Anyone else fail to see Alonso tonight?

[CAD]

We could sell both Momo (now) and Alonso (summer). That would leave us with SG and Mascher that we know are good enough, Lucas who looks very promising IMO and the wild shot that is Guthrie. He`s doing well at Bolton now and would probably settle for a fourth choice place in the squad.
Xabi can be an excellent player, both hasn`t shown it regulary the last two seasons. I could be tempted to sell for the right price, but only if Mascher is signed permanently.

Makes good sense to me. Also Yossi might be able to play advanced CM in some games.

[Maxiedge]

Kewell - looked **** scared of controlling the ball as well as no pace, no bite and always wanting to take the glory shot from distance, but he can't even bring a save outta the keeper anymore. He was just another passenger tonight and surely now we must cash in and sell otherwise he'll become a bargain bin special if he isn't already..

Kewell was so shocking last night in great positions. I would go so far as to say we would've won that game if we had any wide player from the big other 3.

[Dhav]

Kewell was embarrasingly poor last night. Worst performer on the pitch for us. Xabi, as much as I love him also had a very quiet game.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Rafa's tactics are clear to see every game. Gerrard starts deeper than his CM partner for the first half. Keep it tight and hope we don't go behind. Second half he pushes Gerrard more forward.

It's all down to personal preference but I always like my team to have a defensive, hard tackling midfielder (Mascherano) to back up the lung busting attacking central midfielder (Gerrard). Alonso is neither.
Used correctly, that would make us a defensively sound midfield with an attacking impetus. Unfortunately, the manager's inability to play people in the role they're best at is the root of the problem, not the personnel.

Alonso has also, in case anyone forgets, not emulated the terrific performances he put in during his first season. Prior to getting injured, he hadn't performed well for over a season.

[Fan65]

I think you'll find it's "crimbo"! crimble.....

"Crimbo"

"Crimble"

[Skillz]

25 M pounds... :whatever:

Carrick 17M? Like I said I do not want to sell him, think he is integral to our future success. He has 4 more seasons on his contract and IF he wants to leave, I for one believe we should ask that figure, at least.

I woulden't sell Xabi either, but just face the fact that he isen't a forward going midfielder. He plays his distributional game fantastic, but he is not a goalscoring midfielder. He has scored 14 goals for us, 2 from our own half (cracking goals ) and taking away the ones scored on set-pieces tell the rest of the story...

If we want to play the formation from last night, we need a midfielder that is an actual attacking midfielder - which we don't have in the squad. We have plenty of defensive / center mids, but no attacking midfielder, which to me implies that Raffa made a funny selection of formation last night...

I actually think Xabi is underrated by our own fans mainly due to his 1st season where he played ahead of Didi (certainly 1st 6 months). Since then he has played Didi's role very effectively IMO just not as flashy as he was before. Now we have Masher we could return to that formation.

As for Rafa's formation last night, on reflection I agree he might of got it wrong because it was not the right formation for Wigan at home. However I think he wanted to use as I believe it is where he wants to go. I cant help but think of his meeting with Masher in the hotel room which I believe used all 3 of Masher, Xabi and SG.

In hindsight you could say he got that wrong but if you watch the game last night again it is obvious we should of won easily. Our forwards are not yet fluent enough to win the league and this system needs time.


At the end of the day

TITUS "****en" BRAMBLE

[Mattimetal]

Makes good sense to me. Also Yossi might be able to play advanced CM in some games.

Yossi played in the hole for West Ham as we all know. He should have been imployed there last night but it was obvious that Rafa has reached that point where he doesn't want to leave Mascher out.
You can't blame him as when Mascher went off all of a sudden there was this massive hole yet again in our midfield and Wigan were allowed to break up the middle with ease.

Many people have said Alonso was pushed up last night but then when he dropped deep after Mascher was off he did sweet FA. I am starting to lose faith with Xabi as I'm still waiting for him to kick on form-wise from his first season with us.

[tomasjj]

I give you:

---------Torres---------
-Babel----Benny----SG--
-----Masch--Alonso-----
Attacking FB-CB-CB-Attacking fullback
----------Peppis---------

[Neil Young]

I give you:

---------Torres---------
-Babel----Benny----SG--
-----Masch--Alonso-----
Attacking FB-CB-CB-Attacking fullback
----------Peppis---------

Why do you have Torres in goal and Reina as lone striker?

[tomasjj]

Why do you have Torres in goal and Reina as lone striker?

You got your monitor upside down again, Neil.
Turn it.

[CAD]

I give you:

---------Torres---------
-Babel----Benny----SG--
-----Masch--Alonso-----
Attacking FB-CB-CB-Attacking fullback
----------Peppis---------

You wanna continue with two holding midfielders and move Gerrard on the right and leave the creative work to Yossi. This is the lineup you think we should use against teams like Wigan at home, right? Btw - we don't really have any attacking fullbacks. The closest thing is Fabio and we all saw what he offers forward last night.

I'm seriously disappointed with you these days. No malice intended

[CAD]

You got your monitor upside down again, Neil.
Turn it.

[Neil Young]

You got your monitor upside down again, Neil.
Turn it.

While I think an attacking five is commendable I think a back three has never convinced in England and is passé.

I recommend:

............................................... Goalkeeper........................................ .......
.............................Right Fullback................Left Fullback.............................
..................Right Half................Centre Half................Left Half...................
Right Winger..Right Inside Forward..Centre Forward..Left Inside Forward..Left Winger

I also think it's important they face the right direction.

[tomasjj]

You wanna continue with two holding midfielders and move Gerrard on the right and leave the creative work to Yossi. This is the lineup you think we should use against teams like Wigan at home, right? Btw - we don't really have any attacking fullbacks. The closest thing is Fabio and we all saw what he offers forward last night.

I'm seriously disappointed with you these days. No malice intended

Hey, don't be disappointed.
We just differ in opinion.

Let me explain a bit.

I want all those 3 attacking mids to create AND switch positions. Like we did with SG, Kewell and Luis in Rafas first season.

Aurelio who was excellent against City....was not so good last night. Agreed. Still he is a decent attacking fullback, but I agree with you that this department needs better players.

[CAD]

Hey, don't be disappointed.
We just differ in opinion. Ok

Let me explain a bit.

I want all those 3 attacking mids to create AND switch positions. Like we did with SG, Kewell and Luis in Rafas first season.

Aurelio who was excellent against City....was not so good last night. Agreed. Still he is a decent attacking fullback, but I agree with you that this department needs better players.

I think we need better players than Yossi and Kewell. It always makes me smile when people say that United play 4-5-1. Yes they do but they have Ronaldo and Giggs as their wingers!! Massive difference.

Our inept formation last night with Kewell and Pennant, who has 3 goals and 4 assists between them over the last two years, made it easy for Wigan. Granted, they got lucky. My point is that 8 shots on goal for 93 mins against the worst away side in the PL is jut not good enough. Letting Gerrard roam about is rarely a good idea. Playing with two defensive midfielders against Wigan at home was unnecessary and prevented us from applying the pressure that we all know we can at Anfield. The stats prove that as well. 8 ****ing shots, Tomas!

I agree with you in principle that the formation as such doesn't need to be defensive. But it turned out to be because Gerrard dropped deep. Because Alonso sat on line with Mascher instead of infront. Because our wingers pose zero goalthreat.

Rafa should known that there was a great risk that this would happen. You HAVE to blame him for fielding a formation that would leave us with a thin ass 1-0 lead against Wigan with 10 to go. We should not even have been in that position.

You have to be ready to put some of the blame at Rafa's door. Saying we know ****e all about football and that he was not to blame is just not good enough my friend.