Preview: Man United vs. Real Sociedad Old Trafford Weds 23 Oct, 19:45 BST
1. Possession is power in Europe
David Moyes wants better possession and a more consistent performance from his players as the Reds seek to assert some dominance on Champions League Group A with victory over Real Sociedad on Wednesday night.
The United boss has been pleased and frustrated by patchy form from his team so far this season, and he believes that retaining possession is key to ironing out any inconsistencies in the Reds' performances.
Asked at his pre-match press conference what he would like to improve, Moyes said: "Results, obviously. We want to improve on our performance too. We gave the ball away too much in our last game [against Southampton]. We have to do better when we have the ball in our possession."
That's not to say Moyes is completely dissatisfied by what he has seen so far this season, but he just wants to build on the better elements. "We've had periods of good play but not continually through a game," he added. "It's something we're working on.
"We're trying to improve all the time. There have been moments of play which have been excellent and a couple of inches one way or another and we may have scored some more goals. We have to hope that turns for us. But we also have to keep working hard to make sure it does."
However, just because Real Sociedad currently sit bottom of Group A it doesn't mean they are pushovers.
"Real Sociedad are here because they finished in the top four in Spain, which is a great achievement," said the Reds boss. "We have great respect for them for that. Maybe we'd have liked to have start the season a bit better and they'll come here trying to do well. So we know it will be a difficiult game. I'm sure they're expecting a difficult match as well."
Source:
Possession is power in Europe - Official Manchester United Website
2. Rafa ready for La Real
Rafael expects Real Sociedad to go on the attack at Old Trafford in Wednesday's Champions League Group A clash at Old Trafford, but he says United are focused on consolidating the team's place among the favourites to qualify for the last 16.
United are currently second in Group A, level on points with Shakhtar Donetsk despite a better goals scored tally; however, Mircea Lucescu's men are top as they have scored more away goals (two at Real Sociedad, compared to the Reds' one in Donetsk).
Real Sociedad prop up the group in fourth place without a point to their name, but 35-year-old boss Jagoba Arrasate hopes that, after a 2-1 La Liga win over Valencia at the weekend, they have turned a corner after a challenging start to the season.
United's results have also been mixed in a tough opening to the Reds' domestic campaign, but in Europe David Moyes' men have performed admirably, beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 and earning a 1-1 draw in Donetsk.
"We have done well [so far]," says Rafael in an exclusive interview with
United Review. "We were pleased with our performance against Bayer Leverkusen and then it was important to come away from Donetsk with a good result. We managed to do that. We have played some good football in the competition so far and we want to keep that going."
The meeting with
La Real provides an opportunity to notch three vital points toward qualification for the knockout stages. "It is a great chance for us," adds Rafa. "We need to win the game to give us confidence for the match in Spain. That's all we're focused on.
"They will come here to win. Spanish teams aren't the type to sit back and defend. They will always attack. They were close to getting a draw at Leverkusen [they lost 2-1 after an injury-time winner] and that will have given them encouragement."
Source:
Rafael ready for Real Sociedad's attack - Official Manchester United Website
3. Moyes expects Real test
David Moyes is wary of the threat posed by Real Sociedad – though the Manchester United manager feels confident of gleaning a positive result from Wednesday's UEFA Champions League encounter at Old Trafford.
Last season, the Spaniards broke into La Liga's top four to qualify for the European Cup play-offs, later recording a 4-0 aggregate win over Lyon to join United, Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayer Leverkusen in Group A.
And although the Basque club have lost a couple of key players – including Asier Illarramendi to Real Madrid – Moyes is not underestimating them and expects a tough match on Wednesday.
"I watched Sociedad a lot last year and was really impressed by how well they did," the boss told reporters. "The loss of one or two players has made it harder for them this year and maybe the expectations have been much bigger. The games I've watched I've been impressed.
"They change their style with one defensive midfielder and sometimes two. They had a good result at Valencia on Saturday and we have to be mindful of what they can do. Old Trafford is a big place to come and play football but it's also an enjoyable place. We hope they don't enjoy it too much."
The Reds head into the game with four points in the bag, having beaten Bayer Leverkusen and drawn at Shakhtar Donetsk. As a result, Moyes acknowledges his side are in a healthy position in Group A.
"It could have gone a little better if we'd taken all three points in Shakhtar, but it wasn't a bad point and we'll do everything we can to keep winning games. It's a great competition and we want to progress. It's important to try and win your home games and we'll try to do that against Sociedad."
Source:
David Moyes expects Real Sociedad challenge - Official Manchester United Website
