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Live Blog: Manchester United v Shakhtar

December 10, 2013

Brad

Follow @bradcantona on Twitter.

CONFIRMED LINE-UP: United vs Shakhtar

VIDEO: Jones goal vs Shakthar

126 Comments

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NBI Red 21 December 10, 2013

@ samuel - Buttner and Young could not put a final pass in to save their lives most of the match, look at how many of his crosses were off target. Some were hit out of play.

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NBI Red 21 December 10, 2013

RVP made a huge difference. A player who knows how to lead the line.

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NBI Red 21 December 10, 2013

Jones goal very well taken.

Kagawa looked like he was not fully recovered, same for RVP.

Alot of players looked a bit of sorts.

RVP coming on and Rooney no longer leading the line made the difference. We were 451 again when we scored.

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sir matt martin December 10, 2013

i would gladly ship out ashly young for free nex season, i cant see him in a united shirte next season.. as for the game, moyes clearly has no game plan for united yet. wance again old traford faithfulls shows a class art again.

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NBI Red 21 December 10, 2013

Wow, City beat Bayern 3-2. Pep did not look happy. Kudos to them, I though Bayern would spank them.

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sir matt martin December 10, 2013

United need to clear out some dead wood,.. Young, Rio, Nani, Buttnar, Bebe, Giggs needs to retire.

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united till i die December 10, 2013

Surely this is Rios last season After tonight's performance.

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NBI Red 21 December 11, 2013

Rio hasn't suddenly become a bad player. He just needs to play himself back into form. But he needs to play a biit more to get properly match fit.

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samuel - united WE stand December 11, 2013

NBI - put the poor crossing aside, buttner cannot do the minimum.expected of him, he cannot defend. He looks raw and lacks composure, why is he ahead of fabio?

We've debated young several times, he just keeps out-doing himself. Puts a lot of effort in but quality he certainly doesn't have, another player that has never look like he belonged at the highest level. Found out.

Rio's had a wonderful career and he probably has a quality performance in him for this season at least but he looks far off the pace, need smalling stepping up now.

Generally though, it is the central mid.. United currently don't have anyone capable of pulling the strings without carrick. Even with carrick, still make quality addition in that area.

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WeAreUnitedd December 11, 2013

@samuel

one of the best lines you said was that instead of Young's huffing and puffing, I'd rather see Jesse Lingard doing something creative and getting his chance. We have defended Young and stated that he was never the ronaldo but only a squad player and SAF got the most he could from him, I think time is up for him.

also @samuel, I fought for the idea of Kagawa as a 10, and I blame our midfield also for not providing passes to him BUT no matter does he play as a 10 9 7 or 6, he just can't seem to find himself on the team. Look the team was more stabile when he moved to the left and Young was taken off, but he just does not click it.

@someone said that Giggsy is ruining what he build in 20 years, well ruining is a bit too harsh, BUT for F's sake, enough is enough, you could see the DIFFERENCE when Giggsy went off, Cleverley started clicking there, not saying that TomC is our saviour, but he's a better option than a 40-year old player against brazilians (Quoting)

that being said, our best line-up at the moment is RVP -- Januzaj/Kagawa Rooney Valencia -- Carrick Jones -- Rafael Evans Vidic Evra -- DDG

BTW

does it seem that since Januzaj has been moved to the right, he's more isolated? and that he played better on the left? he's 18 so it's good playing both sides, because we want another Ronaldo and it will help his developement, but it seems he's better on the left, whatever it is JANUZAJ is brilliant, playing champions league at the age of 18 for 90 minutes and outshining seniors. you could not make this stuff up.

BELIEVE. peace.

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WeAreUnitedd December 11, 2013

Moyes on Manutd.com on Jones

“I think he [Phil Jones] should score more goals," said Moyes. "He’s good in the air and he should challenge himself to take more chances. I see him as a centre-back, but he can also play as a defensive midfielder, as everyone here knows.

"With our shortage in midfield at the moment, we’re having to use him in there quite a bit, but we’ll try to bring him on. He’s a young player, we shouldn’t expect too much so soon, but he’s doing smashing and he’s one for the long term who will continue to improve.”

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2013/Dec/David-Moyes-says-United-can-go-all-the-way-in-the-Champions-League.aspx?pageNo=2

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NBI Red 21 December 11, 2013

@ samuel - I would give Buttner more time,but I would have thought Fabio would have offered more. Buttner is good at bombing forward but his final pass and d some of his decision making was poor.

Young has never looked a United player I think all fans agree on that, some people think he iss offering something defensively but a winger who cannot cross or beat a man...

Rio should I agree be back up to Smalling, Evans and Jones now I think. This is probably his last season would like to see him leave on a high and put in a few good performances.

Even with Carrick we haven't looked the best in MF, here's hoping something gets sorted.

