Manchester United 2013/2014 Premier League Season (+ CC & FA Cup)

That's Solksjaer goal...Loved it!


This match is so important on Sunday, the thought of losing is just....

The team owe us a big performance against a 'top' team. This is the game that matters the most to us.

If we park the bus win, draw or lose I will be pissed. The results don't matter now, it's all about performances

Busby Babe wrote:If we park the bus win, draw or lose I will be pissed. The results don't matter now, it's all about performances

You know mate, a standard expected win against a turgid side like WBA and Moyes has been exempt from everything lol. It seems everything has been forgotten. It's unreal, like everything is back to normal.

He has such a big chance to slowly build on this sudden restricted criticism of him by attempting to show signs he has what it takes to gradually steady the ship. Although I don't think he can.

But he won't. I can tell this game has given him sleepless nights. He knows what this game means because LFC were Everton's biggest game, and at United, it's the same but at a larger scale. His record v Liverpool is absolutely sh*t too. He bottles it and he sets the teams in his mind state. Afraid to express itself and set out TO NOT LOSE FIRST.

Expect to see Valencia, Young and Cleverley back, countless meaningless crosses and 0 chancess created. We will either scrape a lucky set piece goal and try to defend it for the remainder of the game, or they will score first and our players' heads will drop and start focussing on the Olympiacos game, resulting in us conceding more goals.

It's all so predictable.

It is expected to beat the small teams, it's not praiseworthy. It is expected.

I remember when we played Chelsea and they asked him about Man Utd's negative line-up and he defended it by saying he played three strikers. Welbeck might be a striker but playing him on the left-wing is negative, Welbeck hardly adds anything attacking wise playing there.

I will be massively surprised if Januzaj starts on Sunday.

Tbh with you, thinking about it some more now, I don't care how we play v LFC......just as long as we win. This game is the only exception for me where a win, no matter how it's done, is excusable.

Just beat them. Even if we play cowardly tactics and score from a shot that takes 5 deflections on the way in. Just win.

I cannot fathom a loss to Liverpool in any way shape or form. They are my most hated team, a defeat v them hurts like no other.

I'll take the scrappiest 1-0 victory right now.

To be very honest, I wanted the same before, but if we win that way Moyes' job is safe and our long-term future is in jeopardy. If we play well and lose to a penalty or something at least we know we're improving. Us improving is more important than anything Liverpool do this season. Moyes is showing the quality to be Man Utd manager at the very least then.

Our season has been shrouded in so much inconsistency, that even if we play well and win, the team would most likely lose or draw to a sh*tter team the following week. Has nothing to do with Moyes in this match, it will be down to how commited our players are and how each one will be up for it. A game v LFC, in whichever circumstance, should be an automatic game raiser for any Utd player, regardless of whoever's in charge.

I was thinking the same, that I hope we better play good and win to build on it. then I remembered the games v Leverkusen (both games) and Arsenal at OT...undoubtably our 3 best performances in the season. The following games and form that followed was all sh*t. Didn't make a jot of difference to our confidence.

My point is, based on this season, we could turn into Brazil 82 for this game, but the following week we will look like San Marino.

That's why any type of win would be ideal for me.

I know the game vs Liverpool is different, but we got beaten badly by Man City this season, our players should have raised their game for that. Moyes does have an effect, remember his line-up Young,Valencia, Ferdinand and Fellaini had a shocker too. I agree with you that Moyes will never come good and he's the one that is at fault for our inconsistency, but if there's that 0.001% chance he comes good, then I hope he does.

Also, if we win that Liverpool match playing badly, then we can kiss away next season too, as Moyes will still be here. I don't see the benefit for us to beat Liverpool playing badly, apart from Liverpool not winning the league, that's a bit small time imho. If they win it, they win it. We'll be back, and we'll be back stronger. If they win 19, we'll win 21 and the next 3 after that. That's the mentality we should have, RED. We always come back throughout our history, that is who we are. I've gone on a bit of a Sepi-style rant there, but chin-up, RED  

I respect your positive outlook. The scale of this game is so huge, no matter what, that it draws so many opinions and perspectives.

No matter the scenario, I think we can agree on one thing. Let's beat them, and let's beat them good and proper.

 

A derby win is a great high. Olympiakos on Wednesday too, it's a big week, I think we can do it. Btw, this sense of optimism is not from Moyes, I've been watching old Fergie interviews

I will simply look at the line up. And if I find 3 names in that line up. I swear I will root for Liverpool to kill us.

