[Rednotdead]

Goal difference of 7 after 10 games. That's just about top 4 form and nothing will change while we play this drab brand of football.

 

[Mark_GrumpyLion]

Great in controlling the match, toothless in attack. Shame about that chance for Lingard, that would have been an epic derby debut.

 

[ZupZup]

Really annoyed that City decided to turn us around after winning the toss so we wouldn't be shooting into the Stretford End during the second half... can't remember the last time a side did that against us?!

Overall the point is ok. Both sides defended exceptionally well and it's just frustrating that we couldn't find that bit of quality in the final third to break the deadlock against such a well organised side...

 

[Mockney]

Really annoyed that City decided to turn us around after winning the toss so we wouldn't be shooting into the Stretford End during the second half... can't remember the last time a side did that against us?!

They did it in the Munch anniversary game too, if I remember correctly.

 

[duffer]

Really annoyed that City decided to turn us around after winning the toss so we wouldn't be shooting into the Stretford End during the second half... can't remember the last time a side did that against us?!

Doesn't everyone do it? If not, why not?

 

[ZupZup]

They did it in the Munch anniversary game too, if I remember correctly.

Yeah, I think you are right... I remember another team doing it under Moyes' tenure but can't recall who it was.

Doesn't everyone do it? If not, why not?

It's very rare that a team does it... I suppose because it also means the away team aren't shooting towards their own fans in the second half either. I don't know why more teams don't do it though really.

 

[2 man midfield]

Really annoyed that City decided to turn us around after winning the toss so we wouldn't be shooting into the Stretford End during the second half... can't remember the last time a side did that against us?!

Annoying but fair play. Little things can decide these games.

 

[Mutter Merkel]

I am not sure why City fans, and our own seemingly, are impressed with City's negative display today. Of the two sides, we were clearly the superior side in terms of being able to get on the ball and dictate the play. The fact we're carrying Wayne Rooney and don't look threatening as a result is a surprise to nobody.

 

[Spock]

A disappointing but not a bad result.

Frustrating as hell, though, to watch us squander a great opportunity to turn over the league leader. Only a few minor tweaks would have allowed us enough chances to bring home a 1-0 win.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Great in controlling the match, toothless in attack. Shame about that chance for Lingard, that would have been an epic derby debut.

If that effort had gone in, the conversation and comments would be very different.

It was obvious United were going for a winner, they were winning every second ball and putting pressure on the City defense. City defended very well, as did we. In the end stalemate, but we do need to address this shyness in shooting, and the lack of movement when Rooney is playing striker.

 

[clarkydaz]

I am not sure why City fans, and our own seemingly, are impressed with City's negative display today. Of the two sides, we were clearly the superior side in terms of being able to get on the ball and dictate the play. The fact we're carrying Wayne Rooney and don't look threatening as a result is a surprise to nobody.

they were missing Silva and Aguero and took an away point. i'd be happy if I were them

 

[JTW95]

I couldn't watch the game today but I checked the result think 0-0 is ok.

Just reading the comments here though I am really frustrated that we didn't win even though I haven't seen any of the match.

 

[Mutter Merkel]

they were missing Silva and Aguero and took an away point. i'd be happy if I were them

The result is decent for them, but the pattern of their play was very poor with the ball. Sterling and De Bruyne were invisible, Toure could not keep up with our midfield, and I thought their best players were their central defenders. Silva and Aguero certainly improve them, but their absence only papers over the cracks of a poor team performance by them.

While we persist with a finished Rooney, we're handicapping ourselves.

 

[Kakeru]

The result is decent for them, but the pattern of their play was very poor with the ball. Sterling and De Bruyne were invisible, Toure could not keep up with our midfield, and I thought their best players were their central defenders. Silva and Aguero certainly improve them, but their absence only papers over the cracks of a poor team performance by them.

While we persist with a finished Rooney, we're handicapping ourselves.

Very much this. I can only imagine what we may have had if Van Gaal pulled Rooney back on the bench while sending in Memphis right after City pulled Yaya out for Demichelis.

 

[Lewis.no.9]

so frustrating that we can dominate City in this way, a team that literally most fans and pundits alike have pretty much bummed bigtime since they got Silva, Aguero and Toure and still not beat them. Is it a genuine sign that City are a top team?. Or are they overrated as shit and we are just not good enough right now.

 

[Sandikan]

so frustrating that we can dominate City in this way, a team that literally most fans and pundits alike have pretty much bummed bigtime since they got Silva, Aguero and Toure and still not beat them. Is it a genuine sign that City are a top team?. Or are they overrated as shit and we are just not good enough right now.

They didn't have their best two players, and we still couldn't beat them is another angle.

And barely created a chance on target.

 

[Rich_H_1989]

so frustrating that we can dominate City in this way, a team that literally most fans and pundits alike have pretty much bummed bigtime since they got Silva, Aguero and Toure and still not beat them. Is it a genuine sign that City are a top team?. Or are they overrated as shit and we are just not good enough right now.

City are a good team but they've got to fancy it and that's been their problem for a while.

When they turn up they can tear teams to shreds. They move the ball with pace and have some really quick players who will destroy teams.

