marcus jones

Felli is a game winner. I don't know why so many fans are happy to see him go. While he is here, it keeps us on the footballing map, and in the eyes of Europe in terms of players wanting to join.
 
Baines is 29 in December. If we must lose somebody, I'd rather it were Osman.

Got to be honest, I really like what I've seen from some of the big German teams (Dortmund, Munich, etc), they combine good passing and good runs with physical elements of the game. Barca's version of Tiki Taki is boring to me, so one dimensional. Passing is a key part of the game, but there is more to football than 5-7 yard passes.

Your probably right there Matt but who can compete with Felli?

We're definitely in for him? Because we're linked with a lot of players who we aren't in for at all (like all clubs).

I hope Rooney sits on the Chelsea bench and throws tic tacs at Moyes all game.

Comments from RM after today's game: “I heard Everton do not sell cheap,” said Martinez, a direct quote from Moyes when he was an Everton manager. [Love it!] On suggestions it was Everton, not United, who chose to make the double bid public, Martinez didn’t hold back, either. “The offer was in the paper before it was made to us,” he said. [in other words, you're playing the press to unsettle my players.] "People should look after their own things internally. I am sure they have their own issues like that. [Rooney, for example.] I could come out and give my opinions about his players, but I will be a bit more respectful. [in other words, I'm not stooping to your level.]"

If we're to sell Fellaini in this window - and I really think it will suit RM's team plans to do so - then I would LUV it if Arsenal come in with a suitable bid and we sell to them rather than Moyes Utd.

After 2 games? Frustrated, because I feel we should be beating these 2 teams. In reality, Norwich was an unlucky draw against a team that plays very good football and have reinforced their squad a fair bit. West Brom, though not much of a threat yesterday seem galvanized by their crap opening day performance, and closer to the team that impressed last season.
 
There are a couple of things irritating me also.
 
1. I've never been a fan, and rather he was sold, but Vic earned some respect and a starting position with his 2nd half of the season performances. How he has become 3rd choice doesn't compute, Jela needs dropping and Vic/Kone starting.
 
2. All this possession is fine and dandy, but it irritates the crap out of me! Especially when we are playing through the back when either wing doesn't work. Left is blocked? Lets pass it all the way back, across the 2 CB and up the right. Do they know they can build through the middle too?
 
I know we're in a transition phase, but its like we're still playing under Moyes, with the exception being tiki-taki pissing about. Even the substitutions are reminiscent of our former manager!

Re DM's comments about the schedule being unfair, I just noticed Villa's first week. They played Arsenal away; mid-week, they play Chelsea; next Saturday, they play Liverpool away. In comparison, ManU will have played just two games, versus Swansea and Chelsea. If anyone has the right to complain, it's Paul Lambert. Rather than whine, however, he just got on with the job.

I'm not sold about him either. He's got the pace and power, but I'd like some more skill. More Mata or Hazard-like.

I like this design.

Not to mention the other challenges he got stuck into, the times be was trying to drive us forward and the times he was racing back to cover Coleman or Baines when they were caught out of position.

Tell you what Canary Yellow, look's like you got a good player in the Wolf........ wish we had him. Please keep us informed of how Fer is doing throughout the coming season. Always liked Norwich Football Club...............

Don't want the hype to get OTT with Ross but it is exciting. Hate to say it but the way he plays reminds me a lot of Gerrard but I think Ross looks a bit more mobile and is more of a passer "between the lines" rather than Gerrard's trademark "spraying" passes.
 
His combative and passionate nature are very Gerrard esq though. As is his ball striking!

For the first 3 minutes until his hamstring went.

never been a fan...but i was never a fan of gibson to be fair

To be honest with this being the first season for RM, all I want is for us to finish safely, anything more will be a bonus.

Wouldn't do a name, i'm older than 11... Sorry to anyone who does have a name - no offence intended. A grown fella with a players name on his shirt kinda reminds me of the chubby bloaters in computer shops who have batman tattoos and wear Tap out t-shirts and call each other Bro...

If he comes in, it would be for a holding midfield role in all probability. You can use Squawka (a free service which uses Opta Sports stats) to compare him to players who perform a similar role at the top clubs (Barry, Carrick, Arteta). In terms of raw number of successful passes, McCarthy is 6th in the entire league and he has a very good completion rate of 87% (Barry has 86%, Carrick 88%, Arteta 91%). He's made 34 key passes which means he's 55th in the entire league (Barry is 56th , Carrick 57th, Arteta 112th).
 
On the defensive side of the game, he had 74 succesful tackles last season which means he's 17th in the entire league, he also had a very good 75% success rate. Arteta was 15th in the league and had a 69% success rate, Carrick 42nd and had a 70% success rate, Barry 54th and he had a very good 80% success rate (if he had continued on the same minutes per tackle rate he'd have finished only a bit below McCarthy if he had played as much as he did: Barry had a succesful tackle once every 47 minutes, McCarthy once every 46). McCarthy isn't as succesful in headed duels though as he only wins 42% of them and didn't win a whole lot of them in raw numbers (Arteta won 52%, Carrick 55%, Barry 58%). McCarthy was 38th in the league for blocked shots at 19, Carrick blocked 19 as well but if you'd adjust for time played he'd have done better than McCarthy, Arteta 7 and Barry 6. McCarthy made more clearances than the others as well. McCarthy was 17th in the league for interceptions at 76, Carrick had exactly the same amount but did so in a bit less time, Barry had 43 interceptions (at a rate of once every 56 minutes, McCarthy made an interception once every 44 minutes), Arteta was 5th in the entire league in intereceptions.
 
If we're gonna buy in England, he's about the best we're gonna do.
 
EDIT: one reason for McCarthy's heading stats being a bit below par, might be that Wigan played 3 at the back a lot so one of them probably steps up for a majority of the hoofs from goal keepers etc.

I think if Martinez thought he was ready now he wouldn't need to send him on loan for a season but I agree he needs more than reserve football. It seems that Stones has also jumped ahead of him in the pecking order but with Heitinga likely to go and Distin's age, there could be opportunities for him on the future if he goes on loan, gets plenty of game time and shows the necessary improvement.

Just to clarify....Goodison is 150 feet above sea level and Old Trafford is 118 feet so if he moved there he's be taking a step down.

Should just put a 10 million bid in for Rooney for a laugh then.

What is really posses me off is rewind 6 months ago and every tom dick an harry were telling us he's gone once a bid comes in cause we can't hold on to someone as prolific as that, he's constantly putting himself in the window..... Six months later, he's a bit of a overrated yard dog who can only disrupt everyone's playing style..... Hypocritical fucking sheep who can never keep to there own opinion.