[RedDevilCanuck]

We are a depleted squad. Disappointing result but with a fragmented team and young players the performance wasn't actually that bad. We've had worse this season.

Blame really goes to Herrera and zlatan for getting suspended.

All the player performance threads just say that our players are shit. The injuries and suspensions during a crazy run of games is what's the blame here.

 

[POF]

I just saw that on BBC and it was brilliant.

"2 teams evenly balanced. You think so?"



75% possession.
18 attempts on goal vs 3
Evenly balanced?

Hilarious. What a terrible interview. Evenly matched teams cancelling each other out! Seems like he went in with a question to provoke a reaction and regretted it seconds later.

 

[Reggie74]

Old Trafford, a place where opposition goalkeepers become superstars.

 

[wolvored]

Regarding Martial. I honestly do not believe that a player at age 22 (which is what he will be next season), should be loaned out. You loan out young players to get first team experience.
There is no point in loaning him out, when he is already getting first team football.
If the manager thinks he is shite, then sell him.

I still say that Miki needed to step up today, as he was our senior attacker. You can't criticize Rashford (due to his age).

Mata: 6 goals and the 2nd highest goal scorer. This is an embarrassing stat, but once again, our senior players need to step up.

I do wonder if this is a mentality or if we can buy our way out of this problem. Over the last 2 seasons, our attackers were brain washed to not take risky chances, but how do you explain Miki, who was not affected by the LVG philosophy?

The worry is that we go out and spend £200M on Neymar (or similar) and they also fall into the trap of not scoring goals, making us even more reliant on a 37 year old Zlatan (as he will be next season). What do we do then? Beg Ibra to stay, till he is 38 because no other (younger player) is able to score goals in a MUFC shirt?

Maybe hire RvN as a coach and ask him only to work with our attackers. Perhaps this is a cheaper/better solution.

Maybe buy a couple of strikers costing 100-120 million rather than spunk it on an 130 million striker that wont really want to come. Hope they can score together or at least one performs. Try hiring an attacking coach, anything is worth a shot. This has gone on for 4 years now.

 

[SouthPredators4]

I think the problem would have persisted even with Herrera and maybe Zlatan. Teams parked the bus to great successes in OT cos we do not have many players with the ability to stretch defences through the middle. WBA is extremely happy to lead us to the wings to cross since their centrebacks are so dominant aerially. It is games like these we learn the value of Pogba and what a unique talent he is.
That being said, better fullbacks with attacking qualities, both Carrick and Fellani did well but aren't suitable for this current team.

 

[SouthPredators4]

And looking at Liverpool's goals, it just add weight to my argument that it is very important to have players to possess abilities to beat players through the middle especially when they parked the bus. Pushing wide is very ineffective.

 

[sammsky1]

In the Manchester Evening News they said at one point during the game that Ashley Young was telling Rashford what he should be doing and still he didn't. I think in the case of him and Martial they are still young and relatively inexperienced so it is easy for their confidence to be knocked. Where a Zlatan will just plug away and eventually score, even when he isn't playing well.

Its exactly why I argued that Rooney should start as their was simply not enough experience or leadership in the front four. Rooney may have lost a lot of his power and skills, but he still knows what to do, and in a game like today, he couldn't have done any worse.

 

[sammsky1]

I still say that Miki needed to step up today, as he was our senior attacker. You can't criticize Rashford (due to his age).

Agreed. Having chosen not to start with Rooney, Mhkitaryan has to deliver today, but skills and leadership but he failed on both counts. I don't think he is a leader and will only succeed when other do some heavy lifting for him.

 

[OL29]

Its exactly why I argued that Rooney should start as their was simply not enough experience or leadership in the front four. Rooney may have lost a lot of his power and skills, but he still knows what to do, and in a game like today, he couldn't have done any worse.

When was the last time Rooney showed that 'he knows what to do?'
Expecting Rooney to come and contribute after a few weeks lay off when he's hardly played this season seems like pure fantasy to me.

