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Post by matt on Feb 28, 2015 23:09:14 GMT
It wasn't a great win, yet we saw glimpses and the global scheme of what LVG is trying to build at United. I don't know if LVG will be successful, but my guess is that we will all thank him regardless for placing the first bricks of a revolution at OT.
A football with more possession, more tactical solidity, more collective and high-tempoed pressing, less of the careless attacking football and a more clinical team. Yes, this may not be obvious to everyone right now, and I too am frustrated with some of the shit we have seen this season. But as I said before, I am willing to give LVG time if the basis is built properly. Don't only think about domestic success, see the bigger picture within a European scope: England is falling behind in Europe, and unless we adjust our football and find the right balance bewteen domestic and continental competitions, Manchester United will fall behind as well.
It's too early to judge LVG for right or wrong, that's all I am saying. But my understanding of football tells me we might thank him one day.
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Post by matt on Feb 28, 2015 22:59:31 GMT
Indeed, Depay wouldn't be my first choice, but I think we will get him so why bother arguing for someone else ? No to be fair I'd rather we get Son or Dybala. I didn't rate De Bruyne that much either, but he is starting to grow up as a player. He's only 23, so it was a bit unfair of me to judge him too harsh too early. I always thought he was lacking that "cutting edge" to become a truly good player, but I have to say this year he is proving me wrong. But hey there is still no way of knowing if he would adapt to the BPL and to our team. I do know though that he has the resilience that would be much appreciated at OT, and the one that will help him improve with each season. He is also a clever player, very tidy and hard-working, who imo would combine very well with Rooney and Herrera.
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Post by matt on Feb 28, 2015 19:06:20 GMT
No slip up allowed. Every game is a final now if we're serious about qualifying for the CL.
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Post by matt on Feb 28, 2015 18:13:18 GMT
GK: De Gea + Valdes + ? RB: Clyne, Valencia CB: Rojo, Varane, Jones, Smalling, McNair, Blackett LB: Shaw, Young CM: Carrick, Blind, Herrera, Schneiderlin, Kondogbia AM: Di Maria, Januzaj, Depay, De Bruyne, Lingard FW: Rooney, RVP, Wilson
in: Varane and Clyne to bolster the defence, Schneiderlin to play Blind's role with more power, muscle and aggressivity (roation will be needed anyway, keep in mind Carrick's nearing the end too, Kondogbia to have a box-to-box who will finally add the so much needed raw power in the middle, as well as some pace and muscle: a good and tidy player. Depay to have a "special player" in the making who will add pace and dribbling skills and challenge Di Maria. De Bruyne because, trust me, he is on the right track to become a great player, and we don't want to miss it: perfect attitude, great vision, great passing (short and long-range), unbelievable resilience, tidy, great shot with both feet: a great counter-attacker in the making (wasn't so keen on him at first when he was still very young, but now we would be stupid not to move for him as his learning curve is unbelievable)
out: Fellaini (with Kondogbia and Schneiderlin in, Fellaini is a waste of space, Mata (doesn't have enough impact and never will I think), Nani (end of the road), Evans (we must improve our defence and he is the first I'd let go of, followed by Jones the next summer if he doesn't improve), Cleverley, Chicharito. If we can't get 50-60M out of them, Woodwood should hang himself :-)
What have all my signings in common ? - Young age: able to grow together and tie strong bonds to form a great team. Long-term investment, not a quick fix. - Yet vast experience BPL and/or Europe/international stage. - Perfect resilient attitude: no big-name or "star" in there, but players who want to move to the next level and grow. - Great injury record, all of them. Major plus in my books. (The only reason why I would stay away from Hummels). - Profiles we lack in the current crop of players. - Each won't come cheap but not overly expensive either, and with the sale of some players it shouldn't come near to what we paid last summer. - Plenty of fair competition for the players we already have: those names I mention are battlers and won't show the type of attitude Di Maria is showing now for instance. It also allows LVG many possible tactical variations and rotation.
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Post by matt on Feb 28, 2015 17:04:39 GMT
To be fair, it took us 15min to get going, but after that it clicked and with a proper strikeforce we wold have put 10 past them.
It may look like a dull game, but the work of Blind and Herrera in midfield is excellent and we are only missing a solid box-to-box to get that central midfield to the next level. Tactically, it's actually not that easy to break us, as LVG has managed to set up a strong pressing from all areas that is starting to pay off. And we're (finally!!) much better with possession than we have ever been in a long, long time. We may not use that possession as well as we should, but that's still massive improvement from what we have known.
Yes, there are still individual erros, and some players are simply not good enough, but I am curious to see what LVG can do with that team if he can add a few more players to that core.
