14 Apr 2015 13:29:10
Interesting talking point with me and couple mates down my local yesterday.
Phil Jones. Would you keep him in the team at the expense of Rojo? He had a good game vs City although personally i see Rojo being the better CB, plus he's more composed on the ball. I had two moments of discomfort besides the goals vs City and both of them involved Jones running forward with the ball. So for me Rojo.
Also an added topic, if we can get Ings on a free, is Rooney - Ings - Wilson a good enough 3 or do we need one more?
14 Apr 2015 13:58:17
We will definately need a proven striker. Cannot rely on them to win us trophies. Especially if rooney gets injured
14 Apr 2015 14:21:00
personally i don't think rojo or jones will be first choice if we buy hummels, neither should take smalling out the starting 11, he's been solid since the derby at the emptyhad.
so i expect rojo and jones to be the other 2 cbs along with smalling and hummels(if we buy him)
and on your second point without getting into a debate about ings(as i wouldn't waste anytime with him even on a free) but for the post sake, if we were to get him and falcao and rvp went then no.
14 Apr 2015 14:28:09
I thought Jones was poor on the first goal, he let Aguero peel off him and then failed to intercept the ball. You either track the player or attack the ball. He did neither. So I would go for Rojo against Chelsea.
As for would Rooney, Ings and Wilson be enough if we were to sign Ings. Well that depends on the formation we will play and how LvG sees Rooney. If he sees him as a striker and wants to play 433 then yes those three would be enough. But if he sees Rooney as a midfielder/No.10 and/or wants to play with two strikers then no they wouldn't be enough.
14 Apr 2015 14:48:32
I still get nervous with Jones at the back so I'd plump for Rojo. Smalling has come on leaps and bounds which is great to see.
I think Rooney, Wilson and Ings might actually be enough if we go 3 up top. It would be a risk but if w had 4 strikers it would block Ings and Wilson from playing, when they need opportunities.
14 Apr 2015 14:58:08
It's a tough call regarding Jones. I can actually see Jones and Smalling being a good partnership. Maybe not top quality but one that could really flourish: one classy defender,comfortable on the ball,the other a bit gung ho who's happy sticking his face in front of a cannonball. It's a proven kind of combination. I do think a top quality centre back is needed though.
As for Ings, I just don't see him coming to United.Squad player at the best. Van Gaal seems to like playing with a lone striker and Rooney needs top class competition. Depay can play across the line which makes him an option.Obviously, I really rate Lewandowski but would Giroud be possible, as I think he is a top striker?
14 Apr 2015 15:52:25
I think Jones did us no favours in the opening 15 minutes of the game he looked unsure and added to the mayhem to be honest. He was all over the place, lost his man for the first goal, handed them another chance about 2 mins later then almost butchered a back pass to De'Gea in the space of 10 mins. It lead to a goal but could have easily gone t*ts up.
Rojo definitely deserves a start for the Chelsea game I felt over the games he has played with Smalling they look a lot more self assured and have good understanding, he's also very quick!
Huge credit to smalling though his improvement has been fantastic.
The striker situation will depend on formation, we need at least another top class striker if RVP and Falcao leave. If the Cavani rumours are through will Rooney be dropped back and Cavani up front? Or will Rooney take up the role Mata is doing at the moment?
Personally I'm not sure Ings is the answer in any formation
14 Apr 2015 16:05:30
I'm far from convinced Jones will be ever any better than he is. Yes still rash and his decision making is awful.
Simce smalling came back in we have looked far more sound defensively.
14 Apr 2015 16:35:20
I am torn between those 2; Rojo and Jones. can't decide.
I must Shappy that you are right about jones not tracking Aguero but does that really warrant dropping him? Was it Mata that failed to track Silva's run in the build up to that goal? Will you drop him as well?
With the Ings bit, it depends if we are going to lose RvP, Falcao and chicharito even.
14 Apr 2015 16:39:52
mbd
your right, Mata was as much to blame as Jones for the first goal.
14 Apr 2015 17:01:19
mdb, it would never have been Mata's job the track Silva. If Silva was playing wide then it would have been the job of the full back to track him in this case Valencia, if Silva was playing off the striker then it would have been the deepest midfielders job to track the midfield runner and in this case it would have been Carrick.
I wouldn't sign Ings at all, I'd sign Cavani. Options of Rooney, Cavani and Wilson with Depay also able to play as a striker would be more than enough.
14 Apr 2015 18:01:14
I get more nervous when jones or smalling have the ball at the back than when the opposition do. As long as we get a ball playing CB I think smalling will be adequate to play alongside him. Jones for me is terrible his positioning is poor and he loses the ball so often. Ideally we would get 2 CBs Hummels and Varane would be my dream pairing but that will not happen. We definitely need to sign a big name striker to lead the line, it won't be long before teams start to adapt to our style if we use the Fellani tactic every game and like other posters have stated his style will concede a lot of free kicks and bookings in europe. I think we need a bit more in depth as we have been lucky to keep pretty much the same starting 11 for this unbeaten run, we saw what it was like before with Herrera and mata out of the side and I just think we would struggle if any of our current starting MF were injured, the other squad playes don't seem as fluid in this system as carrick and co
14 Apr 2015 18:38:06
I think Ings will kick on to be a great striker. He has a great touch, great movement through low gravity and would thrive at a team like United. Defo worth a punt in my eyes.
Varane, Otamendi better options than Hummels for me, but admittedly I was pro Hummels before Dortmunds decline.
I'd go Jones(if fit), Rojo then Smalling. Jones is a leader and needs to get a few games to change opinions on him.
14 Apr 2015 18:45:56
Jones positioning and read of the game is poor. He has the physical attributes but lacks what John terry has in terms of reading the game and always being in the right place. I prefer Otamendi, Laporte, Varrane(although he will need some adjusting to the Pl as he is not a physical type cb).
14 Apr 2015 21:10:55
Not sure whether jones or Smalling are up to it. I would like hummels and otamendi in an ideal world with Rojo back up.