Moyes doesnt deserve our mercy, to even draw the game let alone win it if he continue to fking persist with the 3 even after all this shit (olympiacos away). If he cant learn from that, then so be it. I am done. I want a thrashing.

And therefore obviously conversely if he play a good team, trust our good creative players and even if we lose playing well, I swear I will slightly let the grip loose on moyes (until he fuks up with the line up next time obviously)

100 % agree with BB that a stage has been reached result doesnt matter now. its about performances and only performances.
I simply dont care a fck even if Lolpool go on and win the trophy. I only want us to improve next season, onus is only on us. rest of the world just gth.  and if the fking scot strikes lucky come sunday and courtesy the added motivation of our lads somehow grant us a scrappy win I am certain All his sins will be immediately forgotten and he will be there with us net season full come what may for the remainder of this season.

I've been impressed with Liverpool this season. I don't think they've got what it takes to win the league this year, but they have improved no end and will be a decent bet for the league next year. But the one weakness I see is their squad. If they qualify for the CL, they don't have the depth to mount a sustained challenge both in Europe and in three domestic competitions.

Providing we dont have 1 of Young, Cleverley or Valencia in the starting line up - I can only see us winning this match.
Players will be pumped up (apart from RVP) and we shown signs of some real nice football against West Brom to take into this game.

It could be a big week for us. Win these clowns this weekend - Feel good factor improves, Knock Olympiakos out midweek and we will have a buzz amongst the players that hasnt been there all season (the main reason for our crapness IMO)

It would be good if a win for us this weekend starts a spell of patchy form for Liverpool. It would be funny to see them crumble during squeeky bum season.

I think we should come in terms with the idea that valencia is certain to be involved right from the beginning for the clash. Moysh will cent percent pick him on the right even though I dont think there is going to be the other 2 of his sons in the line up sunday tbh. They will start from the bench and will gradually enter as the game progresses   

Either 1 of kagawa and januzaj will be on the bench.

What we wish to see
-----------de gea------------
rafael---smalling--jones---evra
------fellaini----carrick-------
adnan------mata------shinji
-----------rooney----------

what we are going to see

----------------------------de gea------------
rafael(or smalling)---smalling( or evans)--jones---evra
------------------fellaini (or jones) ----carrick-------
valencia----------------rooney------------------mata
----------------------------rvp---------------------

Lumiere_Blanche wrote:

I simply dont care a fck even if Lolpool go on and win the trophy. I only want us to improve next season, onus is only on us. rest of the world just gth.  and if the fking scot strikes lucky come sunday and courtesy the added motivation of our lads somehow grant us a scrappy win I am certain All his sins will be immediately forgotten and he will be there with us net season full come what may for the remainder of this season.

Excellent attitude, I was about to post this only, KSA cares so much only about twatting Liverpool that the obvious flaws in the United squad and management seem small issues. You have bigger fishes to fry starting from the summer window. ( So do we,  re: "We dont have the depth to compete in the CL next year" )

Nishank wrote:

Lumiere_Blanche wrote:

I simply dont care a fck even if Lolpool go on and win the trophy. I only want us to improve next season, onus is only on us. rest of the world just gth.  and if the fking scot strikes lucky come sunday and courtesy the added motivation of our lads somehow grant us a scrappy win I am certain All his sins will be immediately forgotten and he will be there with us net season full come what may for the remainder of this season.

Excellent attitude, I was about to post this only, KSA cares so much only about twatting Liverpool that the obvious flaws in the United squad and management seem small issues. You have bigger fishes to fry starting from the summer window. ( So do we,  re: "We dont have the depth to compete in the CL next year" )

I always only care about beating Liverpool, doesn't matter what the circumstances are. We could be leagues apart and that would still apply.

This is from the same blog that I linked before for the Fulham and Stoke game, where there was no one dropping deep, this time it's for the West Brom game. Important points: players in RvP's space, Mata not really drifting in, in fact he is just switching places with Fellaini or RvP keeping the rigid 4-4-2. Which is quite ironic, because it is one of the qualities of total football is switching positions (Moyes getting it all wrong) . Also, what happens when RvP comes off, it looks like Rooney drops deeper when he is not playing with RvP. Added with that Kagawa coming on allows for more potential short passes and quick transition of play.

Basically before the 63rd minute we look we have done for pretty much every game this season, after it we look like Fergie's United.

