[markorm]

I think a lot of our displays lately show a real lack of on the field leadership. Strong captaincy.

I'm note sure Wayne is the right man for the job.

 

[Norris]

Agree with you on the first bolded point (mainly because I was worried about Carrick's possibly being injured,) and suspect you might be right on the second. Still, I can't really point to either substitution as being a head-scratcher (unlike so many previous LVG subs.)

Nope. Standard subs. Though I wished the Mata-Herrera sub happened much sooner. He was knackered.

 

[Freak]

I think a lot of our displays lately show a real lack of on the field leadership. Strong captaincy.

I'm note sure Wayne is the right man for the job.

What I was thinking as well. There needed to be someone yesterday to tell the players to stop hoofing it up aimlessly after we scored, and instead try to keep possession. If there was ever a time for our pointless posession football, that was it. There wasn't anyone doing that. Even the coaching staff and LVG couldn't be bothered to get their arses up from their seats to do that.

 

[RRCE]

I agree with almost all of your post, it sums up my feelings too. However, I disagree about us not having the squad to go on a long winning run.

I think the emergence of Borthwick-Jackson, the massive improvement in Lingard playing on the right and the return to earlier form of Darmian, has helped massively in the positions we were weakest in. That, along with Rooney hitting form, Carrick back and the likes of Schweinsteiger and Jones returning soon means we do have the squad to go on a winning run, providing we continue to play in the same vein as in the last few games.

Plus, *he said hopefully* we're a team that traditionally push-on from about this point in the season aren't we...

I sure hope you're right. The squad just seems to find ways to drop points, though. Top teams find ways to steal them. I'm also factoring coaching into the equation as well. I can't help but feel that Van Gaal will make some bizarre decisions - odd team selections and/or questionable substitutions - that will hurt us. I realize I'm perhaps not giving him enough credit, but he has a tendency to do this, I think.

 

[Bobcat]

For 70 minutes we played a really good game. I literally had to take a nap to try and get over the disappointment.

But most of our players played well but our game management from the 70th minute to the end was atrocious. We didn't attempt to keep the ball, just kept smashing it up the field and sat back so deep.

We invited the pressure and only have ourselves to blame for that. This team seems to be incapable of holding on to a 1 goal lead. Teams will usually have a couple chances to score if we're winning by a goal only usually to get saved by De Gea.

This

The depressing thing is, we used to be THE team when it came to late game sieges. Under Fergie, we would always go for blood in the last 10-5 minutes, with opponents usually shitting themselves as a result.

Normally, a draw on Stamford Bridge would be quite good, but Chelsea are not exactly on fire these days

 

[quethenoo]

Very tough away game. We played pretty well and most other seasons that was a good result, but today felt like a loss.

 

[FCBarca]

Fabergas trips Smalling off the ball intentionally

 

[Rednotdead]

This result puts us 6 points away from 4th, plus our very poor goal difference means we need to make up 7 points to get 4th as things stand. With only 13 games to go that's quite a big ask.

 

[newgiz]

This result puts us 6 points away from 4th, plus our very poor goal difference means we need to make up 7 points to get 4th as things stand. With only 13 games to go that's quite a big ask.

I can't see how we will make up so many points. We have to go on a 10 game winning and even then its not a given and we have to rely on teams above us to drop points as well.

 

[elmo]

Our players are a bunch of bottlers. No real character in most of them, especially the older ones.

For all the shit van gaal gets for his philosophy, this team has proven that they can play it when there's no pressure on them but just fall to pieces when the pressure is on.

 

[Yorkeontop]

CBJ and Lingard are my kind of academy graduates. They won't light the world on fire (seemingly) but have the potential to be squad players. Look at the whirlwinds like Macheda and now Januzaj, they seem to always fade.

 

[Loon]

The one positive thing I take personally from yesterday is I started to feel again. After wallowing in indifference for the last few months, United's performance (and Chelsea's) had me involved in the game perhaps even more than our match Vs the dippers. That I was genuinely gutted at full-time was bitter-sweet.

 

[Escobar]

We deserved to win, shame we couldnt grind it out. Such a stupid goal to concede. Let's see if we can make top 4 now

However, as others pointed out, we lack leadership and some cool heads. We really should have played better after going ahead, and be more dangerous on the counter.

