Man United

[Guest The Crippler]

Hey all,

 

Just been watching this Manchester United game tonight. Going forward they were great. Really good but I was thinking how they are quite similar in a way to Real Madrid in that they seem really good going forward but defensively I thought they were pretty poor.

 

Excellent debut by Rooney with three great goals (although he was as responsible as anyone for the Turkish second goal with that daft concession of a corner). United look fantastic going forward but I'm interested what the United fans (and others) think about them defensively.

 

I think unless they shore up their defence then they aren't really going to do anything in the Champions League. If they can concede two at home to the Turks then it doesn't bode that well for when they play really good teams.

 

Thoughts?

[Guest Cactus Jack]

I'm in such a mark-out mood that the only thing I can contribute to this discussion is; Roo-Mania Baby :worship

[Guest PHIZZLE]

I second that ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONEY

[Guest Trash]

Hey guys, I was there tonight!

Sat in the East Stand having an awesome time!

Yeah, Rooney was great and seeing Ruud score was even sweeter.

But give credit to the Turkish fans. They were pretty good and kept up their support all night, even if they were 3 goals down. They even got applauded at the end!

And the match was good, :D ha!

I think the goals Fenerbache got could have been avoided if we improved our defense, it wasnt looking as strong in the 2nd half.

But still, twas a great time indeed

[Evil Gringo 279]

Last season after the Ferdinand suspension we were at times dire as Fergusion chopped and changed the back line to try and fill Rio's void... It been the same this season through injuries that we don't have a settled back line and that is what you need at a club if your going to be water tight.

 

Look at Arsenal, Lauren despite the fact he's a midfielder has played at right back long enough to know the job and the players around him. Campbell and Toure played alongside each alot last season and after some teething troubles bedded in superbly well and Cole does a fantastic job at left back.

 

They are a unit, something that United used to have with Parker, Bruce, Pallister and Irwin and something was slowly and methodically upgraded. But all of a sudden its crash bang and everything has to stick. It happened last year with the midfield and the defense after Rio's ban and this year with Keane playing centre back whilst O'Shea played in midfield (why?) and Heinze's arrival, well its not been easy...

 

Hopefully United will get a set backline in the coming months and then shore it up cos as you pointed out Cripp, great going forward but what happens if like at Madrid it seems the strikers just forget to score?

[K.J 71]

Rooney, Rooney.

 

At least we're looking good going forward now, just need to work on the defence.

 

I thought in open play we handled the Turks well, we only seemed to have problems at set plays mainly due to lack of marking from midfield players. That should come with time, as Gringo said the defence has been chopped and changed, last night was the first time that particular back 4 has played together, and it was our strongest back four.

[Evil Gringo 279]

So long as we keep O'Shea out of attacking midfield I'll bew happy... As a defensive player in a holding role he may be ok but his attempts when he's gone forward have so far been quite poor....

 

It baffles me why Phil Neville after his great form in midfield last season has dropped out of favour so quick. It was his form and the arrival of Kleberson and Djemba that allowed Butt to go so why put O'Shea ahed of them so quick?

 

My main worry is cover on the left. We have plenty of Midfields for the centre and on the right Bellion, Ronaldo, Smith and Kleberson can all play. But on the left we only have Giggs and Ronaldo with maybe Keiron Richarson. Needs looking at as United don't play well in a 3-5-2 or 5-3-2...

 

My ideal team would be at the moment would be..

 

GK: Howard

RB: Brown

LB: Heinze

CB's: Silvestre and Ferdinand

RM: Ronaldo

LM: Giggs

CM: Scholes

AM: Rooney (just behind the attackers)

CF: Smith

CF: Ruud

 

Subs: Carroll, P Neville, O'Shea, Saha and Bellion...

 

What do you think?

[Guest Jung]

Would you not play Roy Keane?

[Evil Gringo 279]

At the moment it was my impression that he is out for 3 months due to his conduct in the court case... That is why that team is like that, its based on those avilable for the time being.

 

If I could I would play Gary Neville at right back but he is out with a broken kneecap at the time.

[Guest Jung]

Didn't Gary Neville play against Fenerbahce or did I imagine that?

 

So with every squad member available, what team would you pick?

[Fletch 204]

Man Utd now have the dilemma of 3 great strikers and only playing 2. If i were Utd I would possibly take a chance by playing all 3 at the risk of someone like Ronaldo.

 

Goal: Carrol

RB: o'Shea

CB: Ferdinand

CB: Heinze

LB: Silvestre

RM: Scholes

LM: Giggs

CM: Keane

STR: Saha:

STR: Rooney

STR: Van the man

[Evil Gringo 279]

Well I pick that team with Smith moved on to the bench for Rooney and Brown moving aside for Gary Neville, Keane would then move into midfield

 

So on the pitch you'd have Howard, G.Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney and Ruud...

 

Then on the bench I'd have P.Neville, Smith, Saha, Brown and Carroll....

 

What do you think of that?

[K.J 71]

The team I'd pick would be as follows.

 

GK Roy Carroll

 

RB Gary Neville

LB Gabriel Heinze

CB Rio Ferdinand

CB Michael Silvestre

 

RW Cristiano Ronaldo

LW Ryan Giggs

CM Roy Keane

CM Paul Scholes

 

FW Wayne Rooney

FW Ruud van Nistelrooy

 

Subs: Tim Howard, John O'Shea, Kleberson, Alan Smith, Louis Saha

 

Thats our best 11 in my opinion. I think we urgently need a new Roy Keane in there if we're to be able to compete at the level we have over the past decade, unfortunately players like that don't grow on trees.

 

Obviously the 4 forwards would chop and change, but Rooney/Ruud is the way to go at the moment. I'd also give Kleberson a chance in Scholesys position as i've been impressed with his start to the season.

[Guest Ed_666]

Ok, well starting with the original question, I don't think we're really that bad in defence. Both goals came from scrambles after a corner. Anyone can concede a goal like that even if they've the best defence in the world. It wasn't like against Liverpool when we scored with two free headers, they were both bobbling around hitting people before they went in. That sort of thing isn't going to happen every match.

 

We managed a clean sheet against Spurs, and Liverpool didn't score themselves (we scored it for them), so we're not doing that bad.

 

Also personally, after 3 seasons of rubbish possesion football where we hardly had a shot I'm very happy to go back to a rampant attack with a slightly dodgy defence!

 

As to the best team I'd agree with K.J. except that I'd have Howard in nets rather than Carroll, although Carroll has done well recently.

 

Obviously Rooney is a great player and a brilliant signing, but what about Heinze? He's looked great so far, although sometimes his passing lets him down, but other than that he's good going forward, and gets stuck in. He also almost scored a wonder header from the edge of the area against Liverpool. Dudek managed to tip it over the bar, but a foot to either side and it'd have been in, from outside the area!

 

Ed

[K.J 71]

I'd agree Heinze has been a great signing, as I said at the end of last season we need a new left back, then others argued that we had O'Shea, although O'Shea has done well at Left Back I think it's made a big difference having a left footed player there. He's good going forward, a strong tackler and looks a little bit sneaky aswell which is always good for winding up opposition.