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29 Wed UEFA Champions League A Manchester United 19:45

General

Established Member
ricky1985 said:
Couldn't diagree more with that mate, sorry.

Firstly Touré was marking O'shea, but you'll notice when Carrick goes to cross the ball, Tevez is completely free on the six-yard line. Touré sees this and moves quickly to get goal side of him. He simply had no choice he couldn't risk Carrick's cross making it's way to Tevez, who would have had a free shot from so close in.

If Adebayor had anything about him he would have noticed Touré running over to Tevez and held his position at the near post (which became the far post in the second phase of play and was where O'shea scored from). Instead he jogged slowly and aimlessly forward, perhaps anticipating a counter-attack, and in no way was he even aware that Ferdinand was a threat, nor did he do anything to prevent him becoming one.

It wasn't just Adebayor - Ferdinand came up for one corner all night long, and not dealing with that was where the real error occured. We had planned to mark O'Shea with Touré, Ronaldo with Song, Carrick with Diaby, and Vidic with Silvestre. It was obviously a pre-planned tactic, and then inexplicably Ferdinand came up for the first corner, and we didn't have the intelligence, awareness or flexibility to adapt our system to make sure he was marked. That lack of individual repsonsibility, which is a curse of ours btw, meant Diaby ended up trying to mark Carrick and Ferdinand at the back post, when Abou jumped with Rio and they both missed it, Carrick was completely free on the back post. The rest was a collection of instant decisions made instinctively, Touré to the near post to thwart Tevez, Ade and his attacking instincts sensing a counter.

Like I said the real f**k-up happened before the corner was even taken.

Excellent post Ricky. I salute you. Also notice that around the six yard box was the ball watching Nasri completely oblivious to the danger at hand. The fact that we conceded from inside our box with a totally unmarked O'shea just goes to show the ridiculousness of our defending as a unit. No cohesion,no partnerships, easily disorganised and easily outsmarted. Our entire culture to defending was captured in that one move.
 

Anzac

Established Member
The issue at the corner illustrates one of the problems with bringing everyone back to defend them - it can give rise to the expectation that defending is done by someone else & many players are just there to make up the numbers & don't actually do anything.

My biggest gripe is that the team is designed to have the ball at their feet - but someone forgot how we are supposed to get possession of the ball in the first place.
 

outlaw_member

Established Member
General said:
Excellent post Ricky. I salute you. Also notice that around the six yard box was the ball watching Nasri completely oblivious to the danger at hand. The fact that we conceded from inside our box with a totally unmarked O'shea just goes to show the ridiculousness of our defending as a unit. No cohesion,no partnerships, easily disorganised and easily outsmarted. Our entire culture to defending was captured in that one move.

I noticed Nasri on the day, and I was surprised hardly anyone had highlighted his lack of responsibility for the goal. He was walking around like he was in Miami.
 
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