[Icemav]

If that was a great game, I fear the benchmark is pretty low.
Did he even get a shot on target off?

A few nice moves and passes, but hardly great to any extent.

He, Sanchez, De Gea and Matic our best players. We should not even be bothering to nitpit their performances.

 

[Leftback99]

Annoyingly predictable that we'll play poorly in every game away from home because the opposition will be more up for it than us. I expected a draw myself but it was even worse.

 

[77]

Just feck off smalling you cheating cvnt

 

[Sandikan]

Pool already scored...they'll be two points behind us after today.

We will most likely have to beat them to make sure we finish above them.

With Chelsea up next and Palace away (don't trust our away form right now) , we could quite easily go into that game behind them.

 

[Catt]

My take on the game is that our manager is as clueless as our players. He's past it and I have lost all faith in him. I'll support him while he's here but I couldn't wait any stronger for him to leave now.

I'm not quite there yet but I'm on my way.

 

[Asger]

Pogba is NOT a defensive mid!!! Jesus! Mourinho stop playing him out of position!

He clearly is so overrated. Even former striker Paul Scholes was able to play in midfield two..

 

[TheReligion]

Not all about the goals. But yes. Soslkjaer, Cantona, Hughes, Cole, Yorke, Rooney, Van Nistelrooy, Van Perie. Even Tevez, though his stay was limited. Throughout the entirety of Sir Alex's reign here, he always had a world class striker up top who was a complete player who could score goals but also create and influence play. That's what we need. The brief periods where we didn't have a striker like that, we were using players like Welbeck, berba, hernandez, sheringham, saha, forlan, etc.. Squad players or people filling in. I'd say Lukaku is a lot closer to that group, then the main group. And that's another point I was making earlier. He has a huge reputation because of the price we paid to get him from Everton, but if he was someone we bought for 20million 5 years ago and he developed into what he is now, he probably would be seen purely as a squad player. Not a guaranteed starter.

Lukaku can score goals, sure, but he'll never influence play as much as those or to the same extent. I admire his effort and attitude as that's not the issue, it's just his general ability. Don't think it's good enough and yes he might be younger, but that can't improve that much. Also he did have a pretty good game today, but there were still lots of parts to his game missing. Decent performance, nothing more, but that's what you get from Lukaku. This and then you hope he scores goals. You want more then that from your main striker. Especially in the big games where he fails time after time.

He's already improved his touch and build up play since he arrived so to suggest he can't get better is based on nothing but your skewed opinion.

 

[dogwithabone]

Better team won!

What a stupid statement.

You seriously think Newcastle were the BETTER side ? You know **** all about football if you think that.

We weren’t anywhere near our best and it was an indifferent performance but virtually every aspect of our game was superior to Newcastle. Their goal had a charmed life and they scored with one of the only shots I can remember them having.

Unbelievable to say they were better !

 

[Icemav]

Not all about the goals. But yes. Soslkjaer, Cantona, Hughes, Cole, Yorke, Rooney, Van Nistelrooy, Van Perie. Even Tevez, though his stay was limited. Throughout the entirety of Sir Alex's reign here, he always had a world class striker up top who was a complete player who could score goals but also create and influence play. That's what we need. The brief periods where we didn't have a striker like that, we were using players like Welbeck, berba, hernandez, sheringham, saha, forlan, etc.. Squad players or people filling in. I'd say Lukaku is a lot closer to that group, then the main group. And that's another point I was making earlier. He has a huge reputation because of the price we paid to get him from Everton, but if he was someone we bought for 20million 5 years ago and he developed into what he is now, he probably would be seen purely as a squad player. Not a guaranteed starter.

Lukaku can score goals, sure, but he'll never influence play as much as those or to the same extent. I admire his effort and attitude as that's not the issue, it's just his general ability. Don't think it's good enough and yes he might be younger, but that can't improve that much. Also he did have a pretty good game today, but there were still lots of parts to his game missing. Decent performance, nothing more, but that's what you get from Lukaku. This and then you hope he scores goals. You want more then that from your main striker. Especially in the big games where he fails time after time.

