[tombombadil]

I agree there are better 6s out there, more dynamic and mobile. I believe he should be crushing teams as our 10. All this chopping and changing of his position the last few years hasn't helped shape his game at all. In a better team he would still have provided at least one assist, possible two. Imagine Griezmann or Suarez running on to those balls into the left channel. It's goal time.

Understandable. The problem with playing him as a no 10 is that he changes his style of play to try and become Ronaldo v2. He needs to play at no 10 the way he plays at no 6. That would be good. Not as Ronaldo v2. Less dribbling, more distribution. If he does run, pick his runs better.

 

[ooeat0meoo]

Lacking in creative possession, but I believe OGS is the right person to develop legends going forward

 

[rhoff113]

We need to buy some winners. Our older players don't have the mentality so our youngsters can't learn anymore.

 

[Sultan]

Lack of a 10 is killing us.

Pogba should be playing in that position.

 

[dev1l]

Re : Southampton goal. The only United player who would have won that header is Maguire.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The goal United scored was really good actually because of quick passes that took out the midfield and Mata overlaps to create space and an angle for James

Then he takes Mata off when he would have been really useful in the situation against ten men.

 

[Will Singh]

I wanted to give James a season to gel before I give my opinion on him, guck it my opinion on him is he’s the only decent player who tried to play today and the rest should be ashamed.

Ole if you truly love Man Utd then hand your resignation in on Monday and no hard feelings as your a legend and I don’t want to change my love into hate for you!

 

[edgecutter]

Pogba should be playing in that position.

Yep, but our options are so poor in midfield we simply can't.

 

[Beatleswereblue]

Young still our captain .

 

[JohnnyKills]

That massive rebuild was happening after we sacked Moyes. How long does it need to on for?

Not sure you can class what has happened since 2013 as a rebuild. More a ridiculously short-sighted galáctico project. At least we seem to be on the right lines now

 

[edcunited1878]

OK, let's give Mata this one. But my overall point is that he's not a good fit for this system and Gomes should be starting ahead of him.

As for Matic, he's so slow and takes so many touches, even when he's good, he's Fellaini good. He's not dynamic and he'll never create a chance.

Overall, our standards are slipping if we think these players are good enough for this club.

Mata was good for this game and he was good. Take it for what it was today. Gomes has nothing to do with how Mata played today. In time, maybe Gomes will be a player.

Matic played fine today and was more tactical for Pogba. it was a good sub.

United don't have the quality of years past, we all know that. For today, Mata and Matic were not the issue, far from it

 

[Stacks]

Would love to know our form of the last 10 league games. I say 15 because they usually look at 5 games as form. This would make a good analysis

 

[fps]

Understandable. The problem with playing him as a no 10 is that he changes his style of play to try and become Ronaldo v2. He needs to play at no 10 the way he plays at no 6. That would be amazing. Not as Ronaldo v2. Less dribbling, more distribution. If he does run, pick his runs better.

True. I don't think he trusts the forward players to interact with them, and perhaps the improvement would come with a bit of time.

 

[edgecutter]

Not sure you can class what has happened since 2013 as a rebuild. More a ridiculously short-sighted galáctico project. At least we seem to be on the right lines now

With Woodward in charge I can't even imagine that it will materialise. We needed some bodies in midfield and that will cost us

 

[Born2Lose]

Where on earth would we be now if we hadn't signed AWB, Maguire and James in the summer.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

What is worrying is that we are only four games into the season, and already our lack of depth is telling. When chasing or trying to change a game, our attacking sub options are Chong, Greenwood and Lingard. Two kids and a player who is more often praised for his movement than attacking ability. This is hardly a great situation. Add to that we also only have Matic as a midfield sub, who isn't a player you bring on to create more attacking play.

This is going to be a very long season unfortunately, where if things don't go well for us in the first 60 minutes, then we are more than likely to drop points.

I know what you mean about depth. What is it going to be like when all the cup competitions kick in?

