[AkaAkuma]

Is william some football savant?

like watching a young Gary Neville.

 

[sdb4884]

Something to build upon for sure.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Look at him

 

[Xaviesta]

Quick thoughts

Mata has no place in the starting 11 when everyone is fit, I really hope there is some truth to the Vidal swap rumour.

RVP is much better up top alone then with a partner.

Both Di Maria and Adnan are at their best on the left

I still say that 4-3-3, with a clearly out of the players who don't fit, is the way forward.

I'd swap Mata for Strootman.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Good performance from us, didn't shy from the occasion. Defensive strength leaves much to be desired. Will most definitely get lashed against players like Silva and Aguero next week. Thought Fellaini was very good throughout; made it difficult for their midfield to get going, won possession back, was tidy when passing, and made the goal. Need Di Maria to play more centrally against City; he's been poorer shunted out wide.

Could try a midfield of Di Maria, Herrera, Fellaini and Blind against City while dropping Mata and keeping RVP up front.

 

[Sky1981]

On a note for Chelsea, I was quite impressed by two responses to our man-marking of Fabregas.

• Oscar is improving as a player. He dropped in deep to pick up the ball whereas Fabregas dragged his marker to the no.10 position
• If Oscar/Fabregas were man-marked, Cahill was more than confident on multiple occasions to bring it past the half-way line

The reason I note this is because it's precisely what our system under van Gaal requires in order to build from the back. If Blind is pressed and our midfielders, we need to be looking at dragging the markers away and encouraging Smalling/Rojo to bring it forward. It's the only way you can guarantee an escape route for pressing.

Problem is, there won't be anyone would marking blind tightly, we mark Cesc because he's dangerously good at what he's doing (i.e. hurting us), the same won't happen with Blind (he's a good player, but not the one you need to keep an eye on)

 

[Stretford Red1978]

And I'm pleased for him tbh after those ironic cheers at OT in a friendly, cant remember who were we playing..

Valencia!

 

[Ish]

I see the "Rafael can't defend" myth is still as strong as ever, even amongst our very own fans. That's a tad disappointing.

I've hardly seen Hazard this quiet for Chelsea - and the one bit of brilliance he did, he cut through the middle of the defence.

 

[Mali_Zeus]

Valencia!

Thanks.





It looks like Dowd really didn't fancy Chelsea yesterday.





Right from the school of Joachim Low.

 

[Parma Dewol]

That goal will give us a massive confidence boost going into the against City. If we play like we did today and all our important players stay fit we've got a good chance against them.

Agree with you. Totally psyched for the City game now.

We were more than a match for Chelsea yesterday. Personally think we should have won the game, but our heads dropped for 20 minutes after their goal and you can't afford that kind of lapse in these big games.

Huge result though, what might that do for our confidence going forward?

 

[Freak]

I don't get why people are saying it's a huge result. We got 1 point and are still a considerable distance from the leaders. We should have gotten all 3 points considering the amount of chances we had. We still haven't played well for the full 90 minutes. It's a disappointing result and even lvg thinks we should have gotten all 3. How standards have dropped when getting 1 point from a game we should have won given the chances we had is now a big result.

 

[MancFanFromManc]

I (like most Unitied fans I suspect) really didnt fancy us to get anything yesterday. Personally I accepted a family day out meaning I didnt see it live, and managed to avoid finding out the result (mucho text's and alerts, radio news etc) and watched at 10pm. I was buzzing at midnight when RVP smashed in the equalizer. Talk about great LATE goal !!

 

[Sarni]

Agree with you. Totally psyched for the City game now.

We were more than a match for Chelsea yesterday. Personally think we should have won the game, but our heads dropped for 20 minutes after their goal and you can't afford that kind of lapse in these big games.

Huge result though, what might that do for our confidence going forward?

If the game had gone on for the next 10 minutes, we'd have won. Equalizer came too late.

 

[BootsyCollins]

Positives :
- The first half i though we were pretty good. Shame RVP could not score at his first chance.
- Fellaini was good. Worked good the whole match and was decent in defence too. Only negative was the mix up with Rafael on Drogbas goal.
- De Gea was MOTM for me.
- RVP late goal. the result could be better i think, but that goal is very important, both for the club and even for RVP himself.
- The fans when RVP scored. The whole stadium exploded. Loved to see that.

Negatives :
- Mata, he seemed to not know what to do. Kept wandering in a no mans land and could not set his imprint on the match at all. what will his role be when Rooney is back? Could he be gone as soon as January? And just for the record, i love Juan Mata but he needs to improve.
- The mix up at the corner. It shall not happen, not at this level.
- Injuries. Not that we gained any new injuries this match, but just on a general level. We really missed Jones, Herrera and Falcao today.

