[spwd]

Savage criticising Rooney!

Was this after the match?

 

[Mihai]

Saw my Mate, the other day
Said to me he'd seen the white Pele.
So I asked "Who is he?",
He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney.
Wayne Rooney, Wayne Rooney,
He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney.

 

[Creepy]

I wish someone out there with credibility would go out there and call a spade a spade - Rooney isn't good enough for top level football. No, it's not okay to free roam around the pitch for 90min offering absolutely feck all! If the manager won't drop him, maybe the media and the fans can put pressure on him to act. It's depressing. He's actually a cancer in our team.

 

[Raoul]

General Observations:

- Jose must be flexible and adaptable to quickly realize what is not working and have the foresight to fix things. Its acceptable to fail fast at the beginning of the year if we make the right adjustments that correct the ship. It isn't acceptable to stubbornly cling to losing strategies going into the Christmas fixtures.

- Rooney is clearly finished. If Jose doesn't realize this then it's on him.

- Fellaini is not a consistent starter at a club like this. At best, he is a bench player who comes on later in games to add a bit of physicality and height. He's done well in the first few games but we really need a long term solution, which for this year would be a rotation of Carrick, Schneiderlin, Herrera, and Schweinsteiger.

- Blind is one of our best players and should be starting every week. Smalling seemed extremely unfocused and not match fit.

- Jose must consider unfreezing Schweinsteiger and actually using him in certain situations.

- Martial's lack of contributions (today's injury aside) is a massive concern.

- All things said, the breakdown in performances is down to the players not fully being bought into what the manager wants them to do, which is causing all sorts of breakdowns in communication, errant passes, allowing the opposition to score, and subsequently us to get frustrated.

There can be no starting XI orthodoxy any more in terms of players like Rooney, Smalling et al automatically getting in the starting XI. Jose must be ruthless in benching players who underperform.

 

[Ban]

Surely BFS in midfield > Rooney in midfield.

Of course. Rooney should be nowhere near the team.

Midfield of BFS, Herrera and Pogba maybe?

I don't know.

I feel sick.

 

[morbidsaint]

Congratz, Wayne Rooney & Mou. Our leaders. Great job. Wonder how many more chances Rooney will get to destroy our team. All season? Or will Mou, the douchebag british media and others wake up and see what an wastful player Rooney has become?

 

[donkeyfish]

Shameful, lot of players should be embarrassed today.

Today I was mightily angry with Rooney. Disgusting performance. He has been OK in several games this season, but this one is some of the worst I´ve seen him play.

Ibra is the only one capable of creating something it seems, he needs to get the ball more. I would seriously consider playing him as 10 in the next game. Not a great performance today, but one of our better ones.

Its not only Rooney though, the entire attacking scheme is just failing. From CB to striker. Looked better with Blind in the side, which makes us have one guy who knows how to pass in the back.

Sometimes today, we had Rooney and Fella dropping down to the CB´s, two FB wide in passing shadow and the rest staying on the offside line. It can´t be like that, it will never succeed.

And we really need to concentrate during the games. It wasn´t just Rooney that had some ridiculous passes, just losing the ball completely unwarranted. Ibra had a few, Shaw, Pogba, Bailly had some howlers.

They had 5 clear chances I think, possibly 6 (Deeney header can be judged either way). Not great from our defence. 2-1 was shambolic defending. Pogba the main culprit. We can´t expect Mata, the RW, to cover all the way to the penalty spot. Fellaini has to push wide I think, otherwise no one closes the attacker down. Possibly Smalling could push out, but we will still lack one in the centre.

 

[Ban]

We have a massive problem at CB positions too I feel.

Blind Bailly, their cover is Smalling, who seems out of focus and.. What.. Rojo..

Maybe TFM and Tuanzebe but that's scrapping a barell.

 

[redNATION]

Midfield has to be Carrick - Herrera - Pogba, with attacking line Martial - Zlatan - Mkhi. I just cant see how there will be any cohesion in this team if we keep playing players out of position. Its infuriating that we win 3/3 and then we're now 6 points behind City who have a relatively easy run until December. Forget title, Im concerned we'll struggle for top4 if it continues like this.

 

[Creepy]

Anyone who thinks Zlatan is a problem is deluded.

Quite. Zlatan is the least of our worries. Played a big part in the equaliser and nearly scored a very good header, which he did well to even get to, if you look back at it.

 

[joedirt87]

Any combination of of Carrick/Schweinsteiger/Fellaini/Herrera/Pogba in a 3 would be an improvement over what Mou has been playing. When Rooney retires it's finally going to be revealed he has a must be played clause in his contract isn't it?

 

[Irrational.]

Of course. Rooney should be nowhere near the team.

Midfield of BFS, Herrera and Pogba maybe?

