Saturday, 9 November 2013

Manchester United 2: FourFour Two

15:42

By: TBMU Admin On: 15:42   In:   No comments

Manchester United 2: FourFour Two

Ramsey almost joined Everton

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 09:40 PM PST

Arsenal head to Old Trafford to take on United on Sunday, leading the reigning English Premier League champions by eight points. Ramsey and Mesut Ozil have been key to Arsenals impressive start to the season, which has seen Arsene Wengers men win eight of their 10 league matches. But while Moyes confirmed Ozil was offered to United before the 2013/14 campaign he maintained his decision to not chase the former Real Madrid playmaker was justified the 50-year-old Scottish manager explained how close he had come to linking up with Ramsey earlier in his career. Yeah, I was very close to signing Ramsey at Everton, Moyes said. I had him in my house and Arsenal beat me to it. As regards Ozil, we werent close to buying him but something was mooted (to us). We didnt need that position at the time. It was put to us and it was just something at the time we didnt need. We had Shinji Kagawa and Wayne (Rooney) and people of a similar ilk so it wasnt quite what we required at that time. We were looking at different positions. While Arsenal and Uniteds disparate starts to the new season have seen many pundits install the London club as genuine contenders and dismiss the reigning champions, veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs has insisted the Old Trafford outfit remain confident of victory on Sunday. They have certainly started the season well but over the years we have played against some very good Arsenal teams, Giggs said. You know what youre going to get, theyre going to keep the ball, they have got plenty of quality and they are in good form. They had a great win in the week against Dortmund so we are going to be up against it but at Old Trafford we are always confident, no matter who we are playing.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Wenger: Van Persie is an Arsenal man

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 10:27 AM PST

The Netherlands international moved from the Emirates Stadium to Old Trafford last year and was a major part of United's Premier League winning side last season, but Wenger believes his loyalties will always draw him to his former club. Van Persie joined Arsenal from Feyenoord in 2004 and went on to become the club's eighth highest scorer with 132 goals. He will face Arsenal for the third time since leaving on Sunday, and Wenger admitted he still finds it odd seeing the 30-year-old in the red of United and not his side. "Of course it's strange because for me he is an Arsenal man," the Frenchman said. "I took him when he was a very, very young player. "We have gone together through very difficult periods and he became a world-class player and for me he is an Arsenal player." Van Persie has scored nine goals in 13 appearances for United this season, adding to the 30 he scored in all competitions last term.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Ashley Young eaten by wolves

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 08:56 AM PST

Tributes have been paid to Manchester United's Ashley Young, after the 28-year old was tragically killed and eaten by wolves. Young had ventured into the undergrowth around Manchester United's training ground to retrieve a lost ball, when he was set upon by a pack of slavering beasts. According to Old Trafford sources, his desperate cries went unheeded by team-mates until it was too late. "Wolf! Wolf!", the former Aston Villa man reportedly cried out, as the training session continued uninterrupted. "Wolves are eating me!" Help! Help! Aaaaaaaargh!" "Nobody went to see if Ashley was OK," said midfielder Michael Carrick. "To be honest, we'd rather got used to him saying 'Wolf!' and 'Get these wolves off me!' and 'There's wolves everywhere, I'm serious this time!'. "The first few times he yelled 'Wolf! wolf!' everyone rushed to save him, only to find there were no wolves at all," Carrick continued. "Eventually we stopped looking up. And now all we have left of him is this bloodied training bib and a well-gnawed femur." Young had reportedly been warned about the dangers of making a false report of a wolf attack, but according to friends and family, he never believed he would ever actually be eaten by wolves. "You never think it's going to happen to someone you know, especially seeing as the wolf became extinct in England around 500 years ago," Carrick continued. "Normally the worst you get in Manchester is pigeons or foxes, or the odd cassowary that Mario Balotelli released into the wild when he left for Milan." Tragically, Young had just returned to full fitness having earlier this season been shot by an invisible sniper. At Old Trafford tomorrow fans will observe a minute's awkward silence for his career.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The FourFourTwo Preview: Man United vs Arsenal

