[sunama]

We won't finish top 4 nevermind challenge for the title at this rate, though.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Don't worry. He has been a bundle of joy all through this thread.

 

[Wade3]

We were simply too wasteful, Ibra and Pogba in particular.

 

[hirotan69er]

Shite we didn't win.

But to all the people saying like "same shit different day" that's a load of horse shit, we are 10x better than we were under Van Gaal/Moyes

I dunno...Moyes did have truely great matches in the beginning. It all went down hill when he thought he was indeed the "Chosen One" and lay out whatever the tactics he wishes and could still win.

 

[Chicharo]

We could've been just three points behind Shitty
Disappointed...

 

[DarkXaero]

Today's result was extremely disappointing but to the people who are already dismissing our chances of making top 4, you all need to get a grip. It's way too early in the season and believe it or not, other top teams will drop points. We had a great chance to close the gap with City today and we didn't but City have at least finally lost their aura of invincibility. We have our issues but we have more than enough talent to make top 4, and also enough talent to compete for the title. Right now, we're just not consistent at all. We were complete trash on Thursday against a poor Europa League side. Today, we created enough chances today to score 5 or 6 goals. But their goalkeeper was in inspired form and our finishing was extremely poor. If Zlatan scores that first chance in the 1st minute, it probably would have turned out to be a very different game. Even then, we still got the goal we needed and then we conceded a goal that was a combination of defensive mistakes.

I actually thought our defense was a bigger issue today as a side like Stoke shouldn't be able to get as many chances as they did today. And it's not just Stoke either, it's happened in pretty much every game we've played this season. We leave way too much space on the edge of the box and do a horrible job of tracking opposing team's midfield runs into the box. Anyway, this team needs to go on a winning streak soon and a positive result at Liverpool would be a great start. I think that Luke Shaw should come back at LB and Smalling should be rotated with Blind. Maybe Blind can be tried in the holding midfield role as well, alongside Pogba. Martial should start on left wing again. And I don't want to see Lingard starting unless we completely run out of options. Rashford on the right is a better option and if Mkhi is fit again, he should be in consideration.

 

[Butty19]

We were simply too wasteful, Ibra and Pogba in particular.

This. We should've been 2 up by half time. Big players letting us down.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

On a bit of reflection, it's still early in the season and I think United will improve a lot

 

[Glideman]

We really should have won this one, on to the next game, I don't think should be knee jerk and get too negative

 

[Pscholes18]

Diff between us and City is that Aguero and De Bruyne would of buried those two clear chances Ibra and Pogba had early in the first half. These games, are what will win you the title....no excuses. Why Ibra went near post I'll never know...Pogbas chance was a bit more difficult but ffs for 90 mil you better be putting those in the back of the net.

 

[RedPed]

On another day, those chances would have gone in and we would've won 4-1 and it would've been happy days on here. If we hadn't created those chances I would have been more disappointed. Pogba hit the crossbar for fecks sake. I thought we played well. The City loss made the result more bearable I guess.

 

[wiz4231]

Just watched the game, probably the best and most entertaining I've seen this team for ages! Buzzing!

Exactly, don't understand all the complaining and negativity, on another day we would have easily put 6 past em but credit where credit due, their keeper had the game of his life motm.

 

[Shady]

We're not winning the league this season.

We are in a battle for top 4 again IMO. City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool are all looking better than us so far. And then there is Chelsea who will be close too.

 

[Shark]

Just watched the game, probably the best and most entertaining I've seen this team for ages! Buzzing!

Your buzzing after a frustrating draw? I guess watching live is a different experience.

 

[Sylar]

Positives: Were creating chances, were playing more unpredictable football,

Negatives: Were losing silly goals despite dominating. Were not ruthless enough in front of goal.

 

[Mihai]

I can never understand comments like this. In all my time watching United, I'm not sure I can recall more than a handful of times during which players appeared not to care (Rooney not celebrating during the first game of Moyes' reign is one obvious example.) Yes, we fluffed some chances, and Blind made a rare error; I'm not sure where you get the idea that the players didn't care.

We get into good, attacking positions, and then fluff the most important pass or shot.

Today it felt like a pre-season friendly at times.

I really hope I am wrong though.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I think I could make myself pleased about us having so much possesion and - unlike last season - converting that into shots on goal. So there's that.

Stoke were shit, though. And are in a really poor run of form. And despite our domination of the ball they still caused us problems at the back, with worrying frequency. So basically there's not a whole lot to be positive about. Going into an interlull. Which is crap.

