F365 Half-Term Report

Calidad wrote:Gera has been underwhelming to say the least though, and Etuhu doesn't even get a sniff. Their signings haven't been to dissimilar from previous seasons from what I can tell.

Hangelaand has obviously been a find and like you point out Schwarzer has made a difference too; but more importantly I feel Hodgson has turned them into a well drilled unit. They are robust, industrious and difficult to beat. They are currently a team playing with confidence too which hasn't always been the case with them.

...which surely involves talking to them ?

I'd also be interested to know how much their starting 11 has been rotated - it'll probably be the lowest in the entire league. So any injuries could really cause them problems.

Apparently Modric and Corluka grassed Pavlyuchenko up to Pletikosa who then had a go at Pav in Russian and told him to learn the language before/during/after the Spurs v Spartak game !!!

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Apparently Modric and Corluka grassed Pavlyuchenko up to Pletikosa who then had a go at Pav in Russian and told him to learn the language before/during/after the Spurs v Spartak game !!!

Are him and Pletikosa friends?

Best buddies

Tweedle wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Apparently Modric and Corluka grassed Pavlyuchenko up to Pletikosa who then had a go at Pav in Russian and told him to learn the language before/during/after the Spurs v Spartak game !!!

Are him and Pletikosa friends?

I don't know but presumably the 2 Croats know him from Intl duty and Pletikosa was Pav's team mate at Spartak and prob speaks Russian hence he is the obvious choice as an interpreter.

Tweedle wrote:Yep, Wenger's clueless

Fixed it.

Calidad wrote:Gera has been underwhelming to say the least though, and Etuhu doesn't even get a sniff. Their signings haven't been to dissimilar from previous seasons from what I can tell.

Hangelaand has obviously been a find and like you point out Schwarzer has made a difference too; but more importantly I feel Hodgson has turned them into a well drilled unit. They are robust, industrious and difficult to beat. They are currently a team playing with confidence too which hasn't always been the case with them.

Etuhu started the season injured. He has only just got fit again.

Ade wrote:Well I couldn't give two hoots about the Carling Cup.

But yeah I was pretty sure they(Rafu and that tosser) played near enough the same amount of matches but 100% sure.

Surely if he was the number 1 RB at United as someone here mentioned he would play more games than Neville. As with most No.1's, his place in the team so be more or less near gauranteed. It will be interesting to see if old man Neville plays againist Chelsea or will it be Rafudinho.

WHAT DO YOU THINK BATMAN-L-COCK...

who will start v Chelsea

It wont be interesting at all. Rafael has started at RB more than anybody else this season..... of course he is the num 1. But he's young and inexperienced so certain games he'll not be picked.

Neville could well play v Chelsea due to the nature of the game and experience it wont mean anything. But saying that Rafael will probably start against them also.

Also you are a bit naive. Rafael obviously didn't start the season as the num 1 right back. The carling cup was his actual first start in a proper game as a Man Utd player if my memory serves me correctly. And his great performances in that gave him chances in the prem and so forth.

So he didn't really get a look in for the first month or so.

Calidad wrote:The only thing about Young is that I've never really see him play well against the top four. He was awful against Arsenal the other day.

Still put in at least 3 awesome deliveries that shoulda coulda woulda been scored... So while it wasn't his best game, awful is very harsh. He was good away at Arsenal (other than godawful penalty).

EMPeror Augustus wrote:

Calidad wrote:Gera has been underwhelming to say the least though, and Etuhu doesn't even get a sniff. Their signings haven't been to dissimilar from previous seasons from what I can tell.

Hangelaand has obviously been a find and like you point out Schwarzer has made a difference too; but more importantly I feel Hodgson has turned them into a well drilled unit. They are robust, industrious and difficult to beat. They are currently a team playing with confidence too which hasn't always been the case with them.

Etuhu started the season injured. He has only just got fit again.

True but from a defensive point of view our midfield has been functioning quite well so there is no reason to bring him. Murphy has been our best midfielder this season and is the most defensive of the four. Plus Hodgson is the first manager I have seen who is really reluctant to make any subs. Going a game without subs is quite common for him.

Not sure if the language issue is that big. Hodgson knows quite a few languages and I understand takes coaching sessions himself. However we are very very well drilled. I read a interview with Dempsey where he mentioned how much emphasis the coach places on shape. So when one player moves out of position another moves to fill it in.

It says something about experienced managers as I can imagine other experienced managers being able to coach defensive shape, pass and move techniques, etc. But how likely is a young former player likely to be able to do similar.

Gera has been a bit unlucky, along with Dempsey he is one those players who can ghost into goal scoring positions. But he has missed his chances and Dempsey has taken his.

The only player I am disappointed in is Simon Davies. Our best player last season has really done anything in this one.

Fellaini's hardly 'breathtaking'

Luis wrote:Fellaini's hardly 'breathtaking'

Read it again Luis.

I actually think Fellaini has the potential to be a truly excellent box-to-box midfielder.

He doesn't seem to have the stamina to play that role.

Ray Parlour wrote:He doesn't seem to have the stamina to play that role.

What? He has an excellent stamina, problem right now it's with his overall agility, speed and quickness, because he is 1-tempo player at the moment.

I think his problem is awareness and timing.