[shield]

We drew because we were missing our main men. With Zlatan, Pogba, Herrera and Mata in the team, we would have won this comfortably. Think these set of players did all they could in these circumstances. They just not skilled enough to open up a disciplined deep lying defence. You could see that we just needed a minor spark and this team just did not have it in them. The performance was not bad, just not good enough to open up a well organized defence.

Don't know what Mourinho could have done other than hope for the best. He selected the best team available to him.

Just feel he could have replaced either of Carrick or Fellaini and brought in someone younger who could do some extra running and burst through the middle. Carrick and Fellaini were acting more like DMs who were doing the ball winning part alright but were failing to drive the ball ahead. Fellaini IMO played quite well and tried to provide that energy in the middle but Carrick just does not have the legs to do this anymore. Also, both are quite slow, so have no recovery pace. So, they are very cautions going forward. They needed to push ahead towards the end but were afraid of getting countered so kept standing back. If Mourinho had a few youth player in his plans, then he could have used them today to do the extra running. I wish, again, that he would have played TFM, but Mourinho does not seem to trust him for some reason.

Also, a right winger was quite clearly needed today and we have none.

I know this is a frustrating result, but feel this one is a truly one off. One or two squad player can be managed, but not an entire team. We had Carrick, Fellaini, Young, Rashford and Lingard. That is a huge drop in quality. They played quite well and any of them can provide vital contributions when used with Zlatan, Pogba, Herrera and Martial, but they will struggle without them. This team can do a job, like hold out again Chelsea and resist a barrage against Tottenham, but opening up a defence with skill is beyond them.

That was an amazingly organized defence and you need very good players to unlock them. Not just one or two, but a number of them. That is what separates a top team from an average one. You can't take out the best players from a top team and replace them with squad options and expect the exact same performance.

Herrera and Zlatan will be back in the next match and I think Pogba will too. Unless we face a midfield crisis like this one, we won't be facing such a situation again.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Always something to see the wildly differing things people pick up on after this sort of match. Watching it again after the blood has gone from my eyes is a good exercise but I'm not wasting my time with this one.

Saw mentions of Ruud and Romario being needed. It wasn't clinical finishing or even a poachers instincts. There were several instances where the ball flashed across the goalmouth and no one was there to turn it home. All our forwards were sat at eight yards waiting to what, receive it at their feet and dribble in? Useless. What's the point if you have the skill to make a fifty yard run and curl it into the corner if you don't have the basic intent to get into the freakin box for a tap in.

WBrom were not some impenetrable wall. We were and have been just awful in the attacking third. Again.

 

[red4ever 79]

The most damning conclusion for me on this Utd side is was anyone surprised with result?

 

[youngrell]

Being the 'park the bus' master, you'd expect Jose to know the best way to break down teams who do just that.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Well no, it's tough luck for you. Because Jose isn't going anywhere thankfully.

You will have to learn to be patient.

I've always been patient so there's nothing to learn there. It's tough luck for everyone involved with United watching us constantly under peform. But also for Jose who it seems is indeed "going nowhere" with this United team at the moment and needs to get his act together for next season.

But either way the manager is responsible for the performances and results and no one is exempt from that.

 

[Jippy]

Always something to see the wildly differing things people pick up on after this sort of match. Watching it again after the blood has gone from my eyes is a good exercise but I'm not wasting my time with this one.

Saw mentions of Ruud and Romario being needed. It wasn't clinical finishing or even a poachers instincts. There were several instances where the ball flashed across the goalmouth and no one was there to turn it home. All our forwards were sat at eight yards waiting to what, receive it at their feet and dribble in? Useless. What's the point if you have the skill to make a fifty yard run and curl it into the corner if you don't have the basic intent to get into the freakin box for a tap in.

WBrom were not some impenetrable wall. We were and have been just awful in the attacking third. Again.

Agree. Only West Brom's second clean sheet away all season, so their defence is by no means impregnable.

 

[togg]

The most damning conclusion for me on this Utd side is was anyone surprised with result?