 

[fps]

Even with these results, we're not going to be lower than 5th going into the international break. Then Martial will be back and Fred will be fit! Fred!

 

[The_Order]

I have faith that we will sort things out in the long term, all of Ole's signings have been the men of the match in all our games.

If we can sort the midfield out, things will start to look better.

 

[JohnnyKills]

With Woodward in charge I can't even imagine that it will materialise. We needed some bodies in midfield and that will cost us

If it doesn't work, things will get so toxic that the Glazers have to sell.

 

[Tony247]

Pogba should be playing in that position.

It was said he prefers no. 6 role. I am not sure if he enjoys as no. 10. He links well with no. 10 and 8.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

Ole should be bringing on Greenwood on earlier, not just with 10 mins to go.
AWB was good, James has made a promising start. Rashford frustrating today held on the ball for too long at times. Pogba should be played further up the pitch
Similar to the Wolves game, solid first half with control of possession, then second half concede and then just lose our way. Southampton didn't create that much yet come away with a point.
Worrying about our squad depth and we've got a long season ahead with the Europa League. We have got potential in this squad and granted we are getting rid of the 'deadwood', but the depth is concerning.

 

[Thiagoal]

Mid table squad- mid table manager = mid table team! Where will we finish up..mid table

 

[Mockney]

There is still as yet no discernible attacking style. We look just as utterly lost chasing a goal as we have for the last 5 or so years... we spend the first half of matches pissing about, and wasting opportunities because our attacking players (usually Rashford) decide to over complicate things or do it themselves, for lack of an actual viable plan.
Then we spend the second half of matches chasing the goal we didn’t get in the first half, by passing it out wide and lumping it into the box, again, for lack of an actual viable plan.

Ole doesn’t have a great side at his disposal, but he’s being horrendously naive to think he can simply “motive” it into playing well. That only works when you’ve got genuinely good-to-great players to do the work for you. When you don’t, you need an actual viable plan.

We’re being left behind by trying to coach like it’s the 90s-00s in 2019.

 

[GenZRed]

Should have beaten this lot. Especially considering they were a man down with twenty minutes to go.

I predicated top four for us at the start of the season but cannot see that happening.

Interesting to note however, that with all the money we have wasted since Ferguson's retirement, the signings we made under OGS are the only ones that look like money well spent.

 

[Random Task]

what about rashford? what about young? what about pretty much all of them? a proper united side would have been three or four up by the time this happened and it wouldn't matter as much

I don't disagree, Rashford, Pogba, Periera were particularly poor today, but they have produced in the past (except for Periera who has never looked United quality) and get a pass based on the hope that they will produce again. However, Lingard hasn't performed well in years.

 

[Bastian]

Shouldn't the post match thread be created by Angry McAngryson?

 

[RedSky]

Agree.

Back four is solid. They need some time to blend, and they need to stay fit. Let's hope Shaw get's back asap.
Victor had a somewhat good game, not talking about the header, he was a bit shaky in possesion.

Scott is great when we are on the front foot. He keeps it simple, passes it forward and first time.
Pogba needs to do that more often.
Give and go. Simple.

Mata was great imo. He plays simple, knows when to run, when to stay.
Instrumental in getting young James a window for a shot.
Was in great position to pull another if Rashford just plays it to him.

James was standout best player.

Out of the young players to come forward ...Greenwood is on there.
Matter of time he breaks into a regular starter.

I'd like to see Gomes get games.
Also Chong, although very raw, could get some minutes.

And we all hope Fred could be the one who blends it all in, although very unlikely, but here's to hoping.

I've been saying it for months but Pogba shouldn't be in CM. What we really need is a player who compliments McTominay and we don't have that in the squad. Garner might be the answer but i've not seen enough of him to judge that to be honest. Fred has potential but he's also a bit of a liability so I can understand why he's not being used right now. This is ultimately the most frustrating part of our summer window that we haven't addressed this glaring weakness and decided that Pogba would do the job there. He doesn't.

