[Retrokicks]

Pretty much what I predicted when the draw was made and still think we'll squeak it by a single goal!

There's no way they'll score at Old Trafford IMHO. They're just too lightweight up front.

 

[edcunited1878]

Needed a goal to take back home. The crowd at OT will be nervous and tense. Highly doubt the crowd will be really, really up for it because it's "only" the round of 16 against Sevilla.

At minimum, I would think United will up their performance, focus and intensity a couple of levels at home.

 

[redmanx]

Sucks we couldn't get the win but everyone knows this Sevilla team has no chance at Old Trafford.

Oh?

 

[fergies coat]

A win and we’re through to the quarterfinals. If we can’t beat Sevilla at home we don’t deserve to go through.

Gonna be a big night at Old Trafford in a few weeks. Let’s all enjoy it we’ve not had a big European game for what seems like ages. I’m confident. Hopefully we play with pace and a high tempo.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

Everyone saying that 0-0 is a good result to take home, are you out of your minds? This is almost like losing. If they score first at OT then suddenly we need to score two, and god forbid they score first in the latter stages of the game then we panic and no way we score two goals under pressure.

We should've risked it all to get that away goal today, worst case we would've conceded and lost 0-1, doesn't change much for the return leg. I really hope that this lack of urgency to get the away goal won't bite us in the ass.

It's nothing like losing.
It's more like drawing.

 

[Giggs86]

It's nothing like losing.
It's more like drawing.

25 shots to 6.
8 to 1 on target.
12 corners to 4.
We committed almost twice as much fouls than them.

If you'd seen those stats without seeing the teams you'd think it was Barca/Madrid against West Brom, not fecking Sevilla vs. United.

The result is 0-0 but I feel like we got battered. Hopefully the players feel the same.

 

[cyril C]

What a horrible performance. Been like this since the Spurs away game. Absolutely boring and sloppy.

0-0 is not a great result away from home. Basically we have to win to go through. Any score draw puts Sevilla in the QF.

I fear something has suddenly gone very bad in the attitude of the team in general. Hope I'm wrong.

Qualify this - Any draw put Sevilla in QF. What about another 0-0 draw? Are you talking about the Chelsea game instead? 0-0 draw at Barca would have put Barca in the QF.

 

[Adnan]

A complete borefest thanks to Mourinho and we're extremely fortunate not to be at least a goal down.

 

[LoneStar]

In no way can this draw be attributed to Mourinho. If DDG hadn’t made those godly saves, we might as well have crashed out of the CL.

And 0-0 against Sevilla is not a good result for me. They score 1 against us at home, and I can’t see us going through. It was clear that from the start of the game, we were instructed to play hoofball. Maybe going out at this stage isn’t a bad thing, wouldn’t want to get embarrassed by the likes of PSG, Madrid, Barca etc.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

25 shots to 6.
8 to 1 on target.
12 corners to 4.
We committed almost twice as much fouls than them.

If you'd seen those stats without seeing the teams you'd think it was Barca/Madrid against West Brom, not fecking Sevilla vs. United.

The result is 0-0 but I feel like we got battered. Hopefully the players feel the same.

I don't see the home leg being the same though.
And yes I hope the players are up for it.

 

[sglowrider]

Not sure what all the moaning is about. Jose has always been the pragmatist ie getting the result regardless how we do it.
It was clear to me that Jose wanted to soak up the pressure of the home team. The wrench was thrown into the works when Herrera had to pull out with his hammy injury. Pogba is clearly not at 100% when you can see the pace he was running at.

The original plan was to soak up the pressure then hit them either with an outlet ball between Sanchez and Lukaku. If things remain the same, then take more risk towards the last 20minutes of the match.

We achieved the most basic objective which is to not lose and better still, a no score.

Fergie had played this pragmatic style of footie towards the end of his tenure at OT too. Get a pragmatic result in the 1st leg especially after the group stage of progression. We weren't always all gung-ho under Fergie. He understood the value of pragmatism if you are to achieve consistent results, especially after the 99 generation who were eventually found out.

This is Jose. This is how he achieves results. If he fails to deliver, then ok.. thats the time to gripe.

We have had some crappy years under the two previous regimes. We need to be back in the chase of silverware to make ourselves relevant in the eyes of the fans and the football world in general.
I doubt if Jose will be here for the next 20 years but he will give us a foundation to enable us to compete against the best in the world in the next few years -- with this back to 'winning' platform.
Then we can take bigger risks and bring back sexy football, most likely with another manager.

