Manchester United Banter Archive February 24 2019

24 Feb 2019 16:17:33
You would've thought it was Liverpool who got the injuries based on that performance, I thought we had the best chances to win that game and some say it was a lost opportunity for Liverpool they were lucky they got the draw. So proud of the team! We know injuries can have an impact on the mindset of the players but despite losing matic yesterday, Herrera, mata, lingard and rashford being hurt we still kept on going. Big props to mctominay who I thought was exceptional in the matic role. Pereira played ok coming on in such a big game and loved the passion he showed. Shaw motm for me who had salah in his pocked. Wanted to end with lukaku. Yes he's not our most gifted player and I personally don't see him in our starting XI if we want to challenge but credit where it's due, with rashford being hurt he had to put in an extra shift and playing on the wing when you're a cf, doesn't make it any easier. He worked his absolute socks off and for that I applaud him. We made them drop two points and if at that at the end helps stop them becoming champions, then fantastic. Top 4 still in our favour imo, good team performance lads, onto the next one.

{Ed0333's Note - I thought it was a valiant effort from you guys. Fair play you got what you deserved. If I’m being totally honest you looked more likely to score than us. We were lucky smalling isn’t a forward or we would have lost the game in the end.

24 Feb 2019 16:26:21
DDG didn’t hav to make save, there were 3 great chances and they were all ours.

24 Feb 2019 16:28:28
Under the circumstances I think both sides will be quietly happy with a point and move on.

{Ed0333's Note - true dat fam

24 Feb 2019 16:29:06
To be fair, it was difficult playing with 10 men. Unable to chase, struggling to outmuscle anyone and never in position. Lukaku was abysmal.

{Ed0333's Note - lukaku was brilliant he took one for the team today playing out of position.

24 Feb 2019 16:35:44
Yeah i thought the fans the were brilliant on the whole today but their treatment of lukaku is getting out of hand. He was played out of position and put in a major shift today yet everytime he made a mistake the fans were on his back.

Yet there's a certain chilean whos our highest paid player who doesn't get half as much stick when he puts in poor performance after poor performance.

24 Feb 2019 17:09:15
I thought lukaku was terrible today and Sanchez actually played well. The fans aren’t on his back as such they are just frustrated with his lack of ability and number of mistakes, the fact you’re noticing that shows how many mistakes there are, for a professional footballer his first touchy is absolutely abysmal. Remember Berbatov and how good his touch was, I think Lukaku is the exact opposite.

24 Feb 2019 17:09:55
sepp are you are serious, he was pretty good today. Most of what was created in the game outside of setpieces was from lukaku, the pass to lingard, the cross for smalling at the end. The 500k man on the other hand was as usual useless.

24 Feb 2019 17:39:47
Thought he was dreadful, but he is most games. Getting outmuscled by Robertson. Terrible first touch. Always underneath the ball. Never winning a header.

Apart from that though, I thought we played quite well.

24 Feb 2019 18:02:10
No need to turn this into a Lukaku vs Sanchez debate. Let's just agree that they are both terrible.

In all seriousness though today was a good result under the circumstances. Lindelof and Smalling were excellent as they were against Chelsea. MOTM for me was Luke Shaw. He's in fantastic form, he's really turned a corner recently and I'm happy to say is proving myself and others wrong. I'd like to see him start adding 5-7 assists a season and a goal or two. But other than that he's definitely learned how to defend.

24 Feb 2019 21:16:36
No excuse for Lukaku being constantly outmuscled given his size. Almost like he can’t be bothered. Sanchez needs to play down the middle or be sold.

25 Feb 2019 10:07:21
Henderson whacked Rashford very early and he never shook off the challenge- but that's what a horrible dirty player the mackem has become imo. We put in a proper gutsy performance but the only negative is, you've got to wonder why lingard was put on when so early back from injury and also clearly not ready. Mata epitomised the spirit with the track and challenge on Salah whilst crocked; pleased with a point under the circumst.

24 Feb 2019 15:41:35
if OGS knew Lingard was no where near match fit why bring him on after 20 or so minutes. someone from the medical team has some explaining to do.

24 Feb 2019 16:04:27
Lack of other options. Might create chances for Chong an Gomes next few games.

24 Feb 2019 16:28:28
IM7

OGS took a big risk bringing on Lingard, especially so early in the game. He had seen one injury needing a substitution and it was his decision so don’t blame medics. It was for me a sign of his inexperience, he was trying to be positive but it wasn’t the right moment.

The team showed real guts to hang in there, especially Rashford and that was a real positive. I am more concerned about the quality back up, McTominay and Pereira in central midfield are concerning. I hope we see a couple of the youngsters.

Feels a better point than it would have been with a full team.

24 Feb 2019 16:49:47
He wouldn't have been in the squad if the medics thought he wasn't fit. You're passed fit to play, then you can play.

