[Fully Fledged]

Was more disappointed in our defending above everything.

Thought Bailly and Jones gave a very poor account of themselves and Darmian was poor at both ends of the pitch.

Going forward we weren't brilliant but we scored two goals at a place teams often struggle to score, and I think as others have said Lukaku should've had another.

But overall, 4 games 3 wins and a draw. Can't say I'm disappointed. I always go into a season with a 10 game cushion, where I believe failing to win 10 of the 38 games could still win you the league. We're well in ratio.

His one high point was his part in the second goal.

 

[GM K]

Was more disappointed in our defending above everything.

Thought Bailly and Jones gave a very poor account of themselves and Darmian was poor at both ends of the pitch.

Going forward we weren't brilliant but we scored two goals at a place teams often struggle to score, and I think as others have said Lukaku should've had another.

But overall, 4 games 3 wins and a draw. Can't say I'm disappointed. I always go into a season with a 10 game cushion, where I believe failing to win 10 of the 38 games could still win you the league. We're well in ratio.

This about sums up the primary reason why we dropped two points against Stoke.

What led to it is a different, though related topic.

Jones and Bailly have been superb all season. Why did they, all of a sudden, crack so badly?

Could it be the absence of Blind and the presence of Dermian?

Could it be the international break that wrecked their flow?

Or was it just the 'Stoke curse'?

 

[Vernon Philander]

Lukaku has to do better at the end there. If Ibra got criticized for costing us points last season, then Lukaku has to too

 

[Reynoldo]

Lukaku has to do better at the end there. If Ibra got criticized for costing us points last season, then Lukaku has to too

Oh definitely, thats why we are paying the big bucks for these players. He has to be finishing that and leading the team to 3 points.

 

[Red Dreams]

Didn't even realise he had come on. Mata is better starting then coming off. He struggles to get into games more often than not.

yes. But Herrera staying would have given us more options.

In a way it is behind us. We dropped points to a decent side and made errors in defence which we have not done before.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Meh, nothing too much wrong

He had to stop play for potential head injury. Then the norm is stoke give the ball back to us.

Ref did little wrong

Weak. It was an obvious ploy to disrupt our winning goal by feigning injury. He stood straight up once post was stopped. At that point ref should have booked for simulation and given indirect free kick to us but he didn't because he's weak.

 

[SwansonsTache]

I can see the logic in the 3 man midfield today since we initially thought it would be a hard fought battle, individual errors cost us today.

What worries me a bit though is that the exact midfield we had today is what we've all envisioned as our big game midfield, and it didn't really work.

 

[Randall Flagg]

Weak. It was an obvious ploy to disrupt our winning goal by feigning injury. He stood straight up once post was stopped. At that point ref should have booked for simulation and given indirect free kick to us but he didn't because he's weak.

So, how often do you see that happen?

 

[caid]

This about sums up the primary reason why we dropped two points against Stoke.

What led to it is a different, though related topic.

Jones and Bailly have been superb all season. Why did they, all of a sudden, crack so badly?

Could it be the absence of Blind and the presence of Dermian?

Could it be the international break that wrecked their flow?

Or was it just the 'Stoke curse'?

I didn't think Bailly was bad so much as made a couple of really costly mistakes, largely speaking he did fairly well.
Same to an extent with Jones but he was just off the pace too imo.
Defensively thought Darmian was fine, maybe even good. Don't think either of them can blame their performance on him.

Stoke were quite good tbf, it was a close match and could have gone either way really.
Ideally you'd like to be plowing through them with a comfortable 2-0 win but yeah ...
we weren't at 100% today and they played well so that wasn't going to happen.

I can see the logic in the 3 man midfield today since we initially thought it would be a hard fought battle, individual errors cost us today.

What worries me a bit though is that the exact midfield we had today is what we've all envisioned as our big game midfield, and it didn't really work.

Wouldn't say it didn't work.
Thought Matic and Pogba didn't have great games and you'd expect more from them but in terms of shape etc ... it looked pretty fine to me.

