[sammsky1]

I feel like we lost the match reading the Caf tonight.

weird hey? Im delighted!

I was somebody who advocated ignoring this tournament this season, but I've really enjoyed the thrill of cup competition.

And this is now tense ... we most likely have to win this cup to qualify for CL, so the games have real tension and meaning. And when we win and progress, it feels fantastic.

Club has to get into the habit of winning again. May as well be here.

 

[sammsky1]

I'd take sixth with two trophies and champions league next season. Quite possible spurs, arse pool and citeh win feck all and get in top four

done. Let the season end now and Im happy with that.

 

[Kevin]

Whatever floats your boat.

If you feel better thinking I admitted that then go on.

Every forum should have its clown. We will preserve you.

You've edited in that clown bit because you felt a bit short on your 'comeback' didn't you?

Anyway, I'm out of this thread to discuss some issues with dear Jose.

 

[Ban]

You've edited in that clown bit because you felt a bit short on your 'comeback' didn't you?

Anyway, I'm out of this thread to discuss some issues with dear Jose.

Yup.

 

[noodlehair]

Jones came on for his height, they took off their creative wideman and brought on that big lump.
Jose said himself Rojo was in big trouble so if he had to come off he could move Jones infield and play Mkhi (?) as wingback which he has done already this season.
If we brought on Shaw and Rojo had to go off then our subs are used and Rashford is stuck on the bench. It would have killed us.

It did kill us. We went from having a large degree of control on the game to sitting back and hoping they didn't score, and conceding chances.

We were lucky we got the goal when we did.

If Rojo was in trouble he should have taken Rojo off and then we could have switched from the silly formation that did nothing but cause problems for us all night.

It was a LLVG sub. Making a change to spite yourself rather than help the team.

 

[TMDaines]

My only concern is that the longer we keep dominating games, creating chances and not getting the goals to match, the less the likelihood is that we're just being unfortunate and more than our finishing is chronically bad. I still expect it to turn at some point.

 

[The Purley King]

Jones came on at left wing back when Luke Shaw and Ashley Young are both in our squad and not injured.

There is no possible scenario in which that isn't amazingly crap management. It also had a massively negative impact on our performance and could easily have cost us the game.

Why we were even playing with ffive at the back in the first place would be a stretch to justify. We constantly had two players standing around doing absolutely feck all because of our stupid set up. I've no real idea why we set up like that in the first place, but there was no justifcation at all for not changing it after the first half hour when it was clearly not suited to the game.

Agree 100%
The crowd was cheering the poor fecker when he managed to make a pass ffs. Embarrassing.
Someone will have to tell me what shaw has done wrong. Anyone would have been better at lb apart from Jones.

 

[cyberman]

It did kill us. We went from having a large degree of control on the game to sitting back and hoping they didn't score, and conceding chances.

We were lucky we got the goal when we did.

If Rojo was in trouble he should have taken Rojo off and then we could have switched from the silly formation that did nothing but cause problems for us all night.

It was a LLVG sub. Making a change to spite yourself rather than help the team.

They brought off their wideman, they had no threat from wide.
Their one chance came from a long ball, thats the only threat they had so why bring on Ashley Young? To stand and watch Smalling win a header?
We smothered them for 90 mins, our defending tonight was the least of our problems.
How was it an LVG sub? Blind had to come off unless I misread the situation?

 

[stu_1992]

Only caught the second half and yeah it wasn't pretty but it was job done. At this stage of the season with the run of games that we are on, we just need to get over the line first and foremost. Romero with probably his best game for us tonight. Fair play to him.

 

[Paxi]

Forks out for Jose in his thread.
Strange times. We got through yet it's all this negativity tonight.

I know. God forbid we go out to Genk, people will want Pochettino in.

 

[Ban]

I know. God forbid we go out to Genk, people will want Pochettino in.

Atmosphere is poisonous already.

 

[sammsky1]

It did kill us. We went from having a large degree of control on the game to sitting back and hoping they didn't score, and conceding chances.

We were lucky we got the goal when we did.

If Rojo was in trouble he should have taken Rojo off and then we could have switched from the silly formation that did nothing but cause problems for us all night.

It was a LLVG sub. Making a change to spite yourself rather than help the team.

Yeah. why do you think he brought on Jones instead of Young? Made no sense to me.

Felt sorry for poor Jones. Did his best, but looked so out of position.

 

[711]

Oh christ I was so bored I didn't realise we had three at the back. When I saw Valencia forward I thought good old Valencia and when I saw him at the back it turns out it wasn't him it was Bailly. I'll have to stop drinking.

