PL W FA Premier League

Manchester United 2:1 Liverpool

Post-match discussion


Sat, 10 March 2018

Right, so the only reason we’ve beaten so many sides by large goal margins is because they’re all crap? It’s nothing to do with how Klopp sets his team out or how we play as a team, it’s all because every team we play is crap and poorly drilled.

That sounds like an unbelievably childish argument, sort of like saying that the only reason United are so good defensively is because the opposition usually has crap players.

Haven't you been reading the caf? Pretty much what alot here are writing. If we have a good game opposition is crap, we have a bad game we're crap and all our players are crap bar De Gea.
 
I was scooting between airports etc during game. Saw the score line 2 - 0 on the Guardian thing, was getting hints from match day thread, but it was all vague, bad WiFi, low battery, flight mode etc. looking back now on it in full, just 3 or 7 observations...

1. Liverpool played well, really well, they would have hammered most sides.
2. Sanchez played great.
3. Jose’s approach was like picking a lock, or getting open one of those new fangled car doors with the battery dead. De Gea was a big part of our attack with his bombs on the head of Lukaku.
4. Seemed to be a great buzz at OT.
5. Liverpool didn’t feel the love and neither did Klopp. Delighted for them. Envious of those at the game.

6. Oh and let me say how great Rashford was. I have given him criticism- now he deserves all the credit coming his way. Good week all round
 
I was scooting between airports etc during game. Saw the score line 2 - 0 on the Guardian thing, was getting hints from match day thread, but it was all vague, bad WiFi, low battery, flight mode etc. looking back now on it in full, just 3 or 7 observations...

1. Liverpool played well, really well, they would have hammered most sides.
2. Sanchez played great.
3. Jose’s approach was like picking a lock, or getting open one of those new fangled car doors with the battery dead. De Gea was a big part of our attack with his bombs on the head of Lukaku.
4. Seemed to be a great buzz at OT.
5. Liverpool didn’t feel the love and neither did Klopp. Delighted for them. Envious of those at the game.

6. Oh and let me say how great Rashford was. I have given him criticism- now he deserves all the credit coming his way. Good week all round

Liverpool played well? De Gea didn’t have to make a save.
 
I was scooting between airports etc during game. Saw the score line 2 - 0 on the Guardian thing, was getting hints from match day thread, but it was all vague, bad WiFi, low battery, flight mode etc. looking back now on it in full, just 3 or 7 observations...

1. Liverpool played well, really well, they would have hammered most sides.
2. Sanchez played great.
3. Jose’s approach was like picking a lock, or getting open one of those new fangled car doors with the battery dead. De Gea was a big part of our attack with his bombs on the head of Lukaku.
4. Seemed to be a great buzz at OT.
5. Liverpool didn’t feel the love and neither did Klopp. Delighted for them. Envious of those at the game.

6. Oh and let me say how great Rashford was. I have given him criticism- now he deserves all the credit coming his way. Good week all round
Liverpool did not play well.
We didn’t allow them to.
 
Great atmosphere, sang my heart out & loads of others did too, my voice is only just returning.

Performance-wise, we did exactly what we needed to do in the first half i.e. get at their weak point! Mata really should have scored his chance (did he need to go for flashy or could he have just taken an easier option to score?!). Another great showing from the man I now refer to as "the big Scotsman" McTominay.

So after taking a 2 goal lead in the first half, negating Liverpool's key players and breaking up their play (not to mention shutting the fans up!) the frustration in the 2nd half was that we seemed to just drop the pressing and sit deeper. That really puts things on a plate for them to come at us and seems like living pointlessly dangerously, when the first half has been a template for ** How to beat Liverpool! **

No complaints though in the end. Coming just after that performance at Palace to save 3 points, it seems like the team are showing some belief and grit and hopefully building some momentum. Sod all the people saying they'd "take a draw" before kick off, we owe Liverpool a beating by 3 or 4 goals.

The game made me think of some of the 80s clashes between the 2 teams, I'm not sure why. Maybe it was a point where it was a bit end to end, with some robust challanges, and the fact that most of the LFC/MUFC games I recall had Liverpool in their white/black/white kits.

Away fans were poor as well. Funny that they're posted them singing after the game while still in the ground. They'd found their voices by then!
 
