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Post by Splendid Spy on Apr 7, 2015 14:47:29 GMT
He hasn't shown us much lately. 2 assists in 55 minutes, not a bad magic at all.  Not taking anything away from him but those assist were flukes.  |
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 14:50:27 GMT
Not taking anyway from him but those assist were flukes. Haha, of course. |
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Post by matt on Apr 7, 2015 17:07:50 GMT
Form doesn't matter in a derby. I am sure City will turn up for this, and will give us a hard game.
The difference with the last few seasons is that I can see us win it, because LVG's approach in the big games has been spot on, and because we have been in good form.
What I want is for us to keep playing the way we have been, and give everything we have, and go at them again, and again.
We might win it, draw it or lose it, I can accept any result, as long as we show the progress we have made. What I won't accept is softness, weakness and complacency and basically a repeat of last season's derbies. There is no way to know how the game will turn out, but if we have an opportunity to score 4 or 5 because of their poor form (or our excellent form), we should take it. It's about bloody time we took proper revenge of that 6-1 deafeat a few years ago.
This game is about securing our top-4 finish, so let's win it.
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 17:32:01 GMT
Form doesn't matter in a derby. I am sure City will turn up for this, and will give us a hard game. The difference with the last few seasons is that I can see us win it, because LVG's approach in the big games has been spot on, and because we have been in good form. What I want is for us to keep playing the way we have been, and give everything we have, and go at them again, and again. We might win it, draw it or lose it, I can accept any result, as long as we show the progress we have made. What I won't accept is softness, weakness and complacency and basically a repeat of last season's derbies. There is no way to know how the game will turn out, but if we have an opportunity to score 4 or 5 because of their poor form (or our excellent form), we should take it. It's about bloody time we took proper revenge of that 6-1 deafeat a few years ago. This game is about securing our top-4 finish, so let's win it. Can't say anybody would disagree with that, just want to add to your last line one part .... so let's win it and unleash di Maria! |
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 18:09:48 GMT
Just re-watched the match against Aston Villa with a focus solely on Young and di Maria. Didn't involve simple short passes and counted only fairly important details from both players. Screwed I know...
As it happened:
1st half, Young:
1. Brought the ball forward
2. Had a shot blocked
3. Got past through 2 Villa players, hit a bad low cross that was blocked
4. Sent a good cross, Fellaini messed it
5. Pass to Rooney who was in the box, blocked
6. Dribbled past one man, than lost the ball to another
7. Sent a cross straight to Guzan's hands
8. Received the ball and opened up the Blind on the left side with a good through ball for a cross that was blocked
9. Was put himself in a center of the pitch for a defensive purpose after Rojo's shot from distance, for a Villa counter
10. Dispossessed
11. Tried to dribble and lost the ball (crowd went with AAAAHH)
12. Mishit the through ball towards Blind
13. Launched the cross on the stands behind Guzan's goal with his left foot - camera zooming van Gaal who doesn't seem happy, di Maria and Rafa laughing about something internal
14. Taking on Hutton, being dispossessed by the same
15. Picked up the ball from Blind, made successful long pass to Mata on the right side
16. Picked the ball from Rooney, sent a cross straight to Guzan who punches it away
17. Picked a pass from Rojo, tried a back-heel pass to Fellaini, being blocked, then worked the ball back
18. Tried a high pass to Blind, being blocked
19. Picked a ball from Carrick, tried a shot on goal, being blocked
20. Picked a ball from Blind, sent a good cross that was cleared away
21. Received a pass from Mata, hit a hoof ball that was cleared away
22. Passed to overlapping Blind who proceeded it to Herrera, GOAL!
23. Picked a long ball from Herrera, sent a good cross to Fellaini who was mishit a shot
24. Sent a cross from the right side that was cleared away
2nd half:
25. Pass to Fellaini, fail
26. Pass to Fellaini, success
27. Won a foul
28. Had a cross blocked
29. Shot off target after cut inside (good effort)
--- Being subbed
70th minute, di Maria:
1. Forward through ball to Fellaini between 2 Villa players
2. Cross to Mata from the middle of the pitch, cleared away
3. Received a pass from Blind, took on Hutton - cross and assist, GOAL!
4. Won a foul
5. Dispossessed Villa player (won a ball), gone to counter, had a cross blocked and maybe fouled (or dived)
6. Had a cross cleared from the corner
7. Dispossessed Villa player (won a ball)
8. Made a run on the right side, played good combinations with team mates
9. Had a pass blocked right after
_________________________________________________________________________________
Going by this from my own eyes, I can say now that Young was pretty much wasteful and gave away a ton of balls, except for being involved in first goal, credit for that and one effort on goal. Also, didn't move about as much as I thought at first. Looks pretty average looking like this.
