Half-time observations: (1) HOOF! For a club that really stinks at it, we play too much long-ball (2) Neville still isn't recovered from his injury. He's a step off the pace. (3) Ferdinand is playing very well, both in defending and in setting up the attack. (4) Giggs looks like he belongs in Div-3 Scottish football today. He's been given the ball in very promising positions, and has done nothing. Too often, instead of playing the simple pass to develop the attack, he's tried to take on his man - and got beaten...every...single...time. (5) Ji-Sung Park looks fantastic, until it comes time to bother doing anything with the ball, when he looks like Giggs above. (6) Rooney has been off-today. He looks like he's trying to go for the spectacular too much. (7) Fletcher looks good, except on aerial balls. (8) Ruud is phenomenal. Good passing, good hold-up play, good goal, almost had another phenomenal one. (9) I wonder why we don't try a backline of Silv-Rio-Brown-Nev. Silv has more pace and strength than O'Shea.
Villa are a poor team, hopefully we can get a early goal or two in the 2nd half and then let R.Jones and Rossi to get some playing time ..
Yeah, where is everyone??? Anyways, pretty good half, and VERY well taken goal by Ruud!! UGHH, Park can't buy a goal... Good effort though. And I'm glad to see that he's playing quite well and his condition today seems to be good - back to his full running, tidy technique, good passing, and all that. Hope to see more. Few worries... Fletcher is doing quite well as the holding mid (and very nice pass put through to RVN btw), but seems inept to build up plays that go forward. Our forward line seems to be in good condition but our central midfield hasn't been quite impressive as games before... Giggs played well, but does anyone agree that he looks pretty damn TIRED? He got into good positions, but he has seem to run out of gas a lot of times... I want to see Ronaldo for him not too long after the second half... Great defending by Rio, O'Shea questionable as usual tho.
RVN Overhead kick available here http://www.mufconline.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4294&pid=37345&st=0&#entry37345
Also, it seems like we are struggling under the physical challenges of Villa players... they dont have nearly as much talent so that's the only way they can put up a challenge, with rough and tough challenges and such. But yeah, we're being pushed off a bit easily and looking a bit afraid under their pressure. Good thing they can't score for jack. Eventually they'll put another man up and that'll be our cue to increase the lead
Forgot to mention that... that would have been the GOAL OF THE YEAR by far!!! I can't believe he was able to unleash that... classic RVN!!
Generally speaking, we don't have a lot of "strong" players on the field right now. Of the players on the pitch, I'd say that only Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, RVN, and Rooney have strength to withstand a challenge via strength. And, of course, Ferdinand and Brown are seldom in a position to be challenged, because they can't risk giving the ball away deep.
He's here, he says O'Shea is crap, so you know it's him. Looking forward to our FUCOF-FFS meetup with 50 Euro later on. So far, we have plenty to toast to.
Good point. It's quite a small/understrengthed lineup now that I think about it... And that is where we miss Smith or a big, strong central midfielder in general...
http://www.mufconline.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4294&pid=37350&st=0&#entry37350 Park hitting post clip has been added
Smith is either injured or is being rested ahead of our busy holiday schedule. I'm glad to see Fergie starting a stronger team, try to get a 3 goal lead and THEN sub in the kids, as opposed to what he did last season. (start kids and sub on 3 starters late on to try and nick the win at the death...)
Yeah, if you're going to play Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs, and Park in midfield - prepare to get battered physically. You just have to win w/superior technique.
Anyone see Rossi congratulating him after the first half? And Park seems to react like "Damn, I can't score..." I hope it doesn't discourage him too much tho.
Morning guys. Stayed in my bed watching the match, didn't feel like moving until half-time. I thought Park really deserved that goal earlier.. way too unlucky to have it hit the post. Well and clinically taken; and he had a couple of chances later on which weren't in exact primo conditions. Ruud is doing great today, scored that wonderful goal, had an incredible back-to-goal attempt and held up the ball/passed well. Giggs is probably the worst performer in the first half, he gave up the ball about 4 times, all either in bad positions or because of poor play. Fletcher; no comments. Didn't think he's doing a midfield anchor well, the midfield still seems shoddy today. Aston Villa is making the game difficult for us, they're always closing down the spaces. All of our players don't have much leisurely time on the ball, and as a result the passes are quite compromised. Regardless, we should be able to get another goal in the 2nd half.
Park to ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONEY!!! Been hearing that quite a few times this season Great play!! Clinical finish Should be in the bag now!
If you look carefully, Angel really looks like RVN... Without half the goal scoring skills Ronaldo in for Giggs as I suspected.
I rather have R.Jones for scholes or Fletcher and as i am typing this .....Ronaldo comes on for Giggs
http://www.mufconline.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=51&t=4294&st=0#entry37333 Rooney goal added to this post