₦airaland Forum

patrickmuf:
Check when Pep plays KDB and Gundogan in front of Rodri...You hardly find that much space between the pair even when they attack. Rodri always has passing options either to the two CBs or their full backs or to either of Gundogan or KDB.

When attacking, Gundogan will ghost into the box, KDB will be a little withdrawn with Rodri stationed in the opponents half whilst the 2 fullbacks supply the width and the CBs push up close to the Centre of the pitch. This makes the pitch small for the opponents as they're kind of crowded out thus City can easily recover possession with their press. It's a system that involves all the units functioning, each player must be well positioned for their press to be coordinated. It is not down to the superior defensive quality of Rodri but more to their system.

A DM is important but in our present set up, Ndidi will look above average at best. I can't remember a game where I saw an opponent running at Rodri. Pep will never set up to allow the opponent attackers have a go at his defenders, it rarely does happen and when it does, most times City drop points because individually some of their defenders are suspect but as a unit, they're that good.

We should learn how to keep the ball and progressively attack and defend as a unit...

We already discussed this yesterday.

United should be pressing better after a loss of possession. I don’t see it at all apart from 3-4 players(Bruno, Cavani, Fred, Rashford). The others just jog or lament about the fact that they didn’t get a foul or crying about a missed chance.

The pressing needs to be better but I don’t want to even talk about that yet when there’s a gaping hole in the midfield crying for an elite operator. Pep’s teams are always compact and they look way better without the ball than when United are without the ball.

It’s a coaching issue. Pep and Ole aren’t in the same class. Every of our players should be tearing a muscle to get the ball back but we have too many lazy players. Martial doesn’t even run into space when we have the ball. He wants the ball to his feet every time. He should be sold as well but Joel Glazer is romantically in love with him.

dammywapes:
Cavani withdrawn from Uruguay World Cup qualifier

That’s good news.

Cavani should stay back, train and refresh for those two weeks.

patrickmuf:
From what you saw yesterday with Fred chasing Trincao in one action and in another trying to dispossess Traore, do you really think all we need is a DM and all our problems will be solved?

We need a DM, no doubt it but I don't see how even Makelele will fix the issues we have in the team.

If we had an elite DM, Pogba and Bruno would be advanced midfielders - 5 players in the final third of Wolves.

The game would have been easier to score unlike what we saw. I hate when Pogba is stuck next to Fred in a double pivot. Pogba is better offensively than defensively.

70% of Pogba’s output is lost when he plays as a DM. We are a much better side when he’s further up the pitch. I don’t understand how everyone sees this but Ole sees something different.

melodyogonna:
Stats no dey show everything ...

Look at the interception stats though.

The metric that shows how well a DM reads the game to intercept instead of making a crushing tackle.

Ndidi and Casemiro are up there. McFred are at the bottom.

patrickmuf:
We will have to talk about Bruno away from his goals and assist at some point...

Bruno is a high risk high reward player.

Man Utd knew what they were getting fully well before they signed him. If you are judging Bruno on ball retention or pass accuracy, you would miss the point because his first instinct when he receives the ball is to make a highly risky pass forward.

This is why he’s the heart and soul of every attacking move we make. Bruno is in his 3rd season and he has not lost an away PL game at Man Utd. There is a reason for that. United need to give him an elite DM to cushion the effect of his low ball retention stats.

Oasis007:
Oops... Kalvin rather

I will be happy if we get him though. Anything better than McFred is fine.

I genuinely feel for Fred. Fred is a very hardworking, honest midfielder who gives everything on the pitch.

It’s just that his talent isn’t enough for what is required. He tries so hard, puts himself about by being super active but his effort is never enough.

Oasis007:
You don't rate Kevin?

Kalvin Phillips? He’s better than what we have without a doubt but he’s not a top of the shelf DM.

Ndidi, Casemiro, Bissouma are all better.

Oasis007:
Leeds United are open to a loan move or even a permanent deal for Daniel James, who Manchester United value at in excess of £20m.

- Adam Crafton

Direct Swap please..... jez take Kevin Phillips. Kalaz.

Leeds £20m? They can have him. I would personally drive James from Cheshire to Leeds tonight for that fee.

Lingard for £30m is also a welcome development. £50m should be able to get Bissouma or even Casemiro.

Casemiro would love to play with Varane and Ronaldo.

Oasis007:
David Moyes will be meeting with Jesse Lingard this evening. The topic of conversation is unknown but there is a scenario where Lingard returns on loan to West Ham possibly after signing a new Manchester United contract.

Ole should sell Lingard and James. If he sells them tonight to raise funds to get a DM. At this point, I wouldn’t even mind signing Yves Bissouma to screen the back 4.

melodyogonna:
Wetin be PPDA abeg?

Passes Per Defensive Action.

