I thought he was better than he had been in the previous friendlies, but still no more than average. He certainly didn't look ready to be a regular starter for us yet.
Manchester United vs Everton (Friendly) Saturday 7th August 2021 @ 12:45pm BST
- Thread starter Dante
- Start date
Players like Donny, Sancho, Cavani, Greenwood, Bruno, Amad, Mata...all going to be essential in breaking teams down this season. Intelligent, always moving and playing things first time. I honestly believe that while Pogba and Rashford are super footballers, give me the less talented Donny in a midfield two and the more technical Sancho/Greenwood out wide any day. If we are ever gonna move away from slow and pondering McFred, Donny offers no less defensively than Pogba. Time for Ole to put his money where his mouth is...go with that first half team for the Leeds game but swap James out for Sancho! Very excited for this season.
Just got back from the game, thought it was a dominant first half and understandably the second half was a bit messy with the all the subs
Thought Tuanzebe and Dalot were the best of the second half players though, Bruno in the first half was just
. Greenwood brilliant throughout
Thought Tuanzebe and Dalot were the best of the second half players though, Bruno in the first half was just
. Greenwood brilliant throughoutBruno is just it really. We lose Bruno to an injury, we are fecked.
When Matic plays like that we have control and class in midfield. Too bad it's in short spurts or lag of legs. VDB showed signs he could adapt to play deeper, more robustly. Would love to see him play his way into contention for either in the pivot or as a midfield 3 this season, will be like a new signing
I love how the other Irish girl is scouse scum now
There is no way vote rigging to this extent has been orchestrated by anyone but the Scouse.
Nothing much to say, that's the problem I think. Tbh sometime I even forgot he was on.
Lingard
I dont think he has Brunos ability to make these really good forward passes. Bruno today was the one who would make a difficult forward pass that few tens in the world can do.
Everton have had a pretty good pre season and definitely ahead of us fitness wise so it was a surprise to see us look sharper than them. They looked quite sharp in their games in Orlando, had the likes of Digne, Godfrey etc available for them for 2 weeks longer than our lot.
They created a few big chances that maybe DCL would've scored though but otherwise we were all over then today and that was without so much of our talent.
Leeds will be a much tougher game for us absolutely, but I am definitely more confident
They created a few big chances that maybe DCL would've scored though but otherwise we were all over then today and that was without so much of our talent.
Leeds will be a much tougher game for us absolutely, but I am definitely more confident
Biggest positives for me were:
1. Fred's second half. He showed amazingly consistent quick, crisp and precise progressive passing. Lovely assist too.
2. Maguire. Commanding performace defensively, and showed some first class ball movement and forward passing in addition to his goal.
3. Shaw. Very sharp and alert in several key defensive situations, contributed offensively and that was a very well hit corner that Maguire scored on.
4. Greenwood's first half, which while not dominant, showed his increasing ability to influence the game in more ways than before, and as against Brentford, what looks like a new-found effectiveness in transitional play.
5. Dalot. Looked much more comfortable and effective than in his miserable cameo against Brentford.
6. Tuanzebe. Some impressive defensive interventions, and this time no ugly mistakes, in passing or otherwise.
Other than that, I suppose it's a positive given the brevity of the pre-season that no one looked really actively awful. At worst, there were a few with no real impact (Martial, vd Beek).
1. Fred's second half. He showed amazingly consistent quick, crisp and precise progressive passing. Lovely assist too.
2. Maguire. Commanding performace defensively, and showed some first class ball movement and forward passing in addition to his goal.
3. Shaw. Very sharp and alert in several key defensive situations, contributed offensively and that was a very well hit corner that Maguire scored on.
4. Greenwood's first half, which while not dominant, showed his increasing ability to influence the game in more ways than before, and as against Brentford, what looks like a new-found effectiveness in transitional play.
5. Dalot. Looked much more comfortable and effective than in his miserable cameo against Brentford.
6. Tuanzebe. Some impressive defensive interventions, and this time no ugly mistakes, in passing or otherwise.
Other than that, I suppose it's a positive given the brevity of the pre-season that no one looked really actively awful. At worst, there were a few with no real impact (Martial, vd Beek).
I thought for my part that Fred was by some margin our best passer today. Got the ball moving forward accurately and quickly, practically every time.
So anyone still worried about the first game now?
Richarlison was seriously crap in the Olympic final as well
Just got back from OT, was great to be back there after so long. Actually felt slightly emotional seeing the players celebrate in front of a live crowd for our first goal.
Positives
Shaw, Bruno, Matic, Greenwood, Maguire all looked excellent. Lindelof, De Gea looking solid enough. James decent too.
McTominay looked great off the bench and Axel and Dalot also impressed.
Negatives
Pogba and Martial both poor, although at least Tony looked like he was trying and he’s just back from injury. Pogba looked like his head wasn’t in it.
All in all a positive day although the game was done really after 30 mins and became a bit laborious from that point onwards.
Everton were awful - can’t imagine their fans feeling too confident going into the season. There were a few pissed up fans of theirs on our tram home singing Benitez out…
I’d actually completely forgot he was their manager until I saw him on the touchline!
