RuuDie:


To be frank, Rooney does pose a problem for managers and other players, selection and position-wise... for me personally, I cringe when I see Mikhi out on that flanks - from what I've seen in his Dortmund games, that is not his "best" or "most influential" position!

RuuDie:
Still early days, but I am impressed with Zlatan. My major worry about him was that 'unseriousness' that sometimes accompanies his 'over-confidence'. He has shown a good, positive attitude on the field so far and it is heartwarming and I absolutely have no shame in eating my words if he continues this way.

chrisley024:
If...If Clattenburg had gotten his decision right Bravo would have been sent off and Utd awarded a pen. If!

Wingback:



Refree mistakes happen, after spending. Over 150m, You would expect Utd to Put on a good fight not that hogwash.

chrisley024:
Ya, if they played well. If...

Diademk07:


I know Lingard and Mkhi were really bad and deserved their criticism but most of it were due to be isolated.. They had to drop deep, thereby having no space to operate while inviting lot of pressure.

Our switch to a 3-man tactic rectified that in the second half but I tell you if Martial or Rashford had started in the 1st half with the way we looked in the midfield, they would have been poor as well..

Also, nobody knows how Smalling woulda played against the fluid passing movement of City players. Are we talking of the same player that looked clueless vs Wolfsburg or at fault for all the 3 goals scored by Newcastle last season?

Danhumprey:
I'm not sure Pep really rated Stones. Me think he bought him solely to balance the ratio or English to foreign players in Man City.


But if Pep really rate him, he just might change his career.

tess1:


I know you want to start defending your Blind to continue as our centre defender. How Smalling at fault for 3 goals scored by Newcastle? You always like take few games out of so many games to rubbish/praise players you hate/like.

We can now see how good your Morgan that you said was better than Smalling is fairing without Kante. We can see how he's being exposed here and there. I told you that it's Kante that's protecting that defence.

I'm not here for your long drawn argument. I have stated my opinion.

chrisley024:
Ya, if they played well. If...

Danhumprey:
Y'all criticizing Daley Blind should calm down. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Who know how Smalling would have fair?





The way Pogba lose possession ehn! Someone better talk to him.

tess1:


Due to being isolated caused them to be losing possession? If that's the case all other players should've been losing it at the rate they were losing it. I believe JM started them because they can run with the ball the same way Rashford can do as well but they're more experienced. Though, I know we had problem in the midfield with the way Pogba played in that game. The fact remains they were piss poor.

Diademk07:


I thought that was his speciality since his defending is wack!

Diademk07:


They lost possession because they had no space to operate. Both are players who depends a lot on space..

Dropping so deep even made it worse for them. Check out Debryune performance for City against us last season. He was shite because he had to drop so deep since City couldn't control the midfield against a certain Carrick who was fantastic in the match..

A 3-man midfield had the midfield closer to the attack and ensures there's lot of space for our wing forwards to drift in.

Mkhi and Lingard were hardly players that flies down the wing and takes on fullbacks like Jose was expecting of them.

tess1:


I know you want to start defending your Blind to continue as our centre defender. How Smalling at fault for 3 goals scored by Newcastle? You always like take few games out of so many games to rubbish/praise players you hate/like.

We can now see how good your Morgan that you said was better than Smalling is fairing without Kante. We can see how he's being exposed here and there. I told you that it's Kante that's protecting that defence.

I'm not here for your long drawn argument. I have stated my opinion.

Spy360:

Yesterday's game made me realise that JM has no tactics at all. An excellent motivator true, but tactically inept compared to Pep.

While Pep was organising his team to dominate United, Mou was looking for errors. Well he got one.

dmcdad:

Why you no go happy... Yeye guy

As in ehn... The acres of space wey dey that midfield, we fit use am build estate. I come dey wish say na Barça them dey play like that. But then, I come remember say if them wan play Barça, Mourinho no go come out in the first place.

RuuDie:


I disagree that his defending is wack. The mentality of the "average British" or even most EPL central defenders (Jagielka, Terry, Shawcross, Vidic, Cahill, Williams, Morgan, Huth etc) is to protect the goal-keeper at all costs; no fancy tricks, ball playing or footwork. Just get the ball far away from their danger area. This is what Stones is used to and very comfortable at.

Now you have a manager asking him to play differently, more subtly and confidently - make passes, retain possession, move around the field, advance upfield with the ball and even dribble if possible. Of course, the early stages, will be shaky but if he keeps at it, he will only get better. Then again, he may not and turn out to be the disaster you are predicting - but it takes a bit more time to arrive at this conclusion!

Diademk07:


LOL..
Did you even watch the game?

Morgan and Huth looked solid with few lapse here or there, it was their fullbacks and Midfield that let Leicester down.

Back to our game, I repeat no one knows how Smalling would have performed yesterday. No be the same Smalling wey dey wrap himself around opponent like a lover we're talking about?

RuuDie:


I disagree that his defending is wack. The mentality of the "average British" or even most EPL central defenders (Jagielka, Terry, Shawcross, Vidic, Cahill, Williams, Morgan, Huth etc) is to protect the goal-keeper at all costs; no fancy tricks, ball playing or footwork. Just get the ball far away from their danger area. This is what Stones is used to and very comfortable at.

