[Football] Man U tonight

[Renegade1]

I'm totally not into this we will get a backlash from Man U for sure. We didn't automatically against Arsenal even if Man U have more to play for.If Mou has lost the players like at Chelsea then it's a big job to get them up for this.

Going out of the CL is a big big thing and how they went out.The FA Cup doesn't even begin to compare with CL.

 

[Weststander]

Just about every league in Europe is weak bar a few teams. The Premier League included. History? So football started in 1992 then? As for the rest of that list - I see little relevance to being the strongest league. Wages may have a bearing to a degree as it attracts the (so called) best players. Aside from that.......

Good points. I'd put the PL's existing 17 clubs on a pedestal and thought (after a patchy summer transfer window) that we'd drop back down. But the quasi-Championship quality squads of Albion, Hudd and Newcastle have done alright. The PL may be competitive because teams like Stoke, Everton, Palace and WBA will harry and try to out muscle ManC etc, but the quality outside the top 6 is not high.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Not feeling overly optimistic now. They'll want the fans back onside and what better way to do that than with a battering of the next team they face.

Not so sure of that. On the other side of the coin, the pressure will be on them more than us now. Assuming CH lines the team up with the usual formation/tactics, United and their fans (sic) could start getting very frustrated. The longer that continues in the game, the better the chances for us to nick something. All speculative of course.

 

[trueblue]

The PL may be competitive because teams like Stoke, Everton, Palace and WBA will harry and try out muscle ManC etc, but the quality outside the top 6 is not high.

Only agree to an extent. We got a few good results early on, true, but it was very clear from the start that the general standard is well above the Championship. Requires better technique and much quicker speed of thought. Maintaining that week in, week out is extremely tough - hence we can still go and get beaten easily by teams like Everton if we have the slightest off day. Our 'quasi-Championship' team, for instance, now includes Australia's goalkeeper, a far more dangerous winger than we previously had on our books, another international midfielder at the heart of the side and the Bundesliga's most creative player. Put last team's side out every week and we'd be where West Brom are, almost certainly.

 

[Weststander]

Only agree to an extent. We got a few good results early on, true, but it was very clear from the start that the general standard is well above the Championship. Requires better technique and much quicker speed of thought. Maintaining that week in, week out is extremely tough - hence we can still go and get beaten easily by teams like Everton if we have the slightest off day. Our 'quasi-Championship' team, for instance, now includes Australia's goalkeeper, a far more dangerous winger than we previously had on our books, another international midfielder at the heart of the side and the Bundesliga's most creative player. Put last team's side out every week and we'd be where West Brom are, almost certainly.

Overall it’s obviously a higher standard than the Championship. Countless £b spent raiding the world’s clubs makes that a given.

Our squad, which I love, includes Bong, Hemed, Murray, Knockaert, March, Duffy etc, who weren’t proven top flight quality players. The club weren’t going to go out and buy 11 such players last summer, so as with Newc/Hudd, the club bought in some quality and CH has worked wonders in coaching the mix.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised (as it helps our survival) with the dearth of quality in many of our opposing teams, despite huge sums spent by them in fees and wages.

 

[nicko31]

Not feeling overly optimistic now. They'll want the fans back onside and what better way to do that than with a battering of the next team they face.

Could really go either way. If they don't batter us early fans could soon get restless. There's a lot more pressure on them than us on Saturday

 

[Triggaaar]

Did you say the same thing when Arsenal visited?

But Arsenal were away to us and had Milan to look forward to a few days after us.

Either way, we're much longer odds to beat Utd than we were to beat Arsenal.

 

[Triggaaar]

The PL may be competitive because teams like Stoke, Everton, Palace and WBA will harry and try to out muscle ManC etc, but the quality outside the top 6 is not high.

High is a relative level. I agree with you that it's the top 6 teams and then the rest. 7th is only reasonably close to 6th because Arsenal are having a poor season, but their quality is still there. So of course the rest of us are not like the top teams in other European leagues, but I'd be interested to know how we all compare to the mid table teams of La Liga etc.

Can anyone who follows other leagues closely offer an insight?

 

[Weststander]

High is a relative level. I agree with you that it's the top 6 teams and then the rest. 7th is only reasonably close to 6th because Arsenal are having a poor season, but their quality is still there. So of course the rest of us are not like the top teams in other European leagues, but I'd be interested to know how we all compare to the mid table teams of La Liga etc.

