[edgar allan]

There is nothing positive to say.
1, It was boring to watch.
2, We slipped to 3rd place.
3, we only got a point in a home game, against a relegation threatened team.
4, Lukaku injured and Ibra is not ready to play (as per Jose's comments in the post match interview).
5, 3 points out of 9 is a terrible return.
6, The only positive I guess is that Jose now knows that Miki is finished (but perhaps, this is a negative?).

As for Jose out....I am not a teenager who wants a manager sacked after we draw against Southampton or slip to 3rd place. For those who want him out, you need to consider that if he leaves, we won't win the league for at least 2-3 years. With Jose in charge we have a good chance of winning it as early as next season.
Although I am backing Jose, 100%, I will admit that Jose needs to do something fast and show us that he is one of the best managers in the World, because he has not covered himself in glory in the last 4 games (which includes a loss to a Championship side).

If you think our problems only go back 4 games you are deluded. Liverpool are coming for us so it will be 4th place soon.

 

[meamth]

Hate to say it but Liverpool are better than us.

We peaked so early in the season..this is like Arsenal's ritual calendar. Frustrating! By January we are already out of reach for major trophies.

I never panicked but that performance last night is something I couldn't take anymore.

 

[Esquire]

Waste of 93 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

We look utterly clueless in attack. The blueprint to beating us or getting a result: sit back, frustrate and then grab a sucker punch when you can.

So ponderous in attack and unsure in midfield.

We need to overhaul our attacking coaching staff.

Also, I never want too see Mkhi in a United shirt again. We've been robbed blind by Dortmund.

What a complete shower of shite we have playing for us.

Also, the ref and his linesmen are blind, clueless pricks.

1 - isn’t that our game plan? Except it never works for us.
2 - Honestly felt sorry watching Mkhi play last night. He looks completely destroyed. For his own sake he should find a new club that puts less pressure on him.

 

[eat_grass]

United played great against Leicester but got a terrible result, played very well against Burnely but got a poor result ... then played what at times looked like heartless football (except for Mkhitaryan, in spite of his awful end product) against Southampton and were lucky to get a point (de Gea!), but all anyone remembers is draw-draw-draw, "so we must have played like shit all three matches." It's not true at all. United really only played one shitty game.

Why did Pogba intercept Matic's shot from an offside position? The ball was on target after the keeper's save. When Matic asked him why he intervened, he shot back that it was off target, but the replay clearly showed it was not.

 

[NotQuiteManc]

Hope Lukaku is alright, nothing serious and able to play next game because for all the hype of Rashford is better player at CF, he is not at the moment.

United is almost becoming a one trick pony team at the moment. So easy to be nullified. Having said that, even Real is having patchy form despite having multi UCL winners. I just hope Jose will be able to solve this puzzle and able to find the spark needed to get this team back to its earlier season form. Be it Pereira, Gomes, or Ozil. Just anyone but Miki.

 

[Esquire]

Right thing to say to the press though. Don't give them anymore than they need to hear.

Agree. He is at risk of losing the players if he throws them under the bus again. I bet Mou didn’t realise what a crappy rebuilding job he has undertaken. Today was not about Mou. The tactics are poor sure (but we all have been saying that for a while now) but the lack of urgency and fight from the players today was just shocking. This is a worrying pattern because people have observed this for a lot of games this season already. If Mou is allowing the players complete freedom to play then the players need to take some initiative to work out amongst themselves how to break teams down.

 

[BridgeBanter]

fecking garbage, good job letting this average Chelsea get ahead of us.

Chelsea aren't average.

We are poor though. I always stick up for Jose and the lads but even I'm getting fed up with these performances now.

Stop playing Pogba in a midfield two for god sake. He doesn't offer anything from there.

I don't want it to happen but Jose will be sacked by May.

What are United if we are average smh? And if you think you guys are average too, why is it a surprise if we go above you

 

[Nathan]

A very concerning period for United, I remember when we looked at the December fixtures and we all thought it looks easy. How different the reality proved.

