[Eddy_JukeZ]

The issues seem to be worse than we all expected. I don't even know if certain players just don't want to play for us or if they're just mentally weak or if it's something else.

Van Gaal has a massive task at hand.

 

[KieranMUFC]

No. Of course not.

God help us then. We haven't looked like winning any of our first 3 games up until now playing this system.

 

[SirAnderson]

We really really need to have Wilson on if we ever want to get back into this game or at least stand a chance

 

[Vidic515]

A lot of players unsure about their futures could be the problem. The system worked fine in the preseason. Too many players out there giving a half-arsed performance. Can't win giving half effort against any team.

 

[The Red Thinker]

Fully expect LVG to change the formation to 433 or 442 in second half. If he cannot see that 352 doesnt work against weak teams which blunts our attacking chances then he is David Moyes mach 2.

Except that he's won 7 titles across three countries. Now you'll say "Playing 4-3-3!" It's the same guy. I'll trust him ahead of you.

 

[#07]

The replay makes the goal look more painful. WHAT WAS HE DOING. Glad Maysie is having a go.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

0 shots on target … the system is too much for the newbies.

KEEP IT SIMPLE and rely on better fitness and technique

neither of which we have compared to the mighty dons.

 

[Summit]

Just in from work and caught the last 5 mins, is it really as bad as it seems?

Got them right where we want em mate.

 

[Pentagruel]

It's just embarrassing how impotent the attack is even against a team like MK Dons. Aside from the first 10 minutes there's hardly been a chance of note.

I expect the defense to be poor because, well... we have poor defenders, but we should at least be able to score. It's mad to me that we are playing with 5 defenders against MK Dons...

 

[Lennon7]

First time I've seen the goal. Absolutely awful from Evans.

 

[ghagua]

Need to stop with this 5 at the back shite. Play 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2 in the second half to save this game.

 

[Snowjoe]

That's to be expected considering how much dead wood we've put in front of him.

 

[RetroStu]

People saying its only the League Cup but we are only in 2 competitions this season realistically and the League Cup in one of them.

 

[Getsme]

The replay makes the goal look more painful. WHAT WAS HE DOING. Glad Maysie is having a go.

No idea.

 

[Skywarden]

Agreed. It's the easy way out to blame the formation. It might not be my favorite but we have a lot more quality on the pitch which should make up for any deficiency there. Too many bottlers at the club, unbelievable. LVG has a lot of work to do with this lot.

Aye, too many bottlers. Players just strolling around and completely disinterested in creating runs and passing options. The young lads should get carried by the senior players but it looks like the other way around.

Shameful stuff.

 

[hbgreg]

Guess only a few caught on that we'd be bad when LvG said we'll play bad for the first three months.

 

[Abhi]

Over reaction is expected !! We have been seeing this shit for last season , and there is no light at the end of the tunnel ! its getting darker and darker

 

[m1y2]

What an awful half. Pretty much all of them just pass it backwards after taking about 5 touches on the ball. Evans, Hernandez and welbeck have probably been the worst players on the pitch, funnily enough.

Powell has a good shot but not much else. Keane and James I think are just a bit shit, nothing about them sticks out.

Hope van Gaal gives them a bollocking because they're so complacent.

what the hell? Welbeck is by far our best player enough shit please. Keane was the best centre back even with a shaky start. James doesn't offer much in this system but he has not much to do when receiving a pass so late hen he is under pressure, he could have assist. But Janko is so poor, he is technicaly nowhere near first team, we head some chances but he bottles it like Valencia would, hitting the first player, wating for the cross.. Anderson having a decent game would consider him subbing of for burnley game.. Powell is talented but his touch is awfull at times.. but we should not blame our two midfield players - one of them didnt play for a year almost and the second had decent season but as a striker and suffered some two month injury as well..

 

[sharpiesdance]

Every single player in red should be ashamed. Fecking appalling. Who said everything we get better once Evans camd back!?? I don't care i it is a B team... we are playing a third-tier side that was only formed 20 minutes ago! No idea what is going on. FOrmation is irrelevant to the fact that no one seems able to pass. No idea why DDG came out when Evans gave the ball away... no idea why Hernandez and Welbeck can't control the ball and no idea why the midfielders just passing so slowly and crab-like.

 

[bleedred]

Janko looks like Valencia Mk II. Can't cross for his life.

De Gea hasn't had a save to make. It was a stupid mistake. They have played with some great energy. Will be interesting to see if they can keep it up for 90 mins. Hopefully the tire and Wilson can win it for us.

We need to just up the Anti and put them under pressure. Its not got anything to do with the system.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Perhaps 3-5-2 and English football just isn't a good mix?

 

[Taxx]

There is no excuse for United to lose to a league one side. If this was happening to Liverpool we would be laughing.

Of course, and I agree - it's really, really terrible football. We should be better than this. We are better than this. It's just that, evidently, there are too many changes at once, and the players, seemingly, cannot cope and deliver a short pass to a teammate standing 5 meters away without giving away possession.

