[stevoc]

Annual 1-1 draw at Old Trafford

I wish it only happened once a year, almost forgotten whats it's like to see us win at home.

 

[Reynoldo]

Jaysus my heart is still not right, I'm getting too old for this shit

 

[Minimalist]

Nice being in the final (as expected) but not enjoying the play at all to be honest. tumescent stuff.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Again I don't mean to be cyincal, but we were very lucky tonight. I will take it. But if Ronaldo was playing up front for them instead of Guidetti, he would have scored at least two.

I just hope to god come august we are in the CL. Between this match and Anderlect, we made real hard work of it.

The only thing I can say that sort mitigates how nervy we have made these matches is that its the knock out stages of a European competition and so the players are real nervous.

The final will be a brutally nervous affair.

 

[Munkehboi]

Reading this and the game thread you would think we we're going to lose to Charlton Athletic FFS.

Wonder if the Barca and Real Madrid forums had a melt down like this when Celta beat them both this season?

 

[Nate Dogg]

I don't think he wanted us to be just 1-0 up.

But it is evident in some of our games, sorry infact in all our games at OT that when we go 1-0 up with 10 mins to go he gets the players to retreat and then makes it worse by making the wrong subs!

 

[manichester]

The only good thing is the final is not at Old Trafford, we are awful in the last 20 minutes of games at home.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Apart from the 5minutes after the goal I don't recall any prolonged period where we were in control? They dominated at the start & ended the first half better. Second half was mostly them.
Sat back for the vast majority of the game.
Lost enough points this season due to sitting back and it almost fecking cost us again.

Fair points.

There is this thing called being in control without having possession of the ball.

Sit back, stay in compact shape in numbers, focus defensively, let them have all the balls, and hit them on the counter with pace. Press up front too, so they'll boot the ball up field. When they're in our final half, give them few spaces and press in numbers.

Risky, but thankfully they don't score with the chances they've got.. before their goal.

We're not totally in control of course, but somehow I feel safe defensively today until the final 5 mins plus extra times. So, I guess it would be more precise to state overall defensively in control (except the first few mins twice Blind's mistake), and in those moments many of our attacks should've lead to goals.

 

[Ballache]

Shit performance but we're in the final so I don't care.

Can't wait for United fans to cone to Stockholm, it's gonna be great!

 

[EyeInTheSky]

No, were just pissed off with how shite we are and the stupid tactics that very nearly cost us again




You said " all these people forgetting we should've scored 6 in the first leg", I replied by saying, but we didn't, should've scored goals don't count, we should have and could have scored more in both legs but we didn't due mainly to shit tactics after we scored.

And I replied Celta couldn't take their chance either, why do you dismiss all the United chances and choose to highlight theirs??

They couldn't win a single one of the games against us and we did.

End of story

 

[edcunited1878]

Finals is a different kettle of fish. Its a single game in which everyone goes for the win.

Two leg ties are different cos of away goals. Celta could afford to gamble as they had nothing to lose while we couldnt afford to concede cos of the pressure it would bring.

Celta also played their best in the second half of the 2nd leg, but they were allowed to since United invited too much pressure combined with the inability to hold onto the ball properly. It wasn't that big of an upgrade, but Celta threw everything even when it really wasn't good enough nor did they deserve to be anywhere remotely close to winning the match and tie.

Expect a much more tense and tighter affair in the Final.

 

[Hugh Jass]

No way we'll win the final if we play like that. And to be honest I struggle to see Jose resorting to anything other than an outright defensive mindset in that game.

Inter Milan vs Bayern springs to mind. Bayern dominated but Inter got the goals and defended resolutely.

 

[VeevaVee]

Its not. Are people fecking stupid? We just out classed the champions two fecking weeks ago. Then got hit with a million injuries. This place can be dreadful.

Lots of teams used to raise their game against us too.

People are calling this crap out. A few on here are trying to act like they're taking some of kind of high road but it backfired in the matchthread just then and it certainly wasn't surprising for a lot of others.

fwiw this isn't an anti-Jose post, before anyone tries to make it into one.

 

[KristianMackle]

No we won't. Very professional over 2 legs and I always felt we could push the accelerator if we needed to.

It was a defensive approach that comfortably delivered the required winning result.

Really? That was comfortable for you? Even Mou wouldn't say that. That was literally the opposite of comfortable and uncomfortable is not strong enough a word to describe it.

 

[Unlikely lad]

Not sure you can be regarded as favourites after what I saw today

And Ajax can?

 

[elnorte]

Finals is a different kettle of fish. Its a single game in which everyone goes for the win.

Two leg ties are different cos of away goals. Celta could afford to gamble as they had nothing to lose while we couldnt afford to concede cos of the pressure it would bring.