It’s a metric that measures how many passes a team allows the opposition to make before attempting to win the ball back with a defensive action, such as a tackle, interception, or clearance.

Lana1:
Wont trade AWB for any RB in the world

With Ronaldo in the team and waiting for crosses in the box, I feel AWB’s days are numbered. Ronaldo is going to demand crosses which AWB seems unable to make.

Dalot, on the other hand, is a cross addict.

odizeey:
Ole wey dey fear trophy.

But he must win whether he like am or not.

He must win treble.

Ronaldo has changed the tension for Ole. He has to win now or face the sack. You don’t get Ronaldo in a transfer window and settle for top 4. He has 3 days to get a DM & 2 weeks to figure out his tactics.

paafin:
Read to understand

Those coaches I mentioned are better than Ole..

And they are coaching top class teams..

Will be difficult for Ole to win the league competing with them..

Tuchel is super class.

With a man down at half time, look at how he managed the second half and reduced Liverpool to huff & puff attempts.

When Ole lost Martial to a red card in the first half last season, United lost 6-1.

David De Gea: “28 unbeaten games away from home, it is something difficult to make, but now it is time to fight for titles not records."

DDG should be United’s captain. I hope Ole doesn’t bench him after this latest remark.

patrickmuf:
I am not disputing the fact that we need a solid DM but our players have to play close to each other and press as a unit...

The pressing as a unit has always been an issue with us. We have a mediocre PPDA in the league and it’s kind of confusing because Ole vowed no team in the league would ever outwork his team - even on their bad day.

patrickmuf:
They press as a unit tbh. I am not disputing the contributions of Fernandinho but I have seen Rodri take up that role and they still looked considerably solid...Heck, I have seen Gundogan deployed in that position and City weren't exposed at least not at an alarming rate. It goes beyond a competent DM.

Rodri does what Fernandinho does. He’s even getting better at it than Fernandinho these days.

Fernandinho laid the blueprint that other DMs at the club must follow & Fernandinho was so clever at it that he makes the fouls in the opponents half and he doesn’t even get booked 9 times out of 10 with those professional fouls.

Herrera could have done this job but the Norwegian fraud sold him.

patrickmuf:
City have their full backs to offer width whilst their wingers tuck in and the CMs press forwards. In almost every area of the pitch, they have a triangle of players who are not far from each other thus they retain possession very well. In our case, our players drift too far from each other that's why when one of the loses the ball, the opponent can cover considerable ground without a challenge.

Most of our issues is down to how we set up and that's on the manager...

And that’s because Ole knows he doesn’t have an elite DM that would prevent those breaks when United lose the ball.

City players retain the possession very well but as soon as lose the ball, Fernandinho is there to sniff the danger and get rid of it. If Fernandinho finds himself against a tricky player, he makes a foul inside the opponent’s half.

Fernandinho is the only reason City can afford to play like that. He understands and reads the game very well because he’s elite.

What position does Fernandinho play for City?

Expert17:
Yh.

With the signing of a DM, do you think 4-1-4-1 formation would work?

4-1-2-3, more like.

Expert17:
Our 1st choice front 4.

Greenwood Bruno Rashford/Pogba

Ronaldo

It should be front 5, if Ole signs a DM.

GloryIsaac:
If not for anything, at least get a DM for the next coach please

Because with this thing I watched today, Ronaldo fans won’t take it easy on Olé

The beauty of Ronaldo’s signing is that Ole has to win something this season otherwise he is going to get sacked.

I think the board needs to sign him a DM though. Ole himself doesn’t make his job easy by saying he’s contented with the squad. He could easily raise funds by selling James, Matic, Mata, Jones to get an elite DM.

patrickmuf:
They're cracks in our set up, so wide that a DM might not fix all of it. Ole has to find a system to accommodate the attacking talents at his disposal whilst remaining compact at the back.

A DM fixes everything.

Sticking Pogba next to Fred takes a lot of attacking intensity away from United. All the opponents have to do then is to double mark Bruno and the rest is history.

The two times Pogba has played as LW, you could see he had more impact in the game. United shouldn’t be playing double pivot DM against the likes of Wolves.

Pep would never set his team up like that. Pep would play Fernandinho and put David Silva(bald head) and KDB to support the attackers. If you double mark Silva, KDB is free to cause problems. If you double mark KDB, bald Silva would conjure up devastating through balls.

Expert17:


OLE is still our coach oo

You didn't' praise OLE for Degea's save, the same man you dragged any time Degea fvcks up

De Gea was making those kind of double saves before United hired Ole.

This is like his brand. He could make those kind of saves blindfolded.

patrickmuf:
Very poor performance. Different day and we end the match with 0 pts. We have to learn how to calm down and dominate a game, way too many rushed passes and general poor positioning from our players...

