The Pre-Season Friendly Thread

[harv]

Good luck for later on mate. I think you may be a bit shocked by how United are playing since Van Gaal has taken over, and this is just after two weeks. It's quite remarkable tbh. And we're only going to get better too as the players get more used to the new formation, movement and one touch passing. I can see a great deal of Premiership teams struggling to cope with our pace next season.

Mind you, now I've said all that we'll probably play like a sluggish pile of old pants and get hammered lmfao

[ancelotti]

Aye, best of luck.  I'm under no illusions about this United side. I watched your game against Madrid and a bit of the game against Inter. I was surprised, especially because I thought the Italian sides might cope better with your 3 at the back formation given that it's always been a very popular formation in Serie A. The Italian sides tend to be more tactically adept than English sides but neither Inter nor Roma (seemingly) knew how to combat it. Some of the football LVG has got you guys playing is incredible compared to how clueless you looked at OT last season when we turned you over.

Moreover, this game means more to you than it does to us as you've got something to prove. LVG has taken the pre-season very seriously by warning first teamers they're basically playing for their places in the squad. Ours on the other hand has been very relaxed.

I don't think Rodgers will put out a very strong side, and I think he'll probably throw out a formation we don't use very often, like 4-2-3-1. Win or lose, I just don't want any more injuries given we've already got 3 important players out (Sturridge, Lallana, Markovic) going into the start of the season.

[harv]

The problem that Roma and Inter had against our 3-4-3 formation is that they decided to throw long balls over the top of the back 3, which allowed the keepers to act as a sweeper. And they didn't really seem to have a Plan B. Another problem that all 4 teams against us so far have had is dealing with United's intelligent pressing when we lose possession. The pitch appears quite large when we have possession but is compacted right down VERY quickly when we lose it.

Other things I've noticed are United having one of the back 3 pushing forward every now and then which either leaves them free topreceive the ball and start something off if an opponent's midfielder doesn't track back or leaves one of our midfielders free in the middle if they do. And with most passing movement the triangles are equilateral but due to the wing backs pushing forward so much our triangles are often right angled and longer, which players aren't used to dealing with.

I do get nervous when I see any side playing mostly one-touch football though, it's very risky if for some reason a couple of players have a bad game.

[harv]

De Gea

Smalling Jones Evans

Valencia Herrera Fletch Young

Mata

Roonster Hernandez

The Roonster is captain. I can see Jones, Evans and Fletch being favourites for the permanent position though.

The fuckwits have just let off a shitload of fireworks, can't see bugger all cos of the smoke. Great idea lmfao

[harv]

Wtf was Jones thinking..? Daft penalty given away and Gerrard puts them a goal ahead.

[ancelotti]

We look as if we're enjoying the occasion so far. Coutinho's literally playing with Herrera, Sakho's making defending against Rooney look easy and Sterling's looking like he's going to make something happen. Should have had a 2nd penalty but oh well.

[harv]

2-1 to United now.

Too busy exchanging texts with a scouse mate to blog post on here lol

[ancelotti]

Ah well, punished for not taking our chances when we had them. United took their goals well. Couple of things should be obvious to Rodgers now:

1) Glen Johnson is shite
2) We need another striker

Time to try and get about 5 hours of sleep, tops.

[harv]

You forgot one:

3) Lambert is shite

I can't believe that Rodgers has spent so much money on so many average players. Should have offered a big chunk of that cash on someone like Cavani. Sturridge is always good for a few goals and Sterling will also cause teams a lot of problems but the dodgy red scouse gits should have spent money on a player that's capable of scoring 30-odd goals per season.

[ancelotti]

Unfortunately it isn't that simple. Suarez didn't just score 30+ goals last season, he also created more chances for his team mates than any other player in the league except Hazard. Losing him meant there were two voids to fill - the goals and the creativity.

Blowing the cash on Cavani wouldn't have done us much good as he's a pretty basic finisher. His wages are also likely through the roof. I'm confident we'll pick up another striker before the window is closed. Lambert will chip in with about 10 goals this season. He's not had a great pre-season but then he's adjusting to a completely new style of play, and that's not always easy for a player of his age. He'll get there.

[harv]

What do you mean a different style of play..? He's playing with half of his old team mates

Seriously though, I've always thought that he's overrated. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

As for affording players' wage demands, all you need to do is piss off your kit producer (who's name escapes me for the moment!) and give Adidas a shout for £750m...worked for us anyway lol

[harv]

United vs City U21 sides are meeting in the Manchester Senior Cup final. We've won it for the last 3 years and am expecting Wilson to score a goal or three to make it 4/4.

[harv]

Interesting that the U21 side isn't playing 3-4-3 yet. They're playing 4-5-1 with 2 defensive midfielders. The U18s are playing on Sunday, I wonder if they'll be playing a different formation and tactics to the first team too..? You would have thought all 3 sides would be playing the same philosophy.

[harv]

1-1 at halftime. We went a goal down early on and surrendered A LOT of possession in the first half. United aren't pressing well at all. Wilson got the equaliser just before halftime against the run of play. They need to step their game up otherwise they're going to lose this.

Am really surprised that they're not playing 3-4-3 and one touch football, we've certainly go the players to do it.

[harv]

Make that a goal or four for Wilson. I think we may see Hernandez going and Wilson taking his place in the first team squad. Funnily enough the thing that changed the game for United in the second half was playing with three at the back and wing backs. They're not playing with one and two touch football but did start to press better.