Given our record against Hull, this seemed to be a good time for this particular fixture to come around. Three victories on the bounce, four if we can Beat Stoke tomorrow night, was just what the doctor ordered after our indifferent start to the season. The sooner we can start to pull away from the teams immediately below us, the sooner I will start to believe that that all important top four spot and Champions league football next season is likely rather than possible.
I don't know what it is about United, but that 5-3 aside, Hull City have never really turned up at United. They seem to occasionally give the big boys a bit of fight, but they offered nothing last season and offered even less on Saturday. Once United took the lead, it was only ever a question of how many goals United would score, not whether we'd bag the three points.
Once again Van Gaal surprised us with his selection, bringing Rojo back, deploying two wingers as full backs and in seemingly starting Van Persie behind Rooney and Di Maria. The Van Persie positional switch didn't really have time to prove worthwhile or not, as Di Maria's injury and replacement saw the Dutchman revert to the number 9 spot I'm sure he'd much rather start the game in.
Carrick's return to the team and United's improved form, or at least our improved run of results, is not an accident. It would seem the Geordie's poor form of last season is yet another black mark to be put at the door of ex manager Moyes. Since coming back from his enforced lay off, he has shown how much United have missed him. The quality of his passing, both simple and the adventurous, as with the ball that saw van Persie's header brilliantly saved by the opposition keeper, have been badly missed. I'd rather not see him move back to centre half for the last quarter of an hour as he has been for the last couple of home games, but even that shows how highly Van Gaal rates him.
I suppose I better remark on Rooney's vastly improved form over the last month. He is playing miles better that's for sure, it's still not the level I'd ideally want from the number ten, but it's a massive improvement on what we've had to endure over the last couple of seasons. The question for me, is where has it come from, can we chalk this Loony Van Gaal and the coaching staff or has it come from within.
It was nice to see Van Persie rediscover his scoring boots, that was a quality goal. Though if truth be told, his play in general was pretty much where it's been so far this season. He did improve in the second half, but he has a fair way to go to get back to the form we saw in the first six months of his United career.
I can see tomorrow's match against Mark Hughes Stoke being a far tougher proposition. For one, whilst I don't think they have too much craft in midfield, they have pace and do possess a goal threat going forward as well as being well organised as Hughes teams generally are. Losing Di Maria will make us a little less direct, I wouldn't mind seeing Wilson getting a start tomorrow, if fit, his pace would come in handy. Looking forward to it anyhow, you didn't say that too often last season.
I don't know what it is about United, but that 5-3 aside, Hull City have never really turned up at United. They seem to occasionally give the big boys a bit of fight, but they offered nothing last season and offered even less on Saturday. Once United took the lead, it was only ever a question of how many goals United would score, not whether we'd bag the three points.
Once again Van Gaal surprised us with his selection, bringing Rojo back, deploying two wingers as full backs and in seemingly starting Van Persie behind Rooney and Di Maria. The Van Persie positional switch didn't really have time to prove worthwhile or not, as Di Maria's injury and replacement saw the Dutchman revert to the number 9 spot I'm sure he'd much rather start the game in.
Carrick's return to the team and United's improved form, or at least our improved run of results, is not an accident. It would seem the Geordie's poor form of last season is yet another black mark to be put at the door of ex manager Moyes. Since coming back from his enforced lay off, he has shown how much United have missed him. The quality of his passing, both simple and the adventurous, as with the ball that saw van Persie's header brilliantly saved by the opposition keeper, have been badly missed. I'd rather not see him move back to centre half for the last quarter of an hour as he has been for the last couple of home games, but even that shows how highly Van Gaal rates him.
I suppose I better remark on Rooney's vastly improved form over the last month. He is playing miles better that's for sure, it's still not the level I'd ideally want from the number ten, but it's a massive improvement on what we've had to endure over the last couple of seasons. The question for me, is where has it come from, can we chalk this Loony Van Gaal and the coaching staff or has it come from within.
It was nice to see Van Persie rediscover his scoring boots, that was a quality goal. Though if truth be told, his play in general was pretty much where it's been so far this season. He did improve in the second half, but he has a fair way to go to get back to the form we saw in the first six months of his United career.
I can see tomorrow's match against Mark Hughes Stoke being a far tougher proposition. For one, whilst I don't think they have too much craft in midfield, they have pace and do possess a goal threat going forward as well as being well organised as Hughes teams generally are. Losing Di Maria will make us a little less direct, I wouldn't mind seeing Wilson getting a start tomorrow, if fit, his pace would come in handy. Looking forward to it anyhow, you didn't say that too often last season.
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