[podurban2]

Amazing how much shorter our post match thread is when we are winning

People love a good moan.

 

[2 man midfield]

He's been upgraded to me feeling soorry for him and wanting him to do well, from his previous rating of just hoping he got lost on his way to the stadium or something.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Good performance last night. Hopefully that's kick started our season and it's onwards and upwards from here

 

[TwoSheds]

It really was the perfect game plan for what Fenerbahce wanted to do. Unlike last season where we would've focused on retaining possession, we moved the ball around with the more pace and freedom and used losses of possession to ratchet down the pressure even more with our surprisingly good pressing instead of allowing the team a respite. They never had time to rest and regroup and the result was well deserved.

We moved the ball with pace? Really?
Man I miss 90s football.

 

[MartialsBeard]

Excellent, excellent performance thatvhas been swept under the carpet really. It shouldnt.

I think thats probably the most composed and in control game we have seen under Jose so far. Almost every player on the pitch worked their arses off and some of the first time passing play was simply sublime.

I think it was after the second pen we we absolutely cruising with some incredible passing moves that if we were City people would be creaming themselves over. It seems like Jose has got the team ticking to his style.

Pogba finally looked imperious in midfield his pen was a huge confidence boost then his long range goal was the icing on the cake. The finish was absolutely brilliant and his passing range is a joy to behold.

Again just like after the Liverpool game i can see huge huge encouragement moving forwards. I think the fact that the tactics and game plan worked vs Pool has given the team huge confidence.

Id still say we need to edge on the side of caution vs Chelsea as they will be a few steps above Fenerbace. But very very pleased with the performance. Looking forward to Sunday!

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Mike Smalling... you know...

Ahhhhhhh, that makes more sense!

 

[jojose]

I actually think the performance could have been better. We were poor in that first half until a moment of magic from Carrick and another one immediately after from Mata essentially ended the game as a contest. It might seem strange to say, but apart from those cracking passes leading up to the penalties we were dull, uninspired and didn't look like creating anything. Then we had two moments where we did actually create something - the Pogba and Lingard goals, before the match pretty much petered out.

It's odd to be picking at a 4-1 win, but I would have liked to see more sustained quality - Fenerbache were poor and it was the right stage for us to put in a dominant performance, but it never came despite the scoreline. Saying that, it was a changed line-up, so there is some mitigation.

So up until two brilliant inspired passes that cut the defence open, we didn't look inspired or creative. Good analysis.

We won 4-1. Easily. You cant rip teams to shreds with every single pass.

 

[Mark_GrumpyLion]

Good result, pretty good play, nice goals and a class way to say goodbye to RvP. Bring on Chelsea!

 

[Robbo 7]

Jose couldn't have written this script better. The game was won before half time and having only played Liverpool on Monday and Chelsea to come on Sunday, we needed a comfortable game. Last year we would have laboured to a 1-0 win, and struggled to hold on for the last 20 minutes.

Pogba was immense. We now need him to step up against better oposition, hopefully Chelsea on Sunday!!

 

[mitchmouse]

Overall, pretty good performance but against a side that didn't look too interested, except for RvP and MNEK(!!)

 

[Zoo]

Apart from the 4 goals they conceded I thought that Dick Advocaat set his team up pretty much perfectly.

 

[ants7]

We won comfortably and RVP got a goal and great reception. Good times. But Sunday is a real test.

 

[Shiva87]

It was a good result to get after the Liverpool draw. Chelsea looks like a must win and this will help a lot. Lingard has definitely earned his spot for the Chelsea match!

 

[Globule]

So up until two brilliant inspired passes that cut the defence open, we didn't look inspired or creative. Good analysis.

We won 4-1. Easily. You cant rip teams to shreds with every single pass.

I just would've preferred us to pose more of a threat throughout the match. Those few moments of brilliance were in complete isolation. For a lot of the match we looked lost.

Sure, we won 4-1 and the result was comfortable. But I wouldn't say we played well, and there were better individual performances against Liverpool at the weekend. I know it sounds spoiled, but I just want us to put in a more complete performance.

 

[marlowe78]

Good performance from us, I enjoyed that. It's always a good thing when the difference in quality between two teams is obvious from the lineup and you play to expectation.

Mata was my choice for MOTM. Again, it was against weak opposition but he impressed me with his ball control and vision, which were the best I've seen from one of our players in some time. He really drove the front 3 forward for long stretches of the game and deserved a goal himself. Obviously Pogba also makes his case with two nice goals and some great distribution. High marks go to Martial and Lingard as well. Carrick was very good, even though it's plainly obvious that he's in his last days at this level.