 

[sammsky1]

When was the last time Rooney showed that 'he knows what to do?'
Expecting Rooney to come and contribute after a few weeks lay off when he's hardly played this season seems like pure fantasy to me.

No more than expecting our front four to deliver today. His record breaking goal showed he still has the instincts if he can find them

 

[XdanielredX]

Games like this are why we probably won't make top 4

 

[Red Dreams]

seeing Fletcher and Evans made me think of the youth players we had coming through years ago.
Today we had Lindgard and Rashford. Rashford will be here in years to come. Not sure about Lindgard.
Scholes...Giggs.

We need to produce players of their quality. That is what this club is about. The changes that have been announced in that area this season may bear fruit in years to come.

Too many mercenaries. You can buy the big names. What is their commitment to the club?

 

[Water Melon]

Gotta wonder why play Fellaini upfront if you can't cross the ball properly. Why cross so often, if it leads to losing the ball. And my last question - what on Earth do we do in training, as our off the ball movement is non-existent.

 

[kouroux]

Agreed. Having chosen not to start with Rooney, Mhkitaryan has to deliver today, but skills and leadership but he failed on both counts. I don't think he is a leader and will only succeed when other do some heavy lifting for him.

Got the same feeling from him tbh. It is worrying that it only takes one absence or two to turn our team into a collection of pussies.

 

[elmo]

No more than expecting our front four to deliver today. His record breaking goal showed he still has the instincts if he can find them

He only turns around 3-4 times a season against semi-decent opponents, subbing him on lately is just giving us a handicap.

 

[PaulRich]

I suppose one positive is that we now know where our focus needs to be for the CL spot - its shit or bust in the EL now I'm afraid.

 

[rpg]

The front 4 had a poor game. Especially Rashford who had poor positioning and lost aerial and duel on ground everytime. Martial had a habit of running with ball without looking and never time his pass properly. And some fans even called United shouldn't be buying in the summer,sell Zlatan and start those two every game.

Both are so similar in that they cant operate in tight spaces, requires ample spaces to run and not a poacher.

Drop points again, and it tells a lot when the best man on the pitch is Marroune Fellaini.

 

[MDFC Manager]

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.

This. The good moments have been few and far between.

 

[Red_Aaron]

Avoided the result yesterday and watched the extended highlights this morning. It's funny but I felt it in the air yesterday that we hadn't won and midway through the first half it was evident again that we just don't have the cutting edge or composure required to break down an organised side

All the attackers were poor, especially mhiki as the most senior and martial who cost a fortune (and who actually played well on the ball but continually chose the wrong option)

We're gonna need to beat the big boys if we're going to get cl via the league

 

[MrSingh2002]

No intricate play which is needed to break teams down. Ferguson had it where 3 or 4 players would link up together and move the ball so quickly the defence can't cope. Mourinho looks as good as Moyes and LVG in that department, where attackers are isolated and if they don't win their individual battles against the defenders we simply don't win.

We have to have an attacking strategy where we play as a team and not just take on a man and cross the ball when its clearly not working.

 

[devips]

A Chicharito in our team would have won us a majority of these drawn matches, including yesterday's. Van Gaal should be guillotined for that crime alone.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

 

[Paxi]

Than feck I felt sick as a dog all day yesterday and ended up missing the game. Sounds like I didn't miss much. Anyway, felt for a few weeks now that's our only option of getting a CL spot is a Europa League win.

 

[Escobar]

We are a depleted squad. Disappointing result but with a fragmented team and young players the performance wasn't actually that bad. We've had worse this season.

Blame really goes to Herrera and zlatan for getting suspended.

All the player performance threads just say that our players are shit. The injuries and suspensions during a crazy run of games is what's the blame here.

The team we fielded yesterday should have done much better, period. And by now, Jose had enough time to ensure we're better going forward. I'm tired of all the excuses or blaming players who didn't even play

 

[Al-T]

Bit rich of Mourinho now grumbling he has a small squad ahead of the Everton game when he's sanctioned the release of three players without replacement and not realised players like Jones are not sufficiently robust.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Bit rich of Mourinho now grumbling he has a small squad ahead of the Everton game when he's sanctioned the release of three players without replacement and not realised players like Jones are not sufficiently robust.

