[prtk0811]

Can some one analyse how the first foul a yellow for herrera when he's just taking his position and pressing hazard its hazard who ran into him.

 

[wolvored]

Micki isn't as good as Hazard but he's not a step down. Especially compared to Willian.
We need a pacey, good winger tho, that's for sure. We don't have a proper winger in the team anyway.

Thats exactly what we need. We have always had proper wingers apart from the last few years.

 

[sullydnl]

Better team won. Harsh red, mind.

 

[bucky]

Nonsense.

It's not and the stats back @Isotope's opinion up. We completed 167 of our 247 passes, which is 68%, compared to Chelsea's 88%; they completed 573 of their 648 passes. The first half was decent, but we should expect a bit more than gracefully going out against them.

 

[wolvored]

Can some one analyse how the first foul a yellow for herrera when he's just taking his position and pressing hazard its hazard who ran into him.

Apparently the ref told Smalling the next person to knock Hazard over would be booked, and seconds later Herrera obliged.

 

[Orc]

What about your Oliver guy?

Yeah, Michael Oliver continuously and cynically fouled our players the second they got the ball.

 

[MadMike]

I had to post to say how disappointed I am in the referee. Never 2 yellows.
1st one. No. Hazard simply runs into Herrera. What should Herrera do as he stands his ground. Roll out the red carpet and say
"Ooh here you go, I'll be getting out the way. On you stroll." Pathetic from the Ref.

The second was even worse; Yes Hazard had been fouled multiple times, but that challenge was not a yellow esp. a second yellow. You cannot use previous challenges from different players to call it.
Ruined the entire game. If anything when a player is on a yellow Refs usually are more cautious issuing second helpings. He is terrible.

We setup initially brilliantly with Jose matching Conte and we had the surprising edge. Conte in his post match admitted "We couldn't play," because we pressed brilliantly. Ruud "Sexy Football" Gullit was even impressed.
And so they did the trick of getting a man sent off because they couldn't live with that in your face approach for the whole match. Chelsea believe me, will be found out next season if they don't come up with a plan B. Kante is a top player, but he met his match today before the Red.

Any youngster here who thinks Mourinho's style is not in keeping with how "United Play" needs to thoroughly watch our old-school Arsenal encounters and full seasons under Fergie; Feisty, combative and a real War of attrition and finesse.

Either challenge was debatable. All this "But Herrera should have..." is ridiculously harsh. You want him to play like a ghost? You would hate to watch Keane i guess.
Refs subsequent decision to not dish out more yellows for worse tackles, showed that in his mind he knows he got it wrong.

So pleased for the lads; Playing against Chelsea is not easy and esp. after our tight run of games, and with 10 men we played brilliantly. De Gea will be absolutely disgusted with himself. Was wrong footed for a split second and lost a bit of reach to save that one. Inches.

Is the forum full of kids, because I can't see why the digs at Young and Co.
Almost every player worked their socks off.
Fellaini for once in midfield and under pressure, didn't foul like a pillock.
Young shackled Moses brilliantly.
Jones, Rojo and Smalling did very well in defence, all covering each other. A back 3 will become a serious option with the addition of a better centre back in the Summer.
Valencia was a man possessed.
Rashford. So close. He will get even better.

However one man has to take a long hard look at himself: Pogba.
I remember the "Baby Elephant" thread and I am afraid that Pogba has to do more; Not because of his pricetag, just in comparison to other players in making the right decisions on the pitch. He was vocal but wasn't leading on the pitch. He needs better tactical awareness. All too often goes for individual tricks when a clever simple pass or simple rifling shot would do much more damage.
Needs to go away to the Lake District in the Summer and study in solitude.

His shot on that edge of the box was shocking; They are the match defining moments.
As was the amount of times we had a break on and he made the wrong decision.

Overall, I am really heartened by the performance. So pleased that the lads who came in did a good job and that we adapted and used different tactics to nullify Chelsea.
I am confident that with just a few tweaks and signings we will be able to play a number of different ways next season and mount a serious push on all 4 fronts.

Onwards to Europa; We simply have to win, as our league form is far too erratic for us to finish 4th.
Plus I'd love to travel to Sweden.

Special Mention: Fans. As a Manc in London, our guys were brilliant especially the Red Flag chant at the end. Superb.

Good post, agree with almost everything. Including the criticism of Pogba, bar the bolded bit (the shot).

It was on his left foot and he was quickly getting closed down. Mkhi's shot in the first half, he had more time than Pog to measure that one up, yet he also skewed that wide. No scathing criticism of Mkhi for that, why? Because it's unrealistic to expect people to bury a shot outside the box on their wrong foot.

So let's keep the criticism of Pogba on what he actually should have done better. Closing down Kante for that shot, not losing the ball at the edge of the box, picking some simple pass options when they were there, etc.

 

[Mihai]

Yeah, Michael Oliver continuously and cynically fouled our players the second they got the ball.