Trouble is they don't do it all the time and they seem to have a real issue when it comes to complacency.

What they showed today though was a real steel and ability to keep a game tight. No it wasn't pretty but it was the kind of away performance you need to win titles. It's been the kind of result and performance that Chelsea have made famous on the way to their titles.

It's disappointing though that both teams who have spent so much money couldn't conjure up a better game than that. But at this point in the season it's all about not being beaten.

 

[Mutter Merkel]

so frustrating that we can dominate City in this way, a team that literally most fans and pundits alike have pretty much bummed bigtime since they got Silva, Aguero and Toure and still not beat them. Is it a genuine sign that City are a top team?. Or are they overrated as shit and we are just not good enough right now.

Our midfield is better than theirs. Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger and Herrera is the best midfield 3 in the league. Our problem is converting the dominance we have in this area of the pitch into goals. I think, and many agree with me, that the lack of movement from Rooney as striker and his total inability to beat a man is a major reason for this. It will dawn on the manager eventually and he'll simply have to bench Rooney and put Martial at 9. It's also not fair on Memphis that he's permanently benched for a few average performances while Rooney doesn't even get substituted for an entire season of awful performances.

 

[Roosney]

A brilliant and boring game of football.
Cosign the Rooney critic, maybe a few glimpses of the old him here and there.

 

[El Zoido]

The fact we didn't put Martial through the middle with 20 minutes to go is baffling. He had the beating of their entire back line, Kompany was on a booking and looked like he didn't know how to handle him.

 

[Shark]

The fact we didn't put Martial through the middle with 20 minutes to go is baffling. He had the beating of their entire back line, Kompany was on a booking and looked like he didn't know how to handle him.

Yep. Pure stupidity from LVG.

 

[Kakeru]

The fact we didn't put Martial through the middle with 20 minutes to go is baffling. He had the beating of their entire back line, Kompany was on a booking and looked like he didn't know how to handle him.

Yeah, I almost forgot about that. Martial should have been pushed to the middle no matter what when it became clear that he was in position to make hell break loose in the middle of City's back line.

If not Van Gaal, then what the feck are Giggs and Stuivenberg paid for?

 

[Lawman]

Our midfield is better than theirs. Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger and Herrera is the best midfield 3 in the league. Our problem is converting the dominance we have in this area of the pitch into goals. I think, and many agree with me, that the lack of movement from Rooney as striker and his total inability to beat a man is a major reason for this. It will dawn on the manager eventually and he'll simply have to bench Rooney and put Martial at 9. It's also not fair on Memphis that he's permanently benched for a few average performances while Rooney doesn't even get substituted for an entire season of awful performances.

Slightly skewed there buddy! Depay has been below average and yet to prove he can cut it. Rooney has also been average but has proved he can more than cut it. It's really fair on Depay as he's been stone average. If we had another top class player aka Bale or Ibra then it would be a no brained. But unfortunately we don't! If we had Ibra today my guess is we'd have won today.

 

[surf]

Yet another game where we controlled the play and were the better side without producing much goal threat. Rooney no longer has the game to play as a lone striker and van Gaal has to decide whether to move him back or move him to the bench.

 

[Kakeru]

Slightly skewed there buddy! Depay has been below average and yet to prove he can cut it. Rooney has also been average but has proved he can more than cut it. It's really fair on Depay as he's been stone average. If we had another top class player aka Bale or Ibra then it would be a no brained. But unfortunately we don't! If we had Ibra today my guess is we'd have won today.

People don't care if someone has proven he can cut it or not. The decline is steep, and there is absolutely nothing that suggests Rooney is in a position where punishment cannot be dished on him. In order to be fair, a manager must accept to think "FECK THE REPUTATION" and to act in consequence because he would not get any respect from anybody if he doesn't.

Martial should have been moved to the number 9 spot today, end of story.

 

[Mutter Merkel]

Slightly skewed there buddy! Depay has been below average and yet to prove he can cut it. Rooney has also been average but has proved he can more than cut it. It's really fair on Depay as he's been stone average. If we had another top class player aka Bale or Ibra then it would be a no brained. But unfortunately we don't! If we had Ibra today my guess is we'd have won today.

Don't get me wrong, I can see why Van Gaal likes Rooney; he's committed, always gives his best for the team and not for himself (as seen by his defending at the end of the 90 minutes), and he has been a great player for us for so many years that he's matured into a leader in the dressing room at our club. The problem is he's not effective any more, and we're not effective when he plays. I think for the sake of the club the fans and the player himself, Rooney needs to sit on the bench for a while and to accept cameo roles until he can prove he still has what it takes at the highest level to earn a spot in our first 11. I think if he won't accept this, his time here could end acrimoniously, as it threatened to under Ferguson.

The player and the manager need to bite the bullet and deal with the reality of Rooney's deteriorating game and do what's best for the team.

 

[Todd]

A draw wasn't a bad result at all against City, but the fact that we were the better team and could've easily won the match is supremely frustrating.

 

[Sereques]

what

RvP has been Dog feces at Ferner. to get what we got for him with those wages we literally robbed them. Getting rid of Rvp was probably one of the masterstrokes of the summer.