Let me say that this is all part of the process, ebbs and flows we will rebound for sure. What we don't need at this stage is panic setting in, yes we have slipped to 3rd place but we have made progress.

I'm looking forward to 2018 with much faith and optimism

 

[amolbhatia50k]

These performances are even breaking Polly.

Good man Shaun Pollock!!

 

[vayid]

This team is bang on average, but its Jose's job to motivate them. After the defeat to City its like we gave up on playing football and the premier league and its showing in the performances. Team morale must be low.

We had some good chances to score but again we were let down with the finishing and it didn't help when lukaku went off. Rashford was disappointing again, he had chances but took to long with the ball. I have no idea why pogba was so deep the whole of that second half, we needed him further up the field. Mkhi tried, but I hate to admit it, apart from that cross for Lingard, he couldn't even do the basics right. If only we paid that extra 5 million to inter and got a proper winger in our team. smh woody, this is most likely why Jose's been moaning about transfers a lot lately.

Honestly, we should just revert to a back 3, see how well we played against watford and arsenal. Pogba has so much freedom and is able to impact the game greatly, I dont know why Jose's abandoned it.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The fact that we had nobody who could head the ball, so let's just keep putting in cross after cross. Not an ounce of initiative between them. Do something bloody different, y'know surprise them a bit.

 

[Handsome Devil]

What gets me is that we played the second half defending a 1-0 lead. Someone should have told the players it was still 0-0.
The volume of booing after the final whistle was still shocking but understandable. If you paid good money to see your favourite band and they couldn't give a toss and delivered a phoned in performance, you would boo. You expect a little more passion when a player puts on a red shirt.
To quote Tarrantino paraphrasing Shakespeare, something is f------ rotten in Denmark.

 

[utdman]

I think Pollock is completely right. Martial's best position is in the center and he will thrive there.

 

[utdalltheway]

• This post brought to you by the number 3.
• 3 PL draws in a row = 3 pts/9
• 3 shots on goal today.

And God knows how many shitty crosses.

 

[Mozza]

The fact that we had nobody who could head the ball, so let's just keep putting in cross after cross. Not an ounce of initiative between them. Do something bloody different, y'know surprise them a bit.

That's nonsensical, a cross can go to feet or head. Miki got into good positions for a cross and blew it

 

[DomesticTadpole]

That's nonsensical, a cross can go to feet or head. Miki got into good positions for a cross and blew it

If you put the right cross in. There's no movement, we no longer thread little balls into the box. We were worried about how we play with Ibra and Lukaku, then the same if Fellaini comes on. I am more worried that we don't adjust now that we don't have any of them. Whip low crosses in for people to run onto. The midfielders should be bursting into the box. The forwards should be moving about stretching the play. We are too static and predicatable yet again. It is like deja vu.

 

[LoneStar]

Watching this United team has started feeling like a chore again. Absolutely no ideas or creativity in the final third. Players look like they have never played with each other before.

After spending so much in recent years, we have a starting 11 with so many average players. Two former wingers playing as fullbacks. Absolutely no world class attacker. I'm getting sick of this shite now. Jose also seems utterly disinterested, just like the players. Then why should us fans care so much? Those 93 mins were just a complete waste of time.

At this point, I'd be happy if we make it to the top 4 at the end of the season.

 

[Mozza]

Mouriniho has lost it, obsessed with his system, happy as long as we don't concede even if the football is shit, only changes players when a goal down or late in the game, rarely changes system early if it isn't working.

He reminds me of LVG, the result doesn't matter, only the method

 

[Mozza]

If you put the right cross in. There's no movement, we no longer thread little balls into the box. We were worried about how we play with Ibra and Lukaku, then the same if Fellaini comes on. I am more worried that we don't adjust now that we don't have any of them. Whip low crosses in for people to run onto. The midfielders should be bursting into the box. The forwards should be moving about stretching the play. We are too static and predicatable yet again. It is like deja vu.

I agree the movement is shit, and yes we should be loading the box with targets, but that takes a manager who takes the risk of having more than 4 ahead of the ball, he's too scared to allow it

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Scholes slams United
Scholes told BT Sport:

“It was [insipid] yeah. I think that’s been the type of performance we’ve seen, especially over the last few weeks.