Shakhtar have been poor away from home this season and were very poor today I thought and they played crap second half. But the important thing is we are through. First half - 60 min was pants. Second half was better.

Fabio seems finished at United. 3 left backs at the Club and a RW comes on.

Now for the cups and the league. The next 5 games on paper should be ones we easily win.

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zibbie December 11, 2013

Rooney is awesome dip shit.

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samuel - united WE stand December 11, 2013

WeAreUnited - that's why I kept saying kagawa needed to assert himself, he looks a player getting overwhelmed by the size of united. He has quality and technique but you need to show more to be key at united. Kagawa is floating in and out of games, he needs to show more influence. He looks bereft of confidence at this moment.

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NBI Red 21 December 11, 2013

Kagawa is someone who runs on to the ball. When he passes the other players don't read his runs at all and he end up standing there, often he is poised to run off the shoulder of a player in the final third but the pass never comes. He almost scored. He needs better MF players around him to show what he can do, Nani, Ando, RVP, Rooney are probably best alongside him once they understand his game. But the problem is our passing is shit poor forget intuitive. Over the weekend we made the lowest number of forward passes in the EPL. Kagwa in a better team would look a different player. RVP said a team is partnerships. Kags really has no MF to form a partnershi withand his positioning and play with Rooney does not really work as they overlap and Rooney does not lead the line in a way that creates space for players behind him.

Agree - would be nice to see Lingard instead of Young, he will need a chance sometime.

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zibbie December 11, 2013

Bla Bla sheep shit and wtf ?

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zibbie December 11, 2013

Fuck off

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Tommy December 11, 2013

Poor game but a wins a win, I lied the other day I said Jones and Cleverley were the worst partnership I had seen at United that was ereplaced by Jones and Giggs woeful. The only reason United have been playing direct is because we have NO midfield, loads of times tonight the defence were looking for a midfilder their was none in space so they hoofed it upfield!

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Mark Reid December 11, 2013

Feels great to get a win not convincing but a win nevertheless.Midfield as per glaring holes,not sure if it can be fixed in January me thinks well have to wait till Summer.With Carrick back we might get some results hopefully Fellani will improve and we break into the top four.I think we can well done lads now to Villa.

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NBI Red 21 December 11, 2013

There remain massive issues with United this season, but one small comfort is we have not been humiliated on the European stage. Yes we had a relatively easy group but at least our reputation has not been trashed on the European stage and we retain maybe a bit of the aura there that we have lost in the EPL, I think teams in Europe give us more respect and don't attack us the way EPL team do.

That said, it changes nothing in terms of form this season, our play is still miles below where it should be, yes with the players we have we can nick the odd goal and we have some good defenders but we are predictable, dull, hesitant, no one really seems to know what we do, too many long balls and just don't look like United.

@ Tommy - I have been thinking about that. I think the defence boots the ball as the MF is told to go up higher and try to get the first knock down, this never used to happen before even with the same MF players they would show for a ball from the defence, this appears to be a tactical change.

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John December 11, 2013

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2521599/Roy-Keane-lays-Rio-Ferdinand-Ashley-Young-Man-United-win.html

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John December 11, 2013

Top of the Group, so resultwise very good. Performance was fuck all after back to back home defeats, so performancewise just waiting to be found out in next round.

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Tommy December 11, 2013

@NBI

The midfield are never in space last couple of games when the defenders have the ball against Newcastle and today they have been looking for options and their have been none at all thats not down to Moyes, the defenders are clearly looking to pass from the back but no none of the midfielders are looking for the ball

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dannysoya LOVES USAIN BOLT December 11, 2013

Keane may be an absolute cunt but he's right about that first half. Young is simply not goof enough for this team Rio has been absolute SHAMBLES every single time he has stepped on the pitch yet he talks the most. Contribute NOTHING on the pitch and keep trying to fuck with the manager off it. just annoying.

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sir matt martin December 11, 2013

Pleas moyes get a proper assistant.

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TomlinBrowne December 11, 2013

United don't create any attacking chances through the midfield due to a lack of movement off the ball. United always used to pass and move, teams didn't know whether they were coming or going. Now all we have is pass and wander. It's no good just one player picking the ball up deep and looking for a searching ball that might split a defence. They need to be supported by at least one man to play a quick 1-2 and get past the opposition who are closing them down.Playing one touch football in triangles will get through the toughest of teams midfield. The problem is we seem to have forgotten the basics and there's a lack of understanding/communication. Average teams will beat us easily by doing the simple things well. Until we start doing the simple things well our skillful players will be of no use. A new signing will be of no use as we already have skillful creative players, they just don't play as a unit. Tom Cleverly was one of the only players I saw that made a forward pass then made a run to receive it (in midfield). Even if he doesn't get the ball back he's creating space as defenders have to be aware of his run. That takes some attention away from others and opportunities will arise. SIMPLE. Pass and bloody move, stop being so boringly predictable and work for the shirt (on and off the ball)