[Janson]

Spoiled brats, the lot of 'em.

It was a weird substitution and worthy of crictisim but overall it was a decent performance in a game that looked like a massive banana skin on paper. Missing key players, an early kick off away from home, when jaded after a lot of games in quick succession and up against a team auditioning for new management. Could have gone horribly wrong but the first hour or so was very comfortable and the final scoreline didn't flatter us.

The moaning on here today is a new low for this place. And there's been plenty of contenders over the last three years.

Totally agree.

 

[Godfather]

Spoiled brats, the lot of 'em.

It was a weird substitution and worthy of crictisim but overall it was a decent performance in a game that looked like a massive banana skin on paper. Missing key players, an early kick off away from home, when jaded after a lot of games in quick succession and up against a team auditioning for new management. Could have gone horribly wrong but the first hour or so was very comfortable and the final scoreline didn't flatter us.

The moaning on here today is a new low for this place. And there's been plenty of contenders over the last three years.

Thank you. It's getting worse as well.

 

[jackofalltrades]

Very happy with that result. After the fixtures we've had and the injuries plus bans we had a bit of a makeshift team. I thought we controlled it pretty well from around the 20th to the 60th minute. After that it went downhill badly. We couldn't string passes together or move out of defence in a controlled way.

Well done to Valencia for chasing that backpass down and feel sorry for Valdes, goalies are not usually scumbags. I'd rather someone else had done that, the guy who seemd to bite Bailly, for example. And Costa every game

 

[Mihai]

Spoiled brats, the lot of 'em.

It was a weird substitution and worthy of crictisim but overall it was a decent performance in a game that looked like a massive banana skin on paper. Missing key players, an early kick off away from home, when jaded after a lot of games in quick succession and up against a team auditioning for new management. Could have gone horribly wrong but the first hour or so was very comfortable and the final scoreline didn't flatter us.

The moaning on here today is a new low for this place. And there's been plenty of contenders over the last three years.

Agree Pogue, the amount of negative posts is unbelievable

 

[wr8_utd]

I think everyone is happy we got the win under the circumstances. It's a great win taking everything into context but it still doesn't explain the bizarre subs that just made the game harder for us to see out. Considering how jaded everyone was, surely inviting pressure onto you for half hour isn't helping. We have a lot of midweek games remaining so tiredness is always going to be a factor and I hope this sort of tactic doesn't become the norm because we won't have Valdes to help us every game.

 

[Android1974]

I think everyone is happy we got the win under the circumstances. It's a great win taking everything into context but it still doesn't explain the bizarre subs that just made the game harder for us to see out. Considering how jaded everyone was, surely inviting pressure onto you for half hour isn't helping. We have a lot of midweek games remaining so tiredness is always going to be a factor and I hope this sort of tactic doesn't become the norm because we won't have Valdes to help us every game.

Considering Mkhitaryan, according to Mourinho, wasn't in the best conditions to play, what substitutions would you have made? The only option seemed to put Fosu-Mensah in right-center midfield, but apparently Mourinho doesn't trust him there enough or might be afraid his inexperience could cost us a penalty, for instance.

I think the substitutions were right, it's just that the players were not in mental and physical conditions to hold the line high enough. Our wingers were natural wingers, it's just they have been adapted to full backs this season.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Finally watched the second half with Russian commentary 6 hours after watching the first half - made the mistake of reading the comments before watching it.

No Lingard is not the new Messi and no we were'nt under bombardment and weren't lucky to get the win.

First half was entertaining, if Rashford had been more clinical would have been all over by half-time, second half less so but in control most of the time.
Made a change to have an opponent that didn't park the bus and gave us so much space, especially for Young for the first half cross, to allow Lingard to run totally unchallenged from the half-way line, even when he shot the nearest player was still backing off several yards away and then of course the unfortunate slip by Valdes.

Good result with a patched up team

 

[wr8_utd]

Considering Mkhitaryan, according to Mourinho, wasn't in the best conditions to play, what substitutions would you have made? The only option seemed to put Fosu-Mensah in right-center midfield, but apparently Mourinho doesn't trust him there enough or might be afraid his inexperience could cost us a penalty, for instance.