 

[Fitchett]

Great spirit from the lads. To have travelled to Russia last week, returned to play Chelsea, lost three key players, got a red card, played almost 60 minutes with only ten men, deal with a disappointing travelling arrangement, forced to travel late into the early morning of Tuesday, start training again and be ready to play a stubborn and defensive Russian side and still win, kudos. People need to cut this team some slack. Next season is the real deal after Jose would have brought in new additions and let some current players leave. For now, they just need to find their way to the Champions League through any means possible.

This. Absolutely spot on. It's all about the team pacing themselves, cliches about it being a marathon and not a sprint are correct. It's not about burning ourselves out midway through the season, as Liverpool have done after a high energy first half of the season.

 

[sunama]

Welcome back LVG!

You know, the weird thing today is that Jose played to get a 0-0 draw and score a goal on the off chance. Remember, we were already going through at 0-0.
LVG, on the other hand, would've got 0-0 or lost 1-0 and claimed that he was attacking.

 

[sunama]

We have definitely got the best keeper and best no 2 keeper in the world.

Its funny how people despair when Sergio Romero is playing, but statistically, he is actually very good for us. In fact, it would take a VERY good GK (such as DDG) to displace him into No.2 position.
Not many GKs out there, who are as good as Romero.

 

[sunama]

He must've been really suffering with lack of energy for him to start eating during the game itself. Considering that at HT, he'd have taken in some calories.

 

[Sereques]

Romero Motm for me. Those two crucial saves were priceless.

 

[sammsky1]

He must've been really suffering with lack of energy for him to start eating during the game itself. Considering that at HT, he'd have taken in some calories.

Low potassium levels during sports lead to spiralling blood pressure. I've also had it.

But you can't predict when it will happen. It's quickly solvable through eating bananas.

All's well that ends well.

 

[Sereques]

Always the same. Unless it's a 10-0 hammering some will never be happy! Pogba's shite, Jose ain't got a clue, crowd are wank, formation's all wrong etc., etc., etc.

But we won and we're through?

Most of those critics are the type that goes on lunch break after 3 hours of work and call out sick every other week, they have the guts to question this team when it's obvious the team is exhausted.

 

[Sereques]

Oh I agree, but it's getting there that I'm not confident about. I was so gutted about the Bournemouth result, would have given us a bit more confidence to stay close to the top four. Anyway, onwards.

Staying close is useless at this point considering everyone ahead of us now have 1 game a week till season ends.

 

[Art]

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Done, next round.

We have been very poor for quite a few matches now. Many players look knackered. Add negative tactics and not a lot to praise. Didn't get the logic of 5 at the back when they parked the bus.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

@Dwazza

I rarely insult people, it is usually the ones I interact with that come with the barrage of insults. But to me you may give them a free pass on that for doing so as you'll rarely hear me complain about it. It just proves to me that I have been proven correct once again and there's more drama to be found in the little pinky nail I broke during uncomely activities I sometimes perform.

Don't worry about the conduct of others, worry about your own. Your tagline denotes you as a more prominent poster and, therefore, one more likely to be noticed acting naughty. A person of your intellect should realize this.

 

[Mockney]

It was a poor game to watch, but not that poor of a performance. I never felt remotely threatened, and we dominated completely, albeit in a fairly sterile and toothless way. People are tripping balls if they think it was anything worth whinging about.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

It was a poor game to watch, but not that poor of a performance. I never felt remotely threatened, and we dominated completely, albeit in a fairly sterile and toothless way. People are tripping balls if they think it was anything worth whinging about.

Fair points all, Mockers. I reckon Jose wanted a low effort 0-0.

 

[IronTulip]

Jones came on for his height, they took off their creative wideman and brought on that big lump.
Jose said himself Rojo was in big trouble so if he had to come off he could move Jones infield and play Mkhi (?) as wingback which he has done already this season.
If we brought on Shaw and Rojo had to go off then our subs are used and Rashford is stuck on the bench in case of extra time.
It would have killed us.

We know Jose doesn't rotate much. With most of the starting 11 having looked knackered for the past month, travelling so much, playing 3 games in 8 days, along with the suspensions and injuries, it was probably the logical choice to play 5 at the back and protect the slender advantage.

I didn't enjoy the game but the most important thing is we are into the next round

If Pep started with 5 at the back instead of playing an attacking lineup, maybe they would still be in the CL.

 

[RU Devil]

The injuries really messed with our whole sub pattern & formation. Not sure if Jose would've preferred someone else (Carrick maybe) to replace Pogba, but the only one ready was Fellaini at the time, so he threw him on instead of waiting. Jones might've come on for Rojo, but Blind got hurt first. At least Jose didn't make the mistake of moving Rojo to LWB & Jones into the back 3, as we already know Rojo is a liability at LB. Not that Jones was any great shakes there too, as he looked totally flustered and afraid to feck it up. The back-passing in the left corner between him, Rojo, & Smalling was scary, TBH, and their only outlet was Fellaini & Ibra. It really seemed rather comical at times.