3 pts in the bag though.

United will not win anything without a defensive midfielder.

De Gea - saved United from a loss last weekend.

He has saved United again tonight.

The Pro-Henderson folks are still criticizing him for not scoring a penalty.

Dean Henderson can never ever make that double save. You can never train a GK for such scenarios. It’s in-born.

Without De Gea, United would have lost the last 2 games.

Oasis007:


Baba still call am Coogar

They are all suffering from PTSD.

In the last 5 years or so, they have accused not less than 7 people on this thread as Coogar.

Anyone that challenges their sensibilities is Coogar by default.

Half of them need serious therapy to be completely rid of Coogar.

elampiro:
Did you see this? Ferdinand added: "We spoke when we came back to pre-season. I remember speaking to you and you said, 'I'm going to speak to the manager and say I want to play as a number ten.'

Stop unsettling the waters.

Ferdinand was talking about 10/11 preseason when one of Berbatov or Hernandez played ahead of Rooney. Nobody is disputing Rooney’s position in 10/11 season.

It’s funny how Rooney’s position always changes according to the narrative. Gary Neville the other day said Rooney was the best centre forward in the history of Man Utd. He didn’t say he was the best #10.

To add to the confusion, Rooney told LVG he loved playing as #9 because he scored plenty of goals in the period he played there.

Few years later, he told BT Sports he hated playing as #9 because it was the most difficult position on the pitch with plenty of centre halves giving him a tough time. He also said he loved to get more involved in the build up.

elampiro:
Also, Ferguson said he stopped playing two strikers when he bought Nilsterooy. He said it was the need to change from the traditional way that he offloaded Yorke and Cole for Nilsterooy. Remember, Rooney played with Nilsterooy, so they were not playing as two strikers based on what SAF said.

You are obviously lying here.

Solskjaer and Saha played in a 4-4-2 after Yorke/Cole we’re offloaded. Ruud and Forlan also played in a 4-4-2.

Dead this argument.

Akanji has ruined it for Dortmund

3-1 Bayern.

Game over.

donjazet:
Guys, please does anyone have the link for Bayern Dortmund match?

Dortmund got one back.

2-1 Bayern but Dortmund have all the momentum now.

Epic match.

TrebleChamp:
, but would Raiola allow Haaland come to United...

If Pogba stays, it’s a good sign.

Haaaland’s dad is more important in that deal than Raiola. Raiola’s problem is money - he doesn’t give a damn where Haaland ends up.

Mrviktor:
Halland no worth pass 250k. A week.

I am just saying we will have enough free wages to afford whatever amount his greedy agent wants.

United will be in a very strong position to negotiate his deal. Of course, Haaland isn’t worth £700k/week but with every club jostling for him, there would be a price war.

TrebleChamp:
The demand for him next season will be massive, when his buyout clause reduce to £70m. Na who will pay the biggest weekly wage and agent fee go carry the day...

That’s why I feel United should quickly get rid of the liabilities in the club to free up wages.

Getting rid of Martial(£250k/week), Mata(£160k/week), Matic(£120k/week), Jones(£75k/week), Lingard(£75k/week) frees up almost £700k/week that we can use to tempt Haaland.

CapitalCee:
World class CDM is needed. To tighten up the defence, every team will not open up like Leeds when they score equaliser

Even as open as Leeds were, Bruno received 33 passes and only successfully completed 21 passes. Against top teams, this loss of possession would cost United big time.

Another reason why an elite CDM is needed is that it will allow Ole to play Bruno and Pogba as a pair of #8s and the elite would sit as the lone #6 - especially against bottom teams.

United need to be playing football with the front foot like City do. Territorial advantage is key. The more time a team spends in the opponent’s final third, the more likely that team would get a goal. Either by scoring via sheer brilliance or scoring via a jammy, flukey goal.

Oasis007:
Ain't aware of LMS..... can you tell us more about it?!

Every game week in the PL, each participant in this game chooses one team that must either win or draw. If I choose a team and they went on to lose, I am eliminated permanently from the game.

If you forget to choose a team in any game week, the highest team by position in last season’s PL table that you are yet to choose will be assigned to you automatically. If they win, you make it to the next round l. If you forget to choose a team 3 weeks in a row, you are eliminated from the game.

This will go on and on until the last person that has correctly chosen a team to keep winning. You can only choose one PL team per week and you cannot repeat any team you have already chosen in previous game weeks.

Oasis007:


Was regretting I didn't have Bruno in my FPL Team, but Salah is doing the magic as usual. How I wish I have both.

I really Sancho won't let me down as Martial did last Season I binned him.

We should do a Last Man Standing game on this thread but we will need someone that would dedicate his time to update the spreadsheet.

LMS is more exciting than FPL.