[V.O.]

What doesn't change is more activity on post match threads when United don't win.

We've just seen the first game under our new permanent manager, with a new formation. Of course people will want to comment on that more than routine wins against poor sides under an interim. It would be the same regardless of the result.

 

[RedRocket9908]

Terrible performance overall and we had have lost it wouldnt have been undeserved but we have to remember that Ruben has only had these players for 2 training sessions and will need a few more sessions to get these players to drop the habits and mindset of Ten Hag ball and start to adapt and buy in to what he is trying to get them to do.

 

[killerboi2]

8 pages on this thread in one hour after a match United didn't win. Recent post match threads after wins against Leicester and PAOK produced 4 pages.

Not as many posters making excuses or indeed needing to make excuses for Ruud.

 

[UnitedSofa]

They were thinking too much and couldn’t run.

 

[G-manc]

I’m not reading too much into one game with the same players who’ve been found wanting mentally & physically time and time again.

I have no doubt that Amorim will be making lots of mental notes of who he can trust or who he can’t.

Onana was good, De Ligt ok, Mazraoui solid as usual and Amad not too bad. The rest were wholly forgettable.

 

[Oranges038]

Dreadful game really.

First half started ok, then just fizzled out, an equaliser was always on the cards and they got it. Dominated the second half possession but couldn't do anything with it. Ipswich had the better chances throughout, that Delap looks like a right horrible pr*ck to play against.

Overall, not a terrible performance for a the first game, but I genuinely just think that a lot of these players just aren't good enough and that's it really.

 

[JediSith]

Very good for 20 mins. Controlled possession, passed it around nicely, didn’t give the ball away. Then went downhill.

Apart from the goal Rashford didn’t contribute, neither did Bruno.

Would love to see the two 10s be Mount/Zirkee and Garnacho/ Amad with Rasmus as the 9.

 

[Munkehboi]

Saw some promising signs. Nice to see us get the ball out wide and to the by-line a few times in promising positions. Amad was very good. Case and Eriksen won't be the two in the middle moving forward so not too upset by that. I expect Ugarte, Mainoo/Mount to go in so we're more mobile and able to progress the ball up the pitch better.

This Ipswich side are very good considering 4-5 players out on that pitch today played in League One a few years ago. Don't forget they've outplayed Spurs and Villa, drew with and could've beaten Brighton away if not for the post. Think thier place in the bottom three is a bit of a false position for them as they've been quite unlucky so far. Not a bad result considering the wholesome change made to the formation.

 

[utdalltheway]

We need to see improvement over the next few games. Great managers can make those in quick fashion.

 

[David Bartley]

Terrible performance overall and we had have lost it wouldnt have been undeserved but we have to remember that Ruben has only had these players for 2 training sessions and will need a few more sessions to get these players to drop the habits and mindset of Ten Hag ball and start to adapt and buy in to what he is trying to get them to do.

We didn't score but after the final raft of substitutions we looked like a team. I think this will work.

 

[gearoid]

Disappointing after a great start. Some great saves from Onana to keep us in it. Will take a while for the players to understand how the boss wants to play. He'll need to try a few players in different positions to work out his best 11 and I hope he nails it.

 

[Judas]

We are slow, ponderous and just seem average at the basics you’d expect from a top PL side.

 

[Addled]

Amorim on the touch line asking/demanding more energy and getting nothing is the big takeaway here. He now knows the level that they are at. Get a tune or move them on.
Some absolutely appalling performances today. No shame in front of the new boss.

 

[Parma Dewol]

All felt familiar in the end, and that’s not a good thing.

