PBP: Manchester United FC vs West Ham United FC - Sept 27, 2014 [R]

Good chance for Mata to shine in the next one.

 

Yep, drop the guy who actually scores and createst.

 

I thought Shaw did very well today.

McNair was great considering the circumstances, Herrera MOTM for me. Another superb performance.

 

You must have missed the reckless red card that put the team at risk for the rest of the match.

He needs to play up top. He is not a #10 nor is he a captain.

 

I didn't miss a thing. RvP is gonna have to start playing a lot better in the next three matches to deserve to play ahead of Rooney. Also, it would be nice if Falcao scored. Though he is doing everything else extremely well, he is a striker. So goals need to come.

 

I don't disagree. I would have Rooney playing up front ahead of RvP at this point.

 

Credit where credit is do. LvG made the perfect call with McNair.

 

Now I'm not defending RvP's play, but today I totally saw why RvP was on the pitch.

Who was on the line with DDG was beaten, trying to head clear? Who played as an auxiliary RB when we were under pressure trying to give us an outlet on that side? When our guys were mad at the ref or just being emotional, RvP was making eye contact with LvG to see what system we were going to play.

LvG trusts RvP and form/touch/scoring aside, Robin is a responsible player who thinks before acting. We need that from a senior player.

I thought the red was fair and I'm elated Rooney will miss 3 games. Hopefully he can come back and play as a 9. No more of this Rooney at 10 nonsense.

 

Rooney isn't playing for 1+ month. He's going to need a couple of sub appereances for him to get fit again at first, because he's not going to start vs. City (his first game back) and Arsenal (third) after missing 1 month.

 

Rooney just wanted @Amdrag and I to continue arguing.

 

Very important 3 points. I missed Rooney's red (I presume he went psycho), and as much as we still should have been better in possession with 10, this is a big lift for the defence...and Mata will now get his chance to prove he deserves the 10 spot.

McNair did really well in defence...but 1) His long passes were awful 2) It's easier in the first game with everything to gain...doing it consistently against better players is another thing.

 

At this point, I think that LVG recognizes that RVP needs minutes to get his form and Falcao needs minutes to establish himself. Its the kitchen sink approach given its the start of the season and we are supposedly playing some weaker teams -I dont think he would do this against the big boys.

 

http://gfycat.com/SecretBelovedIberianmole

 

Anyone got a summary for those at the pub not watching the match? Maybe with some ratings for the good and the bad?

 

United started on top with all the attacking options they have and scored 2 easily, despite of Di Maria not having a good game. But the defence, along with De Gea, was always a little suspect and conceded a stupid corner kick goal. Then Rooney happened...

 

Sweet bud. Good to show we are beyond DiMaria, particularly since West HAm maybe >> the other teams we've played??

How was Shaw in his first match?

 

Falcao is completely wasted with RvP hogging the box and Rooney hogging the hole. He needs minutes to get match sharp but we will never see the best of him when utilised like this. At the moment he is rendered impotent.

 

Hope Hererra is okay..he's really important to this team. Thought he was good in both directions again today.

Blind has looked a little shaky in the last 2 games.

Di Maria had a poor game today.

 

Beeb quotes from LVG;

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal: "The win is very important, you can imagine that. We played a very good first half with attractive football. We conceded again a goal from in set-plays. Maybe you can watch that their number 15 makes a foul on goalkeeper David De Gea.

"But OK, I am very happy that we hold the result until the end because it is very difficult to play against a team who have one more player but who also play a lot of high balls. I am very pleased with the attitude of my players."

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal on Wayne Rooney's red card: "It was a break-out of a set-play of ours and he makes a professional foul I think you can call it like that. I don't think Wayne wanted to do it that way but he did it and you can give a red card.

"Luke Shaw was always injured but now I could play with him for 90 minutes. He had a little cramp and it was amazing he lasted 90 minutes. Also, Paddy McNair played a very good match and I'm very pleased for him that we won.

"The rhythm of the game is very high. You cannot compare it with Germany and Spain. There is always pressure on the ball. Most of the English teams play physically. We have to keep the ball more easily and then we can improve our play."

 

May end up being one of the most important wins of the season.

 

finally..

 

Outside of being an important win for us in the sense that we just simply needed it, they way that we won it was hugely important. Holding firm at 2-1 after playing the remaining 30 minutes down a man should inspire confidence in us going forward.

Next Sunday's match against Everton is a massive one.

 

Ratings
de Gea 4.5
Rafael 7.5
Rojo 6
McNair 10*
Shaw 5.5
Blind 4.5
Herrera 8
ADM 6.5
Rooney 4**
Falcao 7.5
RVP 6.5***
subs
Fletcher 6.5 (provided organization and protection in front of the back. not flashy, but really calmed the storm at a time when things looked dire)
Valencia 6 (helped kill off the time effectively at the end)
Thorpe n/a

MOM - Herrera

* McNair's 10 reflects a debut for a 19-year-old for a squad with all kinds of defensive problems and in a back line that had Rojo with a couple Utd games under his belt and Shaw making his 1st competitive start. Had a stunning game-saving defensive header to earn Utd a precious 3 pts, right when we were under the kosh and looking likely to concede. That said, boy were his nerves on display. More than a few awkward clearances and wayward passes. Not pointing the finger, just applying some context. For an experienced starting defender, would have been a 5.
** not a rooney fan at all, but i thought there were more than a few moments of promise for him as a 10 in this system with these players around him. it maximizes his strengths - willingness to run from deep (ran right past his marker from 30-40 yards out for his goal), likes to defend, while giving him just a touch more space to gloss over his often crap touch than when he plays as a 9 and receives in tight spaces. (7.5 for an hour of all right and a goal, 0 for stupidity that put a fragile team under even more pressure.) the irony is, the red card could be a good thing - several posters already mentioned we get to play a month without him being an automatic selection, but you can also say, he created a situation of brutal pressure and the squad held on, just, frantically, but they didn't capitulate. could be a turning point.
*** RVP - physically not right yet, but scoring. got no credit from the shit nbc announcers for the hold-up play that released Rafael for Rooney's goal. at his age, after a maximum run at the world cup, needs time.