The old Man Utd Thread

[Guest]

This has 3-3 written all over it!

[Gabzy]

Oh my days.. We're actually playing quite well! Still expect us to fall apart at some stage though.

[Bleeders]

Where the fuck did that come from?! Best half of football we've played all season.

[Liamness]

Absolutely LOVED Rooney's goal celebration just then!!

https://gfycat.com/ClearScarceGardensnake

That's an instant classic.

[LiMuBai]

Good to see Pereira coming on. Looks a right talent for the U21's

[feltmonkey]

Young, Fellaini, Blind and Carrick have all been excellent today.

[Mr Do 71]

Apparently in the Football thread Spurs made us look good, so no need to get excited over this result.

[feltmonkey]

to be fair, they were dreadful. but you can't ignore the strange fact that we were really, really good.

[Mr Do 71]

We didn't give them any chance in the first half, everyone of our out players were on top of them as soon as they had the ball.

[boxoctosis]

"Lads, it's Tottenham"

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/roy-keane-reveals-sir-alex-fergusons-threeword-team-talk-against-tottenham-9808670.html

[AlwaysBeClosing]

Great win, but Spurs were fucking dreadful. I don't remember them having a shot on target. I didn't realise Soldado was on the pitch until he came off - though that's generally how it seems for most games he features in.

[feltmonkey]

He wasn't on the pitch. Did you mean Townsend?

[Bleeders]

Soldado wasn't even in the squad.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

Must have been Chadli or Mason.

[feltmonkey]

to be fair, as you say, he was no less effective than he is when he actually plays.

[Guest]

Sunday's going to be good then, isn't it?

[Bleeders]

I'm not looking forward to it, since we often tend to lose at Anfield. But, LVG doesn't have a bad record against the big teams so far this season so there could be a change in fortunes.

I'm wondering if Di Maria will come in for Mata and it'd largely be the same team as Sunday's line-up. I'd expect to see him push Fellaini up against Can, see if he can bully him and that side of Liverpool's defence.

[JDubYes]

What's the general consensus on Feillani just now?

I've always actually quite liked him as a player, but obviously his form for you was pretty dreadful initially, and the fiasco involving the price you eventually paid for him couldn't have helped.

With that said, he seems to be in pretty good form at the moment, and he's always had 'cult hero' written all over him, so I was wondering how he's perceived by Utd fans now. Still a waste of money? A decent player who just had a rough start, and has started to come good? Or a unique and useful player you're glad to have aboard?

[Nicky]

I've always said he's a decent player. Even if you go back through the thread from last year you'll see I was one of a few who suggested all he needed was time and confidence. He gives the team something which has been missing for a while, some nasty. He unsettles players and its all well and good having beautiful fancy footballers but if you've got a fellaini, or a big figure who's also not half bad, and who people won't enjoy facing, it can be just as effective and valuable. The test will be if he keeps his form and doesn't get sent off in our remaining games. I reckon the arsenal match has revenge and trouble all over it.

[Majora]

I'm not looking forward to it, since we often tend to lose at Anfield. But, LVG doesn't have a bad record against the big teams so far this season so there could be a change in fortunes.

I'm wondering if Di Maria will come in for Mata and it'd largely be the same team as Sunday's line-up. I'd expect to see him push Fellaini up against Can, see if he can bully him and that side of Liverpool's defence.

I'd be amazed if we didn't field the exact same team against Liverpool. I think Di Maria is going to be benched. His form has been erratic to say the least and the Spurs game was the best we've looked all season. Van Gaal would be crazy not to see if this was actually a result of that particular group of players gelling well or if it was just Spurs being incredibly shit.

[Bleeders]

I think he's a limited player, but his physical attributes are something that we've lacked in the squad for sometime. His game against Spurs has been his best, but once Spurs actually did something about it, the damage was done and his influence had waned by that point.

What he does well is to occupy opposing defenders, be it by hook or by crook (mostly crook). But for a big guy, his control with his chest is impressive and he'll pretty much win any 50/50 in the air. What frustrates me is when we go long to him as Plan B far too early in a game and he has next to nobody around him. The difference with Sunday was that the whole team pressed Spurs and Fellaini had options for the knock-downs.

I reckon Di Maria might get the nod on Sunday for his pace, we'll be playing on the counter-attack away from home and Di Maria is one of the quicker players in the squad.

[feltmonkey]

I'd be amazed if we didn't field the exact same team against Liverpool. I think Di Maria is going to be benched. His form has been erratic to say the least and the Spurs game was the best we've looked all season. Van Gaal would be crazy not to see if this was actually a result of that particular group of players gelling well or if it was just Spurs being incredibly shit.

i think Di Maria will come in, as we will be playing away from home, and some pace on the break will be invaluable.

as for Fellaini, he's growing on me a lot, but there's still a certain amount of cognitive dissonance. i like him and i don't. i like him as an underdog, and as an effective player with underrated skill on the ball. on the other hand, what's he doing playing as the number ten, where you'd normally have a creative player, in our line-up? i don't like the way we play when he's up there, lumping balls up to him. on the other hand, that's hardly his fault, and he does quite often add a bit of artistry when the ball comes to him. i keep remembering that David Moyes quote earlier in the season where he was defending Fellaini and said something like, "he's a better player than people think - he's really good at the chest-trap." the thing is, he is really good at the chest-trap, and he brings high balls down expertly and brings supporting players into the game. now his confidence is up, he suddenly looks like a player who can control and pass the ball well, something he was completely failing to do last season. lastly, on the one hand he's a right fouling bastard, but on the other hand i quite like him for that, too.

the thing is, he's scored some big goals for us this season, and contributed in the build-up to many other goals, either by winning a header or simply getting away with fouling someone. if he's doing that, we're going to like him.

[paddyo]

A flag that will be there Sunday

[paddyo]

And i think this will be ringing out at anfield too!! Great homage to park ????

[Bleeders]

Nervous for today's game, not sure which United side will show up, although I fully expect Liverpool to go at us from the first whistle.

Historically, we tend to lose at Anfield so a draw wouldn't be a bad result for us.

'Mon United!

EDIT - Same lineup that we used against Spurs.

[LiMuBai]

Is this the first time that LVG has named an unchanged side?

[spork]

Beautiful!

[Seanfl9]

Absolutely loving this so far. We're finally beginning to play with a bit of pace!

[Nicky]

Phil Jones, what a mong

[Bleeders]

Certainly the first time I've seen a United team boss Liverpool at Anfield in the first half. Deservedly ahead, although I think we started to get a little ragged towards the end of the half.

Regroup. Go again in the second half.