Y.N.W.A Thread III: Enter 'The Normal One'

[saint.nick]

Jeez, how did I know that Can would completely bottle that 4v2 situation! He frustrates the f*** out of me.

 

[Jack_Napier]

Do our players only know how to play against City? We are deadset toothless against sides like palace. Haven't even really looked like scoring to be totally honest

 

[Jack_Napier]

And now we're down to 10 men. It's rather telling that palace have more football intelligence than we do in the middle of the park. Palace have packed the middle of the pitch when we get into the final 3rd and yet we still try to dribble or pass through there.

 

[Jack_Napier]

Thank god McCarthy has pulled a Mignolet and stuffed up big time. Calm finish from Firmino

 

[Jack_Napier]

Talk about a get out of jail performance, Big Ben with the 94th minute penalty.

Suck shit pardew you f**king smug clown!

 

[Jack_Napier]

Have to say we looked so much better when after Milner went off.

 

[saint.nick]

For f**k's sake...


My MOTM was Lovren. He was great.

I was thinking the exact same too- why are we trying to play down the middle?! Palace have closed up shop there!

 

[Jack_Napier]

Lovren just looks so much calmer under Klopp, agree he had a very good game.

Firmino worked his ass off again, should've done better for their first goal tho.

 

[Captain Apollo]

For f**k's sake...


My MOTM was Lovren. He was great.

I was thinking the exact same too- why are we trying to play down the middle?! Palace have closed up shop there!

That is because we lack natural wingers in the squad. Most of our wide players are better suited centrally. The only wide player who can do anything like a decent cross is Moreno, and his defensive frailties make him a liability.

It is this lack of talent on the flanks that hurts Benteke as he relies on crosses into the box to score, which is what he was getting plenty of whilst playing for Villa.

 

[Foz]

Don't know if it was us going down to ten men or the introduction of Coutinho but we had nothing in attack till then.
Why no Sturridge?
Surely he's our best striker but going on that game he's behind Llana,Origi and Benteke not to mention Firmino.
Somethings not right.
Wouldn't disagree with Firmino stuffing up on their goal but he's not Robinson Crusoe in our inability to defend set plays,corners whatever.Surely there's someone in defence that can take command of these situations because it continues to haunt us.
Lucky win in my book but gee we were due one.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Don't know if it was us going down to ten men or the introduction of Coutinho but we had nothing in attack till then.
Why no Sturridge?
Surely he's our best striker but going on that game he's behind Llana,Origi and Benteke not to mention Firmino.
Somethings not right.
Wouldn't disagree with Firmino stuffing up on their goal but he's not Robinson Crusoe in our inability to defend set plays,corners whatever.Surely there's someone in defence that can take command of these situations because it continues to haunt us.
Lucky win in my book but gee we were due one.

In relation to Sturridge, when on form he may be our best striker, but his form in the past few games has hardly been stellar. Also add in he is injury prone and is only what about 3 games since he returned from injury. Hence he is not going to be risked for every game now is he?

As to our defence, as I said up thread some posts ago, none of our CBs are the commanding prescence types like Jamie Carragher nor Sammi Hyypia - it is just not in their makeup.

 

[saint.nick]

That is because we lack natural wingers in the squad. Most of our wide players are better suited centrally. The only wide player who can do anything like a decent cross is Moreno, and his defensive frailties make him a liability.

It is this lack of talent on the flanks that hurts Benteke as he relies on crosses into the box to score, which is what he was getting plenty of whilst playing for Villa.

Benteke doesn't help himself though. He has a very bad habit of halting his run at the edge of the box, and then just stands there facing his team mates asking for the ball. Emre Can had the ball out wide and he's like, 'dude, what the f**k are you doing?! Run into the box! I can't cross it to you when you're a statue on the edge of the penalty area!'

 

[Foz]

Sturridge didn't even make it on the team sheet against City in the league game.Not used again today against a team that's beaten us the last 3 times we played them.How long do you need to recover from the League Cup Final?

Have you not got to score for 6 months like Benteke to get that 10 mins.?
He should've scored with his first touch but bottled it.

Turned out a good decision only because Benteke jagged a soft penalty but doesn't stray from the fact Sturridge didn't get preferred.

Is he still injured or on the outer?
Why even put him on the sheet if you aren't going to play him?

 

[saint.nick]

Sturridge needs to be managed with a lot of caution. It's so easy to get re-injured off the back of a long layoff, so resting him was the right decision. He hasn't been too poor though- scored a great goal against Villa and was starved of service in the league cup final.

 

[saint.nick]

Sturridge didn't even make it on the team sheet against City in the league game.Not used again today against a team that's beaten us the last 3 times we played them.How long do you need to recover from the League Cup Final?

Have you not got to score for 6 months like Benteke to get that 10 mins.?
He should've scored with his first touch but bottled it.

Turned out a good decision only because Benteke jagged a soft penalty but doesn't stray from the fact Sturridge didn't get preferred.

Is he still injured or on the outer?
Why even put him on the sheet if you aren't going to play him?

With such a big tie coming up this week, it wasn't worth the risk starting him. He may have come on if the situation of the game was different.

 

[Jack_Napier]

Studge is clearly being held back for the Europa league tie. Have him 100% fresh and ready to go for united. It's probably our biggest game of the season so far so I'm more than happy with Klopps decision to hold him back. Origi did well against City and deserved to back it up by starting IMO.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Benteke doesn't help himself though. He has a very bad habit of halting his run at the edge of the box, and then just stands there facing his team mates asking for the ball. Emre Can had the ball out wide and he's like, 'dude, what the f**k are you doing?! Run into the box! I can't cross it to you when you're a statue on the edge of the penalty area!'

Very true.

 

[cb4]

The Sturridge issue is forward thinking from Klopp.
Ran him into the ground in the final, rested him in the league.
Klopp had confidence not to play him v Palace.

He is now fresh for United. Great man managing

 

[Jack_Napier]

The Sturridge issue is forward thinking from Klopp.
Ran him into the ground in the final, rested him in the league.
Klopp had confidence not to play him v Palace.

He is now fresh for United. Great man managing

Completely agree CB, Klopp has a background in sports medicine/science doesn't he? He knows exactly how to handle Studge, he'll be ready to give the average United CB's hell I hope. Plus Pip has only had 30 mins of play the last 2 games so he'll be nice and fresh.

Have to give Firmino plenty of praise as well. He has been so good lately and IMO our most inform and important player. Would love to see what a full pre season together with Studge, Couts and Bobby F will do for our attack.

 

[saint.nick]

Completely agree CB, Klopp has a background in sports medicine/science doesn't he? He knows exactly how to handle Studge, he'll be ready to give the average United CB's hell I hope. Plus Pip has only had 30 mins of play the last 2 games so he'll be nice and fresh.

Have to give Firmino plenty of praise as well. He has been so good lately and IMO our most inform and important player. Would love to see what a full pre season together with Studge, Couts and Bobby F will do for our attack.

He did his thesis on walking, lol. Hopefully he can walk us to the title in seasons to come.