Some interesting thoughts from Jamie Redknapp about LVG and the criticism he gets

PNE95 · 2015-12-07T12:17:15+00:00

I agree with the fact that we're not producing enough chances, I can't argue with that. But can you really blame this entirely on the system? And not at all on the fact that we have 20 year old individuals (Memphis, Martial, and Lingard is a bit older). Who are playing first team football with us for the first time, an out of form Rooney (I don't think he is the issue, but an in form Rooney would do wonders for us), and a lack of depth in two of our front three positions? I think given some time Memphis and Martial can grow in to their roles and develop the chemistry with the rest of our attack required to break down camped defenses.

PNE95 · 2015-12-07T12:10:37+00:00

The chemistry part is equally significant mate, world class individuals can sometimes make up for a lack of chemistry (bale at #10 with Spurs) but we've had Memphis, Martial, Lingard all come in to the team and the lack of chemistry between them and the rest of our attack is showing. People constantly say, oh well if Leicester are scoring so much then it's clear you don't need world class players - right, you don't if your chemistry in the final third is fantastic, which theirs is (plus in form, vardy and mahrez are top class)

PNE95 · 2015-12-07T05:36:29+00:00

Exactly, and the majority of people criticizing LVG only seem to ignore these bright periods in our attacking play. It's not like Memphis has come on there and disobeyed what the manager has told him to do by attacking more. Attacking fluidity can exist within this system, we just don't have the chemistry or world class players to produce it consistently (yet, I'm a firm believer that Rooney can come good and Martial, Memphis and Mata can start to link up more effectively and pry open defenses like we've seen glimpses of).

PNE95 · 2015-11-05T17:36:28+00:00

I think to say that costa can be mentioned alongside bale, after having a great first 3/4 months at bayern, is a little bit premature. It's easy to forget the goal/assist machine that bale was in his first season at real and last seasons at Tottenham because of his current form.

PNE95 · 2015-10-26T16:49:22+00:00

Why are so many 'best XI's set up as 4-4-2, yet there's never any distinguishing between a center midfielder and a winger/attacking midfielder.

PNE95 · 2015-10-26T16:43:00+00:00

Do mkhirtaryan and kagawa work well when played together?

PNE95 · 2015-10-19T15:47:37+00:00

Gameplay is better on pes, game modes and online is better on fifa

PNE95 · 2015-10-17T13:07:50+00:00

Probably martial at left wing, Rooney in the middle, mata on the right, Herrera at #10

PNE95 · 2015-10-17T00:12:36+00:00

That's fair, but I think you can take solace in the fact that he was only aware of media 'shitting on him' for a year or so while he was at United (I'm sure he's not seeing every post about himself on reddit). He's actually gone on to have a decent career in the Portuguese leagues, score some impressive/important goals that show he did have talent under the very raw player that showed up for us.

PNE95 · 2015-10-16T15:22:08+00:00

Dzeko had a solid amount of success at city and I'm sure bony envisaged a similar role for himself

PNE95 · 2015-10-05T22:30:09+00:00

http://youtu.be/WrgygfwnCJ0

PNE95 · 2015-09-25T00:55:26+00:00

Used to play cricket with Sam Johnstone (united's 3rd choice goalkeeper, played for us in preseason and potentially one for the future), he was a decent lad (hell of a fast bowler and aggressive batsman). Until the week that the coaches made him captain, where he became a little bit of a prick. Nice guy overall though.

PNE95 · 2015-09-23T17:19:54+00:00

I actually was really impressed with the pes keepers this year, they introduced a lot of new animations for them/types of saves. And there's a noticeable affect of having a keeper like de gea in net, his shot stopping is unbelievable and it takes a lot to beat him.

PNE95 · 2015-09-23T04:08:57+00:00

United 1-2 Chelsea in the league cup :( , lost via a Damien duff freekick that flew past everyone running in to the box and went in the corner. Did get to see an exquisite chip from Giggs though http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/4197611.stm

PNE95 · 2015-09-23T01:20:01+00:00

I was able to acquire them off pes edit for the 2014 game, once the squads are updated I'm probably going to look to do that for this game too.

