[Mister_Stubbs]

If it was the answer he would have brought Morgan on instead of Ander. He didn't. I still think a three man midfield would be better. Morgan would get more time. Ander with Pogba and Morgan/Carrick/Fellaini. Then it might gradually squeeze Rooney out of the team once and for all.

Was Morgan on the bench? I missed that. Also at the times we were chasing the game which could have swayed the decision to bring Ander Herrera on.

I agree though, been saying it since the summer that 4-3-3 is the way forward and it showed at the beginning of the second half today. Pogba - Ander Herrera and another (Carrick, Schneiderling and even TFM) would give us a real edge in the middle and like you said, should displace Rooney though he'd probably be shoved out on to the right just to annoy us all.

 

[bond19821982]

Serious? Blaming that old man again?

Before the game people were talking about how physically dominant we are how much taller we are than man c and wanna bully them. U sure throwing in long balls, crosses is not want Jose wanted?

you serious ? where did I blame LVG ? long balls to Fellaini and Ibra when it was not working - continuing to persist with the same tactic when city's best players went out ?
yes, physiclaly dominant and we wanted airball but if that tactics is not working, try changing it for god sake ! its not rocket science.

 

[JeffBoomTetris]

They can outscore any team...As we have seen, they havent had a cleansheet in any game, yet they are unbeaten..

I think they can win the Kompany's quadruple finally this year. It was only a matter of time.

This is an overreaction. They are simply better at the moment. And they can definitely win the league comfortably. But the quadruple is a stretch

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Would be surprised if that happened. He was shifted all over the place today just because Jose wouldn't take him off. That makes me think, him and Ibra have to play at all cost. A big problem for us when them two should not be playing together to the detriment of the team.

Ridiculous situation for us to be in.

 

[Blue always red]

feck off fellaini. Start Rashford and Martial. Tony on the left and Rash on the right. And tell Pogba to fecking pass the ball. It's not fecking hard. We will NEVER win fecking shite as long as Fellaini is playing in midfield

Ok genius we were unbeaten until now with Fellaini in the midfield. Take your tinted glasses off, he was one of our best players on the pitch today.

 

[Raoul]

Not particularly disappointed. We got hit by a bolt of lightning for the first 40 minutes and recovered nicely. I'm more interested in the character and response of this side, and once Mourinho made the changes it made a difference. I'd rather we drop points early on like this than go through a similar spell late in the year.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

This is an overreaction. They are simply better at the moment. And they can definitely win the league comfortably. But the quadruple is a stretch

They are better at the moment as you say, only slightly. If we had played the first half like the seconds intensity, then it might have been different. I have said before, there is no saying they will be able to keep that tempo and pressing up for a season and we might be the team who still have legs at the end.

 

[2ndTouch]

Was surprised about Mou's turtling approach in the first half. He played fully into Guardiolas cards by doing so. The soaking up pressure method doesn't work against a Guardiola side, and inevitably leads into conceding.
Mou made the right calls going into the 2nd half to gain more stability, but the game was already lost by then.
What was pretty obvious is the apparent lack of cohesion, clear movement patterns and syncronization between between the squad segments compared to City. Guardiola clearly transmitted more of his football idea than Mourinho did so far.

 

[CS@SG]

So how many pre-seasons ManC had played? I think less than us but Pep managed to make them play his games.

This is just a dig at those who cried out loud here about "we have too little pre-seasons".

 

[Jazz]

Ridiculous situation for us to be in.

Just saw a long comment on by a fan on the Guardian website saying United need the lawyers to look at Rooney's must play clause and renegotiate it! I guess it's not just us on the Caf with the conspiracy theories.

 

[mav_9me]

This is definitely on Mourinho. However it's alright. We did so much better in the 2nd half. Got a response. I don't think you can play Fellaini as a DM and Rooney as a number 10 without your attacking suffering. This way we are actually limiting Pogba. I can only see us transitioning away from the two.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

And it clearly is...?

Which makes the questions I posted obviously legitimate.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Ok genius we were unbeaten until now with Fellaini in the midfield. Take your tinted glasses off, he was one of our best players on the pitch today.

