25 Nov 2019 17:10:15
Who else thinks we need to stop playing "Zonal marking" at the back. Neither Lindelof nor Maguire are positionally aware enough to mark those spaces and time and again they are getting caught out. The number of times the opposition has been able to attack any aerial delivery into the box without much of a challenge is alarming. What is even more alarming is how much space the opposition players are getting inside the box and our CB's at times are flat-footed and aren't closing down quick enough.

Also, for all the qualities DeGea possesses his biggest weakness is he doesn't command his box well. Whenever Romero plays our defense has looked a lot more assured and I believe in a couple of games if he was playing we would have come out on top.


1.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 17:43:35
its not zonal marking that is the issue, its the players not being aware if where the players are,

we concede simple goals and its frustrating to watch.


2.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 17:44:52
I can’t believe anybody uses zonal marking. Space doesn’t score goals.


3.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 18:05:35
Teams still do use it, especially when they think it is easier to guard a area in the box rather than marking man to man with your players not quick or agile enough to follow the opponents movement inside the D.


4.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 18:30:47
The issue isn't the defence, it's that no midfielders are tracking the runners. Giving them a free run on our defenders. You can be great in the air, but you will always struggle against a runner coming in with momentum.

A total lack of a midfield is killing us.


5.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 19:00:42
Shappy

Playing with a 5-2-3 formation yesterday did not help.


6.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 19:29:21
Certainly not Red Man, I actually said in the chat that I thought we picked the wrong team and wrong tactics.

I would have gone 4141, press them high and don't let their midfield settle or allow their centre backs to step out.

The problem with that is they have pace in their front two and we would be susceptible to the counter.

I'd have played Lingard instead of Jones and had Fred anchoring the midfield. With Lingard and Pereira able to play their natural games ahead of him.

Which is more or less what Ole did in the second half which got us back into the game. Although initially it was more 4231 with Andreas still playing a little too deep before he hooked him for Greenwood. Then went 4141/ 4132 type shape.

Ole got it wrong yesterday, but he did have limited options with so many midfielders out injured.

If Herrera started yesterday we probably win, even with the poor performances of everyone else for most the match.


7.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 23:19:57
shappy who said he was happy with the squad and the players we brought. knowing we are woefull in midfield. we have pogba half arsed and mctom the only one missing. so wi5h that in mind does he no what he is doing or just a yes man.


8.) 25 Nov 2019
25 Nov 2019 23:45:12
Dazw, no one knows if Ole is a yes man or not. So I find debating it a little pointless.

Does Ole believe everything he says in the press or does he understand what he says can impact the team either positively or negatively?

I expect a United manager to say the right things to the media, the coverage the club gets demands it. Previous managers have dealt with the press in different ways, some has been good for the players others have negatively impacted the players.

On the whole I don't see anything Ole says that could have a negative impact with the players. Which I think publicly is a good thing.

I don't believe for a second we would have seen the improvement in McTominay and Fred that we have seen if Ole had come out and said his midfield was shocking. He would have given Pogba an easy out while demoralising the others.

What he has said is the best thing he could have said in the situation.

People who think the manager can bully the owners into spending more money by slagging them off in public are being naïve. It's a quick way to get yourself sacked. But that's about it.


9.) 26 Nov 2019
26 Nov 2019 00:40:52
yet you were very quick to debate jose who won trophys. as far as improvement i am in my 50s and this is the worst football than most previous managers. if he wants to succeed he had better start opening his mouth.


10.) 26 Nov 2019
26 Nov 2019 08:02:44
Daz, not sure what you want here? Ole to come out and slate the squad and the board? Do you think the players will play for him then? Jose picked out a few players and the whole squad downed tools and got him the sack.
Does he slate the board? Because historically, that ends up going well for a manager! Good luck pushing through big deals when the board are already pissed off with you.
Like Shapps said, he us saying the right things that a manager should say. Destroying the confudence of the few players we have left is not the way forward.
We all know Ole is struggling. But its down to the board to make the choice and maybe this negativity should be aimed at them instead and the piss poor 6 years or so we have had because they are the only constant here.


11.) 26 Nov 2019
26 Nov 2019 08:30:37
Of course you are correct there daz.
T.


12.) 26 Nov 2019
26 Nov 2019 10:43:36
Shappy,

I am sure i read that Ole said at half time he would have substituted all ten outfield players. For 70 minutes they didn’t bother, yet you see nothing negative. If Ole felt like that at half time, likely gave them a rollicking, yet they came out exactly the same in the second half, what does that tell you about Ole’s management and the players respect for what he is asking them to do, his motivational method? His tactics were an utter mess and the players started to play when he changed it, they don’t think he knows what he is doing.

It’s there in front of us all but he is the sentimental choice so we are not allowed to be critical. The club is in recession, we need 23 points for likely safety and still don’t deal with the worst manager we have had since Wilf McGuiness. Wilf was and no doubt still is a lovely man.


13.) 26 Nov 2019
26 Nov 2019 11:23:58
dazw, With Mourinho I was asking the question of whether he had learnt anything from his two previous jobs where he started picking on players and throwing them under the bus which lead to the squads not playing for him. It happened at Real Madrid, it happened at Chelsea. Maybe he has learned now, but the evidence was there for him to learn before he did it with us. I think that is a fair thing to question.

Red Man, there is a difference between saying no one played well and picking on individuals. Which I think is a key point. Or maybe the pressure of the press saying the Ole is effectively keeping Pochettino's seat warm is getting to Ole. Maybe the media focus on Pochettino has unsettled the players as the effort they put in against Sheffield and Brighton was vast.


14.) 26 Nov 2019
26 Nov 2019 12:58:43
Shappy

I seem to recall Ole made an individual comment about was it Martial? not long ago

Maybe there is a shadow of Poch, but to be honest there are many who would cast such a shadow over Ole. There is no getting away from Sunday’s performance and coming out in the second half and still not trying is damning. Liking someone or being likeable doesn’t make them a good manager. 23 points for safety is what bothers me if nothing changes at the top.