There's no getting away from it, that was a fucking shambles. I read Some red who was there, say it was worse than the 6-1 and the 5-1, as the scorline in those games slightly flattered City, whilst if anything, yesterday's flattered us, fair comment I'd say. They stopped playing really when it was 4-1, thank fuck for that, god knows what score it would have ended up otherwise.
Ahead of the game I had been reasonably confident, they have started the season even more indifferently than we have. When I saw their team, I was surprised that Pelligrini started with so many of his Summer signings, another encouraging sign, so I thought. The confidence evaporated a little when I saw our team, I still can't fathom the selection of Young and I wasn't enamoured with the selection of Smalling at right back.
The problem with Smalling at right back isthat he gets a nosed bleed when he advances over the half way line. It's a completely negative selection and in my opinion hands the oppostion the initiative down the right hand side, especially when you have the fragile confidence of Valencia in front of him. I'm afraid it looks like Valencia's good showing during the final half an hour of the Leverkeusen game was a flash in the pan. As bad as Young was, and he was dire, Valencia was no better. So basically Moyes gifted the flanks to City, not really a wise move when you're playing 4-4-2. Admittedly City had stopped playing really by this time, but the only time United ever gained any ascendency in the game was when Moyes switched it to 4-3-3.
But as much as for me, the flanks were the main problem, it's not really as if we were any better anywhere else. We started sluggishly, the defence was shaky, I've not been taken by all this talk of us looking more solid at the back, Rio once again looked his age, his legs aren't really there any more for games at this level. But yesterday Vidic wasn't really much better, I thought Evans was our most consistent centre half last season and it must be time now to introduce him back into the starting eleven. When he's fit I would like to see Jones start to make more regular appearances in his best position as well.
For years we have had the regular assertion that United haven't got enough presence in midfield. Well we had it yesterday, so what happened? The game completely passed Fellaini by, I had liked the look of him during the game against Leverkeusen, so I'm not going to be too harsh on him, but when Moyes pushed him further up, he definitely showed his limitations. Maybe Moyes limitations as well, that was an attrocious tactical move, Luddite, no other word for it. My fears about the signing of Fellaini was that, in times of need Moyes would stick him further up, so that was not what i wanted to see. We had Nani and Kagawa on the bench and instead he sticks Fellaini further forward. The manager will lose me if that's the limit of of his in game tactical nous.
Welbeck has come in for some stick on message boards and in the press, I'm not saying he played well, but when he went to the left he was more threatning than Valnecia or Young. Some have said Hernandez should have started ahead of him. I'm sorry I just don't get that, what possible difference to proceedings would that have made. That would have been like playing with ten and half men, if we haven't got the ball, Hernandez becomes annonymous. The only player to be able to hold his head up high was Rooney, ironically the man the doesn't really want to be here. But even there, Kompany had him in his pocket for most of the game.
I usually try and look to take some kind of positive thought from a game, but I am fucked if i can find any from yesterday, oh wait, here's one, start bringing the kids through. I mean it's not as if they could be any worse than that is it.
Ahead of the game I had been reasonably confident, they have started the season even more indifferently than we have. When I saw their team, I was surprised that Pelligrini started with so many of his Summer signings, another encouraging sign, so I thought. The confidence evaporated a little when I saw our team, I still can't fathom the selection of Young and I wasn't enamoured with the selection of Smalling at right back.
The problem with Smalling at right back isthat he gets a nosed bleed when he advances over the half way line. It's a completely negative selection and in my opinion hands the oppostion the initiative down the right hand side, especially when you have the fragile confidence of Valencia in front of him. I'm afraid it looks like Valencia's good showing during the final half an hour of the Leverkeusen game was a flash in the pan. As bad as Young was, and he was dire, Valencia was no better. So basically Moyes gifted the flanks to City, not really a wise move when you're playing 4-4-2. Admittedly City had stopped playing really by this time, but the only time United ever gained any ascendency in the game was when Moyes switched it to 4-3-3.
But as much as for me, the flanks were the main problem, it's not really as if we were any better anywhere else. We started sluggishly, the defence was shaky, I've not been taken by all this talk of us looking more solid at the back, Rio once again looked his age, his legs aren't really there any more for games at this level. But yesterday Vidic wasn't really much better, I thought Evans was our most consistent centre half last season and it must be time now to introduce him back into the starting eleven. When he's fit I would like to see Jones start to make more regular appearances in his best position as well.
For years we have had the regular assertion that United haven't got enough presence in midfield. Well we had it yesterday, so what happened? The game completely passed Fellaini by, I had liked the look of him during the game against Leverkeusen, so I'm not going to be too harsh on him, but when Moyes pushed him further up, he definitely showed his limitations. Maybe Moyes limitations as well, that was an attrocious tactical move, Luddite, no other word for it. My fears about the signing of Fellaini was that, in times of need Moyes would stick him further up, so that was not what i wanted to see. We had Nani and Kagawa on the bench and instead he sticks Fellaini further forward. The manager will lose me if that's the limit of of his in game tactical nous.
Welbeck has come in for some stick on message boards and in the press, I'm not saying he played well, but when he went to the left he was more threatning than Valnecia or Young. Some have said Hernandez should have started ahead of him. I'm sorry I just don't get that, what possible difference to proceedings would that have made. That would have been like playing with ten and half men, if we haven't got the ball, Hernandez becomes annonymous. The only player to be able to hold his head up high was Rooney, ironically the man the doesn't really want to be here. But even there, Kompany had him in his pocket for most of the game.
I usually try and look to take some kind of positive thought from a game, but I am fucked if i can find any from yesterday, oh wait, here's one, start bringing the kids through. I mean it's not as if they could be any worse than that is it.
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