[Enigma_87]

Only positives - Young and Martial.

In the first half it was even as you can get. 2nd half we were better, but at the end Swansea deserved the draw.

I didn't see progress at all. 2 team in poor form and it was United this time round that converted more chances..

 

[manufanatic]

19 shots 6 on target several last tackle deflections by Swansea and still so much of our supporters on this forum complain. Swansea had played well recently so the aren't a team who is getting regulated and they play us tough it was a good win and Rooney scored so stop bitching and complaining and enjoy the win. There is a thread about LVG being out go there

 

[Empire]

We took the second most quantity of shots so far this weekend, only Liverpool have taken more.

 

[roseguy64]

It happened early on when Shaw was fit but it has become more and more conservative as time has gone on. Made even worse when Valencia was injured. Rojo played the role very well in the...CSKA game (I think) and could even have had a few goals but in general we haven't used our fullbacks at all well lately.

That's more a limitation of the players in the position rather than a direct instruction though I think.

 

[manufanatic]

I actually enjoyed watching this game which is a start.

Thought the team played with purpose and intent and some of the wing play from Young was top draw. Oddly, it was erratic performances from the midfield trio that put us under pressure, they continually gave the ball away when not under pressure, Herrera was also ineffective.

Best performance in a long time for the front trio who worked really hard; exemplified by Mata and Rooney charging down the Swansea keeper on 88 mins. And great for confidence that both Rooney and Martial both scored strikers goals, which will hopefully get some momentum going. Certainly the players and manager will feel a lot better with a win finally under their belt.

Of course Im annoyed that I have had top readjust my expectations, but we are where we are. We will have to play one game at a time, be fully prepared for every opponent team and fight for every inch. I think we have crossed the lowest point of the ebb and now we will see a dramatic recovery as Spring approaches.

A sensible post finally

 

[endless_wheelies]

I'm a little confused, are you saying Louis van Gaal doesn't know how to play possession football, and so it took Henry talking for 5mins for the players to understand how to play possession football?

Before they didn't know, or appreciate, how to penetrate.

 

[Stobzilla]

That's more a limitation of the players in the position rather than a direct instruction though I think.

Don't fully agree that it isn't an instruction. At the very least I think Rojo, Valencia and Blind have been told to not get beyond their winger often. Borthwick Jackson does a good job at it but the one that I couldn't get my head around was Varela, that is his game all over and the times he played he hardly ever looked to get beyond Mata.

 

[sammsky1]

19 shots 6 on target several last tackle deflections by Swansea and still so much of our supporters on this forum complain. Swansea had played well recently so the aren't a team who is getting regulated and they play us tough it was a good win and Rooney scored so stop bitching and complaining and enjoy the win. There is a thread about LVG being out go there

Myopia and pre set agenda's. Maybe I don't blame them, but today is the the right game to beat up the players or LVG!

The OT crowd seemed buoyant, the game has some goals, stressful tension at the end and finally a feeling a Euphoria.

I watched the entire game without getting distracted and felt my emotions move around during the game. It was entertaining - isn't that what people have been demanding?

 

[Tincanalley]

A sensible post finally

In fairness there are plenty of sensible posters here but most seem to stay away from match day threads.

 

[Spock]

Taken in isolation, it was a good win over a determined side. Not unlike countless wins during the last years of the Ferguson.

And taken in the context of a horror run of late, a win of any kind is cause to pop open the Dom Perignon.

But for those us looking for inspired, faster and more creative play, this was a dreadful match to watch except for two outstanding plays by Martial. But give credit to Young for his cross and Rooney for his match winner.

Still, we have to pray this isn't as good as it gets.

 

[Fener1907]

We won. I'm happy.

 

[Catt]

Wow this place is fecking awful nowadays. The team that most people here claims to "support" won a game and most people here are moaning and bitching. This forum is getting unbearably painful to read.

Good win, a scrappy one but a win will do the whole team a world of good at the moment after having not winning any for a long long time. Rooney scoring a goal in the new year is good for his confidence too. We looked more willing to take shots and risks this game as compared to before and that is evident from the amount of shots we have taken.

