25 Oct 2020 10:26:24
Yesterday on the face of it was another frustrating and disappointing day.

Yet when we step back and view it in a bigger picture then a draw against Chelsea (the team that was going to challenge for the title after huge spending this summer, according to most on here a month ago) isn't the worst result.

Two weeks ago we were going to be relegated, couldn't win a game against a carrier bag blowing in the wind.

Yet now we are disappointed about drawing a game against one of the potential title challengers this season.

While the line up isn't what I would have wanted to see, I can understand it depending on context. Martial was out suspended, Cavani hasn't played a game in 7 months, Greenwood has been injured/ or being disciplined depending on which you believe. While Tuanzebe played his first game since December so was never likely to play two games in 5 days. Telles has only 67 minutes under his belt and not played a EPL game, he may or may not be carrying a knock (with him not even on the bench I would assume he had a minor injury) . While Bailly is also out injured.
That means if we wanted to play a back 3 or 5 system the players we had fit for it would be AWB, Lindelof, Maguire, TFM, Shaw and maybe Rojo and Williams (although both played in the Under 23's on Friday to build fitness so they might not have been fit enough for this game) . Otherwise it would mean throwing in Mengi against Chelsea.

I'm not sure a 3 at the back system was the best option given the players available. Which against a team like Chelsea means we are better having our full backs stay deeper, which might explain playing James for width. In hindsight it's easy to point out James might not have been the best option.

If this game was being played in April it would be billed as a 6 pointer. Last season we made top four entirely based on our performances against the other top 6 teams, where a loss instead of a win would have seen a 6 point swing in final points and that would have a dramatic effect on our finishing position.

Our last three games reads 4-1 win against Newcastle, 2-1 win away to PSG and a 0-0 draw with Chelsea. That is potentially the start of a good run of form.

Considering where we were just a week ago before the Newcastle game that is a huge turn around in form for the better.

We weren't terrible against Chelsea, it was just two food teams cancelling eachother out. On the balance of play we had the better chances and had their keeper not pulled off a couple of great saves then we would have won. I can't remember DDG having to make a save.

A little perspective helps.

{Ed025's Note - two good teams shappy?, i think that is disputable at the moment mate..


1.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 10:47:38
I little of your perspective shappy doesn't make it real perspective. A load of twaddle and nowhere near what i consider perspective.


2.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 11:14:11
Two boring teams that had no urge to win the game from the off.
We’re the home team and I don’t want to see us set up like that. We keep talking about mentality and the United way blah blah blah. Well from what I remember, the mentality was to go out and win the game the moment the whistle goes. I haven’t see two teams pass it around their defence for extended periods of play for a while. It was dull. Ole talked about the Stratford end sucking the ball in to the net. We’ve had no fans for a while now. Bit of a silly comment. Maybe if we showed some real intent we would have got the 3 points. Chelsea had just conceded 3 at home to Southampton in the league and I honestly think were there for the taking. They had every right to set up how they did. We did not. A point at home against a “title challenger”. Nonsense. We want to be title challengers ourself don’t we? So we should be going for 3 points.

{Ed025's Note - im with you Amz..


3.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 11:23:06
Actually it wasn’t just about the result. Why did the Manager of Manchester United send out a team at home not to lose? He explained that as we went on a bad run after the last time we beat PSG he tried to make sure we didn’t lose. That is negative with tactics born of the fear of losing. That is not United, you would have ripped Mourinho a new one if he said it or is it all ok as long as we remember the playing legend is in charge?


4.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 11:41:10
Did ole not say we had a lot of footy coming up so he wanted to rotate?

What was it that was so negative about our set up yesterday?
At 0.0 why did we bring on pogba and cavani if we didn't want to win the game?
We had rash cavani greenwood bruno pogba all on the pitch .
Chelsea set up with pretty much 5 at the back and their best attacking player was their rb .
Poor game to watch needed a goal . Thd over reaction to dropped points again is a bit daft imo.


5.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 11:42:14
Yes red man, he is incredibly negative and shappy would be the first to have a go if it was another certain manager.


6.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 11:43:27
I agree with you Shappy. I think context is an easy thing to loose. When you loose your previous two home games you have to go back to basics and that is what we did.

Everyone wants fast attacking football but sometimes you have to create something to build on. Every player in that back four needed to build their confidence and that is what this game provided.

After we lost against Tottenham I saw a lot of predictions saying we would loose all but Newcastle in this difficult run but we are doing far better.


7.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 11:47:50
Great post amz.
Ole is destroying everything this club used to stand for.