Can anyone who follows other leagues closely offer an insight?

Watching La Liga, their mid table teams always contain players with great technique, vision and pace. They always have an attacking threat and often give Barca/Real are given a real fright before coming unstuck in the end. PL lovers seem to rubbish them all as shite if they’re not Real/Barca/AtleticoM, without ever watching La Liga.

I suppose Europa cup ties for Everton, Stains etc over the years would give the best indication.

 

[Wozza]

Or take it to pens. With Ryan in goal we'd stand a good chance. What is Krul like at saving pens?

We can bring Ryan on as a FOURTH sub in extra time....

 

[BBassic]

Did you say the same thing when Arsenal visited?

I did, yes.

 

[Triggaaar]

Watching La Liga, their mid table teams always contain players with great technique, vision and pace. They always have an attacking threat and often give Barca/Real are given a real fright before coming unstuck in the end. PL lovers seem to rubbish them all as shite if they’re not Real/Barca/AtleticoM, without ever watching La Liga.

I suppose Europa cup ties for Everton, Stains etc over the years would give the best indication.

I assume you're right re Europa ties. If our teams aren't better, why aren't they, given the money available in the PL compared to La Liga (top teams excluded)?

 

[hopkins]

This is how it works on this site:

Man Utd lost - they’ll now want to prove something, not a good time to play them
Man Utd won - they’re in good form, not a good time to play them

Total drivel.

 

[Weststander]

This is how it works on this site:

Man Utd lost - they’ll now want to prove something, not a good time to play them
Man Utd won - they’re in good form, not a good time to play them

Total drivel.

They've always been massive favourites to knock us out. The loss will have Maureenho absolutely focused now to crush us, otherwise it's a trophy less season and the pressure on him will be huge.

 

[Is it PotG?]

They've always been massive favourites to knock us out. The loss will have Maureenho absolutely focused now to crush us, otherwise it's a trophy less season and the pressure on him will be huge.

Which hopefully just adds to his pressure on Saturday which may be passed on to the players.

Listening to the radio last night, many MU fans are bored of him.

 

[Beanstalk]

Or take it to pens. With Ryan in goal we'd stand a good chance. What is Krul like at saving pens?

Krul was brought on in the 120th minute of the 2014 World Cup Quarter Final for the Netherlands purely for the penalty shootout.

He saved 2/5 and the Netherlands made it through to the Semi-Final and eventually finished third. The Semi went to penalties but with no Krul in goal and Holland conceded all four, missing out on the final.

 

[kevo]

Krul was brought on in the 120th minute of the 2014 World Cup Quarter Final for the Netherlands purely for the penalty shootout.

He saved 2/5 and the Netherlands made it through to the Semi-Final and eventually finished third. The Semi went to penalties but with no Krul in goal and Holland conceded all four, missing out on the final.

Of course - should have remembered that. Pens may be our best chance!

 

[Easy 10]

Krul was brought on in the 120th minute of the 2014 World Cup Quarter Final for the Netherlands purely for the penalty shootout.

He saved 2/5 and the Netherlands made it through to the Semi-Final and eventually finished third.

Subbing the keeper (Cillessen binned for Krul) just moments before the shootout was a masterstroke in psyching out the opposition by van Gaal. No surprise Costa Rica fluffed their lines after that.

I'd LOVE it if Hughton did that at OT on Saturday.

 

[Weststander]

I assume you're right re Europa ties. If our teams aren't better, why aren't they, given the money available in the PL compared to La Liga (top teams excluded)?

No one knows. It can't be that the teams are filled with English players who are less technical, because the PL is packed with overseas players. Could it be knackered players from the pressure of 38 unrelenting PL games, FAC, LC and no winter break? Or that the high octane, plus the emphasis on height/power in recruitment doesn't allow technical players to flourish unless they're exceptional like David Silva, Mo Salah or Eden Hazard? Our Europa League clubs dont get players of that quality.

 

[Icy Gull]

United’s Cup Final was against Liverpool last weekend, they won’t be up for playing Lil Ol Brighton. They will turn up EXPECTING to win, hopefully this will be their downfall. They could, of course, take us apart with minimal effort if we are not 100% motivated and just play to contain them. To have any chance Stephens must play.