17 Apr 2017 14:51:35
Probably a bit late coming in with this but yesterday was our best performance for a good couple of years, in that it was a big performance in a big game, with the result to match. Very reminiscent of the good latter Fergie years, where we knew our limitations and the strength of the opposition, but outdid them on system and application.
The first goal was the best we've scored in a while, interception, quick forward pass - which was a brilliant through ball - and a quick striker running behind and latching on to finish. It's the kind we've been watching our rivals score and hurt every time I watched!
Herreras was the best central midfield performance by a United player in ages, complete and Keane-like.
I've been repeating throughout the season that it's our application and intensity that has let us down, we are punching below our weight in terms of squad quality. So often we start games as if to ease into it at our own pace, and when the opposition goes right at us we invariably struggle. This mindset is what we badly need and if we do it in the Europa at least, we'll end up blasting teams.
Last point is the other thing I've been on about for a while, a certain case of Zlatan. For me he is not the man for the big high pressure, high tempo games. We need constant movement and fluidity in attack for our midfielders to pick out when we win the ball, and that's what rashford and lingard gave us in abundance. Rashford really came of age last night and it will be interesting to see firstly what impact it has on team selection for the remaining big games and secondly the striker plans for the summer window.
For this season i feel it should be Zlatan as the main central striker for Europa and Rashford for the remaining league games.
Still a hell of a lot to do and the other rivals results were disappointing, but this will surely give us a huge boost at just the right time, just hope we can build momentum. How nice it would be to knock city or scousers out of the fourth spot.
17 Apr 2017 15:30:58
Good post rave.
I think rash is learning plenty about how to play as the manager wants him to. I think he is learning from Ibra. Alongside the goal threat his pace gives in behind his back to goal play and physicality has improved immensely. My preference would be that Ibra stays another year as long as he accepts less game time which would be good for both as rash is still very young to play more than 30 35 games per season plus international games. And Ibra experience and presence will be needed in games and his body won't allow more than 30 35 games. Ibra's influence and legacy could be to help develop and mentor a potential superstar. I can see then sharing that cf role next season and him becoming a real father figure to rash and some of the others. It depends what he wants to do United will pay him as much as anybody. So it depends on what Ibra wants for himself.
17 Apr 2017 15:45:32
Ibra is not going to spend his last year's sitting on the bench .
He has talked about his expectations over the coming years a lot .
Ed2 has told us he is after a 2 year deal .
Many said in the summer he wouldn't play every game would be rotated etc but it was never on the cards, he has played more minutes than Any other player.
17 Apr 2017 16:10:52
I think he is paying the price now for all those minutes. He said himself he is tired. I would expect if he stays, that next season himself and Rashford would have fairly equal playing time it would benefit both imo. Rash is a long way from the finished article so if Ibra goes Jose will buy someone else and that would hinder Rashford imo. Therefore I think another year alongside Ibra is how Rashford will develop best. If for example Lukaku signed then I think rash would get less game time than he would if Ibra stayed. A great role model to follow imo.
Rash could well be our long term cf and could save the club a fortune I think he deserves another year to develop and stake his claim like he did yesterday before we splash out 60m plus because he is not quite ready to play at yesterday's level for 50 games a season.
17 Apr 2017 16:32:52
I enjoyed yesterdays performance immensely. The lads put in a proper shift. I just hope we can maintain that type of intensity for the rest of the season because we are hard to live with when we play like that.
17 Apr 2017 16:33:28
Think griezmann playing instead of lingard around rashford will cause lots of problems for a lot of teams.
17 Apr 2017 16:42:32
Ibra will either stay and be our 9 or be sold and a big name striker be bought as Ed has indicated .
Rash not getting a chance at 9 was a concern many had last summer when we bought Ibra.
Plenty said Ibra wouldn't play all the time last summer and rash would get plenty of time at 9 in a way of justifying the purchase of Ibra.
Now it's a case of justifying keeping Ibra.
Ibra will probably play 50 games this season just like the year before .
I think rash will get just as much chance if Ibra stays or if a new striker comes in,
Ibra himself has said he won't play due to his name and if he can't do it week in week out he will be off .
And fair play to him it's his last year's so you can understand him wanting to play.
There is a offer on the table for Ibra, got to wonder what he is waiting for.
18 Apr 2017 00:55:14
Anyone else feel like rashford played like a typical mourinho striker? Milito at inter drogba at Chelsea. Benzene at real. A striker who shields the ball well and brings others into play while also being lethal in front of goal. He's adapting, although he scored more last year, he's looked much better this year in his all round play. If he keeps this level of improvement he will be very special.