as much as Clattenburg played a part - Lester players were impressive throughout. Had Manu players had fraction of that spirit, could have coasted. They have no one but themselves to blame. But it is really nice to see Agent #1 working against Manu.
Man Utd look in disarray to me, a dispirited, misfiring team if every there was. I didn't expect an instant comeback from them, but also thought they would be showing some signs of improvement. They need to lower their expectations and learn to play as a team and back each other up. Maybe there's too many stars and not enough workers.
Although their team is dreadfully unbalanced (as ours was at the beginning of last season), I expected them to start a bit better than this. CP, your analysis is spot on for me. They have shown lots of improvement going forward, but are as wide open as a prozzies legs at the back and shouldn't be conceding 5 goals against Leicester!! Its weird to watch United since Fergie left. What was usually a powerful force is now weak and helpless. It's like watching a Great White shark at the top of a mountain, outside of its comfort zone it cannot defend itself. Get to close to its mouth and it might still snap at you, but approach its back and it cannot defend itself.
Currently you'd have to say LVG is even worse than Moyes. Moyes had taken over the champions and perhaps could have expected more from the players than he got left with. LVG has had the benefit of a massive cash injection to freshen up the squad and has not spent it well. They are trying to shoe horn in all these names but are seriously imbalanced both on the pitch and in terms of all their good players all being attackers (save for perhaps the keeper). How you can spend 200 million in 2 windows and now basically waiting for Jan so you can get in re-enforcements at the back is lunacy. They will batter teams some weeks (like QPR) as when they click they will be great but there will be plenty of losses in there as well with that Defence.
I think everyone agrees that QPR are by far the weakest team in the League as well. If any team wasn't going to take advantage of Uniteds piss poor defence, it was QPR. Leicester have impressed and Burnley have been great defensively (in fact second best in the league so far this season) so if they start scoring some goals they might do okay. I was very puzzled with LvG's signings to be honest. Falcao I could understand, getting a striker of that quality for that low a price (next to nothing really) is good, especially as your main goalscorer (RVP) is injured alot. But the Di Maria money.......they should have spent that on a decent defender and a box to box midfielder. This United would frighten me: --------------De Gea------------- Rafael--Hummels--Rojo--Shaw ------------Blind---------------- -------Herrera---Vidal---------- ----Mata-----Falcao/RVP----Januzaj Much more than this United: -----------De Gea------------ ---Jones---Rojo---Blackett--- -------------Blind-------------- Mata--Herrera--Di Maria-Januz --------Rooney--RVP----------- The second team is just too weak at the back and too crowded with attacking talent in the middle. Who do you play on the wings? Will they track back? I dont think United have the personnel to play 3 at the back. If you stick Mata and Januzaj on the wings they will be expected to track back (Mata defending good luck), alternatively if you stick Shaw or someone there, they will track back too often and offer no danger in wide areas, making their play narrow, so teams will pack the middle of their defence and block em out, they wont even need to do a good job of it either, since they will always score bucket loads against a back 3 of Jones, Rojo and Blackett (I am not trolling when I say that back 3 wouldnt look out of place in a Championship side). Again Mata is stuck on the wing, reducing his effectiveness by about 50%. Or you dont play him at all, making him a wasted signing.
United should have just spent the money addressing the main problems not just buying names cos they came available. I'll stand to be proven wrong but Blind, Rojo and Shaw (at the moment) are average players for a club like United on top of the average they were left with when Vidic and Evra went etc. You can carry the odd player but Evans, Smalling, Rafael, Fletcher (now), Carrick etc. So lacking in quality in the bottom half of the pitch. Teams will be scared of the attack but licking their lips when United don't have possession.
Agreed, thankfully. Look at the likes of Matic for us and (unfortunately) Milner for City yesterday. Luckily that's not sorted for united yet.
Long may their disarray continue!!!! Perhaps "United" followers in Hampshire will leave the sinking ship and notice that there is a team local to them in Hampshire that is worth supporting!! Southampton!!! And if that is not to their taste then Portsmouth!!!