Defense was a bit suspect but that has a lot to do with LVG changing them around too much in the second half and Swansea putting all their pacy players upfront. A win is a win in the end and 3 points is sorely needed at this point.

This cheered me up man. It sure is awful here at the moment but in stating that some will say that's how far standard's dropped.
Personally I want Lvg gone but can totally see why he hasn't been sacked with Mourinho and Giggs as realistic options. And it seems the board don't want Mou so maybe that's more sensible than giving it to Giggs.

 

[Golden Nugget]

Wow this place is fecking awful nowadays. The team that most people here claims to "support" won a game and most people here are moaning and bitching. This forum is getting unbearably painful to read.

Good win, a scrappy one but a win will do the whole team a world of good at the moment after having not winning any for a long long time. Rooney scoring a goal in the new year is good for his confidence too. We looked more willing to take shots and risks this game as compared to before and that is evident from the amount of shots we have taken.

Defense was a bit suspect but that has a lot to do with LVG changing them around too much in the second half and Swansea putting all their pacy players upfront. A win is a win in the end and 3 points is sorely needed at this point.

Completely agree. First half was a bit dull but second half we were a lot better; since the Chelsea game, we've been more willing to shoot and take more risks - which is much better to watch. There are still many things to fix - but the more important thing is that we have got 3 points.

The people claiming that it's only Swansea etc haven't been paying attention to the results in the past few weeks - for both teams.

 

[Siorac]

It's a win, at last. Martial and Young were good. Rooney scored a very nice goal.

We weren't convincing by any means but at this point I never expect that anyway. The second half was entertaining to watch so I'm happy with that. Yeah, standards have dropped; now I'm almost happy when I'm not bored to tears.

 

[Red-Jeff]

Weird how it was only after Thierry Henry's Monday Night comparison between our attack and Pep's Barcelona's that our players have started to play more like the latter.

Wonder if that's the reason for our upturn rather than any particular innovation of Van Gaal's.

Must be

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

LvG: "With Herrera (substitution), I wanted to waste time. The same as Swansea City has done with the whole match."

 

[Ixion]

Just back from the game, I thought we started well but the last 20 minutes of the first half was awful. Getting a goal right at the start of the second half was really important for us and allowed us to be more attacking. I thought we might capitulate when they equalised but fair play to the team, Martial is amazing, I don't know what we'd do without him. Rooney wasn't great overall but better than he has been and his goal was good (finally in a the position a striker should be for a cross), hopefully he gets confidence from that.

Oh and bloody hell at their keeper's header at the end. I havent seen a replay but everyone around me thought that was in.

 

[marlowe78]

All we can really do is take the win as a positive, seeing that we haven't won in ages, and move on. I went in thoroughly expecting us to lose, seeing that we can never beat Swansea, and they at least reached my bottom-level expectations.

The first half was really nothing we haven't seen before, plenty of possession and some looks at goal but nothing really cutting edge or incisive. While Martial was a threat the entire game, our final ball again let us down. Herrera put in a decent effort and kept things ticking but our molasses-slow attack ensured that we had all of Swansea's defenders to get through for an open chance. I don't see this problem changing unless we get a fast, sturdy winger in the transfer window who can lead counterattacks with Martial and break through the opposing lines of defence. Bale would be the ideal player for us to get IMO but even a lesser-regarded (and cheaper) player would probably do wonders for us.

I did like how we kept things going in the second half and eventually broke through. The main problem was that we were too passive defensively after that and pretty much let Swansea pass their way into dangerous positions around our goal. Darmian was getting seriously abused on the left and looked severely off the pace. Blind was also negligent when he couldn't decide between playing Ayew offside or covering him, which gave him a wide open chance that should've gone in.

Our lack of bottle cropped up after Swansea scored and they had that extended chance in front of our goal that somehow didn't lead to a shot. Our defence was all over the place and it showed, again, that we need some kind of leadership on the pitch to calm the nerves and keep order. Even though we got the 3 points, there were moments when we betrayed how fragile we are mentally.

Aside from this, I think overall our play was decent. I was not expecting much because of our recent history with Swansea but we really didn't give them much outside of one or two flurries. I'll rate it a 5 out of 10.