I don't know.

I feel sick.

I think BFS-Pogba-Herrera/Schneiderlin definitely could work, but I guess we'll never find out.

Jose seems pretty certain BFS isn't part of his plans.

 

[Zexstream]

We need a home game in front of an Old Trafford crowd to inspire confidence again.

Fortress Old Trafford has to return and build from that.

On a side note, Im slightly worried that Pogba isnt looking worth his fee at the moment.

 

[Jagga7]

The team is a mess, totally unbalanced. Mourinho needs to show is worth as a manager and create a team instead of shoehorning in individuals.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Get. A. Grip.

Mourinho got exactly what we needed over the summer in our weakest positions.

We're five games in for feck sake, calm the hell down

We only play the reigning champions next week. The only game I have hope of is Stoke and it would be our luck for them to hit form just as they play us. God help us we have Liverpool and Chelsea coming up as well.
Liverpool could rip us a new one.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

We need a home game in front of an Old Trafford crowd to inspire confidence again.

Fortress Old Trafford has to return and build from that.

On a side note, Im slightly worried that Pogba isnt looking worth his fee at the moment.

Like the City game?

 

[Yorkeontop]

Dropping Wayne would be a start but it's becoming clear that we have even bigger issues at hand.

 

[Ban]

I think BFS-Pogba-** definitely could work, but I guess we'll never find out.

Jose seems pretty certain BFS isn't part of his plans.

At least Carrick then.
Not a fan of Blind in midfield, he has a good pass but don't know about other qualities to play in midfield.

Carrick, Fellaini and Pogba or Carrick, Herrera, Pogba.

Just drop Rooney Jose. For the love of God drop him.

 

[PaulRich]

We're seriously lacking in confidence and cohesion. There are many players who shouldn't be anywhere near 1st choice - Mourinho needs a set of cojones now to do the honorable thing in certain aspects (yes, that includes you Wayne!).

We need another top drawer CB.
Carrick needs to start or Schneiderlin needs to start performing.
We need to unlock the pace we have. We're killing ourselves with sideways play.

 

[Ban]

We need a home game in front of an Old Trafford crowd to inspire confidence again.

Fortress Old Trafford has to return and build from that.

On a side note, Im slightly worried that Pogba isnt looking worth his fee at the moment.

Next game vs Leicester. Should be a lot of fun.

 

[Ban]

When is Mickhi getting back?

 

[joedirt87]

I also wish Mou would throw out his more pragmatic approach to games and be more like Pep. Pep seems to give zero fecks about his opponent and sets out to play his game regardless of who it is. Sometimes it bites him in the ass but most of the time it gets him the victory.

 

[Irrational.]

At least Carrick then.
Not a fan of Blind in midfield, he has a good pass but don't know about other qualities to play in midfield.

Carrick, Fellaini and Pogba or Carrick, Herrera, Pogba.

Just drop Rooney Jose. For the love of God drop him.

Agreed 100%

God I feel depressed today.

 

[David Court]

I didn't see the game and a bit surprised if I'm honest by the result.

Did the scoreline reflect the game or was there a bit of bad luck?

If it was fair, was it tactical error by Jose, poor player performances or wrong selection?

I'll try catching it later on MOTD2 but highlights don't usually give the whole story

Thanks

 

[MattyB1986]

Same old story has the previous 3 years by the looks of the last 3 games:

This is how I see it judging on today.

I really don't get why we buy players who play best in the number 10 when Rooney is still there

makes no sense to me. We have like 4 players who play better in that spot :/

We're shoehorning and playing players out of position; strikers on the wings rashford, martial.. don't have the instincts to track back.. haven't got a ball playing cm.. fellaini does a job but when we're on attack he doesn't recycle ball quick enough.
Playing Rooney in midfield doesn't work but for some reason he plays. Either play him as a 10 or not at all.
Pogba is a luxury player, he's like the icing on the cake but we haven't got the base of it yet.
It's the lack of balance and shoehorning that is making our performances look a shambles. Plus, I see a lack of intensity and passion from some of the players.

I really think we need a director of football.. someone with a plan when it comes to transfers has we've spent tons of money but still looks like there's no real balance or plan; see number 10 comment.

 

[Who Ate All Depay's]

Shocking performance but I honestly believe a midfield 3 of Carrick, Pogba and Herrera is the way forward especially at home. On a side note Rooney is finished i am truly convinced of that.

 

[Reddevildans]

Iv finished pulling my hair out after that performance. I don't know where to start really. Rooney= shite. Has been shite for 3 years now and his lack of hunger on the pitch is contributing. There was a moment where luke Shaw was looking for someone from a throw in and you see rooney ambling away from him not asking for the ball even though no watford players were around him. Simply shocking. Then there's the fundamental mistakes. Lack of football awareness and intelligence by players like valencia, felliani and smalling. This has been going on for too long now. Valencia was absolutely shocking. He gets the most space out of any outfield player yet wastes so much. How successive manager's haven't pasted him for constantly ramming players shins from wide is beyond me.

