[big_jeffstar]

It’s tricky because although we all hate to admit it, they’re currently the best team in the world, and they don’t have any obvious weakness, all we can really do is try and pick up some trophies here and there and wait for pep to leave, Haaland sounds like he’s already got his eye on a move anyway.. I think every team in the league is in the same position tbh, I don’t feel anything about losing to them because they’re essentially Abu Dhabi athletic club.. losing to a proper club like Liverpool will always be worse

 

[Infra-red]

Predicted before the match that United would lose by three goals, but did not expect us to concede six!

There is an enormous gulf in quality between these two sides and they'll again finish 20+ points clear of us. It's the games against the rest of the league that really matter this season - we need to bounce back quickly.

 

[DevilRed]

Still so far away from the top.

But those blue cnuts should be deemed failures if they dont win europe and the league. feck them.

 

[Lee565]

All I am going to say is f**k the damn overreaction to the queen death that killed our winning momentum.

Also I am getting so bored of both our fans and over reactive pundits like keane who go down the route of claiming our players acted like mercenaries/downing tools, we were just outclassed by a formidable (but morally corrupt) team and coach brought with endless amount of blood money.

 

[Oranges038]

Fairly pathetic display if I'm honest.

Hoepfully won't be that bad next time round.

 

[Bristol_Red_87]

There were signs of improvement mentality wise in the past few games, mainly defenders valuing the defending of their own goal and players working hard off the ball to make life difficult for the opposition.

I get we haven't played a league game in nearly a month and played a truly incredible side, but sometimes you need to be pragmatic and accept you're by far the inferior side and thus to be competitive, need to work harder than your opposition.

We've been saying for Years now that one of the main things that has separated City and Liverpool from the rest is work rate.

So why an earth do our lot, most of whom have won very little in their careers, feel they've earned the right to cruise through games as and when they see fit?

I appreciate its very early days but, I felt we had the opportunity to start again under ETH and build a young side that were honest and workmanlike. I guess we're never likely to see this play out with the current owners but it's so incredibly frustrating to watch us turn up to big games with no intensity, passion, spirit or accountability more times than not knowing that things aren't likely to change anytime soon.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

We’d have a much better midfield without Bruno imo

Agree with this. Why does he have this get out jail free card? He is never dropped never substituted even though he is a very average 10.

 

[MDFC Manager]

This is the Queen's fault.

Only half joking.

feck off.

It's the complete truth.

All I am going to say is f**k the damn overreaction to the queen death that killed our winning momentum.

Indeed

 

[UnofficialDevil]

6-3 great result after being 4-0 and 6-1 down. Not as big embarassment as it could have been and we won the 2nd half

Only because Pep subbed off players and saved us from total embarrassment

 

[Andersonson]

I dont think we lost soley due to Eriksen and McTominay. No teams play with only two people in midfield when they dont have the ball. The wingers has to do their share in defence. So far Sancho has been abmysal here and Antony has to improve. Its more collective effort than just to look at the two in midfield. If Casemiro had played we would still be way out numbered and lost the game.

 

[Giggsy13]

Fully agree. Supporters are to blame for what happened out there today. Spot on.

I see reading comprehension not a strong point, but OK.

 

[RedBanker]

I see reading comprehension not a strong point, but OK.

Yawn.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I feel like ETH made a mistake with the team selection. I like the fact that he wanted To try Eriksen and Bruno in a three against such a team but in reality that was never going to work and probably should have dropped one and put Fred in.

That aside we bottled it. Panic is probably the best word to describe it. Too many times receiving it then trying to force it and playing it too quickly when there were simple and obvious passes on instead of a hopeful Chuck upfield for Rashford to run on to.

Annoying as it is City are probably the best team in Europe and have the walking cheat code that is Haaland.

 

[Marwood]

We've said it a million times but you have to be able to pass the ball against the best teams. It's the only consistent way to have a chance.

Unfortunately its our biggest weakness.

Let's not forget, Liverpool had the most touches in our pen box since Opta started collecting stats. Arsenal outplayed us for large chunks.

Stick Haaland up front for them and thise results would have looked very different.

 

[theatreofdreams777]

You are aware that a 2-1 midfield is the same as a 3 or a 1-2, right? Starting positions are not the same as actual positions. If you control the game your players average position will be much higher than if you don’t. Not to mention now that modern formations are completely fluid. A 3 man midfield could be a 2, 3, 4, 5 or even 6 man midfield at different points in the game. Don’t get caught up in formations.

You’re right about numbers and maybe I should’ve paraphrased it better but what I meant was that to control a midfield better, you need one pure DM behind two CMs (one being more attacking) which 4-3-3 provides better than 4-2-3-1 does and also that our current 3 is too attacking and not balanced enough to be a controlling midfield as Bruno is basically a second striker playing in no 10 position.

McTominay is normally a CM but currently playing as DM or the more defensive one in the double pivot. Eriksen is good at controlling the game but not the best physically so our physicality, energy and defensive stability suffer with him in the team too. He needs others who’s going to provide the steel, energy and other defensive aspects of the game to be around him.

