[TwoSheds]

I thought the first half was good but not spectacular and the 2nd half was fairly awful. Burnley were fairly consistently shite and didn't battle like you expect them to to win 2nd balls but they did ok in attack.

We were much more solid at the back with Bailly than Varane (never thought I'd say that) and McT was very good again albeit a few poor moments. Ronaldo picked up slightly from the horror show we've seen in recent games after we scored our first which is good, Cavani is a very clever player, basically coached us through that one. Dalot on the wing, Fred for a minute at the end, can't say I understand those subs. Why didn't he give a chance to one or two of the squad players like Van Der Beek or Elanga, seems odd to me. Our crossing is fecking appalling although Shaw is the best of a bad bunch at the moment, thought he did quite well on his return overall.

Something to build on but needs to get vastly better than that if we're to consistently pick up points.

 

[stu_1992]

Good win. Its a lot better than recently so I'm happy. Is it thr the type of football we were expecting under Rangnick? No, not yet but it was so much better than recently so I can't complain. Was impressed with Shaw, Sancho and McTominay especially.

 

[MiracleInMadrid]

What I noticed on player level:

- Maguire: He doesn't fit this type of football, with all the 1-v-1 situations high up the pitch. He is too slow, too casual on the ball and his pace and agility kills him when the situation in front of him changes.
- Bailly: 90% of the time I trust him 100%.
- Shaw: more stabile than Telles. Carries the ball very well.
- McTominay: tends to be pissed off all the time. Curses a lot. I like it. Very good game.
- Sancho: fantastic intensity level. Makes things happen, and is a good and aware presser.
- Matic: Doesn't fit in a midfield two who presses high up the pitch.

 

[gearoid]

Good to get a few goals although Burnley caused us a few problems which a better team would have capitalised on. Second half was appalling.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

Enjoyed the first half, could see some progress in some areas, Sancho and Shaw played well together. Last 30mins far too slow, hopefully that’s due to those high intensity training sessions.

We need to replace Matic & Maguire as they are both too slow and cumbersome, they make far too many bad decisions that get they into big problems on the pitch.

Dalot should be in first team for a while to give him a good run in the team and I’d put Bruno up top with Ronaldo and let Cavani rotate with them.

 

[Ali Dia]

As poor as a 3-1 win can be?

We are going to struggle against teams with real quality who actually get stuck into us and show us no respect. We are just a really flimsy team, unfortunately. We always play at cruising speed and sometimes we get away with it. I can see plenty of frustrating days ahead before the end of the season

 

[edgecutter]

Might have watched a different game than the most here. Solid win, better than on Monday in any case. It started a bit sloppy but as the game went we looked more assured and could have scored more. McT has been great, could have scored 2 more goals. Attackers solid, defenders aside from Maguire who's disastrous, too. We conserved energy in the 2nd half it seems.

We so missed Shaw, he adds so much to our play.

Onwards and upwards, its a start and with more training and playing together it will look better and better.

It wouldn't be hard to be better. The problem lies in the fact that we played poorly against a relegation candidate again.

 

[RedIan]

Better than midweek. 3 points and 3 goals.. we took our foot of the gas in 2nd half but I thought we controlled the 2nd half better than the first.
why can’t McTominay play with that energy every week.
shaw look better than Telles.
i thought Eric did ok but Maguire is so easily beaten on the ground it’s getting embarrassing.
can only think DVB had bad covid as it was a game for him to at least come on.?????

 

[SirScholes]

Very happy with the result, but I cannot see any positives in how we played. It was a complete chaos. Other than McT apparently being the next Ballon d'Or winner this game was lost by Burnley, not necessarily won by us. Any decent team would have thrashed us, if we played like this.

Yer we were just as bad as we were vs Norwich
2 goals were flukey burnely created the better chances

 

[Jonty]

Can we get Stavros and the boys to rearrest Slabhead?

 

[Houdini]

Maguire has a average rating 4.9 this season here on caf (4.8 by me) and that is him having a guaranteed starting place while being 80M defender...

 

[pocco]

Had a weird feel to the game. Felt like an end of season dead rubber. We didn't necessarily play well, actually very reminiscent of Ole's football throughout really. Obviously Rangnick has given up hope of implementing his football which is extremely worrying in the long run for him and the next manager. Felt like he probably told the players to abandon everything he was trying and go back to what they've been coached for the last 3 years.

Burnley were extremely poor, particularly in defence, and pretty much guaranteed is the win with his porous they were. Looked extremely vulnerable from out wide.

 

[Zexstream]

We killed the game off early and Burnley had little to offer.

No idea if we were better as the game was dead after 40 mins.

 

[Shimo]

Yay. Good way to finish the year. First half was step in the right direction.Second half was what we would normally call a somewhat professional display in that no reason to force things at time when we are going to be playing a lot of games and didn't need to expend a lot of energy and risk injuries.

McT def man of the match - showed incredible amount of energy and drive to move the himself or the ball quickly forward. Better in that role than trying to be the sitting player of the two.

 

[Real Name]

It wouldn't be hard to be better. The problem lies in the fact that we played poorly against a relegation candidate again.

I thought we didnt play poorly and yeah it wouldnt be hard but it's a start.

