Manchester United Thread..The Final Chapter of 17? (MOD WARNINGS IN OP)

Tylerdurex

I think Real with beat PSG

paulbok

Unearthly wrote: »

Is it too late to call the match off with snow?

Doesn't matter, Mata will still be cup tied

emmetkenny

emmetkenny wrote: »

Mick we should have beaten them twice in the group stage. Ye won't concede 3 against them so you's will be grand.

MD1990 wrote: »

Sevilla have not been good in La Liga this season despite being 5th.
Good draw for Man Utd.

Don't agree.
They are not in the knockout stages for nothing.
No team is easy at this stage, it's going into these types of games with complacency and disrespect is what can get you caught.

bangkok

Lord TSC wrote: »

CHELSEA VS BARCA!!!

omg my sides

chelsea could only have draw barca, psg or besiktas

Trigger

bangkok wrote: »

chelsea could only have draw barca, psg or besiktas

TheDoc

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Some thoughts:

A little annoyance I have with Sky

Pogba has been unavailable for the following games;
Liverpool
Tottenham
Man City
Chelsea

When the likes of Harry Kane, Mane, Hazard ect go missing and they have a big wankfest about it
I'd argue we hadn't anyone of his quality in those games, annoys me to think what could have been..

I thought Jesse should have stayed on as he was working hard and posed a threat. Don't agree with Jose taking him off.

Another annoyance I have is the manner in which we actually conceded the goals yesterday was very frustrating.
Yes, City were the better team but we actually limited them to very few chances beyond those stupid defensive errors.

In fairness when Souness is in the studio, which he typically is for the big games, don't expect much pre-match chatter on Pogba.

TheDoc

Happy with that draw, could have been brutal.

Decent deep run in CL please now Jose

Who gives a **** Jose lost his cool or has sour grapes about losing to city in old Trafford lots of managers have done it and once it doesn't negatively effect the team who cares, as the saying goes show me a good loser and I'll show you....

bangkok

Man City are now favourites for the champions league :eek:

TitianGerm

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Don't agree.
They are not in the knockout stages for nothing.
No team is easy at this stage, it's going into these types of games with complacency and disrespect is what can get you caught.

They are in the group stages because Spartak messed up big time against Maribor, drawing both games.

Sevilla are good but United will have to much for them.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Who gives a **** Jose lost his cool or has sour grapes about losing to city in old Trafford lots of managers have done it and once it doesn't negatively effect the team who cares, as the saying goes show me a good loser and I'll show you....

Klopp was ranting at both pressers yesterday and hardly anyone mentions it.
It happens with all mangers when results are ****.

jayo26

Isn't it funny how Seville have suddenly gone from been a great European trophy winning side a couple year ago to now been a handy draw....

I can see it now "but we had to play Porto"


Can't wait for next round a cup win will be important this year.

Forgot about the draw not bad at all city Liverpool and ourselves did well, I don't watch much or any Italian football tbd but would it be right in saying juve aren't as good as they were the last few years

TheDoc

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Klopp was ranting at both pressers yesterday and hardly anyone mentions it.
It happens with all mangers when results are ****.

Doesn't mean fans should or need to accept it or be happy with it.

The thought behind that type of reaction is providing excuses for your fans and to twist the narrative. It stems from the notion fans are absolute dribblers and believe anything their manager says, or whats written on the front page of a paper.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I rail against that, and find it incredibly insulting and cringe when a manager tries to outline something different to what we clearly all just witnessed. And I don't just let it slide as "ah sure its what managers do" I think it's the height of condescension and it erodes goodwill quicker for me, I'd prefer some honesty. Regardless of how prickly some lightweight fans might get having to accept the reality a rival just spanked us.

jayo26

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Forgot about the draw not bad at all city Liverpool and ourselves did well, I don't watch much or any Italian football tbd but would it be right in saying juve aren't as good as they were the last few years

On paper they arent but they will be tactically superior to most teams left in that competition.

Dybala and higuain are brilliant players.

