[Witchking]

The thing is, if we do not have a decent team, we can lower our expectations, but we have a bloody good team and it is baffling to see why we cannot just play like a normal football team instead of bypassing the midfield at every given opportunity. We have the ability to take teams on and beat team, but somehow we make it difficult for ourselves.

 

[notcool]

The Christmas period isn't about playing free flowing football, it's about grinding out results when teams are start to look tired and lethargic (See Arsenal and Liverpool). There's a big 2 weeks coming up where we need to pick up maximum points, and hope City can perhaps slip up v Spurs and possibly another team. No-one knows how City are going to react to their first adverse results of the season.

This. People need to understand that winter is here and appreciate the games for what they are. So much misunderstanding and stupid reactions as a result of it. The players are tired, the conditions aren't great, players miss games and that makes it harder on the rest of the squad. It's more about mental strength than about good football. Instead of being proud of a team working hard and showing resilience, they get upset because the performance was 'dross.' They're quick to criticise but slow to empathise.

 

[Hoof the ball]

Oh, but we're more desirous to win following our recent loss to City. At least, that's what Mourinho contends. Of course, our issue hasn't necessarily been desire or effort but tactical setup. City trouncing Swansea isn't just a matter of better players. It's a matter of quality players playing in a system that puts them in offensive positions in the field to do what they do best. A better team and we'd have dropped points. We're fortunate to face these post-City at home.

 

[Witchking]

I asked you to number me the chances. Not quote the BBC

Shot1,Shot2,Shot3,Shot4,Shot5,Shot6,Shot7.

 

[Ban]

Shot1,Shot2,Shot3,Shot4,Shot5,Shot6,Shot7.

So you got nothing. Fair enough.

 

[sunama]

Without Pogba, we are very ordinary.
With Pogba, we are title contenders. MCFC really did get lucky with the Pogba suspension.

 

[Ban]

Oh, but we're more desirous to win following our recent loss to City. At least, that's what Mourinho contends. Of course, our issue hasn't necessarily been desire or effort but tactical setup. City trouncing Swansea isn't just a matter of better players. It's a matter of quality players playing in a system that puts them in offensive positions in the field to do what they do best. A better team and we'd have dropped points. We're fortunate to face these post-City at home.

Yup we are fortunate only City has beaten us at home.

 

[Bobski]

Yeah they look so fecking good coached that they're 2 points above relegation zone.

With a bunch of Championship Level players. They look more than the sum of their parts, which is a key sign in looking for good coaching. Utd on the other hand...

 

[Ban]

This has been wonderful to read. It's worse than post City despite the win.
Ok we weren't particulary good but reading this thread you would get the feeling they played us of the park and had numerous golden chances.

Which of course didn't happen.

Just take a look at the post above. Bournemouth is a wonderfuly coached team and we're what. Nothing. Just stumbled somehow into 2nd position and somehow we're winning all those games. Strange. We're either a great side which wins despite not being a team or we're incredibly lucky to be in a position we're in.

It's December and if you can grind out the results it's great, not to mention we're still second with a nice cushion for a top 4 fight.
But no, we should play wonderful football every game and all the time cause that's realistic and everybody does it like that.
Especially without Pogba...

Saying all that we need a new creative CM. Maybe bring back Pereira till sumer. And maybe even a backup for Matić or McTominay can do it?

 

[Blue always red]

Haha, Lingard got rated the lowest. Comedy gold here lads.

 

[dichinero]

It's very clear that we missed Pogba, Pereira, Perisic, Pepper Potts and Peppa Pig tonight against the mighty Bournemouth at OT.



And Griezmann too, I think.

 

[Sterling Archer]

With 4 or 6 points in the next two games, we'll be on schedule for a 84 or 88 point season. I get that we're 11 points behind and played some dire games lately, but it's difficult for me to not be quite happy with our season.

80 points after the last several seasons must be deemed a success. Especially if we can have some cup success

 

[JustinC00]

So you got nothing. Fair enough.

Gotta love when people argue something and then can't actually back up their argument.