 

[el3mel]

Lukaku has to do better at the end there. If Ibra got criticized for costing us points last season, then Lukaku has to too

Oh definitely, thats why we are paying the big bucks for these players. He has to be finishing that and leading the team to 3 points.

Continuously blaming Zlatan for us losing points was wrong enough in its own so we'll repeat it again with Lukaku ?

If we're expecting a striker with conversion rate 100% we'll have troubles with almost every striker, even Ronaldo De Lima.

 

[Red1968]

Very aggravating performance. They should have pounded Stoke but could have quiet easily lost it as well. The defending STILL is not up to par. I really want to like Jones. He is great sometimes, average most and embarrassing on occasion. Unfortunately that occasion was today for goal number 2 for Stoke. Bailly I thought was pretty good but his lateness and ball watching cost us the first goal. Lukaku really should have won it with that chance at the in the last few minutes but skyed it. The Stoke player scored the first goal on a very similar cross.

 

[Reynoldo]

Continuously blaming Zlatan for us losing points was wrong enough in its own so we'll repeat it again with Lukaku ?

If we're expecting a striker with conversion rate 100% we'll have troubles with almost every striker, even Ronaldo De Lima.

I'm not expecting 100% conversion rate and I wasn't one of the many constantly criticising Zlatan last year but in a game like this you have to be able to take one of those very few chances, it wasn't that difficult and he deserves to be called on it.

 

[el3mel]

I'm not expecting 100% conversion rate and I wasn't one of the many constantly criticising Zlatan last year but in a game like this you have to be able to take one of those very few chances, it wasn't that difficult and he deserves to be called on it.

He got 2 chances and scored one of them. Nothing to blame him for.

 

[Bruno Marques]

Today, something just didn't work. Was it the new pieces on the field? Was it lack of concentration?

Defense was awful and the lack of good crosses is abysmal. Game only goes trough the hardest part of the terrain, the middle and we are missing a creative midfielder to help break the defensive lines.

Well, like nothing was won nothing is lost now.

 

[Dominos]

Buying more players doesn't necessarily improve your attack. I'm far more interested in us having more effective coaching, strategy and tactics going forward than buying even more players. We've got a superb squad already, many members of which will probably go on to demonstrate that they had relatively low offensive output last season.

Buying a top class attacker is more likely to improve your attack than not. We don't have a player who's best position is right wing, for example. Or anyone who can actually pose any sort of threat down the right side. It's an issue.

 

[stepic]

So, how often do you see that happen?

lol yup. don't think I've ever seen a ref do that.

 

[Pavl3n]

Weak. It was an obvious ploy to disrupt our winning goal by feigning injury. He stood straight up once post was stopped. At that point ref should have booked for simulation and given indirect free kick to us but he didn't because he's weak.

That's more hilarious than going through the RAWK meltdowns...

 

[AdnanRED]

September International break 2016 come back and lose to Man City and Watford.

October 2016 Draw to Liv Loss to Chelsea and draw to Burnley

November 2016 Draw to Arsenal, West Ham and Everton

March 2017 Draw to WBA and Everton

September 2017 Draw to Stoke

This needs serious addressing since Jose has taken over. Maybe I am a bit skeptical after todays draw but something felt weird with the team today.

 

[prtk0811]

What worries me a bit though is that the exact midfield we had today is what we've all envisioned as our big game midfield, and it didn't really work.

It dint work as herrera and pogba were not having a very good day out there, Matic was very good. The lack of creativity is also the reason we cant fashion out a chance.

 

[fallengt]

Hiccup from international break strike again.

 

[Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell]

With players like Jones and Darmien at the back there will often be games like these.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

All of our players seemed jaded or disinterested, as though "who cares about this fixture" which is bizarre. This game showed that our attack still has some oddities floating around in it, Lukaku is the right piece, but he doesn't seem to fit with Mkhi/Herrera/Pogba unless all of the going is downhill. It is such an odd "but........ all of these players are mint on paper in 4-2-3-1..." and then the result comes out strange and I can't put my finger on why.

 

[Ramshock]

Was Fellaini injured or just didnt make the squad?

