[ThanksBoss26]

Was at the game - very poor. Didn’t think we looked fit enough. Goes without saying we’ll need to improve a lot by Saturday.

Nonetheless I’d have taken any kind of win so relieved with the three points, as underserved as they were.

 

[Red in STL]

A win is a win

That's the only thing worth mentioning about the game!

 

[Newtonius]

What an awful game, proper Fm'ed them absolutely no teamwork at all

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Terrible, if Wolves could actually finish a chance we would have been screwed. We are going to get another 6-3/7-0 style hammering this season if we play like this and come up against a team who can take their chances.

Hard to see where goals will come from right now. Hopefully Hojlund will add some attack to the team because there was no heart in that.

What's the point in replacing De Gea with a keeper that 'can start attacks' if our entire team stays static the second he gets the ball.

Wolves never pressed Onana when he had the ball, which nullifies his ability on the ball. Plus, Wolves were extremely compact so there were fewer passing lanes out from the back.

 

[dubplate warrior]

United have to sign a new midfielder. That much is obvious.

 

[joedirt87]

Looking back it reminded me of the Varane debut game against Wolves a couple seasons back. Think it was Bruno and Pogba leaving Fred to try and do the defensive work of 3 men in midfield. Completely open Wolves just couldn't score.

 

[SouthMancRed]

I can't remember a match where we were so absolutely awful all game and the attempts at passing were downright embarrassing. Antony went to his right twice early on so he's got that out of his system for the season. Absolutely unreal we managed to win that. Apart from the points the only thing to take from it was that we will surely never play anywhere near that level again. Surely...gulp.

 

[The Mitcher]

Wolves never pressed Onana when he had the ball, which nullifies his ability on the ball. Plus, Wolves were extremely compact so there were fewer passing lanes out from the back.

How does not pressing Onana nullify him?

 

[noodlehair]

I can let the players off a poor start but the formation and tactics were an absolute embrassment and joke and I'm actually quite astounded by them. It's like we were being managed by some kid playing FIFA.

Casemiro, Fernandes and Mount is NOT a workable midfield. It shouldn't take picking them together to have to learn that, because it is extremely obvious, and it definitely shouldn't be left like that for 70 minutes and then the manager suggest it was just down to "not being gold enough in possession" after, and nothing to do with 6-7 of our outfield players being constantly ahead of the ball and out of the game due to our ridiculous set up.

The lack of reacting to correct the issue amd then shifting accountability for it to the players, indicates its going to keep being used in spite of it obviously being an extremely terrible idea, until someone actually spanks us 6-0 or we lose a load of games in a row, by which time the players confidence will have taken a massive battering.

It's put a real dampener on things for me because Ten Hag built up a lot of trust last season amd now he starts this season with some inexcusably dumb shite and then just sits there oblivious to the problem it causes his team.

I know it's only one game but the problem was just so fecking obvious and it was 100% self inflicted by the manager. Players being off form did not create the big gaping hole in the middle of our team that was responsible for nearly all of Wolves chances. Ten Hag created that by replacing a midfield with Mason Mount and expecting it to not be an issue.

 

[PieCrust]

Some shocking performances, all from the midfield of Bruno, Casemiro and Mount. They were all bad.

Garnacho, I cut some slack; he needs to develop more. Antony just isn't an intelligent footballer, he gets in great positions, but always seems to pick the wrong pass, or if he see's it, doesn't execute.

Pretty sad when AWB was the best United player on the pitch, and he wasn't even that great. Got into some good positions, and to his credit the assist to Varane was class (so was Bruno in the move), but he's still so lacking in attacking play, always looking to pass backwards or sideways and can never beat a man.

Sancho just physically cannot compete in this league. Bullied off the ball time and time again.

Onana, lucky not to concede the penalty...I like his aggression, but that was a terrible challenge. Made some nice reaction saves at balls shot right at him.

 

[PieCrust]

How does not pressing Onana nullify him?

Because Wolves just sat back, clogging the midfield, letting United make cute little passes all over our own 18 between all our defenders and Onana. It was a great tactic actually. We never built up from the back and failed to exploit the resulting space on both wings as a result.

 

[CtrlAltDeLigt]

Our midfield will be lamented today, but it felt like we were not at it in terms of fitness as a team.

Weak performance today, next game is perfect for them to show how they play against a super high line, if Rashford doesn’t light it up next game I would be concerned

 

[The Mitcher]

Because Wolves just sat back, clogging the midfield, letting United make cute little passes all over our own 18 between all our defenders and Onana. It was a great tactic actually. We never built up from the back and failed to exploit the resulting space on both wings as a result.

I don't buy it at all. Nothing was stopping our players from creating passing options and actually moving with the ball. Look at how we set up at goalkicks, it made no sense. Shaw was where martinez was meant to be, and Martinez was way ahead in midfield, and Casemiro was not even anywhere. That was deliberate by the manager. Onana was not nullified.

 

[PieCrust]

I don't buy it at all. Nothing was stopping our players from creating passing options and actually moving with the ball. Look at how we set up at goalkicks, it made no sense. Shaw was where martinez was meant to be, and Martinez was way ahead in midfield, and Casemiro was not even anywhere. That was deliberate by the manager. Onana was not nullified.

