[JMack1234]

It was hard work.

We played like a team that had made 9 changes and knew we were playing uninspiring opposition that we could comfortably beat in third gear and that's what we did.

 

[crossy1686]

9 changes, very disjointed side who looked like they’d never played together.

Overall a solid, professional win.

Concerning that there still doesn’t seem to be any kind of link up play between Sanchez and Lukaku. Not sure if Sanchez was actually injuried or he’d just had enough of essentially playing on his own. Give them both the benefit of the doubt for now.

Phil Jones deserves way more credit than he gets. Been at the club 8 seasons, saved us a number of times today. Even did a face plant for the cause. All round good guy.

 

[Judas]

There was plenty of linkup play between Sanchez and Lukaku, they even combined for the goal. But we're never going to see great linkup play with Lukaku because he's just that limited.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

9 changes, very disjointed side who looked like they’d never played together.

They haven’t.

 

[crossy1686]

They haven’t.

That’s why I said it.

 

[Teja]

Despite the posts here, I see a lot of promise with Fred and Pereira. There have been flashes of what each can do, Fred had atleast 2-3 great forward passes that lead to a good attacking situation (Sanchez shot, Mata penalty etc.) but just needs to keep it simple most of the time. Not totally sold on his defensive game, so I don't think Matic / Pogba / Fred is ever going to work with Pogba's current role on the inside left.

Pereira tries to dribble his way out of some ridiculous situations but was also succesful doing that a couple of times and opened up a lot of space. Again needs to keep things a lot simpler most of the time.

I thought Sanchez was pretty shit the other day against Newcastle, but he's just coming back from an long injury and rustiness is expected. Looked a bit sharper today but needs some more match fitness before he's 100%. I'd like to see him get a run in the team before writing him off completely.

Lukaku is just a bit shit, without Rashford / Lingard's legs our pressing game suffered and our cobbled together midfield was basically crap. Maybe there's a way to get the system to work with Lukaku leading the line but I hope Rashford starts at #9 every game with Lukaku coming off the bench. We could also try Lukaku on the right

 

[crossy1686]

There was plenty of linkup play between Sanchez and Lukaku, they even combined for the goal. But we're never going to see great linkup play with Lukaku because he's just that limited.

They were regularly arguing because they weren’t pressing as a unit and Sanchez even had a go after Lukaku scored because he wanted him to make more runs like that. Sanchez also cut quite a disinterested figure for most of the match.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Happy with the result but that was a bit shit, wasn’t it? In games like this you’re looking for fringe players to put pressure on the first XI. Turns out they did the exact opposite. Every single one of them looked terrible. Apart from, maybe, Darmian? Oh well. Still early days in the post Mourinho era and we all know, deep down, this squad still needs a fairly major overhaul.

 

[crossy1686]

Happy with the result but that was a bit shit, wasn’t it? In games like this you’re looking for fringe players to put pressure on the first XI. Turns out they did the exact opposite. Every single one of them looked terrible. Apart from, maybe, Darmian? Oh well. Still early days in the post Mourinho era and we all know, deep down, this squad still needs a fairly major overhaul.

Agreed, no one is exactly knocking on the door, apart from Jones. Darmian was woeful and got caught out loads, Dalot bailed him out a couple of times.

Would be absolutely fine with none of that lot (except Jones) starting against Tottenham.

 

[Rightnr]

I mean it was a terrible watch but it's not like we've never had games like this games under SAF in the FA cup early rounds against crap opposition where we grind out the win. It's a shame we didn't have more young blood, if anything.

What's disappointing is that virtually no one took their chance to push for a starting slot and Sanchez rounded off his average display by getting injured. Mata was also awful and he's increasingly heading for the exit, alongside Pereira.

The worst thing to take away from this is that we have a pretty good starting 11 but there's not much else outside of that.

 

[Judas]

I don't want Jones starting either though, he's guaranteed a feck up in pretty much every game.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Jaysus. Just seen the match stats. Diabolical. We were comprehensively outplayed by a team that’s bottom of the Championship. At home.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

Jaysus. Just seen the match stats. Diabolical. We were comprehensively outplayed by a team that’s bottom of the Championship. At home.