Also, Martin Atkinson is a shite ref even in a friendly.
Positives
Shaw, Bruno, Matic, Greenwood, Maguire all looked excellent. Lindelof, De Gea looking solid enough. James decent too.
McTominay looked great off the bench and Axel and Dalot also impressed.
Negatives
Pogba and Martial both poor, although at least Tony looked like he was trying and he’s just back from injury. Pogba looked like his head wasn’t in it.
All in all a positive day although the game was done really after 30 mins and became a bit laborious from that point onwards.
Everton were awful - can’t imagine their fans feeling too confident going into the season. There were a few pissed up fans of theirs on our tram home singing Benitez out…
I’d actually completely forgot he was their manager until I saw him on the touchline!
Also, Martin Atkinson is a shite ref even in a friendly.
Did anyone notice how little we created and still scored four goals? Our xG couldn't be more than maybe 1.3. Save it for Leeds!
How did Van de Beek look, I have heard he has bulked up some. Certainly should want to make an impression
Played well alongside Matic. They both came off at half time which could suggest they will start against Leeds. Certainly if you take match fitness into account they both should
Was my sarcastic manner. If Bruno is out the only others who can play his role are Pogba or Sancho.
Has the most important question been asked. Where was our top class cb? Phil Jones been back in training. Why wasn't he given a run out
VDB looked very good. Very controlled in midfield with some crisp passing and closing down players. He could be in for a good season if given the chance. No special position is required.I think pairing him with a defensive midfielder could work wonders.
Everton sure have fallen from grace. I expected a tougher game. But from past experience friendlies don't count.
We were all over them. Rafa teams are always organized.
We were all over them. Rafa teams are always organized.
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I’m thinking more of haalands class but I do agree cavani is very good just that he’s gonna be on the decline soon
Don’t get me wrong he’s not at his peak but he’s still amazing. I’d love haaland next year.
So much more comfortable than expected, Everton were absolute shite. Played some great football in the first half and hopefully have a similar intensity against Leeds next week.
So true. Love his type of player and a good guy.
The Dalot slagging off on here is some of the most short sighted crap on this forum. Who knows what he will be in the long run but give me a break.
So glad you were there! Loved seeing the fans....
I thought that the Maguire goal was well worked out set piece. Shaw put in an in swinging corner and Lindelof went for it by design or it was a practiced move and it left Maguire space to head it in.
He is definitely not Bruno but he is our best option as backup in that position.
That’s next week. ‘This is a football’ ice-breaker day today.
How come Maguire & Shaw played more minutes at the Euros than Sancho yet they played against Everton & Sancho didn't, is he injured or something?
Something to do with the official start of his holidays being delayed due to the transfer needing completed before it started.
We have a real problem and it is shown time and time again when Matic plays.
There is a big difference when we have an actual DM with a positional sense. Problem is Matic can basically never play.
Where does that leave us? Playing Fred next to VDB or Pogba?
It will never work for a multiple reasons one of the biggest ones being Fred's pressing and reading of the game. Fred doesn't read what is actually happening when he presses. It's all or nothing.
It happened yesterday where Pogba was pushed up and someone lost the ball. Instead of realising the danger and sitting in DM Fred decided to press the ball as hard as he could. When the opposition player got passed him we then had no Midfield at all.
This would never happen with Matic or a real DM as they would spot the danger and know it's best to sit.
That leaves us with the other option of playing the terrible Midfield of McTominay and Fred. This is probably an even worse option.
We really need a DM. If we are not going to get one it will need to be drilled into Fred that he cannot go mad pressing when his Midfield partner is already pushed up. The problem is he hasn't learnt this by now so he is never going to.
And this isn't me blaming Fred either. I'm really blaming the club because the problem isn't any of the individual players. It's that we don't have a single midfield pair that complement eachother. All of our midfielders are number 8s bar Matic who again essentially can never play.
There is a big difference when we have an actual DM with a positional sense. Problem is Matic can basically never play.
Where does that leave us? Playing Fred next to VDB or Pogba?
It will never work for a multiple reasons one of the biggest ones being Fred's pressing and reading of the game. Fred doesn't read what is actually happening when he presses. It's all or nothing.
It happened yesterday where Pogba was pushed up and someone lost the ball. Instead of realising the danger and sitting in DM Fred decided to press the ball as hard as he could. When the opposition player got passed him we then had no Midfield at all.
This would never happen with Matic or a real DM as they would spot the danger and know it's best to sit.
That leaves us with the other option of playing the terrible Midfield of McTominay and Fred. This is probably an even worse option.
We really need a DM. If we are not going to get one it will need to be drilled into Fred that he cannot go mad pressing when his Midfield partner is already pushed up. The problem is he hasn't learnt this by now so he is never going to.
And this isn't me blaming Fred either. I'm really blaming the club because the problem isn't any of the individual players. It's that we don't have a single midfield pair that complement eachother. All of our midfielders are number 8s bar Matic who again essentially can never play.
It fecking pisses me off we weren't in for Soumare for £17m. Another obvious signing in a problem position goes begging.