Not convinced that he'll ever be a world beater, but looks like he could develop into a Fletcheresque 'big game player'. Really good performance.
Yeah that's my thought as well. Not sure he'll be as good as Fletcher but still a good squad player at least.
 
The reason we won the game and actually looked decent for large parts of it is because our players were up for it and a actually applied themselves close to their full potential. Just a shame this doesn’t happen more often.

This is because Mourinho is a tactician and also require players with good tactical understanding and discipline to execute his vision. Shaw probably never understand a word of what he said, Pogba forgotten after 5min, Mata can understand but lack the attribute to execute his requirement....
 
Chris Foy analysed all the calls in one of the show.

Rashford's was not yellow as he didn't cross hoarding and was within perimeter.
Rashford's wasn't even a foul for second yellow (on TAA)
Bailly's shoulder to shoulder with Milner isn't a foul anywhere on the field.
Young on Salah: Don't see a penalty. Attackers also touches defenders, can't call foul on those.
Valencia's hand ball: That's not a penalty. His hand wasn't in unnatural position. Ball is coming at speed, where should he put his hand?
Mane and Fellaini: It's a penalty but ref didn't have any good view on it.
 
Chris Foy analysed all the calls in one of the show.

Rashford's was not yellow as he didn't cross hoarding and was within perimeter.
Rashford's wasn't even a foul for second yellow (on TAA)
Bailly's shoulder to shoulder with Milner isn't a foul anywhere on the field.
Young on Salah: Don't see a penalty. Attackers also touches defenders, can't call foul on those.
Valencia's hand ball: That's not a penalty. His hand wasn't in unnatural position. Ball is coming at speed, where should he put his hand?
Mane and Fellaini: It's a penalty but ref didn't have any good view on it.
Agree with Foy on every call.
 
exactly, but you cant tell that to people like @desmondisback


You misunderstand. The point I was making is that in the second half we seemed to have the approach of "well , we are 2-0 up , let's defend that scoreline and see what happens ". This is different from the first half where it felt as if we were trying to score at 0-0. The second half was very "score conscious" and that lead to potential trouble.

In any sport whenever you start playing the scoreboard instead of the sport it can lead to trouble. We looked like scoring in the second half
Fergie has done it before too, you forget that?


And I didn't like that ploy when Fergie did it either. He did it most severely against Barca at home in 08 but that was an exceptional team and an exceptional situation. Obviously , if you are 2-0 down you don't go hell for leather trying to get a 3rd and leave yourself wide open . I get that. I also get that it's a good idea to realise that the other team has to come to you and score 2 goals , so you keep your shape and keep it tight. However , you can easily over do this and I think we did. It's so easy just to defend a 2-0 lead and it's a dangerous thing to do. We took a cautious "we'll keep what we have" approach and one referees decision against Fellaini and it's 2-2.

If that had happened many would be wondering why we got so score conscious and passive.

(edit above " never looked like scoring in the second half")
 
It's not just me either.


"The United fans would have left the ground on Saturday delighted at having won the game against Liverpool but they were hanging on and one tiny mistake would have let Liverpool in for the equaliser. Then the whole edifice crumbles........ "

"........They won and ultimately that's all that counts but they did invite trouble and pressure on in the second half and Liverpool piled it on. On another day things could have been different and it's a dangerous tactic to use, especially against a team with an attacking three like Liverpool."

Jeremy Cross Daily Star
 
Chris Foy analysed all the calls in one of the show.

Rashford's was not yellow as he didn't cross hoarding and was within perimeter.
Rashford's wasn't even a foul for second yellow (on TAA)
Bailly's shoulder to shoulder with Milner isn't a foul anywhere on the field.
Young on Salah: Don't see a penalty. Attackers also touches defenders, can't call foul on those.
Valencia's hand ball: That's not a penalty. His hand wasn't in unnatural position. Ball is coming at speed, where should he put his hand?
Mane and Fellaini: It's a penalty but ref didn't have any good view on it.
Spot on, specially regarding the difficult to judge Fellaini/Mané situation.
 
It's not just me either.