It reminds me of the Crawley match with Bebe starting at CF all those years ago. Utterly terrible opponent yet we got outplayed and outworked, yet somehow still won.

 

[red woppit]

Sanchez is going to look at least a bit better in a team with Pogba/Rashford/Lingard/Martial. You know actually talented quick players, ones that can play the sort of football we've been playing the previous 4 games.

You could say that about any player that played today. In my eyes there was very little movement from the front players, which made the job of the midfielders quite difficult, we seem to be in cruise mode for most of the match, which doesn't seem to suit some players, at least it gave Ole and the staff a game to assess certain players, and also another FA cup game where some of these could get another 90 minutes, if the draw is reasonable. I like Pereira, but in fairness wasn't the best display from him, some good patches of play, but also some poor decisions, I would like to see him in a faster moving game, possibly the Burnley or Brighton matches coming up where you would have more movement up front.

 

[Judas]

Pereira isn't suited to playing as a defensive midfielder, I don't know who thought he could or why people pretend he can. It's not his game, its not his position, and it does him no favours that he hardly gets a game, and then when he does its in completely the wrong position.

 

[RedIan]

We got away with it today. Poor performance, too many changes at once for me. I can see why ole wanted to rotate but 3 or 4 changes rather than 9. Was very dull to watch, a step back to jose level of entertainment.

On evidence so far i dont rate Fred at all, looses possession or gives it away to much, maybe hes trying too hard. Mctominay is an average midfielder doesn't look Man Utd standard to me at this stage of his development. Pierra has a nice touch but gets knocked off the ball to easily. All 3 in midfield meant it was a struggle and we made a struggling Reading team look great.
Zzzzzzzzzz

 

[Adcuth]

Wasn't it precautionary? Shit.

He asked to come off himself, probably not to aggrevate it

 

[Bobski]

Pereira isn't suited to playing as a defensive midfielder, I don't know who thought he could or why people pretend he can. It's not his game, its not his position, and it does him no favours that he hardly gets a game, and then when he does its in completely the wrong position.

Can he play in any of the midfield roles in the PL? Valencia used him on the left didn't they?

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Really poor performance. Passed off the park by one of the worst teams in the Championship. feck it though, a win is a win. Glad we saved the shite performance for this game.

 

[UnitedChampionsAgain]

People talk about us having a big squad but on today's evidence how many of them are actually any good? Not many from what I saw. Pathetic performance against a team waiting for relegation. If this had been away from home we may have gone out. So this is where we are, a few injuries to our top players and we're really going to struggle...no matter who the manager is.

 

[MadDogg]

They were regularly arguing because they weren’t pressing as a unit and Sanchez even had a go after Lukaku scored because he wanted him to make more runs like that. Sanchez also cut quite a disinterested figure for most of the match.

There was one moment in the second half that really highlighted how badly they were combining. A ball was played up that Sanchez did very well to win in the air and knock down towards Lukaku, but Lukaku was just standing there idly ball-watching. Lukaku managed to still get to the ball first and then did well to run down the left into dangerous territory, then he looked to play the ball back to Sanchez only to find that this time Sanchez had just stood back and watched instead of backing him up.

It's the kind of thing that really stood out compared to the much better interplay that we get with Martial/Rashford/Lingard.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

See the happiness has gone,

feck knows what this place would be like when we lose

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

See the happiness has gone,

feck knows what this place would be like when we lose

Only this bunch can moan so much after five fecking wins in a row.

They should feck off and support Liverpool.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Only this bunch can moan so much after five fecking wins in a row.

They should feck off and support Liverpool.

Nah, City would be perfect for some of our so called fans

 

[royboy16]

Clean sheet and a nice well taken Lukaku goal.

 

[Zexstream]

it was an uninspiring game after 4 fantastic premier league performances. We did what we needed to do without having to move into 2nd gear, I'm happy enough with the result and it was always expected that we would slow down against easy opposition.

We never looked vulnerable to lose the game.

Nice break for the lads to recuperate now and hopefully give us a good chance to beat Spurs next week.

 

[Penna]

Only this bunch can moan so much after five fecking wins in a row.

They should feck off and support Liverpool.

