[SadlerMUFC]

We need to learn how to kill off games. In our match with City when they were 2-1 up they killed off almost 3 minutes just by holding the ball by our corner flag. And if they aren't killing off a game by doing the hard work like that, they are putting the game out of reach by keeping their foot on the gas. We need that killer instinct and hard work to win games. With that being said, I still say De Gea should have dealt with that cross. Nobody gets a free pass...

 

[hubbuh]

I agree!! Even though we’ve got the biggest (or tallest) squad, we’re a bunch of pussies that have no fighting spirit (or any spirit for that matter!!)
Sack Jose! Sell squad! Just kidding, but seriously, wtf?

It's not them being pussies that is the problem, they clearly aren't pussies in the way that Arsenal players typically tend to be. They just lack effective game management and it's costing us. As shocking as Rooney was for us in his last years, he knew how to deal with certain stages of a game and see it through. This current lot seem to have no innate ability to do the right thing when it matters. Even Matic completely lost his composure today, it's one of the things I assumed we signed him for. Herrera runs around like a man possessed, we starve Pogba of the ball so his influence wanes and suddenly we lack control in the middle and thus the game.

Martial, Rashford, Lingard and Lukaku (and Mkhi when he features) are all so excrutiatingly inconsistent. Their lack of ruthlessness creates a situation where the opposition believe they are still in the game. Bluergh

 

[Donsangre]

[/QUOTE] Even for one of the corners Smalling ended up marking Vardy. Granted he won the header but Vardy could have easily got the better of him. And on top of this if he can’t jump why was he in the box? This could have confused the rest of the backline who thought that space was being dealt with only for him not try to jump and Maguire scores.

The most frustrating thing is the complete lack of conviction to kill the game. Rashford could have run down that wing and created chances. Instead he slowed to a jog. This hasn’t just happened tonight, it has happened in numerous games with numerous players.

I’m trying to figure out if this is Jose’s doing because of his conservative approach means attackers won’t take a risk as they are out of shape defensively. I just can’t believe we were 2-1 up being put under pressure again 10 men. Our wingers were playing as full backs. Why did we go so deep? That’s to me is the manager’s instructions.[/QUOTE]

I think it has something to do with Jose making adjustments. There was a counterattack opportunity in the end. Pogba got the ball, Mkhi was next to him but didnt make the run. He rather stayed back to defend. He wouldve made that run 100 out of 100 times before. You cant say he was tired or out of form. He was fecking fresh. Jose is killing our super attacking players. Turn them into some disgusting defending wingers. Im sick of this shit.

 

[redshaw]

City have literally killed the league before Christmas Day.

Yep. 4 out of 5 leagues are done before the turkey was even put in the oven.

Awful result today. I posted this was a pivotal game before kickoff, suspicious, if we could handle this fixture. Would not be surprised to see us drop to third or fourth.

Still at least there were chances and mistakes that can clearly be improved upon by the manager and players.

Jose, the players and the boards shortcomings have really been highlighted today.

For the manager to get done by two last minute goals on the bounce with one team down to 10 men is very poor. He instructs the players and makes the subs.

 

[Møllemanden]

We're second best in the Premier League right now. Tonight showed why we're not competing with City.

I'm not happy at all, but there is no reason to be angry. You cannot expect to be contenders if this kind of match ends in a draw. Be realistic guys!

I think Jose got the tactics right. There's only so much he can do. We had so many opportunities to kill the game.

Before you crucify our talented but yet inexperienced players, keep in mind, that John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans (the list goes on) won the Premier League on numerous occations.

The season goals have changed. Get on with it.

 

[mike bird]

My humble take on the game.

We played well, I really enjoyed the game. Some of the players are not good enough to wear the shirt. Fair play to Leicester who took it to the end and scored last minute goal with 10 men.

We could have killed the game 2 or 3 times, but hey, thats football. Some you win some you lose. I am not going to blame anyone, I am here to support my team and the manager through thick and thin.

