Derby post match thread 10/09/2016

[TCIB]

Bravo only had 4 less touches than Rooney, is that right (snigger)?, i really like the way we are playing, it is beyond anything i ever expected in say 1995. I really am still soaking it all up tbh.

 

[Oooh Curley Wurley]

Rag at work today said we played them off the park 1st half but did not in the 2nd.

Told him we the only reason we didnt 2nd half was we were unable to play on grass as they kept kicking the ball as high in the air as they could.

Plus if the turtle was still in charge and they played that way they would be calling for his head.

 

[dickie davies]

I keep thinking about the match and I get a kind of smug smile as a result.
Is anyone else having these smile attacks?

Not really.
We've won 4 of the last six there now and drawn one, so it's no big deal anymore

 

[roj]

24.30 The Police act on a tip off on the location of Pogba

hehe also kdb as ever spot on - 1.00

 

[mat]

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...d-squires-on-the-manchester-derby-city-united

 

[ianw16]

I downloaded the whole match, and watched it sober :) and you know what? I thought Kolarov was bloody brilliant. Far better than the crap that they have at LB. Not always been his biggest fan (and not always been a critic), but fair dos, the guy would improve the scum many times over. Fair play Aleks, you had a bloody stonker. Good lad.

 

[Bluekiwi]

Where is my Rag mate, they are disappeared for 3 days now

Have you had a look in the canal that runs by the ground?

 

[supercity88]

Rooney won't be dropped any time soon. He has been one of their "better" players for last couple of games and till the time he plays United will not be a force to reckon. He disturbs their 4-2-3-1 as it pushes Pogba into that 2 and one of the mata/mkhi warms the bench. Even if they play 4-3-3 their fans are salivating about, he will either be thursted wide or zlatan warms the bench. A player throwing hissy-fit over Messi taking his position wont like rooney doing the same.

Other thing to note is Mourinho is not as tactically flexible as he used to be , he mostly struck to 4-2-3-1 later when at Madrid and didn't change it at Chelsea last year when everything was falling apart around him. He kept on playing players out of position ( ivanovic at RB , matic and fabregas as the 2) even when everyone else saw that was not working. So i am not so sure he will be reverting to 4-3-3 anytime soon. Pogba excelled at Juve in a 3-5-2 when he had vidal and pirlo/marchisio with him ( and a bank of 3 great defenders). I remember Mou saying the team wont adapt to Pogba and i dont think he has the tactical nous for a midfield 2. They will lose a lot of games of they don't change. The meltdown will be enjoyable to watch.

Rooney has been their best player at times and I wouldn’t say he’s finished as a top footballer but I do think his role in the side compromises the rags play. Last season we had similar issues. We didn’t think Yaya could play in a two man midfield and we didn’t feel that Silva was the best no.10 in our side because of De Bruyne’s arrival. Pep’s come in and immediately fixed things. Yaya doesn’t get in the side. Silva drops into central midfield to enable De Bruyne to slot in as a no.10 and as part of a fluid attacking unit with Sterling/Nolito/Aguero or whoever makes up those three.


With Gundogan not yet appearing for the first team it’s interesting to know where he’ll slot in. It may be that depending on the fitness of players Silva is then pushed into the no.10 slot and De Bruyne plays wide or is rested. Or Silva is rested and Gundogan slots in for him, or Ferny is rested for Gundogan.


Personally I don’t know how I’d fix the issue at the rags (not that I want it to be fixed). They’ve got players who would excel as no.10’s, more crafty on the ball than Rooney but they need more pace and movement ahead of them. With Zlatan you have an excellent target man but you need movement off him. Rashford would love that opportunity, Rooney doesn’t really get near enough to him to play off him because he drops so deep. It’s excellent to see them struggle even with the personnel at the club to do much better. Hull showed that by sitting deep they don’t really have the answers. We showed by getting at them and with lots of pace and movement they don’t have the solidarity in midfield and defence to stop a side. In fact, watching them was a lot like watching us last season. Pogba similarly to Yaya drifting out of position whilst Fellaini like Ferny last season tried to do the work of two in the middle. And a defence with acres of space in front of them wondering if they should attack the ball or drop off.

 

[Ezra]

Bump!...;0)

 

[domalino]

Rooney has been their best player at times and I wouldn’t say he’s finished as a top footballer but I do think his role in the side compromises the rags play. Last season we had similar issues. We didn’t think Yaya could play in a two man midfield and we didn’t feel that Silva was the best no.10 in our side because of De Bruyne’s arrival. Pep’s come in and immediately fixed things. Yaya doesn’t get in the side. Silva drops into central midfield to enable De Bruyne to slot in as a no.10 and as part of a fluid attacking unit with Sterling/Nolito/Aguero or whoever makes up those three.


With Gundogan not yet appearing for the first team it’s interesting to know where he’ll slot in. It may be that depending on the fitness of players Silva is then pushed into the no.10 slot and De Bruyne plays wide or is rested. Or Silva is rested and Gundogan slots in for him, or Ferny is rested for Gundogan.

The number 10 slot? Eh??

We don't have a number 10 slot under Pep.