02 Mar 2015 14:08:21
I am going to have a bet today that Man Utd go unbeaten for the rest of the season. I should get good odds. :)
With regards to peoples - myself included - belief that we might struggle to overcome Liverpool and Arsenal for the CL places, I must admit to being a little bit more optimistic about our chances; and heres why. Firstly, the system we used against Sunderland suited the players. We looked far more balanced. Secondly, a number of players are starting to look like they are finding good form. Valencia, for example, has really grown into his new role. Smalling has shown excellent progress this season IMO, and is looking like a top CB. Herrera and Blind are looking like a very good CM partnership. But most importantly, I believe Falcao and Rooney will form a very effective forward duo. There were signs against Sunderland that Falcao is starting to find his feet; and I can see him - if he is given the game time - scoring goals and having a big impact on the rest of the season.
Liverpool looked good yesterday, but they were helped by a Poor city team who look tactically inept. They will come unstuck. Of that I have no doubt. They are not as good as some suggest IMO; and I certainly believe that we can go there and get something.
Positive mental attitude. If we all believe, it will happen. :)
02 Mar 2015 15:01:42
Good luck to you! Would be incredible if we pull it off, hope you get better luck than I have with bets recently!
02 Mar 2015 15:13:21
Sorry but I disagree completely. 1- I don't think you will finish top 4 Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Arsenal will. 2- Not as good as some suggest, We are every bit as good, 17 games unbeaten says it all really. 4- With our recent form the most you'll get from us is a respectable defeat. 5- We beat a tactically inept Man City, Doesn't being tactically inept apply to LVG also.
Unstuck is what you will go through in pursuit of top 4, No disrespect intended in any of this post but LVG isn't good enough.
02 Mar 2015 15:33:57
On paper only City & Chelsea are better than us. Despite that in practice we perform like a 6th/7th place team most games (or worse). We should get top 4, but we have made the job far harder than it ought to have been.
I honestly wouldn't put money on anything related to Utd this season because we don't know what we are going to get from one game to the next, its just wishful thinking that we will make top 4 now, I hope we pull it off but do we really want to be witnessing more of the same brand of football next season?
02 Mar 2015 15:47:20
With all due respect "ceasar", yes lvg may be tactically inept but I'm sure you said something similar about Brendan Rodgers too not long ago, and although you are on a bit of a run at the moment you have to admit that we have the better players on paper. Remember how you faired at the end of last season? You might bottle it again.
02 Mar 2015 15:48:52
Its not ideal Beast but I don't think anybody at the club including LVG would pretend it is. I also think next season will be completely different football once our back line has been reinforced IMPO
02 Mar 2015 15:59:04
Beast, I honestly believe that things are only going to get better. I think the Sunderland performance was a good step in the sides progression. The game against Newcastle is massive in terms of team confidence and momentum. If we can win that, which I expect us too, I think we can go on another run.
Against the Liverpool's, Arsenals and Spurs of this world, I think we will be effective because those teams don't set up defensively. We have seen in previous games against those clubs that we are more than capable of getting results; and I don't see why it should be any different this time around, regardless of improved form from said clubs.
People have said that LVG isn't a good man manager, but I have to disagree. Young, Valencia, Smalling and Felliani have show big improvements this season, and that is partly down to good man management. And the way he handled Januzaj at the weekend was excellent and led to Januzaj producing such an effective performance.
The manager isn't everyonse cup of team, but I think he will deliever us a title before he leaves. For we are, IMO, three top players short of being a top side.
02 Mar 2015 16:13:51
How dare you be optimistic. There is no place on this site for people with optimism.
02 Mar 2015 16:54:03
I'm offering no advice on bets, I'm leaking money from everywhere.
02 Mar 2015 17:10:28
I think we'll revert to wing backs against Liverpool. If we play with 2 centre backs and simultaneously aggressive backs, we will get creamed. Falcao can play up top with Rooney in behind him. Young and Valencia are hard working and experienced, and the former is quite capable of doing what both Henderson and Coutinho did against City - cutting in and curling a good shot towards the far post.
02 Mar 2015 18:21:51
I hope you are right Sam.
I think LVG is an ideal man manager for a certain type of person, the players who are doing well are all similar. I would rather ADM, Falcao, RVP playing great than Young, Fellaini & Valencia playing great.
Lets hope we play as well as we did against Newcastle first time out, get some momentum before the problem games.
02 Mar 2015 19:26:17
Sam
You swing about from result to result mate. Beating Sunderland at home is zero indication of how our form is coming good. Let's see how we manage newcastle next.
Our away from is terrible mate. we need a minimum of 72 points I reckon to finish top 4. That is 22 from 33. With games at Liverpool away, Chelsea away and city at home those are a possible 9 points gone.
That leaves us needing 7 wins and a draw from the rest and that might still not be good enough. I reckon 74 to be sure but that means winning 8 out of 11. So good luck on your bet, i can't see us getting anything from those games unless city do a Mancini and once they realise the league is gone, lay down at OT.
We also have arsenal at home and Everton Away and have never done well at godson and martinez is under pressure for getting some results.
02 Mar 2015 20:08:03
GCU, I don't "swing about" from game to game. I have never once said the manager should be sacked or gone into total meltdown. I was upset after the Swansea game because of the way we lost and suggested that the manager and the players needed to get their act together, which in the last game they did IMO; and for me that represented a step in the right direction. Plus I just feel more positive about things and think that too much negativity breeds a negative reality.
03 Mar 2015 09:39:08
Reminds me of the frog that said he will reach the top of a tree. All other frogs shouted it was impossible but he still did it. how? He was deaf and he actually thought the others were encouraging and cheering him on!
"BE DEAF TO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS IF YOUR AIM IS TO REACH YOU GOAL!"
03 Mar 2015 10:04:06
mbd, did you use to work in The Office, by any chance? Or have you been attending the Brendan Rodgers School of Man-management? :)
03 Mar 2015 10:55:41
Hehehehehe maybe BR attended my school of man-management. ;)
04 Mar 2015 11:20:01
Or blind to a simple math :)