 

[NK86]

Not really. Nothing I thought was exceptional.

Really? The Martial chance in the first half?

 

[Kostur]

Fabregas a shit

Always hated the fecking prick.

 

[Bastian]

So many positives. This place was a bit hysterical after the game and the Memphis hate was beyond stupid. He'll of course come good, if Rooney can play like a semi drunk Sunday league footballer for 3-4 months and still come good do people not think a player like Memphis can recover form? It's purely down to confidence. And he wasn't the reason we dropped points.

Like many said, we sat too deep after our goal, we conceded a host of chances through-out, Dave was huge, and subbing of Fellaini was misguided (in hindsight) given that we lost our outlet.

But Jackson had another good game, Lingard is progressing nicely, our football at times was really good and we looked like the home side for the first 25 mins. Chelsea only really seemed to believe in the last 15 minutes.

I actually think it was a very good performance on the back of two other good performances and despite the gap between ourselves and the top 4, we are in good form and have some winnable games coming up. Keep up this form and we'll be fine. Mess things up again and it'll be the same old story.

Wouldn't be surprised that this form is coinciding with the dressing room getting info that Jose is taking over in a few months...

 

[Kevin]

So many positives. This place was a bit hysterical after the game and the Memphis hate was beyond stupid. He'll of course come good, if Rooney can play like a semi drunk Sunday league footballer for 3-4 months and still come good do people not think a player like Memphis can recover form? It's purely down to confidence. And he wasn't the reason we dropped points.

Like many said, we sat too deep after our goal, we conceded a host of chances through-out, Dave was huge, and subbing of Fellaini was misguided (in hindsight) given that we lost our outlet.

But Jackson had another good game, Lingard is progressing nicely, our football at times was really good and we looked like the home side for the first 25 mins. Chelsea only really seemed to believe in the last 15 minutes.

I actually think it was a very good performance on the back of two other good performances and despite the gap between ourselves and the top 4, we are in good form and have some winnable games coming up. Keep up this form and we'll be fine. Mess things up again and it'll be the same old story.

Wouldn't be surprised that this form is coinciding with the dressing room getting info that Jose is taking over in a few months...

What exactly have you seen from Memphis that makes you so supremely confident that he will of course (silly redcafe) come good? Rooney at least was an established world class player for a number of years, what have you seen from Memphis to be so sure? His doninance in our nothing league that is de eredivisie? Or the fact that his only great games have come against the likes of Brugge and PSV, exactly the type of teams he used to star against.

I am not saying he's doomed, but I have seen no evidence as of yet to say he will definitely be a star.

 

[dcullivanio]

The one positive thing I take personally from yesterday is I started to feel again. After wallowing in indifference for the last few months, United's performance (and Chelsea's) had me involved in the game perhaps even more than our match Vs the dippers. That I was genuinely gutted at full-time was bitter-sweet.

I think that's a good summation. Despite our poor game management at the end, there seems to be a bit of life back in the team. I also started to 'feel' a bit again instead of being bored to submission and we have now had three matches on the spin that have shown a difference form the 'pass it sideways' approach beforehand. Yesterday's result was hard to swallow in the end, but it's much better feeling like that than just feeling abject indifference after another borefest!

 

[Dans]

We played much better in this game. I don't mind the draw knowing that we have played football again. Unfortunately Louis does mind, so we'll probably be back to trying to convert our chance whilst preventing the opposition from having any at all next week.

 

[Reynoldo]

I just hope that another draw to Chelsea after a "good run" by the team doesn't result in us going backwards again like last time.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I was supremely annoyed after the game, annoyed that we completely switched off after the game and completely gave up possession and annoyed at Memphis for fecking up a simple chance up front and giving away possession so easily. Before that, I thought our performance was ok, we started brightly in both halves and in the first half when Chelsea pushed on I thought we weathered the storm pretty well (second half not so well, not enough effort). Thought quite a few players had good games, CBJ was very good just a shame he switched off for a second before their goal.

There are positives, but it really was a good we should have won and we could have won, very frustrating.

