Fantasy premier league gameweek 36 review – Man Utd 4 Norwich 0 – What we learned

Fantasy Premier League, Gameweek analysis

I’ve split this out of my fantasy premier league gameweek 36 review as it’s not often you get a new manager appointed 1 game before a double gameweek.  Especially when  what is normally a top 4 challenging team has 2 games against lower ranked opponents.  So heres a seperate article on what did we learn from this game?

Manchester United 4 Norwich o

Goals scored
Mata (2)  Rooney (2) 1 pen
Assists
Jones  Valencia  Kagawa  Welbeck

Bonus

Jones  Mata (2)Valencia  Rooney (3)

The lineup

United played a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 if you believe there was any differentiation between Rooney and Welbecks role.  Here’s the line up with ratings from the Daily Mail

Man Utd: De Gea 6, Jones 6, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 7, Evra 6, Valencia 6.5, Carrick 6, Cleverley 5 (Hernandez 71, 6), Kagawa 5 (Young 65, 6), Rooney 8, Welbeck 7 (Mata 60, 7).

 

Well it certainly wasn’t as expected. I’ll go into more detail later in the article but the defence went for experience and chose Jones as the RB with Rafael injured.  The midfield surprise was Kagawa starting over Mata.  Despite having Mata and Kagawa as a number 10 Welbeck started in what looked like more a strike pertnership rather than one playing behind another.

The game generally and playing style

If anyone expected United to come out at a  whirlwind pace like Liverpool then they would have been sadly mistaken in a pedestrian first half.  The defence sat deep for what ever reason and the ball too often went from CB or CDM to the front via a long ball.  Any build up play was often at an extremely slow pace and United were lucky to be going in at half time ahead via a reasonably soft penalty.  Norwich didn’t help the situation by sitting deep and not really pressing the ball to any great extent.  For a team supposedly playing for their lives they were surprisingly compliant.  The first half was very disappointing and like nothing had changed from a United perspective.

This was what Giggs said at half time:

 “It took a bit of time for us to get going,” Giggs admitted. “The tempo in the first half wasn’t as quick as I would have liked, but the goal came at the right time and at half-time I just told the lads to step it up.”

The second half started with an early goal from Rooney and that changed the game.  United played at a much quicker pace and Norwich were forced to come out and try and score themselves.  That allowed United more spoace and the chance to counter attack themselves.  Once United sped the pace up it led the Norwich team to drop back when Unuted were in posession which also helped United get chances close to goal.  The 2nd half saw the introduction of Mata after 60 minutes.  Mata  played as a support striker.  With Cleverley going off for Hernadez we were unfortunately treated to the rather disturbing sight of Rooney again as a deep lying passing midfielder.  2 goals from the 6 yard box by Mata showed his position and how deep Norwich let themselves get.

In the end Giggs and United couldn’t have got a better team to start against.  Prior to the game only Fulham had conceded more goals away from home.  However the first half had showed little change and his team selection in the centre of the pitch saw 2 players in Carrick and Cleverley who have yet to get an assist in fantasy premier league and Welbeck who’s got 3.  Kagawa drifted in to try and provide creativity but it’s no surprise that until Norwich had to come out and try and attack after Uniteds 2nd goal that United didn’t really create many chances.

Overall it was a good win but nothing that makes you go into the next games in DGW37 thinking that there will be 2 repeat scorelines of today.

The defence

From a fantasy premier league perspective the defence couldn’t have been a worse selection.  There are  3 cheapies in the Man Utd defence of Evans (£4.7m)  Smalling (£4.6m) and Buttner (£4.5m).  None played.  That reinforces to me that Giggs priority is to win all the games and he will play his best team rather than  rotate to see all the players when realistically there’s nothing to play for.  Ferdinand is cheap but will he play 2 games in DGW37?  The same can be said for Vidic who isn’t cheap at £5.8m.  At RB Rafael could be fit for DGW37 and that places risk on Jones who agains isn’t cheap at £5.8m.  That leaves Evra as the best selection in the defence but £6.4m isn’t ideal.  However,  at least he has an attacking threat.  De Gea should start both games at £5.8m but with a good proportion of people owning Mannone then it seems a bit of a waste of a transfer.

The midfield

Giggs said some words that implied part of Kagawas selection was to do with his hat trick last year against Norwich.  Given Matas performance then it would be a big risk to select Kagawa for DGW37.  It’s possible that Giggs could play Kagawa and Mata if he goes to 4-2-3-1 but it’s no certainty and too much of a risk to select Kagawa for DGW37.

You have to think that Mata will start after that game.  Giggs praised him and Mata also didn’t show any pouting in being left on the bench.  His advanced central position was quite amazing even before Rooney dropped into central midfield when Hernandez came on.  It says alot that both his goals were tap ins inside the 6 yard box.   The main risk to Mata starting centrally is Welbeck.  Mata came on for Welbeck so this question has yet to be resolved.  There’s an obvious perception that Welbeck gives the team pace and therefore means the opposition can’t stay high up the pitch and deny United space as they are worried about him getting in behind the defence. I’m not so convinced as Welbecks minutes aren’t any different than last year when this wasn’t a problem.  Also Rooney is hardly a slouch.  I personally believe its about the pace the ball is being moved around at home.  Its far too slow.  As I said Welbeck starting is the main risk to Mata playing as a number 10 where he is as his most effective fanatsy wise.    That position is at risk if Welbeck starts unless Welbeck is pushed to the flank.  Personally I think United should go 4-2-3-1 with Mata behind Rooney but there remains a positional risk for Mata.  However even with that to me he’s still the obvious midfield player to have for DGW37.  Lets face it you’re not going to have Carrick and Cleverley in your team.  Valencia had a bit of a mixed day despite having some good underlying stats. You couldn’t be sure he will play again especially as a number of others can play that position.  Mata despite being on the bench becomes the default.

Rooney

Apart from the 20 minutes at the end when he did his best impression of Paul Scholes last year in the deep lying passing mdfeld role he was everything you wanted from the Rooney flat track bully of the last years.  He also monopolised the set pieces taking all the corners.  I can’t recall any indirect free kicks?  As expected he took the penalty.  Anyone who doesn’t have him for the DGW37 is taking a huge risk.

Stats

United defence:  Barely conceded any shots in the box and no big chances.  This is good but lets not forget this is a team who played a striker who’s only scored 1 goal all season

Most shots in the box: Mata and Valencia.  Rooney had far more shots than anyone but the vast majority came from outside the box

Penalty box chances: Valencia by a country mile.

Chances created: Valencia

Attcking involvement:  Rooney

Summary

  • Poor 1st half with slow pace and lack of creativity. 2nd half improved when United scored.
  • Evra and De Gea become the only defensive options for DGW37
  • Mata only realistic midfield option despite benching.  Number 10 position not guaranteed due to Welbeck
  • Rooney a must have

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