Bournemouth were lucky not to lose 3-0 had Martial not scuffed his chance and Rashford's shot been an inch lower

See that's how you present an argument and back it up

 

[Manny]

Shot1,Shot2,Shot3,Shot4,Shot5,Shot6,Shot7.

It was an odd request

 

[Ban]

Gotta love when people argue something and then can't actually back up their argument.

Bournemouth were lucky not to lose 3-0 had Martial not scuffed his chance and Rashford's shot been an inch lower

See that's how you present an argument and back it up

This. Thank you sir!

 

[RedDevil@84]

3 pts.. Thank you...

Uh oh Martial!!!

 

[Ban]

It was an odd request

It isn't that odd.

It could be - 1st when Bmouth player was 1on1 with DDG or when he hit the bar or he was alone in front of the goal but fluffed his shot.
For instance.

 

[Yagami]

We scored a goal and de Gea was de Gea. Everything else was rubbish, but we scored a goal and have de Gea.

 

[RedPed]

Lukaku's goal celebration....or lack of, was very telling. Normally after a goal drought, when you score at home, you're really pumped and want to stick it to everyone.

Lukaku's hurting right now. Not surprised though with the shitload of abuse and criticism he got after the City game. He just needs to keep scoring and turn it around.

 

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Some golden Monty Python moments:

* Martial missed chance (God help us if it was Ibra instead)

* The Young-Rashford corner routine at the end

* Lingard being tackled by some jedi trick and falling on the ground before shooting

Anyway, dire football, but we won. That's all that matters this days.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Haha, Lingard got rated the lowest. Comedy gold here lads.

Yeah I thought he was ok. In a game were our attack wasn't great he was at least showing for the ball and moving it along the front line. We had a massive problem in this game with our flanks, with Mata and Valencia rarely getting up the pitch at all and Martial and Shaw not having an understanding, so it was important to have a player willing to pop up on either side and just offer an out.

The guy next to me was popping a tit with Mata moving across to the left leaving Valencia alone, yet in the build-up to our goal it was interplay between Mata, Martial and Shaw which led to the ball across for Rom. I don't mind intelligent players being free to drift into other positions, particularly when Mata and Valencia offered next to nothing on the right.

The last 15 minutes were a disgrace. Why bring on fresh legs on the left and not use them? Playing out to a gassed Mata and Valencia or else padding around in our own half, loosing it and waiting for another speculative Bournemouth raid. That corner near the end was ridiculously shit as well.

Still, three points, another game of Pogba's ban, and we move on.

 

[stu_1992]

Look it wasn't the prettiest game but it was a win after what was an undoubtedly deflating loss for the team and fans at the weekend. Hopefully this brings a bit of feel good factor and confidence back. Nice to see Lukaku score, and with some more favorable games upcoming I'd expect to see more of this soon. Should have been more comfortable of course, Martial in particular should have buried that. Awful miss, but those do happen occasionally. What a goal that would have been from Rashford too, so it's a shame that didn't come off. Anyway, decent result and the performances will get there.

 

[ash_86]

Looks like caf is on depression. Couldn't even enjoy a victory while our rivals have dropped points

 

[buckooo1978]

meh performance, hanging on in the end, barely created anything of note

like the game against Brighton all over again

we have no great balance or dynamism to our attacks and it feels like we are back to relying on Martial/Rashford to add the pace and penetration

like his effort and took his goal well but Lukaku's lack of footballing ability can be annoying - thought his touch and passing was good in a few games there Vrs Watford/Arsenal but tonight he looked like Emile Heskey on the ball

slowly coming to the realisation Mourinho should not be offered another contract. If you can't organise a fluent attack with his budget then you have issues that aren't suited to a team like United

 

[glazed]

Without Pogba, we are very ordinary.
With Pogba, we are title contenders. MCFC really did get lucky with the Pogba suspension.

This, basically.

 

[Harry190]

Sort of contradicting yourself there.

