PBP: EPL - West Bromwich Albion FC vs Manchester United FC - Oct 20, 2014 [R]

Adam Crafton @AdamCrafton_ · 14m 14 minutes ago
For those criticising Januzaj tonight...that was his first competitive start since the World Cup. What on earth can be expected? #mufc

Ian Ladyman @Ian_Ladyman_DM · 27m 27 minutes ago
I wouldn't worry about Janujaz. I would about Mata. Players who only play well when everyone else does are not top players. #mufc

 

It was clearly a rigid 4-5-1 first half.

2nd half the wide guys were given more freedom to cut in but still it was change in formation definitely.

 

Two poor goals to concede, Shaw / Rojo for first and Jones / Rafael for second. With most of the blame with Shaw and Jones.

Mata, RVP and Januzaj deeply disappointing. Of these I worry most about Mata - as the problems with him are not so much form as fit in terms of this league, team and system.

 

Lvg can ******** off.

I'm starting the LvG out thread before the CHelsea match.

 

I'd add Di Maria for the first and Rojo for the 2nd too.

We were playing a a more pressure on the ball high line today where sometimes defenders will go attack the ball and get caught out in the first phase. Organization in the 2nd phase should be there to deal with it. Both moves started pretty high up the pitch too.

Comes down to defensive organization which we are lacking as a whole unit.

 

It comes down to zero midfield protection.

 

Lot of confusion in defense. We are not focusing enough there, and it clearly shows. Whether that has to do with the quality or inexeperience of the players, or their (mis)understanding of our tactics - if we do understand them ourselves, that is - it's been poor. We are shipping these goals out and it's nothing special by any player for the most part - it's just poor defending by us.

As far as the other side of the ball, RvP needs something. A rest in Dubai, a break, I don't know. But he cannot start for this club. And Mata continues to dig his own grave. I don't know what we tell him to do, or what he does on his own, but it's grossly ineffective. Even with his good scoring record, he needs to give more.

 

At least they are going better than Dortmund...

 

They can both ******** off tbh.

No more 10's. ********ing ridiculous.

 

Were we not getting the same kind of results and shit performances with Rooney in the side? I totally missed the part where his presence made all the difference.

 

It was a very god football game overall. I enjoyed it, yes we didn't win but there were positives. We are moving the ball very well and the formation was almost a 4-2-3-1 than a 4-3-3 and it was the first time all those players played together.

I thought West Brom's defense was very good, the gaps between their players was so close it made it so hard for us to find space until we became a threat in the air or over the defense.

Disappointing performance from Mata and Januzaj, they were supposed to provide a bit more creativity and a bit of directness in either their passing or dribbling.

I have one gripe on Blind and all the goals showed what he lacks, he is not a physical specimen and does not cover the pitch as well to become a shield for the back four. However his first touch is one of the best out there today really is and it is underrated.
On Sessegnon's goal, sure we can blame Shaw but when he went up to put some pressure on Berahino WHEN NO ONE WAS, Di Maria and Blind did not close down the space he left behind. On Jones's goal, that is why he needs a lot of practice and training and mentoring he doesn't know when he needs to go up or stay, that was elementary defending.

It is pretty simple when the striker drops deep you inform your midfielders and they need to pick him up. Where is Fellaini and Blind? they did not close down the pass quickly enough. Again Blind can share the blame for not covering or communicating who will cover.

Rojo is a liability I prefer Blackett or McNair there I was not impressed with his defending easily can be beaten and his ball out of the back hoofed up ala Vidic.

RVP needs chances he is not good to play his back to goal and because of West Brom dropping so deep and not leaving much he had to do that, we needed hold up play and Falcao provided that.

Fellaini's goal was class. Period. Against Chelski he needs to start to provide a bit of physicality. I'd drop one of Januzaj or Mata.

 

I honestly wish it would have been RvP who kicked Downing in the balls.

 

If this continues, United are going to have to go on one hell of a winning run in the second half of the season to have a chance at finishing in the Top 4.

 

And if they don't Van Gaal should be sacked.

I won't hear too much criticism of the new players. They've slotted in as well as could be expected in the given timeframe.

Jones continues to overplay and get caught out of position. It's time to groom him as a center back or fullback and have done with it. The guy currently can't handle being a defensive utility player. The constant shunting around is preventing him from learning the tactical nuances of each role.

RVP needs to be dropped and Falcao given a chance.

And for my weekly media/announcer/punditry gripe: I wish they would stop babbling crap like "this is why the Premier League is so popular.... you never know what's going to happen!!!!".

Seriously, that hasn't been true since before... well, the Premier League. Yes, there was a time when you had a lot more competitiveness in England but that time has long gone. Results in the Premiership are no more unexpected or unusual than the average league on the planet. Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool will still usually win and we already are 80% certain that Chelsea and City are going to be competing for the title two months in.

I mean, look at the myriad of negative "milestones" United have racked up over the last 18 months. How many teams have had their first victories against us in decades?

On top of that, a relatively poor Man United team, struggling away to West Brom is not unexpected at this point. It's status quo.

Serie A sees far more mid- and lower table teams testing the bigger clubs on a regular basis.

File "unpredictability in the EPL" next to "English players don't dive" in the Bureaux of Bollocks British Cliches.

 

Could Jones do the job of Blind in shielding a better set of centrebacks?

 

What's with LVG's loyalty with RVP? He has been extremely poor and to bench Falcao when he was starting to get in form was a mistake. I don't but the jet lag BS excuse

 

Maybe he just wants to ease him in, fitness as well as adjusting.

 

He has the technical requirements but not the reading of the game. That was my point about the utility player role.

Now while some believe he simply doesn't have a strong football IQ, I do think that's harsh as he really has filled in as a makeshift player in most defensive roles. It must be hard to learn one in that case, as well as the fact he now lacks mentors. It didn't help that Rio and Vidic had injury struggles in that respect. Ditto Smalling to an extent.

 

Saw the game in bits and pieces. I just want to add that LVG's assessment of players particularly how they fit together has been tremendously bad.

In part, I suppose, because he has seen less of United play than we have.

But looking at the lineup. Shaw, Rojo, Jones and Rafa are a horrid combination. There is barely an ounce of positioning between them.

I hope at some point we see Blind/Carrick/Herrera in midfield with Rooney/Falcao/Di Maria in attack.

We can allow Shaw (since he'll bomb forward anyway) to play higher up the pitch with one of Blind/Carrick covering a CB role allowing Blackett or Rojo to slide over. The result would be Rooney hopefully in a bit of space cutting in from the left, linking with Falcao, Di Maria playing from the right and Herrera getting free reign to make the play.

 

The only issue that I can see, is that both Blind and Carrick lack pace. Positionally, and in possession, I think they'd be quite good, but surprise\quick counters and having to cover for awol defenders would expose that I think. What I do like in your setup, is giving Hererra more of a licence to link up with the forwards.