 

[Adam-Utd]

We are in a battle for top 4 again IMO. City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool are all looking better than us so far. And then there is Chelsea who will be close too.

Other teams will stumble too. Arsenal will have their usual Christmas blunder and Liverpool are like us, good in patches.

 

[M Bison]

13 Points from 21 isn't the best, but the performances are a lot better, we actually look like we are making progress and sooner will be stronger and have that consistency back.

The next 2 fixtures will define our season? Are you serious? we're what, 6, 7 games in? Madness.

.

But after the next 2 games we'll be 9 games in and if the results go against us, it'll be irrecoverable, hence my point about defining the season.

 

[SirScholes]

"I don't see anyone of the top sides dropping points"

Whoever said that, or something along those lines is a fecking moron and have lost all their credibility and validity regarding their football opinion.

Heediot ting.

Dropping points when we playing bad is obviously going to happen but we are dropping points when playing well

Can't disagree with that. The whole squad can and will play better than they have so far. But there are still a few that need weeding out before Mourinho has his ideal squad. I have faith he can pull it off, a lot more faith than I had for Van Gaal (however much I liked his character).

I'm looking at his stint at Chelsea where he finished 3rd, the top 4 competition wasn't as strong, they were good one game average the next and it wasn't until the next season he transformed them.
There isn't many players we need but they are key players like a dm I actually think that if we had a reliable dm we'd transform into a great team

 

[r0663664]

Jose want to win but I think him has to accept that it is not happening this season. Zlatan and Pogba is the reason why we didn't win. Zlatan to miss a goal just 2 mins into the goal and Pogba should know to head down, not up. Cheer up.

 

[morbidsaint]

Haha, you guys..

We played our second best game this season. Stokes luckiest points in years. If we had put away those 4-5 99% chances we got, everyone here would have saluted the team for a great game. This was one of those days that just happens every season. Some mediocre goalkeeper decides tho play the game of is life, Pogba decides to miss from 2 yards out.. same with Zlatan.

If United keep this up, and improve some stuff in defense, we will start winning week after week.

 

[cfkane]

Haha, you guys..

We played our second best game this season. Stokes luckiest points in years. If we had put away those 4-5 99% chances we got, everyone here would have saluted the team for a great game. This was one of those days that just happens every season. Some mediocre goalkeeper decides tho play the game of is life, Pogba decides to miss from 2 yards out.. same with Zlatan.

If United keep this up, and improve some stuff in defense, we will start winning week after week.

Exactly. Even the gaffer said as much post match. That is the way I want to see United play on the pitch.

 

[rooney1905]

While disappointing I think it is too early to call where we will finish. The nice thing about us is that we have room to improve while also playing well. For the last 3 years we haven't created chances so to see us doing that regularly now is a good thing. The goals will come. No need to panic at this early stage.

 

[Who Ate All Depay's]

Very frustrating and extremely wasteful with our chances. Not getting too negative about it however because some of our play was top quality. The main downside for me is the strange substitutions with Rooney being the main one. Really don't understand that one but at least Mourinho has realised Fellaini is better off out of the starting eleven. I get the feeling we are a few games away from giving someone a hiding and then going on a decent run.

 

[m1y2]

Haha, you guys..

We played our second best game this season. Stokes luckiest points in years. If we had put away those 4-5 99% chances we got, everyone here would have saluted the team for a great game. This was one of those days that just happens every season. Some mediocre goalkeeper decides tho play the game of is life, Pogba decides to miss from 2 yards out.. same with Zlatan.

If United keep this up, and improve some stuff in defense, we will start winning week after week.

exactly my thoughts, space for improvement while already playing well, just missing chances against a goalkeeper who has a blinder..good display bad result..

 

[sincher]

No, we didn't play that well. It was a fairly sloppy performance especially in the second half. Not many had stinkers and many players did well but as a team we didn't play it right.

We were unlucky not to win, I will say that. Zlatan and Pogba had good chances.

 

[DenisIrwin]

Aahhh... you see... no Fellaini after him being one of our best performers. Jose has become a hostage to agenda-driven, biased fans. The end is nigh!

 

[mav_9me]

After some time for reflection, man that was heartbreaking....had stopped getting so emotional after the games after the last 3 years but today was as heartbreaking as any in a long time.....Completely undeserved. What should have been a huge building block given a very good footballing performance ends up as a major dissappointment...and on top of it the fecking interlull.