Fellaini was not the problem. Pogba having a stinker was, and being undermanned in midfield so they could stroll through us was. This was the game that needed 4-3-3 if ever there was one.

 

[GledTheRed]

Herrera was good.

 

[fellaini's barber]

How on earth were we looking so knackered like it was the 30th minute of extra time in some final

 

[CS@SG]

Yup. Lingard was bricking it, which is bizarre given he played pretty well at Wastelands only a few months ago. He wasn't the only one either. Blind was all over the place first half. Looked like he'd never played in a big game before. You'd never think Mhki had played in a Bayern vs Dortmund game based on his wide eyed stage fright.

I don't even think City wanted it more, they were just less scared about the game. I'm sure ours wanted it just as bad but they were petrified. City just went about their business. Some of our lads treated the football like a hot coal every time it was near their feet. They were panicky to the point of ridiculousness.

That os actully Jose's philosophy, the less time you have the ball the less mistake you make.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Was Morgan on the bench? I missed that. Also at the times we were chasing the game which could have swayed the decision to bring Ander Herrera on.

I agree though, been saying it since the summer that 4-3-3 is the way forward and it showed at the beginning of the second half today. Pogba - Ander Herrera and another (Carrick, Schneiderling and even TFM) would give us a real edge in the middle and like you said, should displace Rooney though he'd probably be shoved out on to the right just to annoy us all.

Morgan was on the bench.

 

[Jazz]

Let's just hope Jose learns from this and we move on. Just play the right players in the right positions for starters and we should be fine.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

How on earth were we looking so knackered like it was the 30th minute of extra time in some final

Probably because they had us chasing around after them like headless chickens in the first half.

 

[Kevin]

What i learned is to accept that Pep is the best manager there is. Tactically he is ahead of Mourinho.

 

[Jazz]

How on earth were we looking so knackered like it was the 30th minute of extra time in some final

We don't use PEDS? And we have two oldies taking up prime positions in the team... everybody else has to work twice as hard

 

[2ndTouch]

That os actully Jose's philosophy, the less time you have the ball the less mistake you make.

You can make plenty mistakes without having the ball, as evidenced throughout the first half, and also from the 60th minute on.

 

[sammsky1]

This is definitely on Mourinho. However it's alright. We did so much better in the 2nd half. Got a response. I don't think you can play Fellaini as a DM and Rooney as a number 10 without your attacking suffering. This way we are actually limiting Pogba. I can only see us transitioning away from the two.

Pogba was rubbish today and that had nothing to do with Rooney or Fellaini

 

[CS@SG]

To be fair City's set up was miles away from what it is now under Pep.

Pep's favoured line up is essentially suicidal. Nolito, De Bruyne, Silva and Sterling in a 4 behind the striker, with only Fernandinho covering the very mediocre defensive unit. A quality counter attacking side would shred them to pieces, which is obviously what Jose was thinking today, he just called the team selection totally wrong on the wings, favouring work rate (and i think he's totally wrong about Lingard having better work rate than Rashford) over quality on the ball.

Mkhitaryan is quality on the ball on the edge of the opponents box, not on the half way line surrounded by 3-4 City players.

Ironically ManC's counter attacks were so much more dangerous.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Ok genius we were unbeaten until now with Fellaini in the midfield. Take your tinted glasses off, he was one of our best players on the pitch today.

i think their is is defiant an arguemnt that we will never win anything with Fellaini and Pogba in a two man midfield... it leaves a massive gap in front of our defence where other teams play a defensive midfielder

 

[The Brown Bull]

Think thats the 17th time Pep and Jose teams have played against one another.
Pep 8 wins
Jose 3 wins and 6 draws.
Just saying....

 

[Scarr]

Absolutely shocking first half performance from 95% of our players.. It was a spineless start and we never fully recovered from it. Even though we didn't deserve it we could have easily gotten something from this and that's the most annoying thing. Mourinho got the line up and tactics wrong so hopefully he's learnt a few things from this game. The honeymoon period is certainly over and we need to come back from this and go on a winning run so the result becomes a distant memory. I'm going on the drink...

 

[endless_wheelies]

Encouraging, still weaknesses in our 11 that they don't have.