Our midfield and defensive build up play fails time after time. Sort these out before we waste oxygen critising Lukaku who apart from Defensive corners is spending large parts of matches living off scraps and trying to deal with hoofball.

 

[kouroux]

I'm not quite there yet but I'm on my way.

Don't worry, I can wait for you

 

[edgar allan]

What a stupid statement.

You seriously think Newcastle were the BETTER side ? You know **** all about football if you think that.

We weren’t anywhere near our best and it was an indifferent performance but virtually every aspect of our game was superior to Newcastle. Their goal had a charmed life and they scored with one of the only shots I can remember them having.

Unbelievable to say they were better !

Not in desire....workrate.....defending.....passion.

 

[Mozza]

He wasn't bad today, but to be honest the fact he was doing the providing shows he might have lost confidence as a finisher himself. He has serious limitations which everybody knew yet we still bought him and I now agree Morata was not the answer either.

Every player has limitations, you wouldn't play Messi at centre back. We've got a beast of a striker who can power past every defender in the league and will win most duels in the air. So how does our manager use him? Back to goal so he can't use his pace, wingers never encouraged to attack the fullback and cross. He's been neutered

 

[Catt]

Don't worry, I can wait for you

Cheers. I will let you know.

 

[Jim Beam]

If that was a great game, I fear the benchmark is pretty low.
Did he even get a shot on target off?

A few nice moves and passes, but hardly great to any extent.

In comparison with other players, yes, he had a great game. One of his best in terms of general play for which he gets so criticised. He just scores and that's it people say. Now he improves massively on that and it's still no good.

It's annoying he gets singled out after such a pathetic performance from most of the team.

 

[bosnian_red]

Every player has limitations, you wouldn't play Messi at centre back. We've got a beast of a striker who can power past every defender in the league and will win most duels in the air. So how does our manager use him? Back to goal so he can't use his pace, wingers never encouraged to attack the fullback and cross. He's been neutered

He's awful in the air.

 

[R'hllor]

Even if we put this formation debate on side, i really wonder what on fecking earth they doing on training.

 

[GM K]

Jose totally got everything wrong today. Subs are awful, Martial can not play on the right.

Jose got very little wrong today as far as tactics and selection were concerned. 4-2-3-1 was good enough against Newcastle away. We had 4 attacking players - Lukaku, Martial, Sanchez and Lingard. Pogba was allowed to go forward. I saw absolutely nothing wrong with that. People can blame Young all day long but he was one of our better players today. Minus one or two faulty passes and a poor cross, he provided us with width and an attacking option. I had more issues with Valencia, Smalling and Jones than with Young.

Mata and Carrick, certainly improved our play. Mata appeared urgent and willing to push the ball forward. He did very little wrong. Carrick was certainly better than Pogba who again, had an off day.

The problem today, like in the Spurs game, was that we had some players who just didn't play with passion and intelligence. This is why we made a defensive blunder and we failed to control the game in the first half, hence losing 45minutes we could have attacked relentlessly.

Does Jose deserve some blame for that? Oh yes, him being the manager. But we need to assess the quality of our playing personnel more carefully. We've got some serious problems.

Thumps up to Sanchez and Lukaku. Martial, once again, failed to impose himself on the game. He was just decent and that's not good enough. We need more ruthlessness in front.

 

[Mozza]

If that was a great game, I fear the benchmark is pretty low.
Did he even get a shot on target off?

A few nice moves and passes, but hardly great to any extent.

He was our most creative player and created two really decent chances, hardly his fault the creative types didn't reciprocate

 

[Mozza]

He's awful in the air.

He isn't

 

[Kostur]

Haven't watched the match but I take it we were fecking dogshit?

 

[Dobba]

He's awful in the air.

Someone should tell his team mates to stop lumping balls at his head all game then. Amazingly, with the ball at his feet, he set up Alexis for his chance as well as putting in our only half decent crosses in the entire game.