 

[Exiled_Red]

Well, that was different in some says and familiar in others. Some thoughts:

• All the things Amorim said in his presser that we need to work on were on display. We can't hold possession and we need to get back as a team quicker during turnover.
• We are a lazy, slow team. We dont move enough off the ball and when we do, it's a slow jog. Amorim may have plenty of character, but this squad doesn't.
• Our back line killed us today. They have to move the ball quicker across the back and be more willing to carry the ball forward or make a progressive pass. If they wait all day for wide open passes in this league, this formation will never work.
• Our midfield isn't athletic enough and need to be way better. Eriksen was horrific. He didn't show for the ball out of the back, jogged around casually, was unable to pass or turn out of the press, and overall just killed us. The middle two and back 3 are going to be important in allowing us to play out of the back and today they failed.
• We need wingbacks to play this formation which we dont have. Amad did a decent job going forward and tracking but long term I dont think it's his best role. Dalot got forward but I still think he's useless when he gets in those positions and defending today he gave wide players way too much space.
• When we did get in the final 3rd our positions and movement was way better than under ETH. We need to get more efficient at getting the ball into the final 3rd before anything comes from it.
• You could see the positions Amorim wants us to take in the buildup. He wants quick transitions across the back and then wide or big diagonals wide. The issue today was it took the back line 5 minutes to move the ball side to side and when it got there they were too afraid to make a progressive pass and the players in front of them were jogging to get open instead of busting ass.
• What does Garnacho have to do to lose minutes? Honestly, for all his running he makes some of the worst decisions and his final ball is horrific.
• Cut our losses on Zirkzee now. Hes horrible. I can't think of a nice thing to say about his ability unfortunately.
• Overall, I hoped for better and a bit of a new manager bounce, but this lot seem immune to even that. Amorim has his work cutout for him. But I like the formation and some of the positions I can see him wanting players to take up. Just depends on if this lot can rise to the occasion or if they drag him down like everyone else.

 

[DRJosh]

I can’t lie, I’m quite disappointed we didn’t show up under the watchful eyes of Amorim. Yes, it provides Amorim with an indicator of who to keep and let go, but let’s face it, not many clubs would be clamouring to get the deadwood we have especially with the wages they are on. So Amorim will end up working with what there is and I suspect the results won’t be pretty for a while.

 

[TheNewEra]

All felt familiar in the end, and that’s not a good thing.

If you got Pep, Klopp or even SAF in for 2 training sessions you arent going to achieve a lot.

Modern football is about systems and knowing what you are doing in a system.

You can't get that visceral almost automation response in 2 sessions.

Itll take time and I think Europa league and Cup matches will be perfect to take the training wheels off a bit.

This season we just need to engrain what the responsibilities are on each player, when to run, how to press, what to do in and out of possession. We arent going to see that in 2 training sessions.

 

[yaps]

I was fortunate to be at Portman Road today and what's obvious is that there's no out and out striker to aim for up front, no one sitting on the last defender waiting to pounce, and a lot of the time the ball was just hoofed forward aimlessly.

The ref made some odd decisions and didn't give out a single card. I also thought there should have been more than 4 minutes added on at the end to account for stoppages in the game.

It was good to see Shaw back though, and Onana made a save that reminded me of Schmichel in his prime.

 

[TheNewEra]

I can’t lie, I’m quite disappointed we didn’t show up under the watchful eyes of Amorim. Yes, it provides Amorim with an indicator of who to keep and let go, but let’s face it, not many clubs would be clamouring to get the deadwood we have especially with the wages they are on. So Amorim will end up working with what there is and I suspect the results won’t be pretty for a while.

What do you mean show up? We aren't going to transform in a week, all of the changes will happen on the training pitch and will take time.

 

[davidmichael]

The positives are that once Amorim saw Casemiro and Eriksen don’t have the legs for his system he pulled them off and after watching Rashford put in less and less as the game went on Amorim pulled him off too which are things ETH wouldn’t have done until the last 5 minutes of the game.

What’s clear is that for Amorim’s system to work the system needs players with high stamina and work rate and the likes of Casemiro, Eriksen and Evans don’t have the stamina whilst Rashford doesn’t have the work rate but that all said I think Amorim has a free pass til the end of the season from Ineos as they know the squad is full of deadwood.

My big negatives from today though is that Diallo is too far away from the opposition box as a wing back and completely wasted as he should be one of the two behind the striker. The other negative is inside wing backs as it’s obvious to the opposition that the wing backs will cut inside or turn back.

