[Hugh Jass]

I don't think there was any deliberate plan or tactic to defend the 1-0 lead. I have noticed many people reached this conclusion after seeing the team's play in the second half and I think it is a wrong notion. How could Jose have told them to defend a one goal lead at half time? His comments after the game show that he was as disappointed in the way the team failed to score more as we all are. And it was not the first time he spoke about the failure of his team to kill off games when leading.

Bringing in Martial was supposed to make the team attack more but the opposite happened. He kept giving away the ball leading to greater pressure on the team. Maybe that's why he decided to tighten up by bringing in Fellaini.

I think the mentality of the players has to change. They need a killer instinct and they need to do a whole lot better finishing chances created in front of goal. Making these happen is Jose's toughest challenge.

This.

This is what is completely lacking this season.

 

[Will Absolute]

We're getting there. Baby steps. Sooooooo... Having demonstrated that we're the better side, who is more likely to win the next leg? Us? Or them?

That's not the question, Pogue.

The issue is whether the result in Belgium improved our chances of winning the tie, disimproved them or left them unchanged. If United were quoted at, say, 1/5 to win the tie before the game was played, are we now quoted at 1/6, or 1/4 or still at 1/5?

If, in the wake of the game, the bookies lengthened the odds on United going through, it was a poor result for us, even if we're still favourites.

 

[Sandikan]

1-1 away from home amounts to: no advantage to either side, go again.
.

How do you work that out pal?
We have an away goal, and we have our home advantage to come.

So i'd say we're in the stronger position here.

 

[sunama]

Absolutely dire post that one.

Get to know your own team's names too! Lidgard. Deary me. And you rate him twice. And 2 different rankings.

Comedy stuff.

Very funny.

 

[sunama]

Jose clearly not happy with his attacking players.

He looks absolutely fed up of our attackers who can't convert chances and I don't blame him.
I think it's fairly obvious that next season we shall have attackers who in their absolute prime.
Miki has been disappointing (he is in his prime). Today's goal will be welcomed, though his league form is poor.
Rashford is a teenager...so can't complain.
Martial has been hugely disappointing and IMO will be gone this Summer.
Ibra is our best attacker by far, but we can't rely on a 35 year old to bail us out in every game.
Mata, is our best 2nd best attacker, but not prolific in front of goal.
Lingard....
Basically, our attackers just aren't good enough.

Griezemann will join and I have a strong feeling we shall buy another high profile attacker in his mid 20s in the Summer, with Martial/Rooney exiting.

 

[HumblePieEyed]

Our impotence is Viagravating.

 

[sunama]

We are miles away from the CL level. We don't have the players nor the tactics to play at a higher level. What can you expect with the likes of Fellaini, Lingard, Martial, Darmian... even Valencia, who is so predictable and Pogba, who looks like is more concerned about his different hair style in every game than giving a decent performance. Even the mentality looks down, we still have a long way to go until we go back to a competitive level.

Sorry for bad english.

This English is good.

You're English is spot on. If love to say something else but we look like shit.

This English is poor.
Sorry man...couldn't resist.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

This English is good.



This English is poor.
Sorry man...couldn't resist.

Whatever

 

[HumblePieEyed]

Pathetic. Pogba has to be dropped for me, he's ran out of chances a while ago with his pointless and rather counterproductive holding of the ball on every break we get.

Mourinho is testing my patience at this point. I thought he might finally change his ways, even if only slightly, to accommodate the United ethos of attack, but no, we see 30 minutes of camping in our own half and unsurprisingly concede, when the game was there for the taking as well.

Pogba does more spin-a-ramas than the entire cast of ICE CAPADES.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That's not the question, Pogue.

The issue is whether the result in Belgium improved our chances of winning the tie, disimproved them or left them unchanged. If United were quoted at, say, 1/5 to win the tie before the game was played, are we now quoted at 1/6, or 1/4 or still at 1/5?

If, in the wake of the game, the bookies lengthened the odds on United going through, it was a poor result for us, even if we're still favourites.

The result improved our chances, obviously. We've completed the tougher half of the leg and are marginally ahead (thanks to the away goal). Hence we're now more likely to progress than we were before the game kicked off. This is simple stuff. Really struggling to see where you're coming from. In a two-legged European tie a score draw in the first leg ALWAYS favours the team who will be home in the second.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Same old, expecting nothing more than a bottom nipping game next Thursday.

 

[SirScholes]

How do you work that out pal?
We have an away goal, and we have our home advantage to come.

So i'd say we're in the stronger position here.

Plus they have to score so will need to come out and play at OT. Mhiki will get a couple with space at home

 

[Sandikan]

Plus they have to score so will need to come out and play at OT. Mhiki will get a couple with space at home

Exactly. The 2 legged games suit us, as class tends to tell over 2 games.

The final would be a completely different story. But let's not get ahead of ourselves

 

[Name Changed]

The best players will have confidence in themselves without needing to have their arse licked by the manager in public. If we have wet flannels that fall apart after a little criticism then they aren't the type of players we need to get us back to where we want to be. I can guarantee if the likes of Neville, Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo, Keane, Beckham (I could keep going here) were criticised for a poor performance they would be motivated to up their game the following week. That's the kind of group mentality that dominates leagues and competes for the CL.

There's is a happy medium between having your arse licked and being criticized publicly non stop. The criticizing of the players clearly is not working.

