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CONFIRMED LINE-UP: United vs Crystal Palace

November 8, 2014

De Gea, Valencia, McNair, Blind, Shaw, Fellaini, Carrick, Januzaj, Rooney, Di Maria, van Persie.

Scott Patterson

Scott is the editor of RoM and has a season ticket at Old Trafford. He writes for The Mirror and Red News. He started The Republik of Mancunia in March 2006. Follow @R_o_M on Twitter.

LvG: Wilson and McNair could be the key to our success

VIDEO: Mata’s goal vs Crystal Palace

171 Comments

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Paschal Agwunobi November 9, 2014

Marq..exactly,mate Blind us doing very well, at least he didn't cost us 30 or 40 mil, plus he's an upgrade to the shit midfield we had last season consisting of Anderson, fletcher and the almighty cleverly

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Mirainashe November 9, 2014

@Samuel

I'm not sure if it's the fact that you think Mata is a threat to Rooney's spot in the team or something to that tune but it is most definitely ridiculous the criticism. Especially given the circumstances. You say Mata doesn't influence games yet he gets goals and assists regularly. Had Di Maria converted against Chelsea from THAT Mata pass we would be somewhere. That s influence. You come into a game were everyone is clueless about how to break down the Palace defense and in minutes you score the decisive goal and the next comment is you're not influential. So who is then? Is it Rooney? It's ridiculous. Mata makes things happen when it matters. He scores and creates chances quietly. This whole "scruff of the neck" nonsense has to stop here. Give Mata free kicks and you have a better chance than Di Maria. Get Mata in the box and you may get a goal. Play quick players around Mata and he creates chances. He is the only player who seems capable of making the right decision most consistently and at the right time. Apart from the Leicester game,he rarely loses the ball. We can't say the same about Di Maria or Rooney. The ball does not "die" when Mata is in possession like what we are seeing with Januzaj and Di Maria. He at least keeps possession and looks to be smart about it. He gets into positions. He finds teammates with sensible passing

He may not be your cup of tea because of not being explosive but what a ridiculous thing to say. Especially given the fact that no one apart from De Gea and in three games Di Maria has done anything of note. Maybe Fellaini also whom you criticize good performance or average. Rooney has been largely poor especially when played deeper. No creativity or ideas. RvP has regressed as well. Di Maria is actually shocking right now. Januzaj should not be anywhere near that first team. So I think to single out Mata as a player of no influence especially with his record is simple bias. No one has been influential. Had Rooney scored that goal and hit the post we would not hear the end of it. Rooney was wasteful and uninspired. Same old story. If it's not a crossfield ball to Valencia, it's trying to chip the keeper or it's trying to bend one in to the right hand bottom or top corner. That's it. Today it was the former and the latter. Very predictable. Is that the caliber of "influential" player you want? I'd rather have a quiet scoring and assisting Mata who is decisive when it matters than a sloppy clueless Rooney or utterly frustrating Januzaj in the team.

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Mirainashe November 9, 2014

@Pascal

Let people say what they say about Blind but to me he has been our best player overall. The guy is consistent. He has not had one bad game since getting into that team. Anyone who understands football will know the influence he has brought to the team. He is not responsible for the creativity but he is actually giving the attacking players the right platform to attack. He passes so beautifully and with great technique. The guy is class. Put Herrera next to him and it's game on. The diamond formation was exciting with Blind Herrera and Di Maria in the middle because of the mobility and dynamism. It was however vulnerable defending. But something akin to this has to be applied. I vote for Blind Carrick and Herrera as the midfield three with Di Maria Mata and Wilson for the Arsenal game to see what happens

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Tommy November 9, 2014

Marko - every single player is given a chance at united, what do you think the training sessions are for?

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Paschal Agwunobi November 9, 2014

I once mentioned it here after mcnair's great performance against west ham, that he should be starting games ahead of the likes of the so called 'experienced' center backs we have, I even said the likes of Jones should go and learn how to position himself at strategic places like mcnair. But many people here on ROM nearly chewed me alive for saying such. But mcnair is proving me right everyday with his heroic performances. He's most reliable CB we've got.

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Paschal Agwunobi November 9, 2014

Yea, looks like Rafael and Falcao will be back for the arsenal game. We've really missed Rafael, his forward movement is an attack that most times could result to an assist. http://thepeoplesperson.com/2014/11/09/falcao-rafael-tell-united-fan-well-back-arsenal-game-57847/

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Marko Maric November 9, 2014

Main problem why Mata is not showing his full potential is formation. But even in this situation he is delivering. It is not problem in Mata, but formation. Good player in the wrong team.

@tommy...same as Pogba had...training player is not just black and white

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Dsd Wynberg November 9, 2014

adnan janujaz evidently frustrates the players (especially Rvp )with his runs that amount to nothing. he should not be starting imo. He doesnt stick to the basics and try to play the strikers in, he prefers to go himself. as a result Valencia could also not trust making overlapping runs because janujaz kept losing the ball. other than scoring Mata actually added impetus and creativity to the attack. which was lacking with Adnan. im afraid that he might cost us against better opposition.