It's not a very long piece anyway, a lot of pictures.

http://livelifeunited.com/david-moyes-alex-ferguson-philosophies-tactics/

_____________________________________________


In my previous piece as above, I talked about why David Moyes’ philosophy of covering space was the underlying for problem for United as the stretched team shape did not encouraged short-passing and quick combination play through players’  movement which resulted United to be predictable in the attacking phase due to the rigidity of the system. While Sir Alex Ferguson’s philosophy was about quick transitioning with the players supported the play when one player was on the ball. The differing philosophies were the main reason why United were so good under Fergie but regressed under Moyes.

The above statements were proven to be true in the 3-0 win against West Brom. Prior to the introduction of Danny Welbeck, United was struggling for any fluency in their play and limited chances were created due to the Moyes’ tactical system of covering space. Once Welbeck was brought in to replace Van Persie in 63rd minutes, United played with more fluency & fluidity as they changed the approach from covering space to supporting the play which was similar to Fergie’s tactical system. As a result, United scored 2 beautifully crafted goals.

It wasn’t sure whether it was the instruction from Moyes to change the approach or the players themselves abandoned the structural team shape to play more instinctively but one thing for sure, this match had shown us how to get the best out of this group of talented footballers.

Below is the illustrations of Moyes’ tactical system in the first 63 minutes & the subsequent changing of playing style which was similar to Fergie’ system:

Moyes’ Tactical System of Covering Space











Principle of Play – Players have to cover the space vacated by their team-mates  


This principle of play happened a lot between Juan Mata &
Marouane Fellaini.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Mata & Fellani exchanged positions.



Here, Van Persie went to left, Mata covered the space vacated by Van Persie in the middle and Fellani covered the space vacated by Mata on the right.


Buildup play was difficult due to the stretched team shape.



There were no forward players in sight  to support the buildup phase.



1.) In this case, Carrick had no choice but to send a long forward pass due to lack of options due the big distance between the players.



2.) Carrick made a long pass to the forward players.



3.) This snapshot can be seen on how high up the pitch the forward players were.



The big distance of each players’ positioning did not encouraged short passing and movement to buildup the play.



1.) Here, Fellani tried to bring the ball forward due to lack of options.



2.) Unfortunately, 3 opposition players closed down on Fellani and none of this teammates came close to support.


Difficulty in quick exchanges of passes due to big distance between each players.



Due to the big distance between the players, quick exchanging of passes were difficult as in this case here with Carrick & Van Persie.



As soon as Carrick passed the ball to Van Persie, he was quickly closed down by three players and Carrick was covering the space vacated by Van Persie.

What Van Persie meant of his team-mates in his zone?




Players were overlapping each others.



2 Players were in the same zone as Van Persie.


The Changing of principle of play from Covering Space to Supporting play in the last 27 minutes of the game after the introduction of Danny Welbeck & later on, Shinji Kagawa.





















Conclusion, 2 contrasting style of play; first 63 minutes was Moyes’ philosophy of covering space & the last 27 minutes which was similar to Fergie’s philosophy of supporting play. Not doubt United played some of the best football in the last 27 minutes which yielded 2 beautifully crafted goals but struggled to keep the game flowing in the first 63 minutes.

Luckily for United in the first 63 minutes, West Brom was so poor defensively as they did not defence the space nor putting United players on pressure which gifted United the time and space to play. This had masked the deficiency of Moyes’ tactical system. If West Brom defended deep like Fulham in 2-2 draw with United or press high up the pitch like Stoke City who defeated United 2-1, then United might struggled in this match.

The question here is; what philosophies are Moyes trying to instil?

That has made my blood boil.

It was obviously a fluke that he sent on Welbeck so RVP doesn't get sent off. Nothing to do with tactical change. And the shape....wtf is that formation? The team is so stretched, an Octagon with no one in the middle.

The Olympiacos match was just like that, but they had more quality than WBA and punished us. It's like Moyes is experimenting this obsurd new system and doesn't know what the fck he is doing.

Like, wtf is that? lmao!

No system, no shape, no clear idea, no philosophy to implement.

We have the ability to play like that from the 1st minute, sure there were factors in that WBA game, they had lost all hope and we were brimming with confidence, but we can play a system much better than the one he persists with every week.

It's there to see. He allegedly has all these brand new technological equipments to analyze these things, yet why doesn't he address it.

Agreed, RED.

I've been critical of both Carrick and Cleverley (he should be doing better not all is fault though) but their game is based heavily on the movement of others around them. Tbf to them, the reason they keep passing it sideways and backwards this season, simply put, is because there is no options to pass it forward.