 

[Duafc]

The result improved our chances, obviously. We've completed the tougher half of the leg and are marginally ahead (thanks to the away goal). Hence we're now more likely to progress than we were before the game kicked off. This is simple stuff. Really struggling to see where you're coming from. In a two-legged European tie a score draw in the first leg ALWAYS favours the team who will be home in the second.

Not as simple as that though.

Now it's a knockout tie. They win 1-0 they go through. Therefore it's longer odds on us.

If we had of lost the first leg 1-0 we could still progress, if we lose the 2nd leg one nil, we're out.

Think that's the essence of it.

 

[LisburnWhite]

The result improved our chances, obviously. We've completed the tougher half of the leg and are marginally ahead (thanks to the away goal). Hence we're now more likely to progress than we were before the game kicked off. This is simple stuff. Really struggling to see where you're coming from. In a two-legged European tie a score draw in the first leg ALWAYS favours the team who will be home in the second.

Agree.
Statistically the team at home in the 2nd leg go through around 60% of the time.
After a 1-1 draw that goes up to around 75%

 

[Name Changed]

Managers have different ways of working and getting best out of players. Mourinho, without doubt, has been mostly successful with his way managing. Sir Alex succeeded and hardly ever criticised players openly. Take your choice.

Obviously, we have to accept that's the Mourinho's way manages his teams and the board were aware prior to hiring him.

He has been successful. His last two seasons have been abysmal. The players that played for him used to adore him. Now he just slags everyone off daily in the press. He didn't do that before. I don't believe it's working.

 

[Will Absolute]

The result improved our chances, obviously. We've completed the tougher half of the leg and are marginally ahead (thanks to the away goal). Hence we're now more likely to progress than we were before the game kicked off. This is simple stuff. Really struggling to see where you're coming from. In a two-legged European tie a score draw in the first leg ALWAYS favours the team who will be home in the second.

Not true.

If a top side are playing a very weak side in a two leg tie, they're favourites to win both legs - home and away. If they fail to win the away leg, it can't improve their chances of going through.

Another way of looking at it might be: disregarding the goals, in the course of the game last night, when it became apparent how weak Alderlecht actually were, would we have been happy with a 1-1 outcome? Surely not. We were much the better side and should have won. How can underachieving in one of the two legs be a good result?

The original odds in the tie are based on both teams performing to standard in both legs. If we perform below standard in the first leg it can't improve our odds of progressing.

 

[Dobbs]

Bunch of crybabies if you ask me. Still favorites to progress and complete our trophy set. Already won the league cup and still in with a shout at top 4. We are playing much more entertaining football than last year too. The draws will become wins once we sign another 20 plus goals a season player imo

Be interesting to see the reaction if the remainder of the season goes wrong. Cry babies or fans who can see there might be problems ahead. We'll see soon I guess.

 

[podurban2]

Be interesting to see the reaction if the remainder of the season goes wrong. Cry babies or fans who can see there might be problems ahead. We'll see soon I guess.

There are problems right now. Hopefully solutions for the future, yet to see. Bringing Fellaini on to defend a league is not a promising sign may I say.

 

[Dobbs]

There are problems right now. Hopefully solutions for the future, yet to see. Bringing Fellaini on to defend a league is not a promising sign may I say.

I wasn't pleased to see Fellaini but it's not the sub decisions that bother me. It's the way we're playing since turn of the year. The missed chances narrative is covering for some pretty disjointed football. We're kind of getting through it because we have some guys with individual quality but it feels to me like we're going to come unstuck.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Not true.

If a top side are playing a very weak side in a two leg tie, they're favourites to win both legs - home and away. If they fail to win the away leg, it can't improve their chances of going through.

Another way of looking at it might be: disregarding the goals, in the course of the game last night, when it became apparent how weak Alderlecht actually were, would we have been happy with a 1-1 outcome? Surely not. We were much the better side and should have won. How can underachieving in one of the two legs be a good result?

The original odds in the tie are based on both teams performing to standard in both legs. If we perform below standard in the first leg it can't improve our odds of progressing.

Not even sure why I'm continuing this but feel the need to emphasise how utterly wrong you are and can only repeat myself to do so. A one one draw away from home in the first leg of a two-legged draw is ALWAYS a good result for the team that plays at home in the next leg. No exceptions.

 

[Denis' cuff]

Not even sure why I'm continuing this but feel the need to emphasise how utterly wrong you are and can only repeat myself to do so. A one one draw away from home in the first leg of a two-legged draw is ALWAYS a good result for the team that plays at home in the next leg. No exceptions.

Ordinarily, Pogue.... but this is United with an abysmal home record.

Having said that, we should surely get through.

 

[Denis' cuff]

Ordinarily, Pogue.... but this is United with an abysmal home record.

Having said that, we should surely get through.

Although, in reply to the comment somebody made that they have to come looking for goals, they can park the bus and come at us in the last 15. We are well capable of shitting ourselves as we have so many times late on, this season.

Edit:

Ha. Meant to edit.

 

[Sigma]

Mata, is our best 2nd best attacker, but not prolific in front of goal.

I'd say he's the best finisher we have at the club.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Not even sure why I'm continuing this but feel the need to emphasise how utterly wrong you are and can only repeat myself to do so. A one one draw away from home in the first leg of a two-legged draw is ALWAYS a good result for the team that plays at home in the next leg. No exceptions.

Also, it was their only real chance (I think it was their only shot on target). We're mostly very solid defensively and I don't see them creating much at Old Trafford.