I think the substitutions were right, it's just that the players were not in mental and physical conditions to hold the line high enough. Our wingers were natural wingers, it's just they have been adapted to full backs this season.

If we had to take off Mata, which seemed unnecessary, I'd have brought on Martial earlier before the Boro pressure got too much. We clearly needed some sort of outlet as our primary policy of lofting it up to Rashford was just causing the ball to come straight back at us.

 

[pilky02]

3 points in the bag which is the only thing that mattered today considering the circumstances. Jose can't help it if Smalling and Jones are incapable of recycling possession and linking with the midfield, instead choosing to hoof it straight back to Middlesbrough players 99% of the time. It's unfair to say he invited pressure on us by subbing in Rojo, who is actually pretty decent at easing pressure of the back line.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

Is this tongue in cheek?

Sadly, no

 

[Jonno]

If we had to take off Mata, which seemed unnecessary, I'd have brought on Martial earlier before the Boro pressure got too much. We clearly needed some sort of outlet as our primary policy of lofting it up to Rashford was just causing the ball to come straight back at us.

Haven't you seen Mata when defending a lead? I think it was entirely necessary to take him off. He is great when we are searching for a goal, but when we need to show composure and steal, he is poor at tracking back, poor at heading, poor at tackling, and slow. So I don't understand why anybody would think we should have kept Mata on at that stage of the game, when we already have 2 goals, away from home.

Rojo is our new warrior and he came on and organised our defence really well. Better than Jones and Smalling who just naturally invite pressure.

Great subs, and a solid 3 points with an understrength team.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I do think the substitution had a negative affect on how we were playing. It was weird to me. I would have thought he would have just swapped Rojo for young and put young up top with Rashford and Lingard because well they were having a great time and looked threatening.

We handed them the initiative and lost all of our threat with 1 substitution. We didn't even need to go that defensive and if he is worried about fatigue then why make Rashfords job 100 x more demanding especially when he ran his heart out and got off his sick bed on Monday.

Wins a win but I feel dirty about how we got it.

 

[Florida Man]

There is way too much stupid in this thread to address. FFS, I'm overwhelmed where to even start so I'll let the moaners wallow in their own pathetic misery.

---

It wasn't pretty, but it was a job done under difficult circumstances. We've also climbed the table with a game in hand to Liverpool who are the next above us. Once our key players get the proper rest, and they will after international break, then we will start going back to the better formulas with dynamic and fast-paced play. Until then, good on us for a United win while our rivals draw.

 

[Slavkov]

Why even have a forum then? No one can say anything against the "perfect" managers unless they are better than them, right? This kind of reasoning is what is sad and is easy way out of argument. "Why don't you do better then him if you know so much...blah blah" Bunch of bollocks.

That is not the problem. Of course one's opinion can differ from that of a certain manager. What is appalling here in my opinion is that 70% of the posts today after a terrific emotional win in a very hectic week for our team are negative. Moreover you guys are not saying Jose should have done this or Jose should have done that, you are writing as if you know much better than him with such certainty and negativity that makes me stop reading most of the stuff here because I really do not understand where it comes from. I do not want to use stronger words but some of the posts I have seen today are basically the pinnacle of negativity, poor understanding of football, and the weirdest way to show one's passion for our team. I really do not get it and I am totally flabbergasted as I have written in a couple of posts.

 

[Rolandofgilead]

I like to play 2 games at the moment. firstly i like to watch the game, analyse the players and the tactics and pick who i genuinely believe was man of the match, then i like to predict who i think the caf will vote as man of the match. It's usually a goal scorer. That isn't a criticism just an observation.

Anyway, Ashley Young was superb today he worked really hard and was disciplined defensively. really good.

We looked like we were struggling to work out our shape early on, leaving huge gaps between the midfield and defence but the opening goal settled us down and we did the job well. Lingards goal was exceptional but then we switched off defensively and conceded and we dug in to hold on before Valencias hilarious goal.

I can't quite get my head around what happened with Gestede and Bailly, I'm not sure if Gestede thought about biting him or if he was saying something, it all kicked off in the tunnel so i'm guessing that we haven't heard the end of it.

