I dread to think where we would be domestically and in the CL without RVP.

But United weren't as bad as the group table said last year, really.

and we still get called a 1 man team

But United weren't as bad as the group table said last year, really.
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Attacking wise we smashed every team in the group last year, but what does that count for if you can't defend?

Also, with Rooney further back now it means we aren't seeing his striking skills, I don't see why we can't have them both up front at the same time, both top scorers last season and both deadly in front of goal yet we're having Rooney back in midfield!

RVP certainly made a difference when he came on. The man's a beast! I think up to that point, the movement up front had been pretty poor. Rio as well when he came on moved the ball about well and brought a little more composure to the back four.

It helped when we had players playing in their proper positions as well but there were so many players who just weren't at it tonight.

I was worried about the lack of a defensive minded midfielder when I seen the teamsheet. Carrick was missed tonight. And I'll say it again, but Rooney is wasted as midfielder. I want to see him further up the pitch!

It is great to be through though. Now we can play as many youngsters as we like.

I don't know what fergie was thinking. As soon as I saw the team sheet I knew we'd be awful. Anyone with half a brain could. We didn't even have a midfeild. No structure, no plan. The players looked lost.

Also, with Rooney further back now it means we aren't seeing his striking skills, I don't see why we can't have them both up front at the same time, both top scorers last season and both deadly in front of goal yet we're having Rooney back in midfield!

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Pretty easy Answer to that question......

The midfield is blatantly lacking and Rooney is being used to mask it.

Our strikers are getting us out of the mire time and time again but when the opposition gets tougher.......which it will do, will it be enough? I'm not so sure.

Fergie has half a brain. No structure, no plan.

I have heard it all now.

There was no plan tonight. It was a tactical travesty.

No Plan? Not even Mike Phelan's cable cutters?

There was no cohesion whatsoever until RVP came on.

I'd give Nani a 1 out of 10 tonight and Welbeck & Anderson marginally better with a 2 or 3.

wonder

you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

Sunday pub teams even have some kind of plan playing with hangovers.

The plan was to ease through with minimum effort and bit-part players in the main.

It almost backfired on SAF (yet again) but to say there was no plan is plain idiotic.

I think there was obviously some sort of structure and plan. The trouble is.....it wasn't working and never looked like working.

Van Persie's goal was our first shot on target and it came in the 80th min.

Nani, Welbeck, Anderson & Giggs were all hopeless and kept giving the ball away or knocking aimless long balls.

We didnt play well tonight as individuals, so the sum of that wasnt much kop. Braga played quite well till the lights went out. They got a fortunate penalty which made it hard for us. However we won it quite comfortable in the end.

Man United

Won 1-3 in Portugal

Qualified for the CL knockout.

Won the group

with no plan

I think there was obviously some sort of structure and plan.
***

well what do you think professional football club's playing and coaching staff do all week between matches?

Think you need to read that again. I was agreeing with you. There was clearly a plan. It just wasn't a very good one.

You say you think there was a plan

there was a plan.... but the players struggled to implement it. But they prevailed in the end.

We won.

Again.

I didn't say I THINK there was one at all. Think you're getting me and wonder man confused.

The plan was clear as day to see. Play 541T, give the ball away time and time again and then bring on Van Persie to win it for us.

Happy days

There are a couple of things that need to be looked at IMO

firstly rooney was our top scorer for 2 seasons why is he in MF. He isnt all that good there either IMO. Now if we had one up top I can understand it but we dont we have chich and RVP as well as rooney on the pitch

As much as I love chicha and he has improved he offers little else compared to R and R, so why not put rooney and RVP up front and give the MF position to a MF?

secondly rooney scored 30+ goals in a dual role, how many would have a better striker than chicha and wellbeck from last season got?

SE85...

the main flaw with united this season is that rooney isnt technically good enough to play in MF and he should be playing with RVP up front. chica and Welbeck should just have to wait to get their chances.

fergie is just trying to give everybody a game.

Obviously there was a plan, but I haven't got a clue what it was. We played with one attacking mid, 3 strikers a winger and Giggs (whatever position he played). I can't fathom the formation or the gameplan. SAF must have had something in his head but watching the game it was clear the players didn't have much of an idea either.

I dread to think where we would be domestically and in the CL without RVP.
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Domestically...well lets wind back 6 months.

probably waiting for the last kick of the season to determine if we are champions or runner up.
Scoring goals was never our problem recently. Especially with Rooney. Conceding them was. And still is.

Welbeck is beginning to be a liability...how things changed once he was subbed!

Welbeck clearly is not a player who can play every now and again and make sub appearances he needs regular starts.

I fear for his development.

It could be years before he is a regular starter.