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Marvin Felix November 9, 2014

biggest problem for united now is there is no paul scholes in united's midfield - player who boss the middle of the park

a player who consistently receive passes from the goalie, the cbs, the fullbacks then distribute the ball forward to the wingers and create goalscoring chances for the strikers - without losing possession too

maybe blind-carrick-rooney combo would do the job

juan mata is not van gaal's type of playmaker

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wayne barker November 9, 2014

Paschal please send me the link to the thread were you suggested Macnair should start and people got on your case because of it because I don't remember ever seeing that

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Marko Maric November 9, 2014

If training is the benchmark, then Cleverly is Messi in the training...

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Adedayo Charles November 9, 2014

As united supporters, we should be carefull what we wish for. I get amazed when people talk about United way of playing football. I will rather ask the essense of United playing football. Against City and Liecester we played in the so called united way yet we lost. Against Chelsea we were lucky to get a draw. I will rather we play conservatively and win than to go gun hoo and get beaten by counter attacks. West Brom scored from the only two chances they had against us. It's high time we realise the era of the so called United way is gone. What we need now is to win matches no matter how badly we play. Afterall it's not as if we were playing so well in the last few years under SAF.

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trevor knightsmith November 9, 2014

Adedayo Charles .

United are renowned for playing entertaining attractive football .

" What we need now is to win matches no matter how badly we play "

Really ? United haven't garnered their multi million world wide following doing this, and I hope they never do.

I would rather be entertained , that is our legacy, that is what holds us apart from others.

Bring back the thrilling edge of the seat stuff !

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Tommy November 9, 2014

Marko - it was well known Poona wanted out, I also wouldnt of wasted my time playing a player who was on his way out for someone else to get the benefit of the experience he'd learned at united!

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NefariousVirtuoso88 November 9, 2014

Daley Blind is a very intelligent footballer
Paddy McNair has been brilliant especially against Romelu Lakaku earlier this season.

I just want to return to the diamond it just makes sense for this group of players

+ more bodies in midfield
+ more dynamic free role for Ander
+ brings Angel inside

Carrick
Ander Blind
Angel
Rooney RVP

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United24 November 9, 2014

@Mirianashe,
I agree with you regarding Blind and Mata,
They receive un-necessary flak whenever they have a couple of "average games".
As we have seen in our last few matches, even our "megastars" Rooney, RVP and DiMaria can have 2-3 game spells of "average" performance.
One has to understand the roles of Mata and Blind to appreciate their input.
It doesn't always have to be either Rooney or Mata. Why not play both?
There are actually advantages of playing Rooney as one of two strikers in a diamond, because he gives us the advantage of being apple to slip to the wing or midfield to help when needed, compared to our other strikers.

Those around us (Everton, Totenham, Liverpool) are struggling, but we have to get some seperation soon, before any ONE of them find some form...Sothampton may not be going away soon, so it's going to be a battle royal for 4th!

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trevor knightsmith November 9, 2014

United24,

Agree about Blind, I think over time he could turn out to be one of our better signings, all players need time to adjust, especially those from abroad with the different cultures and the like.

Take David De Gea and the flak he received when he first came, we were taunted relentlessly by rival fans about him .

Ask the same fans now, and if they're honest, they'll admit he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world .

Mata I'm undecided about, but he has a good strike rate. But he was sold to us by a snake, so I am wary. I like the lad though

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Adedayo Charles November 9, 2014

@trevor knightsmith. "united are renowned for playing entertaining football". May i ask when last we did?. You said you will rather be entertained. Are you saying you prefer loosing? You better wake up and come to terms with the fact that United is going through a rebuilding and what we need now is to win our matches. Even the allmighty Barca is going through the same. No tiki- taka for now. Finally, may i remind you that people dont follow or support clubs because they entertain but because they win trouphies. If your assertion were to be true, Arsenal will have more global followers than United.

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Mark Reid November 9, 2014

We love United we do.
We love United we do.
We love United we do.
Oh United we love you,Unuted.United.United.

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trevor knightsmith November 9, 2014

Adedayo.

We last played entertaining football under Sir Alex .

I didn't say I prefered losing

" I had better wake up" ?

Just who do you think you are to be so condescending ? .

I have been following United since the 50's and have seen many ups and downs, I would imagine you have largely only known success, and the reason you follow United is because they won things .

You do not have to remind me of anything, and to say people support clubs just because they win things is just plan ludicrous, if that were true clubs out side the premeirship wouldn't have any supporters.

.There are mainly reasons teams are followed, locality, because their parents did to name a couple.

Why would Arsenal have more global followers than United , are you saying over the years Arsenal have played more entertaining Foosball than United? because they haven't .

I suggest you save up your pocket money, come to Old Trafford and see what is at the core of United.

It is you, that should be waking up !

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Tommy November 9, 2014

Treborn - totally agree mate, abedoyo is what I hate about so called supporters, only supporting united because we were successful, he's obe that if he came to ot wound buy one if this'd cringeworthy half and half scarves, he'll be a Chelsea fan in a couple of years if we go on a draught of winning nowt, I also totally agree about playing attractive football winning is not enough for this club you've got to entertain, theirs a reason mourinho was over looked for the job and it had nothing to do with him not winning trophies, you'll remember more than me but didn't Dave sexton get sacked despite going through his best winning spell at the club because of the dull football he served up?

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