To be honest no, I was sitting with a guy who has been to every home match for 25 years! He said, when considering the team and especially the attack. 'get prepared for a 0-0....or defense will keep them out, but we won't be breaking them down' lol.....

 

[Roosney]

The most damning conclusion for me on this Utd side is was anyone surprised with result?

Come on Trolly McTrollyface, we had most of our keyplayers missing.

 

[TwoSheds]

I understand why we started the game in this formation. But Wazza could've come in for, say, Fellaini when it became obvious that we can't score from a header and Carrick was capable of successfully protecting defence from their impotent counter-attacks.
Instead of this we continued playing in the same manner for the whole game

More or less agree. But i cant see that it's what Jose is working towards. One of his main problems is that he only has a handful of centre mids he trusts and outside Pogba and Herrera they're pretty much all mediocre, or at least not really suited to getting up and down the pitch to support the attack. Mata has done well in CM this season at times but he can never play in a two man midfield as he can't win the ball.

Mourinho loves his 3 man midfield but if you want to play that way you need at least one goalscorer in it. Outside Pogba, who's hardly prolific, how many midfielders do we have who can score? Herrera in his first season wasn't bad but seems to have lost it, Fellaini in his best seasons as a glorified forward scored, what, 10 goals?

For me we've got what's more or less a 442 squad, albeit lacking a quality defensive minded midfielder, but we play 4231 which is why we struggle when teams sit deep.

Mourinho will acquire the right players to make his 4231 work eventually you would think. He was never going to play 442 so i don't know why anyone was expecting anything else.

 

[Jig1234]

Another pathetic display followed by more embarrassing excuses from Mourinho. Dropped 19 points at home. Mourinho is getting tactically worked every home game and he has zero answers.

He should expect West Brom to come and sit deep. Why would you do anything different when so many teams have got success from it this season.

His style of play is terrible I don't think for a second our squad is not capable of scoring a goal vs West Brom. He is failing to get any of his players to actually perform as a collective unit. we're relying on individual brilliance at home vs West Brom.

We passing is tumescent, slow and predictable. We move in slow motion. Play the safest pass we can possibly make.

Of all Jose's teams this Utd side are by far the most boring I've seen at OT. Yet he accuses Conte CFC of being Defense. 'I can't play like that because at Utd we have to play a certain way'

- What way is that. Cause all I see is boring football which is not something CFC have being playing.

This might sound critical but I'd feel like a hypocrite for treating Mourinho the same way I treated Van Gaal. I'm seeing Van Gaal-esque football.

Not having people say 'we were the better team' or 'we were unlucky' or 'West Brom parked the bus and only one team tried to win'

all just lame excuses for us being terrible. We're easily the worst team to watch in the top 6, we play the worst football and we deserve our current league position.

Mourinho needs to find solutions not excuses.

 

[stevoc]

Don't know about anyone else but besides our poor performances, it's getting on my tits having to listen to commentators regularly drone on about the away side at OT being magnificent defensively. News flash they're not the home side are just shit at scoring.

 

[red4ever 79]

Was flicking between our game and the Bayern one who won 6-0 at home against Ausburg. We are miles and miles behind the elite clubs in Europe now

 

[Peanut Butter]

I've always been patient so there's nothing to learn there. It's tough luck for everyone involved with United watching us constantly under peform. But also for Jose who it seems is indeed "going nowhere" with this United team at the moment and needs to get his act together for next season.

But either way the manager is responsible for the performances and results and no one is exempt from that.

I agree. But sacking Jose is pointless yet you will get idiots wanting him fired.

Jose has a gargantuan task on and he knew this when he took over at Utd.

 

[PoTMS]

I keep hearing we've got the best squad in the league. We really haven't - it's riddled with complete shite.

Potential and £££ =/= best squad.

Some of our starting XI need to be bit part players.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I've always been patient so there's nothing to learn there. It's tough luck for everyone involved with United watching us constantly under peform. But also for Jose who it seems is indeed "going nowhere" with this United team at the moment and needs to get his act together for next season.

But either way the manager is responsible for the performances and results and no one is exempt from that.

