[Da_hopeful_1]

Great win tonight. Antonio Valencia

[Tommyjw]

(Original post by maccy7)
Opinions on Evra being mentioned as team of the year candidate by Neville? Granted I don't watch united every week, but IMO, he's had a poor season. And Ferdinand for that matter.

Ferdinand is certainly capable of being a candidate ? Hes been great.

Evra not so much.

[Singh_2]

Congrats on the title lads. It hurts, but at least you did it the right way, without spending like City.

[DaveSmith99]

(Original post by maccy7)
Opinions on Evra being mentioned as team of the year candidate by Neville? Granted I don't watch united every week, but IMO, he's had a poor season. And Ferdinand for that matter.

Rio has been really good. Evra has been good going forward but very poor defensively. The prem is lacking quality left backs though, Baines is the only good left back I can think of.

[xDave-]

(Original post by maccy7)
Opinions on Evra being mentioned as team of the year candidate by Neville? Granted I don't watch united every week, but IMO, he's had a poor season. And Ferdinand for that matter.

Evra gets mentioned for two reasons: 1. he plays for a team that will possibly be champions and 2. the rest of the top club's LBs have been pretty crap too. Evra's been poor pretty much all season, a few good games here and there but usually against opposition that haven't put up much of a fight.

I don't really agree with the Ferdinand criticism. He's definitely not what he was, but that happens when you get to his age. Still makes very decisive impacts and did two today, the last ditch tackle on Yakubu and he reacted first to a free kick De Gea could only parry.

[Da_hopeful_1]

Missed the Ferdinand tackle as i popped to the toilet. Anyone got a gif of it?

[VQG]

(Original post by DaveSmith99)
Rio has been really good. Evra has been good going forward but very poor defensively. The prem is lacking quality left backs though, Baines is the only good left back I can think of.

Assou-Ekotto's had a very good season imo, so deserves a shout.

[DaveSmith99]

(Original post by Da_hopeful_1)
Missed the Ferdinand tackle as i popped to the toilet. Anyone got a gif of it?

It will most likely be on http://www.redcafe.net/f7/gif-reques...5/index37.html soonish.

[Da_hopeful_1]

(Original post by DaveSmith99)
It will most likely be on http://www.redcafe.net/f7/gif-reques...5/index37.html soonish.

Cheers pal.

[Aky786UK]

SAF showed abit too much respect to Blackburn tonight, with 4-5-1 formation and luckily we didn't suffer for it. Brilliantly well taken goals. How come we get a bigger allocation for Ewood Park, tremendous away atmosphere. Loved the City Are Cracking Up chant

[maccy7]

(Original post by Tommyjw)
Ferdinand is certainly capable of being a candidate ? Hes been great.

Evra not so much.

(Original post by xDave-)
Evra gets mentioned for two reasons: 1. he plays for a team that will possibly be champions and 2. the rest of the top club's LBs have been pretty crap too. Evra's been poor pretty much all season, a few good games here and there but usually against opposition that haven't put up much of a fight.

I don't really agree with the Ferdinand criticism. He's definitely not what he was, but that happens when you get to his age. Still makes very decisive impacts and did two today, the last ditch tackle on Yakubu and he reacted first to a free kick De Gea could only parry.

(Original post by DaveSmith99)
Rio has been really good. Evra has been good going forward but very poor defensively. The prem is lacking quality left backs though, Baines is the only good left back I can think of.

Fair enough, take the points wrt Ferdinand, made my judgement on a couple of poor performances that stuck in my mind, City away in the FA cup for example. Terry has received widespread criticism this year, yet seeing him on a weekly basis makes you realise just how wrong the criticism is. Criticising players when they get to a certain age, is often the easy thing to do, was probably guilty of that.

[Kenan and Kel]

(Original post by Aky786UK)
SAF showed abit too much respect to Blackburn tonight, with 4-5-1 formation and luckily we didn't suffer for it. Brilliantly well taken goals. How come we get a bigger allocation for Ewood Park, tremendous away atmosphere. Loved the City Are Cracking Up chant

Probably because they can't sell their tickets

[Clip]

(Original post by Aky786UK)
How come we get a bigger allocation for Ewood Park, tremendous away atmosphere. Loved the City Are Cracking Up chant

There was a fantastic one at SJP yesterday.

