Manchester United vs Liverpool

[Raw]

Another random concern, has De Gea ever saved a penalty for us since that one against RVP in 8-2 against Arsenal? I genuinely can't remember.

The way this defence is going we're going to end up conceding some penalties next season. Maybe it's something De Gea can work on.

 

[Cassidy]

I'd like to see him keep it tight once or twice, TBF if Welbeck was playing I think he would do.

He hasn't misplaced one and each time it's given Young the space to put in the trademark deadly balls... so hard to criticise too much imo.

He has actually misplaced at least one

 

[GDaly95]

Even game, both teams look pretty poor.

Fletcher and Herrera have been very lackluster, Fletcher is giving the ball away so easily and Herrera is giving away too many freekicks.

Our passing is so poor, needlessly giving it away time after time. Balls going out of play, into the middle of nowhere and even straight to the opposition.

The back 3 looks shaky to say least, it's actually unbelievable how much they throw out that lazy leg and Liverpool have the players to take advantage of that. My main worry is that they're feeling the pressure, and if their mentality really is that weak then we are in serious trouble.

Oh, an Ashley Young is class.

 

[Godfather]

We look so uncomfortable at playing the ball out from the back. Also, Mata has been invisible and Fletch can't place a pass so far

 

[Piratesoup]

Sterling is scary good, to be honest. He could be the player england has been waiting for.

 

[marlowe78]

I think we were a bit overwhelmed by the pace early on but gradually got into it. Shame we lost Valencia, I think this is the type of game where he can contribute.

Shaw and Young have been very good. Fletcher for much of the half was poor.

Rooney IMO is playing too shallow. All he is doing is playing it out wide and negating any of the advance we've made to the box. I would just make him a full-out striker in the second half and put on Kagawa.

 

[Firstouch20]

I don't see the point of playing 3-5-2 tbh. We don't have many first choice centre backs, we have two top class full backs in Shaw and Rafael. We have one superb winger in Januzaj and we have many top no. 10's. We should just sign another winger and mabe two central midfielders to play in a 4-3-3.

 

[Eriksen]

I'd feel better if Jones didn't boot Sterling for no reason. We're playing better than them.

Sorry, but are we watching the same match?

 

[Garfield's Lasagna]

The team needs some investment that isn't in the No.10 position. Puhlease buy a decent centre back, a box to box midfielder & a forward who has some fecking pace please.

 

[bugmat]

So much for the euphoria of our preseason performances. Most of our play looks pretty bad. Our passing under Liverpool pressure has been poor. Defense looks uncomfortable on the ball. Young is finally showing his true colors to LVG. Their midfield 3 isn't allowing Mata and Rooney to get on the ball much in dangerous areas. Fletcher and Herrera look average. Shaw doesn't wanna take people on anymore. All that being said, I don't think Liverpool look all that good either.

Herrera has been great - Fletch has been crap though and so we're overrun.

 

[Grunnn123]

I think we play good football. some nerves make it a bit shaky, but in general. great passing, great fighting winning the ball back . it could be easely 2-1 for Man. Next half we settle things right. And luis knows he needs some extra players before the season starts.

 

[Cassidy]

Another random concern, has De Gea ever saved a penalty for us since that one against RVP in 8-2 against Arsenal? I genuinely can't remember.

The way this defence is going we're going to end up conceding some penalties next season. Maybe it's something De Gea can work on.

Jones and penalties *sigh*

 

[AS18_]

We seem lethargic in midfield, and Chicha is having one of those days where he offers nothing outside the box. Think we will see subs in the back three. MF, and Chicha. Any news on Valencia's sub?

 

[ccfc4]

Evans has been nothing short of pathetic in that half

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

HT Fireworks didn't they learn from the first half

 

[Fauzan]

Not a good half of football. Liverpool seem to counter the system very well with Rooney and Mata working hard just to collect the ball with the ball being pushed out a lot to Shaw and Young.
Fatigue also seems to be a factor. We seem to be afraid to play difficult passes tonight.

 

[Tommy]

It's been a decently competitive half, given the time both teams have had to prepare.

My first time watching your new lad in midfield... He looks decent, gotta admit. And what the hell did you do with the REAL Ashley Young? The new one doesn't seem totally useless.

Sakho & Coutinho have been our standouts for me. Rooney & Young for you guys.

 

[Duafc]

Trouble is, when you have Skirtel, Sakho going up against Rooney and Hernandez; the crossing game becomes a bit hit and hope. Unless we want to just play like we did under Moyes, whack loads of crosses in and hope that sooner or later someone will knock one in.

Aye, aside from not being able to take your username seriously at all, I agree.