Right wing is also the other clear weakness in the squad which has been our main weakness for about 8 years now. It's only a matter of time before Greenwood gets preferred in that position although he's better suited to the CF imo. But alas we have very few options, maybe Dalot but I think he's a bit too limited going forward, not enough goal threat which Greenwood does have.

Then we have CF, i'm still yet to be convinced by Martial and Rashford is just far too raw to be the answer. Again this is a position we should have addressed in the summer once it was clear Ole didn't fancy Lukaku. This is where the English transfer window shutting early has fecked us a bit.

The promising thing is with a bit more composure in front of goal we could become a decent team, we either need to get Rashford and Martial into decent form or find alternatives. Up steps Greenwood and Chong. Either way with the squad we have right now i'd be surprised if we could break into the Top 4, we'll need a decent January window and to be very lucky with injuries.

 

[SaintMuppet]

We weren't even that bad for the level of team we're putting out. Undone again by a centre back who has no business starting for us.

Stop it you drama queen...

A 6 foot 6 guy gets a run on you that is what happens. Same would of happened to Tuanzebe or Smalling in that position.

Stop exaggerating to suit your narrative.

I think we played to our level. This is what United are now...average. The glory days are past and some of you are incapable of accepting it so every week you find a new victim who if dealt with will have the trophies rolling in again.

 

[Sandikan]

If we had scored, that would've been some serious papering over the cracks.

Can't see us getting Top 4 at this moment in time.

Long term, I have faith things will improve - but man this squad just doesn't look like Top 4 material.

I would just love to honestly have OGS, Ed and the Glazers in a room and find out the truth of what the summer was actually about.

OGS admitted today that we were "one striker light", and we "couldn't get who we wanted".

That has to be the truth for a few positions doesn't it?

It'd be one thing only having 2 strikers in the squad (i'm not counting a 17year old), but when the one who isn't up front is on the wing, it's in effect like only having one.

Basically we have nothing to affect games like today from the bench. It'll be some youths, who most likely will do the odd ok thing, like Greenwood's shot, but won't have nearly enough to make a difference.

Even Arsenal look tasty up front.

It's gonna be a tough watch this year. Suddenly not coming 6th becomes a thing - If Wolves or Leicester get some momentum up.

 

[Raoul]

The Lindelof jumping issue must be resolved. It's not because of his height either. Roberto Ayala didn't seem to run into these issues in his day.

 

[Sp00ks11]

After the international break, hopefully Martial will be back. Then we can drop Rashford, and bring in Gomes and Greenwood for lingard/periera and Mata.

We are going to finish mid table, I would rather do it with our kids and hopefully give them valuable experience.

Unrelated but City have just scored inside 2 minutes

 

[edcunited1878]

Then he takes Mata off when he would have been really useful in the situation against ten men.

I agree. Would have been fine to sub Matic for Pereira, push Pogba up, Mata to the right. But team is still unbalanced and you would want to put Greenwood on but for who. Rashford, but Old is damned if he did and damned if he didn't

 

[snowkarl]

Pogba should be playing in that position.

Then who plays 6 and 8? McT, Matic and Fred? God help us

Pogba has never even done that well as a 10, and he can't press like Ole wants which is why he was moved deeper in the first place

Incompatible at 10 for OGS. Was obvious from the start. Should have gotten Bruno, perfect upgrade on Jesse.

 

[Buster15]

Lacking in creative possession, but I believe OGS is the right person to develop legends going forward

Wow. How positive is that.
Wish I felt as positive. But I don't.

 

[nameischarles]

We really got to push Pogba forward and have Scott and either Fred or Matic playing behind Pogba. I'd drop Rashford for Greenwood, Tuanzebe needs his chance now that Lindelof has made two errors in the last two games.

 

[lex talionis]

Then who plays 6 and 8? McT, Matic and Fred? God help us

Pogba has never even done that well as a 10, and he can't press like Ole wants which is why he was moved deeper in the first place

Incompatible at 10 for OGS. Was obvious from the start. Should have gotten Bruno, perfect upgrade on Jesse.