 

[Hawks2008]

This was utter shit, almost 2 hours of my life I'll never get back but I wouldn't mind such a dire approach if we at least nicked an away goal. We're not playing at Barcelona or Bayern Munich, it's Seville ffs and he showed them far too much respect.

 

[Jersey Heel]

I literally fell asleep in the second half. No exaggeration.

 

[automaticflare]

I remember you losing to a side that hadn’t made it to the semis for 8 years in 2010. A side that was captained by Mark Van Bommel and featured Martin fecking Denichelis in defense. So that was fecking superb?

Also got bashed by arsenal and beat them counter both games
Got bashed by Madrid away when we drew 1-1 I think De Gea was man of the match

People have tinted glasses on to suit their argument

 

[manunited1919]

25 shots to 6.
8 to 1 on target.
12 corners to 4.
We committed almost twice as much fouls than them.

If you'd seen those stats without seeing the teams you'd think it was Barca/Madrid against West Brom, not fecking Sevilla vs. United.

The result is 0-0 but I feel like we got battered. Hopefully the players feel the same.

Look at the positive. If we win at Old Trafford we are through to the quarterfinals. And, the team practiced absorbing pressure and negative tactics today, which will be necessary if/when we do play Barca/Madrid.

BTW, I want us to play good football, but if we make it into the semifinals, regardless of how we play, I would say the team will have exceeded any expectations.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

This was utter shit, almost 2 hours of my life I'll never get back but I wouldn't mind such a dire approach if we at least nicked an away goal. We're not playing at Barcelona or Bayern Munich, it's Seville ffs and he showed them far too much respect.

If I had a farthing....

People need new material.

 

[Giggs86]

This was utter shit, almost 2 hours of my life I'll never get back but I wouldn't mind such a dire approach if we at least nicked an away goal. We're not playing at Barcelona or Bayern Munich, it's Seville ffs and he showed them far too much respect.

That's an understatement. We basically opened our arses and let them have a free go at will for one price of admission. 26 shots, no less! From fecking Sevilla who we made look like Barca and Madrid combined. Absolutely embarrassing.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Woof. That game thread really was something else, my word.

Have to say, this game brought back the full encapsulation of why haven't bothered watching any Spanish football in years. The amount of diving and play acting makes it completely unwatchable. Especially considering our game is based more around physicality, tackling and watching their players go over for nearly every 50/50 looking for a free kick was a total chore. Glad I don't have to bother with it really.

Result was good, performance was disjointed a little but we're still growing as a unit and integrating Sanchez. I think we should be able to get a result at home, these are the games that people often forget when they complain about how "we never close out games". We closed it out and I look forward to a more attacking performance in the second leg.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I dont think the team selection had anything to do with the poor game. Our attacks were disjoint and our players don't seem to have any kind of link up play. As if they dont get the tactics or as if they hardly play with each other in training

 

[Laphroaig]

1) That was probably the best referee we've had all season. He looked like a 25 year old from Sweden - who was he?
2) De Gea.
3) Job done, we'll get through.
4) Easy to see why Pogba didn't start.
5) Who the feck is that Gary fella who commented for Bein? He was so terrible I chose to opt for McManaman half an hour into the game. Edit: Was it Gary Bailey?

Our record in Spain (before tonight’s game)

Celta Vigo (0-1, Rashford) last season was most recent away win against a Spanish team. Other two were in 2010 against Valencia (0-1, Hernandez) and 2002 against Deportivo (0-2, Beckham and Ruud). And that’s it. Drawn or lost the other 20 games. Five of the last seven ended nil all. 6 out of 8 after tonight’s game.

I heard that stat before the game, but feel it's a completely useless one. Those "poor" away results in Spain were (probably) against great teams, Barca og Real Madrid, or those horrifically boring group stage games at Villarreal (maybe Sevilla as well?) where both teams pretty much agreed beforehand to settle for excruciatingly boring draws. I mean - how many knockout stage CL games have we had away to Spanish teams that aren't RM or Barca? Because those ones would be the only really comparable games to the one we had today.

 

[suhaylah]

Mou and his team should maybe have stayed back and not played the match.

 

[The Mad Manc]

I don’t understand why we can’t just pick our best 11 players each week in a formation that suits their strengths.

That sounds like logic. We can't have any of that

 

[The Mad Manc]

6 shots, 1 on target. Great stuff.

Think it's getting clearer and clearer the setup and training/strategy is part of the problem, rather than players.

feckin' A, man!

How we are so abject in attack with the players at our disposal is infuriating.