Has Ramirez picked himself up off the deck yet? he seemed to spend 3/4s of the match on the ground, idiot.

 

[noodlehair]

- I didn't really have a problem with the line up, but if you're going to take a risk with a weakened or changed team selection, don't spend time before the game telling everyone that you think your team will lose...becaue if they do it just makes you look like a complete bellend who did it on purpose. It's not exactly a hard situation to avoid getting yourself in, is it?

- Similarly, don't make changes to try and make it more difficult for your own team, just to try and vindicate yoour own complaining. This is very obviously both a stupid and amazingly selfish thing to do. This is the worst thing any of Moyes, LVG or Jose have done. He might have gotten away with it but it was still unbelievable.

- Also didn't like the pre-game attempts to justify the Jones sub on Thursday. Jones was brought on to play left back because Rojo couldn't run apparently...but Rojo wasn't the one taken off and Jones can play in Rojo's position. If there is a situation where bringing Jones on at left wing back, and leaving Young (a left wing back) on the side of the pitch delivering bananas to people, doesn't make you an idiot (and there isn't), then that situation definitely isn't because the recipient of the banana was too tired to play at left wing back.

- I mean sorry, I've been impressed with him so far, but what a fecking idiot Mourinho has been over the past two games. He's managed to overshadow the two results by causing worry with his constant childish negativity and spiteful subsitutions. You're a grown adult man managing a football team. a) The team is more important than your need to vindicate yourself, b) You are a GROWN ADULT MAN. You're not 6

- Anyway, I thought we played well up until the daft subs. Not brilliantly but well enough to be deserving the 2-0 lead.

- At one point Smalling managed to somehow tackle himself with his feet whilst heading the ball at the exact same time. He has literally found a way to be more clumsy than is actually physicallly possible.

- Jones still hasn't fiigured out how a football works. Or how to defend without sitting on the floor

- Fellaini and Lingard were both good, which is strange. Why didn't Borough change or at least move that slow defender though, after about 10 minutes. I mean, they clearly had faster players than him, because, if they had literally any other players at all, they'd have definitely been faster than him.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I'd just like to remind @noodlehair that he is also a GROWN ADULT MAN; it might sound obvious but if you'd only read his posts from this past week, you wouldn't be so certain of that.

 

[G Best the Belfast Boy]

Let’s look at the result – 3 points, a good end result would most not agree? As we support United I take that as a yes.

So why the whining – so to all the ‘over the top negative posters’ get a grip. The negativity that comes from some posters is so, so toxic.

By the way I am not talking about the constructive criticism posts or the posters that are putting their views across ‘rationally’, that is what this forum is all about - putting your views across sensibly. However, why slate every single mistake a player makes, every decision the manager makes… Rashford for example in the match thread was put down time and time again, yet he actually played well enough – OK he did not score but he was involved in the game and tried hard – by the way no striker scores every game they play in (even if the chances look easy).

Rashford is a player with great potential so back the lad and have at least – some perspective.

Regarding Jose’s decisions and having so many defenders on – I didn’t like the decisions, however I could see the logic but also how it may/ could have affected our game play; yet I took them in the context of the game and hesitantly thought ‘I hope this works out’. Jose is the manager, the decisions were his to make and he got it ‘correct’. And you know what he will make different tactical decisions for different games – so again to the drama posters – get a grip and think contextually.

@sunama highlighted the post by @Vaibhav Raj which correctly sums Jose’s decision making -

...he probably saw all that pressure incoming with tired defenders and midfielders and actually limited the damage to just one goal by bringing on an extra defender. We would be sat here discussing a draw now had Mata stayed on the pitch oor had been subbed for a player who isn't tall enough to connect with headers. That's the good thing about being a world class manager. You see things that the average posters on redcafe will not.

The above is an example of logical thinking - I believe anyway.

 

[noodlehair]

I'd just like to remind @noodlehair that he is also a GROWN ADULT MAN; it might sound obvious but if you'd only read his posts from this past week, you wouldn't be so certain of that.