“There was a real lack of urgency, lack of energy and a team taking too many touches on the ball, no movement.

“And you’re playing against a Southampton team who have just been absolutely battered by Tottenham.

“You think you would be coming out first 15 minutes, get right after them.

“There was nothing right throughout the game, they almost played the game as if they were 3-0 up, keeping the ball at times which was good.

“Southampton’s back four is probably the slowest back four we’ll see but they were never tested.”

 

[Stuart wh]

And Jose blames the ref again we shouldn't be relying on a penalty to win a game we should be destroying teams with the players we have . But with Jose in charge we only ever look defensive to try and will 1-0 is the name of the game for him

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Mouriniho has lost it, obsessed with his system, happy as long as we don't concede even if the football is shit, only changes players when a goal down or late in the game, rarely changes system early if it isn't working.

He reminds me of LVG, the result doesn't matter, only the method

Just not sure how we change it unless Jose realises what is wrong and is willing to change it. There aren't exactly a glut of managers out there.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

08:23
Yoshida on the penalty incident
Yoshida said:

“Sometimes we get decisions from the referee and sometimes we get bad luck from them. Today we got good luck.”

Even Southampton admitting that the referee got it wrong.

 

[suhaylah]

Martial hasn't done anything in ages either.

He is still better than Mikhitaryan.

 

[Edgio]

Hate to say it but Liverpool are better than us.

Not just Liverpool. In recent weeks, I have seen no-mark players from the likes of Brighton, Burnley and Bournemouth control and pass the ball better than any of our so-called superstars. It's fecking horrible.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

He is still better than Mikhitaryan.

To be honest, both need to improve drastically. Martial is getting away on good grace with the fans at the moment as he hasn't delivered on the pitch for a while now.

 

[togg]

I think any motivation the players had evaporated after the city result. Not excusing it, not at the rate they get paid, but psychologically I think it's totally affected them. There is no way they collectively are putting in 100% at the moment and it's something that is worrying considering our CL qualification position. Mourinho and his coaches are really going to have to battle to get the incentive back, but I suspect we are going to see quite a few more results like this over the coming month. A top signing in January would probably give a lift....but not sure that will happen.

 

[EverReddy]

It's easy to always say the players are not bothered. There is no real evidence for that.

Just because they are not playing well doesn't mean they don't care.

I was commenting that my missus, who takes little interest, commented on how their half-arsed warm up was. That's evidence. Many of them only looked urgent in the last 5 mins, with some notable exceptions.

 

[royboy16]

Worrying times as were in a real bad run of form and some tricky games coming up such as a rejuvenated Everton.
Seems like some payers cant be arsed since the league challenge is over.

 

[Feed Me]

That wasn’t a team playing for its manager.

There was no desire to press the Saints players, no urgency to create a concerted spell of pressure and zero chance creation.

It was as bad as anything produced under Van Gaal.

We don’t have a plan.

 

[Jazz]

I think Pollock is completely right. Martial's best position is in the center and he will thrive there.

Wasn't laughing at him. He's right, what have we got to lose by trying him there for a few games at least?

I was having a giggle at our poster's response.

 

[Jazz]

Worrying times as were in a real bad run of form and some tricky games coming up such as a rejuvenated Everton.
Seems like some payers cant be arsed since the league challenge is over.

Well if the players can't be arsed then they need to forfeit their salaries now. The club ain't paying them to mope around. They need to do their jobs.

 

[Tincanalley]

This team is bang on average, but its Jose's job to motivate them. After the defeat to City its like we gave up on playing football and the premier league and its showing in the performances. Team morale must be low.

We had some good chances to score but again we were let down with the finishing and it didn't help when lukaku went off. Rashford was disappointing again, he had chances but took to long with the ball. I have no idea why pogba was so deep the whole of that second half, we needed him further up the field. Mkhi tried, but I hate to admit it, apart from that cross for Lingard, he couldn't even do the basics right. If only we paid that extra 5 million to inter and got a proper winger in our team. smh woody, this is most likely why Jose's been moaning about transfers a lot lately.

