Man Utd Thread:

[beer baron]

Good performance again. Be a long time before i'm convinced by Van Gaal though.

[heganboy]

great performance by United. Fluid and assured, flip of last year for both teams. City looked lost and struggled, never seeming to have a game plan until perhaps the introduction of Lampard. United handled the early goal well, pressed relentlessly, ran hard at and around both Company and Toure.

Van Gaal definitely out performed Pellegrini, who looks increasingly like a lame duck manager. I would expect a blue half clear out on and off the field this summer.

For the rest of the premier league, ominous for next year from United, must be obvious to the Glazers that the investment in the big name players under the high profile manager brings in results, press coverage, commercial opportunities and the OT match day crowd must be funding the team and increasing the value of the club. Big result for the Glazers and United fans should see huge potential.

As a Liverpool fan I hope the FSG is taking notes

[ross4life]

Very enjoyable Manchester derby only disappointment is to concede 2 goals from 3 city shots on target & to lose Carrick to injury late on.

If it wasn't for the slow start to the season & loads of injuries United could be challenging for the title right now ah well... i suppose getting back into the top 4 was the priority after a woeful season last year so well on course for that right now. LVG record against the top 7 sides speaks for itself.

[StGallsGAA]

I have a question for rules guys here. On the Fellaini goal, my 8 year old claims that Rooney was offside and the goal should not be given because Hart moved to cover the offside man first when the ball was crossed so therefore he was interfering with play, even though the big fella who scored was not.

Therein lies the problem.   The difference between fact and opinion.  The old offside meant regardless what was going on, if the forward was ahead of the defender when the pass was played it was offside. Now it's all down to opinion whether someone clearly offside is interfering with play.  Individual referees will see it differently.   

[Jeepers Creepers]

Great result for Utd. Great to see Mata on a real run. If Herrera moved the ball abit quicker he could be even better. Hats off to Fellini, really bounced back from a nightmare season last year. Some cracking games ahead. Chelsea next up.

[orangeman]

I had questioned Van Gaal a while back but Van Gaal seems to have sorted the team and tactics out and will be delighted to find themselves in their league position.

[Boycey]

Good performance again. Be a long time before i'm convinced by Van Gaal though.

Ur a hard man to please, just admit u were wrong and move on 

[David McKeown]

I have a question for rules guys here. On the Fellaini goal, my 8 year old claims that Rooney was offside and the goal should not be given because Hart moved to cover the offside man first when the ball was crossed so therefore he was interfering with play, even though the big fella who scored was not.

Therein lies the problem.   The difference between fact and opinion.  The old offside meant regardless what was going on, if the forward was ahead of the defender when the pass was played it was offside. Now it's all down to opinion whether someone clearly offside is interfering with play.  Individual referees will see it differently.

To be offside a player either has to interfere with play or with an opponent. The rule book would define that as. "Interfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate. Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball."  So from that difficult to see how you would rule out the Fellani goal for Rooney being offside. Hard to tell if Fellani himself was off but I don't think he was.

The mata goal was a little more controversial though.

[beer baron]

Good performance again. Be a long time before i'm convinced by Van Gaal though.

Ur a hard man to please, just admit u were wrong and move on 

Play like this for the rest of the season and i might consider it.

[heganboy]

The rule book would define that as. "Interfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate. Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball."

David,
I'm not sure where you get that definition, the row going on here is about this FIFA guideline:

"Interfering with an opponent" means:

Preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball. For example, by clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's line of vision or movement.

Making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent.

this is from FIFA
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/5.%20law%2011_554.pdf
so my little ball buster is telling me that Rooney distracts the opponent (Joe Hart) so it is offside according to fifa.
I'm going with it is not offside because Fellaini was onside and Hart's "distraction" was his own problem...




[StGallsGAA]

Hopefully Carrick is OK for Saturday.  He was immense today.

[David McKeown]

The rule book would define that as. "Interfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate. Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball."

David,
I'm not sure where you get that definition, the row going on here is about this FIFA guideline:

"Interfering with an opponent" means:

Preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball. For example, by clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's line of vision or movement.

Making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent.

this is from FIFA
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/5.%20law%2011_554.pdf
so my little ball buster is telling me that Rooney distracts the opponent (Joe Hart) so it is offside according to fifa.
I'm going with it is not offside because Fellaini was onside and Hart's "distraction" was his own problem...




Those definitions are both from the FIFA guidelines on the laws of the game and were repeated by the FA a few years back after the Jonny Evans og when Ba was behind him. Distracting an opponent when in an offside position does not render you offside. The distraction must prevent the opponent playing the ball or being able to play the ball.

[magpie seanie]

Bring on Chelsea. I think United are the best team in the league at the minute and it will be undeniable with a win next weekend. Chelsea will be a tougher nut to crack though because even though they're not on top form and missing a few top players they are organised and have great spirit about them. And have a top, top manager no matter what he's like. Unlike abu dhabi.

[Maroon Manc]

A great month for United results and performances to match.

Carrick, Young & Herrera outstanding, the turnaround is Young is the biggest surprise to me. Fellaini would still be very average if he was playing where Carrick & Herrera do but further forward he's causing everyone all sorts of problems, will be interesting to see what Mourinho does next week, half expecting Mikel to come back in as he'll want Matic protecting the back 4.

Surprised at how easy it was yesterday, made City look very average. They didn't look fit enough to press United for more than 10 minutes. We looked a fitter team and were able to play with greater intensity.

[AZOffaly]

So now I'm confused. Is Van Gaal still a spoofer and a bluffer, or is he now the messiah again?