I do not blame the manager at all in this occasion, he is not responsible to coach a player on how to score a goal on an empty net.

Furthermore, I think Jose is right to slam some of the players for being immature and childish.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

De Gea 5

Lindelof 6
Smalling 7
Jones 6½
Young 5

Pogba 4¾
Matic 5

Mata 7
Lingard 7
Martial 6¼

Lukaku 8
===========
Herrera n/a
Mkhitaryan 6

* Amartey's dismissal was the quickest a substitute has been sent off in the Premier League since Ben Watson for Watford at Southampton in August 2016 (12 minutes, eight seconds).

Gerrard got sent off quicker than that against us a couple years ago when coming on at halftime as a sub. I think he last 3 minutes before his straight red for a foul on Herrara...

 

[Class of 63]

Gerrard got sent off quicker than that against us a couple years ago when coming on at halftime as a sub. I think he last 3 minutes before his straight red for a foul on Herrara...

A couple of years ago was prior to 2016

Amartey's dismissal was the quickest a substitute has been sent off in the Premier League since Ben Watson for Watford at Southampton in August 2016 (12 minutes, eight seconds).

 

[Mick1]

Somethings tonight ere making no sense whichever way you look at them.

Thought our attack played pretty well before the changes, bar none. Martial missed a one on one but it happens to the best players, simply a poor finish and there is no such thing as a oerfect finisher. Lingard played very well imo, but also missed a relative sitter, but again these things happen. Mata was imo not very good in open play, but he did scire 2 goals and Lukaku had one of his best games in terms of participating in the buildup, all in all very happy with our attack.

The subs made no sense though. Martial, apart from his miss, was having a good game and was very dangerous despite being double marked, Lingard was everywhere and Mata was the most likely to put a ball in the back of the net, but Mourinho brought on Mikhitaryan, who should never wear the united shirt again, and Rashford. Rashford was abdolutely diabolical with his decision making. It was not a bad miss, it was not a mishit, it was genuine stupidity on both occasions. If we can afford it, he should not see the pitch for a while, and knock it off with his selfishness and Ronaldo-esque demeanor.

As for the last defense of the game, absolute shambles. Jones was obviously sorting out the defense, telling Lindelof to cover for Smalling who, in his injured state, was as useful as a Liverpool center back, and Herrera to go wide right, perfectly within his role as organizer of the defense, and was overruled by none other than Herrera, who had no job opening his mouth. Sickening.

As for Jose, the draw shouldnt be on his shoulders, but he really needs to man up and sort out the team. Last ditch desperate defending isnt what a team with our capabilities and our resources should be doing, and is one of the reasons i will never warm up to him as a united manager ( fully recognizing there are no better alternatives out there ).

Also, we should take a punt on that Mahrez lad.

 

[Snow]

That game just pissed me right off. Lingard with his embarrassing finish, Rashford not even trying near the end, De Gea not catching that ball when he knows Smalling can't move. Smalling for being on the pitch at all. I don't know why he's not off, it was worse than being down to 10 men.

I don't know what Lukaku needs to do to get a decent pass to him. He must have been wide open in the last 30 minutes for at least 6 times.

Albrighton could find Mahrez with 30-40 yard pass every time he wanted.

Sloppy, sloppy attacking.

Besides the finish Martial was pretty good. Lukaku was good, Pogba was only OK and so was Matic. Young had big problems all match but overall did fine. Team was fine but the final pass and finish was abyssmal. Thank feck for Mata.

 

[Andycoleno9]

You realise Smalling was injured for the second goal and for the first goal he was covering for the mistakes of others

Second goal ok, but first goal defending was pathetic. Bailly or vidic would eat mahrez there. But he is not class defender so i don't know why expected anything else there from him

 

[Giggs86]

Mouriniho has got to go

Why? Was he a fault that Martial/Rashford/Lingard pissed away empty net chances or that nobody could hold on to the ball for a couple of minutes by the corner flag? Couldn't just pass it in triangles against 9 frustrated players? Do you really think that another manager would've changed that?