TitianGerm

Sevilla were so so good in the Europa League for three/four years on the trot. Emery got them playing unbelievably well.

bucketybuck

Bret Hart wrote: »

We're seeing with City a side that'll dominate English Football for the forseeable future.

I really think that City are being vastly overhyped, for all that they are winning all of their games.

If Lukuku hadn't made two crap attempts at clearances yesterday we would have taken something from that game, they certainly didn't trouble De Gea too much otherwise. He had one great save and then a lot of routine balls struck straight at him, for all their possession and for all our troubles they still couldn't really hurt us.

They are still not close to the best team we have seen in the PL and they absolutely will drop points as this season goes on.

bangkok

bangkok wrote: »

Man City are now favourites for the champions league :eek:

Makes sense they were 2 or 3 before the draw and they prob got the easiest draw of the lot while the 2 bigger faves face tough games

Adamocovic

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Don't agree.
They are not in the knockout stages for nothing.
No team is easy at this stage, it's going into these types of games with complacency and disrespect is what can get you caught.

I don't think it's being too disrespectful to say it was a good draw for us. Obviously every team at this stage is good quality, and no so called easy draws but this is way more preferably than the other possibilities.

We avoided Chelsea, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. There can't be any excuses now. We should be looking to move onto the next round.

bucketybuck

emmetkenny wrote: »

Sevilla were so so good in the Europa League for three/four years on the trot. Emery got them playing unbelievably well.

I saw them against Liverpool recently and lets just say that I am delighted with that draw.

Hope our travelling fans are treated better in Sevilla than Liverpool's were a few weeks back by the local police.

By many accounts, it was poor and unwarranted.

TitianGerm

bucketybuck wrote: »

I saw them against Liverpool recently and lets just say that I am delighted with that draw.

Liverpool, United and City got relatively easy draws when you look who they could have gotten.

They all still have to turn up and win though and they will still be hard games.

TheDoc

TheDoc wrote: »

Doesn't mean fans should or need to accept it or be happy with it.

The thought behind that type of reaction is providing excuses for your fans and to twist the narrative. It stems from the notion fans are absolute dribblers and believe anything their manager says, or whats written on the front page of a paper.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I rail against that, and find it incredibly insulting and cringe when a manager tries to outline something different to what we clearly all just witnessed. And I don't just let it slide as "ah sure its what managers do" I think it's the height of condescension and it erodes goodwill quicker for me, I'd prefer some honesty. Regardless of how prickly some lightweight fans might get having to accept the reality a rival just spanked us.

I'm not advocating for any of it. I'm just making the point that it happens.

bangkok

bucketybuck wrote: »

I really think that City are being vastly overhyped, for all that they are winning all of their games.

If Lukuku hadn't made two crap attempts at clearances yesterday we would have taken something from that game, they certainly didn't trouble De Gea too much otherwise. He had one great save and then a lot of routine balls struck straight at him, for all their possession and for all our troubles they still couldn't really hurt us.

They are still not close to the best team we have seen in the PL and they absolutely will drop points as this season goes on.

and yet they are miles better than us, doesnt say much for us so. they deserve all the credit they are getting, we were the home team yesterday and we were reduced to kicking long aimless balls up to nobody

TheDoc

bucketybuck wrote: »

I really think that City are being vastly overhyped, for all that they are winning all of their games.

If Lukuku hadn't made two crap attempts at clearances yesterday we would have taken something from that game, they certainly didn't trouble De Gea too much otherwise. He had one great save and then a lot of routine balls struck straight at him, for all their possession and for all our troubles they still couldn't really hurt us.

They are still not close to the best team we have seen in the PL and they absolutely will drop points as this season goes on.

Aguero didn't even take the field, and Pep's substitutions really told the story for me. Didn't fear what he was sseeing, confident his team would fine a way and win.

Sergio Aguero, didn't even play, fully fit, in the derby.

They are being overhyped when labelled T3H BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD EVA crap, but there is simply no doubting or denying they are by far the best team in the league, will potentially set some serious records, and have a squad firing on enough cylinders to do damage in the champions league, so early have they wrapped up the league.

Not giving them proper credit is just fan bias.

