welbeck, Jones and Cleverley will be energised by their games against Madrid and will have more confidence in the big games in the league.
De Gea is getting more assured and RVP and Kagawa will know how this United team plays more so than this season.
I accept that I missed out De Gea - definitely a youngster in our first 11.
I don't accept the others though. It is too early to tell what impact Kagawa will have, or whether he will even be first choice at the club (though I do rate him highly and expect him to improve).
Welbeck is youngster and I don't consider him part of the first 11 yet despite playing in some big games. I'll count him as first 11 when he plays consistently in his best position ahead of Roo or RVP, for example (or establishes himself permanently as a winger).
RVP may be new to the club but that is not a basis for being "in transition" imo. He is a world class forward already and clearly did not take long to adapt. Certainly berbatov was expected to contribute immediately - and was quite savagely criticised for his first season at the club. RVP was signed as a 29 year old for big money because he was expected to slot straight into the team - not so that he could grow into the team in his 30s!!
RVP may be new to the club but that is not a basis for being "in transition" imo. He is a world class forward already and clearly did not take long to adapt. Certainly berbatov was expected to contribute immediately - and was quite savagely criticised for his first season at the club. RVP was signed as a 29 year old for big money because he was expected to slot straight into the team - not so that he could grow into the team in his 30s!!
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I didn't mean that RVP would need time to get settled into the side as he's obviously done very well but I meant that as he's a different type of striker than we've had in the side over the past few seasons the rest of our team would have to work out how to accommodate him.
He's done well but once our wingers (and Rooney) know his movements more then he'll really explode IMO.
The quality of our performances this season have been linked to the quality of the midfield two. To improve next season, we need stronger midfield backups.
Could do with a new winger as well.
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Why we'll be more exciting next season.
Page 4 of 4
posted on 18/3/13
Berbaking
Don't forget our first two goals against Chelsea and our first two goals against City.
4 great counter attacking goals and this season
posted on 18/3/13
ok sure, but they are few and far between, i think it's fair to say.
posted on 18/3/13
Berba
Fair, but there's no coincidence they were against teams that attacked us.
Too many teams come to OT now and just sit back and try and lose by as little as possible.
posted on 18/3/13
I agree that our style of play has been nothing special for years. I've no problem with results but our play has not been that exciting for a long time which is why neutrals talk about this team as being inferior to United teams of old. That view is not born out of results, clearly, so it has to be down to our style of play.
Also, people say we are in transition but a lot of fans have been saying that since 2008. Even today alone people are talking about Nani and Ando fulfilling their potential but they are 26 and 25 years old respectively....That is not that young to consider this team "in transition" (Ando will be 25 in about 3 weeks, fyi). In fact, the only youngsters in our first 11 are Rafael and Cleverley imo. The rest are still squad players.
As Red Russian says, we may be partly in tactical transition but even that is probably nearly always the case as SAF looks to get the best out of the players he has at his disposal.
posted on 18/3/13
RedMisty
You're forgetting De Gea, Welbeck, Kagawa and RVP.
You don't have to be young to be in transition. The 4 aforementioned players are all fairly new to the side.
I think that next season Welbeck, Jones and Cleverley will be energised by their games against Madrid and will have more confidence in the big games in the league.
De Gea is getting more assured and RVP and Kagawa will know how this United team plays more so than this season.
posted on 18/3/13
I accept that I missed out De Gea - definitely a youngster in our first 11.
I don't accept the others though. It is too early to tell what impact Kagawa will have, or whether he will even be first choice at the club (though I do rate him highly and expect him to improve).
Welbeck is youngster and I don't consider him part of the first 11 yet despite playing in some big games. I'll count him as first 11 when he plays consistently in his best position ahead of Roo or RVP, for example (or establishes himself permanently as a winger).
RVP may be new to the club but that is not a basis for being "in transition" imo. He is a world class forward already and clearly did not take long to adapt. Certainly berbatov was expected to contribute immediately - and was quite savagely criticised for his first season at the club. RVP was signed as a 29 year old for big money because he was expected to slot straight into the team - not so that he could grow into the team in his 30s!!
posted on 18/3/13
RVP may be new to the club but that is not a basis for being "in transition" imo. He is a world class forward already and clearly did not take long to adapt. Certainly berbatov was expected to contribute immediately - and was quite savagely criticised for his first season at the club. RVP was signed as a 29 year old for big money because he was expected to slot straight into the team - not so that he could grow into the team in his 30s!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I didn't mean that RVP would need time to get settled into the side as he's obviously done very well but I meant that as he's a different type of striker than we've had in the side over the past few seasons the rest of our team would have to work out how to accommodate him.
He's done well but once our wingers (and Rooney) know his movements more then he'll really explode IMO.
posted on 18/3/13
The quality of our performances this season have been linked to the quality of the midfield two. To improve next season, we need stronger midfield backups.
Could do with a new winger as well.
Page 4 of 4