I think if we had already scored, Jose would've preferred doing a double-switch to take off Rojo/Blind & replace with Jones/Young. As it was, he was hedging his bets and holding out a possibility of Rashford just in case we needed to score.

A very odd game, especially as you could tell our guys were jaded & tiring as the game wore on, but Rostov wasn't willing to push for a score, which they needed anyway.

 

[gerdm07]

Fellaini played better than Pogba.

I agree.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

We didn't win 10-0.
We didn't play like Barcelona.
I could do a better job on Fifa.
In fact on Fifa i signed x y and Z and got rid of a b and c.

Because of all these things it was not good enough. My toys are firmly out of the pram.

Super weird post.

 

[RedCurry]

It feels like forever since we outplayed a team in Europe. But this was a professional job done.

Pogba was dominating the game, his injury really came at the wrong time I felt. I had him chalked down to score one today.

Mata and Mkhitaryan playing together almost always makes us a better team.

 

[UnitedForever147]

Look at the difference between our free kicks and their cracker at the end. Ibra straight into the wall for the thousandth time and Pogba with a brainless effort. Then their lad steps up and shows how it should be done. Its not just free kicks though, our corners drive me round the bend! What the hell are they doing in training??

 

[Pavl3n]

Despite LVGesque performance I will stand behind the general tactics bar 1 or 2 decisions. I would relate the 3 at the back with releasing pressure of the full/wing backs. Valencia is a hard working player and for the majority of the game he had less defensive duties, which definitely reduces fatigue. And having less defensive duties would allow him going forward more than usual which also would reduce the work rate of the front three, which were Ibra, Mikhi and Mata - none of whom played against Chelsea (Mikhi played but only 35 min). Herrera was in the middle, but he's suspended so he was used to the full of his potential and the only left is Pogba, well there you go, fatigue had it's say.
That is a game Jose loves. He always talks about how we control the game, we score a goal and control a game and so on. That was the case from the beginning. Slow pace, solid defending, keep the ball. The fact that Rostov were heartless chickens aided to the cause. Never seen so unmotivated play. They were only a goal away from bringing things to extra time and didn't really push for it.

The only questions I have are why Jones for Blind, instead of Young, who seemed like he might come on after all? May be the height, may be he wanted to really park the bus. And why didn't Rashford come in? I understand he wanted to keep his options open with available sub, but Mata doesn't offer anything defensively and going forward he lacks pace when we knew we would counter attack. We had a couple of opportunities to spring a counter and the lack of pace up forward was what killed them off, before they even started.
Rashford was rested, defense didn't have to work as hard, so they're sort of rested. Fellaini didn't play a full game, so he will be fully ready for Boro this weekend. Mikhi only played his first full game this month.


End of the day end result is we are in to the quarters and going to the Riverside with rested squad. That's exactly what Mourinho would've wanted so I would say job well done.

 

[Acole9]

Talk about pushing our luck, we should've won this match comfortably and made a right performance out of it.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Was this the least controversial match of our season? I can barely remember any player even talking to the ref.

 

[dogwithabone]

Played some good stuff tonight at times but our lack of killer instinct is a worry. Zlatan was frustrating on the ball and conceded possession a bit too easily. Credible performances from Fellaini, Valencia, Rojo, Mata and Romero from what I saw (only starred watching after half hour.

 

[Bobcat]

Great spirit from the lads. To have travelled to Russia last week, returned to play Chelsea, lost three key players, got a red card, played almost 60 minutes with only ten men, deal with a disappointing travelling arrangement, forced to travel late into the early morning of Tuesday, start training again and be ready to play a stubborn and defensive Russian side and still win, kudos. People need to cut this team some slack. Next season is the real deal after Jose would have brought in new additions and let some current players leave. For now, they just need to find their way to the Champions League through any means possible.

Fully agreed with this. We do struggle with sides who park the bus, but if i hadn't watched the game and only gone by the comments in this thread i would believe he got a real hiding and got knocked out

 

[ants7]

Considering we played 10 v 11 away at Bridge few nights before, I think we were in safe-mode. We were through already, just needed to defend and except for a chance or two (brilliant saves by Romero), we were safe. Shame about the injuries.

Negative - converting chances to goals. But there's been enough talk about this.

Job done. On to Middlesbrough.

 

[wr8_utd]

Absolutely.

It's been a hectic few weeks. We can forget performances if we keep progressing.

The thing is, with performances like this, we won't keep progressing.

 

[Sultan]

The thing is, with performances like this, we won't keep progressing.

Yesterday was about progressing to the next round with minimum effort. Goal Achieved.