They beat us yesterday without even playing great which was more damning. This is basically their slump, they are grinding out results, and we barely laid a glove on them yesterday.

I'd hoped we would even in a loss, lay enough body blows to hopefully pave the way for other teams to be brave enough to take points of them. But we barely tickled them. It was just an absolute mess of a strategy, approach and execution.

I just can't get my head around how a manager who forged his premier league success first time around with a monstrous midfield, looked at a City midfield that contained De Bruyne and Silva, and thought the best way to deal with this is firing balls up at Lukaku.

I'd put forward the point that if the manager doesn't believe players for Manchester United are capable of playing passes constructively and driving forward from midfield that

a) The players in said midfield are not good enough and require replacing
b) The manager has made a bags of building his squad

TheDoc

bangkok wrote: »

and yet they are miles better than us, doesnt say much for us so. they deserve all the credit they are getting, we were the home team yesterday and we were reduced to kicking long aimless balls up to nobody

I actually slumped in my chair during the last few minutes with De Bruyne, Silva and Sterling just pinging balls of us in the corner for throw ins while the City falls cheered.

Utterly helpless and hopeless. Was a fitting image for the 89 minutes that had gone before it

thelad95

For anyone without a BT sub like myself, is there a possibility of us not being shown live due to preference for one of the other two clangers?

bucketybuck

TheDoc wrote: »

Not giving them proper credit is just fan bias.

:rolleyes:

SlickRic

what should annoy the fúck out of you all is that when the players decided not to play with any fear, and got it down, it was actually easy enough to get at the City backline.

one straight forward through ball from Herrera put Lukaku in the clear, running at the CBs.
the 20+ pass move that gave Lukaku his chance from 4 yards.

Pogba would've made a difference, but there actually wasn't a huge need to be so direct so often. Matic, when he got the ball, managed to hold it fine, it's just he had so few options so often, for whatever reason.

City can be got at. it's just they have that 'aura' right now.

Adamocovic

TheDoc wrote: »

They are being overhyped when labelled T3H BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD EVA crap, but there is simply no doubting or denying they are by far the best team in the league, will potentially set some serious records, and have a squad firing on enough cylinders to do damage in the champions league, so early have they wrapped up the league.

If they can stay in form without doubt.

Fairly certain with the win against us they now have the record for most consecutive wins in a single season and overall in the PL (can be over the course of multiple seasons).

Obviously early days and we'll have to wait and see but no other team has gotten off to a start like this before (that I can remember). We will need to match them with brilliant form in order to have a chance. Worst possible scenario would be for them to drop points but we haven't done enough to make them pay.

Kerrydude1981

SlickRic wrote: »

what should annoy the fúck out of you all is that when the players decided not to play with any fear, and got it down, it was actually easy enough to get at the City backline.

one straight forward through ball from Herrera put Lukaku in the clear, running at the CBs.
the 20+ pass move that gave Lukaku his chance from 4 yards.

Pogba would've made a difference, but there actually wasn't a huge need to be so direct so often. Matic, when he got the ball, managed to hold it fine, it's just he had so few options so often, for whatever reason.

City can be got at. it's just they have that 'aura' right now.

Thats exactly what annoyed me as well,there was a good few times in the first half a pass was on to Matic and Herrera and Utd were out and gone,but more often then not the ball was hoofed up field,aimless stuff,

Just made a tough match ten times harder

ElChe32

Sure it's been covered but have to say Lindelof's distribution yesterday was very good, especially compared with Rojo's aimless lumps up field in the first half.

Very frustrated with the overall display, I thought we could get at City and to give away two sloppy goals was blood boiling. Lukaku will rightfully be feeling like shíte today he could do nothing right yesterday but he is young and will learn from this. Got to pick up the pieces and move on to Wednesday night.

bucketybuck

ElChe32 wrote: »

Sure it's been covered but have to say Lindelof's distribution yesterday was very good, especially compared with Rojo's aimless lumps up field in the first half.

