The result last night if taken at face value, wasn't a bad one, although I'd have liked an away goal obviously. Sevilla are usually much stronger at home than they are away having only been beaten once at home all season in all competitions.
The issue however comes in this common tendency we have to do the bare-minimum in games and nothing more. We just drift along, performing well below what is actually possible. We don't play with any real intensity, tenacity, urgency or a determination to produce more.
It's hardly a surprise we play this way because of how philosophically handicapped we are playing not to lose a lot of the time. Watching this side just leaves me feeling completely numb which is similar to how I often felt watching United under Van Gaal.
You don't get the sense that we're capable of raising our game to such a level where the football we're seeing actually becomes anyway enjoyable and where we're capable of overcoming the best sides domestically and in Europe and win a league title or a European Cup which is ultimately what José's time at United will be judged on by most people because it won't be remembered for what happens on the pitch or winning the Europa League or any of the domestic cups.
What Are We Building Towards?
posted on 22/2/18
what you watching it on Busby? I had the 08/09 season on Sky the other day, I'd kill for us to have that winning mentality again that we saw in the Villa game at OT.
posted on 22/2/18
08 was the PL & CL double. The movement from the front players was frightening, honestly sit and watch it for 20 minutes and then cast a thought to the side now.
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I don't need to, mate, I remember it all too well. My question was rhetorical really.
posted on 22/2/18
comment by Big Shaq (U11781)
posted 26 minutes ago
hold on, did IAmMe just call De Gea 'fantastic'?!
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Check his initial post Big Shaq. I just edited some of it for him/her!
posted on 22/2/18
The football in 2011/12 was pretty good as well and we had Clev and Ando in midfield!
I think a lot of it is down to mentality rather than the abilities of the players. We should be playing better football than we are.
If we do get into CL next season Jose would be staying but I'd expect a lot better performances.
posted on 22/2/18
I think a lot of it is down to mentality rather than the abilities of the players. We should be playing better football than we are.
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They have to be doing what they are told to do. No professional footballer just just keeps backing off like we were doing last night.
There was one instance late in the game (around the 88th minute) where they had the ball on the edge of their own box.
Both Pogba and McT were jogging back to the half way line looking towards our goal.
They were not even facing play. I just sat there draw dropped in utter amazement. There was no attempt to keep them pinned in their own half what so ever.
posted on 22/2/18
VC being well drilled and defensively sound I have no issue with. What I do have issue with at times is that we are playing like underdogs in games where we should be taking the initiative and being far more progressive.
We've shown in matches last season and this that we are capable of doing that so I don't really understand why we don't do it as often. We look a much better side when we do.
Hate to say it but if we went out on the pitch with the same attitude as Liverpool I think we'd be much better. Perhaps out forward options, as a collective, aren't as good but I'd trust us to be a bit safer at the back than them as well.
posted on 22/2/18
I think we played better football in 2008 than in 99 just about. Rooney Tevez & Ronaldo was absolutely unreal front 3.
We could have won another treble that season too but for a very freakish day in the FA cup I seem to remember.
posted on 22/2/18
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 2 minutes ago
I think we played better football in 2008 than in 99 just about. Rooney Tevez & Ronaldo was absolutely unreal front 3.
We could have won another treble that season too but for a very freakish day in the FA cup I seem to remember.
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Certain pen not awarded and our keeper sent off v Portsmouth. They beat Cardiff in the final that year so it most certainly was on. Just shows how difficult it is to win trophies even when you have the best team.
posted on 22/2/18
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 4 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by LQ (U6305)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 40 minutes ago
With the players we have how do you think SAF would line up?
I think he'd go for:
DDG
Valencia
Bailly
Jones
Shaw
Herrera
Matic
Lingard
Pogba
Sanchez
Martial
I know 4-2-3-1 isn't our best formation but I think he'd go for an aggressive solid base in midfield and allow Pogba and Sanchez a bit of freedom in the three with Lingard providing a bit more of the discipline. Also think he'd like Martial up front as he can create something out of nothing and mix it up with Sanchez in the CF role.
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Would be far too narrow and if you did push the wide players out you would be overrun in midfield playing that formation.
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Perhaps it would but I'm also thinking that there could be scope there to push Pogba a bit further back to make the three. To really make it work though, and SAF was blessed in these areas to be fair, you'd need full backs who can produce the width.
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You Would also be relying on your fullbacks but they aren’t the strongest if you are looking to push forward all the time.
City to some extent get away with that because of Ederson I don’t see degea playing that sweeper keeper roll.
posted on 22/2/18
Hate to say it but if we went out on the pitch with the same attitude as Liverpool I think we'd be much better.
................
I agree.
Liverpool do not let a defence settle on the ball. When one of Liverpool's players loses it he fights to get it back straight away.
If you can keep the opposition in their half, they can not score, and you are more likely to be on the front foot.
Why Jose has us playing as if we are playing basketball beggars belief.