Think you're not giving credit where it's due though. Vida quietly cuts out alot of the attacks that the un-creative sides throw at us, which is about 60-70% of the league. Not that Rio can't do it, nor the kids, but there will be many more mistakes. This really hurts.
from @nickcoppak: #mufc goals conceded in 2011/12. With Vidic (5): one every 149 mins. Without Vidic (20): one every 67 minutes. The only goal #mufc conceded in 2011/12 in games Vidic played the full 90 mins was the contentious penalty v Newcastle. Vidic won 83% (15 of 18) of the aeriel duels he contested in #mufc's last five league games. Last Sat v Villa, Nemanja made 19 clearances... three shy of the total made by Villa's entire back four.
I expect us to go on 2 or 3 unbeaten runs of 6-8 games from here on out and our defense will be solid. You heard it here first. Those stats are a very small sample and disregard the fact that when Vida was missing earlier on we were also missing our best midfielder and other defenders as well.
Partly bullshit. None of our defenders bar Vidic are consistently good at dealing wiht an aerial bombardment.
correct... never suggested otherwise. Vida though, wins aerial duels with authority quite often. however you don't have to win aerial duels with authority to frustrate aerial bombardment, you just have to put your opponent off balance or deflect the path of the ball. Jusdas Iscariot was quite good at this.
Smalls is good, but not on Vida's level with aerial bombardment backs against the wall defending. He doesn't quite have Vida's timing and aggression, yet. This coming from a fan boy too. Where Smalls shines is his 1 v 1 ability against a variety of strikers, including aerial battles. That is a different skill than aerial bombardments into the box, where timing and first to that ball is paramount.
Because that will inevitably happen at times throughout a league campaign. No team goes through an entire campaign without having to battle sustained pressure against them. Even more so when you've got a team with an average midfield who struggle to retain possession, like ourselves.
-------------------Rooney Welbeck--------------------------------Nani --------------------Clevs ------------Carrick---------Jones Evra-------------------------------------Rafael ------------Rio------------Smalling --------------------De Gea The only teams that could probably back that against the wall would be Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Do you actually think that? What are the chances that we ever hit the heights of the beginning of this season any time soon? Rooney hasn't scored a league goal since September.
Moreover, as we have already seen, half of them are either going to be injured or out of form at any point in the season.
What do you think about pushing Jones along side Clev with Carrick squarely in front of the back four. I am going for more sustained pressure on the opposition ealy i nthe build up and Carrick would have both Clev and jones in front of him without covering for Jones when he pushes forward. --------Clevs----------------Jones -----------------Carrick--------- Thoughts?? (Either way I like what you have there)
I was thinking either of those would be a formidable lineup, especially with the front three interchanging.
Definitely want to see Clevs, Jones, and Carrick in the middle at some point this season. Not sure how well it would work against the more formidable teams...but seeing as we aren't in the CL anymore, worth a shot.
Interesting comment from Gary Neville on the Monday night football, saying that Vidic is the best central defender he's ever played with.
Not being funny, but that's what you'd expect from a no-nonsense kind of player who was more heart than skill, himself. Vidic is the epitome of what Gary was all about. Wouldn't be surprised if Rio's not even in his top 3 if not 5 cos of the perceived lack of bravery and aerial prowess.