Defensively we were alright, even though there was nothing much coming forward from them. I think Darmian deserves a mention here, not because he was particularly good, but he showed a lot more initiative with the ball and making runs forward. Last season he looked absolutely petrified in those situations, so it's good to see that. Bailly was also good but needs a little work in committing his tackles.

The real disappointment for me was Shaw, who looked seriously off the pace. He was poor with the ball, had trouble keeping his position 1 v. 1, and often wandered up the pitch, leaving all kinds of space behind him (though this might be Mourinho's instructions - but why?). His overall game was poor and I don't think that performance earns him time in the Chelsea game at all. I fully expect to see Blind or Rojo, hopefully Blind, in that spot.

But all in all, we were good. A well-played performance against a weak team. Would've liked to keep the clean sheet but, hey, it was van Persie. I give us a 7/10, expectations met and some nice moves.

 

[jojose]

I just would've preferred us to pose more of a threat throughout the match. Those few moments of brilliance were in complete isolation. For a lot of the match we looked lost.

Sure, we won 4-1 and the result was comfortable. But I wouldn't say we played well, and there were better individual performances against Liverpool at the weekend. I know it sounds spoiled, but I just want us to put in a more complete performance.

We didn't have to play well to beat them though. Im happy with played within ourselves and won easy. Its a positive sign. Im pleased we don't have to be absolutely on it to thrash these type of teams with a second string. I only saw positives last night.

 

[vodrake]

Its nice to have a match where you look at the opposition beforehand and go "Yeah, we should win this comfortably" and then we do actually win it comfortably.

 

[JustAFan]

Its nice to have a match where you look at the opposition beforehand and go "Yeah, we should win this comfortably" and then we do actually win it comfortably.

Yes it is.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

IMHO Rojo had a decent + game. Surprsingly. Depay is a waste of space.

People really hate Depay. He was OK last night.

 

[Sunny Jim]

People really hate Depay. He was OK last night.

He wasnt. Wateful in attacking postiona, liability when we had to defend. Add to that a couple of stupid fouls and an attmept to go matey matey with the ref.

 

[Danillaco]

Did the job. Carrick my man of the match. We seriously miss his passing range and vision in games.

Carrick is so fecking amazing. If we play 3 man with him, Herrera and Pogba, we surely can be a force.

 

[Backrow Singer]

I enjoyed the game. Thought we played some nice football and kept the ball well but the two penalties obviously swung the game completely and we grew in confidence after that. Everyone played well IMO, I was really impressed with the movement shown by the front four; that was aided by Carrick's vision and technique with regards to finding them in space. Pogba's second was outstanding, as was Jesse Lingard's goal. Slacked off a bit second half but we played some really good football and got the win.

Carrick was outstanding and would have been my MOM. I thought Mata and Rooney both had good games as well. The back four looked solid for the majority of the game.

We've got plenty of options with regards to selection and that's only a good thing.

 

[sunama]

Its nice to have a match where you look at the opposition beforehand and go "Yeah, we should win this comfortably" and then we do actually win it comfortably.

Hehehe. Yep.
I remember last season, we'd look at the teams on paper and think we should win this.
Then after the game was finished we'd complain that we didn't create chances and forced to endure a 0-0 draw. That MUFC vs PSV game was horrific and absolutely pointless. I think that was the game which effectively dumped us out of the CL.

Don't forget that, that we only recently played Stoke and Watford - 2 teams we should've beaten, but did not. So our team/players still has the ability to bottle those sorts of games.

 

[sunama]

People really hate Depay. He was OK last night.

He was "okay" by his own standards. But by the standards of a MUFC LW, he was pretty useless.
Basically, he plays to the standard of an 18 year old. But while an 18 year old is expected to make significant improvements to his game (due his age), Memphis is already at a steady level. And that level is not particularly high. He is as good today, as he was this time last season. Absolutely no progress/improvement.

 

[Igor Drefljak]

I missed the game as I was playing football, but watched the highlights.
ITV had us set up with Carrick holding and Mata and Pogba in front playing a 433. Was this the case? or was it 4231?

I only saw the highlights, but the play seemed positive, a lot of forward passes, more risky balls and a higher press.
I really hope all the above was the case.

ITV did Rooney no favours though as it just gave a lot of highlights of his bad touches etc

 

[whatwha]

I missed the game as I was playing football, but watched the highlights.
ITV had us set up with Carrick holding and Mata and Pogba in front playing a 433. Was this the case? or was it 4231?