Today is not on Jose. The players should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[The Purley King]

That last goal is 100% on Jose and Smalling.
Smalling should be fecking screaming at people to get back. I have played in numerous semi pro teams and we were all more organised in an emergency than that.
fecking scandalous.
We should have been 3-1 or 4-1 by then but whatever that last 3 mins was fecking dogshite.

 

[Donsangre]

Some of our football was great on the eye and I really don’t get the criticism about our style. No, it’s not swashbuckling as it was under SAF but it’s still a very decent brand we are playing.

There was some shocking decision making in attack by us in the second half. Twice we could have easily laid players in for a tap in with a simple sideways pass and both Rashford and Lingard were far too casual in finishing. I don’t think Kane, for example, takes either of those around the keeper. He’d draw the keeper and slot it past him.

Albrighton put over three superb crosses in the last two minutes and the quality was so good that you could see a goal coming.
We let him cross the ball though, there wasn’t a player within 10 yards of him and it was as if we were saying ‘go in then put it in we will deal with it’.

Mourinho is bang on - an immature performance and an arrogant one too albeit with some great football at times.

Kane is so clinical. The guy has turned into a top class striker in a few seasons. I wish we had Kane instead of the lug nuts up front. P.S. Dele Alli is another Rashford-like.

 

[LoCalXT]

Why couldn't Matic go back and Smalling as a mid for the last minute or Lindelof and Herrera to the RB ?

 

[Waynenmads]

Just watched it, can not believe what I saw, should have been 5-1 up, conceding an equaliser to 10 men, just awful

 

[WR10]

Pathetic. Our forwards half assed every opportunity to kill off the game. They didn't smell blood and they deserve losing two points.

 

[Retrokicks]

Starting to get sick of seeing this rubbish!

With all due respect to Leicester, with the players we've got and the money spent, we should be destroying them.

Just too much negativity from the manager, who's making hard work of games which should be simple. Maybe he's just over thinking, but it's becoming boring and predictable. Almost like every game, regardless of opposition, is a battle.

For all we say about Klopp, and I can't stand him as much as anyone on here, at least he goes out with intent to destroy the opposition.

 

[Z1L3]

Somethings tonight ere making no sense whichever way you look at them.

Thought our attack played pretty well before the changes, bar none. Martial missed a one on one but it happens to the best players, simply a poor finish and there is no such thing as a oerfect finisher. Lingard played very well imo, but also missed a relative sitter, but again these things happen. Mata was imo not very good in open play, but he did scire 2 goals and Lukaku had one of his best games in terms of participating in the buildup, all in all very happy with our attack.

The subs made no sense though. Martial, apart from his miss, was having a good game and was very dangerous despite being double marked, Lingard was everywhere and Mata was the most likely to put a ball in the back of the net, but Mourinho brought on Mikhitaryan, who should never wear the united shirt again, and Rashford. Rashford was abdolutely diabolical with his decision making. It was not a bad miss, it was not a mishit, it was genuine stupidity on both occasions. If we can afford it, he should not see the pitch for a while, and knock it off with his selfishness and Ronaldo-esque demeanor.

As for the last defense of the game, absolute shambles. Jones was obviously sorting out the defense, telling Lindelof to cover for Smalling who, in his injured state, was as useful as a Liverpool center back, and Herrera to go wide right, perfectly within his role as organizer of the defense, and was overruled by none other than Herrera, who had no job opening his mouth. Sickening.

As for Jose, the draw shouldnt be on his shoulders, but he really needs to man up and sort out the team. Last ditch desperate defending isnt what a team with our capabilities and our resources should be doing, and is one of the reasons i will never warm up to him as a united manager ( fully recognizing there are no better alternatives out there ).

Also, we should take a punt on that Mahrez lad.