So, McTominay - Eriksen behind Bruno is far from an ideal midfield 3. For me, Fred - Casemiro - Eriksen is not ideal either as I’d like my most advanced midfielder to get on the scoresheet and assist more than current Eriksen does (Eriksen at Spurs would’ve been great as his G & A numbers were brilliant) but it’s still our best bet right now IMO.

 

[LoneStar]

I am not even going to comment on United's performance. I didn't even watch the game completely, only bits and pieces throughout.

I just want to talk about Haaland. What a striker he is! He will tear up all records in a season if he continues like this, barring any injuries. It's fantastic to see a striker like this in the PL. Shame that it's he plays for those cnuts.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

This should act as a reality check for Murtough and his “don’t need that buy anyone in January etc“ narrative. Still a lot of work to do.

 

[LoneStar]

You can spend all the money and bring in all the managers you want. This team folds under any slight bit of pressure and there is no character out there . There hasn't been in many years

But we've been like this for so many years, pretty much since Sir Alex retired. Most of the players we have now are different and so are the manager and the coaching team.

Antony, Malacia, Martinez and Eriksen were signed this window. Sancho and Varane the previous one. Most of these players have had success elsewhere and been a part of winning teams.

The only common factor is the incompetent board I suppose. And maybe that is it.

 

[Shakesy]

I guess this has been touched on - more than a few times. In fact, it's probably already been delicately manhandled to death.

City has a helluva lot of money, but so do we. And they purchased well and we didn't. The gap is totally down to our recruitment, not the coach and not the players.

Boys against men.

 

[Sea-Cow]

Flattering result for us in the end. If City needed to score ten they easily would have.

They were some last ditch tackles away from scoring 8 or 9 in the first half alone.

 

[DevilRed]

I guess this has been touched on - more than a few times. In fact, it's probably already been delicately manhandled to death.

City has a helluva lot of money, but so do we. And they purchased well and we didn't. The gap is totally down to our recruitment, not the coach and not the players.

Boys against men.

Pep has had more than half a decade to mold his team the way he wants, including paying well over the odds for players.

We've gone from manager to manager, and chopped and changed players according to each ones preferences.

We have NO continuinity other than the twats at the very top. Hard to compete against that, but I'm not holding out hope our new footballing structure holds much weight. It just seems like once again we pander to this managers preferences and players with no real long term strategy on hand.

 

[SirScholes]

Worst first half I've ever seen. Not exaggerrating. I really hoped we were done with these types of shite performances with no guts, no intensity, no quality and no fecking fight. Hang your heads in shame.

Brentford says hi

 

[Rightnr]

Ugh, another smashing. However, even if City dialed back, consciously or not, we kept fighting even if they had to come down a few gears for us to compete. Last season we didn't do that.

It'll be a topsy-turvy season and we'll have plenty of shit results but I hope ten Hag learns from this and doesn't play McTominay against teams such as this.

 

[AngliaRed]

next few games id like to see.

————————DDG——————-
Dalot. Varane Martinez Shaw
——Fred—Casemiro—Erikson
—————-—Bruno—————
—-Anthony—————-Martial


dunno how they would line up but id like to see these.

 

[Shakesy]

next few games id like to see.

————————DDG——————-
Dalot. Varane Martinez Shaw
——Fred—Casemiro—Erikson
—————-—Bruno—————
—-Anthony—————-Martial


dunno how they would line up but id like to see these.

I'd like to move Eriksen forward and give Bruno a rest. Bring in McT. Other than that, it looks grand.

 

[Revaulx]

I see reading comprehension not a strong point, but OK.

I think he was trying to be “amusing”

 

[Shakesy]

Pep has had more than half a decade to mold his team the way he wants, including paying well over the odds for players.

We've gone from manager to manager, and chopped and changed players according to each ones preferences.

We have NO continuinity other than the twats at the very top. Hard to compete against that, but I'm not holding out hope our new footballing structure holds much weight. It just seems like once again we pander to this managers preferences and players with no real long term strategy on hand.

Continuity? Witchcraft if you ask me.

 

[Fluctuation0161]

What's bollocks is we are still taking comfort in conspiracy theories when our club is spiralling downwards on the pitch. Forget City, Pool. Are we even the number three team in the land anymore? We don't win anything, we don't play in the CL, top talents don't sign for us anymore and the ones that do we pay over the odds for. We haven't got a single managerial appointment right since the man left. Sometimes we need to look inward and admit our own mistakes. The other team that thrashed us four games ago wasn't on cheat codes, were they? Yeah but let's talk about Peps great aunts second cousin instead.

You seem incapable of considering 2 topics at once. That seems to be your problem. The reality is more complex than just A or B. Both can be true.

 

[sammyhol]

Something that isn’t getting talked about enough is how slow our first choices wingers are…. All 160m worth!

both have popped up with a couple of goals this season… but neither Sancho nor Antony are quick enough to beat a man. And even when they do some tricky footwork to get passed a man, neither have the acceleration to leave them.

they both want lots of touches but it all in front of the man.