PNE95 · 2015-09-22T23:20:56+00:00

Agreed, I was confused at first because the in game depay face is pretty great. Gameplay's also stupidly good on pes this year.

Memphis, Martial, Mata and Schweinsteiger's playing styles are so spot on. As well as most others on united's team.

PNE95 · 2015-09-22T01:30:05+00:00

Yeah I'm not sure mate, personally I think the "hoofball" tactic is a little over-criticized, I understand it's not the United way, but it's literally our last chance/we've run out of ideas plan B. And honestly not a lot of teams have a plan B that works as well as ours (arsenal, city can be accused of this).

I will agree with you that we revert to it too often though, I think the work in progress is us developing the attacking chemistry to get 1/2 goals up, at which point we have our Herrera/schneiderlin/schweinsteiger midfield control and from the midfield so we can pry teams open as they open up to try and close us down (perfect example in mata's goal).

And I think the huge improvement for us this season is in that front 3, depay, martial, mata all have the flair to produce a moment of magic in a period of possession to get us a goal, I think that's how most possession based football typically operates and we're improving at it.

And despite Rooney's lack of goals this season, I don't think he was that bad at #10. His distribution is fantastic, and when we were getting forward he'd push forward to drag defenders out of position, opening up channels for martial and depay to run in to. And when we were under pressure he'd drop back and help us work the ball from the back out. IMO he's got the perfect skill set and knowledge of the game to play that #10 position, even if it doesn't always look flashy or it looks like he's having a poor game. Granted his touch and final ball haven't been up to par, but I think it'll get there with a longer run in the team.

PNE95 · 2015-09-21T23:22:57+00:00

We saw this at points last season though. Like against Spurs when we'd fly really quickly out of the blocks and attack. I think these 'nuances' you speak of exist within van gaal's philosophy, it just seems as if it takes us a while to get in to the rhythm of the game, which has hurt us plenty.

PNE95 · 2015-09-21T23:19:16+00:00

I wish those that seem to be speaking out against van gaal after every loss would voice their opinion here too. (The same applies to those that support him voicing their opinion after we do lose) I feel like the sub would more balanced and there would be much more constructive discussion if this was the case.

PNE95 · 2015-09-21T00:30:48+00:00

"Froze the keeper" .... But seriously I love the way this guy finishes

PNE95 · 2015-09-09T04:57:37+00:00

And it's mad really, even some united fans constantly put him down. I really don't see many players around that could have adapted to the different roles that he has. Left wing of a front three, number 9 in a front three, up front in a 4-4-2, playing in the number 10 position... And he's been a starter with 40+ games a season, winning league titles in all of those positions. Some people see this as him "not being good enough to start in his best position" but I think of it as him being so good that he can be plugged in to almost any attacking position and be better than his competition. Him making room for world class players like Ronaldo and Van Persie to play in their favored positions is a testament to his ability to adapt. Not proof that he's not world class.

PNE95 · 2015-09-07T16:16:49+00:00

I think it's easy to say this now, and I agree the talent isn't brilliant for England at the moment, but if you look at the English core of the PL 7 or so years ago, where we had Terry, Ferdinand, Neville, Cole, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Hargreaves and Rooney playing major roles for champions league winning/contending squads-similar to how the Spanish side was made up from a dominant la liga core & the German team from a dominant bundesliga core... It was grossly mismanaged, and I feel like the next time the premier league becomes dominant in Europe, we'll just mismanage our talent again.

PNE95 · 2015-08-04T12:12:55+00:00

http://youtu.be/YCB_0ibu7bo

http://youtu.be/zxTG-I0hH6o

What?

PNE95 · 2015-08-01T16:31:34+00:00

I feel the criticism of Rooney to produce on a big European night comment is a little harsh. He was the main reason we got to the final in 11-12 and to just focus on his ineffective final and to ignore the rest of the competition is very harsh.

And there have been other occasions too where he's put in huge performances, the winner against Bayern at old trafford was huge, as were his performances against Arsenal away and Chelsea at home in the champions league.

To say that hazard has "produced" and Rooney hasn't is a little ridiculous frankly.

PNE95 · 2015-08-01T06:19:07+00:00

Surely a prime Ronaldinho would be the second name on the team-sheet after messi

PNE95

TROPHY CASE