"He cheats, he dives, he hates the Jackson Five...Luis Suarez....Luis Suarez"

[Kevmeister]

Obvious thing to say, but we need to turn the screw big time against QPR next Sunday at Old Trafford. 3 points, and boost to the goal difference would be good.

None of this Jones in midfield crap - it didn't ****ing work. End of. 'Potential' can **** off for a bit, we're into squeaky bum time now.

Experience is key.

[Louis.]

Jones in midfield could work, just not as the most advanced in a 3. That's pretty much asking him to play as a creative midfielder which is ridiculous. He had a short run as a ball winner alongside Carrick earlier in the season and was excellent, so he can obviously play there, but asking him to go and support a lone striker is insane. He had a similar role against Liverpool if memory serves. Long term if he's considered as an option in midfield it should be as a holding player, we don't have a destructive holding mid in the squad, and it's difficult to buy a senior player and fit them alongside Carrick. Agree that the run in should be left to the senior midfielders as much as possible though, Jones should spend the rest of the season competing with Rafael at RB.

Someone who deserves a lot of credit for today is Welbeck. The way he brings other players into the game shows great intelligence, everyone seemed to look a lot brighter when he came on, and his sharp passing increased the tempo which stretched the Blackburn defence. Other players trust him with quick one-twos in a way they don't with Hernandez. His pressing was also vital, on a couple of occasions an attack broke down and then another was started immediately because Welbeck won the ball back, and the pressure he puts on clearances means our defenders often picked it up unchallenged instead of having to compete for it. He contributed a lot to the relentless pressure. Obviously realising we have a left wing was a bigger factor but that has been mentioned loads, just thought Welbeck deserved some praise. In my mind he's firmly established ahead of Hernandez as our best striker.

[Da_hopeful_1]

Hernandez really did have a poor game today i thought. Definitely agree on Welbeck being ahead of him in the pecking order, it's been clear for some time now. Rafael looks more at home @ Rb with every passing game. He's stringing 90 minutes a game with ease now, and it's great to see the improved fitness combined with him not going in rash as often these days. The balance between him and Valencia on the right is a joy to behold, and something you wouldn't get with say Smalling/Jones at RB.

[Kevmeister]

Welbeck is just that bit more intelligent, and runs the channels more - his movement is a level above Javier's. Javier has perhaps two strings to his bow, one of which is playing the line, which normally leads to a raised offside flag. When we're playing flowing football he does fine, but when the backs are against the wall he can't offer anything to help the cause. He doesn't work to drag players out of position when we have the ball in midfield, whereas Danny will drift or come deep and make the defenders think.

When I said Jones can't work in midfield, I meant with two deep lying players - his main asset is his surging runs, which most suit a deep midfield role as one of two in that position or from right back. And personally, I think Rafael has done more than enough to stay in the team for next week - his understanding with Valencia is just getting better and better.

[Da_hopeful_1]

If United and City match results/points over next four games, Utd would retain title by winning at the Etihad on April 30. - Via Twitter

How effin sweet would that be

[Mastermind`]

(Original post by Kevmeister)
Welbeck is just that bit more intelligent, and runs the channels more - his movement is a level above Javier's. Javier has perhaps two strings to his bow, one of which is playing the line, which normally leads to a raised offside flag. When we're playing flowing football he does fine, but when the backs are against the wall he can't offer anything to help the cause. He doesn't work to drag players out of position when we have the ball in midfield, whereas Danny will drift or come deep and make the defenders think.

When I said Jones can't work in midfield, I meant with two deep lying players - his main asset is his surging runs, which most suit a deep midfield role as one of two in that position or from right back. And personally, I think Rafael has done more than enough to stay in the team for next week - his understanding with Valencia is just getting better and better.

I liked Rafael as well. Largely solid defensively, good going forward, linked up well with Valencia and seems to have come on aerially. Up there with Valencia as one of our best players in that game.

[Welsh Leprecaun]

(Original post by Da_hopeful_1)
If United and City match results/points over next four games, Utd would retain title by winning at the Etihad on April 30. - Via Twitter

How effin sweet would that be

Another way to look at it is if City draw/lose to Arsenal and another game, and we win all ours, they give us the guard of honour