I was rather surprised he didn't start to be honest, his form had picked up well and I thought he would have suited the game better than Rojo. I'd say its a sign of how highly Jose rates Rojo that he is close to first choice despite only returning from injury.

adox

SlickRic wrote: »

what should annoy the fúck out of you all is that when the players decided not to play with any fear, and got it down, it was actually easy enough to get at the City backline.

one straight forward through ball from Herrera put Lukaku in the clear, running at the CBs.
the 20+ pass move that gave Lukaku his chance from 4 yards.

Pogba would've made a difference, but there actually wasn't a huge need to be so direct so often. Matic, when he got the ball, managed to hold it fine, it's just he had so few options so often, for whatever reason.

City can be got at. it's just they have that 'aura' right now.

The thing that annoyed me from a Utd perspective is that they didnt even have to work hard to dominate the possession and knock it around. They were given a free reign to approach the Utd box at will and unchallenged. They didnt even play particularly well but still dominated the game. They could just knock it about at a leisurely pace or stroll through the centre of the pitch without breaking a sweat.

I said before the game that I thought the way to get at them was a ball in behind to Lukaku from deep in his half from Herrera. It only happened once and opened them wide open.

I dont think they have any "excellent" defenders and they are usually totally out of shape when asked to do some proper defending. Sure the only time Utd seemed to really try and put something was after Utd conceded the first goal and Utd scored from it, with City in panic at the back.

Even when Utd huffed and puffed for the last 15 minutes(without any real coherence) City looked very jittery at the back.

The keeper looks a big improvement for them of late but I thought he left a huge gap to his right for the Rashford goal.

They have the league wrapped up imo. I cant see a team good enough to even put pressure on them if they do drop points.

I do think they will be found out defensively though in the CL.

yabadabado

The biggest gripe have with yesterday is City were handed 2 goals.They deserved to win and were the superior team but those 2 goals were pox.

For the ten minutes or so that United actually played a bit of football City didnt look so hot.

A cm and a wide man are needed badly .Need players who can hold on to the ball.Bale and Verretti would do nicely in the summer:pac:

ElChe32

I think Bale has become so injury prone and his price tag would be too much. If the relatively tame tackling of La Liga is wrecking him, a second stint in the PL would make him a sick note candidate - imo

Robson99

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Thats exactly what annoyed me as well,there was a good few times in the first half a pass was on to Matic and Herrera and Utd were out and gone,but more often then not the ball was hoofed up field,aimless stuff,

Just made a tough match ten times harder

Surely this tactic is down to the manager and not the players. The players are getting hung out to dry when in fairness the manager picks the team and decides on the tactics. Long balls up to Lukaku was hardly the players choice

Kerrydude1981

ElChe32 wrote: »

Sure it's been covered but have to say Lindelof's distribution yesterday was very good, especially compared with Rojo's aimless lumps up field in the first half.

Very frustrated with the overall display, I thought we could get at City and to give away two sloppy goals was blood boiling. Lukaku will rightfully be feeling like shíte today he could do nothing right yesterday but he is young and will learn from this. Got to pick up the pieces and move on to Wednesday night.

Ya the difference was night and day between the two,Rojo had one of those days that if he passed the ball to a team mate in front of him yesterday it was by accident

At least Lindeloffs long balls out of defence looked like they had some thought put into them,he gave the lads in forward positions a chance to get on them and put the City lads under pressure

deaddonkey15

yabadabado wrote: »

The biggest gripe have with yesterday is City were handed 2 goals.They deserved to win and were the superior team but those 2 goals were pox.

For the ten minutes or so that United actually played a bit of football City didnt look so hot.

A cm and a wide man are needed badly .Need players who can hold on to the ball.Bale and Verretti would do nicely in the summer:pac:

We were handed one ourselves, and were fortunate to get some of our goals against Arsenal and the winner against Spurs. Got a poxy enough winner at home to Brighton too.

yabadabado

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

We were handed one ourselves, and were fortunate to get some of our goals against Arsenal and the winner against Spurs. Got a poxy enough winner at home to Brighton too.