I know that right now we don’t have a natural left wing back but going forward Dalot or Mazraoui or even Garnacho if we’re to play an attack minded wing back should be on the right as natural side wing backs would speed up our play and allow us to counter before the opposition can get back into shape.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

A game where the manager comes away with credit but the players don’t. He fixed the problems that needed fixing, made smart subs and his team played better after the half time talk. That’s really all he can influence when he’s only been working with them a wet weekend.

 

[kerrygold]

Was with you until you put Dalot as wing back ahead of Mazraoui.

Amad has to be included and I’d love to see him as a 10 behind a striker

I think Amad at 10 would be deadly

 

[Amsterdam Devil]

I think LWB will be the biggest problem to fill in right now.

If the defenders stay fit we have enough defenders till the end of the season in De Ligt, Martinez, Yoro, Shaw, Maguire and even maybe Lindelof and Mazraoui can play there. Buy an extra central defender in the summer when we let go Evans, Lindelof and Maguire

RWB Amad did fine and Mazraoui can play there and maybe Dalot although he was terrible today. Maybe Antony is good for that role, he could surprise us.

Central midfield Ugarte and Mainoo will be the main partnership. But Casemiro and Ugarte did well with Van Nistelrooy. Bruno could play there and maybe even Collyer could have the intensity Amorim wants. Casemiro and Eriksen together is not good enough.

At 10 Bruno and Mount will be fine I think. Garnacho looked lost today but hopefully he will adjust. Eriksen is better at 10 I think. And Amad can play there although he looked good at RWB today.

Striker will be Hojland. Maybe Rashford can play the easier games but he is no striker and doesn’t have the intensity to press or lead the line. Zirkzee looked poor again and I think Amorim will play him more as a 10 to hold up the ball than as a real striker.

But at LWB? Dalot was poor today, Shaw doesn’t have the legs anymore I think and could better play left central defender. Maybe Mazraoui can play there, it seems he can play everywhere. Maybe Malacia can surprise us if he stays fit, it seems a good position for him I guess. Maybe Antony, I don’t know. Maybe Amass.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Onana is the only reason we don't lose this game today. The only one.

Poor Ruben. In all the multiverses in existence, the poor man got the United job in the worst one.

There wasn't a single pass into a half-space today. It was just circulate left, circulate right, circulate left, circulate right, pass back, pass back again to GK, reset, and resume pendulum.

There were but they were few and far between. Zirkzee and Hojlund both received them but wasted them

 

[MZX7]

Frankly, we have one offensive player that is Premier League quality. We can't play him as a wingback ever again.

Truly dreadful game from everyone bar Onana and Amal.

Mazraoui has been the most consistent performer for us apart from the two you listed above.

 

[Will Singh]

He’s only had 2 sessions and he’s come in at the busiest time of the season. Anyone judging him and yes they already are is ridiculous. He’s got a system which will take time to get into the thick heads of our lazy players.

 

[Parma Dewol]

If you got Pep, Klopp or even SAF in for 2 training sessions you arent going to achieve a lot.

Modern football is about systems and knowing what you are doing in a system.

You can't get that visceral almost automation response in 2 sessions.

Itll take time and I think Europa league and Cup matches will be perfect to take the training wheels off a bit.

This season we just need to engrain what the responsibilities are on each player, when to run, how to press, what to do in and out of possession. We arent going to see that in 2 training sessions.

Completely agree with you, it’s just hard as a United fan to not flip-flop between “this man is our saviour,” and “no one man can save us.”

Going into today’s game I knew not to expect miracles, yet still found myself disappointed in the way the game fizzled out.

The good thing is the fixtures come thick and fast this time of year, so we should begin to see things take shape sooner rather than later.

 

[DRJosh]

What do you mean show up? We aren't going to transform in a week, all of the changes will happen on the training pitch and will take time.

Even so you’d expect some intent in how we play. It wasn’t there. I don’t think our problems are only contained to the training pitch. They are some very weak mentalities in this team.

