[Crackers]

Evra is amazing. His personality is infectious

 

[justboy68]

He's been on loan for a while but it's time for Ole to bring Rafa home in January

 

[Houdini]

Now we can see what positivity can do. United was under SAF was all about mentality. Maybe Ole can revive that mentality. I want him as permanent manager. No need for big names and egos.

 

[crossy1686]

I will be watching MOTD for the first time in a year.

Thought this as well on the way home after the game. Can't wait!

 

[Rams]

What a difference a manager can make. That was more like the United of old.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Evra reads the caf love ya Pat!

 

[Red Devil Rising]

Not a single game during Mourinho's 2 and half year reign in charge that we hit 5 goals, then we do it in our first game after him.

That's quite damning.

 

[RedIan]

Wow, id forgotton what this happy buzz after watching United feels like. Ok Cardiff are a poor team but we played with freedom and confidence today. Im excited for the next game and going forward.

Jose you killed the vibe. Ollie restored it in 3 days

 

[Rob]

Just goes to show your players are fully capable to play attacking football when allowed.

And while I’ll never take pleasure in a United win, I can’t help but feel a little a happy for your chipmunk looking manager.

 

[dutchred]

only regret was when we went 4 1 up he didnt give young Gomes a few minutes

 

[Roosney]

Only caught bits of the match, but we looked like a lively team for once. Loved it.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

Nice one!

 

[Booda]

Good performance for the lads, I was actually buzzing at certain points in the match , loved the passing and movement off the ball and the pressing was something I have wanted to see from us in a long time.

Bring on Huddersfield.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Rooney isn’t holding back is he, absolutly tearing Jose apart and confirming what many expected about his tactics, mentality and so on.

 

[Siorac]

Just goes to show your players are fully capable to play attacking football when allowed.

And while I’ll never take pleasure in a United win, I can’t help but feel a little a happy for your chipmunk looking manager.

Let's face it, it's easy to be magnaminous when you are 19 points ahead and trashed us only last week!

 

[RedDevil-85]

Fantastic performance!
The whole team was good,Pogba was a beast MOTM for me.
The fecking football..so much better So refreshing to see us not sitting back after taking the lead.
Im so happy and cant wait for next match

 

[ash_86]

I don't see where Lukaku fits in a team that plays the style of football we want to see United play. He was brought for a Jose team, which is the polar opposite of what we all want.

Don't be surprised if you see a different Lukaku under Ole. Lukaku was equally limited by Jose's system as any other player. He might suprse us now shackles are off.

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

I will be watching MOTD for the first time in a year.

My dad literally said the same thing

 

[FrantikChicken]

Rooney isn’t holding back is he, absolutly tearing Jose apart and confirming what many expected about his tactics, mentality and so on.

What is he saying?

 

[AndyJ1985]

Funny how Ole praised our defence today, when Jose did nothing but call it shite.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Mourinho did a great job of convincing us that our players are crap.

He didn't convince me - I never subscribed to his nonsense

 

[Red Devil Rising]

Rooney isn’t holding back is he, absolutly tearing Jose apart and confirming what many expected about his tactics, mentality and so on.

Ohhhhhhh what's he saying?

 

[Mr PG]

Bailly for Jones, Sanchez for Lingard and Dalit for young eventually

 

[Verminator]

Amazing what the threat of surstroming for breakfast can do.

 

[nesty]

I don't want to get carried away but that was the greatest performance of all time. Trebel lads?

 

[RedTiger]

Well, it would be bloody weird to criticise any of the players right now

Our previous manager would have found a reason.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

@FrantikChicken @Red Devil Rising just confirming that Jose’s tactics are for the fullbacks to stay back and tuck in, 2 midfielders covering so that when you attack you only have 2 or 3. Also commented on his man management being rubbish about how he doesn’t really tell players what they are doing wrong or explaining why they are out and said the main reason he wanted to leave was due to Jose.

Also indicated a lot that he has been talking to people within the club that say the joy was gone and so on. I’m sure someone will post it later and I think Premier League Tonight normally ends up on YouTube.

 

[Crackers]

 

[mu4c_20le]

What is he saying?

He said the players obviously looked a bit restricted under him

 

[MrBest]

I don't see where Lukaku fits in a team that plays the style of football we want to see United play. He was brought for a Jose team, which is the polar opposite of what we all want.

Maybe that is a bit harsh. I would of thought the same about Matic but i thought he good and positive. I think everyone should start with a clean slate and earn there way into the team.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Our previous manager would have found a reason.

Lindelof being in the oppos box in free play, he’d probably never see the light of day again.

 

[Canagel]

 

[OldSchoolManc]

I was one of the 1% that predicted 5-1 to United.
What do I win?

 

[Red Dreams]

 

[Adnan]

 

[berbatrick]

Positives:
Some of it is obvious - they're playing with more freedom, players look happier, they're getting to show their skill/talent (which is better than most other teams in the league).
The frontline and their movement means some good options for our midfield, combined with the freedom to play vertical passes it means that Pogba can receive the ball on the half-turn and then play it forward to three moving targets.


