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And look at Jesse Lingard - Again I don't know what issues there maybe behind the scenes, whilst he twiddled his thumbs recently at MUFC - But that is not a crap player I see in a West Ham shirt
My impression would be that Man U have as many top players, and as much strength in depth, as any of the other teams near the top of the Premier League. But they just don't seem to function as a team - or a rotating squad - as well as City, or Liverpool, or Chelsea on a good day, or even Leicester.
At those other clubs there seems to be a real team ethic and everyone seems to know exactly where they're supposed to fit in. Man U seems more like a collection of slightly-out-of-place talented individuals.
Having said that, comfortable second in the Premier League, runners-up in the Europa League, it's not really that bad a season. And it does seem like Solskjaer has improved the mood at the club, even when performances have fallen a little short.
Whether they have Foden with Mahrez on the wings or Sterling instead of Foden, they play as a unit. Not really sure what magic fairy dust Pep hands out on his training ground but he has managed to instill the same style as his old Barca team when they were at their peak. Every player is great but every player can also be replaced and rotated.
To get to that point takes time as you might need a few transfer windows to get the right players in. Once you have good competition for places the ones that are getting picked up their game so they don't get dropped - like Shaw has this season when Telles arrived. We still have some players who are undroppable or are playing with an injury or tired because the alternative player that could come in to replace them is not good enough. Until his injury, Maguire had played every premiership game this season whereas City were able to rotate Dias, Stones, Laporte etc and not suffer at the back. In a few games this season where we have struggled, Ole has left the subs really late or not done them at all - looking at the bench last night, there was no one who you could say have come on and changed the game. Fergies teams like in 99 had players on the bench that you felt could make a difference if they came on.
I think Ole has made some progress, he needs a few more signings to improve the squad depth United will hopefully be able to cope better in games where they need a plan B
City are best at it but their squad is insanely good compared to everyone else, plus Pep is arguably the best manager you can get these days if your club has money to burn. To be honest it would be interesting to see what Pep could do with a team like Spurs or Arsenal. Can he still cut the mustard when not presiding over the richest club?
Man Utd for the best part of the time, tactically set up pretty well, they play with a double pivot opposed to a single pivot, but they have some clear tactical failings, some of which come from the manager, and some of it come from the failings to address key positions in the team.
IMO, a huge failing of the team isn't the tactical aspect, or how they function as a team, is the actual in game management and concentration isn't always as good as it can be, not to that of the best teams/managers in the division.
I did say I don't understand tactics! I follow football (and most sports) quite closely, but I'm interested in all the facts and figures - the manager sackings, the signings, the mathematics of the league tables and the promotion/relegation battles.
People talk about players having "a football brain" and I definitely haven't got one of those. I can't see the formations on the pitch or spot the good and bad moves, at all. To me, they all look like they're running around like headless chickens.
I agree that playing players out of position to fit the format and get them in the team can create an in-balance - Yet it can work sometimes - Many forget, don't know or can't recall, but the Brazil side of 1970 had 5 x #10's based on their club position players 7-8-9-10-11, Jairzinho, Gerson, Tostoa, Pele and Rivelino are all #10's - But of course such a team was exceptional
Agree with the last line and hi-lighted
That isn't hindsight. Was in a WhatsApp group with 4 other United fans during the game and we all thought he had to do it. DDG hasn't saved a pen since 2016 in the League. For some unknown reason, he is just hopeless at them and if he was still facing them now 24 hrs on, I don't think he'd have stopped any.
Sad way for him to end his United career. Been a great keeper for most of his time with United. He's undoubtedly going with the news that Heaton has been signed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN5Tls-TBaI