I don't even remember what I've posted this week...mostly stuff asking advice about going to Venice, which is slightly less childish than being manager of a football team and going around telling everone you're going to lose because of having to play football games too much...then seemingly being more concerned with proving yourself right than managing your team properly.

If Jose is going to act like a child it shouldn't come as a surprise when people criticise him for it. He deserves criticism, and if we'd ended up throwing the game away either today or on Thursday it'd have been I suspect an extreme amount worse. He's escaped twice in a row. I'd rather he get called up on it than think he should try it a third time.

 

[Hed Zitin]

We played a half cocked line up and won. Yes the negative tactics at the end were hard to watch, but we played alright before that.

Once again we missed chances we shouldn't be. Young should play more and Rojo should be back in at CB.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

Well it is. I also stopped reading most of the posts. I can cite like tens of matches under Fergie when we barricaded in the last minutes to protect the result. When Boro threw Gestede in and started pouring long balls that was a reasonable thing to do from Jose. They did not create a single chance had it not been for Smalling's howler. Instead of being happy with a great day of results for United everyone here is whining like we were going to get relegated. A great number of the posters here are writing ridiculous things. From what everybody writes about tactics formations substitutions different gameplans, and so on I am starting to think that Ancelotti, Heynckes, Fergie, Guardiola, Mourinho are all writing in this forum. Those experts are talking like they have won the lot 3 times. It is really ridiculous. Instead of celebrating an important and emotional win whic everybody in the team dug deep to get most of the guys here are whining...I am totally flabbergasted and find that pathetic. No offense meant but...

Great post

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

As is to understand constant Jose defenders.

No

 

[MadMike]

@sunama highlighted the post by @Vaibhav Raj which correctly sums Jose’s decision making -

...he probably saw all that pressure incoming with tired defenders and midfielders and actually limited the damage to just one goal by bringing on an extra defender. We would be sat here discussing a draw now had Mata stayed on the pitch oor had been subbed for a player who isn't tall enough to connect with headers. That's the good thing about being a world class manager. You see things that the average posters on redcafe will not.

The above is an example of logical thinking - I believe anyway.

Yeah, that's a very VERY strange argument to make. I can't see the logic in that.

He made a sub and after that we came under pressure and conceded. If we hadn't I could have perhaps sided with that. But to argue that if he hadn't made the change we might have conceded more than just one is a leap of faith of silly proportions. Primarily because he could have simply made that change after we conceded a goal (if we did at all) and we'd still be in the same spot.

He was screaming at his defence to push up, after he had put 6 defenders on. That's like putting 6 strikers on and shouting at them to all drop deep to defend. It's a little bit crazy.

He got away with it today, mainly thanks to Valdez. But it was the wrong call, clearly.

 

[vivaronaldo]

reading the comments , man , some people are hard to please.... depleted team , just played a europa league game 2 days prior , injuries everywhere , suspensions thick and fast , did people expect free flowing attacking football....who cares what the performance was like , 3 points is 3 points

priorities should be
get the 3 points 1st ,
style - a distant 2nd

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I don't even remember what I've posted this week...

You've just been a little too upset and vocal about the boss in a week with 3 games, including 10 men vs. Chelsea away, then followed by 2 wins, progressing to the Europa League Quarter final and winning away to climb to 5th in the league with games in hand on 4th place.

The Venice stuff was great though, beautiful city.

 

[Rolandofgilead]

- I didn't really have a problem with the line up, but if you're going to take a risk with a weakened or changed team selection, don't spend time before the game telling everyone that you think your team will lose...becaue if they do it just makes you look like a complete bellend who did it on purpose. It's not exactly a hard situation to avoid getting yourself in, is it?

- Similarly, don't make changes to try and make it more difficult for your own team, just to try and vindicate yoour own complaining. This is very obviously both a stupid and amazingly selfish thing to do. This is the worst thing any of Moyes, LVG or Jose have done. He might have gotten away with it but it was still unbelievable.

- Also didn't like the pre-game attempts to justify the Jones sub on Thursday. Jones was brought on to play left back because Rojo couldn't run apparently...but Rojo wasn't the one taken off and Jones can play in Rojo's position. If there is a situation where bringing Jones on at left wing back, and leaving Young (a left wing back) on the side of the pitch delivering bananas to people, doesn't make you an idiot (and there isn't), then that situation definitely isn't because the recipient of the banana was too tired to play at left wing back.