 

[ZAGREB RED]

Embarrassing, pathetic and worst of all, totally predictable. Made a piss poor Newcastle team look good, difficult to see United scoring one today, let alone two, when Newcastle went ahead.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Every player has limitations, you wouldn't play Messi at centre back. We've got a beast of a striker who can power past every defender in the league and will win most duels in the air. So how does our manager use him? Back to goal so he can't use his pace, wingers never encouraged to attack the fullback and cross. He's been neutered

We have been screaming out for overlapping fullbacks for years. Valencia has forgotten how to beat a man and cross from the touchline, which causes chaos in a penalty area. He very rarely manages to get a cross in from deeper, it constantly hits the defender. He should be bedding Shaw in at LB.

 

[Bastian]

Not in desire....workrate.....defending.....passion.

There are maybe around 3 teams that aren't currently desperate for points (4 if you count City). Burnley, Leicester, Everton are sort of OK. Everyone else is fighting to stay in the league or stay or break into the top 4. If we do not "show up" like Jones apparently referred to, we can forget about winning games. This is a fight and I would have thought fighting suited Mourinho.

 

[R'hllor]

Someone should tell his team mates to stop lumping balls at his head all game then. Amazingly, with the ball at his feet, he set up Alexis for his chance as well as putting in our only half decent crosses in the entire game.

Hoof is way of life

 

[Stubble]

Weren't we making 20 odd shots a game at points last season/start of this season - what the hell's happened ? We got to start attacking faster from the back (i.e. no Jones and Smalling together for a start) we are much too easy to defend against at the moment. The long ball and crossing stuff won't work without Fellaini as without him we never win a ball in the air or connect in the box !

 

[Catt]

Think we are at the bottom, or at least one of the lowest, in the league in terms of distances covered during the game. They are a lazy, passive bunch. There's no doubt about it.

I don't understand this. Are they unfit? Is Mourinho fine with/instructing his team to run less than the oppo?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

16:49
Phil Jones reacts to the defeat
He told MUTV:

Poor.

We were slow, sloppy. They got momentum and they gained their momentum and then in the second half we had a few chances cleared off the line but we are not kidding ourselves we weren’t good enough today.

Second half last 15 minutes we had three or four balls cleared off the line and they’re scrapping for their lives that’s the sort of luck they needed and they got it today.

But it wasn’t about luck today we just weren’t good enough.

I knew that’s what it’s like here, if the crowd get on top they gain momentum and that’s where they become the 12th man.

We started too slow and couldn’t get in to the rhythm of our game, and for whatever reason we weren’t good enough today, we will have to play a lot better than that if we are going to kick on and improve.

Even when the crowd were on their feet they had a few half chances the crowd react like it’s a 1 v 1. We had a few chances ourselves but the result was probably fair and they deserved to win.

Top four?

A lot of teams around us keep drawing and losing points there’s a lot still to play for. It’s been a disappointing day but we have to go again, that’s all we can do. We’re devastated but we have to improve.

 

[Sandikan]

Haven't watched the match but I take it we were fecking dogshit?

Not great. A bit overblown on here, but Newcastle scored their goal after some strange Smalling behaviour led to a freekick no one bothered to challenge or mark for, and the ball dropped magicly for their guy to pump in from 8 yards out.
Meanwhile, Martial and Sanchez missed incredible chances.

 

[Jim Beam]

He wasn't bad today, but to be honest the fact he was doing the providing shows he might have lost confidence as a finisher himself. He has serious limitations which everybody knew yet we still bought him and I now agree Morata was not the answer either.

He pretty much didn't make a single bad move in the build-up.

Oh yes, did remember now that he missed the ball in the first half provided by Alexis. Still, was our best player today.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I don't understand this. Are they unfit? Is Mourinho fine with/instructing his team to run less than the oppo?

Has it been like this for a while? Not sure we did a lot of running with LvG. He wanted them to keep the ball, make the ball do the work. That is fine, but you need players who can actually keep the ball to do it.

 

[CamsUnited]

Stop with 4-2-3-1 and start playing Pogba in his best position.

 

[Kostur]

Not great. A bit overblown on here, but Newcastle scored their goal after some strange Smalling behaviour led to a freekick no one bothered to challenge or mark for, and the ball dropped magicly for their guy to pump in from 8 yards out.
Meanwhile, Martial and Sanchez missed incredible chances.

Ah, cheers mate, fecking hell.

 

[Westerkerk]

Bar a couple of nice moves involving Sanchez it was a woeful performance void of any real intensity from us.