Now you have a manager asking him to play differently, more subtly and confidently - make passes, retain possession, move around the field, advance upfield with the ball and even dribble if possible. Of course, the early stages, will be shaky but if he keeps at it, he will only get better. Then again, he may not and turn out to be the disaster you are predicting - but it takes a bit more time to arrive at this conclusion!

tess1:


No, I didn't watch the game. I followed your commentary under the canopy.

Are the fullbacks not the same they had last season? So, you now know the midfield (Kante) was protecting them last season. The same Morgan that Lingard used to wipe the pitch?

Diademk07:


They lost possession because they had no space to operate. Both are players who depends a lot on space..

Dropping so deep even made it worse for them. Check out Debryune performance for City against us last season. He was shite because he had to drop so deep since City couldn't control the midfield against a certain Carrick who was fantastic in the match..

A 3-man midfield had the midfield closer to the attack and ensures there's lot of space for our wing forwards to drift in.

Mkhi and Lingard were hardly players that flies down the wing and takes on fullbacks like Jose was expecting of them.

dubylhover:


Guy do you know who john stones is?have you watched him play?how can you say his first instinct is to shoot the ball out,thats the complete opposite,his first instinct is too always look for a pass, albeit it puts him in troubje at times,but pep bought him for his composure on d ball..give pep till the end of this season,you'd see a more developed defender

tess1:


Nobody is saying they should be hugging the wings.

So because there was no space, they lose possession anyhow and couldn't fight for the ball? Continue with the excuses.

afrodoc2:
But this was how Coogar convinced most people here to reduce all United's problems to a Rooney issue. There were other problems in view yesterday right from the fecal display of both Lingard and Mkhi to the pathetic display of the world's most expensive player. Then we saw a few cracks in our CB partnership. The only positions were we are very good and consistent are GK and FB.

Diademk07:


Don't make me laugh.

At old trafford for example when Drinwater got sent off and we were piling in the pressure, it was Morgan who blocked out most of our chances.. He was Leicester's best player in the game.

In the game yesterday, First and foremost, Simpson has always been a poor defender from the start. Besides, he got injured and was replaced by one unknown player who looked 10 times worse. There was also Fuchs whose age is now telling on his side because he was very awful vs Mane. Then, their average midfield..

So cut Leicester defenders some slack..

tess1:


Lol!

So Simpson is now a poor defender. This same Simpson was there throughout last season. I told you last season that part of the reasons he's not being exposed was that he had a stable defense coupled with Kante shielding their defense. Smalling on the other hand didn't have a settled back four and our midfield wasn't doing anything to protect him. Age is now telling on Fuchs? Okay o.

That's what I always say about you. Was yesterday's game the only game they have played this season? Go and watch all the games they've played since the Community shield. How about his first game of the season. Was it not also in the first game of the season that he was used to wipe the pitch as well?

dubylhover:


Guy do you know who john stones is?have you watched him play?how can you say his first instinct is to shoot the ball out,thats the complete opposite,his first instinct is too always look for a pass, albeit it puts him in troubje at times,but pep bought him for his composure on d ball..give pep till the end of this season,you'd see a more developed defender

Diademk07:

Did you watch Stone at Everton?
Many people were questioning Pep decision to sign such an average defender for that huge fees but some defended the decision saying Pep only needed his ball playing skills at the back.

Skimpledawg:

no dey diss my former coach like that....shey Na u no gree bet for ya former coach nii!

tess1:


As good as Blind is good at passing, we all know his limitations when there's a counter and his aerial weakness. Can he always cover for Blind? No. He's a disaster waiting to happen.

SailorXY:
i'm not sure how coogar & elampiro come up with Rooney issue all the time. while we may all have a favorite player or two, anyone with football knowledge & who's not trying to add sentiments or politics will know Rooney is 70% of MUFC problem even from the last Fergie season. he is a United great, that's a given but what exactly is his specialty for the last 4 seasons? do you think it is a coincidence whenever tactical/formation discuss pops up or "manager conundrum" about player position, Rooney's name is never missing be it national team or club?

if Jose decides to go 4-3-3 today, the debate will be which flank will Rooney occupy? is it RW or LW? abeg why the debate about him all the time all over the media? na only him waka come? when other players get a chance to perform in any "preferred Rooney position of the moment", they are disengaged after 4 games maximum then we start hearing how so & so didn't take his chance; yet Rooney can go on for ages without making an impact & what we hear is "he is a late starter who needs a lot of games to kick off".

no matter the formation or tactics Jose employs in the long run & Rooney is a sure starter, brother believe me it is destined to fail. no be swear & the reason is very simple; there are players in this team who can do a far better job no matter the position Rooney decides to compete in. this isn't about the last game or knee jerk, this is about the club moving on. Carrick is far more important than Rooney in this current team but he's yet to make the bench. if we still play politics with Bobby Charlton goal record then i'm sorry - we never ready @ all.

Rooney is the reason why crude oil price collapsed from $140 per barrel to $40 in the international market.