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 08:28 AM PST

Arsene Wenger's men claimed a five-point lead at the Premier League's summit after the 2-0 home victory over Liverpool, but a trip to Old Trafford arguably represents a greater threat to their supremacy. Not since September 2006 have Arsenal come away from United with a win - a nine-match run across all competitions - as Emmanuel Adebayor netted the winner on that occasion. The nadir came in 2011, when the hosts dished out an 8-2 top-flight drubbing to their shell-shocked visitors. But Wenger's charges are made of tougher stuff this season and will take huge confidence from their excellent 1-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. If Arsenal can claim a maximum haul on Sunday, they will open up an 11-point gap over the defending champions. Part of their success has been down to the form of midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has contributed six goals and three assists in his last seven Premier League appearances. "I think I have shown how much I rate him in the past," Wenger said. "When he was hugely criticised I always played him. That shows you how much I admire him and how much I think he is a great player." Wenger expects to welcome Mathieu Flamini back from a groin injury, but Jack Wilshere(ankle) is not likely to feature. Long-term absentees Theo Walcott (pelvis), Lukas Podolski (hamstring), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Abou Diaby (both knee) remain sidelined. United have endured an inconsistent start to the campaign, but three wins from their last four league matches have propelledMoyes' men into top-four contention. Their latest triumph came in a 3-1 victory at Fulham on Saturday, with first-half strikes from Antonio Valencia, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney doing the damage. Rooney will be particularly confident ahead of the match. He has notched 10 top-flight goals against Arsenal, including his first league effort, first for United and his 100th Premier League strike. Moyes, whose side are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions, will hope to have Michael Carrick (Achilles) available, while Jonny Evans should shake off a back complaint. Striker Danny Welbeck will not be in contention as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Moyes backs Young over diving accusations

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 08:13 AM PST

The winger came under fire after appearing to go down easily under a challenge from Sociedads Markel Bergara during the 0-0 draw in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. Referee Nicola Rizzoli awarded a penalty, although Robin van Persie struck the post from the spot. Moyes had previously declared that he does not like diving and does not want his players diving after Young was booked in an attempt to win a penalty against Crystal Palace back in September. But the Scot sprung to the England internationals defencethis time around, revealing that he had not seen fit to speak with the 28-year-old about the issue. I didnt see an issue at all, he said. The referee was two yards away from it and gave a penalty. If you need to talk to anybody, you should ask the referee. The question is loaded towards the player. That is wrong. The question should be did the referee get the decision right or not. He was two yards away from it. For me, where I was, I definitely thought it was a penalty. Everybody can now stand back and watch it from TV. I was one of many who said I would definitely have retrospective action for diving because it would make the referees job much better. But on the night, if you had said, could you get the referee any closer, I dont think you could.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

What weve learned: Arsenal are winging it, Southampton have a dirty secret Nolan is a false nine