FBs dream. Just stand off them and they just have to cut back.

we need at least one wide player who can break with pace…. If martial keeps himself fit, I’d be going with rashford over Sancho from the left.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Something that isn’t getting talked about enough is how slow our first choices wingers are…. All 160m worth!

both have popped up with a couple of goals this season… but neither Sancho nor Antony are quick enough to beat a man. And even when they do some tricky footwork to get passed a man, neither have the acceleration to leave them.

they both want lots of touches but it all in front of the man.

FBs dream. Just stand off them and they just have to cut back.

we need at least one wide player who can break with pace…. If martial keeps himself fit, I’d be going with rashford over Sancho from the left.

Antony is very fast. Him not beating men isn't to do with pace. He hasn't really been trying to beat men so far.

 

[Swearing Budgie]

I was expecting a loss and we got a loss and heaven knows I’m miserable now…

 

[The Brown Bull]

Woeful performance. We stood off them and got what we deserved.

 

[b20times]

At least it wasn't 6-1.

 

[GregM40]

Most disappointing thing today is we didn’t play as well as we know we can. We looked panicked on the ball, scared to play almost. The yellow on Dalot early on was a terrible decision and weirdly rocked us I think. Having said that, our passing was dreadful, especially between midfield and attack.

Can’t take away the quality of City, it’s absurd. But I never really get upset losing to them, they are unrecognisable from the Man City I knew for the first 20 years of my life.

Either way, Ten Hag will be asking the right questions after this and I expect us to respond.

 

[DRJosh]

We were poor today but I’m positive about United’s future.

We’ll never reach City’s level (not with the squad depth and quality we have), and that’s something we’ve got to accept as painful as it is. We’ve squandered way too much money in the past on the wrong players.

However once teams figure out how to stymie the threat of Haaland, we’ll have a bit more balance in the league.

But let’s focus on getting into the top 4.

On a sidenote, that de Bruyne assist to Haaland was on another level.

 

[Still ill]

The lack of self belief was a bit of a kick in the teeth. I thought we'd have the belief to show a bit of zip and intensity in the early exchanges but we were rabbits in the headlights from kick off. The malaise didn't spread from the defence this time, they started fine the 6 ahead of them couldn't trap a bag of cement and couldn't pass 5 yards. A real day to forget. Back to the drawing board.

 

[RedPed]

You don't buy a player like Casemiro and bench him. He just needs to throw him in and let him adapt. We'll also be better now that Martial is back. He's looked on it since pre-season.

Ten Hag was spot on. The belief wasn't there today. Hopefully he'll drum it into them eventually. Beginning to feel sorry for Ronaldo now but it's of his own making. Antony scoring again will just give him confidence. That was a great strike.

Some of our goals conceded were really sloppy today, which is so frustrating. Thankfully, I'm not worried about about Chelsea and Liverpool this season. They ain't going nowhere.

 

[Nicoseth]

As Van Morrison said, there'll be days like this. Outclassed and out-coached, but we will get better. ETH is 100% the correct man for the job - the issue is he's still working with half of the losers we saw embarrass themselves and this club all last season. Give him time to clear house, get more of his players in and he'll do well. On to the next one.

 

[Offside]

Squint your eyes and it’s an unreal 3-0 away win.

 

[MalaysianRed7]

Let’s just file this under a bad day and move on. City have beaten Liverpool by 3, 4 and 5, Chelsea by 6, and Arsenal by 3 (multiple times) and 5 since Pep arrived. World class manager with world class team and striker who might genuinely be recognised as the best ever by the time he’s done. When facing incredible teams like that, this can happen at the start of a project under a talented manager who in fairness to him, has done more right than wrong since arriving. At least we weren’t beaten 6-1 again and “only” lost by three. This sort of thing will only become unacceptable if we lose 6-3 again to them next season under ten Hag.

Nevertheless, a bit of constructive criticism: De Gea didn’t build on his first minute save and was very poor for the rest of the game, Malacia had his worst game since joining, McTominay relapsed, and Sancho and Rashford were absolutely dreadful, particularly the latter who failed to even put in the effort that Rashford displayed in patches. Next week, I’d be disappointed if there weren’t a few changes by ten Hag, just to let the team know that today’s game shouldn’t happen again.

We’ll beat Omonoia whoever we play (now, that will be a horrific failure if we don’t!), so for Everton, I’d go:

De Gea
Dalot Varane (if fit) Martinez Shaw
Casemiro Fred
Antony Eriksen Rashford
Martial

A lot of the team picks itself, aside from the fact that I haven’t put Bruno in there. Eriksen and Bruno together in midfield will only work when the team are essentially perfect (like City and Bayern) in and out of possession when pressing with coordination and winning the ball high up the pitch. For now, we’re not at that developed stage yet, hence why our midfield keeps getting torn apart even when we win games. Let’s get some solidity in there and look to win against a rejuvenated Everton side at a tough ground.