Let's blame the manager:
1. Lukaku is wide open and doesn't control the ball (although he was actually very good today and showed great attitude)
2. Martial misses high and wide from the penalty spot
3. Lingard misses open net
4. Rashford doesn't even take the shot when one on one
5. Three against one counter and Rashford doesn't pass the ball
6. Miki has one on one with the keeper and decides not to shoot
7. The last 10 minutes instead of holding the ball, they keep losing it and offering counter opportunities to Leicester

And by the way, today I was finally able to put my finger on why Miki is not good enough. It's his poor decision making. In the 10 minutes he was on, every time he had the ball he lost it because he made the wrong decision. Most of the time he dribbles into two (or more) defenders, with no reason, and loses the ball. Mata should be the 10 in this team, because he can control the ball, look up, and make a logical pass, not to mention he has the composure to pass it into the back of the net instead of blasting it like the youngsters.

Martial, Rashford, Lingard, they need to grow up. Extremely immature.

 

[Eyepopper]

Great the way Herrera refused to go to RB and then gave Albrighton 10 yards to swing in that cross.... captain material.

 

[RC89]

Lingard, Rashford and Martial all wasting golden opportunities was the reason we lost.

And Lukaku is fecking shite.

You must just hate him because he was very good today.

 

[RC89]

At least Lingard and Martial played well besides missing their sitters. Rashford looked like he had never played before and was scared shitless in that 1 v 1. I'm so tired of seeing him subbed on for Martial even when the former is playing well and the latter has been in shit form.

This

 

[haram]

Lingard, Rashford and Martial all wasting golden opportunities was the reason we lost.

And Lukaku is fecking shite.

What the hell did Lukaku do wrong today?

 

[RC89]

Rashford and Martial were fecking woeful. The amount of chances wasted today. Pogba and Lukaku not much better. How can you expect to win a title race when you're arguing amongst yourselves on the pitch? I get that Lukaku is frustrated but today we didnt play for the team. We played for individual scoring acolades and to pad our stats. We should have taken it to the corner flag and kept the fecking ball.

I would not be against Mourinho going out and buying another attacker to take the place of Martial and Rashford. The fecking level of performance from them is unbelievably shit, especially when you have one on one chances.

Ey? What game did you watch? Lukaku and Martial were both very good. Martial ran Simpson ragged. Lukaku laid off what should have been two assists. Martials miss however....

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

That last goal is 100% on Jose and Smalling.
Smalling should be fecking screaming at people to get back. I have played in numerous semi pro teams and we were all more organised in an emergency than that.
fecking scandalous.
We should have been 3-1 or 4-1 by then but whatever that last 3 mins was fecking dogshite.

When you played in your semi-pro teams, did the manager shout from the sidelines what to do? Or, did you (as a semi-pro player with semi-pro team-mates), manage to organise yourselves?

I imagine it'd have been the latter? So actual pro players should be capable of sorting themselves out too? They're not 18.

 

[dwd]

The only positive we can take from this is that Arsenal, Chelsea & Liverpool all dropped points too. Good result for Spurs, and City obviously. Need a win to try and put another run together because we look a shambles at the moment, especially at the back.

 

[roykeane19]

You must just hate him because he was very good today.

How the standards at this club have fallen.... Did Lukkaku even test the GK once, his job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and unless he gets a tap in or a header, he cant score, that is no where near how a striker should be at this club

 

[RC89]

We continuously praise our youth in Lingard, Rashford and Martial. They've been diabolical. They simply can't play together. No chemistry. No desire.

Try and blame Mourinho for that one!! That's on the players

I'm seeing a lot of this. What are you on about? Lingard always gets the piss taken out of him here. Did you see last season? Some were even okay with us selling Martial. The result was terrible, the finishing, even worse. But Martial and Lingard both played very well today otherwise. How many times did Martial beat Simpson?

I have never been a fan of Lingard and even I can see he had a decent game at the very least. He was the least culpable for his miss out of the lot I think, it wasnt a great finish. Martials finish was a joke.