All that may well be true. Regardless, we're still a piss-poor outfit which is why I have so little faith in us winning the final.

 

[spwd]

And I replied Celta couldn't take their chance either, why do you dismiss all the United chances and choose to highlight theirs??

They couldn't win a single one of the games against us and we did.

End of story

You're the one who said we should've scored loads, I'm just saying we didn't so it's irrelevant.

 

[The red panther]

What matters more to you: that we are in the final or that we could have played more to your suit your ideal style even after the expense of getting through? And if we win it playing this way, will you refuse to celebrate because it will be due to 'dumb luck'?

If we win it, I'll be very happy

But we just barely made it past a very poor Celta team mostly on dumb luck alone,

feck sake, Ajax very nearly threw a 3 goal lead away tonight. They are a side with a lot of potential but are easily rattled and got lucky tonight to be in the final, like us.

They have a questionable defence, so did Celta

Unfortunatley United can't score goals, even against a shaky defence

Ajax were hammered by a very good Lyon side fithing for their lives and managing to score almost enough goals to overthrow their 3 goal lead. If we could half be arsed to play like Lyon did today and be able to convert more than 1 goal per match, I'd be confident against Ajax but the thing is we can't. And it is very difficult to keep a clean sheet versus Ajax because they have a very good striker with Dolberg who doesn't miss a chance if you give him one and the entire team always tries to attack and play forward minded football which results in chances and goals for them.

 

[Valar Morghulis]

That ending felt like seeing a newborn being thrown out the window, Jesus Christ I'm still shaking.

 

[The red panther]

Great to be in the final. But Jesus United are awful. Going to take Mou 4 years to sort everything out - if he can stay that long.

He sorts it out next year or he is gone, nobody deserves 4 years to figure something out, nobody !

 

[AdNani]

Very frustrating how deep we sat in the second half, just invited them on to us.

Our counter attacking play was horrific to add on to this

 

[Nate Dogg]

Oh I forgot, in the mind of the caf injuries and lots of lot of games in a short space of time mean absolutely feck all when you have an agenda to stick to.

That maybe so but there is no getting away from the tactics he deploys in particular when we are 1-0 up, its gettimg embarassing and his subs....ffs he can't get that right!

 

[EyeInTheSky]

You're the one who said we should've scored loads, I'm just saying we didn't so it's irrelevant.

That's the point.

Neither did they.

We scored more than they did. It's an unavoidable fact.

 

[Munkehboi]

Ajax also really struggled against Celta in the group stages this season, they shipped in 4 goals to them over the two games. I dont think they are as good as us.

 

[SamVimes]

All that may well be true. Regardless, we're still a piss-poor outfit which is why I have so little faith in us winning the final.

I have to agree. That was a woeful performance from us tonight. We gifted them easy possession in the attacking third and if they had a proper striker it would have been embarrassing. I really cannot understand the tactics from Mourihno tonight.

 

[Handsome Devil]

Hell, this inability to finish games is going to finish me but I'll take this result tonight.
I won't wake up tomorrow morning with that gut wrenching feeling I get when we lose the night before.
And I take immense pleasure in the fact that the ABUs will be hating us even more.
Just a wee bit worried about final though.

 

[Ramshock]

That maybe so but there is no getting away from the tactics he deploys in particular when we are 1-0 up, its gettimg embarassing and his subs....ffs he can't get that right!

You do know there are two teams in a game its not FM you know.

You know what you are right, lets fire the cnut and hire a 4th manager in 4 years

 

[Stactix]

Fair points.

There is this thing called being in control without having possession of the ball.

Sit back, stay in compact shape in numbers, focus defensively, let them have all the balls, and hit them on the counter with pace. Press up front too, so they'll boot the ball up field. When they're in our final half, give them few spaces and press in numbers.

Risky, but thankfully they don't score with the chances they've got.. before their goal.

We're not totally in control of course, but somehow I feel safe defensively today until the final 5 mins plus extra times. So, I guess it would be more precise to state overall defensively in control (except the first few mins twice Blind's mistake), and in those moments many of our attacks should've lead to goals.

Of course you can, when it works its great to watch. I've really enjoyed watching AMadrid the last few seasons in the CL due to how well they defend but the effort they put in. Hardpressing all game, blocking everything, closing down instantly.
In comparison Utd were like a bunch of drunks tonight.

 

[Offside]

Wasn't an age ago we would be 4-0 up in a Champions League semi-final. Here we are scraping into the Europa League final.

At least we are making European finals still. This would be great for us if we won this.

 

[GM K]

[QUOTE="Bobcat, post: 20872704, member: 84844"]I saw Guedetti put that in the back of the net . That was to close for comfort[/QUOTE]

 

[Sultan]

No we won't. Very professional over 2 legs and I always felt we could push the accelerator if we needed to.