He absolutely was, but ok.

Other than his willingness to come out, it was no different than having De Gea back there. No build up from the back and great reactionary saves. Wolves were set up perfectly tactically today.

 

[Red in STL]

Wolves never pressed Onana when he had the ball, which nullifies his ability on the ball. Plus, Wolves were extremely compact so there were fewer passing lanes out from the back.

There was also a distinct lack of movement from United players

 

[Zen]

Stunned to see so many "worst performances I've ever seen" in here.... at least in the early parts of this thread. There was probably about 10 substantially worst performances last year alone, if not more.

I'll absolutely take it. Issues? Sure, but a 1-0 home opener is absolutely fine.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Re: the late penalty shout.

I've thought for years that situations where a striker gets a cross / shot away, and then is clearly fouled by the defender or keeper with a late foul while attempting to block, should be given as penalties more often - because it's still a foul, same as a late tackle outside the box. But they're very rarely given, so it's often the case where you feel when a person is penalised for it then they're a little unlucky just because they'd normally get away with it.

So, being consistent, I think the Onana incident probably should be given as a penalty more often - so he was a little lucky to get away with it. Although, because they rarely are given, then I was hopeful that he would get away with it and he'd have also been a little unlucky to be one of the few penalised for that kind of incident.

its actually one of the things I thought we'd see more penalties given for under VAR - and we were at one stage - but now they seem to be backtracking again in order not to overturn the on-field decisions as much.

 

[Red1878]

Lucky we won. Impressed by Onana and AWB does deserve a mention. Overall this was not the start I was hoping for and once again it seemed that our opponents wanted it more than we did.

 

[The Irish Connection]

Wolves were the better team, comfortably. More power, seemed fitter, more alert. more organised.

I am re-assessing my thoughts for the season based on that. I'm really disappointed.

Manchester United's standards have dropped. We no longer want the best players. Brighton identify and develop players better than what we do. Newcastle buy better players. How does that happen?

City, Arsenal, Liverpool would not tolerate the (lack) of quality that too many of our players have. Last season was fantastic because we made great strides from OGS.. but ETH has to realise the "..we have to raise the standards..." rhetoric will wear thin this season. Too many other clubs have improved and we need to do more.

And my fear is that we do not have the players. Some of our fans need to wake up and be realistic about some of the players we have.

We lack leaders. Antony and AWB cannot be players who make a Manchester United starting XI. Never. That cannot be our standard. No way. Our team has big problems because our right side is unreliable. You don't know what either AWB or Antony will do. How can they be good enough for Manchester United FC? How?

We do not know how we are supposed to play. Who is our ball player, who gets us to play? Eriksen was key for us last season before he got injured. Casimero was miles off. Mount a little lost but I do not blame him, not at all.

Defensively, we were so, so, so open.

That's an awful performance. Awful. Awful.

Because we’re run and owned by leeches who have sapped our finances and don’t have a clue.
We didn’t have the money to go for Caicedo or Kane because of them.

 

[matherto]

How does not pressing Onana nullify him?

Can't create the overload if nobody goes to try and tackle the goalkeeper meaning everyone is marked?

 

[AndyMUFC]

That was pretty horrendous but Wolves are just rubbish in front of goal. Three points but still issues we've had for years, and probably made even worse without Eriksen being a starter now. The jury is 100% out on that Casemiro - Fernandes - Mount midfield already after that showing.

 

[eire-red]

Watched the game from Las Vegas. Not the best performance, but great to start the season with a win. And didn't ruin the start of my hols!!

 

[IRELANDUNITED]

Three points.

Yeah. Game over. Let’s move on

 

[The Mitcher]

Can't create the overload if nobody goes to try and tackle the goalkeeper meaning everyone is marked?

In that case it's up to the united players to actually be good on the ball and use their movement. Which hardly any did.

 

[Bastian]

That was pretty horrendous but Wolves are just rubbish in front of goal. Three points but still huge issues . The jury is 100% out on that Casemiro - Fernandes - Mount midfield already after that showing.

Yeah, that midfield looks pedestrian as feck. There is absolutely no tempo. Partly down to Garnacho getting zero change out of Semedo and AWB and Antony passing backwards quite a lot. But with a dynamic presence in that midfield, someone who can actually carry the ball through and provide a bit of an initiative, that would be mitigated and we'd be on the front foot. Seemed to me Wolves had players who could dribble at pace in spades.

That was as pedestrian and unimaginative as anything in the last decade.

 

[Judas]

Awful and very fortunate to win. The exact same flaws as last season, apart from Onana providing better distribution.

Our creativity and use of the ball in attacking areas is so poor. We just don't make enough chances.

 

[IamBurnsey]

I am hoping this matches bad performance was just a mixture of nerves, lack of match fitness and of course wolves playing out of their skins because it will be a hard season for them if this continues on.

 

[Reditus]

Awful and very fortunate to win. The exact same flaws as last season, apart from Onana providing better distribution.

Are creativity and use of the ball in attacking areas is so poor. We just don't make enough chances.

