Calm heads lads, we had a shocker of a start in 07/08 too. Defensive injuries were very apparent tonight and impacted on the midfield too. That whole defensive uncertainty spread the team, there were a few bright sparks though. Shinji and Cleverley looked good and will improve our ball retention massively. We just need to figure out the best balance and get the defence fit, no worries. Oh and whoever organises the set-piece matchup's pre-match needs to be slapped, christ.
Patience
- Thread starter ArmchairCritic
- Start date
My issue isn't the result, it's the fecking abysmal performances.
Evra was more or less as bad as I've ever seen him, not a word of exaggeration. Same with Rooney and Nani.
Evra was more or less as bad as I've ever seen him, not a word of exaggeration. Same with Rooney and Nani.
We looked poor defensively, true, but we were absolutely without a clue in the midfield, too.
I think the most telling part of that came when, in the last ten minutes, Everton were just sitting off us setting up eleven men in the box. We had no clue, no ideas. Our midfield was bereft of any sort of threat.
On the other side of Manchester, Toure would have just walked through those players and made something happen. Hell, Fellaini would have done the same if the teams were reversed.
I think the most telling part of that came when, in the last ten minutes, Everton were just sitting off us setting up eleven men in the box. We had no clue, no ideas. Our midfield was bereft of any sort of threat.
On the other side of Manchester, Toure would have just walked through those players and made something happen. Hell, Fellaini would have done the same if the teams were reversed.
Everton are a very tough team at home. This was a tricky start for us and even with the absences, we were outfought. I know most of us are fuming right now but we definitely should be patient. There were some very promising signs from us with our possession play. But the chance creation wasn't nearly good enough. This hurts but we'll learn from it, and I hope, quickly.
37 games to go.
37 games to go.
Absolutely right Orduck, we've never seen City look a bit stuck for ideas when up against a 10-man defence. Barcelona neither.
Carrick on Fellaini was retarded. Couldn't get a foothold in the game that Carrick normally provides. Scholes tries and helps us keep it when we've already got it but he couldn't do anything about the long balls. We'll twat a few teams this season but we'll need people back from injury if we're going to get any kind of balance in the team
Some shocking individual performances in there too. Anderson looked trim when he came on
Some shocking individual performances in there too. Anderson looked trim when he came on
A much needed thread. I'll vent my criticism on certain players as it was a poor performance but some perspective is needed. Some comments in the match thread were ridiculous, such as people saying Young should be nowhere near the club and such.
piss poor:
rooney
nani
evra
carrick
cleverly
alright:
valentia
scholes
wellbeck
good:
kagawa
great:
vidic
de gea
rooney
nani
evra
carrick
cleverly
alright:
valentia
scholes
wellbeck
good:
kagawa
great:
vidic
de gea
And I can't believe Evra is being mentioned in the MOTM thread. I thought he was abysmal going forward and didn't do much defending either
Just like Sharky it's the performance rather than result that annoys me.
It's okay that we were bullied by Fellaini. That happens when you are forced to put a midfielder in defence. But it's the way we played with the ball that's disheartening. The whole pass it slowly as if we're a bunch of 50 year olds with no other aim really part from finally giving to a wide man to get a cross in is lame IMO. I'd rather lose watching us play the quick and adventurous style we tried early on last season. This thing Noodles calls "Zombie Passing" is really very very dull to watch. Everton's attacks were the exciting parts of that game.
It's okay that we were bullied by Fellaini. That happens when you are forced to put a midfielder in defence. But it's the way we played with the ball that's disheartening. The whole pass it slowly as if we're a bunch of 50 year olds with no other aim really part from finally giving to a wide man to get a cross in is lame IMO. I'd rather lose watching us play the quick and adventurous style we tried early on last season. This thing Noodles calls "Zombie Passing" is really very very dull to watch. Everton's attacks were the exciting parts of that game.
You see the defensive injuries impacted on our midfield selection, Carrick and Valencia are always in my first choice midfield 4/5.
Just like Toure did last year when City lost 1-0, you mean.
Can't agree with that at all. I thought Evra was one of our better players. Just because the ball hit off him to go out for a goal kick a few times doesn't mean he had a bad game.
Only saw the 2nd half, but lots of positives:
- Cleverley could soon be Scholes 2.0
- Kagawa was fantastic, always availble, great first touch, never gave the ball away
- Vidic is back
- Van Persie is a Man Utd player
- Cleverley could soon be Scholes 2.0
- Kagawa was fantastic, always availble, great first touch, never gave the ball away
- Vidic is back
- Van Persie is a Man Utd player
Tbh I expected a defeat tonight and the result in itself doesn't bother me at all.First game of the season and all, it's just that the performances reminded me so much of the gutless ones of last season.
People need to account for the very fragmented pre-season we've had, the Euro's and Olympics and now injuries haven't helped us at all. Not a fan of all the travelling we did either.
Can't expect Carrick to handle Fellaini, but I suppose Jalgielka is also a threat from corners, so we needed someone else alongside Vidic who can dominate set pieces.
I did like our possesion play, perhaps it was a bit slow, but the interplay between our players was ncie to see, especially Kagawa who is going to be our player of the season!
I did like our possesion play, perhaps it was a bit slow, but the interplay between our players was ncie to see, especially Kagawa who is going to be our player of the season!