 

[GaryLifo]

Exactly. Thats why it’s a phrase.

The phrase is damp squib.

 

[big_jeffstar]

Imagine them in a UCL final then

they’re a really odd bunch.. I’d actually back them in a cup final, it’s when they’re expected to win that they let you down

 

[Cloud7]

I was out and couldn't watch the match lads.

Can anyone summarize (briefly) how we lined up and how we looked/how the match went? From the first page I gather it wasn't the best, which isn't too surprising as he's only had a couple days with the main squad.

 

[Wazzaduke33]

Anyone blaming or criticising Amorim needs their head testing. This squad is lacking everywhere and no manager in the world can do anything with it in a few days, absolutely crazy criticism

 

[bgoodall]

What is the point of Zirkzee

 

[SteveCoppellFan]

I have complete faith in this manager.

Any players not good enough to adapt to the new formation will find themselves being shipped out next summer and replaced by players that can.

I think we finally have a structure in place that will not put up with this so called player power nonsense anymore.

Basically play well or you will be replaced.

 

[Tincanalley]

that start was just too good to be true, will need some more time with the new formation

Ideal result from one angle. Damps down the hype a tad. I thought the players tried. They are not used to his more attacking mentality, but that will come. I don’t think he should have commented on individual players. Great we got that early goal using his plan. It’s a little ray of hope. Onana was great today.

 

[Tincanalley]

A big part of that was Ipswich running themselves into the ground by pressing like maniacs in the first half.

You're right about that pairing being awful though, they were miles off the physicality required to stand up to that kind of press.

Good point, the bolded. I thought they might run out of steam. They did, a bit but we failed to capitalise

 

[Moriarty]

MOTM was a toss up between Amad and Onana. Amad ain't a wing-back but he stuck to his task well and was the liveliest United player going forward. Nothing Onana could do about the goal, deflected as it was.

 

[Tincanalley]

Amorim will have to react quickly if he wants to succeed at this club. Rashford, Shaw and Dalot will not help him turn this around.
And Antony, Zirkzee and Hoijlund are not good enough to do it.

Rashford is an enigma. If he goes, he needs replacing with a top striker. Shaw is a great football player and did well today. Dalot will come good in this system, I expect. Anthony, I’m not at all sure. Maybe. Zirkzee looked very lost today. Hoijlund Is young and we should suspend judgement; on Zirkzee, too I suppose.

 

[sdb4884]

Lets face it, it doesn't matter who coaches these players most of them are just past their used by date. Fernandes, Casemiro, De Ligt, Dalot, Eriksen, Shaw, Mount and Rashford. Fernandes & Rashford could easily have been sold for a good sum in the transfer window. We really need a big clean out and recruitment drive in the summer & some reinforcements in the winter.

 

[Tincanalley]

Key takeaways:

1 - Our players lack intensity in their game
2 - Our players hate to move in space
3 - Amorim needs to be very stern with underperformers
4 - Any other team wanting a win would be hammering it in past the 90th minute. We were casually passing it around Onana and De Ligt as if we're happy with the draw. That is unacceptable.

Ratings:

Onana - 9/10 MOTM for me
Dalot - 2/10 Very weak and not a single positive contrubution to the game
De Ligt - 7/10 At times I thought he was the only one out there trying in defence
Evans - 4/10 He is not for this level
Mazraoui - 6/10 had some good moments, at least he puts in effort
Casemiro - 1/10 another game where he just couldn't get arsed
Eriksen - 2/10 doesn't have the energy to play against such opponents
Amad - 7/10 He Was our best player going forward
Garnacho - 3/10 Made some good movements but ultimately failed to produce anything good
Bruno - 6/10 He needs to ask the ball more
Rashford - 2/10 Despite the goal he was abysmal and at times looks like he doesn't want to be a footballer

Zirkzee - 6.5/10
Hoijlund - 6.5/10
Shaw - 4/10
Ugarte - 6/10

Referee: 1/10, let Ipswich play wrestling and never even gave them a warning.

Ipswitch: cnuts/10, are they trying to be the new QPR?