 

[Raw]

LvG: "With Herrera (substitution), I wanted to waste time. The same as Swansea City has done with the whole match."

So sassy!

 

[Kraftwerker]

If Everton can beat spurs tomorrow it will have been a very good weekend.

LvG: "With Herrera (substitution), I wanted to waste time. The same as Swansea City has done with the whole match."

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Post match LVG.

 

[simonhch]

It took me a very long time to turn against Van Gaal. The joy of watching us play slowly sucked out of me over an 18 month period. It would follow therefore that it'll take a lot more than a narrow home win against relegation fodder to turn my opinion of this team and his management ability.

"Just being happy with a win" is as fragile an argument as one can make I am afraid. If the complaints up until this point were weak enough that a single victory could eviscerate them, then one might have a point; but the fact is, they aren't. The same complaints linger, the same concerns, the same reservations. To be positive after a win like this is just putting your head in the sand, and at the next set back the rebound will be even stronger than before.

Until the club shows any coherent strategy, at all, for taking us back to the pinnacle of the game, what the feck is there to be positive about? The odd decent result? feck that. All I see happening is another poorly managed transfer splurge on the horizon and a bungled managerial succession plan. I'm not going to change my mood game to game based on fleeting results.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

fecking shite if we're honest. Martial and ashley young were superb, wayne was better than usual.

 

[PieCrust]

I'm glad the team won, but I just cannot get excited for United football anymore with LVG as the coach. I'm just waiting for him to be sacked, either now or in the summer. In the meantime, I can't be bothered to be excited to beat fecking Swansea or the "fight" for the ongoing fight and hope to finish top 4.

I supported LVG for most of his tenure, but I've turned that page. He's taken all the fun out of watching the matches. The club is nothing but in a holding pattern until he's gone; there will be no progress. Feck off LVG and stop ruining my fan experience.

 

[Leftback99]

Young showed us what we've been missing on the right wing all season. The sooner Mata is replaced with someone with pace and skill the better.

 

[Sweet Square]

The fecking misery on here.


Anyway very good performance considering our recent form.

 

[Ixion]

I'm sure it was pointed out in commentary and on here but a few occasions Smalling didn't even go up for corners. That's how scared we've become about counter attacks from our own corners.

 

[Empire]

Before they didn't know, or appreciate, how to penetrate.

I think a team learns how to penetrate in a system like this on the training ground as opposed to your suggestion by watching Henry's sky sports tips.

If a team can learn to penetrate by just listening to five minutes of Henry then he should become a super consultant or something.

 

[Empire]

I'm sure it was pointed out in commentary and on here but a few occasions Smalling didn't even go up for corners. That's how scared we've become about counter attacks from our own corners.

To be fair, our defending hasn't been bad but one area where we needed to improve was the counter both from corners and open play, since we aren't exactly scoring many from corners it seems the sensible thing to do.

 

[Precaution]

against a better side we would of lost, Swansea were happy to sit back and let us attack them without doing anything themselves, soon as we scored they scored with ease, had they had abit more of a attacking spirit to them they could of easily taken the game, we didn't play particularly well but kudos to Martial/Young and Rooney for finishing, however all this is doing is papering over the cracks and LVG is happy to keep doing that without really fixing the fundamental issues.

 

[siw2007]

At last a win. It was largely an average performance with a lot of the same teething problems still about with the slow possession and difficulty to get in behind, which made it a tense game against a poorly performing side. Still, I thought we worked hard to create more chances, which we did with Mata and Rooney having a few shots. Young and Martial were definitely the best players on the pitch with the former having a blinder on the right wing. Rooney had one of his better days as he seemed to play with more focus and urgency than in past games.
Jones was dire though, and I was desperately wanting Blind in the middle as he didn't look brain dead and looked comfortable playing forwards from the back. Darmian was quite solid coming on for Jones.

We aren't free from our problems yet but I'm hoping that we take some confidence form that win and go on to get better results in the future.

 

[PieCrust]

Would add that Rooney's goal was marvelous.

 

[endless_wheelies]

I think a team learns how to penetrate in a system like this on the training ground as opposed to your suggestion by watching Henry's sky sports tips.

