[Jaap]

Thought Fulham were quite toothless up front - hardly threatened but we didn’t either. Typical goalless draw, imo.
First clean sheet since the Everton game.

 

[sugar_kane]

The good news is we seem to be moving up one position each week so we should be top of the league by April

 

[Escobar]

I said in the 60th minute that our tactics will work - we bore them to death so they fall asleep and then we punish them. Worked out perfectly, well played team

 

[Rajma]

A real snoozefest, fallen asleep during 2nd half and woke up to Amorim giving post-match interview. Glad we won though.

 

[Mike Smalling]

This game also shows why the relegation talk was always just hysteria. We are terrible up front, but still have some quality in defense and midfield, so we will be able to grind out wins like this on occasion, which the teams that will get relegated won't do nearly as much. That silliness should be put to bed now.

 

[Maik2022]

I Loved it. The Power of a Clean Sheet, kept it together, Not playing into fulhams hands, perfekt Game. For this Situation.

 

[Craig Ward]

This game also shows why the relegation talk was always just hysteria. We are terrible up front, but still have some quality in defense and midfield, so we will be able to grind out wins like this on occasion, which the teams that will get relegated won't do nearly as much. That silliness should be put to bed now.

Can you let me know where the quality in our midfield is? I haven't seen it for several years now

 

[Craig Ward]

Another hard watch.

I do believe in Amorin - but the system isn't working at the moment. He needs his own players.

We are disjointed. We don't press as a team, the gap between striker and the rest of the team is too big. No presence in the box, just slow lethargic backwards passes all game.

Hojlund had an absolute stinker. Truly hard to watch. He's trying to be a target man - yet possesses none of the skills to do so. While he is being slated like a failure already here - we are so guilty of making him look so bad. We dont support him, we dont play to his strengths. We leave him isolated and lump aimless long balls at him and expect miracles. Could his touch be better? Of course. Could he control the ball better? Absolutely. But we got to help him

Dalot is so poor. Left or right - it doesn't matter. His first thought as soon as the ball comes to him is "Can i play a backwards pass to Bruno as quickly as possible" And repeat. All game. Abysmal.

Garnacho and Amad have bags of pace and energy - yet we barely get them in the game. Bruno isn't suited to playing deep. While he's an important player for us, his passes, especially at range is rubbish. Ugarte works so hard to cover so much ground - but again - his passing isn't great.

It's like we don't know whether to play narrow and compact or wide and at pace. So we end up doing neither - we look a bit lost. No running in behind (which Hojlund would actually be decent at) and no quality from the Wing Backs. We are so slow with the ball and very open without it.

Hard to watch

 

[Mike Smalling]

Can you let me know where the quality in our midfield is? I haven't seen it for several years now

Bruno and Ugarte are quality players and often put in good performances.

I'm not saying we have a fantastic midfield. Just that we have players in defense and midfield that belong in the top 7-8 teams in the league, which will get us results like this occasionally.

 

[The Hustler]

Fantastic away support.

 

[A-man]

One of the worst performances I’ve seen but at least we got saved by a lucky deflection and the fact that our opponent’s attack was as poor as ours. Worrying that there is little to no progress in the Amorim style of playing football, yet.

 

[Gordon S]

One of the worst performances I’ve seen but at least we got saved by a lucky deflection and the fact that our opponent’s attack was as poor as ours. Worrying that there is little to no progress in the Amorim style of playing football, yet.

There is 2-4 days between most of our games this winter. There is very little time for Ruben and his coaching mates to train the details of his system and ideas. It will take time.
Having said that, it is worrying and somewhat confusing that we seem so content just circulating the ball around for long periods, barely making an effort to attack.

 

[Bright_Eyes]

Why can we look really good in some matches, especially against the better teams, but look utterly dire in others? Are we struggling to play against teams who sit back or are we just trying a lot harder vs bigger teams?

 

[tomaldinho1]

Why can we look really good in some matches, especially against the better teams, but look utterly dire in others? Are we struggling to play against teams who sit back or are we just trying a lot harder vs bigger teams?

I think it's important to not get too carried away with how 'good' we have played. The run of City (this one we actually were generally good), Pool (they outplayed us across most meaningful stats but TAA is awful defensively), Arsenal (in the league they comfortably beat us, in the cup we hung on and won on pens). In the same vein, we should not think last night was dire - away from home against a solid team and it was pretty even, that really is the level we need to be looking at, picking up hard fought wins against the lower/mid table. It was much better than Soton, for example, given they could have been 2-3 ahead if they could finish/Onan had not made that amazing save.

There is a clear issue with our attack, not just in terms of needing a new player in certain positions but with how it functions. There has to be more of a plan of progressing the ball than simply 'get it to Amad, Garnacho, Hojlund/Zirkzee' and let them try and do something, which is what it kind of seems to be right now for th emost part.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Was Amad offside? Was surprised when it was given as offside.

 

[trevor newnham]

Was Amad offside? Was surprised when it was given as offside.

Yes by a foot.

 

[Woziak]

I’m surprised we haven’t played Eriksen a bit more as a 10 in this system.

Totally agree even for 45 minutes the system is made for him

 

[Buster15]

Mourinho masterclass!

The very same.