It's an old cliche, but we didn't want it enough - I have to question the motivation levels of the squad given the league is all but finished with. It looks to me that the passion, fight and hunger is missing at the moment that would give our team of 'more than good enough' individuals their bite.

Lately it seems that if we can't coast through a match in third gear we just don't have enough to win it.

I think we're currently first in a big battle for 2-4 in the league. Any points lost now could really hurt us come May.

 

[Verminator]

I thought Sanchez was supposed to be a replacement for Miki as a pseudo RW/10? Now we have Martial out of position and Rashford not getting a game. Total flustercluck from the special one. But that is just the attack which is the least of his failings atm.

He's an exciting signing, but you have to ask why we are building a team with eleventy left wingers, and an 80 year old Spanish midget no.10 as our only right winger.
We aren't building a functional team, we're collecting top trump cards.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

He's an exciting signing, but you have to ask why we are building a team with eleventy left wingers, and an 80 year old Spanish midget no.10 as our only right winger.
We aren't building a functional team, we're collecting top trump cards.

Well said.

 

[Sandikan]

He's an exciting signing, but you have to ask why we are building a team with eleventy left wingers, and an 80 year old Spanish midget no.10 as our only right winger.
We aren't building a functional team, we're collecting top trump cards.

I laughed at this, then realised it's not actually a funny scenario.

The problem I suppose is that if we did put Sanchez right wing, loads would be moaning he's better on the left!

The attack doesn't look any closer to really flowing, which is the disturbing part. Strange to say that in a season where we've scored 4 more times than seemingly the last 4 years put together

 

[mitchmouse]

don't usually have ago at jose, especially when we missed great chances which he can do nothing about but what the hell was all that nonsense about them playing like animals and trying very hard as if you don't expect that and I'm bored with the excuse that people raise their game against us; then we should raise our game which we never seem to do. that said, the blame for the loss lays at the feet of the players: some awful performances - matic (is this the same guy we bought), lingard (heard his name twice all game until he got taken of), pogba, smalling, martial and later mata. no doubt one of them will come out and say we must pick ourselves up and go again blah blah blah. and to those who say some of us overract, well my life is shite at the moment and United play a huge part in either cheering me up or making things worse. i put everything into supporting them and expect more. meanwhile, liverpool score at southampton with pretty much their first attack

 

[Sandikan]

Bar a couple of nice moves involving Sanchez it was a woeful performance void of any real intensity from us.

It's an old cliche, but we didn't want it enough - I have to question the motivation levels of the squad given the league is all but finished with. It looks to me that the passion, fight and hunger is missing at the moment that would give our team of 'more than good enough' individuals their bite.

Lately it seems that if we can't coast through a match in third gear we just don't have enough to win it.

I think we're currently first in a big battle for 2-4 in the league. Any points lost now could really hurt us come May.

I hope we can turn it back on for the cups, as well as the big league games.
In the last 11, we have Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal at home, and City away.

Hope that ups their games.

 

[Icemav]

He's an exciting signing, but you have to ask why we are building a team with eleventy left wingers, and an 80 year old Spanish midget no.10 as our only right winger.
We aren't building a functional team, we're collecting top trump cards.

Pogba played in a 3 at Juve for obvious reasons.

Sanchez has played very successfully for Arsenal on the right side.

All top teams need defenders comfortable on the ball amd supported by midfield.

Jose is worrying me big time. Have him and his coaches gone full contrarian nutty on us.

 

[Tapori]

We had plenty of chances to win it.
Their GK had a typical "Against Man United world class," performance.
Newcastle battled.
Poor mistake from Matic and Pogba for the free kick; watch it and they both freeze.
Lukaku played better
Over reaction. We move on.

 

[mitchmouse]

I laughed at this, then realised it's not actually a funny scenario.

The problem I suppose is that if we did put Sanchez right wing, loads would be moaning he's better on the left!

The attack doesn't look any closer to really flowing, which is the disturbing part. Strange to say that in a season where we've scored 4 more times than seemingly the last 4 years put together

he should be playing through the centre. we haven't had a proper winger in about 10 years, maybe more