Other notes :
- 1-1, not sure if i am happy or not. I actually though we could get something more from this match and after the first 45 i though we had a good chance to win it.
- Di Maria, not his best match at all, but he still is vital for us. Good to see he could play the whole match.
- Subs, cant remember who else we had on the bench, but we only used one sub. Maybe it was the right thing to do

 

[Smores]

Think that last minute goal has gone to some posters heads, as good as we were in the first half we were shocking in the second.

Its an unexpected point though and a confidence raiser. Shame we've got City next as would have been good to have some easier fixtures right now to build momentum

 

[IwatUwat]

Thought it was a great result yesterday, to get a late goal is huge for us will give us impetus to push in other games. To draw with the best side in the country again massive. At the start of a tough run we needed a result.

However - personally felt neither team played particularly well. Di Maria, Mata and Januzaj were fairly non existent, Januzaj really looks a shadow of how he broke through same as with the West Brom game, this is his chance cos when Rooney and Falcao are back he'll struggle for game time, he hasnt taken his opp at all. Fellaini also looked clumsy at times and slow, but we needed his presence in that game so that was a bonus. Di Maria has to cut the loosing the ball that much out of his game, he's our best player but in big games we cant be loosing the ball that often from one player. Also our corners and crosses in general (apart from the last) were woeful never beat the first man, it was embarrassing as were theirs.

Their goal... Few points RVP should have done better, I understand he is there to also cover front post space, but seriously the ball was miles away from that space so when you see you're not gonna get it you should be back on the post he was neither. But the worst mistake was Fellaini and Rafael its a joke, playing myself if I was left with someone 6 inches taller than me I'd be going mad getting someone else to pick him up. Its awful really that that could happen at our level.

Plus points De Gea looked solid again, thought Rojo and Smalling were pretty decent. Hazard did cause us problems but other than that we were ok. Blind did his usual of being left to cover a lot of ground and space and did it pretty well.

Strange game to watch I thought, as it seemed like Utd ran out of puff a bit and used all their energy first half. Still feels like something missing but a draw against the side that'll prob win the league, when we still dont have a stable team is a good result.

 

[Manucho the boss]

Good performance from us, didn't shy from the occasion. Defensive strength leaves much to be desired. Will most definitely get lashed against players like Silva and Aguero next week. Thought Fellaini was very good throughout; made it difficult for their midfield to get going, won possession back, was tidy when passing, and made the goal. Need Di Maria to play more centrally against City; he's been poorer shunted out wide.

Could try a midfield of Di Maria, Herrera, Fellaini and Blind against City while dropping Mata and keeping RVP up front.

Can't stand this attitude, it's a complete cop out. We've just shown we can compete with the best team in the league and City lost to West Ham yet you believe we have no chance next week?
We have some of the most expensive players in the World, earning huge wages so why do you expect and accept failure?

Is it a moronic ploy like predicting a 4-0 loss so you're less disappointed with a 2-0 loss?

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Can't stand this attitude, it's a complete cop out. We've just shown we can compete with the best team in the league and City lost to West Ham yet you believe we have no chance next week?
We have some of the most expensive players in the World, earning huge wages so why do you expect and accept failure?

Is it a moronic ploy like predicting a 4-0 loss so you're less disappointed with a 2-0 loss?

Daym chill out bro. I'm not expecting us to lose outright. But City will be looking to bounce back from West Ham, and despite our draw with Chelsea our defence hasn't been a shining beacon of light. Ageuro is a much different beast than Drogba and will give our defence alot more on their plate I dare say because of his movement and pace.

 

[#07]

Scott at ROM putting "JT's" bellyaching into perspective.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Scott at ROM putting "JT's" bellyaching into perspective.

See this is what I didnt understand. Clearly it was 2 way fouling, in this as well as the Ivanovic/Smalling case.

 

[#07]

See this is what I didnt understand. Clearly it was 2 way fouling, in this as well as the Ivanovic/Smalling case.

Of course it was but Chelsea love to blame everyone else when things don't go their way.

What happened to the replays of the West Brom player punching the ball last Monday, or Ashley Young getting cleaned out in the box at Sunderland etc. Jose set the tone with his 'I don't want to talk about the referee garbage' and, as always, 'the big man "JT" followed'.