Think he will bring in more of his type of players in the summer. Another CB to replace one of either Jones or Smalling, maybe two if he feels he cannot trust either. Another LB as Blind, Darmian not good enough and he has a problem with Shaw. A replacement for Carrick, who will either retire or will have to sit on the bench. A right winger who can run at people and cross the ball. Another striker, we cannot rely on Ibra to do it all on his own, which is what he is doing. So Rooney on the way as well. Not sure he is sold on Martial either. Rashford needs time, which he is not getting. People are expecting too much too soon. There could be more changes than Jose is letting on.

 

[TheBiggest]

There are people who actually think we play good football

We've been serving up the same fecking shit all season, even with Zlatan and Pogba in the team.

We are playing good football, our off-the-ball is amazing and we use possession really well, really positively.

The reason we look boring isn't down to us; it's the fact that teams have found out a way to see out a draw at Old Trafford and get a point by parking two banks of four on the edge of their penalty area. I have no gropes with them, whatever way you want to go about your season, go about it. But the 'boring' tag can not be thrown at United...it's quite clear to see why our games are not enjoyable to watch.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I agree. But sacking Jose is pointless yet you will get idiots wanting him fired.

Jose has a gargantuan task on and he knew this when he took over at Utd.

Sacking him is obviously a silly thing to suggest. I'd give him a second year if only for the fact that he signed good players in the summer.

But at the same time, I will criticise him when I feel he deserves it. And I do think he deserves it this season. People here mock Pep so much but Jose has done no better a job (they'll probably get too 4 in fact). They've both got lots to prove next season.

 

[togg]

I suppose what we have to ask ourselves is, looking at our squad, what players would any of the other elite teams want to buy off us. Yeah De Gea....not sure Pogba this season would be...who else?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

More or less agree. But i cant see that it's what Jose is working towards. One of his main problems is that he only has a handful of centre mids he trusts and outside Pogba and Herrera they're pretty much all mediocre, or at least not really suited to getting up and down the pitch to support the attack. Mata has done well in CM this season at times but he can never play in a two man midfield as he can't win the ball.

Mourinho loves his 3 man midfield but if you want to play that way you need at least one goalscorer in it. Outside Pogba, who's hardly prolific, how many midfielders do we have who can score? Herrera in his first season wasn't bad but seems to have lost it, Fellaini in his best seasons as a glorified forward scored, what, 10 goals?

For me we've got what's more or less a 442 squad, albeit lacking a quality defensive minded midfielder, but we play 4231 which is why we struggle when teams sit deep.

Mourinho will acquire the right players to make his 4231 work eventually you would think. He was never going to play 442 so i don't know why anyone was expecting anything else.

Yes we need goals from midfield, but in the past United got goals from wide as well, not now, or not enough. We also could score with our defenders. It is a novelty if they chip in with a goal. What we wouldn't give for a Ramos type. A Steve Bruce type.

 

[Ixion]

We are playing good football, our off-the-ball is amazing and we use possession really well, really positively.

The reason we look boring isn't down to us; it's the fact that teams have found out a way to see out a draw at Old Trafford and get a point by parking two banks of four on the edge of their penalty area.

Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[togg]

Sacking him is obviously a silly thing to suggest. I'd give him a second year if only for the fact that he signed good players in the summer.

But at the same time, I will criticise him when I feel he deserves it. And I do think he deserves it this season. People here mock Pep so much but Jose has done no better a job (they'll probably get too 4 in fact). They've both got lots to prove next season.

I just think Jose inherited much more of an incomplete team and a general mess than Pep did.....so I'm happy to give him some leeway now.

 

[Peanut Butter]

I suppose what we have to ask ourselves is, looking at our squad, what players would any of the other elite teams want to buy off us. Yeah De Gea....not sure Pogba this season would be...who else?

This is the thing. We don't have the quality.

Huge job for anyone that manages Utd these days. We let the squad become mediocre and now we are paying for it.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Another pathetic display followed by more embarrassing excuses from Mourinho. Dropped 19 points at home. Mourinho is getting tactically worked every home game and he has zero answers.

He should expect West Brom to come and sit deep. Why would you do anything different when so many teams have got success from it this season.