He didn't know that our players were all going to end up on the treatment table when he did it. You think Memphis would be of any use the way he was playing for us? Morgan is injured anyway for Everton. BFS would not have helped yesterday unless you played him at centre forward.

 

[Gatti33]

Old Trafford, a place where opposition goalkeepers become superstars.

Didn't think Ben foster had an outstanding game yesterday. He made one good save from the free kick and that's about it, the other two saves he made you expect a keeper to make (the Rushford shot was one for the cameras). We didn't create enough chances yesterday that was the problem. We didn't have a single shot on target until the second half!

 

[Gatti33]

Bit rich of Mourinho now grumbling he has a small squad ahead of the Everton game when he's sanctioned the release of three players without replacement and not realised players like Jones are not sufficiently robust.

None of the players he's let go would have been able to replace Jones anyway. Herrera and Zlatan will be back for the Everton game so the squad isn't that depleted. I personally prefer Bailey and Rojo at centre back. Pogba is the only player missing that would have been a definite starter.

 

[Tosicsleftpeg]

We just can't score it's bizzare really. There were a couple of good chances but we just don't stick them away. Need a re-jig definitely as we do dominate games but it's that final finishing touch that we are clearly lacking.

Not sure how we can remedy it, Pogba definitely had the potential to score goals and had enormous technical skill, i think once he matures a bit he will be getting 10 goals a season from the middle. Miki is clearly capable of banging goals in as well but hasn't quite had the luck recently.

I think one of our main issues is the wingers who simply don't do enough, Martial is obviously a good player but against a defensive team he looks totally devoid of ideas. If you look at Bayern who are a similar side in terms of formation they get hatfuls of goals from out wide from robben and costa, coman etc but even if they don't score they create loads of chances. Our wingers hardly create anything at all and it's a big problem.

 

[Al-T]

He didn't know that our players were all going to end up on the treatment table when he did it. You think Memphis would be of any use the way he was playing for us? Morgan is injured anyway for Everton. BFS would not have helped yesterday unless you played him at centre forward.

You'd hardly need great powers of divination to predict Jones picking up injuries. Or anyone else given the fixture congestion that was building up.

Schweinsteiger would have offered a viable alternative to Carrick - poor yesterday - and would at least have allowed for some rest or rotation in the midfield. Schneiderlin had been playing well for Everton ahead of his injury against Hull. Memphis, well, he's scored five goals in nine or ten games for Lyon. Whatever the merits/comparisons of the French league, maybe he needed more imaginative handling? Our attack minus Zlatan and Mata has fewer teeth than a hen.

You can rail against the injuries but they are part and parcel of football. Particularly at this club, it seems. But if you release players without replacement, you can't really grumble about having a small squad.

 

[JohnnyKills]

We need to start next season well that's for sure.

If we're in November and December and we're having to settle for another Top 4 race he's in trouble.

Agreed. He's got credit in the bank from his previous success but none of the questions raised by his disastrous last season at Chelsea has been answered so far.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

You'd hardly need great powers of divination to predict Jones picking up injuries. Or anyone else given the fixture congestion that was building up.

Schweinsteiger would have offered a viable alternative to Carrick - poor yesterday - and would at least have allowed for some rest or rotation in the midfield. Schneiderlin had been playing well for Everton ahead of his injury against Hull. Memphis, well, he's scored five goals in nine or ten games for Lyon. Whatever the merits/comparisons of the French league, maybe he needed more imaginative handling? Our attack minus Zlatan and Mata has fewer teeth than a hen.

You can rail against the injuries but they are part and parcel of football. Particularly at this club, it seems. But if you release players without replacement, you can't really grumble about having a small squad.

I have mentioned before that I felt the board persuaded Jose to hold onto Rooney so he could break the record. I am sure he would have liked to bring in another forward. Unfortunately Rooney has been awful and is picking up injuries and sickness like they are going out of fashion. Martial and Rashford are not performing how he would have hoped either.