I believe we would already be much better and more clinical if we had an in-form and dynamic striker, and if Di Maria was pulling his finger out of his ass.
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Post by matt on Feb 26, 2015 18:50:56 GMT
I am glad. Obviously he still has a lot to learn, but I do see some potential in him. Will he become world class or not, it's way too early to tell. But if he stays focused he has a chance to challenge for a first team spot in a near future imo.
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Post by matt on Feb 25, 2015 21:42:46 GMT
English football has been made "ridiculous" once again in Europe. People can moan about LVG as much as they want, I think I am starting to understand what he is doing here at United. He is not only building a team for England, he is building a team and a philosophy for Europe as well. It will take time, but at least we're moving forward. Is that me being overoptimistic or blind ? Time will tell
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Post by matt on Feb 23, 2015 20:31:31 GMT
I agree, that's how I see him, but at the same time, a part of me wonders what type of forward we truly need at this point. Only LVG knows where the team is heading and what type of forward we will need. But I do know one thing: we need someone with pace.
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Post by matt on Feb 23, 2015 20:03:11 GMT
An interesting player for sure. He is probably going to leave Lyon this summer.
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Post by matt on Feb 23, 2015 20:01:37 GMT
To be fair, we should stay away from him. It's a Hargreaves situation all over again waiting to happen.
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Post by matt on Feb 23, 2015 19:58:50 GMT
People have really short memories if they think we're not better off performance wise than we were last season. We're a far more solid side and we're controlling possession in most games. Have we all forgotten the amount of times we were dominated by the opposition last season? At this point last season we'd already lost 8 league games. Indeed. Obviously we're asking more from him and the team, but there is no denying that he has made us a stronger team. The way I see it, this is season is primarily about restoring some basics and hopefully reach the top-4. People may moan about our defence as much as they want, we still have the 4th best defence in the league, we have lost 5 games, only CHelsea and City have done better. So clearly, Van Gaal is doing a few things right, especially at the back regardless of what people may think. The way we press the opposition is also much better and much more suited to European football. The reason why it takes so much time imo is because it was a completely different approach under SAF. An approach that may have been effective in England, but which became ridiculously ineffective in the last few years in Europe. The way I understand it, LVG is trying to cope with and adjust to the BPL (let's all remember that it is his first season in English football), while preparing and modernising the team for the European challenge. Finding that balance between English and continental football is in my opinion extremely difficult. Look at City who owned the league the past seasons, and who yet looked ridiculous in Europe. Look at Arsenal who are always playing third/fourth fiddle in England yet never quite reaching the final stage in Europe. Or Chelsea who always struggle massively in the latter stage in Europe. Or us and Pool who were kicked off by Basel. My point is: perhaps we're too quick to judge Van Gaal in the sense that he may be thinking long-term and not just getting into the top-4 by all means. Sure, he has to, and he has made sacrifice and ditched his philosofy a few times. But perhaps he wants to teach us and find a way to develop a football that will be effective both in England and on the European stage. And that takes time, as only one or two managers in recent years have managed to find that balance. I am sure he knows what he is doing, although it is frustrating for us. I won't judge Van Gaal until after next January. At that point, we will have a clear view of his "philosophy".
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Post by matt on Feb 23, 2015 19:40:46 GMT
DDG Valencia - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw Blind - Herrera Di Maria - Rooney - Young Falcao
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Post by matt on Feb 22, 2015 8:38:11 GMT
I don't think LVG would lose his job, unless of course we lose a majority of our remaining game, against the big clubs, so much so that it becomes unbearable. But even then, who could replace him?
But indeed, I wonder what this would mean in terms of transfer, IN's and OUT's.
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Post by matt on Feb 21, 2015 22:50:26 GMT
I still think 4-3-3 is the best possible formation with the players we have and will/should add this summer. And if we finally get a good CM-3 behind him, I believe Rooney would be an excellent false 9/wide forward (rotating in a fluid front-3) if given the proper service.
Rooney is always forced to drop deep because he doesn't get good service AND because we fail to control the tempo and orchestrate the play without him deep.
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Post by matt on Feb 21, 2015 18:57:22 GMT
Also, I hear reports saying we will "spend massively" again next summer.
I do believe we need strengthening, and that a couple of world class players would do us the world of good. But I am convinced we shouldn't go for overly expensive players only. From my perspective, we need to add a few more "Rojo's" in key positions, and then add that one or two truly world class players to make a difference.
I have the feeling the team is on the right track, and that LVG's in's AND out's this summer will be of vital importance and define our success in the coming years. LVG is building a team, literally. We have so many young players who might be playing together for a long time.
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