 

[Ecstatic]

1) That was probably the best referee we've had all season. He looked like a 25 year old from Sweden - who was he?

French referee Clément Turpin

 

[witchtrials]

how many knockout stage CL games have we had away to Spanish teams that aren't RM or Barca? Because those ones would be the only really comparable games to the one we had today.

Just one I think: a 2-0 win against Deportivo La Coruna in the 01/02 quarter final.

 

[borrays]

Were we really that bad? Because judging from YT's highlights we were being dominated by sevilla throughout the game and they could've easily scored 3 goals.

 

[ti vu]

1) That was probably the best referee we've had all season. He looked like a 25 year old from Sweden - who was he?
2) De Gea.
3) Job done, we'll get through.
4) Easy to see why Pogba didn't start.
5) Who the feck is that Gary fella who commented for Bein? He was so terrible I chose to opt for McManaman half an hour into the game. Edit: Was it Gary Bailey?

I heard that stat before the game, but feel it's a completely useless one. Those "poor" away results in Spain were (probably) against great teams, Barca og Real Madrid, or those horrifically boring group stage games at Villarreal (maybe Sevilla as well?) where both teams pretty much agreed beforehand to settle for excruciatingly boring draws. I mean - how many knockout stage CL games have we had away to Spanish teams that aren't RM or Barca? Because those ones would be the only really comparable games to the one we had today.

I count 5 to teams not,RM or Barcelona (total 7)in KO round. You can double check.

It's not exactly pointless stats since even at home I remember under SAF we even struggled against smaller Spanish sides.

 

[witchtrials]

I count 5 to teams not,RM or Barcelona (total 7)in KO round. You can double check.

Hmmm, I just claimed it was only one - what are the other four? Or are you counting other European competitions and pre-Champions League European Cup?

 

[Laphroaig]

I count 5 to teams not,RM or Barcelona (total 7)in KO round. You can double check.

It's not exactly pointless stats since even at home I remember under SAF we even struggled against smaller Spanish sides.

If you're right, then fair enough. I can't remember that, but I don't remember much.

 

[witchtrials]

If you're right, then fair enough.

Pretty sure it isn't right and it's just the Deportivo one. Happy to be corrected though.

 

[kiristao]

Just a few observations from yesterdays game. Can someone explain to me what the hell is happening.
1) For a team that defends so deep and was setup to basically get a draw or nick a goal on the counter, our fullbacks were getting caught 1v1 way too often
2) For a team that defends so deep, Matic & McTominay were getting caught in front of the ball too often and leaving our CB's exposed.
3) We played with a team that included the likes of Pogba, Mata & Sanchez, who are all good on the ball and with an eye for a pass, and yet decided that the best way to attack is to hoof the ball up to Lukaku rather than play through the middle.
4) We played Ashley Young, a winger, at LB and I recall him making pretty much 1 overlapping run all game. Why dont we just play Shaw if all we need is someone to defend.

 

[PepsiCola]

I am genuinely upset i lost 2 hours of my day on that bollocks.

Watching United under LvG was a chore. It has remained so under Mourinho.

 

[Greck]

Result wasn't awful but performance continued the awful trend of struggling to string decent attacks, in big games especially. A problem that doesn't look to go away anytime soon

 

[SwSw]

I wanted to write this after last night's match but I decided not to let my emotions influence my words.

1. De Gea - If it wasn't for him and Sevilla bottling their chances, we probably would have been 2-0 down going into the second leg.

2. Valencia - Shaky defensively, utter horrible going forward. I think is not too much to say Valencia haven't put in a decent cross for months now. Every time he has the ball in the opponent's attacking third, he bends his knee as if he is going to run past the player but it always ends up with him playing the ball back to the nearest midfielder. That midfielder would then probably cross the ball in. Why can't he play a cross in without going to the byline?

3. Smalling - Sums up my thoughts about him. He's good when he's given a set of instructions of know where his man is or when he engages in a tussle but when he does zonal marking, he seems to be completely unaware of the opposition players. Almost cost a goal towards the end of the first half.

4. Lindelof - Disappointed with his long passing. Felt he could have contributed more to our attacking. Defensively wasn't that good either.

5. Young - Probably the best player among the back four.

6. Matic - Few misplace passes. I think he genuinely needs a 2 week rest. All those leg work during the early months seems to be catching up on him.

7. McTominay - Man of the match or close second to De Gea for the award. Love that forward pass of his that lead to one of our best attacking play. I like how he keeps things simple and doesn't seem to be forcing the play by doing over elaborate stuff.