24 Feb 2019 17:48:56
Redman - Your always banging on about Ole being inexperienced but bringing on Lingard had nothing to do with that. The man isn't stupid he'll have spoken his medical staff, the player and he was passed fit. He probably didn't start because he was lacking match sharpness having not played for a couple of weeks. Lingard is fundamental to how we want to play and suggesting Ole is somehow naive or to question his judgement is not productive on an afternoon where he squeezed every ounce of effort out of a depleted squad.

You bang on about wanting to use the academy and giving youth a chance then moan about a lack of quality. Mctominay had a fine game. He was brilliant defensively. Worked hard, tracked runners, was positionally disciplined. Yes he lacks quality on the ball at times but that's not his job. He was brave, took the ball off the CB's and used it simply and intelligently.

I thought Ole learnt from the PSG game, he ensured that our full backs didn't get isolated and it was another disciplined and well organised defensive display. Liverpool's lauded attack didn't create a single opportunity today.

Lukaku deputised admirably on the right. He worked hard and defended well. He also kept Liverpool honest and posed a threat on the counter. Unfortunately his touch can be poor at times and his movement is questionable but our two best moments were created by him.

Under the circumstances it was an organised, disciplined and very hard working display. Ole has players wanting to run through brick walls for him. We're not the finished article, everybody knows that, but with the injuries, disruptions and missing some of our best players I'm not sure we could have expected much more. Personally I'm delighted with the effort and application of every player today on a difficult afternoon.

24 Feb 2019 19:31:49
Great post DLIB.

24 Feb 2019 20:42:55
DLIB

I have to disagree on your point Re bringing on Lingard when he did. It was an obvious error and sending him on when we had already made one substitution plus Rashford was already struggling was illogical. It did show his lack of experience. Lingard was on the bench for a reason. Ole is very popular so saying he made a mistake is frowned upon but this was a mistake, luckily it didn’t cost us completely.

In terms of the team performance, huge plaudits for their resilience, we stayed compact and defensively didn’t lose concentration. I don’t think McTominay and Pereira, who both played well in the pattern we had to play, are good enough and we will be under extreme pressure at Palace with that combination.

24 Feb 2019 21:05:49
Agree with a lot of what has been said but want to add a mention to Pogba, who I thought showed a lot of graft today. He wasn't at his creative best, but with the injuries he played a little deeper and without Rashford's movement there was less for him to aim for - but despite this he got back and put in tackles and supported Shaw on the left side. It's something he's often criticised for not doing, but I thought he put a shift in today and deserves recognition.

24 Feb 2019 21:43:37
Mata signaled he wanted to come off. Who was he supposed to put on for him? Romero? Rashford was already limping and presumably he wanted to save Sanchez for if Rashford had to come off. Lingard was really the only option. It was a gamble but there wasn't much else.

24 Feb 2019 13:07:56
No matic. massive blow let's hope we don't miss him too much.

24 Feb 2019 13:31:52
Agreed Ken. Not sure mctominay can do the same job perhaps herrera will drop there.

24 Feb 2019 13:43:31
Big chance for mc tom what a game to come into to say 'im here and i belong here'
I wish him the best of luck.

24 Feb 2019 16:12:12
He did very well too.

24 Feb 2019 19:15:08
I thought so 12days.

24 Feb 2019 10:45:44
Wander over to the Liverpool page, they've won the game already by their reckoning.

The exact attitude that's going to lose them the title. Feel they have the right to an automatic win every game.

Underestimate us at your peril. OT will be rocking and we are playing great football.

2-1 United I believe.

24 Feb 2019 12:19:18
I saw, and I posted a couple of things, particularly to the ‘but who have Unted actually beaten’ argument. There are some sensible Scousers over there but 1 or 2 are deluded.

24 Feb 2019 13:07:29
United fans used to be that cocky, but we were dominating English football for 20 years. The attitude from some of those Liverpool fans is astounding. But part of me thinks it's just nerves. They're a quality team and it will be a tough game that's for sure but we'll give them more of game than we did the last time out.

24 Feb 2019 13:35:19
Only marginally true that Redwhisky.
In fact quite a lot my folk have given your lot their due with many less than optimistic.
I'm among those very confident, but very few of us are under any illusions as to how tough it will be, for both teams.

Nothing wrong being confident of a good result. We've earned the right to be, as have yourselves.
Funnily enough, I've had a number of your lot saying no way LFC should be confident of a result.

Massive game. Stakes have never been this higher for both teams in a long time. We both need the points, literally. We having a decent season. You've been on a resurgence yourselves.
Fans either side buzzing AND very confident. And why not?

Soljaer did say he won't be dropping back. Will go for it, so it should be an open interesting game. Or it won't.

24 Feb 2019 13:51:49
That's the thing. United were perceived as arrogant but we had the trophies to back it up. 29 years isn't mentioned enough given we never heard the end of 26.

24 Feb 2019 07:33:50
{Ed's Note - Reid the Red has posted a new article entitled, Premier League Match Preview 24 February 2019