His style of play is terrible I don't think for a second our squad is not capable of scoring a goal vs West Brom. He is failing to get any of his players to actually perform as a collective unit. we're relying on individual brilliance at home vs West Brom.

We passing is tumescent, slow and predictable. We move in slow motion. Play the safest pass we can possibly make.

Of all Jose's teams this Utd side are by far the most boring I've seen at OT. Yet he accuses Conte CFC of being Defense. 'I can't play like that because at Utd we have to play a certain way'

- What way is that. Cause all I see is boring football which is not something CFC have being playing.

This might sound critical but I'd feel like a hypocrite for treating Mourinho the same way I treated Van Gaal. I'm seeing Van Gaal-esque football.

Not having people say 'we were the better team' or 'we were unlucky' or 'West Brom parked the bus and only one team tried to win'

all just lame excuses for us being terrible. We're easily the worst team to watch in the top 6, we play the worst football and we deserve our current league position.

Mourinho needs to find solutions not excuses.

I dont agree with this.

 

[TheBiggest]

Stockholm Syndrome.

No (that doesn't even make sense anyway). I just know the sport.

I don't think 'everything' is about Manchester United like most people on here do.

 

[Hugh Jass]

We are lacking confidence in front of goals at home. Thats the cusp of the problem. We are playing good but impotent in front of the goals.

 

[d3vil]

It's Jim Rosenthal's fault, he's a shit presenter on MUTV and always unlucky for us, also playing to the Stretty end first has been bad luck since the 70's...
yes tongue in cheek there... but seriously MUTV are testing my nuts allowing just 2 phone-in calls today... shocking.

 

[spiriticon]

This had 0-0 written all over it from the beginning

 

[Jig1234]

I dont agree with this.

What a pointless post.

You don't agree. Fair enough but at least say why so we can discuss it further.

 

[sunama]

We are playing good football, our off-the-ball is amazing and we use possession really well, really positively.

The reason we look boring isn't down to us; it's the fact that teams have found out a way to see out a draw at Old Trafford and get a point by parking two banks of four on the edge of their penalty area.

If I were the manager (and I am not even 5% as good as Jose), I would devise an Anti PTB tactic/formation specifically designed to counter this PTB (Park The Bus) tactic.
This tactic shall be drilled into the players heads, that at any stage in any game, our players may be required to switch to the APTB.
So when a home game starts, we use our normal tactic. The moment I find that the opponent has parked the bus and is aiming for 0-0, I immediately tell my players to switch to the Anti PTB tactic.
All players must know the APTB tactic like the back of their hands. The APTB, could be something as simple as pushing our 8 players into the opponents half, of which 2 players, to hang around the goal mouth of the opponent. 2 CBs to stay in their own half, to deal with counter attacks. This leaves 6 players to "create" and put the ball into the penalty box.

The moment we score, the opponent will attempt to score a goal. At this point our players can all be told to revert back to the original formation/tactic.
The player will need to be intelligent as they will need to be able to change formations, within seconds of the instruction being received.

In summary, we need to have a tactic up our sleeves which is specifically designed to counter the PTB tactic, which eventually will see an end to teams deciding to use that against us. To me, it seems that Jose is surprised, every time a team uses the PTB tactic against us, yet most fans know before the game starts that that is exactly what the opponent will do.

 

[wolvored]

We need to spend all the transfer money on 3 world class attackers I think. Martial and rashford need to go out on loan next season may come good with less pressure on them. We just haven't got a goal in us without Libra. Boro must of been a fluke

 

[sunama]

I suppose what we have to ask ourselves is, looking at our squad, what players would any of the other elite teams want to buy off us. Yeah De Gea....not sure Pogba this season would be...who else?

DDG, Pogba, Herrera, Rojo, Mata, Ibra (won't sell for a huge fee, due to age), Valencia, Rashford (due to his youth and potential), Martial.
That's most of our team.
The problem was that some of these players were not playing today. And those who were playing were dreadful.
Personally, I think that all our attackers need to be told in no uncertain terms that unless they improve their assist or scoring stats, they'll be sold. We have too many players who want to do a pretty dribble, but have zero end product.