 

[GazTheLegend]

Good result on paper, but the game was crap.

any win vs Burnley without injuries is good. I've never seen a team that use their elbows quite so much without a single card being given.

 

[edgecutter]

Better than midweek. 3 points and 3 goals.. we took our foot of the gas in 2nd half but I thought we controlled the 2nd half better than the first.
why can’t McTominay play with that energy every week.
shaw look better than Telles.
i thought Eric did ok but Maguire is so easily beaten on the ground it’s getting embarrassing.
can only think DVB had bad covid as it was a game for him to at least come on.?????

Because its Burnley

 

[VivaJesperBlomqvist]

Why do footballers say obviously so much?

 

[Foxbatt]

Why did we give up the press so early and only against CP?

 

[Real Name]

Yer we were just as bad as we were vs Norwich
2 goals were flukey burnely created the better chances

Did they? What chances were that?

 

[croadyman]

Pleased with the win but would like to have seen us score a goal in the second half

 

[Gordon S]

Haven`t got a clue how we are able to play so slow and still make loads of easy mistakes.
Why are the players just walking around half the time? Every other attack just dies because the players are just jogging into position. They just pass it back or sideways, and then they just stand there, trying to play football without actually moving. Scott had a decent game, hopefully he can keep that form now!

Burnley were thankfully more rubbish than Norwich and Newcastle. Needed those points.

 

[edgecutter]

I thought we didnt play poorly and yeah it wouldnt be hard but it's a start.

I wouldn't be as optimistic as you are. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted about the 3 points, I am concerned how easily we can be got at ans how poor our tempo is.

 

[Bilbo]

It wasn't great, wasn't bad, but let's not start thinking that any win at this point in time isn't something to be grateful for, especially one as comfortable as this was.

Some of our play was nice, but we do still struggle to get the ball into decent final third positions, and the fact that Shaw was heavily involved in most of the occasions that we did should secure his spot back in the first XI.

McT again showing that he's a much better player than the cafe wants us to believe. Bailly was good. Greenwood & Sancho okay.

Pleased to take the points. Wolves will be a bigger test

 

[croadyman]

Why did we give up the press so early and only against CP?

Yeah that press has completely disappeared

 

[Thelongsleevesofblomqvist]

Something made more sense without Fernandes, but still didnt make sense..

 

[Scholsey2004]

McTominay was very good and our shape was as usual a lot better with Cavani up front. Sancho and Greenwood looked better behind the strikers than Fernandes with either. I think Fernandes passes too long for that position, always looking for the killer ball whereas Sancho and Greenwood work it gradually through the lines more. Fernandes might be better used as one of the two further back going forward. Big caveat was that Burnley are incapable of scoring. Most sides would have been more ruthless with our centre backs.

 

[ash_86]

Let's get some things right, the way we play isn't gonna change with games coming thick and fast. There is just enough time to analyze the opponents and do basic prep. For change in way we play, we're talking about pre season and continuous training ect.. Given the situation I'd take 3 points and run.

 

[Glorio]

Good to hear that RR put them under pressure after Newcastle. He actually told them they had the record for giving the ball away over the season - that's brilliant!

 

[Real Name]

I wouldn't be as optimistic as you are. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted about the 3 points, I am concerned how easily we can be got at ans how poor our tempo is.

We're a work in progress, damage done in last year or 2 cant be undone so quickly.

 

[largelyworried]

Fairly poor overall. We just look like we're very confused at the mo. Every time a player gets the ball it looks like it's taking them two seconds before they can figure out what to do. Have to hope that whatever work he's doing with them between games eventually bears fruit.

Also, what happened to our pressing game?

 

[Hugh Jass]

Wonder what Ralf will say. Zero press today. Took the foot off the gas in the second half but had better control of the game in the second half.

 

[Real Name]

Good to hear that RR put them under pressure after Newcastle. He actually told them they had the record for giving the ball away over the season - that's brilliant!

He said that post match?

 

[OneUnited24]

Would have liked us to go for it in the second half but i think it was smart to see the game out given that we play in a few days and have a squad coming back from COVID

 

[TMDaines]

Can we kick to the Stretford End first half every week? Been desperate for that to force the players to wake up for a while.

Cheers, Ben Mee.

 

[steffyr2]

We have a lot of fans who don't seem to enjoy watching games.

I thought today's play was much better -- everyone was trying to support each other and get the ball to each other. Shouldn't be a new thing, but there it is.

Cavani didn't score but he did alot of other things well, moving the ball around. Is very composed.

Ronaldo had many, many chances. When was the last time that happened? Luke Shaw was great at getting the ball forward.

Sancho and McTominay didn't look too scared to shoot, btw. Guess they got over that. Nor did Greenwood, now that I think about it.

Good game. Room for improvement, but a good game.

 

[VinzentFTW]

Is Fletcher the assistant coach ? Why is he on the sidelines ? Doesnt the players respect the new guys ?

 

[LawCharltonBest]

3 points. Boring second half. Positives to take forward. Who’s next

 

[buchansleftleg]

Would be nice to have 11 fully functioning players rather than have old man Matic and taking a gamble on which McT we will get.

Also Ive felt some of the criticism of AWB has been over the top....but that was a truly awful performance and he seemed to just be going through the motions.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Sir Alex taking a snap of his birthday banner.