CL W Champions League Group A

Manchester United 2:0 Benfica

Post-match discussion


Tue, 31 October 2017

We got the result we wanted but we were awful until we matched up in midfield. I'm not sure why Mourinho insists on 4231 when none of our number 10s is in any form.

Almost everyone we've gone up against with a midfield two has causes us issues, and this pre-empts Pogba's injury e.g. Swansea (A) until the subs in the second half.
 
12 points and still need a point to qualify?
 
Job done. Wasnt pretty. Was up in the north stand for it. We really miss Pogba and fellaini but even moreso we really need to get a quality pair of full backs. Blind was shocking Darmian wasn't great
 
Job done, with no injuries thankfully. Blind was a scare but he looks ok.
 
Controversial and highly unlikely to happen but after watching Lukakus performance tonight I would start Rashford and Martial against Chelsea and resign him to the bench. He's labouring and devoid of any confidence.
 
Good result, ok experience for the players to get 3 in a row before the Chelsea match without having to go all out and waste energy. :)
Also good for McTominay to get a performance in the CL where he didn't look out of place, seems like he's got his head in order so far & will hopefully build on that for the future.

And agree with others, Lukaku looks like he needs a break desperately.
 
Didn't get out of 2nd gear and still won 2-0.

Pretty Good In my opinion
 
First time we've qualified for CL knockouts since the Moyes season. Got major doubts about Mourinho and his playing style but we're definitely progressing.
 
Good in parts, not so good for the majority. I liked Martial, DDG, McTominay, Matic and Smalling but was less keen on Lingard, Mata, Lukaku and Mkhi when he came on.

I felt sorry for Lukaku for the most part as he was feeding off scraps but what he did get he wasted, I want to see him improve his first touch and his finishing.

Overall I'm pleased with the result if not the performance.
 
Job done. Who cares if it wasn't Brazil 1970? 4 wins out of 4, and through to the knockouts.

That's what we employed the man for. Would've killed for this back when Nick Powell and co were put out by Wolfsburg.
 
What was that with the penalty though. First Lukaku seemed to want it, then Herrera and Blind came in an took it. Weird.
 
Hopefully Martinez won't call up Lukaku for any game Belgium possibly has in international week.
 
Didn't get out of 2nd gear and still won 2-0.

Pretty Good In my opinion

We were better but hardly convincing. Seems like this was just a training session masquerading as a cup tie...where we didn't want to break anything before Chelsea.
 
Solid win, hardly a classic (again) and could have been a different story had the Benfica pen been given.

Like McTominay, think some have been unfairly critical of him in his performance thread, i thought he had a decent game.

Martial was getting a lot of praise in commentary but i felt he wasn't good enough, and as with Bailly, must do more.

Cant understand why Mata still gets a game, non-existent and a waste of a shirt in my view.
 
Happy with that result. A couple of shakey moments and wasn't the most exciting game but another clean sheet at Old Trafford isn't down to luck. With Pogback we'll make more chances and start winning a bit more convincingly.
 
Benfica were poor. We basically beat them playing a half assed training match with plenty of sloppy play. Good enough at the moment.
 
So a guy on a channel I was watching the game just said Benfica had 'tons of chances.'
 
Meh. I dont know what to think of us. We get results, we are good defensively usually (though have enough players who make supid mistakes now and then back there), we get a normal amount of goals... but we just seem so "meh" most of the time. Our general play leaves a lot to be desired and how we create chances is usually down to 1 player creating something out of nothing rather then good all round play, and that player is usually martial, rashford or Pogba. Pogbas been out for a while, and then only one of rashford/martial are on the pitch at one time. So a lot of our play relies on that left winger to do something.

The rest havent been keeping the ball that well, we dont push teams back with pressure, we dont have control of the game in a proactive way, and far too often I feel like we're the inferior "footballing" side so to speak. Passing it around and controlling games with the ball and opening up space for others just through normal passing, you dont see us do that too often. At least not without pogba pretty much ever, and that concerns me. Hes a fantastic player but for our general play to go to shit the second he isnt on the pitch? Its not like we have poor players out there.

Anyway, good enough overall and got the job done, but I guess a "job done" manager is what Mou is usually.
 
"they should have scored so it's a fake scoreline"

"Messing over who takes the penalty was embarrassing"

Genuine quotes from the match thread.
It’s painful reading at times.

Under Fergie we were no different in the group games. Don’t over exert ourselves and get through to the knockouts with minimal fuss. Roll on Sunday.
 
Good to see us keep another clean sheet. We have a tremendous record at home, fair play.

Nice game to have before the Chelsea. Very easy, didn't exert ourselves too much and got the comfortable win to boot.
 
Professional performance and satisfactory outcome given the team we put out and the opposition.

Am delighted by the delivery of a calm, authoritative and no nonsense set of performances in CL group stages, after a few years out.

We’ll be far better equipped for the knock out phases once we get Ibra, Pogba and Rojo back into the squad.
 
"they should have scored so it's a fake scoreline"

"Messing over who takes the penalty was embarrassing"

Genuine quotes from the match thread.

Really annoying match thread today. Not a great performance but the stuff that comes out of some people is quite over the top, not to mention baffling quotes like those.
 
They need to beat us by a 3 goal margin to top us.
So like I said initially...12 points and we need a point to confirm qualify. :lol:
 
12 points and still need a point to qualify?
Technically not even that, we need to avoid losing on head-to-head vs Basel or CKSA (so don't lose either game by three or more goals).

EDIT: So I suppose you could say we need a point in Basel to get the little '(Q)' next to us before the end of the final game - assuming CSKA don't drop points vs Benfica next Matchday :)
 
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Shameful. Abolsutely sickening *vomits*

Othetwise solid performance but my concerns remain.
I take it you’re speaking of the whinging posters in the match day thread?
 
It’s painful reading at times.

Under Fergie we were no different in the group games. Don’t over exert ourselves and get through to the knockouts with minimal fuss. Roll on Sunday.

I agree.
 
It’s good that we can win when we’re playing in second gear. I hope we move into higher gears soon though.
 

Player Ratings

6.3 Total Average Rating

Highest Rated Player

Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 461 ratings.

Score Predictions

587,5,16
  • Man Utd win
  • Benfica win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 45% Man Utd 2:0 Benfica
  • 29% Man Utd 3:0 Benfica
  • 7% Man Utd 4:0 Benfica
  • 5% Man Utd 1:0 Benfica
  • 4% Man Utd 2:1 Benfica
  • 3% Man Utd 3:1 Benfica
  • 2% Man Utd 5:0 Benfica
  • 1% Man Utd 0:0 Benfica
  • 1% Man Utd 1:1 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 3:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 1:3 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 4:1 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 0:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 5:1 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 4:3 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 2:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 4:4 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 1:2 Benfica
Compiled from 608 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Benfica
Possession
51% 49%
Shots
16 12
Shots on Target
5 4
Corners
4 6
Fouls
13 11

Referee

Gediminas Mazeika