I just rewatched the match and truthfully there is a lot to love about the way we played. I thought Shaqs and Thiago were exceptional and we moved the ball really well. IMO Tierney completely took Shaqs out of the match with the yellow. He played much more cautiously afterwards to not get a second. We are just still too reliant on 1:1 “freelancing” around the box. Our forwards run up a cul-de-sac and flip the ball to no one. Still not enough creativity or movement. And far too many speculative or hopeful crosses.
We completely took Bruno out of the match. Negated him completely, and I didn’t notice it real-time but he was constantly having a go at his teammates like a baby.
You don’t expect a calm, rational reaction on the evening of a game. But this is ridiculous.
Too many people throwing in the towel. Doubters to Believers. Didn’t take fucking long for that to snap back, did it?
Here is my take on the game. We’re fucking miles ahead of Utd. Miles ahead. They had to play a low block/kick and chase against us. They had nothing. This is the best they can do and we’re horribly out of form, and we still absolutely dominated them.
The obvious problem is that the attack is not clicking, and that - today at least - had nothing to do with the defence. Hendo and Fab were brilliant. The midfield functioned really well, but when the attack had the opportunity to play the final ball to create the chance, they squandered it. The worst being Mane’s cut back to Thiago.
They will find that goal touch again, and I fancy we’ll knock seven fucking bells out of Burnley on Thursday night.
By the way, just on Tierney, I though he was a fucking disgrace. We need to have a serious word with the PGMOL about him blowing up early with Mane through on goal and demand an explanation. An absolutely scandalous decision.
That was the worst of it, but I’m getting sick of the cheap free kicks teams get against us, while our lads get nothing for being two footed.
Just wish we could get out of this rut…I know we’re without Virg and Joe, but it just hurts when we don’t score and yet we get in the box…let’s get everyone back gradually…Jota next…and then who knows
The problem often is that everything we do this season is reflexively compared to last season.
There are too many factors at play that make this, IMO just lazy analysis.
If we’re going to win the league this season, it’ll likely be from a late push. The key for us is to stay in the mix for as long as possible to allow every recoverable player time to get healthy and more importantly, to consolidate the adjustments to the tactical organization and build momentum.
If the roles were reversed the narrative would probably be that we blew a chance to put space between a direct rival who was playing without CDs.
Great to see the boys on MOTD have a good look at that controversial refereeing moment, where Tierney blew the whistle early with Mane through on goal.
I’m joking of course. Didn’t even warrant a passing mention for fucks sake.
Agreed on Tierney. And I know we tend to look at these things through our own lens, but I counted 3 really awful decisions in addition to the HT whistle robbery:
Shaw slides into Mane; United free kick
United defender jumping over Shaqs and falling; United free kick
Pogba falls over Gini’s leg; United free kick
Thiago gets pulled down on a 50/50; advantage play United leading to 3 on 2 counter
I thought we played well in the first half. Very crisp and imaginative passing. Shaq fully justified his selection. Only thinking lacking was the accurate shooting.
Second half was a bit sloppier for both teams. That ultimately played to United’s strength of loving chaos, and they almost won the match except for Alisson’s three key saves. Having said that we still put in some very dangerous crosses in the second frame. Only a top level match from both Maguire and Lindeloff saved their bacon.
We’ve allowed 4 goals in the last 10 PL matches. That’s crazy, given the CB madness. 17 points across those games isn’t good enough. Need to get the goal scoring, but it will come, I feel, with Thiago back in the fold and hopefull Jota to return soon. Personally, I’d like to see Mane lining up No. 9. Move Firmino out wide.
7 draws, 9 wins makes me reflect on our winning streak last season and think where has our mojo gone?
Some of the blame of our poor run is definitely down to the worst referees in the world. I think it’s the second game this season where an opposing player got booked in the last few minutes of the game, whereby they are committing more serious fouls than our lads. Salad and Mane don’t get any protection from the refs in England. the referees need some serious lessons on how to ref a match fairly and not be influenced by their own big heads.
Actually, the one that got Mourinho the sack was a terrible game - I said so at the time on TIA. The only consolation was 3 points and Moaniho being shown the door.
As a fixture the games are usually niggly and tedious and when the fans are there the offensive chanting is downright depressing.
Agree with you that we nullified him. My take on him is that he is not really having a go at his teamates - ratther he is always talking aloud to himself, in a constant state of about to cry.
haha, i’ll correct that for you - try the dying seconds.
In a recent match, injury time has ticked over, we get a corner, everyone in the box, but we play short to allow the ref to whistle.
Did we learn?
No, same thing the week later. The ref blows for FT as we faff about trying to attempt a cute one-two, rather than swing it in the box as the ref would obviosuly blow the whistle if the play turns into the second phase.
Did we learn?
This match. Again, injury time 3 minutes has been fully played, into ref blow whislte territory. We have a freekick. We try a useless 1 metre pass between the two before swinging it in. SMH. Send the useless one metere pass player into the box and just launch it.
It’s basically a one header/kick try, any clearance from the defenders, the ref blows it. Three times in about four games we do the same thing.
Players need a consistent run of games to find form. Shaq hardly gets into the starting lineup even when fit. Similar issue with Taki, played well against CP but we never saw him again. How are these guys supposed to find form if not playing regularly? Instead we give minutes to Origi who hasn’t contributed shit since…I cannot even remember.