Morning lads, for some strange reason I am not upset about the result yesterday, the performance was mediocre and the goals we gave away were silly. The third had me laughing like a mad man and my 3 year old kept asking; “you okay daddy?"
In any event, well done to Everton for getting their tactics spot on and being more aggressive and passionate. I remember those who were mocking Martinez for second season syndrome, including Everton fans, how quickly you forget? Fickle, fickle, football fans.
I have noticed recently that a lot of people have been moaning about the tactics employed by teams when they play games. Terms like “park the bus" “10 seater", “11 seater", etc. Some Utd fans were complaining yesterday about Everton’s tactics as well. I am a fan of positive attacking football but there is more than one way to skin a cat. At the end of the day, 3 points is what counts and sometimes we need to appreciate these performances. Yes, they are dull and boring but it is all about the win for some or adapting your game plan to cause your opponents problems. This is something we have done for years to Arsenal and it even helped us get to a CL final by using the same tactics against Barcelona.
A lot of teams have deployed these tactics against us for years and it is refreshing to see it return after the terrible season we had last year, means some of the fear is returning. Regarding Chelsea’s approach, as much as we find it dire and boring, defending is also part of the beautiful game and rather than complain about it, appreciate the organisation, tenacity and hunger to keep a clean sheet.
The boring, boring, chants were amusing yesterday especially coming from the Arsenal fans who have forgotten the good old Graham days as well as some of their performances this season especially during their winning run.
I am a fan of positive football and will always be but there are times, you need to change your approach to get a result or desired outcome. Something people have been slating Arsenal for a very long time.
So quit yer whining and appreciate another aspect of the game. Defending/parking the bus. It has its merits and it has proven, time and time again, it works and is effective.
It is up to your team to break your opponents down.
Cheers
Tactics
posted on 27/4/15
I can't believe this article has so many comments. Every manager has their own way.
Tell me SLM, did LVG sitting down stop us coming from behind against City to score 4 goals?
posted on 27/4/15
Wrong article Robb but the comment is 100% spot on
posted on 27/4/15
Very confusing today...
posted on 27/4/15
Our issue yesterday was that the only player who attempted to beat his man was Ashley Young.
Both Rooney and Falcao instantly returned the ball backwards when they got it. You're allegedly two of the finest attacking talents in the world, f *cking remind Jagielka of it!
You do not pay that sort of wages to chaps who can find the net when the defenders give them acres of space, PL is full of strikers like that.
World Class strikers can make their own scoring chances.
posted on 27/4/15
Our issue yesterday was that the only player who attempted to beat his man was Ashley Young.
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On that subject - how worthy of an England call up is Ashley Young, based on his performances this season?
posted on 27/4/15
Jay, I think he's worthy but I also think (and can commend) Roy wants to go the younger player route in the attacking sense.
Players like Welbeck, Sterling, Oxlade, Barkley, Kane and Sturridge are getting chances alongside the older Rooney and it's doing well for England.
I reckon Young's form is good enough for England but it's come at the wrong time as Roy wants to move away from the older players if he can.
posted on 27/4/15
I have never been a fan of Ashley Young and believe Januzaj, Nani and Di Maria are more talented but he has recovered some confidence lately and deserves his place in the Utd side.
Definitely deserved a call up for the last break more than Walcott or Townsend based on form
posted on 27/4/15
comment by Benched (U7195)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
I'm a fantastic header of the ball too, as long as I don't have to compete for it against some of England's best centre backs.
Falcao has a 27% aerial success rate, Rooney 37%
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So if we put in 10 crosses we may have won 3, I'd wager that between Falcao and Rooney they'd score 1/3 headers.
posted on 27/4/15
What does aerial success rate mean, conversion of attempts on goal?
posted on 27/4/15
What I would say however is that we've seen the best and worst of LVG's tactics over the past few weeks. At its best we have games like Liverpool and City where we're fired up and go for it and dominate in the best way - i.e, scoring goals.
At it's worst we see yesterdays game where we look like the cliched version of Arsenal where we play it around the edge of the box but do nothing with it.
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I love the way Robb starts by saying that he does not blame LVG for the result - and then he goes on to blame LVG for the result! You couldn't make up the crap this guy writes. Predictable, boring and idiotic.
If I read this comment correctly, LVG specifically told the players to "play the ball around the box but do nothing with it".
I.e. it is the manager's fault that the players did this because he must have told them to!
Robb also says that we have seen the best and worst of LVG's tactics in the last few weeks....obviously he has not realised that we have employed the same tactics throughout this period - it's just that the same tactics did not work against Chelsea or Everton because they figured out how to play against us (just like I said teams would when Robb was arguing that we should adopt exactly these same tactics next season).
Moyes, come back!