It was a defensive approach that comfortably delivered the required winning result.

Although we watched the game together. I saw this differently. I thought his negative tactics nearly cost us the game. These tactics have cost us a few points over the season.

 

[bleedred]

And Ajax can?

I would argue that Ajax had a comfortable enough lead in the first leg and were bound to make a little less effort in the second leg. Also they were playing away from home, where Lyon were bound to score.

As for us, We had a narrow lead in the first leg and were playing at Home where we should hav dominated the game, even if we couldnt score 2 or 3, we should have atleast controlled the game. We didnt and we are only there in the finals because of gudietti than us playing well.. Ajax had the final wrapped up in the first leg.

 

[Berbaclass]

Ajax also really struggled against Celta in the group stages this season, they shipped in 4 goals to them over the two games. I dont think they are as good as us.

True and they have a very young squad too.

 

[Al-T]

Uninspiring but we are in the final.

All eggs in the EL basket now. Ajax have just one more game before the final. Some of our players look shattered and need resting v Spuds and Southampton. Neither game matters now and Bailly's f%^kwitted sending off means we have to keep the glass two of Jones and Smalling out of harms way. Bit of game time v Palace for the likes of Rashford, Miki, Pogba, Herrera.

Wrap Smalling in cotton wool so he doesn't get chilblains or do anything dangerous like step off a rug. Keep Phil Jones miles away from everyone except Rooney in training.

 

[The red panther]

Reading this and the game thread you would think we we're going to lose to Charlton Athletic FFS.

Wonder if the Barca and Real Madrid forums had a melt down like this when Celta beat them both this season?

When Barca/Real lost to them Celta were in top form, competing at the top of the league for CL spot, eliminating teams like Shakthar from the EL.

That was months ago, current team can't win a game if their lives depended on it, losing 4 games straight versus spanish relegation fodder, can hardly score goals anymore and have a very shaky defence. Racing Genk nearly outclassed them in QF, it is abslutley ridiculous United struggled so much against them.

The point is even we didn't struggle against them, in Celta, there we played a mature good game, only negative point there was that we have won by a bigger margin if we had finished our chances better but we were clearly the better team and Celta couldn't create a halkf decent chance against us. Now tonight we play at OT and you think it should be even easier for us but we make it so fecking hard on ourself by the way we approach a game and we make these shits look like a spanish top side while in fact they are no more than lower midtable trash atm. That is what is infuriating about us atm, we play our worst football and our games at OT this season and that is not good at all.

 

[Unlikely lad]

Ajax had the final wrapped up in the first leg.

Well they clearly didn't

 

[Fridge chutney]

The post match thread after Bayern in Barcelona in '99 would have been filled with emos crying how embarrassing it was to have to come from behind.

It's true. This place turns into a hole of pathetic hyperbole after a loss. I would at least expect the moaners to give it a rest when we've made a bloody Euro cup final. Not to be.

 

[Nate Dogg]

You do know there are two teams in a game its not FM you know.

You know what you are right, lets fire the cnut and hire a 4th manager in 4 years

Look its easy to sit on the fence and believe its all fine, the fact is clear to see he has underperformed in every departmemt.

Don't talk about there are 2 teams and FM, when you know that virtually in every home game we are being out done in the last few mins because Mourinho is allowing teams to attack us.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Again I don't mean to be cyincal, but we were very lucky tonight. I will take it. But if Ronaldo was playing up front for them instead of Guidetti, he would have scored at least two.

I just hope to god come august we are in the CL. Between this match and Anderlect, we made real hard work of it.

The only thing I can say that sort mitigates how nervy we have made these matches is that its the knock out stages of a European competition and so the players are real nervous.

The final will be a brutally nervous affair.

If Ronaldo was playing and we'd played that, he'd have got 5 or 6....

 

[Lord Zlatan]

Torn on this one. Happy to be in the final, very happy. But this was a European semi final at home and we are played off the park by a mid table team. Yes we've had a lot of games but there are some glaring flaws in this team.

First no leaders, no balls. Rooney and carrick showed some when they came on but they're not the future. Secondly I think this team believes they're better than they are. Go one up and stroll about. Top teams would have finished that off.

Hopefully we can win the final but regardless of result there needs to be a massive clear out. Quality of replacements will depend on the result. But imo the following need to go

Smalling
Jones
Darmian
Blind
Lindgard (but won't)
Rooney
Fellaini ( yes good tonight but reminds me of moyes)
Shaw

Sorry for being negative on what should be a good night and I try to refrain from the match day dramatics on here but that was shite.

 

[beedoubleyou]

Garbage. Great atmosphere tonight which Jose killed off with his negative tactics. I've been a big supporter of the manager, but the lack of ambition tonight was embarrassing. Not the first time we've sat on a 1-0 and got what we deserved.