Newton Heath LYR v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[achilles]

We must play 4-4-2 no matter who the opposition, please listen Mr H!

There is no chance of that, we will be playing variations of 4-5-1, 4-3-3 in the majority of games. It's what he's been working towards all season and he's not going to abandon it now.

Unfortunately you are right, he is not going to change it for anyone!

So we are going to have to get used to wingers playing in centre midfield, on their 'wrong' sides and forwards as wingers! Oh joys!

[eastie]

United last night on that form would have beaten just about any team and we gave them a decent game- that's to our credit.

Confidence it still pretty high so now let's go on a run up that table.Players are still aDjusting to the new system of play and as they do so will become comfortable and improve their game, next season could be hugely exciting to watch , but in the meantime have a bit of patience with things and we will reap the benefit.

I love the 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 style as it gives such fluidity and options and the 4-4-2 has long been dated.

[pablopicasso_10]

Not read the thread, so not sure if it's been mentioned yet.

Makoun - 94 attempted passes - 85 complete.

When was the last time we had a player do something similar to that?

(The stats for the team - 565 attempted passes, 453 completed. Man Utd was 446, 342 respectively)

that is excellent.. thanks for bringing it to my attention... (i love stats like that... they make me feel all warm and fuzzy...)

[Chris Smith]

We must play 4-4-2 no matter who the opposition, please listen Mr H!

There is no chance of that, we will be playing variations of 4-5-1, 4-3-3 in the majority of games. It's what he's been working towards all season and he's not going to abandon it now.

Unfortunately you are right, he is not going to change it for anyone!

So we are going to have to get used to wingers playing in centre midfield, on their 'wrong' sides and forwards as wingers! Oh joys!

It's the modern way!

I'd say that Albrighton is the only out and out winger we have. Downing and Young are more adaptable players who can perform in a number of positions.

I though the way we moved the ball around last night with everyone comfortable in possession was a very encouraging pointer as to how how we are going to play.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's quite natural for a player to be disappointed after being taken off, it's a normal human reaction. We're in danger of turning this int a bigger issue than it is. I'm sure a few quite words at BH and it will all be smoothed over.

Like Shorey at Fulham?




_{I know, I know *wink*}

[lukey27]

Last night we were simply up against a better team than us, who are in great form at the moment.

It's going to take time, for the system and style to click fully with the players we have. Yes, we kept the ball well, but in the first half it was all in front of them and we didn't have enough in their final third to really hurt them.

The key, is getting players a bit closer to Bent when we break and creating a few more chances generally in games. Defensively though we're still a big worry, Walker looks like a frustrated winger to me and how Cuellar can't get in that team is a complete mystery.

[ktvillan]

Very impressed with Makoun, good control, comfortable on the ball, knows how to pick a pass out and make it, linked up a lot of our play.

Young flattered to deceive again, Bent did his job clinically.  Dunne was like a lame elephant first half and lucky not to conced what looked like a blatant penalty.

Defensively we are ropey, far too much ballwatching and not enough marking, Rooney had more space in one game than he's had in the previous twenty, no surprise he scored two and could have had more if not for Brad.

We continue to lose goals at the end of the half - a very bad habit.

Giggs and Nani were impressive for them.

[PaulTheVillan]

Who was arsey when taken off last night?

[WikiVilla]

Who was arsey when taken off last night?

Stan spat his dummy out

[DrGonzo]

Bent's goal gives him a 1 in 2 ratio, which is nice.

Or indeed 2 in 3 which is even nicer.

I'm in no way depressed after yesterday, the manner of the defeat is enough to give us hope in th coming months.  Makoun looks to be a quality signing.  Petrov did his best to make everyone who has stood up for him look foolish.  Every time he is in possession his first movement is towards the sideline, all pace extinguished.  Double training sessions for the defence and a good 3 points this weekend, please.

[midnite]

United last night on that form would have beaten just about any team and we gave them a decent game- that's to our credit.

Confidence it still pretty high so now let's go on a run up that table.Players are still aDjusting to the new system of play and as they do so will become comfortable and improve their game, next season could be hugely exciting to watch , but in the meantime have a bit of patience with things and we will reap the benefit.

I love the 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 style as it gives such fluidity and options and the 4-4-2 has long been dated.