8.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 12:03:43
It’s not an overreaction. I’m going by what our manager and own players say. A lot of talking and no walking. We should have set up to attack as we’re the home team. If he then wants to sure things up towards the end of the match then it’s more understandable. Comparing how we reacted to winning against PSG last year to this year is meaningless. Just go out and try to win. Playing Daniel James for example shows no intent. He’s been awful consistently for a while now. He’s not good at retaining possession and can’t beat a man. So he only really brings a bit of team shape. Is that we want at home? Especially when as a club we’re talking about going back to challenging on all fronts 🥴.


9.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 12:06:38
Ole is destroying everything this club use to stand for 😂😂😂 ken that's thd best one yet.


10.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 12:10:48
Shappy - I think that's a very astute post mate. The Ole haters will always dissect any game which we don't win and some won't be happy until he's sacked.

Perspective is a good word and I honestly believed that this next run of 5 or 6 fixtures might just be the end of Ole. Three games in and its two wins and a draw. A decent start but with more very difficult games to come.

It's hard to analyse yesterday's performance and we shouldn't forget Chelsea are a good team that invested over £200m in the summer.

In many respects both teams are similar, littered with attacking talent but defensively vulnerable and struggling to find the correct balance.

From a defensive perspective both teams were well organised and worked hard. I think Utd probably shaded a relatively cagey affair where chances were few and fair between.

The midfield pivot of Fred and Mctominay undoubtedly provides the team with a better defensive shape. They both provide excellent defensive cover for the CB's and FB's where they bring energy, industry and positional discipline to the midfield. Unfortunately neither are progressive enough with the ball and both are guilty of playing far too many safe sideways or backwards passes. On the occasions when they do try to be move adventurous they invariably give the ball away.

There has been huge debate surrounding the CB pairing but I think getting the balance of the midfield correct is vital for the function of the team.

I think it's time Ole abandoned his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation and moved predominantly to a midfield diamond or 4-3-1-2 formation. This shape allows us to keep the industry of Fred and Mctominay or the defensive experience of Matic whilst getting Fernandes and Pogba in their favoured positions. It would also enable us to play an extra CF.

I think if Pogba and Cavani or Greenwood had started yesterday in a diamond or 4-3-1-2 formation in place of James and Mata the team would instantly have had more of a goal threat whilst maintaining the defensive discipline of two more defensively proactive midfielders.

I accept the formation lacks width but all our strikers are comfortable in wide areas and the signing of Telles should help in that regard.

We saw evidence of the diamond working very well against PSG where it enabled us to go on and win the game during a period where PSG looked like taking control.

I think Ole can be more creative and innovative with his team selections but for the reasons you so eloquently explained I can understand why he went with that team.

The win against PSG probably affords him some leeway to experiment against Leizpig in midweek and make a few changes. Let's see what the next game brings!


11.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 12:09:32
Shappy, you say it is easy with hindsight that James may not have been the best option, James is just not good enough, simples.

I was disappointed with the game but with James starting, it is like playing with 10 men.


12.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 12:35:29
It’s not hating on Ole DLIB. Not one bit. Perspective is a good word and one view is yours and Shappy’s for example and the other is not being happy with the set up of the team or lack of intent.


13.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 12:57:31
Amz - Football is all about opinions mate but I also think it's a touch disingenuous to suggest we didn't try to win that game.

We brought on Cavani, Pogba and Greenwood all three attacking substitutions.

I accept 'haters' is a strong word but there are several posters just waiting for Ole to fail and to be the first to say I told you so. I can see both sides of the argument but I don't think a divided fan base is good for the Club. From a personal perspective Ole is doing just about enough to hang onto his job and whilst I didn't like his team selection I can maybe see why he choose that team. I fully accept that by choosing that team he invited criticism if we didn't win the game.

Chelsea were determined to be well organised and hard to beat yet retained quality and pace in the forward positions. Ole was sensible enough not to get caught on the counter attack and be easy to play through like we were against Palace and Spurs.

It's a frustrating result because of our poor start but maybe there are signs that we are slowly returning to some kind of form following the international break.

After the next few games we'll be in a much better position to judge how our season may pan out.

Like I said earlier I think the next run of 6-7 fixtures after the international break could probably be the end of him. Two wins and a draw is a decent start with Leizpig, Arsenal and Everton to come it could still go either way and he's been fortunate that it's been a strange start to the season with a lot of teams dropping points.


14.) 25 Oct 2020
25 Oct 2020 16:23:54
Lol ken, that's really lame to say after watching the football of LVG, Moyes and Jose.