Darron Gibson

**tommy_c12000** · 28/12/2010, 6:22 PM

Ferguson puts Gibson in the shop window tonight with a start against Birmingham

**Colbert Report** · 28/12/2010, 6:36 PM

Where do you get the starting line-ups? I only ask because it is playing havoc with my fantasy football team. For example, I made Nani my captain last gameweek and he didn't even play. Thanks.

**tommy_c12000** · 28/12/2010, 6:51 PM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Where do you get the starting line-ups? I only ask because it is playing havoc with my fantasy football team. For example, I made Nani my captain last gameweek and he didn't even play. Thanks.

Presume captaincy was passed onto your next biggest value player so cudn't have wreaked too much havoc on your team! Perhaps it's just a weak FPL side??? I only saw it on skysports at 710. You will rarely find the teams being released more than an hour before kick off so you really can't do much considering the transfer deadline is usually at 1130am. On the respective club's website you can get the match day squads in good time but you won't get a definitive selection. Obviously there's a lot of speculation and "experts" who voice their informed opinions but managers are always liable to surprise

**Colbert Report** · 28/12/2010, 7:05 PM

Yeah, it was passed over to another player but I would prefer if I could just choose a player that I'll know will play, you know what I mean. Thanks for the advice though, I'll be sure to check out the official websites, not a bad idea.

**elroy** · 29/12/2010, 2:15 PM

Played on the right wing, assisted the goal and overall played reasonably well. Certainly not as anonymous as he has been in other performances for united.

**Junior** · 29/12/2010, 3:15 PM

Just heard from a mate that he made a complete mess of a relatively simple pass to Berbatov to play him in for a one on one to make it 2-0 not long berfore Birmingham equalised.

A very selective post match performance comment I know but thought Id throw it in there anyway......

**Stuttgart88** · 29/12/2010, 3:33 PM

I only saw bits of the game but did see what I presume is the above mentioned incident. It was a 2-on-2. Gibson was on the left and sent in a crisp low ball for Berbatov that was cut out by a well positioned defender. In my opinion if Gibson had played the ball any further forward it would probably have gone too far ahead of Berbatov or too near the keeper. He might have played the ball a fraction earlier but it was from a wide left position, not ideal for a right footer. To call it a "complete mess" is total rubbish. The defender did his job well by reading the situation and positioning himself well. Very McGrath-esque: made it look straightforward.

**Junior** · 29/12/2010, 3:46 PM

Fair enough Stutts, didnt see it myself, just passing on a very frustrated Man U supporters take on it. Though he did say it was a 2 on 1 situation. Perhaps if Gibson was two footed, the earlier ball would have been played and no McGrath comparisons would have been made..........playing devils advocate of course! Seasons Greetings and all that!!

**Stuttgart88** · 29/12/2010, 5:21 PM

Many happy returns!

I guess someone like Gareth Bale or even Chris Brunt would have picked out a better pass.

As a general comment I think footballers are nearly all too "one footed". I'm pretty sure Gibson used his left though.

**Charlie Darwin** · 29/12/2010, 6:03 PM

Let's just say it was an encouraging performance from a player who's been injured for the past 4-6 weeks.

**elroy** · 30/12/2010, 4:18 PM

I dont think it was the quality of the pass was the problem, it was how long he dwelled on the ball, if he had played it to Berba alot sooner then alot more may have been made of the chance. Not a catastrophic error by any means though.

**irishfan86** · 01/01/2011, 1:46 PM

Played the last half an hour or so on the right side of midfield and had some pretty terrible touches. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt due to his lack of playing time, it's probably affecting his confidence and match sharpness...glad to see him involved the last couple of matches but he'll need to improve to continue being involved.

**Fergie's Son** · 01/01/2011, 7:49 PM

He wasn't that bad today and strung together a few nice passes (as well as two particularly crunching tackles) but one instance really displayed a lack of skill/talent/match fitness. Raphael played him down the right wing, Gibson was well pass his man and had a number of options from laying it off to letting the ball go past him and running onto it. Itself he tried to control it and basically hoofed it out of touch. It genuinely seemed harder to do that than the other two options. It was almost like he made an effort to ruin the chance. Not to pick on the lad but it was an atrocious first touch. I was stunned and actually replayed it several times (thanks DVR). Let's hope he continues to get his chances.

**Charlie Darwin** · 01/01/2011, 7:55 PM

A winger would have let it go past him but a centre midfielder's first instinct is to try and control it. It wasn't a poor touch because it was a very difficult ball to control but it was the wrong decision to try and take it down. He wasn't great but his touch was generally quite good.

**Fergie's Son** · 01/01/2011, 8:06 PM

If he tried to take it down then why didn't he angle himself towards goal? There was nobody near him. Sorry but it was an atrocious effort. I do agree though that overall he played well and I was impressed with one particularly strong tackle on Brunt who was having an excellent game.

**liamoo11** · 01/01/2011, 8:14 PM

To be fair to Gibson united were much more of a midfield force for the last half hour when he came on.His tackling and neat passing was pretty good and helped change the flow of the game.He is a centre midfielder not a right winger.Uniteds starting midfield today was given a lesson before Gibson came on by West Brom.People need to be fair to gibson.Yes at this stage he does need to move club but the level of criticism he gets on here is crazy.

**Stuttgart88** · 01/01/2011, 8:38 PM

Just to balance things up a bit. At one point he was playing centrally and a short pass was absolutely rifled at him from close range. He controlled it with with ease.

My early opinions about Gibson included thinking he receives the ball very comfortably under pressure. I've seen little since to change that opinion. It's other parts of his game that concern me. I thought he did OK in his last two games.

**Bungle** · 02/01/2011, 11:52 AM

I think Darren Gibson has the potential to become a very good player. I think he has good ball control, an eye for a good pass and a very good shot. I think he needs to assert himself in games, but this might come with age. People forget that he plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world (I'm a Liverpool man myself!!). Gibson looks like a lad who lacks a bit of confidence. Fergie obviously sees something in him.

Personally, I think Gibson is more suited to continental football, but I do think he can become a very good premiership and international player in time. I do believe he needs a move to a club that will allow him to flourish and grow away from the goldfish bowl of Old Trafford, where he is always going to be compared against the great players of the past who played in his position there.

**elroy** · 02/01/2011, 1:14 PM

Good to see Gibson getting a look in again, the last few months he has barely made an appearance. Thought he did well when he came on. played one fantastic long through ball for Hernandez that was just cut out, if it had came off hernandez was through on goal.