Arry's Tactics

Spurtle - I'd agree with the logic except this is Pav we're talking about. I didn't hold out much hope for a win tbh but we were so obviously losing the midfield.. Modric has got a lot to answer for.

spurtle

Do you honestly think that playing Defoe up front on his own was a good tactical decision then ?

Bales - I don't rate Pav either but who else have we got that's going to get a goal let alone get a sniff at one?

Modric wouldn't have made much difference. He's shown his true colours as a gutless player that can't be relied upon. No point getting ourselves worked up over the fact he's anything different.

spurtle

I agree with your views on Modric and as you say neither Pav or Defoe is capable of playing up front on his own, neither is good enough.

So it comes down to tactics maybe Harry should have played 2 up front then as we dont have a player capable of playing up front on his own ?

grandspurs for United away I think one up front was fair enough. We were never going to outpossess United at home with so Harry went for the safer option. You can argue Defoe wasn't the best candidate for one up front but he's quicker than the rest of the strikers and after the Hearts game you can be forgiven for thinking he's got some sort of form.

I'l take this one grandspurs - what else was he to do? Pav's about as useful as a third elbow, Crouch injured..

Spurtle - yea I guess this was Harry telling Levy to get rid. Same old, same old - NEW STRIKER please!!

Sandro, Im glad you had the common sense to avoid watching the game, thus therefore making you unaware that Crouchinho was not even on the bench.
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Sorry didn't know he was not on the bench,i missed the first 30 mins as at work

grandspurs for United away I think one up front was fair enough
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No sorry I have to disagree. We dont defend well and have not for years at least go there using attack as the best form of defence. I for one dont think we would have lost as heavily if we had gone there aiming to win rather than aiming not to lose.

I for one dont think we would have lost as heavily if we had gone there aiming to win rather than aiming not to lose.

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I respect your opinion grandspur but that's not backed up by the evidence. Firstly our strikers have not proved themselves capable of providing the "attack". Secondly, Harry tried it and we conceded 2 more goals after switching to a 4-4-2 without coming close ourselves. Thirdly, if we'd started with 2 up front we'd have had no options but to switch to 4-5-1 if it wasn't working, with no striker on the bench in case of injuries.

Bales Left Boot

I can see what you are saying but switching formations halfway thru is neve as effective as starting out that way.

Basically Harry his from making big decisions like he always does. The proper move today was to drop VDV or Niko and IMO it should be VDV.

I wont say VDV is not a good player but at times today he looked slower than Charlie for gods sake. He is a good player yes but until we actually get a striker that can hold the ball up and give him time to support then he is a luxury we simply cannot afford particularly at places like OT with a makeshift midfield.

Harry should have gone 4-4-2 and pulled Bale and Lennon in a little bit to tighten the midfield up. You have often heard the saying from lots of experts "two banks of four is hard to break down".

Lennon and Bale would still have had plenty of chance to effect the game but they could have broken wide one at a time with the other one covering Niko as he tried to get cash in on any knockdowns on the dge of the box.

I mean a makeshift CM and we have our two wide players hugging the touchlines for gods sake. That left Niko and Livermore with an unbelievable lot of ground to cover particularly as man u's passing is always so good.

Sorry for me the bottom line is we approached the whole game totally wrongly and Defoe stood about as much chance of getting into the game as I did and I was 200 miles away.