- I mean sorry, I've been impressed with him so far, but what a fecking idiot Mourinho has been over the past two games. He's managed to overshadow the two results by causing worry with his constant childish negativity and spiteful subsitutions. You're a grown adult man managing a football team. a) The team is more important than your need to vindicate yourself, b) You are a GROWN ADULT MAN. You're not 6

- Anyway, I thought we played well up until the daft subs. Not brilliantly but well enough to be deserving the 2-0 lead.

- At one point Smalling managed to somehow tackle himself with his feet whilst heading the ball at the exact same time. He has literally found a way to be more clumsy than is actually physicallly possible.

- Jones still hasn't fiigured out how a football works. Or how to defend without sitting on the floor

- Fellaini and Lingard were both good, which is strange. Why didn't Borough change or at least move that slow defender though, after about 10 minutes. I mean, they clearly had faster players than him, because, if they had literally any other players at all, they'd have definitely been faster than him.

1. What he says publically and what he says to the players are probably 2 completely different things. I see no problem at all with the pre match comments, mainly because i didn't hear them. You are reading too much into it mate.

2. feck off did he make changes to make it more difficult for the players, that is an idiotic thing to say, he picked a side that he thought would be capable of winning the game, we won the game. end of story.

3. Rojo was cramping up and had a banana, i see no problem with the change as we were defending a 1-0 lead and an away goal would have taken us to extra time, Jones was clearly brought on on thursday to offer a change of shape if we had needed it. That's my take on that sub anyway but i didn't see any pre match interviews today so i can only offer my opinion.

4. spiteful substitutions? i can't even fathom what you are trying to get at here to be honest? you sound agenda driven in all honesty (i'm sure you aren't but that is how you are coming across)

5. what daft subs?

6. Smalling falling over was hilarious. i literally LOL'D

7. Jones was great in the air today, i didn't see him do much wrong. positionally very good, don't see the problem.

8. why is it strange that Lingard and Fellaini had good games?

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

But that's what many (including myself are criticising). Not sure I've seen anyone complaining about the opening 70 mins, where I felt we were good. I feel the way Jose approached the final 20 mins was a mistake (as he himself alluded to).

But that is all the moaners will focus on, of course

 

[Giggs86]

We just won an away game without four of our best players and people are still complaining

FFS.

News flash: Mourinho is a successful winner and everywhere he's been he used the same pragmatic approach for the one and only goal - to win. If some people really complaining about him defending the lead today with everything at his disposal then they are due for a big wake-up call in the next seasons.

On another note, good to see that Valdez still remains the headless clown that he is.

 

[Rolandofgilead]

reading the comments , man , some people are hard to please.... depleted team , just played a europa league game 2 days prior , injuries everywhere , suspensions thick and fast , did people expect free flowing attacking football....who cares what the performance was like , 3 points is 3 points

priorities should be
get the 3 points 1st ,
style - a distant 2nd

Yes!!!!!!!

Bang on.

 

[Full bodied red]

Very happy with that result. After the fixtures we've had and the injuries plus bans we had a bit of a makeshift team. I thought we controlled it pretty well from around the 20th to the 60th minute. After that it went downhill badly. We couldn't string passes together or move out of defence in a controlled way.

Well done to Valencia for chasing that backpass down and feel sorry for Valdes, goalies are not usually scumbags. I'd rather someone else had done that, the guy who seemd to bite Bailly, for example. And Costa every game

Me too.

I'm sure that VV slipped in exactly the same spot where Jones slipped in the first half which almost let in Negredo.

Extra wet bit of pitch ?

 

[Fener1907]

Some people would have complaned that it took penalties to get us past Chelsea in 2008. Born negative and best avoided.

 

[Twisted Nerve]

I heard the commentator mention it is United's 600th Premier League win, and Boro's 1000th top flight defeat.

