Johnny Evans "Best in the Country

[Grob]

Saw a comment after WIgan from a rag saying 'once again a team that goes at them fucles them up, thank god most of the other teams in the league haven't realised'. Says it all.

Yep

This is truely the most average team defensively that United have had since the early 90's.

Their reputation has got them more results this season than they have deserved. Opponents overestimate their defensive strength.

Its been proven time and time again this year that defensivly they are no good. If you attack them, they can cave in.

The one thing they still have is that quick incisive passing around the edge of the box which pulls players out of position and either results in a chance or the ball heading out to Valencia, in space.....

The key to stopping that is, press Scholes and Carrick.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Saw a comment after WIgan from a rag saying 'once again a team that goes at them fucles them up, thank god most of the other teams in the league haven't realised'. Says it all.

Yep

This is truely the most average team defensively that United have had since the early 90's.

Their reputation has got them more results this season than they have deserved. Opponents overestimate their defensive strength.

Its been proven time and time again this year that defensivly they are no good. If you attack them, they can cave in.

The one thing they still have is that quick incisive passing around the edge of the box which pulls players out of position and either results in a chance or the ball heading out to Valencia, in space.....

The key to stopping that is, press Scholes and Carrick.

What they have is players crossing the ball into the pen area..time and time again.

This is such a fuckign easy procedure to do...it beggars belief why we rarely manage to do it.

[Grob]

Saw a comment after WIgan from a rag saying 'once again a team that goes at them fucles them up, thank god most of the other teams in the league haven't realised'. Says it all.

Yep

This is truely the most average team defensively that United have had since the early 90's.

Their reputation has got them more results this season than they have deserved. Opponents overestimate their defensive strength.

Its been proven time and time again this year that defensivly they are no good. If you attack them, they can cave in.

The one thing they still have is that quick incisive passing around the edge of the box which pulls players out of position and either results in a chance or the ball heading out to Valencia, in space.....

The key to stopping that is, press Scholes and Carrick.

What they have is players crossing the ball into the pen area..time and time again.

This is such a fuckign easy procedure to do...it beggars belief why we rarely manage to do it.

In terms of the percentages its a great tactic. The more you put the ball into the box, the more chance you have of getting a scoring oppotunity or a dodgy decision....! We've concluded that before on here.

Its the bit before it goes outwide which flumoxes teams. There's 2 or 3 quick passes after the balls fed in from midfield and someone ends up on their own, in space, ready to strike. Happens all the time. Mega hard to defend against unless your are quick on the turn and have great awarness (Vince).

Thats their biggest threat. Stop that by stopping the initial pass and we'll stop them.

I'd fancy Clichy 1 on 1 against Valencia in the form he's in. Valencia's best moments come after what ive described above when the left back gets sucked in and he has 10 yards of space. He's not going to outskill anyone and he's not going to beat Clichy for pace.

As its a Johnny Evans thread ill add that he is a very average player. At best.

[Duckman]

maybe it would be good if, lets say barry, followed the ugly cunt when he goes back to pick the ball up and stops him delivering it the wings.

[Ted Hughes]

Just to say; I think our comments about closing down Carrick & Scholes may be redundant because I don't think Scholes will play.

I really really really hope he does though.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Just to say; I think our comments about closing down Carrick & Scholes may be redundant because I don't think Scholes will play.

I really really really hope he does though.

Could you elaborate Ted?

[Ted Hughes]

Just to say; I think our comments about closing down Carrick & Scholes may be redundant because I don't think Scholes will play.

I really really really hope he does though.

Could you elaborate Ted?

On average Ferguson normally goes for mainly athletes in midfield v City with maybe one other that's all.

When he did play Scholes in the Semi, we chewed him up, then when he came on in the cup game, we did him again. They didn't play Giggs at all v Everton, so I would assume that he's being lined up for the vastly overrated pensioner role if they decide to use one.

In the end though, he probably hasn't written his side in ink yet, so I really hope he decides to gamble on Scholes. No protection for the CB's.

[1950]

All good points, but the thing now is: they don't have anybody else.

Carrick is a cert, Fletcher is out, so is Anderson, Jones has no positional awareness in midfield whatsoever, Cleverley hasn't made a league start since October, Park for almost 2 months & both looked rubbish in Europe. And then there's Giggs who's a much bigger liability & wasteful to boot.

Any two man midfield out of those will get murdered, so they'll have to play three & don't see how sir pisshead can leave the ginger turd out of that.

[Scatman]

All good points, but the thing now is: they don't have anybody else.