 

[redpatron]

Second goal ok, but first goal defending was pathetic. Bailly or vidic would eat mahrez there. But he is not class defender so i don't know why expected anything else there from him

agreed, first goal is on him. You are 6'5, more athletic and more physical than Mahrez, be an athlete and make a play. He just stood there waiting while Mahrez posed for photos and waited for Vardy to join him. Smalling knows Vardy has Jones beat, he had to do something. He just stood there.

 

[RC89]

How the standards at this club have fallen.... Did Lukkaku even test the GK once, his job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and unless he gets a tap in or a header, he cant score, that is no where near how a striker should be at this club

You're commenting on his performance in this game. If Lukaku had done the exact same thing today, and his assists came off (not his fault they didn't) and we won the game (not his fault we lost) would you say he had a bad game? You're a joke man. Other performances, sure. Today though? He played very well. If any striker doesn't score in a game but managed to get three assists you'd consider that a good return (for one game in isolation).

Also, if his team mate today played him in, maybe he'd have a chance at taking a shot.

 

[edgar allan]

Ey? What game did you watch? Lukaku and Martial were both very good. Martial ran Simpson ragged. Lukaku laid off what should have been two assists. Martials miss however....

If you were happy with the standard of Martials performance today and in the last few games then you are easily pleased.

 

[RC89]

If you were happy with the standard of Martials performance today and in the last few games then you are easily pleased.

Today? Sure, thought he was good today. Had Simpsons number all game long. His miss was a joke though.

 

[Tmac1090]

I still can't get over that we fecking drew... The missed chances, the horrible defending and why in the world don't we try to attack a 10 man team? We should steamroll teams, but we never do.. We lack so incredibly much before we're a real top class team. I can't see a quick-fix.

 

[Mick1]

If you were happy with the standard of Martials performance today and in the last few games then you are easily pleased.

I dont know what you re on about. Martial played very well, most dangerous player on the ball even though he was double marked, creating space for the other attackers. One bad miss does not change the fact he played very well.

 

[edgar allan]

Today? Sure, thought he was good today. Had Simpsons number all game long. His miss was a joke though.

Sadly I see much more flattering to deceive than end product. He did work hard defensively to be fair.

 

[roseguy64]

Second goal ok, but first goal defending was pathetic. Bailly or vidic would eat mahrez there. But he is not class defender so i don't know why expected anything else there from him

agreed, first goal is on him. You are 6'5, more athletic and more physical than Mahrez, be an athlete and make a play. He just stood there waiting while Mahrez posed for photos and waited for Vardy to join him. Smalling knows Vardy has Jones beat, he had to do something. He just stood there.

Not sure what play Smalling is supposed to make here. Mahrez beats him to the ball and sees that Smalling is gonna be in front of him and hits it behind and takes control. If Smalling attempts to make a tackle he's taking the risk Mahrez dribbles him and has a 1v1. He's expecting Jones to catch Vardy but he doesn't. Saying that, he probably could have attempted to stick a leg out with the pass to Vardy but I don't know why he didn't there. Fear of a deflection?Not sure.

 

[RC89]

Sadly I see much more flattering to deceive than end product. He did work hard defensively to be fair.

I just think people are knee jerking. The finishing was ridiculous today. And those defensive errors really cost us but had we won this game, I don't think people would be talking about the individual performance of these players today. For the most part I thought we played well. We actually looked like a competent attacking team almost.

 

[roseguy64]

How the standards at this club have fallen.... Did Lukkaku even test the GK once, his job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and unless he gets a tap in or a header, he cant score, that is no where near how a striker should be at this club

He only got one chance created for him but took it upon himself to instead create chances for others, something people have beat him over the head for. Why are you blaming him for the inadequacies of his teammates when he's doing what they should be doing for him?

 

[Z2United]

Martial was nowhere near good today imo. Lukaku showed some nice ability as a passer but not enough to warrent a good performance as first choice striker for united since his first half was meh. I have to give him credit for those should have been assists tho, dident think he had that in him tbh.

 

[Cassady]

It's as simple as this. There is nothing wrong with the players' ability. It's the mentality

This is a genuine question .

Does it all come from Jose ?