14 Aug 2017 08:48:36
Good morning guys,

Firstly I'd like to echo all the positives comments.

I went to the game yesterday eagerly looking for signs that things would be different/ better this season.

I must confess I thought we toiled slightly in the opening 20 mins or so. We were dominating the game, had all the possession, we'd created a few openings but West Ham were looking reasonably comfortable. I thought we were a little narrow and was thinking I hope we can break them down!

But then it happened! Matic pounced on their indecisiveness in midfield. He pressed the ball quickly winning it back feeding Rashford in space. He ran like lightening, direct and purposeful, Matic galloping forward in support. Rashford released the ball perfectly to Lukaku who appeared in a flash and within a blink of an eye the ball was nestling in the net. That goal was a thing of beauty. Devastatingly brilliant. It oozed class, forged from power, pace and finished with clinical precision . It scared West Ham, it broke their will.

After the goal it was champagne football all the way. We didn't rest on our laurels like we've seen in recent seasons, we played with hunger, purpose and confidence. Rashford was prepared to run at them at every opportunity, gone were the sideways and backwards passes. Matic patrolled the midfield like a seasoned general quickly feeding his artillery at every opportunity real shock and awe stuff. A lethal combination of power and pace. When Rashford went off Martial continued in the same vein. Brilliant!

It's early days of course but a few more performances like that especially at OT and we might just start to see the fear factor return. When opposing players line up in our tunnel and look across and see De Gea, Bailly, Matic, Pogba, Lukaku they run out onto the pitch and see 75,000 expectant fans they may just shrink inside a little and think we can't win here today? We now have a very strong and imposing spine to our team.

I agree with Red Man that we're probably still that one special player away from being a really great team again. That mercurial figure capable of filling the No7 shirt!

I recently poured scorn on some posters pleas for an attacking left back but I must concede I was wrong. If the natural width is not going to come from our attackers then we really do need a full back who is able to get forward, support the attack and provide quality crosses into the box.

Anyway it's early days, we're still building and it might take another couple of transfer windows but the signs are encouraging and I think yesterday was one of the most compete performances I've seen at OT for a very long time!

I left feeling happy, entertained dare I say euphoric. Long may it continue!

1.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 11:34:01
Lots of hard work too. Miki and Mata chasing back and winning the ball back got the crowd up, Rashford running the ball and Kolarov off the pitch in left back position after a 30 yard chase . and then the 90 seconds of 50/ 50 tackles won by Blind, Matic, Pogba and Jones in the first half when it got feisty for a few minutes . very very encouraging .

I wonder if a real leader might emerge now on the pitch, which would be fantastic in this new season/ era.

2.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 14:37:36
Beautifully worded post danny a pleasure to read and I honestly could not agree more😊.

3.) 14 Aug 2017
14 Aug 2017 16:16:41
Thanks Deano.