 

[BringNaniBack]

City battered us for two thirds of the game. The first half was embarrassing. They are a level above us at the moment. We need to play a 4-3-3 against the stronger sides if we want to compete for the title.

 

[Gatti33]

How on earth were we looking so knackered like it was the 30th minute of extra time in some final

We spent nearly 45 mins chasing shadows.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Ironically ManC's counter attacks were so much more dangerous.

They really should have scored more. The score line, for me, is quite generous to us. The gameplan went exactly how Pep wanted it to. Boss most of the game, and then when we're chasing the game hurt us on the counter. All of that did happen, and we couldn't have complained had we lost 4-1 today.

 

[The Brown Bull]

Fellaini was not the problem. Pogba having a stinker was, and being undermanned in midfield so they could stroll through us was. This was the game that needed 4-3-3 if ever there was one.

Pogba didn't quite have a 'stinker' but he was poor.
Fellaini just should not be in a United midfield.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

i think their is is defiant an arguemnt that we will never win anything with Fellaini and Pogba in a two man midfield... it leaves a massive gap in front of our defence where other teams play a defensive midfielder

We needed an extra man in midfield today. It was fine in the previous games as the opposition was not as good. Today we were playing local rivals and rivals for the title. He should have realised that.

 

[Hugh Jass]

That's ridiculously biased. Give me Nacho over Rooney any day.

In fairness on an individual level, we have more better players that them, position for position. But city in the first half were more fired up for it and less anxious. I mean we were absolutely petrified of them. I could see the fear in Bailly, Blind, Pogba, Lingarrd (especially) etc.

The other thing as well is we have to play Smalling in place for Blind, especially for the big matches. Blind was nervous.

 

[Manny]

The loss has got Mourinho's back up judging by the post match interviews and press conference

 

[The Brown Bull]

They really should have scored more. The score line, for me, is quite generous to us. The gameplan went exactly how Pep wanted it to. Boss most of the game, try and not concede and then when we're chasing the game hurt us on the counter. All of that did happen, and we couldn't have complained had we lost 4-1 today.

Agreed.How KdB's effort that hit the inside of the post in the second half stayed out is beyond me.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Think thats the 17th time Pep and Jose teams have played against one another.
Pep 8 wins
Jose 3 wins and 6 draws.
Just saying....

Really has nothing to do with today though … just saying!

 

[ExoduS]

Was surprised about Mou's turtling approach in the first half. He played fully into Guardiolas cards by doing so. The soaking up pressure method doesn't work against a Guardiola side, and inevitably leads into conceding.
Mou made the right calls going into the 2nd half to gain more stability, but the game was already lost by then.
What was pretty obvious is the apparent lack of cohesion, clear movement patterns and syncronization between between the squad segments compared to City. Guardiola clearly transmitted more of his football idea than Mourinho did so far.

Game wasn't lost by then. We got lucky and scored at the end of the first half which gave us a whole half to equalize. Tactics weren't even that bad to begin with in the first half but who would have thought that Lingard and Mkhitaryan would under preform like that? They were totally useless out there. It doesn't help that our most expensive signing ever didn't do anything special either. When you pay that much money for a player you expect them to make a difference out there on the field... Look at De Bruyne being a freaking star and look at Pogba being slow and ineffective. Game was lost because our players didn't rise to the occasion. We were slower, weaker and less intense. Second half was good, just couldn't create a good chance, because again Pogba didn't do anything worth mentioning. Don't tell me one player doesn't make difference. One player makes a lot of difference, Rashford is an example.

With Ferguson most of United players were over-performing, after he left all the players are under performing. You need a special manager to motivate players to give their guts out there and to play with confidence. I am waiting for Mr. Special to bring that difference. I have not seen today and I am very disappointed. Season is long and let's see what future brings but we need to perform better, faster and more intense.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

City battered us for two thirds of the game. The first half was embarrassing. They are a level above us at the moment. We need to play a 4-3-3 against the stronger sides if we want to compete for the title.

You're completely spot on.

Though it didn't half make me think of "We aspire to be more like City"

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Yeah you're right, just keep the paddles away from me. @Rooney in Paris is probably interested though.

Waitwat