Many in the media, who live in fear and hatred of Man Utd, will peddle the myth Chelsea was robbed. They hate United, they feel bitter for Fergie crushing them for years, and now we look slightly vulnerable they are sharpening the knives. The truth is it was six of one and half a dozen of the other. However, nobody in the media will admit that.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Think that last minute goal has gone to some posters heads, as good as we were in the first half we were shocking in the second.

Its an unexpected point though and a confidence raiser. Shame we've got City next as would have been good to have some easier fixtures right now to build momentum

In a way City being next is just what they need. They have to keep the levels up. A weaker team next and they might let them drop and fall victim to an upset. Listening to the media, Chelsea were on another planet to us and Phil Dowd is in our pay and that is the reason we got the point. I hope we stick it to City next week as well.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Of course it was but Chelsea love to blame everyone else when things don't go their way.

What happened to the replays of the West Brom player punching the ball last Monday, or Ashley Young getting cleaned out in the box at Sunderland etc. Jose set the tone with his 'I don't want to talk about the referee garbage' and, as always, 'the big man "JT" followed'.

Many in the media, who live in fear and hatred of Man Utd, will peddle the myth Chelsea was robbed. They hate United, they feel bitter for Fergie crushing them for years, and now we look slightly vulnerable they are sharpening the knives. The truth is it was six of one and half a dozen of the other. However, nobody in the media will admit that.

I have just posted that. I have got sick of the ones on Talksport going on about Phil Dowd and how Chelsea were robbed. If we had got nothing it would have been us who were hard done by. I am sick of Jose and his mind games and his players intimidating referees into giving everything their way.

 

[Alock1]

Have we had any discussion on Chelsea's defending for our equalizer or is it just excuses being made with Ivanovic gone?

I think they set up for it as if it was a right footer taking the freekick, how you'd expect them to usually. I thought the deep distinct line and giving our players space to come onto the ball was silly though considering it was an outswinger. Admittedly, not something I thought immediately so can understand it completely, but Ivanovic or not Fellaini was winning that header. It might have been another man to get in the way or attempt to clear after Courtious pushed it out though.

 

[#07]

Have we had any discussion on Chelsea's defending for our equalizer or is it just excuses being made with Ivanovic gone?

I think they set up for it as if it was a right footer taking the freekick, how you'd expect them to usually. I thought the deep distinct line and giving our players space to come onto the ball was silly though considering it was an outswinger. Admittedly, not something I thought immediately so can understand it completely, but Ivanovic or not Fellaini was winning that header. It might have been another man to get in the way or attempt to clear after Courtious pushed it out though.

Don't try to bring rational analysis into this discussion, it doesn't suit the media narrative. As the big man himself, Mr "JT", has said: Chelsea were robbed. The referee was on our side, and sent off Ivanovic (who would have stopped the cross that led to our goal) for a dive. Heard it all on the radio last night. It must be true.

 

[Kakeru]

I watched the Sky Sports highlights and somebody should write them to stop putting Martin Tyler as commentator. How can he not cream on the very late equalizer while almost everybody else did among the commentators from different horizons, that's beyond me.

 

[Momochiru]

I'm disappointed with the media - if you looks at the stats you will see that we deserved our point, maybe even more. Chelsea were the better team only for about 25 minutes in the second half. However the media is focusing on the "Chelsea were better and were robbed" narrative. Sure, we got couple calls in our favor, but throughout the season so far we have been the robbed ones most of the time - it's normal to get a few calls in our favor from time to time and at the end of the day those calls weren't nearly as bad as what we have suffered so far (Clattenburg, ugh...).

Anyways, I'm happy with the way we are progressing and I think we stand a good chance to get something from City next weekend.

P.S. Did anyone see Fellaini wrestle Courtois after the match?

 

[Red_Aaron]

was really pleased with the performance, particularly first half it was a real shame we didn't take one of our chances though. considering chelsea are the best team in the league we gave them a real game and despite 'only' drawing it was the biggest indication that we're becoming a proper side again under LVG

2nd half and chelsea really stepped it up with their physical advantage finally getting its reward. its odd they didn't push for a second goal straight after as we were clearly rattled instead they looked to play the game out and it gave us time to regroup

i think a draw was a fair result, chelsea were perhaps hard done by with the red card but I feel Ivanovic fell victim to their constant professional fouling (which is a hallmark of their play this season) and dowd finally snapped to it (helped by the OT crowd of course!)

feeling really positive about city now, genuinely think we'll beat them

 

[Kyonn]

I'd swap Mata for Strootman.

At this point I'd take just about anybody. It's not that I think Mata's a bad player just that he was a panic buy by Moyes and he really doesn't fit well here.

