[El Zoido]

Rojo on Terry should have been a penalty. Ivanovic was grabbing Smalling's shirt as well as being fouled himself.

 

[SirFergie]

That's 100% a penalty. Very lucky

All four of them are pulling and pushing. It's 6 of 1 half a dozen of the other. You give a penalty for that, you've got to give them for all of them which we know they don't so there is no consistency anyway.

 

[LARulz]

Did they even show the RVP chance? One where Courtois makes a good save.

Yeah I don't think they did

 

[Tincanalley]

I don't like our cowardice when we come face on an opponent, usually ends up with the player turning around and passing backwards

When football was first invented, I believe passing wasn't allowed, or at least frowned on as unmanly.

 

[Rado_N]

you'd think we were on the ropes listening to those scouse twats on Sky

So glad I don't pay for this.

 

[Pexbo]

Di Maria has been very bad so far.

He hasn't been "very bad" at all. Don't be so dramatic.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Rojo handling Terry! Have it!

Loved that, we need a gif

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Good first half for us! I like the look of Shaw and Januzaj down that left

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Yiu re trying to tell me that Van Gaal has made Fellaini, Rafael and Smalling better on the ball? Don't see it.

Combination of them returning to what they did pre-Moyes and having confidence in the movement in the other players. The one's you mentioned.

 

[Irrational.]

Like Terry and Ivanovic haven't been grabbing players in the box throughout their careers Souness you face like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle bellend.

The trouble with that rule is that it has to be applied consistently, and it isn't at all in the game of football.

 

[saivet]

Must say, I thought Mata and Fellaini would struggle in midfield. Both done a good job in there.

 

[Theonas]

Glad to see Januzaj showing hints of the form he showed last year. He's been a threat to them all half.

 

[Gannicus]

Inspired play, but we have to do better on the few chances we're going to get.

 

[Antisocial]

Impressed with the work-rate put in by the likes of Mata, RVP and Fellaini; so far my fears of having too many "lazy" (for want of a better word) players haven't materialised.

 

[GRon]

Good first half!! Rojo worries me though.

 

[kouroux]

You could more confused smileys if you want, that's my opinion.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Thought Mata has been pretty average since apart from that disguised pass to Di Maria, that was a lovely bit of skill but aside from that he's not offered a lot

He's done better defensively than I expected. Him and Fellaini's off the ball work has been very good. They're winning the midfield battle and preventing Cesc from being able to play his game.

 

[Cina]

Did you watch the game against WBA? If you did, did you think Januzaj was aggressive and eager to win in that game?

Of course he was. He just didn't have a good match. Claiming a young player is only interested in the big occasions is madness.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

We must get better in the attacking half if we want to get something out of this game. All the players are working very hard on the pitch, we're trying to maintain our defensive shape but it's not enough...

Rafael can't get involved in our attacking plays as much as he would like because of Hazard and on the other side Shaw and Januzaj seem to be bereft of creative ideas. Mata and Blind are doing a hell of a job in recovering the ball and keeping possession but only once in the whole half a through ball found RvP behind Chelsea's defense.

We can't create anything from the central areas, there's still no penetration plus we're giving away too many set pieces. Mourinho's just playing with time here, Chelsea are feeling secure at the back and they're just waiting for a mistake or a good counter to go from one point to three...

 

[Insanity]

Good half of football. First time this season feels like we are a big team. Januzaj, Blind, Smalling, RVP aaannnddd......wait for it..........Fellaini (yes, I know) were all good. Have had the better chances, and looked the better team. (Hanuman Chalisa, works, always )

Please, please, please keep it up for another half. Let's play for 90 today.

Rojo is a disaster waiting to happen. Tighten up, dumass.

 

[James_42]

Anyone else getting annoyed with Neville gushing over Courtois non stop, yet whenever De Gea makes a catch or save he mentions nothing? it's pathetic.

 

[Virror]

Decent first half and as expected a very tactical encounter.