Negatives:
In terms of chance-creation, this probably wasn't a 5-1 game. Rashford missed good chances from Lindelof's pass and from Martial's cutback, and the 3rd was a legit chance. But the deflected freekick and the deflected long shot, the soft penalty, and then the easy 5th against a switched-off defence - none of these were chances you can expect in every game. We created probably about 3-4 good chances and a few half-chances, which is good but not exceptional.
The style: is very good against poor opposition. But (IMO) it relies a bit on us being individually better than the opposition. I think a very organised inferior team, or an equal or better team can have a lot of fun against our open flanks, or sometimes even our open centre (when lindelof as at the no 10 position, for example). It was very direct, and we didn't consolidate much apart from a few periods after the 75 minute mark, and we'll have to show a bit of that against better teams.

I loved it, but in terms of comparisons of the last few years, the most worrying one I can think of is Giggs' first game after Moyes was sacked.

 

[Seanus]

That fluid front three tonight with Sanchez still to come back will make this an interesting few weeks. Ole giving time to Fred and Pereira was also good. I know 1 swallw does not make a Summer but it can make a cracking Saturday night

 

[FrantikChicken]

@FrantikChicken @Red Devil Rising just confirming that Jose’s tactics are for the fullbacks to stay back and tuck in, 2 midfielders covering so that when you attack you only have 2 or 3. Also commented on his man management being rubbish about how he doesn’t really tell players what they are doing wrong or explaining why they are out and said the main reason he wanted to leave was due to Jose.

Also indicated a lot that he has been talking to people within the club that say the joy was gone and so on. I’m sure someone will post it later and I think Premier League Tonight normally ends up on YouTube.

Cheers, thanks for the summary

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

I was one of the 1% that predicted 5-1 to United.
What do I win?

Yep, me too. Just knew it. Buzzin'
Your Prediction
PL Cardiff City 1:5 Manchester United
Actual Result
PL Cardiff City 1:5 Manchester United

 

[FootyGirl88]

Cc @abdo99

 

[Cockney Phil]

Fantastic game.....absolutely loved it. We finished second for a reason last year, and at the start of last season we looked good so it was always possible. I as more concerned about who performed and how the shape of our team was.

Firstly, the big thing was the shape of the team...most importantly, the use of Pogba. He was truly an 8/10 hybrid today in the way Gerrard was under Benitez. He did not sit off the striker as much as most no.10's but played higher than a centre midfielder and he flourished in this role. He had less defensive responsibilities and allowed an avenue for the forward players to attack. In one game, ole may have solved a problem mourinho took forever to sort. Pogba is not a box to box or deep lying playmaker, he is an attacker, thats what he was when we signed him from Juventus, and what he proved today.

Secondly, I believe teams need to have at least 7 certain starters ( and 9 for ucl) to win the premier league. With Jose, apart from the start of last season, we have never had a settled group of players that work well together.

Out of the 11, i believe De Gea, Shaw, the trio in midfield and Martial are players that can start. Eventually Dalot will take the right back slot. We have 4 positions that are questionable in our first 11; the 2 centre back slots, the right flank and the starting striker role. For the centre back positions, we have some young players that can fight for the second slot in defence, lindelof, bailly, maybe Tuanzebe, but we need to sign a main centre back. We were not tested much defensively today, even though both Jones and Lindelof performed really well, but this position is our weakest in the first 11, and in order to build a solid base to allow consistent attacks in big games, we need a defender that can cover the second centre back, that can head the ball well, has good defensive and leadership skills, and can pass the ball well. We have good depth in the position and i would make some sales, but for me this is key defensively as shaw and dalot are expected to push up the field consistently.

In midfield, I believe Matic is still class if rested for some games. Herrera should mostly start, but him and fred should be rotated consistently to keep the energy fresh in the team. The attack is another major concern. We need an attack that knows how to play together and play with a quality rythm that can work off of Pogba. Martial should be a guarantee. But I do not think either rashford or lingard should be starters yet despite their good performance. Link ups often broke down due to them in attack. However I would like this period to be used to test and improve rashford as a striker, to guage his true level and potential. Lukaku has to be given a chance too, as he was good last season, but again we need to see whether he can play with some of the pace and link up play we had today, if not, then the striker position needs evaluation, and we have up to the summer to see what happens there. On the right wing, we have no pacy wingers, neither mata or lingard should start, and really should be squad options. I would love to see Tatith Chong test himself in that role. The big question in that position is Sanchez. If he wants it, he should be able to bring real quality to the position, but we need to see how that would look first. If we can have martial and sanchez on either flank, playing consistently well, our attack would be really dangerous, if not, that position should be heavily evaluated over the summer.

We have a good squad, with lots of really good players. We need to evaluate specific positions to see how we can become complete enough to match europe's best. The only signing I would make in January is for a centre back. Aside from that, current squad options have this season to stake a claim to those positions, and have to produce consistent quality to remain there.

I never thought Matic was an average player who deteriorated. We were crying out for a solid defensive midfielder for years under Fergie. When Matic arrived he was allowed a lot of freedom in defence but since mid-last season Jose had him playing as a defender/sweeper and tied to the back. He was caught up in all that Jose criticism over the quality of our centre backs. Today he was allowed to run freer and it showed how he supported and started the link up transition play with the forwards. He doesn’t need resting but being allowed to play to his strengths which he showed today.