This is really hard to admit and realise that we have stopped playing attractive football. I think this trend started during the 2010-11 season when we were just grinding out results, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1...... It's not that Fergie's to blame, last season and the pre-season too, United were playing superfluosly flowing football unless that outdoing by our rivals. In fact, we have become too efficient, a winning machine. I lay the blame (partly) on the wingers who have seriously let us down. And just on the basis of today's performance, Anderson. Wasn't he bought in 2007 for 20 million, he should be playing top football by now and Nani too, who has been upstaged by workmanlike Valencia, who isn't always pleasing on the eye. Those two were supposed to be the future of United which seems very unlikely now. Both are way too inconsistent and untrustworthy with fitness. I wonder if others also agree with me.
As long as you win who cares, what i'd give for us to have the 04-05 mentality back where we'd just win basically 1-0 or 2-1 all the time and when you knew if we went 1-0 up that was game over or if we went 1-0 down it would finish 2-1. I envy United because you're the comeback kings, winning and results is the only thing that matters. Beautiful football comes at a cost, great when on-song but when off-song it's awful to watch and doesn't get results
But, Fergie said this squad is better than the 99 lot, you must be watching a different team. Or he's up to one of his jedi mind tricks........
Yes that Chelsea team was absolutely ruthless but football without aesthetics isn't really "the beautiful game". Like tonight, I was distraught by our performance and Anderson's unathleticism (if that word exists).
We have always been geared towards fast counter attacking and to be honest we used to have such a rediculously good midfield Giggs Scholes Beckham and Keane its always going to be hard to compete with that. Its bullshit that we are boring, even last season was a rollercoster of emotions and we didn't win anything.
I wasn't impressed with tonight's performance at all, Anderson's passing was off, valencia and young were average and for the most part hernandez and Welbeck up front were ineffectual. Although it's another win so can we really complain that much?
I'm not necessarily saying totally boring. We have moments in games which last for 10-15 mins and generally, those are crucial in us winning. But more most part, the game just isn't flowing. Like tonight, there was chemistry lacking for the most of first half. Maybe it's because of the squad-rotation but we were still playing good players tonight, not our youths.
I thought Anderson played ok, I'd bet that for an unathletic midfielder he covers more ground than any of our other central midfielders. I maintain that Valencia has the yips.
Well, no i dont feel particularly proud when we're time-wasting in the final minutes against relegation candidates, but we do what we have to in order to win. In terms of our general play i think our moves forward flow fine, we don't control matches all that often, but that's never really been our style, we're a counter-attacking team at heart.
I missed the first half to be honest so i can't comment on that, but i do know what you mean. I think a lot of its based on the fact we tend to be very direct when we have the ball which can cause us to lose it very quickly. We are certainly no Barcelona when it comes to that style of football but they are the only team that can do it so well, others try and have really good games followed be ****e games.
Mediocrity is not what we aim for. That time-wasting effort by Hernandez, of all people, was pathetic. Let's just play football, pass around, simples.
I really don`t know what`s wrong with Valencia, he can`t pass his man anymore (or won`t) and his crossing is shocking.
Shocking really shocking, he was really incisive last season. Was it the Blackburn match, United would just give the ball to Valencia and he would do the damage. Killer crosses, high and low and surprise goals now and then. This season, he runs for a bit, runs out of idea, turns around and passes backwards.
United never have played attractive football. I don't know how that myth remains even today. You've always had flamboyant flair players (up until now) but that shouldn't be confused with actually playing attractive football.
Depends on your definition of attractive football. I think Barca/Arsenal and other possession based teams are boring, but some people claim they play "beautiful" football. I'd much rather watch end to end stuff. Are mentality has always been, attack us I dare you. You can't really compare the way we played today to how we normally play, seeing as we sent out our second string.
I think that the way opponents set up have a lot to do with it. Teams will really defend as a team now and sometimes they can be difficult to break down. IMO teams often used to see games with the top sides as losses straight away, whereas now they they fight for a point and on occasions even get three as outside of the top teams it has got so competitive.