I only saw the highlights, but the play seemed positive, a lot of forward passes, more risky balls and a higher press.
I really hope all the above was the case.

ITV did Rooney no favours though as it just gave a lot of highlights of his bad touches etc

So NOW they hightlight his errors. Wrong time to do it. He should have done better in some situations but he was still better than in a long time IMO.

 

[paulscholes18]

I missed the game as I was playing football, but watched the highlights.
ITV had us set up with Carrick holding and Mata and Pogba in front playing a 433. Was this the case? or was it 4231?

I only saw the highlights, but the play seemed positive, a lot of forward passes, more risky balls and a higher press.
I really hope all the above was the case.

ITV did Rooney no favours though as it just gave a lot of highlights of his bad touches etc

It was 4-2-3-1. Rooney did Rooney no favours, no pace, strength, first touch or skill, to me you need 2/4 to lead the line and Rooney's got none of them

 

[Android1974]

Seemed a lot of players made a good case for themselves against Chelski. Mata, Lingard, Martial, Carrick?

Two of those don't even have the physical strength now to start in just three days after the game having played 90 minutes.

 

[matherto]

Amazing how much shorter our post match thread is when we are winning

It's not really amazing at all.

It's like how you never hear about good things in the news.

 

[Sandikan]

Although we're not quite on full cylinders yet, people should remember the last couple of years, where you couldn't see us beating anyone 4-1, even lower division gubbins.

Our last 3 home games, we've scored 4 twice, and should have conservatively had 4 v Stoke too. It's going in the right direction for sure.

 

[Distracted Steward]

This can be a dangerous attacking team. The confidence is coming back and they're allowed to raid forward when the opportunity comes. I'm not going to hate watching football by the end of the season like Van Gaal made me.

Pogba had the chance to show what he can do when free. Mourinho has got to figure out how to make that happen against stronger opposition. I don't see how it can be done without moving to a 4-3-3.

Carrick and Mata bring sense to the passing and make movement off the ball count. Carrick probably doesn't have the legs to play against league opposition without extra protection, but no one can recreate his contribution. He showed how he brings a real threat from deep--not just making it tick along. That's another predicament for Mourinho.

Shaw looked pretty far from fully fit. The best he could do was stay back and mark an non-threatening winger. He is many matches away from the fitness he needs to play like the ranging, top class left back he is.

It was Rooney's best performance of the season. Weaker opposition, but his effort had results. He needed that. Good to see the crowd behind him.

TFM is going to be special. I've only seen glimpses of him, but he seems to have a lot of upside. On top of that, he could become a beast of a defensive midfielder under Mourinho.

Rojo showed discipline. If he can show this when the stakes are higher and the opposition more dangerous, he's probably a squad player for a longer than we thought he'd manage. Not a bad defender when he keeps it simple.

Mata's touch, vision and positioning make him by a country mile the best #10 in the squad. For him not to be there in the big games would require a pretty compelling reason. He makes the team better now that he's on his natural position and there is real off the ball movement to churn the defense. The criticism of him on here lacked context. Judging h by how he played wide in a tumescent Van Gaal team was foolish. The talk of him being the first out the door was along the lazy journalism that seems to follow this club. Mata will be a big part of United's next league trophy.

Darmian showed some of what made him stand put at United. His delivery may prove to be his undoing, though. Being able
To put a good cross in matters with a team as big and physical as this. He did nothing to show he could take Valencia's spot, but acquitted himself well. He won the ball back often and put in a good shift--especially after so long out. Probably doesn't have the patience to wait around much longer, though.

This is a deep and interchangeable squad. A cup trophy while improving in the league is a real possibility this season.

 

[beergod]

We moved the ball with pace? Really?
Man I miss 90s football.

Nothing compares to 90's football for pace of play. For once, we actually moved the ball around quickly and avoided the trap of slowly swinging the ball from fullback to fullback that was a hallmark of the van Gaal era. Fener had to work hard to get the ball back and our pressing forced them into quick turnovers and the ball came straight back at them until they broke.

 

[TwoSheds]

Nothing compares to 90's football for pace of play. For once, we actually moved the ball around quickly and avoided the trap of slowly swinging the ball from fullback to fullback that was a hallmark of the van Gaal era. Fener had to work hard to get the ball back and our pressing forced them into quick turnovers and the ball came straight back at them until they broke.

We forced the dippers into quick turnovers too, it doesn't mean we actually played much attacking football.