Yeah, he made sure he showed the second yellow before Herrera touched Hazard.

 

[prtk0811]

By the same logic, United should be 2nd in the league.
You don't get a goal unless it goes in the net.

Second and level on points. Wealso had to take of MKhand lacked martial and zlatan

 

[royboy16]

I just want to come in and laugh at that Welbeck wanting 6th place team to be knocked out of the FA Cup thread.

Made me feel much better.

What did he say ?

 

[MadMike]

Apparently the ref told Smalling the next person to knock Hazard over would be booked, and seconds later Herrera obliged.

You can't send a player off for his team-mate's persistent fouling. If that's what Oliver said, then Smalling needs to just come out and say it, because that's actually outside of the rules.

 

[VanGaalEra]

What did he say ?

He didn't say anything, someone posted a random twitter account called @welbeast and thought it was Welbeck

 

[Sassy Colin]

There is some cnut on the train wearing a half and half scarf

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It's not and the stats back @Isotope's opinion up. We completed 167 of our 247 passes, which is 68%, compared to Chelsea's 88%; they completed 573 of their 648 passes. The first half was decent, but we should expect a bit more than gracefully going out against them.

The first half hour was decent but we were fecked when we had Herrera sent off. Being a man down was bad enough but losing the most important element of our central midfield crippled us.

 

[Denis79]

Pogba has taken his rest all season. I would love to know what he is meant to be good at....

Don't know mate. He has had some good games but when he's poor he is really poor. Hopefully he will find consistency and up his game or he'll be the most expensive mistake ever. At the moment he isn't really standing out at all. Many have a tough first season let's hope that's the case.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Having Pogba in the side now is like buying wallpaper before you have walls.

Loves me an analogy. Best I've seen in a long while. Incredibly accurate and funny to boot.

 

[prtk0811]

Smalling isn't a great captain, but who is? Who in this team shows real leadership ability? Maybe Zlatan, but you don't give the captaincy to somebody who is in their first season and may not even be here for a second.

One of our other players (Rashford I think) recently said that Smalling never stops talking on the field, so he obviously is doing more leading and organising than is obvious from us on watching from the sideline and on tv.

He's certainly no Keane, Rio, Vidic, Neville, but he's arguably the best option in a sea of bad options. It's stupid to bash him for that.

De Gea Herrera .

 

[Orc]

Yeah, he made sure he showed the second yellow before Herrera touched Hazard.

Why does Herrera even take a chance by tripping a player from behind when he's on a yellow? Just idiotic.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Rojo and Valencia both played like captains tonight.

 

[Mourinhonista]

I get you missed the sending off then?

For me Mkhitaryan was our best attacker, he should have stayed on. Definitely not Jose's best call.

 

[Isotope]

Can some one analyse how the first foul a yellow for herrera when he's just taking his position and pressing hazard its hazard who ran into him.

Someone should check Oliver's and his family bank account.

 

[prtk0811]

Apparently the ref told Smalling the next person to knock Hazard over would be booked, and seconds later Herrera obliged.

He knocked hazard or hazard ran into him? THEATRICALLY

 

[Charlie Foley]

Have you ever come across glastonspur around here?

If he gets bad I can put him on ignore, it's tougher to do that to people I see in person. Also, if we want the same short term outcome his wumming won't bother me as much

 

[Isotope]

Why does Herrera even take a chance by tripping a player from behind when he's on a yellow? Just idiotic.

Was it worth a yellow though?

 

[bucky]

The first half hour was decent but we were fecked when we had Herrera sent off. Being a man down was bad enough but losing the most important element of our central midfield crippled us.

Expected a bit more from Pogba from that moment on, but it wasn't to be.

Rojo and Valencia both played like captains tonight.

Agreed.

 

[Charlie Foley]

How bloody inevitable this was!! When the draw was made we were out. Cant expect to win a game when only 4 players show up. De Gea. Young, Rojo and Rashord. The rest were piss and Pogba has to go. So that leaves us knackered for Thursday night. Great stuff

Harsh on Valencia

 

[togg]

Rojo and Valencia both played like captains tonight.

Rojo has been one of our best players this season. Who'd have thought it!!

 

[Sigma]

I personally blame Herrera more than Oliver.

I might be a bit weird here, but I thought the first yellow wasn't a yellow and the second one was.

 

[Orc]

Was it worth a yellow though?

I said at halftime in the match thread that I didn't think it was. Stupid to do it and an unnesecary risk. Only himself to blame.

 

[TMDaines]

I personally blame Herrera more than Oliver.

I might be a bit weird here, but I thought the first yellow wasn't a yellow and the second one was.

I'm with you there. Not sure what Herrera is supposed to do on the first.

 

[Full bodied red]

Don't know mate. He has had some good games but when he's poor he is really poor. Hopefully he will find consistency and up his game or he'll be the most expensive mistake ever. At the moment he isn't really standing out at all. Many have a tough first season let's hope that's the case.

