24 Mar 2015 02:42:20
For all those who say we just hoof the ball upfield count how many passes were made in the build up to Mate's first ball. Note also that we retained possession under pressure and did not give the ball away. This is what LVG has been instilling in the team. We will need to play more like this not only to win here but to compete against Barca BM and Re in Europe if we get there.
24 Mar 2015 11:07:23
We were playing long ball though. We were just accurate with our passing and our midfield supported the big man properly.
We played some very neat intricate football of course at times as shown for the goals, but for the main our tactic was to suck Liverpool in, then hit Fellaini so our support players had space to operate in. It worked a treat. In previous games we have either rushed the pass, miss-hit the long pass or simply not been able to support Fellaini quick enough due to a lack of mobility or outlets out wide and inside. Rooney being mobile, wingers and Herrera are the reason it worked.
LVG got his tactics spot on, but anybody saying we did not play a predominantly long ball game is kidding themselves. It was a great tactic as it worked and Fellaini was awesome, but he is not picked for anything other than to be an outlet and to cause mayhem. Great, but it's what Moyes wanted to do and what us fans have been bitching about for ages.
24 Mar 2015 11:50:18
Depends on what you define as 'long ball football'. It's not like we stuck Fellaini on the last man and had him flicking it on to Rooney (I call this the Heskey/Owen tactic). Fellaini was just a hold up player, a tactic used by plenty of teams. Costa holding it up for Hazard etc is a good example.
For me long ball football is lumping it up to the top hoping you get a decent bounce or a defensive mistake and that is simply not what was done at all.
24 Mar 2015 12:42:29
It was most definitely long ball. A long ball is a long ball. The key difference this time around was the long ball was tactical. Felliani was pulling wide right, left, deep and forward to pull Liverpool defenders away from the central area so he could knock it on to a teammate in space. Those types of long balls I can tolerate because I can see the 'why' if you like.
The long balls against other teams this season such as the West Ham game was just hoof and hope which was quite frankly embarrassing.
24 Mar 2015 12:56:21
Beast, re:Shappy's post, 17% long ball.I didn't think we played a long ball game at all either .United won.They played well.If that's a long ball game, I'd be happy with that level of performance and intensity until the end of the season.
24 Mar 2015 13:10:59
TBL - definitely happy with it because it worked and it wasn't total long ball, but just making it clear what our primary tactic was. 17% stat doesn't tell the true story. We passed a lot of intricate balls deep, luring them to then hit it long, I was surprised it was as high as 17% to be honest.
How many saves did Mignolet make, hardly any? That stat doesn't tell the story about how we dominated either. Stats are pointless, trust the eyes.
24 Mar 2015 13:07:52
Well it wasn't like watching Barcelona or Bayern, or the old Swansea/Arsenal.
We outclassed them with our short game and took full advantage of the long game. But the key tactic was to lure and then clip it long and build 50 yards further up in one move. I would class that as long ball, but certainly not hoof ball, which is what we had been doing.
24 Mar 2015 13:57:31
Anyone who thinks that was long ball never saw graham Taylors Watford or the crazy gang.
24 Mar 2015 14:51:01
Different extremes MrE- I could say anyone that thought that was intricate football haven't watched Bayern or Barcelona!
24 Mar 2015 14:44:00
How long's a piece of string? I think we had 4 shots on target, 2 goals. Not a bad return. Just out of interest, does anyone know what Rooney's penalty record is? Who else do you think could take them? Carrick's a cool head, Blind maybe?
24 Mar 2015 15:15:57
Anyone but Phil Jones!
I imagine Mata would be ideal.
24 Mar 2015 15:35:09
Beast, how can you say Fellaini is only used for that tactic? Not like he ran in behind a spurs defence and neatly finished a good goal the other day? Also when he plays for Belgium do they use any sort of long ball tactic or have him as a target man? They don't. Considering Belgium have a bunch of decent midfielders I think it's safe to say there is more to Fellaini's game than you can obviously see even if you don't want to. Not saying he's a top quality CM but give the guy a break.
24 Mar 2015 16:01:21
Oz - I like Fellaini, he gives us so much that we lack. Aerial threat attacking and defending, power and an outlet to build from if we struggle to break teams down.
I have been calling for Fellaini to be played long before LVG did it. But let's not get carried away with what he is great at and what he is ok at.
He is not a holding midfielder and he isn't quick enough to cover the ground as a typical central midfielder, his passing and technique is poor for a possession based game, but his attributes far outweigh his negatives if used effectively. LVG is doing so and wigs off to him for that.
24 Mar 2015 17:02:04
Phil Jones taking a penalty, now that would definitely be long ball! He'd probably injure himself.
24 Mar 2015 18:20:39
No ones calling it intricate either. Again with using one extreme to back your own argument whilst trying to use the opposite to bolster said argument.
24 Mar 2015 23:17:38
Sorry beast but that wasn't long ball football! Long ball football is, as ed001 has compared us to Wimbledon back in the day! Hitting the target man time and time again for the flick on and nod down. This is totally different to playing a 30 yard pass to his chest to bring down occasionally. I suspect it's because it was Fellaini. Had it been say young we were doing this with everyone wouldn't be calling it long ball tactics. It's an excuse to use it. Gerrard and scholes are famed for hitting long balls all over the place . Drogba was used constantly for the same reasons. Didn't hear everyone call Chelsea long ball. There's a difference between long ball tactics and playing the odd 40 yard pass! Getting pretty bored of it all to he honest!
{Ed001's Note - sorry but you are wrong, it was long balls in the air for him to contest, and win, which is why it was long balls. If they were Scholes-like balls in to his feet, then that would be a pass. A ball in the air for a big man to fight and win, that is what you did. It worked, so I don't know why you are all lying to yourself trying to pretend it was any different. Oh and I do agree that Jose will also often use those tactics.}