Ultimately it isn’t about creating chances, it’s about putting them away. That’s what wins you titles. That and a solid backline. We have a semblance of the latter in Martinez, Varane, Dalot but we are absolutely struggling in the former. Rashford isn’t known for his consistency and Ronaldo is firing blanks mostly.
EL W Europa League Group E
Manchester United 1:0 Omonia Nicosia
Post-match discussion
Thu, 13 October 2022
Don’t know but he’s not harmed his future prospects, he made some outstanding saves last night!
English team in Europe gets no help from officials shocker.
The passing was great, but I'd like to see that against a stronger team. Was good to see DDG come so far out and attempt a very risky pass to Shaw.
I thought Dalot looked pants, usually horrible passing.
I thought Dalot looked pants, usually horrible passing.
Despite their keeper having his best day ever, we did make heavy weather of it. Once again movement up front was slow and ponderous, Martinez and Lindelof having to take numerous touches before someone in front to them found some space to receive the ball through the lines, consequently we reverted to type and almost with metronome precision played it out wide, but not for the wide man to take it to the goal line for a pull back, no it resulted mostly in cutting inside along the edge of the box. Noticeable that when fronted up, Antony seems to baulk at going on the outside?
No wonder Neil Lennon was smiling all night, his team did him proud and we helped out where we could.
Thankfully in the last ten minutes McT getting in amongst them in the box made the difference... phew!!
No wonder Neil Lennon was smiling all night, his team did him proud and we helped out where we could.
Thankfully in the last ten minutes McT getting in amongst them in the box made the difference... phew!!
Yeah I agree our finishing is something to be concerned about, we desperately need a decent striker.
However, your post was bemoaning the lack of creativity, and likening it to recent years, which was nonsense given that we created a ton of excellent chances, and finished with an xG of over 4.5. By contrast, City scored 6 against us recently with an xG of around 2.5, so there was no problem with creativity, just terrible wastefulness from the forwards.
There are people that just look at scores and ignore the general performance.
We had 34 shots on goal, with some of these being chances we definitely should score from. Yet still doom and gloom in here, il take us creating buckets of chances and missing than struggling to create at all.
We had 34 shots on goal, with some of these being chances we definitely should score from. Yet still doom and gloom in here, il take us creating buckets of chances and missing than struggling to create at all.
Yes we've scored more than 70 league goals once since Ferguson left. We looked to be getting into a decent rhythm of occasional big wins for a spell under solskjaer, but I find us calling games freak, or citing goalkeeping wonder displays far more often than we should. We miss a huge amount of simple chances. This is part normal - you can't score every time but this is why we lost to sociedad, made last week tougher than needed and have scored more than 2 twice in the league this season.
We need to be more clinical and I don't think it's debatable
It wasn't though - it was specifically about putting the ball in the net. We can create 30 chances every week and it makes no difference if we're missing chances like rashford had early on
We were good, I don't get the negativity. The finishing was poor yes, but we played some nice football and if only we continue like this the goals will come.
There is way to much underestimating of some European teams by the English media that are acting like some of these teams are amateurs or something.
There is way to much underestimating of some European teams by the English media that are acting like some of these teams are amateurs or something.
We do but it was also one of those days where players could have done better plus the keeper was outstanding. The need for a striker not withstanding, it was one of those days. Thankfully we got over it.
And need our current attackers to be better finishers... I don't know what im saying that you're disagreeing with...
Great match. United showed great resolve to finish off with a win.
Utd were similarly underwhelming vs Nicosia last week, but still turned it on when it mattered at the weekend vs Everton and were much sharper and more clinical.
I wouldn't read too much in to the performance, the atmosphere seems a bit flat on European nights like that, especially against relative minnows who the fans expect to be a walkover. I think the general feeling of the game not being as high stakes and competitive feeds in to the players and their general sloppiness.
It'd be much more of a concern if there was as wasteful a performance as that in the league.
Utd could still do with another, sharper option at CF mind, though even then CR7 also played much better at the weekend.
I wouldn't read too much in to the performance, the atmosphere seems a bit flat on European nights like that, especially against relative minnows who the fans expect to be a walkover. I think the general feeling of the game not being as high stakes and competitive feeds in to the players and their general sloppiness.
It'd be much more of a concern if there was as wasteful a performance as that in the league.
Utd could still do with another, sharper option at CF mind, though even then CR7 also played much better at the weekend.
It was a great performance from the team because it was really tough to keep at them for 95 mins. EtH made some important changes at the right time to get us through. He is right, we need to top the table and make a statement. Winning Europa League with the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona, Juventus in it will be a great achievement and the perfect first season for EtH. The league is of course tough this season but I think we can make it to the Top4 if we win some important matches.
