At least we have a kick ass forward partnership. Not too happy about RvP starting already. Hopefully they have been holding him back in training to be certain and the plan is to put Rooney on for him at 60 regardless of the score.
Attacking diamond -----------------------RvP --Welbeck---------------------------------Mata --------------------Kagawa ---------------Cleverley------Fletcher Adnan rested and the team still looks half decent. Replace Welbeck with Giggs if you want a natural winger.
Thought getting Mata might signal some different thinking on formation and approach .... But no, looks like 4-4-2. How to take a bubble and burst it. Hopefully this is driven by Rooney fitness / Januzaj tiredness / Fletcher fitness rather than Moyes thinking this is even vaguely near his best 11 / best formation.
Also, with Kagawa, Januzaj, and Rooney on the bench it's the first time in what feels like forever that I've looked at the sidelines and said "Okay, we can change the game if we need to" instead of, "Oh ********, I hope Plan A works out. That bench is useless."
Just look forward Mata and see RvP. That's why you joined. Don't look to the sides, and don't turn around.
Seriously? #MoyesOut! fields THAT midfield and yet does nothing to rectify the situation during this transfer window? That is the worst midfield I have seen for quite a while. I don't even know why I am rushing back from work if he is going to field that shit. Mata will barely touch the ball while Van Persie will no doubt injure himself doing something defensively. ******** me.
Think this lineup is negative and cautious in the extreme. Hopefully the lift of getting Mata and having RvP fit will compensate. Would say also considering it is only Cardiff, however our home performances seem to be worse with teams lower in the league ...
On paper - this is Cardiff. It is the worst team in the league. Regardless of Ole coming in, they are still not a good team. If Moyes wanted to give Young and Giggs a run out to keep them sharp, he may as well have done this.
Me thinks Valencia must give the most top notch blow jobs at the club. Homeboy plays every game, regardless how shit he looks.
Oh God. Valencia and Young wings.....Poor Mata. If RVP isn't fully fit (likely), this could look ugly.
Just saw the lineup...wow. It doesn't matter how fluid Mata and RVP link-up because every ball that goes out to Valencia is going to slow everything down while he does head fakes and eventually crosses into the first defender. It doesn't help that father time is at CM which means Jones will have to do defensive work for Mata and Giggs. Unbelievably stupid lineup.
It's a poor team. The tactics are shit. I'd hope we gave Mata a proper opener, with Shinji and Danny and co. But we've given him the dregs. It is what it is.
so is phil jones our permanent destroyer now? moyes had other option in midfield with clev and fletch...
it is a shame Giggs last few years are full of bickering towards him rather than appreciation. he should have hung it up 2 years ago or whenever he got the record. what else is left at this point? not even SAF
there's definitely congestion up front. i was expecting cheech to not make the bench but there will be one striker left out every game... with mata on the team, there won't be any opportunity to play with 2 out-and-out strikers.
it is on NBC live extra for sure. i am checking the 4 skys will let you know if i find it. interesting Sky has this lineup as 4-2-3-1 with Mata as the 10 behind van Persie
Its all the same. Mata is going to play in the hole regardless. Valencia will play how he usually does on the right, Young may tuck in a little more. Maybe Mata will inspire those two... smh