I really feel sorry for Pogba. He's trying his best but is surrounded by a shroud of utter garbage with no movement. The manager has to take the blame too. He doesn't know his best team, players and hasn't got a clear way of playing. Our route to goal is either route 1, a defensive individual mistake or getting the ball wide and hoping for the best. Really surprising. We can't keep throwing money at the problem and hoping things get better. We need a clear strategy of playing. We have some very talented players but for some reason the best is not being bought out of them. Dropping rooney would be a start.

 

[PieCrust]

As long as Rooney is the first name on the team sheet, nothing will change. It's amazing to me that 3 managers in a row have failed to deal with him.

The result of the open door management since Moyes has created a team that is adrift and has no sense of itself, no system. There is no disceranble way in which the team plays. We have mis-matched players that don't fit together running on 3 regimes now.

We are at the other end of the spectrem of a team like Leicester. They have a system and players for that system which makes them greater as a sum than what each individual brings. Win or lose, at least they know what to do and how to play. United just looks so lost on the pitch.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

What did Mourinho say in the post game interview?

 

[sunama]

Lowest rated player: Rooney. Rating: 2.3

 

[Nik70]

I didn't watch Thursday's match but this is our first really poor performance of the season that I've seen. We weren't in the races against City first half but we came back really well in the second half of that game. We've had these kind of losses even with Fergie. I think Jose will get it right.

 

[Hugh Jass]

We need a home game in front of an Old Trafford crowd to inspire confidence again.

Fortress Old Trafford has to return and build from that.

On a side note, Im slightly worried that Pogba isnt looking worth his fee at the moment.

Pogba wasn't worth that fee at all anyhow. The most he was worth was 50 million.

 

[The Mad Manc]

There is nowhere to go.
Most of us were crying out for a Galactico class manager who knew how to win at the highest level.
Moyes did not have this. And failed.
LVG had this, albeit 15-20 years ago.
Jose has it and won the league 18 months ago.

We need to stick with Jose as there is nowhere else to go.

Worrying, no?

 

[Al-T]

Well that's spoiled Sunday. Pitifully inept. At this rate, Northampton will be sensing blood, never mind Leicester.

 

[dichinero]

Dropping Wayne would be a start but it's becoming clear that we have even bigger issues at hand.

But it's the start to the way forward. Our biggest problem is trying to fit in square pegs in round holes.

 

[Dazzmondo]

Leicester, Liverpool, and Chelsea coming fast and furious. God, I hope we're prepared for those games. If we lose all 3 I'll be turning to alcoholism

 

[crossy1686]

Starting to feel like the best thing that could happen is we get relegated, win some games and come back with a renewed confidence.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Same old story has the previous 3 years by the looks of the last 3 games:

This is how I see it judging on today.

I really don't get why we buy players who play best in the number 10 when Rooney is still there

makes no sense to me. We have like 4 players who play better in that spot :/

We're shoehorning and playing players out of position; strikers on the wings rashford, martial.. don't have the instincts to track back.. haven't got a ball playing cm.. fellaini does a job but when we're on attack he doesn't recycle ball quick enough.
Playing Rooney in midfield doesn't work but for some reason he plays. Either play him as a 10 or not at all.
Pogba is a luxury player, he's like the icing on the cake but we haven't got the base of it yet.
It's the lack of balance and shoehorning that is making our performances look a shambles. Plus, I see a lack of intensity and passion from some of the players.

I really think we need a director of football.. someone with a plan when it comes to transfers has we've spent tons of money but still looks like there's no real balance or plan; see number 10 comment.

To say Rooney is not a midfielder then actually play him there was absolute madness. He is experimenting too much and it isn't his style at all.

 

[Random Task]

That performance will spell the end for Rooney. He has played some stinkers over recent years but today was the worst performance he has ever produced for our club. He has failed to make the transition from striker to midfielder, simple as that.

So, yeah, drop Rooney and allow our £100 million superstar to play his favoured role at the top of a midfield 3, with Herrera and Fellaini behind him. Seems like an only logical decision at this point, surely Jose can see this needs to be done.

 

[Timdbro]

What did Mourinho say in the post game interview?

Not much. Said we can't control refereeing mistakes (it was a foul on Martial) or luck (good save from Gomes from Ibra's header), but that we can control collective and individual mistakes. Bad errors for all of their goals; particularly mentioned we should have been pressing their wingbacks when they had the ball, and tracking their midfield runners from deep.