[OutOfTowner]

It would help if our defense regained their early season form. Been incredibly shaky of late.

But I've noticed that they don't even put in tackles, they look to either block off the space or just intercept a pass. I wish they'd be a little braver and positionally smarter.

 

[Drifter]

Liked that half . Step it up a little more in the second.

 

[Trizy]

Two great goals, other than that I thought we've been too lackadaisical.

Not good enough in the midfield.

 

[Scarecrow]

Don't think his first half dozen goals got an inch above the ground.

Well, yeah, but excluding the one-on-ones. I don't know where I'm going with this.

 

[Jacob]

Pogba is next-level

 

[Denis79]

@Random Task that was a really poor second attempt from Martial wasn't it?

 

[SirAnderson]

Hope we don't now sit on our 2-0 and protect it, we need to smash another 2 in at least. Get Lukaku going and another from Messe Lingard to keep his form going!

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Dave's got to drop that crap hairstyle.

How dare you!

 

[FreakyJim]

Jones, Smalling and Matic, the three stooges.

 

[Ban]

We're giving them too many chances. Good result tho of course. Should be enough.

 

[GifLord]

Shaqiri chance - De gea with the save

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

He's a class player. His career just hasn't panned out that way, but he's got the talent.

Bench option here. Like purely bench option?

 

[Camilo]

Solid half of football, but Stoke are useless! Shaqiri is a great week player still! Some good football, Lukaku much better with a bit of freedom. Very enjoyable!

Sound like a bloody library though - jeesh!

 

[The White Pele]

I still feel that this midfield isn't right. We get away with it in games like this

 

[Android1974]

Is this not a 4-2-3-1 formation? Pogba is doing brilliant playing in a two man MF, with two assists, lively across the pitch.

Yeah, Pogba's mainly on the right of midfield, so more like a 4-2-3-1.

 

[Rozay]

Tony Toni Tone

 

[OutOfTowner]

It's absolutely amazing that we've ended that half with more fouls than Stoke. What the absolute feck?

Probably cause Taylor's an absolute Muppet who apparently hates us. Along with every other dozy ref in this division.

 

[FreakyJim]

Matic alone can't hold the midfield, he's too slow.

 

[Ban]

Solid half of football, but Stoke are useless! Shaqiri is a great week player still! Some good football, Lukaku much better with a bit of freedom. Very enjoyable!

Sound like a bloody library though - jeesh!

Monday night game, no wonder.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Bit of a slump after the first goal, but we got back on it. Good half.

Valencia's return has been huge. His presence on the right is enormous.

 

[King.of.Red]

De God!! Feck, those sloppy moments with our defending can punish us against big teams like Shitty. Anyway, quite satisfied with 1st half. So happy for our captain to score goal. Martial goal also beautiful...

 

[Hugh Jass]

Good that we are winning but Stoke could easily have one if not two as well.

Hopefully we bang in a few more second half.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Hope we don't now sit on our 2-0 and protect it, we need to smash another 2 in at least. Get Lukaku going and another from Messe Lingard to keep his form going!

Echo this. He is in my dream team.

 

[Full bodied red]

Yeah, I know it's Stoke but sometimes we're really quite good.

 

[Gusjaros]

I think Stoke have been a bit unlucky. They should've gotten at least one past De Gea. In terms of chances created they are at least level with Man Utd.

Martials shooting is quite often totally shit.

But, then again.

He unironically got one of the best shots in the league?

 

[Jagga7]

Quality has shone through. 2 great goals.

 

[JustAFan]

Nice to see a lower level club come in and not just put everyone behind the ball. Stoke making their chances just not making anything of them. Two beautiful goals

 

[Jeffthered]

Fabulous De Gea. And a satisfactory half against a team v v low on confidence.

You know the thing is, I was, and will continue to berate both Mata and Martial. An excellent finish, but aside from that, Martial has been v poor. I suppose one may argue that doesn't matter, although I would disagree. Martial frustrates me.

Mata is well and truly back to his average best. Doesn't he want to play 90 mins??

Paul Pogba is a joy to watch. Fantastic player. Absolutely essential to the club, because he sets a standard that players must aspire to. Some struggle though. His ability highlights the deficiencies of others. And he isn't even an attacker.

Lukaku is playing v well, running the line really well.

 

[dove]

I still feel that this midfield isn't right. We get away with it in games like this

It clearly isn't. I guess we are supposed to play 4-2-3-1 however Pogba just doesn't have good positional discipline which leaves Matic alone (and 2 headless chickens in Smalling and Jones behind him).

 

[Damien]

Well, yeah, but excluding the one-on-ones. I don't know where I'm going with this.

Yes, excluding the shots that were low he hasn't hit a low one.

Martials shooting is quite often totally shit.

But, then again.

Weirdly he's got one of the best conversion rates in the league this season along with Sterling*

*though this game has probably damaged that.

 

[Random Task]

@Random Task that was a really poor second attempt from Martial wasn't it?

Yeah he's shite.

Send him to Arsenal!

 

[Bastian]

Bench option here. Like purely bench option?

If Stoke go down he's surely off. IMV he'd be a great signing for a Leicester or Everton. At 26/27 he should be playing games.

 

[SirAnderson]

Good performance so far. Just 3 or 4 sloppy moments that could have cost us had it been better opposition. But can't complain, just hope we can get that 3rd goal to put it really to bed, even though it kinda is already.

 

[RedPed]

Shaquiri has quite the touch.

He reminds me of City's Kinky. That guy's wasted at Stoke!

 

[FrenchRed]

All things considered, I enjoyed that half - nice game, and 2 nice goals!

 

[charlenefan]

2 wonder goals but apart from that pretty poor

Need to ditch the 4-2-3-1 and go 4-3-3

 

[Antisocial]

Glad to know there is at least 1 person that got that

 

[leontas]

Business in the front, party at the back today.

 

[Nick7]

Yes, excluding the shots that were low he hasn't hit a low one.

 

[MonkeysMagic]

Smalling trying to out jump and head Crouch is an excercise in futility. He should just back off and try picking up the knock downs.