Good point. We did the same thing against Chelsea. We stopped doing it and that's why they got back into the game.

Thing is, our players are fit enough to do this far large periods of the game. I don't know why we don't keep it up for longer.

Great observation, I thought I was alone in thinking this.

Thing is, our players are fit enough to do this far large periods of the game. I don't know why we don't keep it up for longer.
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Do you think this is why we often finish the season so strongly? Our gameplan requires less running so we can do it effectively for the whole season?

very good question. we stopped pressing in the closing stages of this game and conceded.

in previous games when we had taking a goal lead we assumed the same attitude sitting back deep to defend and invite pressure.

in some games there is nothing you can do to stop the unslaught by the opposition. This game like many others this season was not one we invited pressure when we should be going for the jugular.

so like op can some1 tell me why we stop pressing

i don't know who gave this article 1 star, but op has made a brilliant observation imo

Serbian, possibly.

When we had Ronaldo, Tevez, Hareaves et al., we would do a similar thing in terms of pressing, and we were still strong in the second half.

Obviously we also sat deep and countered as well, but recently I've seen us give far too much time to the opposition conpared to previous seasons.

Arsenal weren't creating anything, we could afford to let them keep the ball at times I think

Arsenal weren't creating anything, we could afford to let them keep the ball at times I think
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That's a good point, but we have done the same against a lot of other teams. Chelsea last week, City in the 6-1 defeat, both CL finals against Barca are just a few high profile examples.

I think sometimes it's dangerous to press teams, especially against teams like barca who have so much quality they can exploit the spaces opened up by the pressing, sometimes against teams of this calibre it is better to keep a rigid formation and try and make yourself hard to break down

I think sometimes it's dangerous to press teams, especially against teams like barca who have so much quality they can exploit the spaces opened up by the pressing, sometimes against teams of this calibre it is better to keep a rigid formation and try and make yourself hard to break down
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Agree.


But we do it every week. Start well, then ease off. We could at least press until we score, which we admittedly did today.

Great and brillient observation..you guys are pure idiots.utd play the game..press...then relax letting the opposition come onto us ...this is what counter attacking is about. Op is not a genius..my god you lot are such wafflers

STC is right. But we were afforded it today. In some of the bigger games we need to stop dropping off.

I also think it's hard to play a pressing game with Carrick in the middle as he's so slow. He reads the game well and can position himself in food positions, but his lack of pace leads to him sitting deeper and deeper and he cannot get back if he pushes up further.

It's a difficult one, because he is one of our better players, and offers a lot of improvements to our midfield, but he also causes it a lot of problems.

I am a big fan of Carrick, but I think that's a fair reflection of him defensively.

Great and brillient observation..you guys are pure idiots.utd play the game..press...then relax letting the opposition come onto us ...this is what counter attacking is about. Op is not a genius..my god you lot are such wafflers
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You are right. If anyone here is a genius, it is clearly you.

My point is utd always play this way.

comment by Resident Red (U15357)
posted 3 minutes ago
My point is utd always play this way.


always have, always will

we wouldve won the game if the ref allowed the correct amount of injury time

An I the only one that really worries about our defending when we drop so deep?

A few seasons ago we were great at it because our defensive unit was much better, so was our keeper, and our attackers were better at countering at pace and in fewer numbers.

Now though I worry we drop because the opponents just camp in our half and inevitably score.