[Ixion]

Young despite his age and recent failings has more heart, passion and commitment than a lot of the others on the pitch. Yes, his time has come to move on but he has been committed to our cause in this difficult period.

Running around like a headless chicken and shouting at your teammates is pretty easy to do to be honest.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Looking at that Ajax side, that is how to develop players, I am not sure we actually do that. We have good youngsters, but it seems to be as soon as they get into the first team they don't improve that much. I honestly think Rashford and Martial looked better when they first got in the team and have gone backwards. Why is that? What are we doing wrong? Are we rewarding them too early and it stops the desire to improve?

 

[StrettyEnder07]

To be expected, absolute levels apart, miracle we got through PSG and this was an even bigger ask, the good thing is it hopefully shows Ole what he needs to do in the summer, the run at the start of his reign maybe papered over some of the cracks but now he will have a clear indication of what needs to go and what we need.

Hopefully it stops with the marquee mercenary signings and get back to the core of players who want to come to the club, to play for the club, will leave it all on the pitch and fight for the shirt.

Have to say I have not looked forward to a summer so much for a while, cannot wait to hopefully get rid of the deadwood, 7/8 players hopefully, bring in fingers crossed 5 and promote a few of the kids.

Also, I would be stunned if Madrid paid 100m+ for Pogba, so that is one less thing to worry about, massive massive summer ahead!

 

[Saudi Falcon]

Do these players deserve to wear MU shirt? I was expecting that we would be knocked out at anytime but not this way. Some players have no respect to the shirt they are wearing and should be kicked out of the club. They are destroying the great history of this club. We don't want to see Young, Pogba, Lukaku, Sanchez, and Rashford again in this club.

 

[charlenefan]

Come on mate, barca scored 4 and conceded none. Now there are only two ways a team can score 4 and not concede any.
1) If they were good.
2) Opposition were bad.

No way in football can you say it was none of those two, not when score is 4-0. My words may seem harsh but give credit where its due. Only goal utd could have saved was messi's 2nd. All others were unstoppable and gave nobody any chance.

Now tell me if it was 1 or 2?

1st was an OG and completely avoidable
2nd while a great finish was avoidable
3rd was and out and out blunder by the keeper
4th well it didn't really matter by this point did it

 

[Still ill]

Looking at that Ajax side, that is how to develop players, I am not sure we actually do that. We have good youngsters, but it seems to be as soon as they get into the first team they don't improve that much. I honestly think Rashford and Martial looked better when they first got in the team and have gone backwards. Why is that? What are we doing wrong? Are we rewarding them too early and it stops the desire to improve?

They come into an established system, a team with an identity. They already know what's expected of them.

 

[coolredwine]

Looking at that Ajax side, that is how to develop players, I am not sure we actually do that. We have good youngsters, but it seems to be as soon as they get into the first team they don't improve that much.

That requires a lot of time and effort though. Ajax themselves took about 5 odd seasons to reach this stage. Would the United board and fans willing to wait for such a long time? I don't think so.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

They come into an established system, a team with an identity. They already know what's expected of them.

I agree. Like it used to be at United. I just wonder how hard our players work to be better. Some seem more obsessed about how their bodies look rather than working on decision making and clinical finishing or how to defend properly. That used to be how players got to the top. Lots of hard work, even after training.

 

[golden_blunder]

If we’d scored in the first 10 minutes we’d have beaten them I think. Once they got their heads in the game they just schooled us

 

[DomesticTadpole]

That requires a lot of time and effort though. Ajax themselves took about 5 odd seasons to reach this stage. Would the United board and fans willing to wait for such a long time? I don't think so.

Well maybe we should be willing to wait and put a proper structure in place, starting with a DOF/or whatever they want to call it. We are going absolutely nowhere. I am just hoping we get our transfer business done quickly and not send Ole into the season with an ill-prepared team.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

If we’d scored in the first 10 minutes we’d have beaten them I think. Once they got their heads in the game they just schooled us

We might have done, but this 'If we had scored first' thing is getting a bit too regular for me. Maybe we should just make sure we have someone who doesn't wet themselves when they are clean through.

 

[JonDahl]

If we’d scored in the first 10 minutes we’d have beaten them I think. Once they got their heads in the game they just schooled us

Just like in 2009.

