14 Apr 2016 13:21:51
Playing devils advocate, but I seem to recall many of us, including me, say that we'd rather the club give youth a chance over winning leagues etc. Well, our wish is coming true. Although LVG's style can be pretty turgid, he's playing our academy players to great effect and its damn sight better than under Moyes which was a ridiculous appointment.
14 Apr 2016 14:49:00
True but winning the league is one thing and not many of our fans are damning lvg for that, but finishing as one of the best 4 teams in the country should be an absolute bare minimum.
14 Apr 2016 14:55:32
I thought Januzaj looked good under Moyes. A damn site better than he has under LVG anyway.
Whilst it's nice to see TFM, CBJ and MR given a chance to play - I don't really see what that has to do with LVGs style. We could be playing fluid, attacking football and still giving the youth players a chance.
The reason we are seeing youth players given a shot under LVG is down both to the number of injuries the club has had and the squad being too small. I suppose you could argue (as LVG tried to) that it's entirely down to his 'genius' decision to cut down the squad size - but in that sense it is worth remembering that Rashford only got his chance because Rooney, Martial and Keane were all injured and Wilson was out on loan (which I can't imagine LVG had envisaged) .
Either way - the cream will rise to the top more often than not. Whoever the manager was I expect (with rare exceptions) that players will be given a chance. We shouldn't have to suffer through boring football just to see that.
14 Apr 2016 16:06:09
redseven januzaj looked that good bcz other were bad not bcz he was suddenly worldclass, reason he is struggling is bcz he started to believe in his own hype, 3 different managers have had problems with him, u can't blame it only on van gaal. While i agree with u on CBJ and rashford u can't say the same about fosu mensah as darmian, valencia and young have been fit not to mention varela, yet he is getting chances, also while what u say about rashford is true, van gaal could have got depay or januzaj to play instead of rashford or put martial upfront and brought in pereira, rashford got his chance only down to van gaal, i have heard lots of names that could turn out to be good from our youth, rashford wasn't one of them, people have been raving about januzaj, pereira, goss etc for years very few if any mentioned rashford.
The manager has his faults but there are some positives, to blame him for the negatives while giving him no credit for the positives in unfair.
14 Apr 2016 16:06:09
redseven januzaj looked that good bcz other were bad not bcz he was suddenly worldclass, reason he is struggling is bcz he started to believe in his own hype, 3 different managers have had problems with him, u can't blame it only on van gaal. While i agree with u on CBJ and rashford u can't say the same about fosu mensah as darmian, valencia and young have been fit not to mention varela, yet he is getting chances, also while what u say about rashford is true, van gaal could have got depay or januzaj to play instead of rashford or put martial upfront and brought in pereira, rashford got his chance only down to van gaal, i have heard lots of names that could turn out to be good from our youth, rashford wasn't one of them, people have been raving about januzaj, pereira, goss etc for years very few if any mentioned rashford.
The manager has his faults but there are some positives, to blame him for the negatives while giving him no credit for the positives in unfair.
14 Apr 2016 16:42:50
CSM -
We were playing better football under Moyes than we have been these past few months under LVG and were doing better in the league (not to mention still being in the Champions League) . Suggesting that Januzaj looked good because others were bad seems a little unfair - unless you'll say the same of the youth under LVG (which I really don't think was the case) . Sure the senior players around them have been poor - but take nothing away from their performances.
From what I've read - Januzaj has had some issues with his attitude, yes; but whose job is it to work with him on that? He didn't seem to have issues with his attitude under Moyes but does under LVG. So does Memphis.
Valencia and Darmian were both injured for the Arsenal game when TFM made his debut so not sure how you can say that it wasn't an enforced change. His continuation in the squad is down to him having performed when AV and MD have been very poor this season. Had both remained fit and been able to play good football I am not convinced that TFM would have been given his debut.
He could not have played Martial instead of Rashford because he was injured in the warm up (the only reason Rashford played) . Memphis started the game out wide despite being in poor form (so again - it's not as though he chose Rashford over him) and Januzaj was injured. He could have played Perreira, yes - but we needed goals in the game and so he couldn't really not play with a striker. If he'd played Memphis up front we'd have been short on the wing.
