24 Apr 2016 16:36:52
Everyone is praising LVG for bring in the youth but in reality he had to because of injuries and loans. The philosophy is not working, we need a change. All the possession football should help when we are under pressure but it disappears. No progress really in 2#years time to go I'm afraid.
24 Apr 2016 16:49:10
I am not lvg supporter, but he culled the squad so that he work have to rely on bringing in youth, that was his plan, he should get credit for it. Would rather have players that are not united quality on big wages, who are not first choice filling out the squad or young exciting players with potential?
24 Apr 2016 16:54:07
I feel like I've read this post every day for the last 3 months.
24 Apr 2016 17:05:35
Redandy tell me about it.
We know nearly all of the posters here do not like LVG. I am not his biggest fan. However he has to be given credit for playing the youth.
24 Apr 2016 17:31:45
This is getting so ridiculous now. Yes we did have injuries when the youngsters were introduced. But lvgs gone on record saying that was the idea with having a small squad and getting rid of a lot of senior players.
Also ask yourself these questions.
Whys rashford still in the team when all our senior strikers are fit?
Whys lingard in the team when all our midfielders are fit.
Why did timothy fosu mensah start a fa cup semi final when valencia and darmian are fit.
Sometimes you have to look past your agenda and just give the guy some credit.
24 Apr 2016 17:55:57
DSG I understand what you are saying, but would they have been originally given a chance in the team if we didn't have injuries? I highly doubt rashford would of played this season had Rooney been fit, same with fosu-mensah. They are stil in the team because they have done well, but van gaal only put them in because he had no choice.
24 Apr 2016 17:57:04
DSG -
Rashford is in the side because he is scoring goals at a great rate which effectively makes him undroppable. Playing a player that is outperforming other players is very different than the initial decision to bring that player into the squad. What manager in the world would drop Rashford given his current form? The same goes for TFM given how poor Darmian and Valencia have been this season.
Lingard is in the side because we literally have no other right wingers. We broke the British transfer record last year to bring one in and had he not been poorly managed he would be starting ahead of Lingard every week. Had LVG been able to sign Mane - he would be starting ahead of Lingard every week. Had the board not pulled the plug on the Anderson deal in January - he too would be starting ahead of Lingard every week.
I'd like to ask you some questions, if I may.
Why did it take injuries to Martial, Keane and Rooney and Wilson to be out on loan for Rashford to be given a chance? Would he have been given a chance if the aforementioned been fit and in form?
Why did it take injuries to Darmian, Valencia, Mcnair and jones for TFM to be given a chance? Would he have been given a chance if the aforementioned were fit and in form?
Why did neither TFM nor Rashford get a chance in December when we were playing some of the worst football I've ever seen and effectively seeing our chance of the title slipping away with every match?
24 Apr 2016 18:11:22
Redseven - valencia young and mata can all play on the right wing and have before. But lingard is being played out of choice.
If lvg was so against playing young players as people are making out then he would have taken rashford out of the team when martial came back fit after the midgitlland game.
Also valenica played both league games before the semi final and did a good job in both and i'm sure not many would have complained if he play yesterday ahead of fosu mensah.
I agree he had no choice to play them but he's playing them now by choice whether you like it or not.
As i said before people are just finding a reason to complain. i'm by no means lvgs biggest fan but in this aspect were discussing i honestly can't fault him.
24 Apr 2016 18:25:47
Its this simple. If LVG didn't want to play youth he would have bought more last summer.
He specifically said that he would have a smaller squad so that the youth would get a chance. The man bloody said it.
Redseven it's all if if if with you. The fact of the matter is these young lads were given the opportunity due to the thinness of the squad. That was purposely done by LVG. Take the hate blinkers off.
24 Apr 2016 19:27:10
There's a middle ground here. Rashford only got to play due to a catalogue of injuries, but once in, LVG has continued with him and trusts him. Jesse has naked a place when there are other options and TFM is being given chances. Not sure I buy the grand plan idea but fair play to LVG' he's persevered with them and long may he do so.
24 Apr 2016 19:59:06
DSG - You seem to be missing the distinction between giving players a chance and picking the best players at your disposal. You also conveniently failed to answer any of my questions.
LVG could not have picked Martial for the Arsenal game as he was still out injured (or at least did not make the squad) . From then on - how could LVG not have picked a striker that had scored 4 goals in his first 2 games? He would have been crucified!