 

[Get In Scholesy]

Dropping points when we playing bad is obviously going to happen but we are dropping points when playing well

I don't disagree at all, not even sure the relevance to my post. I was just getting at those who think the top sides around us won't drop points as if dropping points is only exclusive to us.

 

[XdanielredX]

if the results go against us, it'll be irrecoverable, hence my point about defining the season.

That's a ridiculous point though?

As you said we will be 9 games in...... there are 38 games in a season.

 

[MattyB1986]

This place is so bipolar it's unreal... Knee jerk reactions all the damn time.

One that performance especially the 1st half was some of the best football I've seen for a while with the fluidity and moves we were pulling off, but for some reason they all had an off day in front of goal. Things happen in football get over it, and take the positives out of it.. We're actually creating chances now, trying to play fluid, free flowing football in the last 2 league games this has been evident.

Now for the realism... We've had 4 different managers with different play styles.. These managers have bought players in for their system. It will take time for the group to be gelled.. 7 games in I'm quite positive from what I seen today asides the lack of ruthlessness in goal it was a pretty good performance.

De Gea hardly makes mistakes it just happens that came on the day we couldn't finish for toffee and their keeper had an awesome game so credit to him for that.
Second half we looked to be running out of ideas and an hangover from the Europa league tie what it looked like to me and Mou changed it and we scored. If not for the unusual brain fart of De Gea and Blind actually clearing that ball before the throw in properly we'd have won 1 nil. Always the way when you miss chances that they get a smash and grab goal I was thinking that after the 3rd miss actually, lol.

It's going to be a close season at the top and bottom that is the nature of this league these days. The 'invincible' City got beat. Liverpool and Spurs are starting great again but who knows with their high pressing, lot of running kind of play if they can sustain that over the period after xmas? like last year both them teams ran out of legs.
So come on.. It's not that bad.. It's actually fun to watch us play asides in the Europa games.. well asides frustration at the missed chances but it's better than moaning about lack of chances like last year, eh?

And Bailly is a positive that dude is a great signing!

 

[Twisted Nerve]

Shit weekend all round. Concede a fluky late equaliser against the bottom club, watch Liverpool and Arse both fluke wins, and Lewis's car shits itself. And I picked this weekend to quit drinking FFS

 

[Green_Red]

Brilliant performance from the team. Creativity and pressing. Pinned Stoke back. Bailley is immense! Rashford, what else can be said, at this point we know this kid is the real deal, going to be interesting the heights he reaches because he can go all the way. Delighted to see Memphis getting involved. He looks a lot more confident and I think we'll see the best of him in a United short this year. Martials finish was quality. Not too many nevatives for me other than scoreline but we're on the way back. If we continue playing like that teams will fear us. Goals will come.

 

[fatboy]

Really unfortunate that we weren't able to cap our best performance so far with a win. Maybe Stoke were just due some exceptional luck.

 

[Sereques]

Mourinho needs to take responsibility for one thing for sure. It's been 4 times already where we have nobody on the edge of our penalty area when defending. It's happened in different matches as well.

How come the ones upfront can't score and take the game away from Stoke?

 

[Dargonk]

Missed the game itself, but watching the highlights it looked like we played well for the most part. Ibra, people seem to be criticizing for not scoring, but from the bits I've seen actually did rather well. If you look at the chances he had, he had the vast majority of them on target, and it was only the keeper stopping him from scoring today.

Plenty of positives to take out of the game, as we are actually looking dangerous and likely to score goals. Only today things didn't quite go our way, and DDG didn't deal with a shot as well as he normally does. I'd prefer days like this over much of last season where even if we won, we only created a couple of chances.

 

[Xoe]

I must be in the minority & thought we played ok. On another day it could have been 4-1...

We are creating chances, we are playing with width, Jose seems to be playing the best 10/11 players for the job in hand.

If Ibra had a better day he could have scored 2, same for Pogba.

I still have faith in top 4, we are only 5 points off the top.

 

[Red1968]

6 United players ball watching outside the box while 3 stoke players attack 2 defenders on the Stoke goal. Unacceptable if we were up by 5 goals but absolute lunacy when it's a 1 goal lead. Too many times this has happened in the past 5 years. 4 managers , different players but somehow we are still so sloppy defensively and so lazy!!

 

[reelworld]

Herrera was pretty close to getting sent off actually. He was getting beaten in the tackle and fouling pretty consistently.

If that's right, then the mistake would be putting Rooney there instead of bringing someone like Carrick. We lacked any control and attacking creativity once Herrera was off.