Official Man United Supporters' Thread

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craigdoepie said:
Does anybody know when this whole number 7 and 9 and maybe even number 10 started. That usually the best midfielders or strikers get this number
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The numbering system is quite interesting. Each country ''back in the day'' had their own preferred formations and thus their own unique way of numbering according to their system.

The English system of numbering was according to positions within the old 2-3-5 "Pyramid" formation preferred by most English clubs in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

1 - Goalkeeper

2 - Right full back (Positioned as a modern right centreback would be within a 4 man backline)
3 - Left full back (^ditto )

4 - Right half back (Right sided player in a flat 3-man defensive minded midfield)
5 - Centre half back (Central player in the flat 3-man defensive minded midfield and also the ''heart'' of the team, being the starting point of most attacking moves)
6 - Left half back (Left sided player in the flat 3-man defensive minded midfield)

The ''attacking line'' was arrowhead-shaped, with the wide players (7 & 11) sitting shallower than the inside forwards (8 & 10) who were in turn shallower than the centre forward (9) who led the line.

7 - Outside right (A very wide right winger)
8 - Inside right (Sat inside and ahead of the right winger, similar play to a modern attacking midfielder)
9 - Centre forward (Just like a modern centre forward; big and strong and led the line as the focal point of the attack)
10 - Inside left (Sat inside and ahead of the left winger, similar play to a modern attacking midfielder)
11 - Outside left (A very wide left winger)

The formations have changed but the numbers can still be linked to their roles. 8,9 & 10 tend to be forwards, strikers and/or attacking midfielders (Gerrard, Rooney, Berbatov, Torres). 7 & 11 are generally wingers (Giggs, Lennon), 4,5,6 tend to be central midfielders and centrebacks and 2 & 3 are almost exclusively full backs.
 
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CharReaper said:
Thoughts on this match...
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Thank the lord above for Young.

Disgusting second half by United, except for the last 5 mins. Completely lost the plot second half, I was at a loss for words. Defenders just standing around, giving Basel players space, midfielders couldn't even complete a pass. United were terrible.

Some very suspect refereeing for both teams. Berbatov should've played the ball across goal to nani right at the end sigh.

Referee might as well just have put on a FC Basel shirt with the amount of times he got in the way of the ball when a United player tried to run onto it.

Oh well a draw is better than a loss, and thankfully City lost so yeah whatever.
 
It's like a switch was flipped from 1st half to 2nd half - united 2nd half played / defended like Basel in 1st half. Alex will be boosting his mouth overtime to his players
 
Stevie G said:
shame, old red nose complaining about crouch fowling all the time. this guy is really the biggest hypocrite. when things don't go his way then he throws his toys out of the cott.

abit quiet in here
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Troll-dance.gif
 
I honestly think these defensive collapses highlight Vidic's importance in this team ,Next cl game now becomes a must win ..pity I was hoping we could use some youths in coming cl games but obviously theyr crucial now.

Also saw a few uncharacteristic mistakes from Rio ,don't think he's fit enough to be playing two games a week.We need our captain back ,have I mentioned that.

Hopefully we take out our frustrations on Norwich,altho these tight games are refreshing, those early season demolitions just didn't get the heart pumping
 
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CharReaper said:
Think the cred for that last goal goes to Nani , superb cross , he's been awesum this season.
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Young still had to finish it off by putting the ball in the back of the net.

But yes Nani played very well. Pity he didn't come on earlier.

Carrick actually had some good passes tonight.
 
well the game just highlight the weakness in your team. suspect goalkeeper, defense and central midfield.
if you stop utd by the flanks, i.e. nani, young and valencia then you starve the strikers with decent ball which will lead to them coming deeper.

teams will always have chances against man u, but you must go at them and not defend. the goal of young came when the coach of basle made substitutes. you should never go on the defense. alot of teams have made note of it.
 