Yes, I'm a bit perplexed as to why anyone is unhappy today. Ole did exactly what you'd expect him to do selection-wise, and it proved to be the right decision because we won. Our key players have been rested/protected, our second string have had a game, we go through to the next round.

 

[RedMilo]

Just back from the game, 3 things

1) Poor game
2) Our second string midfield are not good enough unfortunately
3) The fans in E30 were fantastic, didn't stop singing for one minute. 'Ole's at the Wheel, tell me how god does it feel'

PS Hope Phelan finds his shorts

 

[Inigo Montoya]

it was an uninspiring game after 4 fantastic premier league performances. We did what we needed to do without having to move into 2nd gear, I'm happy enough with the result and it was always expected that we would slow down against easy opposition.

We never looked vulnerable to lose the game.

Nice break for the lads to recuperate now and hopefully give us a good chance to beat Spurs next week.

This!

Post match reports do claim we were sloppy at times but after the 2 goal cushion,it really never looked in doubt.

Good opportunity to give some players a run out, and Mata,Romero looked quality

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Yes, I'm a bit perplexed as to why anyone is unhappy today. Ole did exactly what you'd expect him to do selection-wise, and it proved to be the right decision because we won. Our key players have been rested/protected, our second string have had a game, we go through to the next round.

Because we didn't win 7-0 like Spurs obviously

 

[reddevil80]

Pereira and Fred looked awful to me.
Lukaku' 1st touch is still non-existent.
Other than Jones, Darmian and Dalot; nobody stood out for me.
Young is definitely not a left back, (maybe left back in the changing room).

Other than those things, we're through to the next round and they are off on a bonding break. Let's hope they're back ready and pumped for Spurs next week.

 

[Kapardin]

It was a terrible performance but the positive is that we neither have a manager who deliberately encourages this style of play nor one who is content with the style so long as we win. We know for sure that this is an aberration rather than the norm. Our coaches will sort the second string out too, give them time.

 

[redmanc]

Never really expected anything else from the team selection or the disjointed performance, nice were through as more football to look forward too .

 

[ken11]

Several players need to be moved on from the club. Not saying we don't need squad players to plug into the 1st team when a starter goes down but some of them shouldn't even qualify to be a squad player because of how poor they are individually.

 

[youngrell]

Can see why the majority of these players have had little time under Ole, they are all still playing Jose ball.

So flat throughout, a real disappointment.

 

[Eriku]

People are mental to judge our backup players on today’s performance. Any time you rotate so that virtually none of our regulars feature and a bunch of players who don’t have much match rhythm get bundled in together, you get these kinds of performances. Had we retained most of our last lineup and changed one or two, you would likely have seen far better performances from our backup players, as they slot into a team that’s already playing well.

Anyway, with regards to the match in general I am pretty happy. We didn’t really look good but we rotated and rested some players ahead of the Spurs match, and we showed that we are a cut above Reading, even when we look as disjointed as we did today. Under Mou today would likely have been way more scrappy.

 

[MAME DIOUF 32]

Today was a reminder that the team is stronger than Mourinho made it look but the squad is still full of problems. Only Darmian took his opportunity. The rest of the fringe players showed little or nothing.

It's going to be very tough for Ole to push for 4th and try to compete for a trophy.

 

[OldPop]

Even the players who received very little or no playing time dared to take some risks today. With Mourinho's defensive game idea as a basis, I think we could very well have lost the match.

Now we still won it quite comfortably and didn't release any goals either. Nevertheless, many are disappointed and despite the fact that nine ordinary players could rest at the same time. The demands are increasing rapidly, a little too fast.

 

[Wumminator]

Was literally just like under Fergie that. Even though we were shit we created enough and did enough to go through. Think the three midfielders did really poorly with Scott Mctominay doing the best out of the three which is worrying.

 

[Random Task]

Yes, I'm a bit perplexed as to why anyone is unhappy today. Ole did exactly what you'd expect him to do selection-wise, and it proved to be the right decision because we won. Our key players have been rested/protected, our second string have had a game, we go through to the next round.

I wouldn't say people are unhappy, as such, more concerned at the lack of depth in the squad.

Out first 11 is comparable to the best the prem has to offer. We just need to remain relatively injury free and we should be fine.