 

[OLLY ORANGE]

Young had an oh too familiar mare. Degea had one of his ever increasing moment again.
Midfield was just ok.
Forward line started well but again lack of finishing lets us down again. Attacking threat diminished once we went behind.
Martial has all the footballing attributes to be top draw but lacks character, determination and work ethic.
Rashford had great desire again but he will be a hindrance to the club if he does not improve on finishing in the forseeable future. Cannot see him as a number 9 or a twenty odd goal a season man which is what is a given to be a leading striker at the club. The praise he gets from the media and some fans on here is doing him no favours at all.
And Lingard how he was kept on the pitch for so long is beyond me, what is he and what does he do to warrant being any where near the side. As mentioned youth team player coming through the ranks does not give you a god given right to be a mainstay in the first team.

 

[Jeffthered]

No player can carry this tripe to victory.

However the stats are there to be seen 42 appearances, 16 goals and 14 assists. Don't worry though, if we want him out, he'll be out. Then we can enjoy the talent of the various mules 24/7 such as Young, Mctominay and Lingard to our heart content. No one is going to take them away from our hands that's for sure.

Exactly. Pogba is the first to blamed for everything. What do people really expect of him in such circumstances. Who has played better than him since Ole took over? No one even comes close. His stats for a midfielder are outstanding.

Fans must learn to stop looking at him to solve everything. We cannot even get five decent passes together without him. And he is surrounded by some very average players. Very average.

Similar to some others on here, I also cannot wait till the summer, and I really hope some big decisions are made.

I would push some youngsters next year, and tell some to simply move on.

 

[Jeffthered]

I like Ajax but I'm not sure this is necessarily true. They have been super-lucky to have two world class talents come through simultaneously which makes everything look amazing, but as we saw with the class of 92, that success with youngsters is unlikely to be repeatable.

Three years ago everyone thought Monaco had the magic formula and could sell players and just keep on rolling. Where are they now?

You don't think they will be competitive next season? That is NOT a two player team, no way. And developing young players is all what Ajax is about. Not luck at all. It's tradition. And I cannot see the world-class players they have... they have talent, but let's learn to wait before we call people world class etc. This is part of the problem.

 

[TRUERED89]

Barca were not that good tbh, we gifted them 3 out of their 4 goals! Inexplicable from De Gea, he's been making these blunders so much the last few months! Young? the less said the better. We started so well if anyone knew how to finish, this game would have been so different. Pundits were drooling over them like it was Barca 09-11, they really weren't all that, we made it so much easier for them then it should have been. Mentally weak players, Ajax have no super stars in their team yet look how well they've done. Tadic makes our front 3 look like complete novice's.

 

[Member 113277]

Yeah I thought Lindelof did well in an unfamiliar and impossible position, he chased shadows for much of the game but did the last-ditch stuff well. Lingard and Martial could barely get on the ball, not entirely their fault but I was disappointed at how little they did, Rashford was lively here and there but blew good opportunities.

The positives from this season in terms of player development are McTominay, Dalot and Fred, the latter because as you say he's gone from looking like a disaster to a decent player and a prospect. Slim pickings really, games like last night show we're in need of a serious overhaul. I hope the board, Ole and the players can get on the same page this summer as it feels make or break.

I agree with the points you make - the other thing we need to do is start to buy better - I know that no signing is ever guaranteed to work out, but the fact is that the board has spent a lot of money over the past few seasons and the results have been disappointing - I hope the DoF is appointed soon.

 

[kouroux]

I like Ajax but I'm not sure this is necessarily true. They have been super-lucky to have two world class talents come through simultaneously which makes everything look amazing, but as we saw with the class of 92, that success with youngsters is unlikely to be repeatable.

Three years ago everyone thought Monaco had the magic formula and could sell players and just keep on rolling. Where are they now?

Only fools thought that. It was never a long term project with them

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I agree with the points you make - the other thing we need to do is start to buy better - I know that no signing is ever guaranteed to work out, but the fact is that the board has spent a lot of money over the past few seasons and the results have been disappointing - I hope the DoF is appointed soon.

Aye

 

[Stookie]

If we’d scored in the first 10 minutes we’d have beaten them I think. Once they got their heads in the game they just schooled us

This was why I didn’t understand why Lukaku didn’t start. If you need a goal surely you start with your attackers and go he’ll for leather.

 

[Mr Anderson]

Pro’s: Scott McTominnays new chant.

Con’s: Everything after Ashley Young’s dallying.
Some minute section of away fans throwing bottles and coins over the fence - pricks.

 

[Craig Ward]

It shouldn't take a hammering by Barca to make us realise AT LEAST 8 of our squad need to be sold asap.

Of our better players, Pogba and Martial also both don't wanna know and are incredibly frustrating to watch.

