Post-season thoughts, hopes, doom, gloom and Welbeck (and Carrick) love
Ten year anniversary for a key, unsung, cog at United
Podcast: transfer rumours assessed, youth development, buying success and more…
Tweet Authors: Doron, Nik, Bricki, Herzog’s Child, Stretford End and Rob Follow Doron, Nik, Bricki, Herzog’s Child, Stretford...
Tweet Author: Doron Follow Doron on Twitter Naturally, fans tend to think about the players or a manager when either praising or...
Tweet Authors: Doron and Phil Follow Doron, Phil and BTP on Twitter Beyond The Pitch and Stretford-End.com have come together once again to...
Author: Doron
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Naturally, fans tend to think about the players or a manager when either praising or criticising a club – rarely are the other members of staff considered. At United in the past 10 years, there is one member of staff in particular who deserves to be singled out above others, Rene Meulensteen.
Author: Doron
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Coming to terms with United’s finish to the season and ultimately, the capitulation that’ll almost certainly see the title move across the city has been difficult. It’s also thrown up various theories as to why United have managed to mess up a relatively straight forward situation. Here, I asses a few of them and attempt to give a realistic stance on our situation.
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Despite being a website with content about Man United written by Man United fans – we all happen to not only enjoy football in general, but watch a lot of it. Therefore, we’re trying something new – a weekly column looking at a few learnings and observations from the weekend’s football and not necessarily just in England. A new scribe shall be joining us on this column, Trinidad & Tobago’s finest, Rob. We’ll make no attempt to be neutral and we’ll attempt to link back to United where possible but otherwise enjoy our thoughts and ramblings.
Author: Stretford_End
Over the years United and Liverpool can boast about some of the most iconic midfielders this country is lucky enough to have ever seen. From Robson to Keane for United and Souness to Gerrard for Liverpool, there have been some epic clashes in the centre of the park. The match at Anfield will mark the 183rd time the two sides have met but United haven’t picked up a victory (at Anfield) since the 1-0 win in the December of 2007 (scored by Carlos Tevez of all people). In the time since that victory United have lost 2-1 in 08/09, 2-0 in 09/10 and 3-1 last season. Last season, United looked extremely pedestrian in the middle of the midfield, with Scholes and Carrick – this time around, I expect Ferguson to look for energy and drive in Fletcher and Anderson.
AUTHOR: – Stretford End
Ok, I’m not going to make out I am an expert in Spanish football, nor am I going to nod approvingly at a goal scored by Bojan in the 62nd minute in the 8 nil victory over Almeria earlier in the season – because I never saw it. I do try and tune into Revista La Liga and obviously watch as much football on a Sunday evening (that is when the missus hasn’t got ‘The only way is Essex’ on), but I didn’t want to give the impressive that I am a seasoned connoisseur in all things Spanish. However, I have always admired the magnificent football of Barcelona and the DNA that has been instilled in the club from the Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels days.
This blog aims to look at the goals Barcelona have scored and conceded in the Champions League this season, whilst comparing that with Manchester United.
AUTHOR: – Nik (Guest Blogger)
How the manager’s selection policy in midfield is instigating tactical change
Manchester United seem to be gaining that vital momentum and consistency in the league as we enter the final few weeks of yet another captivating season. Crucial to United’s success this term has been the selection policy in central midfield, and seemingly a move towards a slight change in team shape.
In the modern era, Sir Alex Ferguson’s approach to the central midfield area is dictated by makeup of the opposition team; moreover, he has only ever had one mantra when it comes to team selection: to question whether the player is good enough (mentally as well as in terms of technique) to contribute to a winning team (i.e. is he in the right form at the right moment?). It is for these reasons that Fergie is not only held up as a motivator of men, but as an astute tactician, able to re-invent his team and club time and again.
AUTHOR: – Doron
Are Manchester United lacking a midfield spark? – It was a question posed by a BBC tactical blog after the defeat against Wolves last month. The idea of a spark, or creative midfielder in the United side has been something that’s bugged me for a while. I’ve never been convinced it’s what we need and with that in mind I plan to make a potentially surprising transfer suggestion.
AUTHOR – Stretford-End
Nani, or to give him his full title of Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha, has become an intricate part of United’s attack over the past eighteen months and continues to go from strength to strength as we move towards the ‘squeaky bum’ period.
To date, Nani has scored nine goals in 23 Premier League appearances (goals per game ratio of 39%) and a single goal in six Champions League appearances (goals per game ratio of 17%). Although his goals have been of vital importance for United, its his creating of chances that has stood out this season. Nani can be unplayable at times, either going on the outside of the left back or cutting in from the right and striking with his left foot.
I want to start doing some in depth reviews and analysis of United players and I thought that I would start with our influential Portuguese starlet.
AUTHOR: – Bricki
Michael Carrick used to always be on the bench for England. Last night he wasn’t even in the squad. Its a position he seems to have been stuck in since the middle of last season. The question is what has happened to the player who was an integral cog in 3 championship winning teams and a team that reached consecutive Champions League Finals?
The introduction of Carrick into the United team from Spurs gave the midfield a more composed look and protection for the back four. This allowed Fletcher, Scholes and the newly signed Anderson to play further up the pitch and support Rooney and Ronaldo. After several quiet displays early on in his United career he excelled against Chelsea at Old Trafford, snuffing out attacks and giving more presence in Midfield.
Despite as Yolkie describes in his match report a “laboured” win over Stoke for me there were two key reasons why United won. Firstly, Darren Fletcher and secondly United’s successful wide play.