I don’t think we had any wins last season like tonight. We absolutely didn’t deserve to win or even get a point this evening. Which makes me think it’s maybe a one off rather than something to be too concerned with. Just got away with it big time

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Very relieved to get the three points after a poor and pretty sloppy and lethargic performance.

TBH, I was fearing a bit of a slow start like that. I feel the start of the season has come a little early for us. We haven't really given the first team much time to help implement the huge changes switching from De Gea to Onana and playing out from the back. And also working on the balance of going with a more attack minded midfield duo in front of Casemiro.

They will both take time and hopefully quickly get better as the season progresses, but I'd have liked more match time in pre-season working on them.

We're also starting the season with the same #9 issue due to Hojlund's injury and Martial's lack of fitness. Again, hopefully that'll be improving when one or both of those are available, but again the start of the season came too soon for that.

It's also come with us betwixt and between in terms of the squad depth in CM. Fred's only just gone, still undecided about McTominay and VDB - and so still not got that much needed extra addition in. Again, hopefully if that addition does arrive before the end of the window then that puts us in a much stronger place.

So some areas of concern in terms of us not really being fully ready to hit the ground running at the start of the season, but I'm hopeful that a number of those issues can / will be addressed the more they play together and when we have an available #9 and hopefully another CM brought in.

 

[matherto]

In that case it's up to the united players to actually be good on the ball and use their movement. Which hardly any did.

It is, you're right but it's a lot easier for the opposition to simply man mark us and leave Onana with nothing to actually accomplish on the ball.

Could actually see us a lot of the time being as static as tonight and Onana having possession for ages and the crowd getting annoyed cause he's no option.

 

[redmanx]

According to some of the posts regarding this match we will be lucky if we finish the season bottom of the Prem! We have played one match and have won three points against a Wolves team who always make things hard for opposing teams. No, I wasnt enraptured by our performance, yes there needs to be a lot of improvement, but lets all wait a couple of months before writing our obituaries, yes?

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

How does not pressing Onana nullify him?

If an attacker leaves their position to close him down, Onana can pass to the player who is now open (because the opponent has left). If the opponent just sits there, there is no passing option and it doesn't matter how good Onana is on the ball.

 

[Zora]

Casemiro, Fernandes and Mount is NOT a workable midfield.

Bloody hell mate, United should have saved a few quid and brought you in as head coach instead of Ten Hag! The club has really missed a trick here - can I be your assistant?

 

[glasgow 21]

If an attacker leaves their position to close him down, Onana can pass to the player who is now open (because the opponent has left). If the opponent just sits there, there is no passing option and it doesn't matter how good Onana is on the ball.

Really gosh can we get back De Gea and Maguire for some more comedy acts then ? are you missing it ?

 

[DLE]

Wolves were more aggressive but we showed spirit. Well deserved. Happy with 3 points and a clean sheet. Start of the season, wasn’t expecting a great game.

 

[matherto]

According to some of the posts regarding this match we will be lucky if we finish the season bottom of the Prem! We have played one match and have won three points against a Wolves team who always make things hard for opposing teams. No, I wasnt enraptured by our performance, yes there needs to be a lot of improvement, but lets all wait a couple of months before writing our obituaries, yes?

Have you seen the way we've played throughout pre-season? It gave an indicator to how we'd start this one at least. A very accurate one at that.

We also haven't been able to plug the leaks in our midfield since probably around 2010 or so. It's like we're allergic to it. It was a huge issue under SAF and it's never gotten any better, instead it's got even worse. Back then we played Cleverley and Anderson together and got bent over backwards by City and we've never been anywhere close to changing that since.

I understand the need for a new goalkeeper and a new striker from last season/previous seasons in general but the absolute inability to identify solid midfielders that are actually present in a defensive and control capacity is mindfeckingly terrible from this club and every manager we've had in that time.

We are going to get run through time and time and time again, our defenders are going to end up getting sent off repeatedly because they've got less shielding than a chocolate fireguard and Casemiro is gonna be fecked by November from carrying the burden. We're doing Bielsa's Leeds approach and that didn't work so I don't understand why we're doing it.

 

[Pogba's Barber]

A better start than last season in a difficult game for us recently.

Spurs will be a tough test but expect us to improve gradually as the players and manager work out the new system especially in midfield.

 

[Red in STL]

Wolves were more aggressive but we showed spirit. Well deserved. Happy with 3 points and a clean sheet. Start of the season, wasn’t expecting a great game.

Well deserved, seriously, only 1 team deserved to win and they didn't play in red

 

[Abraxas]

It was awful. No getting away from that. Really thankful to get the points because that is the only thing I can take out of that to be happy about.

But I did think before the game looking at Wolves lineup how the feck have they been in such a hole? They have some real talented individuals you wouldn't be surprised to see move on in the near future. Right across the team. Get a striker and they should be pushing for top half if they avoid injuries.

 

[Sid234]

Normally - we'd lose this type of game, team had some grit to grind out a result. Our pressing was very uncoordinated and Casemiro seems to have his usual slow start after not playing competitor games for a bit. He had the same when returning from suspension last year.

I expect us to improve as we play more.