After that he again had no choice. With Rashford scoring 2 in the EL LVG couldn't not play him against Arsenal - and after a further 2 goals in that game he'd pretty much cemented a place in the first team.
In many ways it reminds me of PM and TB last season. We gave LVG credit for playing them when there were plenty of injuries (not that he had a choice) and then this season they haven't been given a look in because he doesn't think they are good enough.
The youth players have played only because of injuries and have stayed only because the first team players ahead of them have underperformed massively under LVG.
Again though - we're detracting from the original issue. Playing youth doesn't mean you have to play boring football. Go watch Spurs play if you don't believe me!
14 Apr 2016 17:45:59
Blackett isn't good enough unfortunately. He can't even get a game at Celtic and my Celtic supporting pals say he is tosh. Paddy McNair will get his chance. My Pala who are Northern Irish love him and say he has played well for them in the defensive midfield role. Strangely, LVG seems to have a thing about putting youngsters in at full back.
The biggest miss for us was Luke Shaw this season. A settle back four next season and an additional centre half and possible right winger I think we will be pretty good. I just hope DDG stays!
As for better football under Moyes that's nonsense. Unless you like 40 yard diagonal punts into the box?
14 Apr 2016 17:57:05
People really need to stop buying into the myth, perpetrated by the man himself, that van Gaal has put his faith in youth. He tried to sign two fullbacks on loan in January, and we have been told that the club pulled the plug on three deals because of his uncertain position. In other words, if van Gaal had secured the players he wanted to in January, I doubt many of our acacemy players would still be featuring. However, how many of our young players have actually maintained their positions when senior players aren't injured and dropped back to the under 21s?
If van Gaal stays he will bring in more new players. But, the bigger problem is the long term influence he might have over young players. Our under 21s have been playing fast paced attacking football under Joyce, and this shows when they have been given a chance in the first team. The first team, on the other hand is being instructed to play patient possession football. The longer a young player remains part of the first team, the more risk of them being van Galled into mediocrity like our existing first team players.
14 Apr 2016 19:29:01
Eric - We scored more under Moyes, had a better pass completion rate, played more forwards balls and averaged about 3 more shots per game. We got a lot further in Europe and had more points on the board in the league. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't great; but better than the tripe we're served up 9 times out of 10 with LVG. It's a moot point though I suppose. Neither came close to being good enough.
Danny - I couldn't agree more. It's all well and good saying that it's unfair not to give LVG credit - but by the same logic - can we not then critisize him for failing to bring players like FM and MR into the first team sooner? We were playing some atrocious football in December and could really have done with them. We were still in contention for the title too at that point.
If a man facing bankruptcy finds a briefcase full of money the day before the bank repossesses his home - you don't give him credit. You tell him that he's damn lucky and to take better care of his finances.
14 Apr 2016 19:45:33
To be fair to LVG where youth has showed promise he has kept by them not reverted to more established players square pegs round holes.
14 Apr 2016 20:45:38
Eric - Are we supposed to give him credit for common sense now? Of course he is going to keep playing players when they are playing well. What manager wouldn't?
14 Apr 2016 20:47:02
Lvg has a very good track record with youth everywhere he has gone.
14 Apr 2016 20:47:37
What young players have kept their place?
Mensa has had a few games in a row even though Darmain and Valencia are fit. It will be interesting to see how long this continues.
Varela was dropped due to one poor half against Liverpool.
CBJ got injured and hasn't got another opportunity.
Love, Poole, Riley, and Periera have had a handful of appearances between them.
Lingard is 23 so can hardly be put in the giving youth a chance category. I mean he's older than Kane and Barkley, and only a year younger than De Bruyne.
So we're left with Rashford. A player that was given a shot due to a series of injuries, and has stepped up for us when we had no one else. But, it has yet to be seen what will happen to the lad when Rooney is fully fit. He was hauled off last weekend and replaced with Ashley Young. His goal last night will make it difficult to drop him. But I would wager that his next poor performance will relegate him to the bench.
So who exactly has kept their place?
14 Apr 2016 20:54:00
Eric is god.
Why CBJ hasn't a had a look in and Rojo continues to put in terrible performance after another.
CBJ was brilliant defensively and his crossing was very dangerous unlike Rojo's which barely passes the first man.