I thought he did as well as he could. Bar fluffing a chance that got stuck under him. He linked well with everyone, his first touch wasn't as bad and was borderline decent and he played some decent passes. I just don't think we needed to be as cautious as we were so would have liked Herrera instead of bastian for a half.
The reason Herrera didn't come on was bcos LVG was happy for us to ping it out wide every time. For him to consider Herrera would have meant trying to open up the defence. He wasn't interested in that. Eventually one of the thousand runs from out wide and eventual crosses paid off. We laboured the victory without Herrera.
On a lighter note. I don't like John Terry but he totally mugged off Robbie Savage - the video made me smile. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34715713
Come on. This is the best we've done for a long time. FFS give him credit for Jesse. We had penetration today and the only thing missing was the finish. I said we were in a rough patch. Maybe that's over.
Literally no reason for any United fan to be unhappy with the team or manager tonight. Dominated the game, played it almost exclusively in CSKAs half (though they clearly set up for a draw, at least until Doumbia came on). The score line doesn't tell the whole story, could and should have been more. We created good chances and played with pace. Martial being subbed seemed weird but I guess it was going to be for him or Lingard. Lingard made the assist shortly after so in hindsight, it was justified. Plus he may simply have been resting him for WBA. All in all completely in control and now sitting pretty in the CL. Win v PSV and we are through.
I think that's shading the story, UIR. I thought we had all the ball but very little to do with it. When we crossed it in, the crosses were way too easy to defend against. So they just had us playing in front of them for the whole match and they almost had us on counter just before the goal. United fans should be absolutely happy with the outcome but the game itself was very frustrating to watch because we didn't put any real decent efforts on target.
I really do wish people would read what I've written instead of constantly taking offence at a different point of view. Where have I mentioned Jesse, the only post I made about him was to actually compliment him earlier. The only thing I can respond to, is the comment about penetration. That deteriorated after the first half hour and was virtually non-existent in the second. I see the game more than the result, more than simply full-backs running down the wings and either running into cul-de-sacs or putting in cross after cross ad-infinitum. Tactically it was still one dimensional.... but the players gave 100% considering the brief they were given and I've not criticised their efforts at all.
We had to play in front of them for most of it as they literally parked the bus. For 70 minutes they had zero attacking intent so it was always going to be like that. We never let them out though, which considering how good a counter attacking team they are, is good. They had one chance all game, we had 14 with 7 on target. From the first minute we attacked. You can't fault the manager for the players not taking them but they will have been low on confidence. The goal will have given the whole club a lift. The result should give the fans a lift.
The bold bit made me chuckle. Its exactly what van Gaal says. Anyway, I'm watching the highlights now and its showing us during both halves having plenty forward and player storming the box time after time. There was real intent in our play going forward. It didn't always come off but you have to expect that, especially considering we've been pants in attack recently.
please log in to view this image BBC just showed exactly what I mentioned earlier when we had just started the second half. We kept going to the left flank which Jesse and Rojo were more or unless at. This is really where we miss Shaw. As for the right hand flank, that's where Jesse or Ander needs to play to give some balance. Also, teams will come to OT to defend. This has been the case since the beginning of time. It is our responsibility to unlock them with creativity. Our concern should not be whether or not they pack the bus because that is a given. Hey, I think I would make a wonderful coach. lol
Shaws been a big miss. No doubt. Herrera not playing was basically down to us wanting pace on the wings but being wary of CSKA's ability to counter. We saw in the first game that they are good at it. In hindsight we should have played Herrera as CSKA didn't want to play. In the end though, Schweinsteiger provided a similar role to Herrera in the first half and we played well so him not playing isn't a major thing. I think he will be back in the line up for WBA.
I raised the issue of lingard because although I was initially disappointed with the resting of Herrera I was encouraged that he was willing to risk lingard. Thats why I said he needed some credit for that. I am not sure how you can say it was one dimensional. Today it was as good an attacking performance in the first half as we've seen for a long time. Normally you make valid points albeit negative ones which I agree with. Tonight I can't see many negatives to be honest. After a win and topping the group, I find it difficult within myself to criticise
You're talking about penetration. The fact we were constantly attacking for the whole game and getting players forward, creating openings and eventually getting a deserved goal shows we had more penetration today.
Treble has a problem with his delivery of messages but I actually agree with him on this one. I too thought the play was too one dimensional and almost felt like we had ran out of ideas. We were simply trying the same shh and then expecting it to workout. We were not dynamic enough. I think we can put this down to lack of confidence in attack play. Yes we won, but it was more laboured effort up front than fluent.
It didn't help with the crowd booing. Shortly before we scored the majority started to get behind the team and we upped the game a little. The goal itself was a sublime piece of football. Bar Memphis losing the ball, everything from Rojos tackle to win the ball back, Carrick's pass and Lingard first cross and Rooney's finish, it was very nice. Right away you have Rooney's early chance, Rojo had a couple of great chances that perhaps Shaw may have pit away, Mata almost put it on a plate for Rooney but for some good defending. Right after the goal Lingard had one of many chances. We had some poor finishing but the intent and variation was there. Anyway, another positive, first time we have ever beaten a Russian team at home
I don't see myself as negative, but rather the football we play. I thought our players were really up for it throughout the match. They were clearly fired up for the match and lets assume LVG was responsible for that, but his tactics hindered them. It was like sending your best army out to war after a rousing speech, with one arm tied behind their back. By the second half that game resembled United under Moyes (bar the great defending tonight). One dimensional in the sense, it was all about running down the channels but no real strategy once they got there. For me, wide play is about creating space for your midfield and in particular your playmakers to create for your forwards. Did nobody notice CSKA were playing the offside trap? They were playing a high line. That was begging for an attacking midfielder to take control and service Martial (and even Lingard) through the middle. We should have attempted to use our wingers to create that space for the midfield to play behind their high line. Instead we resorted to playing the channels over and over again and that was predictable for CSKA as they would then drop deep, pack the box and clear their lines. Also, I think Rooney was very good but he is not as good as Herrera or Mata in the AM role - in terms of confidence, vision, first touch, and passing to cut open a central defence and create for a CF. If he drops Herrera and makes Rooney the number 10, I think the problems will persist. Subbing Martial for Fellaini spoke volumes. A man devoid of ideas and with little faith in his players. He got booed by the crowd when he did that and rightly so.
The only booing I heard was Martial being replaced by Fellaini. Anyway, I thought we were pretty good. No complaints at all. Playing it out to the wings isn't a crime or a problem, the ball was moved far quicker from the CM to the wings, or just simply forward, and we attacked quicker as a result. Nothing wrong with tonight at all. Rooney was far from shocking (lol). He was anything but.