I agree with you, it's a much more expansive way of playing the game. The players just need a bit of time to get use to it. And with the likes of downing, young and albrighton I think it will help them flourish.

[Bosco81]

Giving anyone a goal start is difficult but it's even worse when it's at Man U.

It was real sunday morning stuff that first goal.

[Monty]

United last night on that form would have beaten just about any team and we gave them a decent game- that's to our credit.

Confidence it still pretty high so now let's go on a run up that table.Players are still aDjusting to the new system of play and as they do so will become comfortable and improve their game, next season could be hugely exciting to watch , but in the meantime have a bit of patience with things and we will reap the benefit.

I love the 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 style as it gives such fluidity and options and the 4-4-2 has long been dated.

I agree with you, it's a much more expansive way of playing the game. The players just need a bit of time to get use to it. And with the likes of downing, young and albrighton I think it will help them flourish.

Agree with all of the above. 4-4-2 these days is actually a defensive system: because you don't have the numbers in the centre of the field to hold the ball, you end up sticking two banks of four behind the ball and playing out-balls to the forwards. Playing two up front is an advantage here because you can look for a knockdown or lay-off from one striker to the other when the opposition defence is disorganised. However, at the higher levels you have to look to keep the ball and break teams down, and because 4-4-2 leaves you so spare in the middle the extra striker becomes pretty much useless as you never create anything to get to him.

[fredm]

Well, as I said in the pre-match forum, they had their full team out (why does Sir Alex never rest anyone against us?? erm??) and they got off to a flier like they always try to do.

The whole team must take responsibility for the first minute, up in the stands I could see Van de Sar screaming at Ferdinand, who was about to just tap the free kick, to get out of the way as he raced out to launch it forward.  If everyone had been alert they would have shouted to the defenders to ensure they were aware of what was happening.

And the second, scored after the board had gone up showing 1 minute, again is just suicidal.

After the opening they were quite happy to let us retain possession in midfield knowing we were going nowhere.  Yes Makoun does look a very composed and tidy player but in all honesty did he ever look like opening them up?  In fact several times Bent was looking for the through ball from him but Makoun played it short to someone close by. He will need time to get up to speed and I think he could well be an asset to us.

In relation to Downing, I think he has a footballing brain and does try to find a pass, but last night most of his shots were blocked and therefore nullified.  He either needs to shoot earlier or commit the defender before shooting thus meaning the shot will miss the defender.

I went with some Man U season ticket holders and on the way home they said they couldn't believe Ashleys performance.  "He spent half the match in your half of the pitch" was their main comment and you have to agree.  They then said that when he moved out to the left after Emile came on, he did far more damage and that is where they expected to see him all game, running at O'Shea who they say is not worth his place.  I think GH needs to tell him that he isn't a mid-fielder/link man but a front runner and if we are playing 4-3-3 then he is up front and has licence to roam across the park, collecting the ball and running at defenders in areas where he commits them.

For Walker and Clark it was part of the learning curve and also for the rest of the team when you think of the changes that have been made and the new faces needing to bed in.  Unfortunately the first minute meant that we were never likely to bring anything away from there (yet again - 1 in how many years?).

[UsualSuspect]

You can't put a spineless Downing in front of a right back who can't defend. Especially if Cuellar isn't there to cover.

Young needs to learn how to get a corner kick past the first man, needs to understand that every free kick he takes goes over the bar - I actually fast forwarded thru this as I knew where it was going to end up. He needs to learn that releasing the ball sooner is much much better than running at three opposition players and losing the ball.

Fuck I can't stand him!! There, I said it.
 

Thank fook I'm not the only one. This complete egomaniac drags the team down at times. He holds onto the ball too long in open play, and the vanity-flattering experiment of playing him through the middle is a folly. He's not as good as he thinks he is, and his dead ball skills have been atrocious for a while, and yes I am including hi penalty technique which, the goal aside last week, looks like he could miss the goal just as easily. As my friend says, we're now seeing the result of MON telling him he's world class for the past 2 seasons. No he isn't.

Sell him in the summer.

Agree with a lot of what Mr Diggles (hope the book was okay!) said

Ashley imo needs to be played wide where his pace is a threat. Flouncing through the middle with his snood on doesn't hurt other team