I think Kun looks like a footballer who is being over-coached, who is having his head filled with "in this position do this, in that position do that" instructions.
I think Kun looks like a footballer who is being over-coached, who is having his head filled with "in this position do this, in that position do that" instructions.
We bought the most natural goal scorer in the world and he won us two titles. Let him be a goal scorer.
It would help if we had four strikers though instead of two. If we end the window with just two strikers (one of whom is guaranteed to be out with injury for at least 6-8 games) and playing a formation that requires them to both be on the pitch then that goes down as a failure of management.
You have to be flexible in your approach to win the English league. Last year we weren't and finished fourth. A repeat of that this year , after the obscene levels of spending since last summer and questions would need to be asked of the manager and Txiki.
Long long way to go though and I think people are starting to panic because utd have won two games convincingly but remember they have had two very easy games and the season is long.
No need to worry until we see how it's shaping up come December.
True. I doubt Pep wanted him to play so deep. If he did it was the wrong set up.We shouldn't berate Sane for his performance last night as he was playing in an unfamiliar position and is probably as equally pissed off playing there as we are watching him there
It seems fundamentally he's being asked to play a different role in the team, as much provider/playmaker as scorer.
The hesitancy he has shown in front of goal I would agree comes from too many instructions. I don't think he is the only player or that shooting is the only area either, the whole team seems afraid to lose the ball, so the passing is risk averse and, as a consequence, slow.
Slowed up and that explains everythingThis could be part of it, he's over thinking situations rather than being instinctive
I remember reading about Van Gaal doing the same with his strikers while at United , telling them to take a touch before the strike at goal. Apparently the stats say you have a better chance of scoring.
He'll still score goals but he's definitely not the same player
Good comments Dave. The Walker moment you mention was unbelievable. "Are we watching a different game to the ref". Surreal!. How petty was it to pull Sane up for a foul throw. Sane was behind the line both feet on the ground and not looking for an unfair advantage. Everton were making a meal out of every challenge and an average ref would have noticed this. Baines reaction for Walkers first card was shocking! He never fu*king touched him. The ref should have had a word with Walker for having a foot off the ground and should of told Baines stop trying to fu*king con me he never touched you and could have nipped it in the budFor red cards to be rescinded the perpetrator has to have been wearing a red shirt at the time of the offence, 'cos in the normal run of things the scarlet-clad are normally immune to such sanctions, and the issuance of a red card is a mental aberration on the part of the ref. Ask Poogba and Foullaini!
I cannot seriously think of one current referee who fills me a quarter full with confidence that we are gonna get a game where the decisions are based on what actually happens and what is written down in The Laws of the Game. I used to think that Mike Dean was the only referee who reffed without fear or favour but he has his 'senior' moments!
Last night there were three or four fouls that were just ignored, the most obvious one was Walker's upending just outside the area. Nobody in 323 was screaming for a pen, but incredulity takes over when play just carries on as though our man has tripped over a blade of grass.
I think the best thing about that team was the pace at which we operated. The last couple of seasons has seen the development of a methodical, painstaking passing and overpassing game where, when a chance is created it is too often squandered, and so the process begins again, a process against which ordinary teams seem to have fashioned an effective defence, often with very ordinary journeymen pros!
We're missing a solid, central defensive midfielder who can boss the midfield.
We look so disjointed between the defence and attackers. At times Kompany and Otamendi were passed the halfway line and trying to thread through balls and then struggling to get back.
3 at the back won't work until we have a solid midfielder in front of them.