This.

Mata wasn’t poor today but he really had little impact on the game. And he doesn’t have the legs to be effective for 90 minutes.

Bruno would have been the perfect upgrade on Lingard, who has very little to offer other than his pressing.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Result result of a mid table team. Expected

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

1. Rashford is not a positional striker. He is good on the break. Everyone likes him when he has space, everyone hates him when he doesn’t. Lingard - the same situation. Rashford and Lingard are counter attacking players = squad players. We have to identify a CAM and a RW for positional attacking ASAP.

2. Pogba struggling as a deep playmaker. Absolutely failed. The main reason we couldn’t counter effectively. I am inclined to accept a 150M+ Bid if it comes from Zidane.

3. Defense play is much better. Last season mid table teams were tearing us apart, we were conceding a lot if shots. This season the main source of GA is individual errors. Time to try Tuanzebe.

4. The squad is thin.

5. We will make top 4.

 

[El Zoido]

Just a couple more players would make all the difference to this team. We’re not that far off. The margins are so fine in football, if we had a better CF to get on the end of those crosses that nobody challenged for, confidence would have grown and we’d have rolled them over. This is how Liverpool went from a laughing stock to being one of the best sides in the world over the space of a couple of seasons. Now I’m not saying we’re going to become as good as Liverpool, but the reactions I’m reading today are so over the top it’s crazy. Let’s at least have the patience to build this squad up from here.

 

[tjb]

Ole is doing well but he inherited a lot of problems. If you seen today's game and how many chances we created and failed to score then you're delusional to think it could be any better. The strikers just couldn't get it in, it happens. This season is not "our" season, we're not LFC fans to keep thinking that when our team is clearly far off the mark, but there are moves ahead. Rome wasn't built in a night and all that.

If someone thinks we must be winning all these games then they're a glory hound and best go support City or whoever it is a flavor of the month. This club has history and character and also fans who understand the process.

I agree. If this really is a rebuild then people have to be patient. There were a lot of positives and things to see during the game, which were useful for our future development as a ream.

1. Daniel James is more effective and consistent in creating chances for both himself and others on the left than either Martial and Rashford have been for the last three years. They both have periods in a game where they create chances, but have never been reliable consistent threats in the way James seems to be.

2. If we decide to keep Pogba deep, Mata is a viable option for the no.10 position. Particularly in home games. His passing and off theball movement, creates a link between midfield and attack.

3. Pogba should be pushed up the field. He is very effective there, and a real defensive liability deeper in the field. We should sell him next season for another no.10 ( and buy a defensive midfielder). His presence in midfield, forces mctominay to be a defensive midfielder, which nullifies his skillset and highlights his deficiencies.

4. We really need a right winger. Periera was horrible again, lingard has been horrible there, and neither rashford or martial have shown themselves to be willing to play there. Wan bissaka is having to create chances in isolation, which he shouldn't have to do since its his biggest weakness. He needs help in that position offensively. Greenwood can be a temporary fix ( he will be the team's striker once he gets comfortable with the team), Gomes or chong should be given a chance there, at least until we can identify and buy a suitable solution. Who knows, one of them could fill it permanently if they prove good enough.

5. We may need to experiment with Tuanzebe coming in for Lindelof. Lindelof is still shaky and represents the one defensive weak link in our backline. Tuanzebe brings pace and physical strength, and with time and given room would always have pipped Lindelof to the starting 11 position overtime. We may need to consider starting now.

The big move would be to get a defensive midfielder in January, not necessarily world class, but one who can play the role and allow mctominay and pogba play their games.
In the summer, we should sign another defensive midfielder ( with more class), a right winger if still necessary and Pogba's replacement in attacking midfield. By that time hopefully, Daniel James and Martial are competing for the left wing slot, Greenwood/Martial are producing up front, the right winger is class and Pogba's replacement is effective. It's a long way, but it could be finished by next summer.