Moyes shouts 'stand-still' he likes his team to stretch opponents with their positioning but then the space between the defense/midfield and attack becomes too big. Defense is too deep, attack is too high.

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote:“The religion at United was that when one of our players had the ball, we moved and all the others supported the play”

I joked before that Kagawa doesn't play because he actually moves (I hate saying this but he would fit in so well at Liverpool, like devastatingly well ), but it's true he doesn't play the way Moyes wants. Although, RvP's and Rooney's partnership is poor, Rooney stretches the play (Moyes likes this, he likes this a lot). It must be Moyes telling Rooney not to drop deep, which is hindering our play. The final 30 mins of the WBA match is totally a fluke, the players just reverted to playing the Fergie way, that muscle memory.

Who is Moyes, and why is he pretending to be manager of Manchester United?

This man must simply go and now.

Under him we are never going to play good football. We will never show any signs of improvement. It is being repeatedly proved over and over again. The whole philosophy is flawed.
I cant think the scenario we winning derbies and he getting a free pass solely on the basis of that. I mean I dont want us to lose derbies, but still its a horrifying thought.
After all whether we win against lolpool, shatty, or wba. its just the same 3 points. Its nothing like if we beat big teams we get big points.
We are in dire straits now. Therefore for once we must try to get over these emotional angle of things and look at it in a more realistic sense.

Lolpool game and shetty game this month therefore are of immense importance. they are basically going to decide whether its gonna continue or not, this curse.

I think Moyes will play tomorrow

Mata-Rooney-Welbeck
------ RvP-----------

Derby day tomorrow, 110% from the lads and go in for the win. If we play like shite like tomorrow and lose, I don't think I can take it anymore. We've already hit rock bottom, it'll be like Moyes is actively looking to find a way for new lows.

Moyes on @ManUtd players: "I know them now and some are playing for their future at the club. That's the business we are in."

Smug bastard you're managing for your job remembering why I dislike him again


Moyes targets for @ManUtd vs Olympiacos: “They say we have to win by three goals, but we only have to win 2-0 to get into extra-time"

Busby Babe wrote:Moyes on @ManUtd players: "I know them now and some are playing for their future at the club. That's the business we are in."

Smug bastard you're managing for your job remembering why I dislike him again


Moyes targets for @ManUtd vs Olympiacos: “They say we have to win by three goals, but we only have to win 2-0 to get into extra-time"

Lmao that gif summed it up perfectly. He's a c*nt, bruh. A smug, arrogant, incompetent piece of sh*t.

The most important aspect of tomorrow's game is our starting 11. We start with Valencia, Young and Cleverley we will lose. 100% loss. Even if we start the 2 shite wingers we won't win at all. And I would seriously contemplate not even watching the game.

It's all about how the coward sets our team up and how we approach this game.

Busby Babe wrote:Moyes targets for @ManUtd vs Olympiacos: “They say we have to win by three goals, but we only have to win 2-0 to get into extra-time"

Surely he didn't say that?

Yanited (sorry, this is your own section) Manchester United dressing room:

Vidic: "I'm brimming with confidence. Come on guys, let smash them 4-1!"
Rio: "4-1? I'll keep a clean sheet, yo! #comebackison #believe" #primeferdinandisback
RVP: "I'll score a hattrick, comeback is on!"
Rooney: "I won't even move into your space."

Moysie enters the room: "Hold on guys, hold on. We don't need to win 3-0 or something outrageous like that. Let's be realistic, we're playing against the pride of Greece after all. See, our aim is to get a 2-0 and make it to extra time with a bit of luck. Got it? Now everyone back to work."

evra and rafael need to step up their game from either flanks. evra especially against their pace and counter attack is a horrifying idea.    He should somehow find a way tie that raheem kid down.  

For that purpose yea true, welbeck with his work rate can come in handy to aid evra.

Not much worried about rafael however as he is a goat and has done remarkably well in our last game So hopefully he will carry that form.

Another deciding factor is going to be our CM pairing. It should be chosen wisely with the right balance. So yea no fellaini-jones combo please!!

Really wanted to see januzaj today right from the start. damn!! No way I guess.  

Moyes: "Liverpool are favorites in this game".

Rooney: "I admire Suarez and if Liverpool win the league I respect that".

The smell of fear in this thread.

Liking it.

Less than three hours. Bring it on, guys, bring it on. May the best team win.