Consistency isn't a problem - he's consistently piss poor.

 

[Erebus]

Apparently the ref told Smalling the next person to knock Hazard over would be booked, and seconds later Herrera obliged.

Didn't know the rules said you could predict a foul. FIFA must have changed them. However agree Herrera was stupid.

 

[Bocca9978]

Better team won. Harsh red, mind.

We did well until the red. You can't say better team won after that. You just don't know.

 

[Mihai]

Why does Herrera even take a chance by tripping a player from behind when he's on a yellow? Just idiotic.

Mate, if you tell me that especially the first one was a yellow card offense, than you probably need to watch some more football. Oliver wanted him off, no matter what. That second yellow finished the game. This is not the first time it happens against us at Stamford bridge

 

[prtk0811]

Mate, if you tell me that especially the first one was a yellow card offense, than you probably need to watch some more football. Oliver wanted him off, no matter what. That second yellow finished the game. This is not the first time it happens against us at Stamford bridge

Its not about stamford bridge. Refreering has been pathetic all season and most of the mhave gone against us . and some in our favour but it highlights the fact that the ref's rarely get it right

 

[Ban]

From the official page:

Jose Mourinho is "proud" of his Manchester United players for their performance in Monday's Emirates FA Cup defeat at Chelsea, having played with 10 men for much of the quarter-final.

Ander Herrera was sent off on 35 minutes after being shown a yellow card for the second time but the Reds performed admirably in spite of the numerical disadvantage, both before and after Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante scored the only goal of the game in the second half.

Here are the main points from Mourinho's post-match interviews with BBC Sport and MUTV...

PROUD OF THE PLAYERS
"I want to say that I'm really proud of my players, I'm really proud of Manchester United fans. We have a very important match on Thursday and I want to rest a little bit to try to prepare the team as best we can for the Thursday match and that's the most important thing."

REACTION TO THE RED CARD
"Everybody can analyse in different perspectives, everyone can do it in a different way, but I think we all watched the match until the red card. After the red card, then we can compare the decisions of these two yellow cards, in this case the second yellow card with ones that were not given. But I don't want to go in that direction. This season Mr Michael Oliver is a referee with fantastic potential, but with Manchester United we were a bit unlucky. In four matches, [we have had] three penalties and one red card in such an early moment of the game. But again I cannot change that, but I can try to interfere in the Thursday match [against Rostov] which is the match that is coming and now we have to rest."

TACTICS WERE WORKING AT 11 V 11
"The game was completely under control [before the red card]. They couldn’t find what is their game. I keep saying their game is counter attack and when a team closes the spaces in between the lines and closes the full-backs, they have no qualities to be dangerous. In the second half with 10 men, we started with two up and they had a very important role in our attacking football, but also defending and building up from the three central defenders. Azpilicueta started coming up and creating situations where they brought us back, but even so we were brilliant in the way we played. We had two very good chances, the Marcus one was the biggest, and we were there. But I cannot be more proud of the players and the fans."

JUDAS IS NUMBER ONE
In the post-match press conference, Jose was asked about a section of Chelsea supporters who called him Judas during the game and the manager gave this amusing response: "They can call what they want, I am professional and I defend my club. Until the moment they have a manager that wins four Premier Leagues for them, I am the number one. When they have somebody that wins four Premier Leagues, I become number two. But until this moment Judas is number one."

REASON FOR NOT SHAKING CONTE'S HAND
“If I see him here I will shake it," the manager said when asked about not shaking the Chelsea manager's hand at full-time. "I didn’t because I thought my players deserved my action immediately and I our supporters also deserved our thanks to them, so it was that. I can promise you that if I see him out there I will shake his hand. I have nothing to speak with him at all, but to shake his hand, for sure I will do that.”

 

[mancan92]

I just feel we offered nothing, after the red. Also, I do attest the sending off more to the tactics than Herrera.

We just sat back, doing nothing. I'd rather try to equalise, knowing we're at increased risk of conceding a second, than accept a 1-0 defeat.

So you would rather an Arsenal type meltdown?

 

[Orc]

Mate, if you tell me that especially the first one was a yellow card offense, than you probably need to watch some more football. Oliver wanted him off, no matter what. That second yellow finished the game. This is not the first time it happens against us at Stamford bridge

He lowered his should into a sprinting opponent. How is that not a yellow? It looked like a NFL hit.

 

[Mihai]

He lowered his should into a sprinting opponent. How is that not a yellow? It looked like a NFL hit.

Yeah, sure keep dreaming

 

[sammsky1]

Although the red card effected game in a big, the truth is that Chelsea are a much better side anyway. We're still a few players short from really competing against the likes of Chelsea.

I thought so too,

They would have comfortably beaten us 11 vs 11.

That period where DDG made two amazing saves, Im sure they'd have had quite a few more passages of play like that. Would probably have lost more than 1-0!