[gregwar]

Starting to - unfortunately - think that Mata isn't all that.

great player imo, but he's a luxury. has to be played in the middle, but needs mobility around him to cover the defensive side, and with fellaini, fletcher, carrick and to lesser extent cleverley, he's not getting that.

we desperately need another midfielder alongside herrera.

 

[Roboc7]

We have plenty of players to come back but we still had 7-8 of our starting 11 on the field and we struggled against a very ordinary side who will finish in the bottom half. We are in for another tough season, even if we do get new signings they will have to settle into the team, top 4 is the aim and it will be touch and go if we make it or not.

 

[Gannicus]

No RvP, no Evans and no Shaw today.

Hernandez and Nani were poor, if not horrifying.

The refusal to address our most obvious need, defensive midfielder, manifested itself today. Fletcher and Fellaini are simply not up to the standard required of a putative prem champion.

 

[Livewire1974]

That's not going to happen though. He's a trusted advisor to the glaziers. They'll keep him around yet.

He wont be so trusted if this shite continues.

 

[Santos J]

We had just scored, we had the momentum. Why change it?

It was about 15 minutes after we scored that he came off, we were in control then but not really doing much. Don't think Herrera should've come off at all but it was hardly something that changed the game I wouldn't say.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The thing is people seem to be surprised when others comment on our squad being average.

If we're being brutally honest, our defence is midtable standard. Our midfield is midtable standard. Up front is our only saving grace. Where do you expect us to finish with such a bang average squad? Just having the name Manchester United on your jersey isn't good enough to win you titles anymore.

Hererra needs two other top quality midfielder in there with him. Carrick might have been one. Fletcher certainly isn't.

 

[Aporkalypse]

Oh really? That didnt count for Kagawa then I guess?

Does "What the TEAM needs" not cover every player?

 

[NinjaZombie]

Starting to - unfortunately - think that Mata isn't all that.

Mata needs proper footballers around him. People who won't ponder around with the ball and pass aimlessly. The only players I can think of who can do that are Herrera, Kagawa and Januzaj.

Saying that, he should've changed his approach when it was clear it wasn't working.

 

[Señor]

Again I hope we don't make the same mistake as last season where we accept we have to be shit for a season. Er, no we don't. A little bit of investment and we could cement fourth place and maybe, just maybe, challenge for the title. We don't have to be hanging off the coattails of Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal and hope we get fourth place if we actually do what actual football clubs do and spend some money to improve this dire squad.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

We're still in a funk from the Moyes era. Not playing with enough tempo. It'll take time to fix.

it will take signings to fix. The bulk of our first 11 players are not up to scratch with where we Want and need to be, With the rest of the elite clubs.

 

[Mister Ed]

We weren't that bad. We have been shite defensively for too long and today proved that.I think everyone including the players were optimistic about going into our first game. I am surprised that we did not make most of our pre season momentum. LvG is famous for not having a great start to his league campaigns, so I expect better things to come in the future. I am more worried for our defense than our midfield.

BULLSHIT !

He won his first game with Ajax, Barcelona and AZ and he had a draw with Bayern. This is his first game lose ever at a new club.

Reality is, preseason form and all the hype is just that, a hype. Some players like Fletcher managed again to deceive us with his outstanding performances against teams tha don't matter and then when it does matter he plays like an old man that belongs in a nursing home.

We need atleast 3 additions, maybay even 4 if we don't want this season to end in a total disaster like last season.

 

[legball]

He's a passenger. £40m wasted on a player we don't need.

Christ! He's world class, and when we settle down and play a more possession based game, he's thrive. Some of you need to calm down a bit.

 

[Boycott]

Herrera wasn't great but he was getting about in midfield. Take him off and keep Fletcher there who was really conservative?! Then try to play hoof to Fellaini and there is no option in midfield or out wide when he won the headers because a. there was no movement off the ball and b. the players are too far apart from each other.

Every game at OT when opponents score it seems the next goal is 50-50 on who will get it. We don't control the games.

 

[JohnDoe]

At least we will surely invest now right?



... right?

 

[Seveneric]

I don't understand the "but the system will take getting used to". Err, how are the players supposed to get used to it when at the first sign of trouble the fancy new system was dropped and United basically reverted?

Also, if there's a football equivalent of a nobel prize, Fergie should get it

 

[Godfather]

Does "What the TEAM needs" not cover every player?

Ppl were easy to jump on Kagawa's back when there was exactly the same problem. Just that he never dissapeared in the manner Mata does at times.

 

[dar10nian]

Starting to - unfortunately - think that Mata isn't all that.

Sadly, I have to agree. He is a Messi without the pace. A luxury player Jose got rid off. In order for mata to really play his best, he needs a team full of runners. Unfortunately, at this moment, we sorely lack pace and power throughout the team, with the exception of Jones.

 

[Oneunited26]

It resembles our eague cup side, like I say anyone expecting is too do much with the current midfield and defence were over estimating how bad the squad is

 

[Loon]

Bummer of a start. See where we are, and what team we have, in ten games.

 

[RoadTrip]

We have plenty of players to come back but we still had 7-8 of our starting 11 on the field and we struggled against a very ordinary side who will finish in the bottom half. We are in for another tough season, even if we do get new signings they will have to settle into the team, top 4 is the aim and it will be touch and go if we make it or not.

Highly optimistic to say touch and go. We need to improve significantly before it's touch and go IMO. All the other teams have improved and come off the back of good seasons. The best way to forget about last year was to storm to a win today. Mentally more than anything, this performance and result is highly damaging.

 

[Ash_G]

No RvP, no Evans and no Shaw today.

Hernandez and Nani were poor, if not horrifying.