8. Pogba - No idea what is going wrong with him. I don't think he plays well with Sanchez on the left. They seem to be getting in each other. I think if we get a midfield passer, someone like Carrick, we could get the best out of him. Last night, he created Lukaku's offside goal from a pass by Matic when he was station high up in the left hand channel.

9. Sanchez/Mata - Sanchez needs to stop dropping deep to receive the ball. Mata made a few good runs and stayed closed to Lukaku.

10. Lukaku - Way too isolated but he did well on a couple of instances.

With the way we play, sitting back and soaking the pressure. I'm fine with such "negative" football. However, on the transition, could these players run and not jog around? is infuriating to watch them jog around offensively and defensively.

 

[Hamadovich86]

Result =/= performance. The result itself is ok, even better so if we weigh in the performance. A win against Sevilla at home will see United through which is doable so the result is certainely not bad.

Drawing 0-0 is the second worse type of result in an away CL game even losing 2-1 or 3-2 puts us in a better position. So the result is not ok.

Average side? Top 5 La Liga side who have lost something like 1 in their last 35 at home? Think outside the box, it was a dissapointing result, but it was more dissapointing for them, they needed to get 1 or 2 goals tonight to put themselves into the driving seat. Failure to score at home puts United as favourites now. Poor performance yes, but you just have to trust they will play better in the return leg when it really matters.

Average team with a poor performance??? Seville is 5th in Laliga so it is not a Wigan that all you need to do is to show up and victory is certain. If you recall what happen to Liverpool then never underestimate their fire power. I wish they had a poor performance but they didn't.

Having said that, our team was nervous and every single player seemed to have made a poor pass throughout the game. We definitely need to improve on our performance for sure.

I meant we our performance was poor even though Sevilla are average. Yes Sevilla are average, this means that they are not shite like Bassel but they are also nowhere near the likes of Barcelona or Juventus. This is not a knock against them, they outplayed us and would be disappointed with the result but they go to OT with the chances of scoring an away goal they will really complicate things for United.

 

[Giggs86]

Drawing 0-0 is the second worse type of result in an away CL game even losing 2-1 or 3-2 puts us in a better position. So the result is not ok.
.

I hate bringing 0-0 home in a CL tie but how is a 2-1 or 3-2 loss better?

At 0-0 every win takes us into the next round, with a 2-1/3-2 loss we need to win by a two goal margin to progress unless we win 1-0 which is a very risky score by itself. They score first and we need three all of a sudden.

 

[ti vu]

Drawing 0-0 is the second worse type of result in an away CL game even losing 2-1 or 3-2 puts us in a better position. So the result is not ok.





I meant we our performance was poor even though Sevilla are average. Yes Sevilla are average, this means that they are not shite like Bassel but they are also nowhere near the likes of Barcelona or Juventus. This is not a knock against them, they outplayed us and would be disappointed with the result but they go to OT with the chances of scoring an away goal they will really complicate things for United.

Losing means we have to take risk leaving our back exposed trying to get a goal. The other team would have more chance to score goal when we can't look back but push forward? If both team hold out for a stalemate, then we're to be disqualified. How can it better?

Why is it all hopeful for us to score against them at their home ground when ref let them have home advantage kicking us with little to none punishment, but all negative about our chance at our home?

 

[eat_grass]

First half went well (unless you don't know who Sevilla is and were expecting a 5-0 blowout). United were in control throughout, and on the couple of occasions the defense needed bailing out, de Gea did what he gets paid handsomely to do: make brilliant saves.

Second half (except for about 10 minutes) didn't look very good.

But then you listen to player reactions post-match and you get the sense the game went the way they expected it to. Smalling, Lindelof, and McTominay all sounded reassured and ready to win at Old Trafford. The only player that sounded a bit worried was de Gea (for obvious reasons I suppose ).

I think the offense could have done more, and individual performances weren't the best, but if Mourinho and the players all reasoned this was the best guaranteed route to qualification, then I'm not too troubled by the team's performance.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Sucks we couldn't get the win but everyone knows this Sevilla team has no chance at Old Trafford.

Really !!!! have you forgot about Match 9th 2004 , Porto , Jose and last minute winner !!!

 

[kafta]

I'm guessing the game went the way Jose wanted it to. 0-0 is a decent result, but it does leave me nervous, if they nick an away goal at OT.

When Martial and Rashford came on, we looked like we could hurt them on the break. I wish they had come on 10 mins earlier, maybe we could have nicked it.