 

[Sunny Jim]

The one positive thing I take personally from yesterday is I started to feel again. After wallowing in indifference for the last few months, United's performance (and Chelsea's) had me involved in the game perhaps even more than our match Vs the dippers. That I was genuinely gutted at full-time was bitter-sweet.

Yep, i know where you re coming from.

 

[Sunny Jim]

So many positives. This place was a bit hysterical after the game and the Memphis hate was beyond stupid. He'll of course come good, if Rooney can play like a semi drunk Sunday league footballer for 3-4 months and still come good do people not think a player like Memphis can recover form? It's purely down to confidence. And he wasn't the reason we dropped points.

Like many said, we sat too deep after our goal, we conceded a host of chances through-out, Dave was huge, and subbing of Fellaini was misguided (in hindsight) given that we lost our outlet.

But Jackson had another good game, Lingard is progressing nicely, our football at times was really good and we looked like the home side for the first 25 mins. Chelsea only really seemed to believe in the last 15 minutes.

I actually think it was a very good performance on the back of two other good performances and despite the gap between ourselves and the top 4, we are in good form and have some winnable games coming up. Keep up this form and we'll be fine. Mess things up again and it'll be the same old story.

Wouldn't be surprised that this form is coinciding with the dressing room getting info that Jose is taking over in a few months...

Your dealer sells good stuff.

 

[SirFergie]

De Gea by a mile. Put a human being in your goal and you lose that game by 2 clear goals.

Captain Blinkered strikes again.

 

[Adebesi]

I must say while its easy to be wise after the fact when he brought Memphis on I could see the logic for it and I thought it was a reasonable move. They were throwing everything at us looking for a goal and that created spaces for us to hit them on the break. He looked completely disinterested and hapless in the event, but if he had shown a bit more quality it would have given them something to think about. For me the problem wasnt bringing him on per se, its the fact that in the late stages of games where we have a lead we look completely inept and are completely unable to string a couple of passes together or so anything - anything at all - except hoof it out to one of their players around the half way line and wait for them to come back again. Its bizarre how consistently this happens to us - and the fact that it isnt a one off game, but it a pattern, does make it Van Gaal's problem, in that he is the manager who is supposed to sort this kind of thing out.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

You dont think form is going to matter?

Yes, I do. Our form over the last few months hasn't been great. Unless you mean our form over the last two games?

 

[Di Maria's angel]

This is the type of performance and even result that would have gleefully accepted back in November, when we were begging for improvement and were sitting in a decent position. However, now when our life is on the line, we almost have to cut the risks out and try to play like we did in the first 10 or 12 games.

 

[Northstand]

Not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere, but for all this talk of a possible penalty for Chelsea (dubious at best), there was a blatant one for us when Rooney tried to get on the end of Darmian's cross (I'm guessing around the 30 minute mark) and Ivanovic shoved him off the ball.

I had the impression at the time that there might have been a push but disregarded it as Rooney didn't seem to complain. On seeing it again on MOTD, it was a certain penalty if spotted by the referee. Anyone see it?

 

[Todd]

Not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere, but for all this talk of a possible penalty for Chelsea (dubious at best), there was a blatant one for us when Rooney tried to get on the end of Darmian's cross (I'm guessing around the 30 minute mark) and Ivanovic shoved him off the ball.

I had the impression at the time that there might have been a push but disregarded it as Rooney didn't seem to complain. On seeing it again on MOTD, it was a certain penalty if spotted by the referee. Anyone see it?

Yeah, I was wondering a bit about that but since Rooney didn't make anything of it I figured it was nothing.

Such a shame because that was an absolutely perfect ball in by Darmian.

 

[The Brown Bull]

My main post match reaction is to wonder what the f**k has happened to Depay? He absolutely butchered a great chance to bury the Chavs.His confidence seems to be shot.

 

[Bastian]

What exactly have you seen from Memphis that makes you so supremely confident that he will of course (silly redcafe) come good? Rooney at least was an established world class player for a number of years, what have you seen from Memphis to be so sure? His doninance in our nothing league that is de eredivisie? Or the fact that his only great games have come against the likes of Brugge and PSV, exactly the type of teams he used to star against.