The refusal to address our most obvious need, defensive midfielder, manifested itself today. Fletcher and Fellaini are simply not up to the standard required of a putative prem champion.

What did Nani do that was so much worse than the other players we had? Took a lot more responsibility to try and do something with the ball than others imo.

 

[Blue always red]

Starting to - unfortunately - think that Mata isn't all that.

Mata is by far and away the most intelligent player we have at the club. The problem is with those around him. If at any given time Mata had the ball with Rooney and Chicha in front of him, there were at least 5 Swansea players in the way. Now that wouldn't be a problem if Rooney and Chicha were giving Mata the chance to pick them out but the problem was they were both slowly backing their way into the box asking for the ball to be played to their feat.

Look at Silva in the City team. He has an abundance of players making runs around him, it's just so easy for them to slice teams open and he's not a far superior player to Mata.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The mood on MUTV is telling, everyone putting pressure on the club to spend.

They have from last season and still haven't spent enough. Hopefully LvG will grab Ed round the throat and tell him to Spend Ed, Spend.

 

[Castia]

Strange decision to take Herrera off for Fellaini. For start I thought Fletcher was awful and then when Fellaini came on it turned into a long ball and knock down straight out of the Sam Allardyce playbook.

 

[entropy]

At least we will surely invest now right?



... right?

 

[vibe]

Vidal in, Di Maria in, Hummels in. Else we'll be going "T-twenty times." in 2025.

 

[Jagga7]

I don't think it's all doom and gloom. We dominated most of the match. Swansea had very little going forward but managed to score two goals. We will improve and I am sure now we will be signing some much needed reinforcements.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

BULLSHIT !

He won his first game with Ajax, Barcelona and AZ and he had a draw with Bayern. This is his first game lose ever at a new club.

Reality is, preseason form and all the hype is just that, a hype. Some players like Fletcher managed again to deceive us with his outstanding performances against teams tha don't matter and then when it does matter he plays like an old man that belongs in a nursing home.

We need atleast 3 additions, maybay even 4 if we don't want this season to end in a total disaster like last season.

He will be seriously annoyed about that. That has ruined his record and he will have been proud of that.

 

[RuudTom83]

The ghosts of last season re-appeared, and it is going to take longer than we hoped to banish them! But that is only to be expected.

Interesting subs today, and none of Hernandez, Nani or Fellaini did themselves any favors.

I mentioned it in the match day thread, but the tactics seemed very unlike LVG today once the result looked in doubt. Giggs hasn't really proved anything to be the assistant manager so i really hope his advise is only taken in consideration and nothing more.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Not good, far too slow, far too safe and not creative or progressive enough. Things can only get better from here... but it requires recruitment, which everyone knows already.

 

[Deleted member 78215]

I don't understand why, after Hernandez decided he was going to quit being a footballer and join the Ministry of Silly Walks, we didn't put Kagawa on.

Let's see what we could have had:

Fletcher - Herrera
Januzaj - Kagawa - Mata - Young
Rooney
​

We could have dominated midfield, and had some more incision down the centre.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

He's a passenger. £40m wasted on a player we don't need.

We overpaid by 7m or so and he was a luxury signing sure, these are valid arguments, but he is world class and consistantly one of our best players game after game, just wasn't today

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Strange decision to take Herrera off for Fellaini. For start I thought Fletcher was awful and then when Fellaini came on it turned into a long ball and knock down straight out of the Sam Allardyce playbook.

He probably didn't tell them to play like that when Fellaini came on, but what else do you do with him?

 

[Rafabio]

Adnan was the only real bright spark.

The injuries only compounded what we already know. We are lacking in the middle and at the back.

 

[entropy]

We're heading down the Liverpool road I'm afraid.

Tad bit over dramatic, don't you think?

 

[Castia]

I don't think it's all doom and gloom. We dominated most of the match. Swansea had very little going forward but managed to score two goals. We will improve and I am sure now we will be signing some much needed reinforcements.

We had nothing going forward though, they was happy to let us have the ball and hit us on the break. In the 90 minutes of play we barely had a shot on goal, the Rooney goal even come from a corner.

 

[Aporkalypse]

Ppl were easy to jump on Kagawa's back when there was exactly the same problem. Just that he never dissapeared in the manner Mata does at times.

Pretty sure he did plenty of times last season.

 

[jaimoe]

Don't worry. I am 100% sure that the chocolate teapot is considering making an offer to some club for some player.

 

[Kallech33]

BULLSHIT !

He won his first game with Ajax, Barcelona and AZ and he had a draw with Bayern. This is his first game lose ever at a new club.

Reality is, preseason form and all the hype is just that, a hype. Some players like Fletcher managed again to deceive us with his outstanding performances against teams tha don't matter and then when it does matter he plays like an old man that belongs in a nursing home.

We need atleast 3 additions, maybay even 4 if we don't want this season to end in a total disaster like last season.

Van Gaal might have drawn the first game with Bayern but overall his start with Bayern was awful. Worst start for Bayern in over 40 years IIRC.
Only after they bought Robben they started to click.

I agree that United needs additions but I don't think that 3 or 4 will happen this late in the window. 2 seems more realistic. 1 CB and 1 CM or Winger depending on what system van Gaal wants to play.

 

[RoadTrip]

For those criticising Mata:

I think the concept of a no.10 has become so confused in recent years.

Look at Ozil - tore teams apart at real because he had runners. But look at him at arsenal where he lacks runners - had a poor season.

Look at Mata. In a counter attacking Chelsea side, he scored and assisted. But at United, no runners, and is useless.

You'll find similar stories for all number 10s. 10s need runners to stretch the game. We have NONE who do that.