Agreed but doesnt make it any less annoying .

yabadabado

ElChe32 wrote: »

I think Bale has become so injury prone and his price tag would be too much. If the relatively tame tackling of La Liga is wrecking him, a second stint in the PL would make him a sick note candidate - imo

You could be right but either way we need a top class wide player.Martial and Rashford have huge potential but that isnt enough at the moment. Can possibly play one of those players but looks like cant have both in the team together.

bangkok

yabadabado wrote: »

You could be right but either way we need a top class wide player.Martial and Rashford have huge potential but that isnt enough at the moment. Can possibly play one of those players but looks like cant have both in the team together.

In fairness to both Martial and Rashford, they are strikers being asked to play as wingers

yabadabado

bangkok wrote: »

In fairness to both Martial and Rashford, they are strikers being asked to play as wingers

True and isn't that a major problem.

SlickRic

On Lukaku, don't get wrong, he was not good enough.

But, he rarely had anyone within 30 yards of him. Even if he held it up or flicked it on, there was nobody to give it to.

Jesus was anonymous for City, and was taken off, but it didn't matter as much, because in attack, City attacked as a team. Utd defended as a team, but relied on Lukaku to be much better than he was to get any proper foothold in the game. it's just too archaic in the games against the top teams in the modern game IMO.

bangkok

bangkok wrote: »

In fairness to both Martial and Rashford, they are strikers being asked to play as wingers

yabadabado wrote: »

True and isn't that a major problem.

I think it's a problem lads, but not a major one. Or the problem. Both of them are capable of producing good performances from out wide. Or better performances than they have been on the whole.

I think the reason we are not seeing more from those players, and more from our attacking players in general (especially Lukaku) stems from problems in CM and full back. Aside from a few good games from Ashley Young (some of which have been LWB), that LB position is a problem. Whoever is playing further ahead on the LW is usually at a loss there.

CM is a problem. We have absolutely nobody to link defense and attack when Pogba is out. Even when Herrera was in form, he isn't really that kind of CM, well it wouldn't be his strongest attribute. Sure, he is capable of playing the odd ball through like the match-winner to Rashford against Chelsea last season, he even played a really nice long pass through to Lukaku yesterday. However, no one on our books comes close to Pogba for that creativity and strength in possession in CM.

Most of our counter-attacks against Arsenal last week involved Pogba leading the ball out of defense towards the middle, having his selection of players to choose from for the pass as he advanced. There wasn't a trace of that to be seen yesterday in his absence.

J. Marston

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm posting this now because you just know that it's going to be used as some kind of ammo later. Let's get it out of the way now...

Rooney's penalty yesterday saw him reach 8 PL goals for the season so far. Same as Lukaku.

I'd like to use it as "some kind of ammo", please.

Rooney is level with 500 less minutes played. And has goals against City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

While Lukaku hasn't scored against a side currently higher than 10th.

Does this mean I want Rooney back? Nope. Does it highlight how shíte Lukaku has been that a 32 year old past it player is still performing better than him? Yep.

rekluse

No talk of the CL draw ? Great tie for us, if we can't get past Sevilla we've no business being the competition.

J. Marston

J. Marston wrote: »

I'd like to use it as "some kind of ammo", please.

Rooney is level with 500 less minutes played. And has goals against City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

While Lukaku hasn't scored against a side currently higher than 10th.

Does this mean I want Rooney back? Nope. Does it highlight how shíte Lukaku has been that a 32 year old past it player is still performing better than him? Yep.

Alright.

I was just looking to get in there with it before any one of the numerous 'neutrals' who've been in a gleeful frenzy come in here to report it.

However, I will grant you your request for ammo J. Marston. Choose your side-arm wisely.

Lithium93_

secman wrote: »

Head.... and sand....

Oh so it's a head in the sand for holding onto the hope of City having a mid-season collapse and United taking advantage.

I'll just join everyone else in prematurely congratulating City on winning the league in December will I?

Robson99

Lithium93_ wrote: »

Oh so it's a head in the sand for holding onto the hope of City having a mid-season collapse and United taking advantage.

I'll just join everyone else in prematurely congratulating City on winning the league in December will I?

Can you honestly see us winning all our games between now and the end of the season ? Because thats what it will take as well as city collapsing