 

[Mockney]

I even started arguing with my mum!
We'll win this, but it's poor fare so far, I can't but agree.

I wish I had your confidence. We seem stuck in a shame spiral.

 

[Razvan]

That's to be expected considering how much dead wood we've put in front of him.

 

[Thugmann]

I overslept, And when I turned on the tv they were talking about the first half so I didn't know the score, I couldn't believe it when they said MK Dons were 1-0 up...

 

[Planky]

Got them right where we want em mate.

Any minute now we'll smash them. Any minute now...

 

[Jerry Garcia]

Honestly everybody, when was the last time we played well in the league cup? Were playing a reserve team that never plays together, what did everyone think would happen? The melt in here is way over the top...

 

[Waltraute]

Everyone saying Powell has been good; at what? Pot shots and giving the ball away?

I didn't. Absolutely everyone's been arse.

I still think we'll win; this half was a nightmare, though.

 

[Maagge]

Alright. Getting up at 4.50 really hasn't been worth it yet. Too many wayward passes (it doesn't look like our players are really on the same wavelength, so to speak) and not enough players willing to take responsibility.
It started off alright with Welbeck looking dangerous but since those first five minutes we haven't been able to find him. Powell strikes a ball pretty well, but we already knew that. Not much else to say.
I hope we'll be a lot better in the second half.

 

[FromTheBench]

We've lacked transition since Kagawa went off really.

Ball goes to cheech and he kills the attack.

 

[SirAnderson]

There is no excuse for United to lose to a league one side. If this was happening to Liverpool we would be laughing.

More than true!!!!

 

[Smores]

That's to be expected considering how much dead wood we've put in front of him.

Smores approves this post

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

Just in from work and caught the last 5 mins, is it really as bad as it seems?

We havent had a shot on target and we are losing 1-0 to mk dons. with 5/6 first team/around the first team players on the pitch.

 

[poisson]

There just don't seem to be enough players in the opposition half with 3-5-2. We're being crowded out..by MK Dons

I have a few issues with this formation - there is absoutely no support from the wings. You can't expect the wing backs to act like wingers half the time then run all the way back to defend. Also, everytime either of the front two get the ball, there is no one on the wing to pass to.

And in addition to the point you made - all this system seems to do is make the players keep passing the ball backwards. The amount of times Smalling had possession of the ball at the weekend was un real and now that pattern seems to be repeating itself today.

All this is culminating is us now creating enough chances. I can't remember creating a single clear cut chance.

Ditch the 3-5-2 Louis.

 

[Il Prete Rosso]

The issues seem to be worse than we all expected. I don't even know if certain players just don't want to play for us or if they're just mentally weak or if it's something else.

Van Gaal has a massive task at hand.

To be fair it's not a first team of Utd players out there. Van Gaal is probably using this to assess the remainder of the squad.

 

[Dazzmondo]

We probably don't deserve to be losing, but we definitely don't deserve to be winning either and that alone is ridiculous. Vermijl has been great today, hasn't put a foot wrong (one misplaced pass) and has been our best player imo. Keane doing ok. Janko's been decent in defence, but no threat going forward, same with James.

Anderson's been pretty good. Powell outside of a few nice long shots has been poor. A number of misplaced passes, but most worrying is his positioning, which appears to be non-existent, he definitely isn't a cm atm. Kagawa was unfortunate, but had looked poor anyway. Januzaj has been very poor since coming on minus that great pass to Janko. He's not looking interested, which is extremely frustrating.

Hernandez has been dreadful and I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced by Wilson at half time. Welbeck is doing his best, but he's having to come back into midfield because of the lack of creativity from either our midfielders or wing backs. His movement was great for the first 25 minutes, but nobody gave him a good delivery even once (people blamed Welbeck for the chance created by Kagawa, but it was a poor pass). He's done well compared to the rest of the team and has definitely been our best attacking player.

Very worrying, because I don't think player quality is the issue. I've felt similarly about our first 2 Premier League games also. Di Maria or not, I don't see that having an immediate effect (outside of wonder goal/assists/moments of genius). The approach will still likely be slow and boring and simply not good enough. I don't have high expectations for the 2nd half even if we end up winning.

 

[Semir_Tuce]

You need quality players for 352 .. and we don't have it, that's a fact.

 

[SirAnderson]

We've lacked transition since Kagawa went off really.

Ball goes to cheech and he kills the attack.

Yeah, he was the only one that was providing some creativity!!

 

[RoadTrip]

That's to be expected considering how much dead wood we've put in front of him.

touché.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Just in from work and caught the last 5 mins, is it really as bad as it seems?

We were quite decent I thought until they scored. But after that as is the norm these days we looked completely lost.

 

[vidal7]

Hernandez and welbeck might be playing bad purposely so no one buys them and puts them on low wages. Welbeck and hernadez to be sold, powell to be loaned. vermil, anderson, keane only players who have played average.

 

[whatwha]

Hope Di Maria isn't prone to depression.