Basics bolster United

Keep the faith

David De Gea has kept three of United's five clean sheets in all competitions since the Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford.

25 Oct - Aldershot Town - Won 3-0*
29 Oct - Everton - Won 1-0
02 Nov - Otelul Galati - Won 2-0
05 Nov - Sunderland - Won 1-0**
19 Nov - Swansea C - Won 1-0

*Ben Amos played in goal at Aldershot.
** Anders Lindegaard played in goal v Sunderland.

20/11/2011 15:09, Report by Adam Bostock

United’s ability to adapt following adversity is again paying dividends, according to the club’s longest-serving player.

The Reds have now racked up five consecutive wins and haven’t conceded a goal since the dramatic late collapse against Manchester City, 450 minutes of football ago. Ryan Giggs says this improvement on the defensive side of the game owes something to a change of style.

“We’ve gone back to basics and defended really well since City,” Giggs told MUTV after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Swansea.

“It wasn’t just the goals against City [that concerned us], it was also the chances that were being created against us in the other games.

“Our opponents were getting too many chances and our new goalkeeper, David De Gea, was having far too many shots to save.

“Solidity is something we have always prided ourselves on, at the back and throughout the team really.

“Swansea played some great football against us and kept the ball well, but they didn’t really hurt us. It was a tough game for our midfielders and forwards but at the back we defended well and they didn’t have many chances.”

United didn’t create many chances either, but Giggs says the Reds have just the man for the job when goals are demanded from a drip-drip supply line.

“When Chicharito’s on the pitch you know that if you put a ball in a certain area he’s going to be there. And more often than not he’s going to put it away.

"It was great for me to set up the goal, and for us to win in my first-ever league game in Wales."

source : Manutd

Giggs: We need to play better

19/11/2011 20:11, Report by Adam Bostock

Ryan Giggs admitted United were below-par against Swansea on Saturday evening, despite achieving a fifth consecutive win to nil.

The veteran midfielder set up the only goal of the game, netted by Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, but was disappointed the Reds couldn’t build on it in the next 80 minutes.

“Sometimes it can happen that way,” said Giggs. “We scored an early goal and then we sat back. We shouldn’t have done that really.”

The Welshman acknowledged this trip to his homeland was a difficult fixture, with Swansea defying their newly-promoted status to pick up 13 points and concede only one goal at home – an own goal – prior to United’s visit.

“It’s a tough place to come. Their record this season shows that, they were unbeaten here until today. So we knew it would be tough.”

Giggs accepted international breaks can impact negatively on clubs when their players return, but wouldn’t cite this as a reason why United’s 1-0 win was worryingly slender.

“You have different players at different fitness levels,” he said.

“Some of our players hadn’t had a game for two or three weeks and some, like Phil Jones and Nani, had two tough games.

“But that’s not an excuse. We probably need to play better if we’re going to get more positive results.”

source : Manutd