I'm glad that we can agree that these players were given their chances because LVG had no other choice - so from there it comes down to whether or not he should be given credit for playing the best players at his disposal.
Can you name me a single manager who wouldn't play a striker who'd scored 4 goals in his first 2 games when his only other choice would have been to play a player who has been poor all season (Memphis) in his place?
It's common sense - and I fail to see why somebody should be given credit for making a decision that my Nan could make despite her knowing next to nothing about football.
The credit lies with the players themselves who have taken their chance and the coaches who have got them ready for them to do so.
24 Apr 2016 20:28:04
I really don't understand how people can ask why it took Keane, Wilson and Martial to get injured to play Rashford as part of their argument for why LvG is at fault for the youth situation? I mean those guys have all been promoted to the first team and given chances by LvG. It's not like they were already established squad players he knew he could rely on, or tried and tested players that he brought in. He would have been advised on who to promote from the youth set up and clearly Rashford wasn't the first name on the list. I've heard people on here talk about Keane and Wilson for years but no one mentioned Rashford to look out for - he was a hidden gem and he's taken his opportunity emphatically. It's not at all surprising that the other two were called in before to deputise for Martial and it's unfortunate that Keane got injured and Wilson doesn't seem up to it, though if you ask me, LvG also deserves credit for the chance he gave them.
He's stated before that he left the squad thin to bring in youth when required, he wouldn't have commissioned such an exodus without replacing sufficiently if not, and I think it's just about the one thing he's done right.
I will concede he seems to have been hasty to drop certain players after dodgy performances and I hope we don't see TFM frozen out for a while, but I don't see how anyone can deny that he always intended to use the youth players as 3rd/ 4th choice for certain positions.
24 Apr 2016 21:47:55
Let's see what happens at the end of the season and I'm sure things will be sorted. One thing for sure, a future United team can't be lagging behind Leicester and spurs by over 20 goals scored. It's not the way forward. Lvg is a dinosaur and he will be removed but for now let's concentrate on winning the remaining matches.
24 Apr 2016 23:29:40
SomersetRed - I don't think there is a single person on here suggesting that LVG is 'at fault' for the youth situation.
The debate we're having centres around whether or not LVG should get credit for giving players like Rashford, Lingard and TFM a chance.
If you believe that LVG envisaged all four of the people ahead of Rashford being unavailable for selection at the same time - then by all means give him credit.
If you believe that LVG broke the British transfer record on Di Maria in the hopes that he would be poor for us and be sold the following window, asked EW to put in bids (that he secretly hoped would be rejected) for numerous right wingers (both in the summer and January windows) - then by all means give him credit.
If you believe that LVG had even the slightest incling how good Rashford and FM were and yet decided they weren't ready for the first team until the exact moment that all of the players ahead of them were injured at the same time - then by all means give him credit.
To be honest it's pointless discussing the matter further as it's clear the site is split on the issue. Unfortunately however we're going to have to endure the 'but at least LVG gave youth a chance' argument for years to come even after the old clown has gone back to Holland.
25 Apr 2016 01:05:27
I don't think he envisaged having to delve so deeply into the youth system at all, I just find it odd that he isn't getting credit for also giving Will Keane and James Wilson a chance. I don't think anyone who watches the youth teams regularly on here recommended Rashford and all were calling for Wilson and Keane to have a game. I think to Louis' credit, he gave Wilson a fair crack and he didn't really grab it and it was unfortunate that Keane got injured just as he had finally broken into the team.
My bone of contention lies with people who think that needing to use youth players was due to a lack of foresight on LvG's part rather than him just being prepared to drop them in if players got injured. I think he's got really lucky that so many of them have stepped up so emphatically, he doesn't deserve credit for the fact they've done well, I just think he deserves credit for leaving the door open and being prepared to give them a chance rather than signing a host of average squad players.
That gamble has paid off for him and he does deserve credit for that, but he's mighty lucky it did because otherwise he'll have already been well out the door. Marcus Rashford is that guy's guardian angel.
25 Apr 2016 05:18:33
Redseven, specifically to your question regarding which manager would drop a player who has scored 4 in 2 games.
Sir Alex Ferguson dropped Berbatov in a game against Liverpool right after he had scored 5 goals in 1 game.
Some just need to take their ABLVG glasses off for some time. It's just another month you have to get on with him.