[mu77]

not pretty , static football. 3 points but no better than from the start of the season.

 

[Leg-End]

Giggsy has mastered the super serious face even when he's joking or happy, you can see that in the gif actually, he's really happy and clapping and then immediately goes all Darren Gibson before LVG even turns to him.

 

[togg]

but...the united we know..and sure, things have changed....but in those last 15 we would have been taking risks and just attacking...fast paced, movement...seeking that through ball, running.....it's just not happening. We got the goal because of a mistake and Young's fortunate positioning, not because of any strategy, risk taking or style of play. Sure I'm glad of the win..of course...it keeps us in the pack, but dear me....despite our possession, LVG really needs to work out what we do in that final third....

 

[Sandikan]

I agree, watching it again , he clearly did spit at him, but was also spat back at, stupid from both players.

just doesn't happen with domestic players, that's the shock of it.

The likes of Diouf are normally the culprits

 

[SirFergie]

Agreed. I'm surprised by a lot of the moans on here. Maybe that's because I didn't follow the match day thread. it tends to be a pretty depressed place.

Why are you surprised? People on here are, at times, an absolute disgrace. They moan for LvG to play Falcao, he plays Falcao, they moan about him playing. They moan about playing Di Maria in a midfield 3, he plays him in a midfield 3, they moan he shouldn't start. They moan that he should play Rooney up front on his own, he plays him there, they moan. People, especially so called United fans, love moaning. It's what they do. People calling this a smash and grab don't know they meaning of the phrase.

 

[Pexbo]

We were far from great, yet again, but anyone who saw that game as a better one for Newcastle is watching life through a forcefield of tinted shite. We should've been 2 up in the first half alone.

Yep. We weren't great and should have done better but Newcastle were never a threat. We completely outplayed them, we were "lucky" we actually took one of our chances, it just so happened to be a late one.

If both teams could actually finish today it would have finished 4-2 United

 

[Organic Potatoes]

These are the type of matches that will decide our top 4 challenge.

 

[togg]

'Philosophy, philosophy!'

...yeah and by the movement of the lips...must be in Dutch...

 

[mazhar13]

Not perfect, but for once we can come away from the game thinking about the positives to build on rather than looking through the scraps. Indeed the only thing missing from our general performance was the tempo. Our shape, movement and possession were all good. Baby steps, but damn sight better than we've had so far in 2015.

We're starting to play much better than we did when we had that undefeated streak with 3 at the back. Our build-up, passing, and movement has improved, definitely. All we need right now is a higher tempo and a creator through the middle. We can't just rely on the wingers to create chances unless they're of the same class as Robben and Ribery.

 

[Shyftyy]

Typical van Gaal.. ¨Best match of the season¨ in the post-match conference.

 

[KeaneSixteen]

These are the type of matches that will decide our top 4 challenge.

Exactly.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

All the Ikea fixtures and fittings in this Fletch & Sav studio

 

[onlyoneunited]

Not a chance.

So bar the first few games of the season, when have we as a team played better this season?

 

[simonhch]

I don't even know... Some of you will just complain about anything.

We dominated the game utterly. Newcastle set up with one intention in mind, to stop us playing. They had a couple of chances from hopeful punts and set pieces, but aside from that didn't even try and win the game. It's hard to break down a team that is camped on the edge of their own penalty area.

We are far from perfect but showed a lot more cohesion today, which has been a real worry in recent weeks. If Rooney had scored one of his chances in the first half, the game would have been totally different; but as it was NUFC just had license to sit deeper and make it harder and harder. The goal had some luck about it, but what's wrong with that? We got men into the box and were able to capitalize.

Big win, hopefully it builds confidence.

 

[red_devil83]

Well, we did it. By hook or by crook. I can still believe in 4th.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Wow … they are hanging Evans out to dry on BT Sport

 

[togg]

Why are you surprised? People on here are, at times, an absolute disgrace. They moan for LvG to play Falcao, he plays Falcao, they moan about him playing. They moan about playing Di Maria in a midfield 3, he plays him in a midfield 3, they moan he shouldn't start. They moan that he should play Rooney up front on his own, he plays him there, they moan. People, especially so called United fans, love moaning. It's what they do. People calling this a smash and grab don't know they meaning of the phrase.

Hey...I know you've been to matches..I certainly have. The reaction on the Cafe as the game is playing is no different to the terraces...sure the crowd stay loyal...but around you the swearing..slagging off of players, LVG etc etc..is just as potent as it is on here. We score a goal and then everyone in the stadium goes wild....but then..as we leave...that criticism returns....