What's this? Pep up thread after a single match? Haha, we're going to be fine.
I'm not panicking at all. We're not the best starters. Newcastle, the other season for example. Can't think of others off the top of my head, but they're there. Next few games are very winnable. Kagawa looked good, Vidic looked good, DDG was excellent, Cleverley and Scholes played well.
But sweet fecking Jesus, Nani was really, really bad. As was Rooney. He gets the annual pass because it's Everton. Evra too. I cannot fathom why Fabio's been let go. What was the thinking behind it? Regardless of how he plays he'll get in week in, week out, and it's not fair.
Also, what's Rafael doing with himself? Nani played today, because Valencia played RB, but Rafael is. not. good enough. It's probably not the time to criticise him, but why is he being left out, leaving us with limited options? Been saying it for a while now, needs a major improvement.
Anyway, long way to go, well done Everton.
Scouse bastards.
But sweet fecking Jesus, Nani was really, really bad. As was Rooney. He gets the annual pass because it's Everton. Evra too. I cannot fathom why Fabio's been let go. What was the thinking behind it? Regardless of how he plays he'll get in week in, week out, and it's not fair.
Also, what's Rafael doing with himself? Nani played today, because Valencia played RB, but Rafael is. not. good enough. It's probably not the time to criticise him, but why is he being left out, leaving us with limited options? Been saying it for a while now, needs a major improvement.
Anyway, long way to go, well done Everton.
Scouse bastards.
He gave the ball away a number of times and offered nothing going forward. How is that 'playing well'? What exactly did he do well?
Some guys need it
A bit? It was at walking pace most of the time. I hate that kind of football where we take ages to pass the ball and go nowhere spending 20 seconds but going nowhere with the ball.
No wonder Cleverley and Kagawa looked a step above in that first half. They were the only ones who didn't dwell but always played with purpose.
If we lose another fecking league title because of one single game in which we were forced to play with Carrick at CB I'm done with football. No other club ever seems to go without all their CBs at once, it's ridiculous bullshit. It's happened twice in the last three years, just fecking have more CBs in the squad, it's not hard.
Kagawa is amazing and we're going to score 100+ goals this year, but fecking hell, if we lose it by 3 or less points, I'm setting fire to...something.
Kagawa is amazing and we're going to score 100+ goals this year, but fecking hell, if we lose it by 3 or less points, I'm setting fire to...something.
Was Chelsea the last time we lost the first game of a season? Keane in defence that time round I think.
We used to play really nice attacking football, now all we seem to do is cross the ball into the box, or at least try cause most of the times we cant even do that
The game was only about 1 person. Shame about the final scorellne though.
Don't understand all the abuse Evra is getting, I've been one of his detractors over his decline in the past two years but I thought he was fine tonight.
I think people may just be lashing out at his performance over those infuriating goal kicks that Hibbert fluked.
I think people may just be lashing out at his performance over those infuriating goal kicks that Hibbert fluked.
I wish I'd spent the last hour and a half playing patience
Pressure off. It's City's / Fulham's title now.
Gosh, someone agrees with me!My god, I saw the second half too. Off to the optometrist first thing tomorrow.Only saw the 2nd half, but lots of positives:
- Cleverley could soon be Scholes 2.0- Kagawa was fantastic, always availble, great first touch, never gave the ball away
- Vidic is back
- Van Persie is a Man Utd player
Why? City have three or four, Chelsea have three or four, we've got five. Seriously, how many do you want? Name some players you'd like to be added. In fact, as I'm typing this I'm realising you're most probably joking?
He offered plenty going forward, always offering himself on the overlap and making himself available, and I can't say I remember him giving the ball away too many times, not relative to the rest of his teammates in any case. I really think people are basing their opinion of his performance mostly on losing out to Hibbert twice in a couple of minutes,
I don't think I've been more annoyed by a United performance in such a long time. I am fuming.
Which centre-back who would be prepared to be 6th choice do you recommend we sign?
I give United a 3 game grace period at the start of the season.
The really disappointing thing was Everton's tactics were about as subtle as a brick, and there was seemingly nothing we could do to stop it. Only being able to field two actual defenders didn't help of course.
I'm not. I was for a few minutes, but having taken stock, I'm not.
We were always going to get bullied by Fellaini, so with only one fit centre-back it's no big shock to concede one goal to them, from a corner.
What we were missing was that extreme sharpness (touch, yard of movement etc) you need up front to win matches the way we play. But I'm hopeful that's just lack of match practice and we kick on from here.
John O'Shea.
We used to always have full backs who could drop back into the middle if needed. Now all our full-backs are midget wingers, or actual wingers.
Yeah agree, early days yet and we did actually play quite well on the ball. As you say Clev and Kagawa were very good. Kagawa as I posted in his thread was special, brilliant but it was Cleverley that was surprising. He pinged it about all over and the team were giving it back to him whilst Scholes was next to him as well, whereas last season it would be the team giving it back to Scholes and expecting him to find someone.
We often start poorly to Premiership seasons and it'll give the papers something to do with the usual "Man United season over, title odds slashed as 37 games to go is not enough to recover" etc etc. People never learn.
United played well tonight in ways, especially for a first game and one that's at Goodison Park. Everton scored off a corner and their next best chance was a free kick, typical Moyes really. When the final 3rd potency comes we'll be bang on it.