I believe he would have done a better job today. At times, performance levels "may" drop if there is nothing to fight for. Knowing a win will make us joint top at least, he will perform better than Roo.

Part what of Rooney's problem is that he knew no matter what, he's not getting dropped. He's in for a shocker though, before this season runs out, he will get dropped.

 

[Americano]

The fact we didn't put Martial through the middle with 20 minutes to go is baffling. He had the beating of their entire back line, Kompany was on a booking and looked like he didn't know how to handle him.

That change in tactics could have made the difference in the match. I struggle to see why our most talented goalscorer has to play with the handbrake on.

 

[prath92]

So before the match(knowing full well that city were missing aguero and silva), most of the posters were expecting a loss. And now it's city were there for the taking. De bruyne was going to rip apart Schneiderlin and schweini but Rojo handled him well (though to be fair, he isn't a winger).

 

[CG1010]

It was great the way we handled De bruyne, Sterling and Yaya toure. None of them ever looked likely to threaten us. Having said that they had Aguero and Silva missing, and would have a hell of attack once they are back.

Our attack also failed to trouble City, except for the Lingard's shot and Herrera's chance. The problem is that we won't improve in attack till Rooney is playing every minute for us.

 

[Tosicsleftpeg]

Watched the game and was relatively content with a draw as city have some very dangerous players and at this stage is just important not to drop off the pace and we are still right up at the top.

I will redo the sentiments of many on here, Rooney looked very poor indeed and it really does look like this is a permanent decline rather than a temporary slump which of a real shame but inevitable. Posed no threat whatsoever and made it hard for players to create a chance for him.

I was impressed with the displays of Rojo and Schweinsteiger who were or best players on the day I felt. We did well to neutralize their wing play but I feel if they had aguero we may have found the game alot more difficult.

Acceptable result for me and a good clean sheet.

 

[markhrad]

Rooney as our main man/ striker is a big problem but another problem of equal if not greater value is our lack of creativity. Last season our strikers looked awful but really they had little service. Give Rooney a Nani to play with or even the old Right wing Valencia and he will score goals but playing with Mata would kill any striker. Don't get me wrong Mata is highly skillful but the man hardly gets involved in the build up play and when he should be outside of the box creating things he is waiting in the box for his own goalscoring opportunity. I suspect Mata is very lazy. Herrera is decent but he is not good enough to be our playmaker, I mean just take arsenal, they have Cazorla, Ozil, Ramsay and Alexis. Herrera is not as good as any of them.
Rooney's weaknesses were always there but he use to be surrounded by top players thus he got endless opportunities to score and assist resulting in stats that people use to prove his greatness.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Don't get me wrong, I can see why Van Gaal likes Rooney; he's committed, always gives his best for the team and not for himself (as seen by his defending at the end of the 90 minutes), and he has been a great player for us for so many years that he's matured into a leader in the dressing room at our club. The problem is he's not effective any more, and we're not effective when he plays. I think for the sake of the club the fans and the player himself, Rooney needs to sit on the bench for a while and to accept cameo roles until he can prove he still has what it takes at the highest level to earn a spot in our first 11. I think if he won't accept this, his time here could end acrimoniously, as it threatened to under Ferguson.

The player and the manager need to bite the bullet and deal with the reality of Rooney's deteriorating game and do what's best for the team.

I fully agree Rooney should be drop, but Memphis shouldn't get anywhere near to the first team either. The question remains who should we play on the left after moving Martial up front.

 

[Kakeru]

I fully agree Rooney should be drop, but Memphis shouldn't get anywhere near to the first team either. The question remains who should we play on the left after moving Martial up front.

I would like to see Pereira have a go there. That would be perfect to rub some feathers and force some people to come back with the mindset of a wounded animal.

 

[CG1010]

I would like to see Pereira have a go there. That would be perfect to rub some feathers and force some people to come back with the mindset of a wounded animal.

I think Pereira is injured, no? If not its surprising that he hasn't featured in the last few games while Lingard has.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I think LvG should have at least pushed Rooney to the left and put Martial on the front with 20 mins on the clock.

 

[fatboy]

Both teams played like they were more afraid to lose, than really wanting to win. I was dreading a sucker punch towards the end when we looked the more likely team to win. I imagined it, and it really sucked, so I'll take the draw. 2 points off the top after 10 games. That's ok, because I do think we'll improve a fair bit as the season goes.

 

[EverReddy]

Really annoyed that City decided to turn us around after winning the toss so we wouldn't be shooting into the Stretford End during the second half...

I enjoyed that. I sit in East end of the ground - nice to have United coming towards us second half for a change.

 

[Wishe]

We looked solid defensively. But we lacked penetration and a good final ball, dont know if that was down to their good defending or our lack of quality. Probably a bit of both! There was a spell of about 10-15 mins in the second half where i thought we were going to score, we seemed to be pressing them well high up the field and winning the ball back everytime. Unfortunately we did not manage to get the ball in the net. We were comfortably the better side throughout the game though. Things can only get better from here, once we improve in our final third we will be deadly!