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*Official* English Football Season 2013-14

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
It's hardly suicidal. Citeh have played the exact same system with two strikers + Nasri and Silva for a few years now.

I'm happy with Januzaj and Mata wide and Rooney+RVP in the middle. I don't think it's too attacking. Against the more dangerous teams we can always recall Welbeck or Valencia to do a job on one side.
Yeah agree with this, its a brilliant quartet if they can all get fit at the same time. Are United closer to landing a new fullback who knows how to stay on his man and defend set pieces? This Mata signing is the type that will make the 4th spot and Europa spots that much more difficult for teams like Spurs, Everton, Newcastle.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
It's hardly suicidal. Citeh have played the exact same system with two strikers + Nasri and Silva for a few years now.

I'm happy with Januzaj and Mata wide and Rooney+RVP in the middle. I don't think it's too attacking. Against the more dangerous teams we can always recall Welbeck or Valencia to do a job on one side.
Yeah, with much better central midfielders and a better back four, which is kinda the point. City dominate games largely too, you guys don't really these days and when you're going to be spending periods on the back foot then requiring defensive output from th four you've named isn't brilliant policy IMO.
 

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If Arsenal signed Mata then played him with in a trio with Cazorla and Ozil behind Giroud there's no way you'd be saying that.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Probably would actually, I'll accept I'd be happy with it in the same way I would be with signing any quality player but it'd make almost no sense from the perspective that Cazorla and Özil play in Mata's best positions but do it better.
There's also the fact that our best football (or rather most destructive) has come when we have a direct outlet somewhere along that attacking trio i.e. Podolski, Walcott, Ox, Gnabry.
Finally, we'd be better suited to it because basically all of Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey and even Wilshere would walk into your midfield for the vast majority of this season and our back four ****s all over yours.

So, basically all of the reasons why it's not a fantastic signing for United don't apply to a different (and better) team. Well noticed.
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Yeah dear old Usman will be off you would have thought, although maybe not until the summer. Arsenal should buy him, last player they need but it would just be funny.
Think the most likely event will be him joining Sahin back at Dortmund in the summer.
 

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It's such bollocks that a team with a ****ty back four and central midfield needs more defensive wingers than a team with a good one. Valencia has a fetish for tracking back and what good has it done us? We just concede from a corner anyway. It's like throwing a bath plug at a bursting dam.

We only dealt with it last year by playing a more expansive game and trying to either keep the ball for longer, or, more often, score more goals than we conceded. Picking defensive wingers to cover for crap centre-backs doesn't make a lot of sense in theory, and it hasn't worked for us in practice either.
 

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So, basically all of the reasons why it's not a fantastic signing for United don't apply to a different (and better) team. Well noticed.
Also, go easy on the snark. This is lifted straight out of the benchmark00 manual on how to be a dick on internet forums.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
It's such bollocks that a team with a ****ty back four and central midfield needs more defensive wingers than a team with a good one. Valencia has a fetish for tracking back and what good has it done us? We just concede from a corner anyway. It's like throwing a bath plug at a bursting dam.

We only dealt with it last year by playing a more expansive game and trying to either keep the ball for longer, or, more often, score more goals than we conceded. Picking defensive wingers to cover for crap centre-backs doesn't make a lot of sense in theory, and it hasn't worked for us in practice either.
I'm not saying you need defensive wingers, more that you'd get more from Mata if the back four and CMs could look after themselves and that I don't see Mata solving half your problems. I don't see him being some kind of savior.

Your second point leads onto the overarching issue that while the personnel might change, I can't imagine Moyes's tactics will. Especially half way though the season. They kinda have to at this point but whether or not they do is another thing.
 

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Yeah, it ties into what I said earlier about how if he displaces Kagawa instead of Valencia/Young then we'll know for sure that Moyes is an airhead.

Defence is just as big a problem. I think a new CB might be more pressing than a new CM. Our midfield comes up short in big games, but the defence is coming up short in nearly every game.
 

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Chelsea look really close to signing Mo Salah. Has anyone told him they're owned by a Jewish person?
 

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Salah is, like most Egyptians, very anti-semitic. Refused to shake hands with the Maccabi Tel Aviv team.
 

Tom Halsey

International Coach
Admittedly I don't watch as much (read: none) foran footy as some here do, but I've never got the Khawaja love based on what I've seen.

Strikes my jaded eyes as yer archetypal fancy Dan Johnny; all nice touches and "vision" who goes missing after the proverbial early doors boot.
Yeah, it is based mostly on his time in Germany, at least from me anyway. He's not been anywhere near as effective since joining us but that's not all his fault; he's not utilised anything like correctly for starters.

I wouldn't argue that he was particularly brilliant or anything, more like somewhere between a good and a very good player.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Probably would actually, I'll accept I'd be happy with it in the same way I would be with signing any quality player but it'd make almost no sense from the perspective that Cazorla and Özil play in Mata's best positions but do it better.
There's also the fact that our best football (or rather most destructive) has come when we have a direct outlet somewhere along that attacking trio i.e. Podolski, Walcott, Ox, Gnabry.
Finally, we'd be better suited to it because basically all of Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey and even Wilshere would walk into your midfield for the vast majority of this season and our back four ****s all over yours.

So, basically all of the reasons why it's not a fantastic signing for United don't apply to a different (and better) team. Well noticed.
You really think Cazorla is a better than Mata? I love Santi but I think Mata is the better player, I think people have forgotten quite how good he was last season with him not playing much this year.

People also seem to be assuming where he will play is a prolem because of Rooney and Van Persie well there is a good chance it won't be, I mean when were they last both fit?
 

Nate

You'll Never Walk Alone
Getting pretty desperate now for Liverpool. Can't believe journos keep pumping out "LFC title credential" articles.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
You really think Cazorla is a better than Mata? I love Santi but I think Mata is the better player, I think people have forgotten quite how good he was last season with him not playing much this year.

People also seem to be assuming where he will play is a prolem because of Rooney and Van Persie well there is a good chance it won't be, I mean when were they last both fit?
Not necessarily, I do think that that there's a lot to be said for the fact Cazorla's played for us for a year and half and Mata hasn't. If we woke up tomorrow and Mata was an Arsenal player I think it's far from a certainty that he'd take Cazorla's place in the side.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
You really think Cazorla is a better than Mata? I love Santi but I think Mata is the better player, I think people have forgotten quite how good he was last season with him not playing much this year.
Vicente Del Bosque disagrees.
 

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