United thread 2020/21

[aguero93:20]

They are shite, I didn't want them too win last night obviously but if they were going to win like they did do I'd rather they of just done it in normal time than extra time because they let my bet down.

Same, purely because it would have given me half an hour to watch something else.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I was shocked when the commentator described him as a Scottish International

Not a high bar.

 

[Vienna_70]

The rags finished joint top in 2012.
Strange how we got that big shiny thing.

As someone said the other day, I’ve yet to see any rag player with a joint winner's medal for the 2011-12 Premier League season.

 

[Sir Joe Aguero]

They look so average without Fernandes. If he gets injured, they won't come within 15 points of us.

 

[SPIDERBOY]

They look so average without Fernandes. If he gets injured, they won't come within 15 points of us.

They won't with him either.

 

[Sir Joe Aguero]

They won't with him either.

Yeah if we beat them and win our game in hand, we're 11 points clear. Can't see us dropping that many points but it'll be closer than we think.

 

[Vienna_70]

Schneiderlin? - I got so used to him not joining them every year I forgot he did, or is that a piss take?

You’re confusing Morgan Schneiderlin with Wesley Sneijder.

 

[SPIDERBOY]

You’re confusing Morgan Schneiderlin with Wesley Sneijder.

Think he might mean Sweinstieger?

 

[jimharri]

I was shocked when the commentator described him as a Scottish International

Didn't he captain them recently?

 

[Vienna_70]

We are still playing the double pivot, but we just adjusted and tweaked it more this season.

The previous double pivot was more static, with Gundogan + Rodri. This season we play more into Gundo's excellence going forward, so Cancelo comes in when Gundo moves forward, to form double pivot with Rodri.


On paper & how we normally look last season:

----LW---Striker----RW---
-------------AM--------------
-----Gundo-----Rodri------
LB----CB------CB-----Cancelo


This season when we are in possession:

----LW---Striker---RW---
-----Gundo-------AM-------
-------Rodri---Cancelo------
----LB--------CB----------CB----

A 4-2-3-1 into a 3-4-3. Movement is dictated by who is playing on the day, but this is the general gist of it.

Sometimes the attacking midfield gets to push higher up, so we get a 3-3-4.

This setup lets us match man-for-man against most defenses so we don't lose the edge in attack, and subsequently allows us to retain numbers in midfield, something Pep loves. Retaining the double pivot even as we are on the attack, also protects the team from counter-attacks.

Great analysis.