"The United fans would have left the ground on Saturday delighted at having won the game against Liverpool but they were hanging on and one tiny mistake would have let Liverpool in for the equaliser. Then the whole edifice crumbles........ "

"........They won and ultimately that's all that counts but they did invite trouble and pressure on in the second half and Liverpool piled it on. On another day things could have been different and it's a dangerous tactic to use, especially against a team with an attacking three like Liverpool."

Jeremy Cross Daily Star
Alternatively:

On another day Liverpool would not have enjoyed the massive slice of luck that was Bailly's inadvertent volleyed Cruyff-flick which would have resulted in their ineffectual attempts to score themselves leaving them with no goals to their credit. Utd were unfortunate that this event gave their opponents greater hope than their tactical inadequacy merited.
 
Still buzzing about the win.

We were fantastic in the first half.

It was very tense towards the end with all the added time, in hindsight though they offered very little in the way of being a threat. It was mostly just possession. There wasn't really any saves our keeper was tested by.
 
Alternatively:

On another day Liverpool would not have enjoyed the massive slice of luck that was Bailly's inadvertent volleyed Cruyff-flick which would have resulted in their ineffectual attempts to score themselves leaving them with no goals to their credit. Utd were unfortunate that this event gave their opponents greater hope than their tactical inadequacy merited.

Ironically you made my point for me. You ignored the fact that deflections , own goals , dubious penalties and handballs and other mishaps can easily happen when the ball is flying around in your own box. Things like the Bailly OG do happen when lots of crosses and corners are flying in. That's why it's dangerous yes? The Fellaini penalty that wasn't given (but easily could have been) is another example of what happens when you "invite pressure" by being too cautious.

You see , call me a simpleton , but it did seem to me as if the chances of a Liverpool goal in the second half was greater than the first half and the chances of United scoring in the second half was less than in the first half. The ratio changed in the second half. Is this a good way to protect a 2-0 lead? There is another way you know, United could have pushed up a bit (whilst still not being too open) and given themselves a better chance of getting a third goal and tried harder to keep Liverpool out of our box. It's something that's not talked about so often - the advantages of being a threat to the other team.

A really fantastic way of protecting a lead is to get another one. No -one's saying that we go gung-ho for 3-0 or anything , just a bit less fear. At 3-0 and it's time to get out the cigars instead we had a nervy time of it. It's tactic that never seems to occur to Jose. Instinctively it "seems" more risky but in reality it's just as pragmatic as any bus parking especially if it reduces the possibility of OGs.
 
What..Pogba has time to learn to put effort in?
Sanchez worked his backside off today in a team not suited to his style. If we're making excuses for players I think it's fair to give Sanchez time to see if we can make it fit...in the meantime he can at least work hard which he is and Pogba most definitely isn't.
Sanchez was out on his feet near the end but still saw him sprinting to get back.

Manchester United 2 - 1 Sevilla @ Old Trafford and that's why Sanchez needs to be benched

I rest my case!
 

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Compiled from 631 ratings.

Score Predictions

348,93,142
  • Man Utd win
  • Liverpool win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 23% Man Utd 2:1 Liverpool
  • 14% Man Utd 1:1 Liverpool
  • 12% Man Utd 1:0 Liverpool
  • 11% Man Utd 2:0 Liverpool
  • 6% Man Utd 0:0 Liverpool
  • 5% Man Utd 1:2 Liverpool
  • 4% Man Utd 1:3 Liverpool
  • 4% Man Utd 3:1 Liverpool
  • 4% Man Utd 2:2 Liverpool
  • 3% Man Utd 3:0 Liverpool
  • 3% Man Utd 5:0 Liverpool
  • 2% Man Utd 0:2 Liverpool
  • 2% Man Utd 3:2 Liverpool
  • 1% Man Utd 0:3 Liverpool
  • 1% Man Utd 4:0 Liverpool
  • 1% Man Utd 0:1 Liverpool
  • 1% Man Utd 0:5 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 2:3 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 2:4 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 3:3 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 4:2 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 1:4 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 4:3 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 0:4 Liverpool
  • 0% Man Utd 1:5 Liverpool
Compiled from 583 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Liverpool
Possession
32% 68%
Shots
5 14
Shots on Target
2 2
Corners
1 13
Fouls
10 16

Referee

Craig Pawson