16 Oct 2017 10:35:13
I always leave it at least a day or so before commenting on games to allow the emotion time to leave the system. Especially if I'm feeling disappointed by a result.

I was very confident before the game on Saturday, we have been playing well, while Liverpool were suspect defensively.

So a draw and what felt like a poor performance was disappointing in the aftermath.

So first thing first was is a poor performance? It's a funny thing that for most fans performance is linked to result and more importantly expected result. For example if you expect us to win and we don't then there is an automatic assumption that the performance was poor.

For me I think we have a tendency to judge a game by the standards and expectations we have rather than that of the manager, players and club.
If Jose told his players to sit deep, keep it tight, limit the space for Liverpool to attack, while trying to draw them out to create space in behind to launch quick counter attacks then how did the team perform?
I think that is exactly how Mourinho set the team up. He chose to drop Mata for Young. That was a decision based on pace and ability to spring counter attacks.
So did we play well according to how Mourinho set us up? I think we did. The players did everything asked of them bar being able to take chances at the other end. The Lukaku chance stands out. If he puts that shot away we win 1-0 at Anfield and everyone says what a clever tactical performance we put in. Bar one world class save from DDG which came about due to a momentary lapse of concentration from us Liverpool didn't have a sniff.

Now that's not to say that is how I would have wanted us to play, nor was I particularly "entertained" watching it. But every title winning campaign we have ever seen at our club has seen performances like that at least once or twice a season.

If it wasn't for City's scintillating form at the start of the season we would be top and the only unbeaten side in the league. Last season city started like this then ended up third. So let's not aware them the title just yet.

Anyone with half a brain knew that when Mourinho took over we would see some performances like this. Pragmatic defensive tight games particularly away from home against top opposition. So let's not whine about it now. And let's not forget we have put 4 past several opposition already this season, so let's not pretend we are being served up bore draws every week.

1.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 10:54:50
Good post Shappy, like you said we all knew he would do his which is why I am so bothered. If ever there was a time to go after then then it was last weekend. We didn't sit that deep first half and even parts of the second half, you could see the forwards trying to press when Mignolet was taking a goal kick.

I guess I'm just really disappointed with how poorly we played.

2.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 11:08:32
AJH

I just as disappointed with how we played. It was Liverpool team that have been very poor defensively with chuckles the clown in between the sticks. You can understand if the first 10-15 minutes were steady to get our feet into the game. It was embrassing. We made Liverpool look good. I could have understood if we had gone to the Etihad and played against City and tried to stop them playing their football. With Liverpool we didn’t even do that.

3.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 11:29:08
When Burnley had more of a go than we did then you see the problem.

4.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 11:43:49
My concern with this approach (other than it being dreadful to watch), is that when you are in a league with only one team in contention for the title, parking the bus is a sensible and pragmatic approach with neither side extending their lead in the league. The problem now is that there are possibly 5 teams who play expansive football and could on their day beat us and finish above us in the league. If we go for parking the bus against all of these teams then we will likely lose 20 points and that allows the other teams to take advantage in the long run.

5.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 12:11:02
9 times out of 10 United Liverpool are crap games .
We always say form goes out the window and are then surprised when form goes out the window .
We all know Jose can be a pragmatic coach and are then surprised when he is .
We have been playing some great stuff of late maybe not silky smooth footy people want but the the strong efficient way Jose plays .

Jose won't set up and get United playing the way city are but at the same time people keep telling me pep isn't that good a coach?

Jose is a top manager and we look like a Jose team this is what you get with him .

6.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 13:09:31
Great post Shappy you always find a way to bring some perspective to the debate.

7.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 13:33:29
We set up to let Liverpool attack us and then hit them on the break when they commited men forward, give them enough rope to hang themselves so to speak, but Liverpool never commited the number of players forward that we needed for this to happen so they were quite easy to defend against but also very difficult to counter attack against as there were always nunbers around Miki and Lukaku meaning they never got a kick.

Both managers were too cautious in my opinion but both will be content with the point and we move on to easier games with our unbeaten run in tact and an extra point ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea with a big away game out the way.

I disagree that United games against Liverpool are always boring, there have been some classics over the years, but generally they need an early goal to open up the game, if this had happened you would have seen both teams committing more men forward creating more spaces on the counter.

8.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 14:36:05
Man United and Liverpool last games
0.0
1.1
0.0
1.1
2.1
0.1
Quite often over hyped rarely a great game of football to watch imo .

9.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 21:34:04
Good posts gents.

Absorbing for the counter attack for me does not equate to lumping it up to the big lad up top, incidentally one that can't make it stick nor beat a man, not for a team as big and expensive as United.

Playing an overall weaker team in poorer form than you, and catering for their strengths whilst not exploiting their weaknesses, is also not something to admire particularly.

Lastly Sky, in their uniquely irritating way, have ridiculously overhyped the Anfield game for two seasons in a row now and it's ended up a washout. They need to chill out.

10.) 16 Oct 2017
16 Oct 2017 22:11:27
Shappy, you've got to stop being so reasonable and I mean that in all seriousness. Please stop being so accepting of a poor performance by both the manager and the players by suggesting Jose might just have pulled off some tactical masterclass.

Jose complained after the match that we were outnumbered in midfield. Was it a surprise to anyone that they played the three guys in midfield that they did? and hey guess what; they overran the two guys we played in midfield. Who would have thought?

We know Mkhitaryan gets lost in fast intense games. Not surprising he was pretty much non-existent so why pick him?

Then there's just the whole negativity of the tactics. What must the players think when the manager shows he has so little confidence in them to beat what is a pretty average Liverpool team? Not exactly inspiring is it?

You say we shouldn't be surprised by Jose's negative tactics in these sort of games. You might be right but that doesn't mean we have to like it and say it's Ok because it isn't. Sooner rather than later you've got to show your mettle when it really counts; that's the mark of true sporting champions. Not hiding in their shell because it's a little bit difficult this week.

And to top it all, our manager is still living out of a suitcase and all but says he would prefer to work somewhere else. Nice one!

So, I'm sorry Shappy but with the greatest respect I don't go along with your pervertedly rational reasoning that all is ok.

11.) 17 Oct 2017
17 Oct 2017 06:58:17
MancMan meet Beast, Beast meet MancMan.

12.) 17 Oct 2017
17 Oct 2017 08:41:14
Lol AJH. I do find myself often agreeing with the Beast. Where is he by the way? Beast; are you out there?

13.) 17 Oct 2017
17 Oct 2017 09:40:33
Wait until we lose a game ;)

Only joking Beast, you aren't MAZE.