 

[VanHaal'sRedArmy]

Europa League Cup or bust!

 

[dannofdawn]

In truth I don't think we played too poorly. The problem is clear that we lack creative playmakers in the middle to dictate our attacks. Too many times all our flank players could do is either,

a) run down and look for a cross,
b) pass side ways or backwards because it was too difficult to dribble past tight defenders,
c) attempt either and fail miserably because the box is packed, and our players inside our marked.

What we needed was someone who could take charge on the pitch to inspire our players to run behind the lines together and stretch the defensive line. With a team packing the bus, you have to force them to move around constantly, tire them and force errors in positioning, with midfielders charging into the box at the same time and make themselves available for passes. Too many times this game we have Martial, Lingard, Mhki and Rashford just lurking outside the box, each trying to dribble into the compact box, or whip in a cross. Fellaini also goes into the box way before a player is ready to make a cross so not only is he perfectly marked by the time the cross comes in, he also drawn push the defensive line really deep. Thus giving others no space to run behind and make use of all the pace we have. We needed Carrick, Fellaini and Mhki to be passing the ball around the centre circle, trying to draw the opponent into pressing them, while Martial, Lingard, and Rashford keep shifting positions between West Brom's midfield and defenders. This makes them difficult to mark. Then when one of the midfielder see an opportunity, launch quick one touch passes and start moving forward together, each moving into spaces inevitably created when the opponent reacts. Eventually their defense will hopefully break down and one of our players will find a shooting chance in the box.

Obviously easier said than done, and I'm probably sounding like Captain Obvious here.

Given our depleted squad, I really can't blame the team for struggling to create chances. But today shown why Fellaini should never start for us when given the choice, especially with only 2 CMs. Not because I'm hating on him or I don't think he is good, but that he is not useful when we're always the team that needs to play to win and most are willing to park for a draw.

 

[sunama]

We need to spend all the transfer money on 3 world class attackers I think. Martial and rashford need to go out on loan next season may come good with less pressure on them. We just haven't got a goal in us without Libra. Boro must of been a fluke

Martial is no longer a youth player - he is 21, so should be expected to perform. If he can't perform, then he should be sold...not loaned.
Miki needs to step up, as he is at his physical peak, so there simply is no excuse.
Rashford is young, so he needs to be given leeway.
Mata and Ibra are our top scorers, so they need to be kept on our roster.

 

[ijc]

Very disappointing today again. Problem being always the same - lack of finishing ability. A draw at home is almost to be expected. We're better off playing away. At the start of the season we were talking about getting our fear factor back. WE DO NOT have it right now, every 'weaker' team knows they can get at a point at Old Trafford.

Why has no improvement been done? What do they do in training?! In business if a company identifies a weakness it tries to solve it immediately. Our weakness has been going on since the start of the season. If we took 1 chance per game, we would comfortably be fighting up there for the title.

I waited a bit to comment after the game cos I wanted to be objective not just vent out my anger. It's just same old, same old this season. The EL is our saving grace - let's win it!

EDIT: My PoTM today would be either Bailly or Fellaini or Rojo. All were fantastic.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

What a pointless post.

You don't agree. Fair enough but at least say why so we can discuss it further.

When someone writes a long post that is packed full of bollox it can be tiring to unpack it. I disagree too fwiw. With most of what you said.

 

[Jig1234]

When someone writes a long post that is packed full of bollox it can be tiring to unpack it. I disagree too fwiw. With most of what you said.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Injuries and suspensions against a team that loves to defend. It was to be expected.

On the plus side, we play again on Tuesday and Zlatan is back.

 

[Livewire1974]

I'm not really sure what the point of that being, and I never really have. Wouldn't you just increase the possibility of injuries with a bunch of tired players having to be pushed for another hour?

Few exerted themselves over the 90 minutes today.

 

[Livewire1974]

Injuries and suspensions against a team that loves to defend. It was to be expected.

On the plus side, we play again on Tuesday and Zlatan is back.

Manchester United now relying on a 35 year old. SAD ( as Donald Trump would say)