 

[RU Devil]

Yep. We weren't great and should have done better but Newcastle were never a threat. We completely outplayed them, we were "lucky" we actually took one of our chances, it just so happened to be a late one.

If both teams could actually finish today it would have finished 4-2 United

Yeah, probably agree. We definitely were the team on top most of the game, but it was frustrating watching all that possession go for naught for most of the game. It was like watching Arsenal, LOL.

It seems Rooney's timing is a bit off, as he was caught offside so much today. I think we got more touches in the penalty area than we usually do, but just didn't make that many truly dangerous chances. Like I said, like Arsenal.

 

[NJM78]

The goal was comical stuff but so so important given the other results but as a team what a pile of dog sh1t. If van Gaals philosophy is this after seven months I'm not looking forward to his full three year contract. I'd rather have 30% possession each game but go for it at pace instead of hogging the ball all day at pedestrian pace and then rely on complete gaffes and very late goals to win matches.

 

[Leg-End]

Savage hates us as much as he does the national speed limit.

 

[saivet]

So bar the first few games of the season, when have we as a team played better this season?

I was say Spurs (A), Liverpool (H) and Newcastle (H).

Granted none of these performances were stellar, I thought they were all better than tonight.

 

[RexHamilton]

Sure but we didn't look like scoring in the last 10 minutes until then. We should have been bombarding them, laying siege to their goal and playing with much more urgency. We should have won comfortable over the 90 minutes but got out of jail in the end.

This is the thing for me. Urgency.

There's this myth for the last two seasons that from 1992 to Fergie's retirement we played outstanding football all the time. Now no doubt, we have been incredibly dull and ordinary this seasons and last. We have never been so consistently bad for so long before. But we had plenty of games where we played very ordinary football. I remember plenty of games like this in Fergie's last couple of seasons and I remember plenty of grumbling on here.

But the difference was, if we needed a goal with 10 minutes to go we bombarded the opposition and more often than not, we got the goal. Fine, today we got it too and it was a bit of urgency from Rooney that forced their error, but it was a huge slice of luck. We didn't spend the entire last 10 minutes bombarding them.

With 5 minutes to go, Valencia got booked and Rooney went to argue with the ref. I know as captain he takes it as his duty to defend his players, but come on, five minutes to go and we badly need a goal and he's having a chat with the ref. My point is that to rely on getting that late goal you have to put pressure on and make chances. How many chances did we create in the last ten? Yeah, we got the goal, but as I said, it was a huge slice of luck.

That, along with the penalty that wasn't given, means we can count ourselves very lucky tonight.

 

[shabadu84]

Thought we played decently in the first half and really should have scored at least 1. That was an improvement IMO. Fellaini was useless and di Maria was poor so hopefully those things get fixed - Carrick in for Fellaini and Januzaj in for ADM? Thought Falcao would have done a better job with some of the chances we were creating, naturally he was on the bench for this.

Didn't see much of the 2nd half, but seemed like we were "out of ideas" - was Mata the fix? Falcao?

Ah well, titles have been won on 3 stolen points like that so hopefully we see the same impact on our top 4 chase.

 

[LARulz]

In that clip, he looks well pleased, then the second Van Gaal looks at him his face turns to thunder.

I wonder if he feels his input is minimal

Yep. I think he's pleased for obvious reasons but maybe, as you say, feel his impact is nothing. And feels this will only aid Van Gaal's ego because of pure luck.

Van Gaal seems to cave to public demand or it's just coincidence. In terms of playing Falcao, Januzaj, Rooney up top, switching systems etc. I think we should start demanding certain teams each week and see.

 

[Sam]

I enjoyed it, and thought we played well.

Some people are just suffering from to much negativity clouding judgments (which is no surprise after the last 2 seasons tbf)

 

[Will Absolute]

Not perfect, but for once we can come away from the game thinking about the positives to build on rather than looking through the scraps. Indeed the only thing missing from our general performance was the tempo. Our shape, movement and possession were all good. Baby steps, but damn sight better than we've had so far in 2015.

You should be on TV on election night representing a party that's just lost all its seats in Parliament.

 

[GloryHunter07]

Say what you like, but put any other keeper other than DDG in our goal, and we'd be leaving with 0 points.

Here are the facts:

- We scored from a Newcastle mistake
- Newcastle had the better chances, and had a genuine penalty appeal denied
- Our 'star players' other than Rooney failed to turn up once again

Possession is all good and all, but we do feck all with it. And when we do need it, like at the end of the game when we're defending a 1-0 lead, we can't seem to keep it and the players shit themselves.