Carrick is a cert, Fletcher is out, so is Anderson, Jones has no positional awareness in midfield whatsoever, Cleverley hasn't made a league start since October, Park for almost 2 months & both looked rubbish in Europe. And then there's Giggs who's a much bigger liability & wasteful to boot.

Any two man midfield out of those will get murdered, so they'll have to play three & don't see how sir pisshead can leave the ginger turd out of that.

Bit of a joke that we're still behind them on points really, isn't it?

[Wonderwall]

Agreed that the pressing game is the way to go and maybe this is the job for barry on scholes. Dont allow him time and space, despite all the crap spouted about him, if you give him the opportunity he will hurt us. He has been their best player since he came back.

Regarding evans, he will be losing sleep after watching their preparation videos of our movement up front and will have the demolition derby sending off in the back of his mind.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I can see them replacing the right back with someone they think can defend.Either Duncan or that small fella.

They will also surely try to shore up midfield with a runner/tackler alongside Carrick and Scholes who slur seems to see as his best pairing.Meaning that Well beck might be on the bench leaving Shrek along with Valencia and Young as wide players.

Hopefully none of that will make an iota of difference as we win anyway.

[Ted Hughes]

All good points, but the thing now is: they don't have anybody else.

Carrick is a cert, Fletcher is out, so is Anderson, Jones has no positional awareness in midfield whatsoever, Cleverley hasn't made a league start since October, Park for almost 2 months & both looked rubbish in Europe. And then there's Giggs who's a much bigger liability & wasteful to boot.

Any two man midfield out of those will get murdered, so they'll have to play three & don't see how sir pisshead can leave the ginger turd out of that.

He could go for Jones or Park instead of Scholes, or even play both.

The rags have a shit back 4 but they have got results on plenty of occasions when putting out a purely bus parking team. Normally they're not playing against a team with our quality though (and often they get a bit of help).

[brite blu sky]

All good points, but the thing now is: they don't have anybody else.

Carrick is a cert, Fletcher is out, so is Anderson, Jones has no positional awareness in midfield whatsoever, Cleverley hasn't made a league start since October, Park for almost 2 months & both looked rubbish in Europe. And then there's Giggs who's a much bigger liability & wasteful to boot.

Any two man midfield out of those will get murdered, so they'll have to play three & don't see how sir pisshead can leave the ginger turd out of that.

He could go for Jones or Park instead of Scholes, or even play both.

The rags have a shit back 4 but they have got results on plenty of occasions when putting out a purely bus parking team. Normally they're not playing against a team with our quality though (and often they get a bit of help).

It really makes you wonder wtf Spurs were up to dunnit? Rednapp for england manager. Would be sussed out after the second game. What a joke.

On another tack slur would know how to play barca most effectively, ie: Milan. Real's attempts and now Chelsea have shown. But they didn't. TWICE. Conclusion can only be he knows damn well he hasn't got the defenders to pull it off. There best defence is to attack or the crappiness of the opposition. They have the same problem v City. They will try to blitz it from the start again. Hope they get ahead in the first 20. It is their only real strategy, and it is due to suspect DM and defence.

[Grob]

All good points, but the thing now is: they don't have anybody else.

Carrick is a cert, Fletcher is out, so is Anderson, Jones has no positional awareness in midfield whatsoever, Cleverley hasn't made a league start since October, Park for almost 2 months & both looked rubbish in Europe. And then there's Giggs who's a much bigger liability & wasteful to boot.

Any two man midfield out of those will get murdered, so they'll have to play three & don't see how sir pisshead can leave the ginger turd out of that.

Bit of a joke that we're still behind them on points really, isn't it?

Sure is, hopefully that wrong will be righted after the next 3 games.

On the Scholes debate, i'd expect him to play, as 1950 says, their team is dramatically weakened without the 37 year old that came out of retirement.

[Grob]

Agreed that the pressing game is the way to go and maybe this is the job for barry on scholes.

I'd probably go with De Jong over Barry to sit infront of their midfield 2. Barry maybe dropped a little deeper into the Hamann QB role?

[Nigels Tackle]

where was the 'best defender in the country' last night???

[Blue Since 76]

where was the 'best defender in the country' last night???

They replaced him with Duncan Edwards.

Despite all their apparent experience, his arse was twitching like a rabbit's nose last night every time the ball went near him. They should definitely build the team around him.

[john68]

where was the 'best defender in the country' last night???

They replaced him with Duncan Edwards.

Despite all their apparent experience, his arse was twitching like a rabbit's nose last night every time the ball went near him. They should definitely build the team around him.

The problem last night with playing Duncan Edwards was that by playing Scholes, Giggs, Carrick and Ferdinand was that there wasn't enough embalming fluid to do a proper job.