Wake up - we cannot play Jones/Smalling/Young in a back 4 against an elite side and expect anything other than a drubbing.

Honeymoon is over for Ole - but he needs time to turn this squad around.

why its taken 5 odd years for some of these issues to be addressed baffles me

 

[DomesticTadpole]

It shouldn't take a hammering by Barca to make us realise AT LEAST 8 of our squad need to be sold asap.

Of our better players, Pogba and Martial also both don't wanna know and are incredibly frustrating to watch.

Wake up - we cannot play Jones/Smalling/Young in a back 4 against an elite side and expect anything other than a drubbing.

Honeymoon is over for Ole - but he needs time to turn this squad around.

why its taken 5 odd years for some of these issues to be addressed baffles me

Because they have just chosen to ignore it completely. Also I think they were clinging to the hope that having some of SAF squad still here would inspire the rest to greatness. Well that went well.

 

[Schneckerl]

2nd while a great finish was avoidable

based on that logic every goal ever conceded is avoidable

 

[Trizy]

People gave me shit when I said PSG game was super flukey. We barely crossed the half way line but people are result obsessed around here. We never deserved that result, not in a million years.

What? Who gave you shit and denied we didn't deserve that game? . feck me we were completely horrible and ruined a chance of a good club winning the competition.

 

[OneLoveMUFC]

Barca have not had to get out of second gear in both games, and beat us twice. Thats the chasm between us that they can drop to that level and still be too good for us.

The commentators last night were going OTT on Messi, I think even without him they still would've advanced.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Barca have not had to get out of second gear in both games, and beat us twice. Thats the chasm between us that they can drop to that level and still be too good for us.

The commentators last night were going OTT on Messi, I think even without him they still would've advanced.

Yes there were too mistakes for the first two goals last night, but then they just toyed with us.

 

[APJRed]

I've taken the night to reflect. There's a lot of the usual negativity on here and I think we need to calm down. We started the game well and were threatening. Rashford and Martial looked up for it in attack and Barca appeared to be pretty wary of us. It started to go wrong when Young went down a blind alley trying to get rid of the ball and inevitably had his pocket picked. Messi's goal that followed gave Barca confidence and at the same time our composure took a blow. The second goal should never have happened - an uncharacteristic error from DDG. From that point there was no way back, Barca had their tails up and in contrast we'd lost all hope. Our play was a reflection of that. I don't think we're a million miles behind Barca (despite the fawning for them from the media) nor do I think there needs to be a wholesale re-structure of our squad. Rashford went agonisingly close in the first minute and if that had gone in I think we'd have seen a different performance from the team. We may not have won but it would have been more of a contest.

Going forward it's clear that Young shouldn't be a starter for us. I'd also give DDG a break and bring on Romero. DDG's pretty appalling distribution of late coupled with the error in this game indicates that something's amiss. If that's down to interest from RM then frankly we should let him get on down the road to paraphrase Ferguson.

Have we got the character to learn from last night and more importantly pick ourselves up after our drubbing? The initial indicator will be Sunday's game but the real answer will take many months to find out.

 

[CM]

I'm disappointed by the manner of the loss in the end but not all that surprised. This team is not well enough equipped to go head to head with the likes of Barcelona and that was very apparent last night.

We were unfortunate not to have a goal to show for our efforts after starting brightly but that's about as much as I can say that's positive. Ashley Young doesn't belong at this level and his mistake put us on the back foot, de Gea dropped an absolute clanger and from then there was no way back. The rest of the game was elementary and it was played as such.

 

[Dr Fink]

Running around like a headless chicken and shouting at your teammates is pretty easy to do to be honest.

You are judging him on a few games? I'm judging his commitment and effort over quite a few seasons. I stand by my original comment on him - if others showed the same level he does, we'd fair better. Yes, he's not got the ability now, but he puts the effort in. Maybe he shouldn't play but Ole does play him and he gives it his all. We need more than effort though, we need technically better players WITH his passion, effort and commitment. Others should take a leaf out of his book.

 

[EireRed_GS]

Whens Messi's on form you've an extremely hard task to stop Barca, they're prob gonna hammer you no matter how much you chase them down and run your socks off.

But when we are also constantly gifting them chances and making individual mistakes, you have absolutely no chance.

We def needs some gutting out. plenty of guys stealing a living, not fit to wear that shirt. Clear out the deadwood, bring in a few top class players, bring the youth through.

 

[Ekeke]

Its all very well saying that we were shown up and struggled against Barcelona. We did and were well beaten.