 

[Craig Ward]

Totally agree even for 45 minutes the system is made for him

He's had minutes. He just can't run, press, or influence the game like he used too.

Intelligent player - but the prem is much too intense for him now

 

[Wolfbot]

We are so slow with the ball and very open without it.

Hard to watch

That's half the reason we're so bad, the majority of our play is so slow and ponderous that it's easy for the other team to defend.

On the other hand, playing that slowly is the only way we keep the ball. Whenever we try to play quickly we give away 5 yard passes so cheaply, players are then out of position and we're wide open.

Getting a few players in who can legitimately move the ball quicker without giving it away is the only way we'll get significantly better in my opinion.

 

[MUEricTheKing]

Good win, but there's still a long way to go. It wasn’t pretty. We’re crying out for a quality striker.

Now the world is starting to see what we Danes already knew from day one.

It’s absolutely insane that Højlund has been brought in as the number 9 for United. It’s such a shame because it could end up completely ruining his career. There should’ve been a Premier League-proven striker for him to compete with for playing time over the next 3–4 years, and then get his chance when he’s actually ready for that level.

It’s downright embarrassing to watch him play. He’s the worst player on the pitch by far every time, but there’s simply no alternative to him at United right now. Simply not good enough for a £72m striker.

It’s a tough situation for someone so young. It must build serious character, and if he turns this around and breaks through at United, there’s no limit to how mentally strong he’ll be on the other side. But right now, a future at FC Copenhagen seems closer than one at United.

 

[Red in STL]

no u

I've never ever stopped watching United because they were 'shit' and I don't turn off when they're getting thrashed either

 

[Owen Hargo]

https://www.goal.com/en-sa/lists/ma...fulham-early-hours-monday/bltc14ae913999fdddd

Is this normal? Playing twice a week and having to go through this affect recovery process.

 

[Red in STL]

https://www.goal.com/en-sa/lists/ma...fulham-early-hours-monday/bltc14ae913999fdddd

Is this normal? Playing twice a week and having to go through this affect recovery process.

It's pretty common for teams playing away games in Europe, they are used to it

 

[Woziak]

He's had minutes. He just can't run, press, or influence the game like he used too.

Intelligent player - but the prem is much too intense for him now

I still think if Mount could get fit and finally start his United career as R10 or L10 and gives us 65/70 mins, then Eriksen would be perfect for 20/25 mins even in the PL, his delivery and intelligence hasn’t changed.

 

[Red in STL]

I still think if Mount could get fit and finally start his United career as R10 or L10 and gives us 65/70 mins, then Eriksen would be perfect for 20/25 mins even in the PL, his delivery and intelligence hasn’t changed.

Even if Mount could get fit it's moot, we'd be some kind of really stupid to give Eriksen a new contract that he would find acceptable

 

[Woziak]

Even if Mount could get fit it's moot, we'd be some kind of really stupid to give Eriksen a new contract that he would find acceptable

I was talking until the summer, he’ll go on a free then, but losing him now is incredibly stupid as we have very few experienced quality players left in squad.

 

[Red00012]

Yes by a foot.

It wasn’t a foot more like an inch

 

[Red00012]

We need a run of scrappy wins over the next few weeks. Build a bit of momentum and try to maybe start pushing for the top 8.

Ya , i think it’s all about results now to be honest . I can see the performances being one step forward 2 steps back until the season end

 

[Red in STL]

I was talking until the summer, he’ll go on a free then, but losing him now is incredibly stupid as we have very few experienced quality players left in squad.

I agree about the rest of the season re: Eriksen, still probably moot with Mount as he's not likely to be fit for most of that period

 

[sparx99]

Good win, but there's still a long way to go. It wasn’t pretty. We’re crying out for a quality striker.

Now the world is starting to see what we Danes already knew from day one.

It’s absolutely insane that Højlund has been brought in as the number 9 for United. It’s such a shame because it could end up completely ruining his career. There should’ve been a Premier League-proven striker for him to compete with for playing time over the next 3–4 years, and then get his chance when he’s actually ready for that level.

It’s downright embarrassing to watch him play. He’s the worst player on the pitch by far every time, but there’s simply no alternative to him at United right now. Simply not good enough for a £72m striker.

It’s a tough situation for someone so young. It must build serious character, and if he turns this around and breaks through at United, there’s no limit to how mentally strong he’ll be on the other side. But right now, a future at FC Copenhagen seems closer than one at United.

A bit like Alex Sorloth. Did nothing at Palace but has gone on to be a decent La Liga striker in his later 20’s.

Or the other Dane who went to Cardiff and didn’t score a goal.

 

[trevor newnham]

It wasn’t a foot more like an inch

I meant foot as in appendage not measurement

 

[A-man]

There is 2-4 days between most of our games this winter. There is very little time for Ruben and his coaching mates to train the details of his system and ideas. It will take time.
Having said that, it is worrying and somewhat confusing that we seem so content just circulating the ball around for long periods, barely making an effort to attack.

Agree that he has very little time for training but still, I don’t even see the attempts. But yes, considering how little time he has had for training and maybe also not the right type of players, it’s maybe naïve to believe for better results. And personally, I don’t want him to sacrifice his vision for results by grinding out points unless we’re getting really close to relegation.