I struggle to think of more than a handful of performances this season where I can say we looked comfortable for the 90 minutes and played well for the duration of the game.

None of which make it a "shocking, shocking performance".

Queenish post of the highest order

 

[RoadTrip]

As I've said in pretty much most post match threads this season, the result is what matters. We got the win. I want to see great football like the next guy but the single most important thing right now is top 4.

 

[shabadu84]

Savage hates us as much as he does the national speed limit.

United fans must make fun of him the most

 

[Verminator]

Thought we played very well tonight. Much better than Saturday. If Di Maria was in any kind of form, that would have been comfortable.
Most cohesive display this year.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Young > Di Maria right now

Yet ADM was involved in everything in the first half - even if a bit sloppy, and it was surprise that Young was on the pitch. I thought Young and Herrera were disappointing today. Not bad, I just had high expectations from both of them. Didn't look like they wanted to get involved. Young could have passed to Rooney, rather than shoot at one point and we would have been 1-0 up earlier on. Some bad crosses today as well.

 

[B20]

you really are jammy like nothing else

 

[Rory 7]

Is he saying 'Wait, wait!' to Giggsy?

Maybe Giggsy was pushing for subs sooner but Van Gaal was told him to be patient, as seen by Mata coming on so late. We got lucky though, defensive error gifted us the three points, LVG can't take credit for anything there.

I think he's saying 'Wayne, Wayne'. Maybe giving credit to Giggs for persuading to him to push Rooney back up top? But of course I could be wrong...

 

[Speak]

Not necessarily "lucky" to get the three points.
But "lucky" to have been gifted such a good opportunity that late on. Credit goes to Rooney for engineering it.

Would have been a horrible match day without all three points. That's all that matters... I guess.

 

[NinjaZombie]

you really are jammy like nothing else

And we fecking love it.

 

[Ekeke]

Lucky to score like we did, sure, but then using the same logic we were unlucky to miss the several chances we did, and have a good goal wrongly flagged offside.

Newcastle certainly weren't deserving of anything. If it had ended in a draw, they'd have been significantly "luckier" to get any points.

We've been lucky to get points countless times this season, and this was far closer to "earning" it than many of them.

They had just as many good chances and clearly should have had a pen. Rojo should have got a 2nd bookable, and both Evans and Cisse could have been off too.

We could have been 9 men vs 10 and having given them a penalty which they should have scored. In fact, if Smalling was called for the penalty he might have been off as well...

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Yet ADM was involved in everything in the first half - even if a bit sloppy, and it was surprise that Young was on the pitch. I thought Young and Herrera were disappointing today. Not bad, I just had high expectations from both of them. Didn't look like they wanted to get involved. Young could have passed to Rooney, rather than shoot at one point and we would have been 1-0 up earlier on. Some bad crosses today as well.

I honestly think that is down to the manager's instructions, which is probably why we haven't won many games away from home.

 

[Dominos]

It may be wishful thinking, and I've been very negative about our top 4 chances but I think that could be a turning point in our season. It's looked very bleak and we seemed to have been on a downward spiral, failing to collet 3 points tonight with everyone else winning their games would've been disastrous. There's definitely a wave of positivity to come from this, if we manage to put a run together from this point it wouldn't surprise me, sometimes you need that bit of luck to kickstart a spell of good form.

 

[Mockney]

Agreed. I'm surprised by a lot of the moans on here. Maybe that's because I didn't follow the match day thread. it tends to be a pretty depressed place.

A lot of people seemed to have settled into a kind of default pessimism, and if last year as taught us anything, it's that it's a hard thing to shake. Tonight wasn't anything remotely special, but if this game was 4 years ago, we'd be claiming justice was done, and wondering how we didn't win it by at least two clear goals rather than focusing on the jammyness of our winner. If we'd created nothing else, I'd understand, but we were actually really wasteful tonight. Which in the scheme of things, is genuine progress of sorts!

Yep. We weren't great and should have done better but Newcastle were never a threat. We completely outplayed them, we were "lucky" we actually took one of our chances, it just so happened to be a late one.

If both teams could actually finish today it would have finished 4-2 United

Just watching the post match highlights, and we actually had more chances than I remembered. Fellaini's header and Rooney's header I'd completely forgotten. Rooney alone should've gotten at least two.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

LvG in (lengthy) post match interview has a daffodil in the lapel … Giggs must have overruled the choice of a Gladioli for St Davids Day!