Think Welbeck for Hernandez makes a massive difference to our ability to play through the middle/in behind.

 

[Pexbo]

That might well be the last time we see Hernandez in a United shirt.

Love the little guy but it's clearly not meant to be.

 

[FlapR]

for feck sake, more fireworks... 'MURICA.

 

[DOTA]

I'm struggling to pay close enough attention to really have an opinion on how we've played.

It's been dull.

 

[RikRuud]

Van Gaal bollocking them for shite passing right now. Points at Evans and just says "you!" and shakes his head.

 

[0ne-eyed_joe]

Young and Shaw been good. Smalling and Mata have done okay at times. The rest have been pretty average. Liverpool deservedly ahead.

I'm inclined to agree with you mate, I'm also disappointed how a little pressing from the opposition seems to have given us the jitters. Especially as Liverpool don't really seem to be that good at all. they have really just benefited from our mistakes.

Strange tactics from them really, very conservative in my eyes.

 

[redsunited]

f hell not the stupid fireworks again

 

[Offside]

We have probably just been the better team despite the usual matchday moaning. However, the defenders have looked shaky as feck.

 

[Mali_Zeus]

And yeah Young has been great again. So has Shaw.

 

[Man of Leisure]

It's like fecking bizarro world watching Young out there.

 

[Golo]

I really dont think hernandez suits this system or LvG's style at all. Its a shame because there was a time where he seemed like he was making some strides on his role on the ball in build up play and passing but that seems to have dissapeared.

Fletcher struggling with intensity and liverpool have been very good going forward using pace to attack the defence.

Think gerrard has been pretty poor and could be a liability in that dm position. Gives away alot of free kicks.

I agree, he's not good enough on the ball to play in that system.

 

[Untied]

Chicharito needs service to perform. Another reason why Welbeck is so much better suited for us.

Young has put 3 great balls into the box that Hernandez didn't get near to

 

[VanGaalEra]

Jones defo got the ball, but it's a certain pen according to curbs and Francis

 

[Infra-red]

Herrera doing his best 'Paul Scholes tackling' impression. Young and Shaw playing well, but Fletcher, Evans, Hernandez and Jones... deary me. Shambles at the back, forwards look asleep.

 

[Florida Man]

I thought Herrera was doing fine to be honest, but isn't being helped by Fletcher and the defenders wanting to play all the safe options. Young also has been showing some balls. Hernandez needs to be replaced, pronto. He's a supersub at best. Rooney should also embrace the art of shooting sometime, since he is in a striker position after all. These cross balls of his are slowing the game down.

 

[The Red Thinker]

- Fletch has looked well off the pace again, which is such a shame after the other day. Maybe one game too much for him after so long out?

The man must be sleep-walking - three 90 minute games in less than 10 days in pre-season! His first in three years at that. He needs to rest.

 

[Turamb]

america, what are you doing

 

[OutOfTowner]

Who said that?

That God awful troglodyte of a commentator on Sky. Good grief.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Defo need a CB/CM and a Blind.

 

[hbgreg]

Young, Shaw, De Gea and Smalling have been the big standouts of this game, those 4 have been keeping Man Utd in this game. Without Smalling I think we'd be down 3 or 4 by now. De Gea has been very good, great distribution on that Shaw pass. Young has been great with his crosses, controlling, and supporting the defense. Shaw has great pace, really impressing me the last few games.

Rooney, Mata, and Herrera have been average, they've not been piss-poor but they haven't been great either. Rooney is feeding Young the ball because he's playing well, he just needs to pick out a better pass or shoot already. Herrera is doing the best he can but there's just not much there, he's the worse of these 3. Mata is coming back to the ball a lot, they've been trying but haven't been able to create much.

Evans, Fletcher and Jones have been the standout abysmal performers. We need a CM and an experienced CB.

Chica is invisible, and that's why he's not a standout abysmal performer but he's been very poor.

 

[kundalini]

Woeful passing in the first half. Evans was absolutely shocking, Smalling's long passes as useless as ever, Fletcher unable to complete even simple passes, Rooney failing to find red shirts with hardly difficult passes. Occasional moments when we look quite sophisticated but apart from Ashley Young and De Gea, the rest haven't made a convincing case for being in the starting eleven come the start of the season. Herrera looked ok but even he might have conceded a careless pen had the referee not given him the benefit of the doubt.

Hope we see plenty of changes at half-time.

 

[walsh]

Can we ban Rooney from playing long balls? He's clearly got an obsession. Apart from when they're floating over van persies shoulder.

His switches have been one of few things actually creating space for us so far.

 

[Mali_Zeus]

Cant understand people saying Herrera was bad. I think he had a good game so far.