 

[Ramshock]

All of our players seemed jaded or disinterested, as though "who cares about this fixture" which is bizarre. This game showed that our attack still has some oddities floating around in it, Lukaku is the right piece, but he doesn't seem to fit with Mkhi/Herrera/Pogba unless all of the going is downhill. It is such an odd "but........ all of these players are mint on paper in 4-2-3-1..." and then the result comes out strange and I can't put my finger on why.

Don't be silly. Stoke are a big physical team and never the easiest to play after an international break

 

[Nanotron]

Think everyone played like they were nursing a hangover. Jose got the tactics/personel wrong (not his fault) at the start but should have changed it up early on.

 

[MrBest]

Pogba wasteful as always, defence a shambles, no penetration, lukaku should of made ot 3 2. Was a awful performance. Saying that its only the 4th game and we are still top. I think we will challenge till the end of the season, id be happy with a comfortable top 3 finish.

 

[marukomu]

Start of the season we'd have taken a draw against this lot. We could have won it which is a good sign. Other seasons we were beaten easily. It's their cup final remember because they only hate Man. United for some reason.

 

[RedFish]

Kin hate Stoke. They'll frustrate a lot of teams for sure. Condemned to mid-table mediocrity.

 

[caid]

Kin hate Stoke. They'll frustrate a lot of teams for sure. Condemned to mid-table mediocrity.

Not too fond of them right now but with them getting bojan and shaqiri and the like, I've grown to quite like them

 

[meamth]

Now we got it at Stoke. Bad defending after so much praise for Jones.

 

[Bastian]

Really annoying game. Lapses in concentration cost us but going forward we looked pedestrian. Tactically matched. Orthodox wingers can help in games like these, stretching the pitch and adding tempo.

Prior to today Stoke had scored 2 goals and we had yet to concede. Disappointing.

 

[automaticflare]

Start of the season we'd have taken a draw against this lot. We could have won it which is a good sign. Other seasons we were beaten easily. It's their cup final remember because they only hate Man. United for some reason.

Ask my balls! would have taken a draw my arse. Rediculous comment

 

[marukomu]

Ask my balls! would have taken a draw my arse. Rediculous comment

Right. So we should win every game. Are you a scouser in disguise?

 

[ti vu]

You don't win leagues by failing to beat shit teams like Stoke.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34191895

You're saying?!

 

[Freak]

That was rubbish

 

[roseguy64]

That first goal was shocking. Valencia watches him run on the back of Bailly and does absoulutly nothing but stand with his hands in his pockets on the 18yarder. Actually worse he stands there claiming off side when there was like 4 players keeping him on and he's looking down the line. Jones then decides to check out of his run to the front post to block the cross before it's even getting to what's his face. Absolutely rubbish.

Stoke were decent tho and did open us up on a few occasions but we just looked like we lacked any ideas. For all the good running Rashford does he rarely releases the ball at the right moment. And Miki was quite poor in the game as he kinda often is but then gets something. Much like Zlatan last year, piss poor in the game but somehow makes something happen.

Only one player kept Stoke onside and that was Bailly. You need to look at that goal again.

 

[roseguy64]

We should pick one formation and stick with it. Constantly changing formation and tactics is how you end up with 11 individuals rather than a team.

This is based on what?

 

[marukomu]

Last 7 seasons against this lot.

2017/2018 Stoke City 2 - 2 Manchester United
2016/2017 Stoke City 1 - 1 Manchester United
2015/2016 Stoke City 2 - 0 Manchester United
2014/2015 Stoke City 1 - 1 Manchester United
2013/2014 Stoke City 2 - 1 Manchester United
2012/2013 Stoke City 0 - 2 Manchester United
2011/2012 Stoke City 1 - 1 Manchester United

 

[AgentP]

Anyone know why we were playing Mata on the left and Martial on the right after they came off the bench? What was the idea behind it?

 

[Womp]

Anyone know why we were playing Mata on the left and Martial on the right after they came off the bench? What was the idea behind it?

We weren't? Mata was coming in off the right and Martial was off the left.