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 05:17 AM PST

1. Two strikers up front remains an option for big clubs… In a tactical sense, a defining feature of the Premier League season so far has been the popularity of two-striker formations at the top of the table – while Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea continue to use a lone striker, the other three title contenders are all using two up front. Manchester United have played two strikers since the opening day, when Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck both hit doubles. Wayne Rooney has re-established his position in the side, but the tone was set in that 4-1 win over Swansea, Moyes' first league game in charge. Liverpool have also thrived with two forwards – Luis Suarez missed the first six games of the season, but he and Daniel Sturridge have been banging in the goals since his return. The strikers don't even necessarily need to link up directly. Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero were brilliant in the 7-0 thrashing of Norwich last weekend, but only combined three times, including once from the kick-off. 2. …and it can work for underdogs, too A couple of years ago, it would have been unthinkable for an underdog to play two strikers against a side as creative and technical as Chelsea. Yet, in Newcastle's 2-0 win over Jose Mourinho's side, Alan Pardew did exactly that. By asking both Loic Remy and Shola Ameobi to drop back into a compact shape, preventing passes being played into Ramires and Frank Lampard, Newcastle successfully nullified Chelsea's passing. 3. Whether dominating possession or playing on the break, you still need penetrative passes One of the season's most fascinating matches so far has been Manchester City's trip to Stamford Bridge, where Fernando Torres' late goal sealed a 2-1 victory for Chelsea. The sides had entirely different gameplans – Mourinho wanted counter-attacking whereas Pellegrini demanded ball retention. However, once the ball was played into the final third, the approach was identical – both managers needed talented playmakers supplying Torres and Aguero with through-balls. 4. Fouling can be an effective means of defending With just four goals conceded from their 10 matches, Mauricio Pochettino's Southampton have the best defensive record in the Premier League, and the second best defensive record in Europe, behind Roma. Pressing has been a key part of Southampton's approach – and an interesting statistic is that Southampton have conceded more fouls than any other side, such is their determination to win possession quickly. Their matches against West Brom and Manchester United were particularly interesting in this respect. Southampton foul high up the pitch, preventing the opposition from countering and allowing them to get men behind the ball. The location of the fouls also prevents punishment from the referee – despite committing the most fouls, Southampton have the third-best disciplinary record in the division. 5. You don't need to dominate possession to have more shots West Ham's 3-0 win at White Hart Lane has been one of the more surprising results of the Premier League season so far. We've become accustomed to classic 'smash and grab' victories, where a side triumphs despite significantly fewer shots – Arsenal's victory in Dortmund was a good example – but the interesting thing about West Ham's win in North London was that they attempted more shots, despite managing only 39% of possession. Andre Villas-Boas thought West Ham were fortunate to win, but can that be the case if they shot more frequently? 6. A three-man defence is workable Wigan Athletic were the only side that regularly played a three-man defence in the Premier League last season, and their relegation was hardly a good advertisement for the use of the system. However, Brendan Rodgers has used a 3-5-2 to some success this season – pushing Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez forward into centre-forward roles, keeping three men in midfield, and asking wing-backs to provide both defensive and offensive width. Liverpool haven't kept a clean sheet with the formation, and last week's defeat to Arsenal saw them switch to a back four at half-time, but the system certainly got the best out of Suarez and Sturridge. 7. Sides can keep clean sheets by defending high or deep Southampton's defensive success has been about their heavy pressing and their aggressive defensive line – they prevent the opposition from entering the opposition half by constructing a very high defensive block. West Ham, however, have the joint-third best defence in the Premier League – and use the exact opposite approach, sitting very deep and soaking up pressure, concentrating on protecting their own penalty box. That variety makes for a fascinating contrast. 8. A lack of wingers doesn't mean a lack of width On paper, Arsenal should have struggled to penetrate opposition defences. The absence of Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain robs them of their three direct wide players, and instead they've been forced to play five central midfielders strung across the pitch. Somewhat surprisingly, Arsenal have been very successful at creating chances from wide positions. The attacking ability of Kieran Gibbs and Bacary Sagna, plus Mesut Ozil's tendency to vary his position cleverly, means crossing has been a key feature of Arsenal's season. 9. A side can improve their weakness while retaining their strength It's too early to decide whether Mark Hughes' approach at Stoke will prove successful in terms of results, but he's certainly adhered to the board's request to improve the style of play – without compromising their aerial quality. Stoke's average share of possession has improved from 43% last season (17th in the league) to 48% this season (10th in the league) and their pass completion rate has risen from 70% (20th in the league) to 78% (14th in the league), yet they still win more aerial duels than any other side – demonstrated in their unfortunate defeat at Old Trafford. 10. Even long-ball sides can use a false nine Sam Allardyce dislikes the use of the term 'false nine', but there's little doubt Kevin Nolan – used up front in last weekend's goalless draw against Aston Villa – is anything but a natural striker. Nolan's role was fascinating. Not only is a false nine generally found in a possession-orientated side rather than a long ball side, the West Ham captain is almost exclusively a goalscorer when used in a midfield role – barely creating any chances. When pushed upfront, he became the archetypal false nine, regularly creating chances for team-mates, but providing little goal threat.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Wenger: United clash strange without Fergie

Posted: 08 Nov 2013 03:35 AM PST

Wenger's men, who picked up a surprise 1-0 UEFA Champions League victory at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday thanks to a second-half Aaron Ramsey goal, head to Old Trafford this weekend sitting top of the Premier League, five points clear of closest rivals Chelsea and eight ahead of United. But the 64-year-old believes that the usually tense affair will feel very different without former United boss Ferguson in the opposite dugout, and he has stressed that it is too early to judge the Scot's replacement, David Moyes. "It will be a bit strange without Sir Alex Ferguson there on Sunday," said Wenger."My relationship with Sir Alex will be a bit more peaceful and a bit more serene. "It's too early to tell the difference under (David) Moyes. He has shown great competence at Everton." Arsenal have not won at the home of the Premier League champions since September 2006, but Wenger believes that Sunday's clash could prove an indicator of how far his side have come. "It's still one of the benchmarks of the season where you judge how strong you are," he continued. "But, as well, people analyse everything and draw conclusions after the game. "We had periods where we did very well at Old Trafford and recently we have not done so well, so it's a good opportunity to show that we have improved. "Our target is to go there and win the game." Meanwhile, man of the moment Ramsey believes that Arsenal can keep up their title challenge, despite United striker Wayne Rooney claiming it was too early to take their bid seriously. "We had a fantastic run-in last season and, after the disappointment of the opening game of the season (a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa), we managed to build on that," he said. "If we can do that now and keep it going up until Christmas then we know that we have the ability to compete."

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Written by TBMU Admin

We are Manchester United Fan located around the World which provides user friendly, effective and easy to browse info regarding our Team. Each support/info is free. Support us by clicking the ads located in this site. Thanks

0 comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )
Click Picture Below for More Info

Popular Posts

Share

 





© 2013 TBMU . All rights resevered. Published by The Best Manchester United Admin Blogger

Back To Top