Slime
Tour Winner
McDominate ............................ what a star!
Is any team better at being out played, looking awful yet still winning games? I know it isn't over yet but this is so utd of recent years.
nickjdavis
Head Pro
I thought all the Mancs had the opinion that he was a waste of space?
Slime
Tour Winner
Not all, that's for sure.
nickjdavis
Head Pro
most on here from what I've read over the last few months.
Would be happy to see him as part of Newcastle's midfield...strikes me as a destructive sort of player who can let more talented players around him shine whilst also bagging more than his fair share of goals
Slime
Tour Winner
He's great in an advanced role, but he's often played as a holding midfielder, at which he's pants.
He's more of a 10 than a 6, but we have plenty of attacking mids in our ranks.
He's more of a 10 than a 6, but we have plenty of attacking mids in our ranks.
Slime
Tour Winner
Another hard fought three points, momentum is with us ............................ let's hope that continues!
Hmmm. That’s a bit harsh. A really solid away Premier League performance, I thought. Defended pretty well and created a decent number of chances.
There won’t be too many sides coming away from Villa Park this season with three points.
You won’t see too many worse holding midfielders playing for sides in the top half of the Premier League.
As Slime rightly points out, in the final third he is pretty decent. I believe he may even have started life as a striker. But that’s generally not his job. And he does his normal job pretty badly a lot of the time.
Swango1980
Well-known member
As a starter in a midfield role, he very much is a waste of space. But you need a goal, and he gets in box, he is very good. He is not a bad player to have in the squad to add that option
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Seems fair enough looking at the stats:
2.77 v 1,.81 xg, 23 shots to 17, 10 shots on target to 5, 56% possession
On another day Watkins gets a brace and the result is very different, but united do seem to have a knack of getting results of late
He certainly attacks the ball far better than the waste of space he replaced.
Swango1980
Well-known member
Even in the Fergie years, Utd played a lot of games like that. Especially away from home against the top sides.
Villa are playing very very well this year, Utd were unlikely going to play with swagger at Villa Park.
Regardless of the stats, I do think to suggest United were awful is more than a little unfair. That’s really my point.
And if someone can explain the relevance of “expected goals” then I’d be grateful. It has to be one of the most pointless stats ever dreamed up.
RichA
Well-known member
I'm not sure that I get your 70s references. Taiwo wasn't exactly brutalised by a psychotic knee high sliding table.
Taiwo never had the ball under control. He wasn't going to get it under control. The keeper had a right to go for the ball but missed it. Taiwo could have stepped over the keeper naturally - he didn't even need to hurdle him - but instead he let his left boot drop onto the keeper's shoulder then fell over. P-poor football skills.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Fair enough, was more addressing the being out played and still winning, fwiw a draw was prob a fair result but united took their chance when it came
It really isnt, long term its a very very good way to assess sides, players etc
Basically it values the chances you create in a game (and you can then obviously value how you actually finish those chances)
Grab a copy of The Expected Goals philosophy (its 99p on Amazon currently)
SteveW86
Head Pro
West Ham had a good effort today at the first part.
The result is great. As you say, Villa are a tough team this year. I'm not sure I'd class that as solid though. You are consistent grinders, rarely more than that and I guess I expect more. It hasn't been where you're at for some time but even so
2blue
Journeyman Pro
Yes a careless lunge, missed the ball & made movements to cause enough contact for someone to go down...pen every day. Think your 70's prescription needs up dating.