 

[markhrad]

I really have no complaints with today's match. Looking at the players we have available I was truly worried about dropping points. Lingard surprised me in that he dominated the game and came through for us today.
Jose's mind games before the match, with respect to us losing, did not affect me as I like the person he has become since being fired. Before I thought his ego got in the way of his good judgement. He said that he use to say things to deflect attention from his players but I always thought that he wanted everything to be about him. Now I genuinely believe all of his actions and words are geared towards us being a better team. He even brought in Zlatan and has stepped back and given him all the limelight
His team selection today simply reflected on his desire to not lose and he obviously knew that between Rashford, Mata and Lingard he had enough creativity to win the game.
I am not a big fan of Mata because despite his obvious skill he spends too much time not getting involved with play. I wish he would stop heading in the box so quickly and help more with creative short passes around the box. I think he and Mikhi would make a formidable attacking tandem if he would just get involved more.
Anyway, I think under Jose we will make top 4 and reach the final of the Europa League and I cant wait to see who he brings in during the summer.

 

[Salus Populi Suprema Lex]

Job done in the end, and with a depleted team, yet we made it much harder for ourselves than it should have been. Rashford missed two great chances, when he only had the keeper to beat, and, later, going six at the back gave Boro confidence for the first time. They were close to making it 2-2 a couple of times. Glad to take the points and keep the challenge for top four on the rails.

 

[Red1968]

One Question , When was the last time we got a gift like what Valdez gave us at the end of the game. We seem to have gone a long time without a bit of goofy luck like that. I cant remember when we were last rewarded by the football gods. In any event, a solid victory, should have been more comfortable but after the horrendous schedule of the past 7 days, its a great result!

 

[Olly Gunnar Solskjær]

One Question , When was the last time we got a gift like what Valdez gave us at the end of the game. We seem to have gone a long time without a bit of goofy luck like that. I cant remember when we were last rewarded by the football gods. In any event, a solid victory, should have been more comfortable but after the horrendous schedule of the past 7 days, its a great result!

Couple of months ago

 

[Utd7]

Great win and valuable three points to head into the break especially with City and Liverpool dropping points. I think we can legitimately get third now.

 

[CS@SG]

 

[CS@SG]

WTH was he thinking?

 

[G Best the Belfast Boy]

Yeah, that's a very VERY strange argument to make. I can't see the logic in that.

He made a sub and after that we came under pressure and conceded. If we hadn't I could have perhaps sided with that. But to argue that if he hadn't made the change we might have conceded more than just one is a leap of faith of silly proportions. Primarily because he could have simply made that change after we conceded a goal (if we did at all) and we'd still be in the same spot.

He was screaming at his defence to push up, after he had put 6 defenders on. That's like putting 6 strikers on and shouting at them to all drop deep to defend. It's a little bit crazy.

He got away with it today, mainly thanks to Valdez. But it was the wrong call, clearly.

Actually I still see the logic of @Vaibhav Raj post.

Again I have to say I didn’t like the decision at the time; indeed if I was the manager I would not have made the decisions but Jose made the decision and we won so he got it right – this time, yet as you say maybe he got away with it. Just because I do not 100% agree with Jose - he is the manager and he knows better than me.

Actually your viewpoint – ‘He was screaming at his defence to push up, after he had put 6 defenders on. That's like putting 6 strikers on and shouting at them to all drop deep to defend’ is illogical and not like for like - as they are two opposites - the six defenders are there to try to prevent the opposition from scoring as opposed to six strikers being there to try to score.

I agree so many defenders on at once was a concern for me but I can understand Jose screaming at them to push up. However I cannot fathom having six strikers on and the manager screaming at them to defend.

I think it’s important to remember @Vaibhav Raj made his ‘post’ with hindsight in the context of following the game. Therefore he was likely talking about the goal conceded and limiting it to one in retrospection – that’s my thinking anyway and totally skewer’s your viewpoint, in other words:

...he probably saw all that pressure incoming with tired defenders and midfielders and actually limited the damage to just one goal by bringing on an extra defender. We would be sat here discussing a draw now had Mata stayed on the pitch oor had been subbed for a player who isn't tall enough to connect with headers. That's the good thing about being a world class manager. You see things that the average posters on redcafe will not

I could be wrong but that is how I read the post.