It was a great result against a horrible team but I agree with other comments about how vulnerable we look defensively. There is a pattern emerging. It’s the second time in the CL we’ve given away a 2 goal lead. Twice conceded the lead against Brentford and then City.
Both CBs had poor games. Keita was weak on both goals and Hendo is way below his form of the last couple of seasons. But I think it’s partly tactical too. Twice in the first half we were caught out trying to play offside on the halfway line. This idea of compressing the play works brilliantly when everyone is 100% on it or we’re playing 11 traffic cones, like Watford, and it’s why we’re scoring so many goals but there are circumstances when we could just drop off a little. It all looks a bit flaky to me like we could get a real bumming if we’re not careful or Alisson isn’t on top form.
I’d like to see us managing games better like we did in 18/19 and 19/20. Hopefully it’ll come but at the moment I’m thinking we need to be 3 ahead of quality opposition before we’re safe.
I don’t think it’ll be easy at all. There seems to be some fatigue/lack of freshness about some of our important players and the continual lack of support/exposure of Trent is a glaring flaw in our game that even a trainer as myopic as Solskjaer will have spotted. We do have the ability to turn things around though as we have seen so often, and the fact that we are scoring freely at the moment is a big plus. I think it’ll be another exciting match.
I expect a tough game at Old Trafford. On the evidence of the season up to now, we hammer them. But they will regroup and be 50% better as the best team is coming to town. We have been a little too leaky at the back too, and their strength is going forward.
I want to say something like 5-2 to us, but I think it will be tighter. Three points, however they come, will be more than fine. In a way if it’s close and they lose, it might give Ole some sort of reprieve.
Interesting. So he actually tried different kind of football? Lost a game or two and retracted back to “good old days where everything works”? Is he really that one dimensional?
To be honest I’m mostly taking Sid Lowe’s word for that but yeah he describes Simeone’s recent seasons as a series of trying to do things more attractively and quickly going back into the comfortable shell of his earlier success. It still works I guess, they won the league last season.
Atletico are a good side and favourites to retain their title in Spain this year. No matter how good we think we are we’re not going to go to their place and get through the game without some sticky moments. These match threads just show a complete refusal to accept there are other good sides out there. We just went and beat one of the best there is and did it at their gaf under really harsh conditions against a fresh version of themselves.
Nar. See one of Bobby’s goals on the weekend. Mo didn’t touch the ball so wasn’t offside despite the defender clearly only getting involved because of Mo’s involvement. The way the rule is implemented, its really difficult to be given offside without touching the ball unless its the goalie whose been affected.
Damn right he was below par. In sporting terms that’s a very good thing. As for passengers, he was directing them to the seats at the back of the bus that he was expertly driving.
Agree. If we’d scored that goal and seen it ruled out for offside we’d be up in arms.
I can’t imagine we’d have protested much about the penalty we got, but we’d have definitely claimed theirs.
The red card really reminded me of Mane v City. It seemed harsh, but inevitable. When you see pics of Griezmann’s studs in Bobby’s ear it looks clear enough.
Everyone still too worried to open the Utd pre-match thread? This is one that needs to be opened as soon as possible. Don’t mind about the Burnleys and Watford threads opening the day before but this is Utd, need to talk rubbish about them
I agree completely and have said many times that we cannot expect to dominate a match from start to finish when people are moaning that our opponents are in the ascendancy. Their 11 blokes want to win just as much as ours do!!
I was really just responding to the idea that our defence is gonna be our downfall this year…they’ve had a few wobbly moments this year for sure…JK himself said as much last night…but they’ll come good, I have no doubt.
That was one hostile crowd there last night…
Something that is not always appreciated when watching on the TV… It may well have been this added pressure that effected Keita more than most… As to me, he comes across as a nervy type.