Uzoho was on a mission to make a statement, and he definitely did!
That said, I found it really strange that he beaming and so obviously chuffed with himself after his team got a late kick in the gut to undo their extended brave defending for most of the game.
I know Omonia shouldn't really expect to take any point from OT, but considering how close they were to it, it was really puzzling to see their keeper in such high spirits.
I suppose from a personal career perspective, he's put himself out there and broadened his prospects - that's definitely a reason to be cheerful, but you'd think he'd be a tad more tactful about it!
That said, I found it really strange that he beaming and so obviously chuffed with himself after his team got a late kick in the gut to undo their extended brave defending for most of the game.
I know Omonia shouldn't really expect to take any point from OT, but considering how close they were to it, it was really puzzling to see their keeper in such high spirits.
I suppose from a personal career perspective, he's put himself out there and broadened his prospects - that's definitely a reason to be cheerful, but you'd think he'd be a tad more tactful about it!
The performance looks better the second time you watch it. Of course we know the opponent occupies a lower level but we controlled the game with ease. Our finishing was poor, a consistent weakness of ours going back years, but we put the woods to the opponent and deserved the three points.
Well we all know a striker remains a priority and getting top 4 will take away some of the troubles getting a good one in. This trophy is a good route into achieving that. Ronaldo seemed a little more light/quick footed than of late…we just have to hope he can hit a vein of form this season in the box.
Boyhood United fan got MotM at the biggest game he'll ever play at his favourite clubs ground, it's pretty much a dream come true for him!Uzoho was on a mission to make a statement, and he definitely did!
That said, I found it really strange that he beaming and so obviously chuffed with himself after his team got a late kick in the gut to undo their extended brave defending for most of the game.
I know Omonia shouldn't really expect to take any point from OT, but considering how close they were to it, it was really puzzling to see their keeper in such high spirits.
I suppose from a personal career perspective, he's put himself out there and broadened his prospects - that's definitely a reason to be cheerful, but you'd think he'd be a tad more tactful about it!
So rashford had 10 shots I believe and scored none? He has to be more clinical. He’s improved massively though from last season, you can see he’s got confidence back. He can be devastating for us this season.
A bit harsh, but if we were asked to answer only yes or no to the question whether our play in the final third was poor, the answer would have to be yes.
We did create gobs of chances, but for the most part they were half chances. Even the Casemiro shot that hit the crossbar was a shot you wouldn’t argue should have resulted in a goal.
Again we struggle to score goals, and that against some shit team from Cyprus.
Yeah if it takes us 93 mins to break down them then doesn't bode well for some of the low block teams in the League. I actually felt a bit sorry for them when that goal went in which I know is bad
Strikers need to earn the right to score or miss chances, Ronaldo didn't and he was just as culpable as his teammates with their mindless crossing into the box whenever Ronaldo was there
Fair enough, I clearly misinterpreted, although I would suggest you could have worded it more clearly.
I agree with what you're saying now, that is a problem, and we desperately need a striker who can finish reliably and stay fit. The forwards we have at the moment have either one or the other.
Can't remember a team that aimed at the top and didn't have one good-to-great striker.
we basically play without finishers in the side. criminal.
we basically play without finishers in the side. criminal.
Lucky for us that no team in the league will play that low without the ball. Their entire team were parked in their penalty box for long periods.
That said, our lack of clinical finishers will haunt us regardless this season i`m afraid.
I missed the live match because my son got married yesterday. I got back to my room late and decided to watch it even though I was dead tired. Made it all the way to the 85' before I fell asleep. I just kept thinking, eventually the goal will break and we'll win by 3 or 4. I woke up with a ipad on my chest and figured we'd drew. Didn't realize Scotty scored until just now. 
If we keep winning 1 nil even against dross I will be fine with that aslong as we can see some semblence of progress in the way we play. Unfortunatley for Ten Hag he is straddled with Ronaldo who is next to useless currently. Anyone who tries to defend him on current form just needs to watch his movement......or lack off. Impossible to create anything meaningful with a statue up top who cannot even play as a target man at the least.
Rashford was trying to do everything himself yesterday!
Rashford was trying to do everything himself yesterday!
Yes it does. If Rashford figures out how to score on his first opportunity instead of lazily playing it low and at the keeper, that impacts our performance. Finishing is a part of our performance just as much as what leads up to it.