But its also worth taking a look at the bigger picture. Who has played well against Barcelona this season and hasnt played poorly against them? Especially in europe. They've dismantled everyone over the course of 2 games.

Any player that hasnt had a weak game against Barcelona this season whilst playing them at least once is probably worth a fortune. Because thats a very small list of players.

Rodri and Saul from Atletico are probably worth a lot of money anyway and neither of them were that impressive against Barcelona a few weeks ago. And thats in the league where Barcelona have had more trouble than in europe, where they've always turned it on at some point to go through.

Villarreal had a good game against them recently as well, but they were resting Messi at the start. Sevilla had a good start but got overturned and overrun. And Valencia had a good start but Barcelona came back to rescue a draw. So thats in the league, but in europe nobody has really laid a glove on them

Inter, Spurs and Lyon all had a 1 off game where they drew but the other game they played against them they lost easily.

So yeah, players who are going to do well against Barcelona in more than a one off game are going to be very hard to come by.

 

[TRUERED89]

Just saw a stat that showed 4 out of the back 5 last night, also played in December 2011 when FC Basel slapped us into the Europa League! 8 years on and these wasters are still here ruining our team and ambitions! How they've survived up until now is just mesmerising! I wish I could be shite at work for 8 years, pass my annual reviews and still rake in fortunes! God these fecks don't know how privileged they are! Put 11 fans on the pitch and they'll literally die on the field for the badge! We'd definitely see more fight if not any quality! Such a farce this post SAF era

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Just switch it to Lindelof you dosser. Thought repeating in my head as I watched this during the game. What’s worse later on he did something very similar deciding to try and go down the line and play it on his weaker foot than a switch.

 

[TRUERED89]

Just switch it to Lindelof you dosser. Thought repeating in my head as I watched this during the game. What’s worse later on he did something very similar deciding to try and go down the line and play it on his weaker foot than a switch.

I was thinking exactly the same, fecking SWITCH IT!! Is it just me or could De Gea also have done more for that shot? it was accurate I suppose but not the most venomous of shots like Coutinho's for example!

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I was thinking exactly the same, fecking SWITCH IT!! Is it just me or could De Gea also have done more for that shot? it was accurate I suppose but not the most venomous of shots like Coutinho's for example!

To be honest in that view it does look saveable but when you see it from the view behind Messi then no chance.

I don’t know why but there were a few that seemed to not want to switch it yesterday like they felt they were too good for it. Then Messi switched it a couple of times and opened us right up. We our are own worst enemy at times.

 

[Red1968]

If Rashford scores on that chance early, absolutely everything that follows is different. Unfortunately, Rashford is streaky and sometimes money and sometimes not. The Messi goal was a duplicate of most of the goals he has ever scored come in from the right, wait for the opposition backs to amazingly give you lots of room and then smash a perfectly placed shot in the net. Its like nobody watches film on this guy. You give him a little room, his speed creates even more and he punishes you. The 2nd goal will go down as one of the worst of DDG's career. Not just a howler but a dagger to the stomach of his team. By goal 3 it didn't really matter and Countinho will only hits a perfect shot like that 1/100 times. We had to play perfectly and we blew it both legs.

 

[Siorac]

based on that logic every goal ever conceded is avoidable

Sure but there are different degrees of avoidable. Giving the ball to Messi right in front of our own penalty area qualifies as "incredibly stupid and self-destructive", far more than failing to track a midfield runner, for example.

 

[El Zoido]

To be honest in that view it does look saveable but when you see it from the view behind Messi then no chance.

I don’t know why but there were a few that seemed to not want to switch it yesterday like they felt they were too good for it. Then Messi switched it a couple of times and opened us right up. We our are own worst enemy at times.

It comes down to poor decision making, time and time again, all over the pitch. This is a bugbear of mine, but we constantly have “stupid” players, and with that comes continual bad decision-making. This is why I rate Herrera so highly, he reads and understands the game so well, Spanish football is full of players like this which is why they dominated for so long.

 

[Crimson King]

Just switch it to Lindelof you dosser. Thought repeating in my head as I watched this during the game. What’s worse later on he did something very similar deciding to try and go down the line and play it on his weaker foot than a switch.

I'm really not a fan of Young. He's had some good performances and I appreciate he switched to fullback late in his career, but he's just so wasteful. I'm sick and tired of his long hoofs up the channel. Okay, so you're looking to get us up the pitch, I get it, but it rarely works and we'd be better off keeping possession and building the attack.

He's also cost us a few goals recently by trying to over play it in defense, like last night. I admire your confidence Ashley, but you're not good enough to get away with that!