If a team can learn to penetrate by just listening to five minutes of Henry then he should become a super consultant or something.

Mmm yes I can read your post accurately but I think the one great flaw in said theory is that you don't necessarily have to wheel the television - and video player - out onto the training pitch and either do one or the other.

 

[Livewire1974]

Would add that Rooney's goal was marvelous.

Hopefully its the start of a run of form from him.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Hopefully its the start of a run of form from him.

In most of his seasons he's tended to go on a run of scoring-so fingers crossed, he will

 

[Nik70]

In most of his seasons he's tended to go on a run of scoring-so fingers crossed, he will

Hopefully its the start of a run of form from him.

The encouraging thing for me is he's looked sharper over the last couple of matches. That and his goal today should be a huge confidence boost for him.

 

[Dr Fink]

The link up play with Martial running on was superb today. Martial looked sharp. It was pleasing to see Young (my clear MOTM) given a run as in his preferred position today and he delivered. A standing ovation when walking to the tunnel. I was a little concerned at something I have seen a little too often - Schweini going missing in the middle third of the game. Mata was all over the park, linking up the play, which was good to see. Rooney's goal was excellent and his running was good, but his touches were poor again. It felt good to leave the ground after a win; things look up, but not instantly after the Cheksea performance, which was evident first half - we were sterile again. I cannot understand LVG's post match comments about the first half performance.

Discouraging that Smalling didn't go up for some corners. WTF?!

Liverpool away soon.......interesting. We need to start winning again and keep the pace in the build up.

 

[MrSingh2002]

I was at the game today and I pointed out that the players looked depressed coming out for kick off. All had slumped shoulders and not a single player looked close to happy. Almost as if to indicate what type of football they would play.

Football wise its only the 4th LVG managed side I've watched live and the rigidness in the positioning and patterns of play made me feel like slapping myself today. We struggled to get the ball from defence to midfield throughout the first half. A blind man could see that Young, Martial, Herrera and Schweinsteiger only had to drop 5 yards deeper and make themselves available to take the ball but it didn't happen and after a minute of faffing around Blind or Jones were helpless and had to just pointlessly try to clip the ball over to Young or Martial on the wings and more often than not it went to the full backs or out for a throw.

It was genuinly like Young Hererra or Schweinsteiger were tied to standing at their positions and wait for space to suddenly appear for them to recieve the ball. From seeing united play over the years I found this shockingly stupid and we paid time after time.

After seeing Van Gaal trudge off the down the touchline knowing the fans werent behind him I almost felt sorry for him as a man. He's completely shackled our players to their positions but cant see that they need to be able to move into space and to recieve the ball. Its astonishing how he believes that being static is conjusive to free flowing football.

The second half was ALOT better. Martial finally showed up between the posts and Young was excellent and brave dribbling forward and putting decent crosses in. Darmian ran forwards unlike Jones in the first half. Schweinsteiger got more involved on the ball and although I've written Rooney off a thousand times this season I do have to say hes looking back to being a bullish aggressive forward who can also become a catalyst and spread the ball around. I don't know if Fergies got into him but since Chelsea and again today against Swansea I can say I'm proud of him as a united player.

Ultimately I believe LVG is not the right person to be in charge and he needs to be replaced at the end of the season at the very latest. He doesn't however sign poor players and I don't mind if he has money to spend in January if he continues to buy young 20 somethings with something to prove. At the very least the next manager who has all of his marbles intact can make something special from our squad because LVG certainly can't with his rigid tactics. Only when the shit hits the fan and the united players play using their insticts do we look anything near decent.

 

[RedSky]

This cheered me up man. It sure is awful here at the moment but in stating that some will say that's how far standard's dropped.
Personally I want Lvg gone but can totally see why he hasn't been sacked with Mourinho and Giggs as realistic options. And it seems the board don't want Mou so maybe that's more sensible than giving it to Giggs.

A fair few of us think like this. The negativity on here has made the football forum unreadable at times. We run off and hibernate in the General.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

The risky formation with three defenders he was talking about is because according to average positions, this is how we set up today:

Rooney
Martial Mata Young
Schweinsteiger Herrera
Schneiderlin
Blind Smalling Jones
deGea​