It seems also that di Maria was taking far less risks than weeks before.
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Post by charlie911 on Apr 7, 2015 18:32:38 GMT
That's what I noticed as well but I kind of expect young to take risks which like Di Maria leads to a bad passing stat especially against a villa side that had 10 man behind the ball. Di Maria was better on the ball especially after the alleged bust up with VG.
Like with Herrera who had a tendency of giving the ball away and vacating his position on the pitch, he will be better in the next game in terms of what he does with the ball and maybe defensively. Robben and VG himself were right, he does make most players who follow what he wants or says better.
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 18:35:40 GMT
What I've noticed as well is that we are attacking much more through the right side (Valencia, Herrera, Mata) and these three are looking as a much more coherent triangle unit than their buds on the left side (Blind, Young, Fellaini), although we're scoring through the left flank as well, but, the right side is involved much more.
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Post by Dave on Apr 7, 2015 18:56:05 GMT
I fancy our chances this weekend, not had great results in the past against them but the way we've set up against the top teams this season has been much improved. Form doesn't really count for anything in these games but if we turn up like against Liverpool and dominate possession then there's only going to be one winner. Clatters is the ref, I'd like to see this game finish 11 vs 11 as well so then there's no excuses. Bring it on  |
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Post by charlie911 on Apr 7, 2015 18:58:09 GMT
yep it is but the reason we not scoring from that side is that we don't have someone like in Young and Di Maria who are direct but then again it is the side that provides composure on the ball and fluent passing and possession. Another reason is Valencia can't cross to save his life which I don't understand, what happened to the Valencia that arrived from Wigan? He isn't using his pace or strength well in the opposing box.
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 19:06:52 GMT
yep it is but the reason we not scoring from that side is that we don't have someone like in Young and Di Maria who are direct but then again it is the side that provides composure on the ball and fluent passing and possession. Another reason is Valencia can't cross to save his life which I don't understand, what happened to the Valencia that arrived from Wigan? He isn't using his pace or strength well in the opposing box. While I agree with that to an extent, it must be said that in this particular game vs Villa we're on about he has had a few good crosses who were found it's target, like that saved header from Fellaini and once when he found him again but he head it to Guzan. Can't remember right now but he had a few more accurate ones too. I remember two that went over Fellaini as well, so about 50-50 success rate. But, that Valencia from the AC Milan matches for example is missing for two seasons already. |
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 19:09:31 GMT
Form doesn't matter in a derby Form doesn't really count for anything in these games So, we're going with di Maria then, eh? Not that he's still off form but anyway... big game player? |
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Post by Dave on Apr 7, 2015 19:11:15 GMT
Unleash Di Maria  Don't know where you think this feral like Angel is coming from. Left/Right side are both providing goals/creating chances/a threat so no need to change it |
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Post by Nemanja79 on Apr 7, 2015 19:14:18 GMT
Unleash Di Maria Don't know where you think this feral like Angel is coming from. Left/Right side are both providing goals/creating chances/a threat so no need to change it Stubborn as feck!  |
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Post by GoonBurgerLarson on Apr 8, 2015 0:37:20 GMT
I know where your coming from Nemanja, I would also be pretty tempted to start with Di Maria, he is our star player (on paper), and like you rightfully say, he's come on and produced an assist in the past 2 games, which should not be scoffed at - even if a few like to jokingly undermine those assists.
To counter my pro Di Maria stance, I will say, Young is probably a safer bet in terms of performance, he's in the type of mood now where even if he is having a not great game, he'll still be solid enough, if unspectacular.
With ADM, true flair players, if they have a bad game, they could really have a shocker, which could cost is defensively - but - if he turns up, then city don't have a hope in hell.
The beauty of football, it's always an unknown quantity.
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Post by Jie on Apr 8, 2015 9:47:23 GMT
He's just being stubborn as fuck going to extreme lenghts to prove how much better we would be starting Di Maria...  Just watched a replay of City's game vs Palace, the more I watch it, the more confident I am that we can win this one. Sure, they'll turn up against us, but our defence is still superior to theirs and if Rooney turns up we'd be taking the 3 points |
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