Ashley Young scored a late equaliser to rescue a point for Manchester United after Basel threatened a major shock at Old Trafford.
Danny Welbeck's double put United in control at half-time before the Swiss side stunned their hosts with a spectacular spell of three goals in 16 minutes after the break to leave Sir Alex Ferguson's side on the brink of their first home defeat in 17 months.
United's defending was shambolic throughout and Basel looked to have inflicted a serious blow on their Champions League campaign as Fabian Frei pulled one back before Alexander Frei headed the Swiss level, then gave them the lead with a penalty 14 minutes from time.
The shock to the system woke United from the slumbers - but it was only Young's last-minute header from Nani's cross that spared them only their third loss in 54 Champions League games at Old Trafford in the last decade.
Ferguson may clutch at the consolation of salvaging a draw but there was little else to satisfy United or their manager as they were run ragged by Basel's lively attackers.
Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones suffered a torrid time in central defence as Basel striker Marco Streller terrorised the labouring England veteran and his young partner, who was given a rude awakening after winning plaudits for his performances in the Premier League.
Welbeck was selected ahead of Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov and he was one of the few United players to emerge with any credit on a night when a draw was arguably an exaggerated reward for dreadful performance.
While United were grateful to accept the opportunities offered by Basel's defence, they were fortunate not to be punished themselves as the Swiss created chances of their own from the start.
The first came after only four minutes when Streller played in Fabian Frei but he seemed to panic under pressure from Ferdinand and lashed his finish high and wide into the Stretford End.
It set the pattern for a slipshod performance at the back - but Welbeck's finishing provided relief as he scored twice inside 90 seconds to ensure they had a flattering two-goal lead at the interval.
Welbeck's first came after 16 minutes when he beat Basel keeper Yann Sommer with a scuffed finish after he was set up by Fabio and Ryan Giggs - and Giggs was involved again as Welbeck swiftly added his second, this time with a far more convincing strike from the veteran's cross.
Far from being discouraged, Basel continued to fashion opportunities only to let United off the hook. Alexander Frei was the culprit after being set up again by the dangerous Streller and Jacques Zoua shot tamely into the side netting from an angle with United exposed again.
If United thought they had escaped and half-time would interrupt Basel's momentum, they were given a rude awakening as the Swiss were level within 15 minutes of the restart.
Goalkeeper David De Gea, who had been blameless amid the mess of United's performance, blocked crucially from Streller - but the reprieve was brief as Basel's superb comeback started after 58 minutes.
De Gea made another fine stop from Streller's header but the rebound fell invitingly for Fabian Frei to score.
And two minutes later Basel were on terms as Fabian Frei delivered a perfect cross for his namesake Alexander to beat the keeper with a powerful header.
Ferguson's side had lacked rhythm and tempo even when they were ahead and now they were badly unsettled by Basel's continued ambition and ability to create chances with regularity.
And with Old Trafford silenced they took the lead from the penalty spot after 76 minutes. Jones hesitated with dire consequences, forcing Antonio Valencia to fell Streller. Alexander Frei stepped forward to send Basel's travelling fans into ecstasy by giving De Gea no chance.
Dimitar Berbatov was introduced for Anderson with nine minutes left, but it was another substitute Nani who played a part in a trademark Old Trafford grandstand finish that saw Young arrive at the far post to head past Sommer.
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To those that never heard about a BBC sports report.....
 
De Gea did well. First goal he had no chance as it came off the post, 2nd goal was Ferdinand's fault as he didn't even challenge Frei and 3rd goal was a penalty which is always 50/50.

Defense was mostly to blame for last night. Can't wait to have Vidic back from injury.
 
Stickfigure said:
De Gea did well. First goal he had no chance as it came off the post, 2nd goal was Ferdinand's fault as he didn't even challenge Frei and 3rd goal was a penalty which is always 50/50.

Defense was mostly to blame for last night. Can't wait to have Vidic back from injury.
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Yah I though De GEa did well.
Defence:
- Ferdi is looking sluggish and sort of "out of it" - Maybe he is resigned to the fact that Jones and Vidic might be the preferred choice
- Evra likes drifting to the middle leaving the wide man free- why???
- When is Vidic back?
 
Stickfigure said:
Apparently 5 weeks. How many weeks has he been injured for now? I read something that he hasn't even started training again yet.
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I read that as well - but then in another article on the ManU site they say he did his ankle in a warm-up for the Stoke Game?!?!?!?!

Cant wait to see him and Jones in the Center
 
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