I agree with you, but look at our past great teams - non strikers who were attackers were often excellent finishers too. Giggs, beckham, Scholes, Keane for example are all players id back over rashford elanga or sancho with an 'expected goal' chance
Am I right in saying we're going to need to win by at least 2 goals in Sociedad to top the group and avoid a playoff against a CL side? The two home games have been a disaster.
I don't think it is harsh because the opposition were that poor that creating chances really wasn't that difficult to do. They were completely open in the middle, their defenders had no pace or mobility, they constantly backed off and gave us space to shoot or pick passes even 10 yards or less from their goal. We constantly had players completely open,inside their box. Literally every time we played 2 quick passes we'd have a man completely free, in behind their whole defence.
The game literally couldn't have been made any easier for our players unless Omonea walked off the pitch or kicked the ball into their own net. Somehow though, we turned it into a monumental struggle and we're actually lucky to win considering the goal came from a deflected pass to no one in the 93rd minute.
Again play in the final third being poor was one thing. This was something else. It was 90 minutes of watching someone try and fail to tie their shoelace over and over despite the fact you know full well they know exactly how to tie a shoelace.
I mean don't get me wrong I think 7 wins in 9 genes is pretty good going and some of the performances have been very positive, but this one was an astonishing display of abject useless twattery, and it's concerning thar our players will strive to find a way to crumble under the pressure of a b competition home game against the 4th best team in Cyprus.
Ok noodles but it was slightly funny.
Yes, very true. Aside of being much better footballers than the ones we have now, Becks, Giggs & co were used to the pressure of competing on the biggest stages. It's likely that they were much less prone to wetting themselves when chances arrived.
It often feels like our players carry the entire eight of the world on their shoulders when on goal (with Sancho's move vs the dippers being the latest brilliant exception)
hopefully, ETH can coach it out of them do a degree
just as well then that we're not a team that aims at the top.
It doesn't necessarily follow that if a team sits back in a low block that it will concede a lot of great chances. No one begrudges Omonoia from sitting back deep of course, but it wouldn't be quite right to deny them the honor of actually having defended against us very well. They closed gaps inside their own box and quite a few of our shots were from outside the box. Despite the praised being heaped on their keeper, we really didn't get that many great looks on goal. Enough to have expected to score 1 or 2 goals in the first 90 minutes, but not more than that.
But only part of it was the mediocre finishing. Most of the keeper saves you'd have to say were comfortable saves. The other part of the breakdown in attack was the final ball. There really wasn't that much for our finishers to work with. Balls going into the box were aimless and often floaters. Nothing seemed well worked. It seemed labored and at times desperate. One player had the ball and the other three or four players in position had no idea what that player -- I'm talking primarily about Bruno but also Rashford -- was going to do with the ball.
Useless twattery is a bit harsh, but I can't object too strongly to how you've described our play yesterday. We have to do much, much better against Newcastle if we're to take all three points.
What are we then mate?
Justsometeam
Man of the Match
Runners-up
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34%
Scott McTominay
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12%
Marcus Rashford
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5%
Jadon Sancho
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4%
Lisandro Martinez
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2%
Bruno Fernandes
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2%
David de Gea
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2%
Victor Lindelof
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1%
Antony
Player Ratings
Total Average Rating
Highest Rated Player
Lowest Rated Player
Compiled from 190 ratings.
Score Predictions
196,2,1
- Man Utd win
- Omonia Nicosia win
- Draw
Detailed Results
- 44% Man Utd 3:0 Omonia Nicosia
- 16% Man Utd 4:0 Omonia Nicosia
- 15% Man Utd 2:0 Omonia Nicosia
- 9% Man Utd 5:0 Omonia Nicosia
- 7% Man Utd 3:1 Omonia Nicosia
- 4% Man Utd 4:1 Omonia Nicosia
- 2% Man Utd 2:1 Omonia Nicosia
- 2% Man Utd 5:1 Omonia Nicosia
- 1% Man Utd 0:0 Omonia Nicosia
- 1% Man Utd 0:2 Omonia Nicosia
- 1% Man Utd 0:9 Omonia Nicosia
- 1% Man Utd 1:0 Omonia Nicosia
- 1% Man Utd 7:0 Omonia Nicosia
Match Stats
- Man Utd
- Omonia Nicosia
- Possession
- 78% 22%
- Shots
- 34 3
- Shots on Target
- 13 1
- Corners
- 13 1
- Fouls
- 8 8
Referee
Jerome Brisard
Man Utd Lineup
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replaced by Luke Shaw
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replaced by Christian Eriksen
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replaced by Scott McTominay
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-
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replaced by Jadon Sancho