 

[Ventura]

We are a depleted squad. Disappointing result but with a fragmented team and young players the performance wasn't actually that bad. We've had worse this season.

Blame really goes to Herrera and zlatan for getting suspended.

All the player performance threads just say that our players are shit. The injuries and suspensions during a crazy run of games is what's the blame here.

We've been 6th forever with our best team available. Your theory is thereby proven wrong.

 

[TheReligion]

We just can't score it's bizzare really. There were a couple of good chances but we just don't stick them away. Need a re-jig definitely as we do dominate games but it's that final finishing touch that we are clearly lacking.

Not sure how we can remedy it, Pogba definitely had the potential to score goals and had enormous technical skill, i think once he matures a bit he will be getting 10 goals a season from the middle. Miki is clearly capable of banging goals in as well but hasn't quite had the luck recently.

I think one of our main issues is the wingers who simply don't do enough, Martial is obviously a good player but against a defensive team he looks totally devoid of ideas. If you look at Bayern who are a similar side in terms of formation they get hatfuls of goals from out wide from robben and costa, coman etc but even if they don't score they create loads of chances. Our wingers hardly create anything at all and it's a big problem.

Yeah I'd agree.

Our wide men have been poor this season. So much so no one has really nailed down a spot so we move from Rashford, Lingard, Mkhitaryan, Mata and Martial in those areas.

Part of the issue is none of them are real out and out wingers.

Martial/Rashford/Lingard still learning with the former a cross between a CF and Wide Man.

Mata/Mkhitaryan are number 10s and prefer central roles.

I think JM will have a few tough decisions to make in the summer as he may have to move a few people on. Not because they are bad players but because they simply don't fit.

The squad is really unbalanced in my opinion.

 

[The red panther]

He didn't know that our players were all going to end up on the treatment table when he did it. You think Memphis would be of any use the way he was playing for us? Morgan is injured anyway for Everton. BFS would not have helped yesterday unless you played him at centre forward.

Schneiderlin and Depay were part of the squad during pre season. If during the season you notice that they aren't good enough and you decide to let them go in the winter, than you would expect we would bring in replacements.

Complaining you have a small squad is just unacceptable. Everybody has been saying Mourinho was overplaying Pogba and Zlatan and you got to ask yourself the question, what if they are injurred, how can this squad cope with that. If the answer is not very good, than you buy more players.

 

[vidic blood & sand]

Lovely day yesterday, so decided to do a little pub garden crawl. Thought the game would be missable, and it seems to have turned out that way.

 

[Fracture90]

One thing that is really worrying is that our players apparently cant send a proper pass. It's either behind their intended target so the player has to go back to pick it up hence losing the momentum and halting our attack or the pass is way off so that completely ruining any chance of keeping that attack alive.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Schneiderlin and Depay were part of the squad during pre season. If during the season you notice that they aren't good enough and you decide to let them go in the winter, than you would expect we would bring in replacements.

Complaining you have a small squad is just unacceptable. Everybody has been saying Mourinho was overplaying Pogba and Zlatan and you got to ask yourself the question, what if they are injurred, how can this squad cope with that. If the answer is not very good, than you buy more players.

We don't know what Ed wanted. Jose might have wanted players but they couldn't get the ones he wanted. At least in the summer it is three players we aren't desperately trying to sell to free up squad places.

 

[Gopher Brown]

We don't have any proper wingers - I think this is partly the reason for our 3-5-1-1 formation recently. Martial isn't good enough on the wing, nor is he really good enough up front. Rashford too. Certainly with the way we're playing. But it's hard to see where we're going to get these proper, top quality wingers from, as it's something we have persisted with for years despite not having the personnel.

 

[Bruno8]

The performance was okay, we just lacked a bit of quality in the box against a team that is well organised defensively.

Moaning about injured/suspended players is just an excuse because we have drawn the other 8 games before this with all those players available. So there is no guarantee we would have won with them available granted Miki and Martial seemed out of form