Manchester UTD V Liverpool

chicken n chips wrote: Some clubs like Arsenal and United definitely need to bolster their defences. Buying young 19 year olds is not the answer. Both clubs need two established defenders who are playing in the premier league or the Italian league (best defenders in the world are made, developed and perfected in the old country)

Englander wrote: While I do not think any of them are brilliant, at least as yet, I do think that some of United's defenders take more than their fair share of flack unnecessarily. Chris Smalling for example, I have heard glowing reports on some of his performances this year and last but he is being hampered by unfortunately having his "momentum" broken by consistent injuries. Both he and Phil Jones will also have partly suffered by being played out of position under Fergie... the same way John O'Shea and Wes Brown, imho the two best centre half prospects I have ever seen (along with Paul McGrath), partly lost their way because they so rarely played in their best positions. They, many years later, don't do a half bad job at a somewhat struggling club, now they regular play in that centre back position.

For sure, United seem to lack a commanding figure at the back but they have also suffered greatly from the poor play further forward, you can't consistently give the ball away in your half and expect your defenders/defence to get organised in time to deal with the threats that ensue. The whole art of defending is being an organised unit and United simply can't function as one currently because imo 1. the team as a whole is being set up wrong and 2. as a team they are giving the ball away in suicidal areas. A hammering may not be far off but if you consider that Arsenal and Southampton both dominated and despite the opportunities to attack that defence only scored once each and maybe missed one sitter each, I don't think that, as individuals, United's defence can be hugely criticised for their defensive play, indeed in many ways they have saved us from hefty defeats in both those games. The primary problems in my opinion are a lot more basic and a decent manager should have them resolved in a month rather than 3 years. That is not to say LVG is a bad manager, but I am a long way from convinced at this stage. He may have led Bayern n Barcelona to success but he was also sacked by both I believe not too long after. Jury definitely remains out for me but as ever, here's hoping!

chicken n chips wrote: I did them to win 4-1 seems like they are far better without the pressure of having to win

chicken n chips wrote:

chicken n chips wrote: I did them to win 4-1 seems like they are far better without the pressure of having to win

get in last kick of the match and up comes my 4-1 at 50/1 :lol:

chicken n chips wrote:

chicken n chips wrote: I did them to win 4-1 seems like they are far better without the pressure of having to win

get in last kick of the match and up comes my 4-1 at 50/1 :lol: