Man Utd XVI: Quest of the Title - Return to winning way.

[melvin]

Preview: Manchester United vs Southampton

Match info:
Sunday 11 January, 16:00 GMT. Live text is AVAILABLE at ManUtd.com/matchblog and MUTV offers live audio. The game is live on Sky Sports.

Scene-setter:
With United sat just one point above Southampton in the Barclays Premier League TABLE, this weekend’s meeting between third and fourth place is certainly one of great magnitude. The fixture also has emotional importance for Luke Shaw, who could face his former club for the first time since transferring to Old Trafford in the summer.

Form guide:
Louis van Gaal’s men are unbeaten in 11 matches in all competitions, most recently recording a 2-0 win at Yeovil Town in the FA Cup. The Reds are without a top-flight victory since Boxing Day, however, after two SUCCESSIVE draws at Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City. Meanwhile, Southampton head to M16 on the back of a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town, a fine 2-0 win over Arsenal and another 1-1 draw against Chelsea. Saints have not won at United in 22 matches since 16 January 1988.

Team news:
Rafael WILL likely miss the game with a facial injury sustained at Yeovil, but Shaw is expected to retain his place at left-back, despite being forced off in the cup tie. Angel Di Maria could START after scoring from the bench in that outing, while Robin van Persie should also regain his place after being rested for the trip to Huish Park. Long-term absentees Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo are unlikely to feature. Saints are without Sadio Mane, Jake Hesketh, Jack Cork and Jay Rodriguez, while Nathaniel Clyne and Sam Gallagher are doubtful.

We meet AGAIN:
If you have a sense of déjà vu ahead of kick-off, it’s because United and Southampton met at St Mary’s Stadium on 8 December. Van Persie scored twice that evening to clinch a hard-fought 2-1 win over the south-coast club.

Opposition boss:
Ronald Koeman has excelled since taking charge of Saints in the summer, leading them up the TABLE and into the Champions League positions. While there are many games left to play, the Dutchman is confident of retaining a top-four place. "I believe still that we can fight for a top place in the league," he explained in the new year. "We are now halfway through the season and we have played all the teams. Maybe it was unrealistic before the season, and maybe that has changed a little bit with how we have played up until now."


Reports

Both matches only slightly 1 month apart.:sweat:

 

[melvin]

UNITED V SOUTHAMPTON
12 January 2015 12:00:00 am

Gunning for 6th successive home wins in a row ... but thats not the point the important point is 3 points at the end of the day.

 

[melvin]

Key returns excite Louis van Gaal

Louis van Gaal is confident Manchester United will discover more rhythm and consistency in the SECOND half of the season, particularly when players such as Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo are available for SELECTION.

The Reds have been plagued by injuries this term but have still MANAGED to impress in the Barclays Premier League, moving up to third place while enjoying an 10-match unbeaten league run that could be extended when Southampton visit Old Trafford this weekend.

When speaking to REPORTERS on Friday, van Gaal was asked if his rejuvenated squad will produce more consistent performances in the coming weeks.

“I hope so because now the players are coming back and I will have a full SELECTIONof players within three weeks, I think,” the boss explained at the Aon Training Complex.

“Normally, we should then play better because a lot of players who were also fixed in my line-up - Daley Blind and Di Maria, for EXAMPLE - are now coming back.

“Marcos Rojo, for EXAMPLE, was also fixed in my line-up. I didn’t have the chance to build up with the same players. I hope that I can do that now, but you never know.”

Van Gaal was also quizzed ON the prospect of catching joint-leaders Chelsea and Manchester City and spoke optimistically about United’s chances, but also remained typically realistic ON the subject.

“No one club in the Premier League shall win every game, but maybe Manchester United can,” he said. “That’s always our goal, but it also the goal of Jose Mourinho and also the goal of other MANAGERS – Manuel Pellegrini or Ronald Koeman, or Arsene Wenger, for example.”


return of the injured

 

[melvin]

Van Gaal explains transfer policy

Louis van Gaal insists Manchester United's moves in the MARKET will be determined solely by the quality of his targets and not necessarily by cost or timing.

The boss has drafted Victor Valdes into his squad this month as second-choice goalkeeper and was busy last summer in RECRUITING Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Angel Di Maria, Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao.

The shrewd Dutchman is always determined to be patient in order to land the right OPTION and recognises there is not a long list of world-class talents currently available in the market.

"When I cannot improve my SELECTION, then I wait," he explained to reporters. "And then I maybe have to wait a year more. Maybe you think that there are so many fantastic players, but it is not like that.

"[However,] I don’t [necessarily] prefer to wait until the summer when I can improve my SELECTIONS. That I have showed with Valdes.

"When we can buy a player who can improve my selection, the club shall buy. MONEYis not interesting. It is always quality of the players in comparison with the other players that I have. I have to compare. I have to decide. Money doesn’t play any role."

The boss has a vision of enhancing his squad and challenging for the top honours and is confident he will achieve this goal.

"Now that I coach MANCHESTER UNITED, I EXPECT more attacking quality," he added. "If it is not this year, then next season or the season after that. We shall improve and you shall see it."


Transfers

 

[melvin]

United team to face Southampton: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Shaw, Blind, Carrick, Rooney, Mata, Di Maria, van Persie. Subs: Valdes, Evans, McNair, Blackett, Fellaini, Herrera, Wilson.

Playing 3-5-2 again

 

[melvin]

A rather boring 1st half

 

[melvin]

sub RvP OFF Herrera ON

Looks like Robin has an injury. Rooney has moved into the strikers roll

 

[melvin]

64min - Substitution. Blackett replaces Shaw, whose first outing vs his former club comes to an end. Saints sub: Tadic on for Elia.

 

[melvin]

Man Utd 0-1 Southampton - Dusan Tadic side-footing home a rebound for saints

 

[Hitman]

Boring game. If this is supposed to be the strongest team assembled so far, then we are still far from challenging for the title, even next season.

Hope there will be improvements.

 

[coolhirako]

A rather boring 1st half

Went to sleep after 1st half

 

[richiemccaw1]

Perhaps we have been spoilt by how well LVG has done in spite of the obstacles, such as injuries. Hopefully the 'coming back to earth' doesnt hit us too hard. I notice United's festive season results havent been as good as in the past, quite a few draws and now this loss.

 

[melvin]

Firstly we started by playing 3-5-2 which we shouldn't unless we change most of the backline. Then Di Maria and gang were not played in their usual position which I think it cause them the frustration.
Then came the substitutions which I still don't understand with RVP n Di Maria sub out! Nvm felliaini is totally cmi and all playing long balls... Where is our usual style of play? Best part is NO Shots at Goal for the first time at Home for N years...
And we drop to the 4th position and we had the same points last season when DM was in charge at the same period of the seasons!

 

[melvin]

QPR V UNITED
17 January 2015 11:00:00 pm

Another away match and we need to win.
For rest of our games we also need to win to stay in contention for CL spot.


Will be without RVP and Falcao have travelled with the team.

 

[melvin]

And here we go!

United XI: De Gea, Jones, Evans, Rojo, Valencia, Carrick, Mata, Blind, Rooney, Di Maria, Falcao

subs: Valdes, Smalling, McNair, Januzaj, Herrera, Fellaini, Wilson



We are playing a 3-5-2 formation with Valencia and Blind as the wing-backs. Di Maria is just off Falcao up front.

 

[melvin]

58min - GOAL! QPR 0 United 1. Fellaini scores

 

[SilentSeth]

James Wilson makes it 2-0.. Phew, another 3 points!

 

[melvin]

90th min- +4- GOAL! QPR 0 United 2. Wilson seals victory.

 

[Jerry Chan]

MU did not play to their potential. Still got a lot of room for improvement to challenge the top 2. They simply are not controlling tempo of the game and passing well, I see better when they play at home. Its been like that, I don't see enough fluency in their game plan. Perhaps away game is always strategized and played this way. Not convincing enough. Any way, happy with the 3 points. Keep up up the points, we are half way back to European championship already.

 

[melvin]

MU did not play to their potential. Still got a lot of room for improvement to challenge the top 2. They simply are not controlling tempo of the game and passing well, I see better when they play at home. Its been like that, I don't see enough fluency in their game plan. Perhaps away game is always strategized and played this way. Not convincing enough. Any way, happy with the 3 points. Keep up up the points, we are half way back to European championship already.

But the way we play even if we get to CL think we will struggle even more hais...