I am not saying he's doomed, but I have seen no evidence as of yet to say he will definitely be a star.

Fair enough that his good games were against mediocre opposition. His control and how he took his goal against PSV away is not something you can do just because you're a bit lucky though.

I feel like his major crisis of confidence is so obvious that it is kinda pointless to argue why he is actually a good player, and a very promising young player at that. What I saw from Memphis in pre-season and in his first few games, and what I've seen from last season and the World Cup, is that we actually got a player for quite a low sum of money and when he regains his confidence (which maybe will only happen with new manager) everyone who has been saying he's shite will look quite silly.

I remember only a week ago people were saying how nothing Lingard is, and yesterday he scored a fantastic goal and worked his socks off.

Your dealer sells good stuff.

It's a bit cloudy where you are Jim, isn't it? I did this very simple thought exercise yesterday. How would I have felt had we just managed to cling on to that 1-0. And I took from that loads of positives. Which means, there were still loads of positives. Just some negatives too.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Fair enough that his good games were against mediocre opposition. His control and how he took his goal against PSV away is not something you can do just because you're a bit lucky though.

I feel like his major crisis of confidence is so obvious that it is kinda pointless to argue why he is actually a good player, and a very promising young player at that. What I saw from Memphis in pre-season and in his first few games, and what I've seen from last season and the World Cup, is that we actually got a player for quite a low sum of money and when he regains his confidence (which maybe will only happen with new manager) everyone who has been saying he's shite will look quite silly.

I remember only a week ago people were saying how nothing Lingard is, and yesterday he scored a fantastic goal and worked his socks off.



It's a bit cloudy where you are Jim, isn't it? I did this very simple thought exercise yesterday. How would I have felt had we just managed to cling on to that 1-0. And I took from that loads of positives. Which means, there were still loads of positives. Just some negatives too.

Fair enough mate, and yeah im bit bitchy today.

 

[SteveJ]

Thank f*ck that John "It's all about my contract the club" Terry didn't score a winner. That would've killed me off.

 

[Green_Red]

Yes, I do. Our form over the last few months hasn't been great. Unless you mean our form over the last two games?

We're not exactly Barca at the moment but our form since the start of Jan has picked up. At least compared to what went before. Some might even say we might have turned a corner..

5 W, 2 D, 1L

You dont consider that good form?

 

[sunama]

One of those games was against Derby (whose manager has now been sacked for being crap).
Another of those wins was against Sheffield United.

What is our form in the EPL, since Jan 1st? The EPL is where it counts.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

3-2-1

 

[DomesticTadpole]

One of those games was against Derby (whose manager has now been sacked for being crap).
Another of those wins was against Sheffield United.

What is our form in the EPL, since Jan 1st? The EPL is where it counts.

Derby's ex manager is one of the best coaches about. There are rumours that there was interference with the team selections at the club.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Although I didn't see the match live, because of a family emergency, I carefully avoided any reports and results and watched the whole match later that night on FullMatches&Shows (thanks once again @GifLord for a fantastic resource).

I'm now watching Sunday's MOTD2 highlights show, also on FM&S and … is it just me or do the BBC seem to focus mainly on the home team?

We were so dominant in the first half and yet they barely showed two attacks from us (the Rooney sliding in one and Martial shot into the top right that was deflected away) and they showed at least five attacks from Chelsea which is absurd.

Their coverage ended the first half with the Blind hand-ball shouts from Terry's shot - not the fact that our good counter attack chance was stopped in it's tracks by the ref.

Watching these edited highlights you'd have never known that United were even in it at all in the first half!

The editing of the second half highlights, although admittedly a more balanced half, still showed Chelsea in a more flattering light.

At least the pundits kept it honest - I quite like JJ as a pundit actually … and praise from Keown is always hard earned!

Bit miffed about the first half editing really on an hour show to highlight two games it had the time to be much more balanced than just shots on target.
All, as ever, IMHO

 

[Fitchett]

That sounds like typical MOTD editing of a United match. Make the opposition look more in the game than they actually were. Plus, they never like to show any decisions that have gone against us, but are quick to dwell on any that we may have benefited from.