Not really. Manchester United should not be a 1-man team. There should be a plan going forward

 

[Bobski]

Looks like caf is on depression. Couldn't even enjoy a victory while our rivals have dropped points

Are we even looking at Arsenal and Liverpool as threats? To be fair it is a sign of improvement that I am taking top 4 for granted at this stage. City comfortably then Utd v Chelsea and it looks like a clear gap to the fight for 4th. Hoping Burnley do a Leicester for the pure comedy factor.

 

[sunama]

So it's December and January the team is excused from playing good football because of a hectic schedule. It's December 13th and that excuse is coming a little early.
The team is excused from playing good football early in the season when it hasn't gelled.
After that the frequent international breaks provide an excuse.
The team is excused from playing good football from March through May when it's business end of the season and it's all about getting over the line.
The team is excused from playing good football away from home.

Sorry but this team is full of excuses, never a sustained period of good football.

I don't like negativity, but you hit the nail on the head.
I don't think the xmas schedule has started.
The real excuse is the "no Pogba" one. I genuinely believe that Pogba transforms us. It's no surprise that MCFC dominated us on Sunday. Had Pogba played, it would've been a great match and good fight.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Are we even looking at Arsenal and Liverpool as threats? To be fair it is a sign of improvement that I am taking top 4 for granted at this stage. City comfortably then Utd v Chelsea and it looks like a clear gap to the fight for 4th. Hoping Burnley do a Leicester for the pure comedy factor.

Leicester might come and get top 4 haha. They are in amazing form. If they can keep Mahrez I can see them getting very high up the table.

 

[Paul778]

Without Pogba, we are very ordinary.
With Pogba, we are title contenders. MCFC really did get lucky with the Pogba suspension.

Lucky has nothing to do with it. We can't expect one player to carry us through a season. What must it be like in training? Surely these players know they aren't pulling their weight.

It's starting to feel like Pogba is our Matt Le Tissier.

 

[TMDaines]

Christ, no-one could be arsed tonight after Lukaku's goal. Not the players, not the fans, not the announcer, no-one. Horrible weather and a night where you could have paid for me to be there and I still would have felt ripped off. Was like a League Cup 4th round match, although this was supposed to be two Premier League teams with first XIs out.

I'll never understand Lingard central and Mata (extremely) wide right in a game like this. Jesse has some value central in a counter-attacking game, but not when you need someone with vision and creativity to break a side down. The only way you can play Mata wide is if you have an attacking full back constantly overlapping and Valencia simply does not offer that.

 

[GiddyUp]

Same pattern as last game. No connection between defence to midfield to forward! United has been a one man team now. One more game that no Pogba!

Within ten passes someone always shits their shorts, in attack or defense. A hoof up the pitch when you have time or a pullback when there is a through ball on. Horrible to watch but three points are the most important goal right now.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Might be even better for Lukaku that his goal ended up being the winner.

Makes his goal all the more important.

 

[RAVred]

Is it just me or Nathan Ake was unbelievably good?


Also, I think martial and our other players suffered a bit from the pitch being really wet and slippery... Could clearly see the impact when he slipped very easily when cutting in.

 

[The Hacker]

We've missed an angry streak since SAF retired. We've never reacted after a defeat like we as fans want the team to. I honestly thought after the defeat and the fracas on Sunday we would come out tonight spoiling for a fight, Bully the opposition and just try to prove to all we can beat anyone. We just seem to have a soft under belly.

We really miss a Keane type figure in the side.

 

[freeurmind]

 

[Rozay]

Another Pogba-less game ticked off.

 

[freeurmind]

 

[Fortitude]

Even the streams are ditching me...

 

[tomaldinho1]

The thing is, if we do not have a decent team, we can lower our expectations, but we have a bloody good team and it is baffling to see why we cannot just play like a normal football team instead of bypassing the midfield at every given opportunity. We have the ability to take teams on and beat team, but somehow we make it difficult for ourselves.

We have a decent team but some serious recruitment is needed before we become a 'bloody good' team.

We need full backs (on both sides), at least one more CM, an RW and potentially another CF option before we can push for the elite level IMO.