 

[Nathan]

I like the fact that we never gave in, nobody backed off & as a team we gave a battling performance.

 

[Shimo]

More and more am seeing pundits speak about the non-peno against Smalling on Ivanovic and it that is really getting on my nerves. They have the temerity to talk about Terry being also taken down during the same play when Terry has a headlock on Rojo and arm around his neck. Regarding Smalling on Ivanovic what I found interesting is during the game when they tried to show the the event, there was an angle that showed clearly Invanovic had a hue handful of Smalling's shirt and was pulling him but, after that they only showed the other side so you couldn't see that.

Just feel as though we've had so many non-calls go against us, many that could have lead to more points on the board for us but, media seems to pay no attention but, this one will continue to get aired and none too soon we are going to get a peno against us for grappling in the box.

Probably paranoid but, just hearing idiots like Craig Burley continue to harp about that one play really irritates me.

 

[#07]

 

[Ash_G]

I think one thing we're doing which isn't getting the best out of our wide attackers is letting them get isolated. I think it's a recurring pattern for a while where we start letting the central mids push too far foward to quick and it leaves the wide players with 2-3 players against them and a long distance to have to cross the ball from. Sure Di Maria/Januzaj were wasteful but the amount of times they were crossing from as far out as they could be was silly, these are the two players we need to get in and around the box, they'll make things happen, draw fouls etc.

It also slows down our moves, the amount of times the only pass on for Blind is someone running back towards him isn't good imo because when that player gets the ball his passing options are already reduced as he's facing away from all the attackers.

 

[Thisistheone]

Yeah watched that last night. What they said, especially Carragher who must be hating it, is encouraging and shows the improvements we're making. The amount of work that is going on in training, the intelligence of our play etc.


It's also encouraging how pragmatic LvG is. Before kick-off Ed Chamberlain asked the pundits if both managers knowing one another would favour Jose or Van Gaal and Carragher said Mourinho because Van Gaal is more or less stuck in his ways, he only has one way of playing. I don't think thats true at all.

 

[#07]

Yeah watched that last night. What they said, especially Carragher who must be hating it, is encouraging and shows the improvements we're making. The amount of work that is going on in training, the intelligence of our play etc.


It's also encouraging how pragmatic LvG is. Before kick-off Ed Chamberlain asked the pundits if both managers knowing one another would favour Jose or Van Gaal and Carragher said Mourinho because Van Gaal is more or less stuck in his ways, he only has one way of playing. I don't think thats true at all.

You're right, its a massive cliché. Sadly, often 'experts' in football try to disguise lack of knowledge by relying on truisms.

Van Gaal has already showed he can set up United in several ways. Plus, he did the same thing at the World Cup with Holland where he would shift approach within a game. However, because he's Dutch and of the Ajax school pundits feel safe saying he's inflexible.

Van Gaal always uses the same philosophy, he likes the ball to be rotated and wants to overload parts of the pitch to create space elsewhere, but how that is done can vary radically. His Ajax side pressed from the front, his AZ team was extremely reactive. His Holland side man marked in midfield and used a spare defender to sweep up, his Bayern side never did that etc.etc.

 

[swooshboy]

The gulf in information between this and the tired, lazy analysis on Match of the Day is staggering, and should be embarrassing for the BBC. MotD was happy to decide that Chelsea simply missed Ivanovic on the cross for our goal - without taking the time to do the analysis that Carragher did.

 

[Alock1]

This is what actually happened

 

[Hoof the ball]

Problem is, there won't be anyone would marking blind tightly, we mark Cesc because he's dangerously good at what he's doing (i.e. hurting us), the same won't happen with Blind (he's a good player, but not the one you need to keep an eye on)

Oscar was man-marking Blind.

 

[noodlehair]

The rest of our midfield was constantly about 60 fecking yards away from Blind. As soon as Chelsea started pressuring him we lost the ability to do anything other than look useless. I get that Fellaini was marking Fabregas and in fairness it worked pretty well and gave us the upper hand until half time. After Chelsea sussed it out though we should have dropped someone back in with Blind (maybe at the expense of Mata) rather than just watch our defenders and Blind faff around looking for an out ball.

I think in general teams are missing a trick when they do leave Blind as the free man...whenever he has been picked up properly we've had no answer because it means we have literally no midfield.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Absolutely, he's an asset going forward. But I'd rather have a full back who is better at defending.

Think his defending is improving and did well, especially after being booked early, a year or two ago he would have probably been sent off later in the match, believe he will become one of the best full backs in the world with a little more maturity