Honestly, we should just revert to a back 3, see how well we played against watford and arsenal. Pogba has so much freedom and is able to impact the game greatly, I dont know why Jose's abandoned it.

But are the team bang-on average? De Gea. Pogba. Mhiki was great in Germany. Young is playing well; likewise Lingard. Mata is not average. Matic is way above average. Maybe three 'average' players there at most.

 

[Revaulx]

United played great against Leicester but got a terrible result, played very well against Burnely but got a poor result ... then played what at times looked like heartless football (except for Mkhitaryan, in spite of his awful end product) against Southampton and were lucky to get a point (de Gea!), but all anyone remembers is draw-draw-draw, "so we must have played like shit all three matches." It's not true at all. United really only played one shitty game.

Yes they played very nice, cohesive attacking football up to the first substitution. They fell apart thereafter, having already conceded a soft early goal and missed some easy chances. The failure to reorganise the defence following Smalling's injury was appalling. How was that not a shitty game

Why did Pogba intercept Matic's shot from an offside position? The ball was on target after the keeper's save. When Matic asked him why he intervened, he shot back that it was off target, but the replay clearly showed it was not.

Wanted his name on the scoresheet. Selfish and idiotic, I'm afraid.

 

[RuudTom83]

Everything we're seeing now is a result of that derby defeat. The players knew it was over then and subsequent performances have nosedived.

We are done.

Exactly!

Having the defeat just before the hectic Christmas period wasn’t ideal either.

Playing a game as week could have given the team/manager a chance to get the snowflakes mentally prepared better. But having to play a match every couple of days knowing the league has gone is too much for this squad.

Previous squads under SAF would have coped better and managed to grind out performances, but don’t forget the current squad is far more used to battling it out for the 4th-5th place finish.

 

[Klopp_De_Klown]

Ohhhhhhh shit just got interesting!

City 0-0 and had to survive a save/miss a penalty to earn the point.

Oh, the interesting bit?
KDB stretchered off late on.
Thank you, footballing Gods, maybe this will raise some hope in our squad that there is still plenty to fight for. Because surely they need something, anything, to wake them up.

 

[shield]

That wasn’t a team playing for its manager.

There was no desire to press the Saints players, no urgency to create a concerted spell of pressure and zero chance creation.

It was as bad as anything produced under Van Gaal.

We don’t have a plan.

The Van Gaal reign has quite a lot of flaws, but I always got a feeling that no matter how frustrated the supporters were, the players themselves always believed in Van Gaal and gave him their full support and were willing to fight for him. I also have a feeling that they enjoyed playing for him (just my feeling).

For Mourinho however, apart from Fellaini, I don't really see anyone being overly pleased with him.

 

[Jazz]

Six points we've given away. Maybe City might not have such good luck going forward for a bit if their best player is injured, which gave the slimmest of chances to us and everyone else. Yet our players and their shit mentalities means we are as far away as ever, because we couldn't be bothered to keep professional and keep grinding the 3 points.

 

[Jazz]

Ohhhhhhh shit just got interesting!

City 0-0 and had to survive a save/miss a penalty to earn the point.

Oh, the interesting bit?
KDB stretchered off late on.
Thank you, footballing Gods, maybe this will raise some hope in our squad that there is still plenty to fight for. Because surely they need something, anything, to wake them up.

I missed your post. Our team should have known better to keep digging but no, we make a mess of our last couple of games. Had they just kept at it, there would have been so hope, but we've gone and dropped more points. It's annoying as hell.

 

[Klopp_De_Klown]

I missed your post. Our team should have known better to keep digging but no, we make a mess of our last couple of games. Had they just kept at it, there would have been so hope, but we've gone and dropped more points. It's annoying as hell.

Our performances since the city game have been nothing short of shambolic. Had they been 6 points better off, how would they take this news today?

Because in football you just never know. They are at a low ebb I'm hoping this gives them a little lift. A long shot I know but one must always hope! Oh, and I don't mean win the league I mean, to not just give in.