Feel like Janujaz has been bittersweet on the left flank. Posing a lot of problems for chelskis defence but making the wrong decisions a lot of the times. A bit like watching a young Ronaldo actually.

Thought Fellaini is doing a magnificent job in the midfield. Taking up the "Phil Neville" destroyer role and marking fabregas tightly. The big man also showing he can keep possession and lay it off to our attackers.

A bit unfortunate that RVP didn't open the scoring and Mata didn't take a better shot off the freekick from Di Maria. On the other hand, chelski probably should have had a penalty for ivanovic when Rojo wrestled him. Rojo seems to be struggling a bit and making one or two mistakes. Hopefully he stamps that out in the second half.

We really need to get the ball to RVP and try to fashion some chances. Easier said than done in such a tight affair but maybe Di Maria needs to go back on the left wing?

it was Smalling

 

[Dobba]

Souness you face like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle bellend.

 

[Stringer]

The focus on that incident in the penalty area is laughable. Yes it's a foul, but how many times do we see that get punished? However the media will spin it into an example of United favouritism.

 

[montpelier]

Chelsea never hold anyone when defending set plays, so very unlucky there

 

[legball]

Now to all the negative Nancys. We should be winning, poor finishing. Van Persie has been really poor again. We need something else up front. Adnan has been fantastic, such a huge improvement over last week. Angel hasn't been great, I expect more from him. Hope he improves in the 2nd half. Smalling and Shaw doing well. Rafael is doing well outside of his stupid yellow card. Rojo looking very shaky to me, I worry about him making a mistake every time he gets the ball/is ran at with the ball. Fellaini's doing a great job, Mata's doing pretty well imo. Blind just doing his usual solid job. De Gea with a decent save, has been commanding. Great performance from us imo, but we really should be winning. RVP has to improve in the 2nd half, simple as that. Hope we don't regret missing those chances in the 1st half.

What? Van Persie has not been poor. It was a solid piece of goal keeping by Thibo.

 

[space]

ugh, that was so much better, just wish RVP had buried that chance, c'mon United!!!

 

[Taher Shah]

Whats the formation? Is Mata playing in CM?

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Good first half from us. Van Persie, Mata and Januzaj been good today, atleast compared to their last outings. AdM started brightly but faded a bit. We've created lots of good chances, which is encouraging considering our opponents today and their expertise in shutting teams out.

 

[DrRodo]

I would permaswitch van perse for januzaj every game for starting 11, if we have falcao available. Adnan is still raw but you can see his class and i think he plays better in the left and more game time will only improve him. Van persie sadly hasnt done anything to deserve a spot in the starting 11 except being van gaals buddy. (I really hope RVP shuts me up and score a cracker agains courtois>

I also disagree with those saying mata as been bad. Hes been decent so far and should have done better with his chance from the free kick.

 

[Danny Boi]

Decent enough half from us so far.If just one of our strikers was fit, available and on form, it would make all the difference in this game and in others.

 

[Irrational.]

Lovely to have Smalling back. Smalling plus one please!

I think Smalling and Evans is our best defensive pairing.

 

[M16Red]

Why have they got so many bitters on sky, bias beyond believe

 

[GRon]

Must say, I thought Mata and Fellaini would struggle in midfield. Both done a good job in there.

Mata has been surprisingly good defensively.

 

[vidal7]

Bad omen alert

Spoiler: Bad omen

When Chelsea and united have been 0-0 at halftime(9games).
Chelsea :3 wins
Draws :6
United :0

 

[DevilRed]

it was Smalling

Aiy you are right. But Rojo wrestled terry down moments earlier.

 

[Revan]

you'd think we were on the ropes listening to those scouse twats on Sky

So glad I don't pay for this.

Carragher is generally good (though I don't agree with him for the pen). Sadness is one of the worst pundits though, can't stand the cnut.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Good first half for us! I like the look of Shaw and Januzaj down that left

Shaw is a very good player already, really happy we signed him. He's going to be great for us for ages.

 

[Virror]

Rojo on Terry should have been a penalty. Ivanovic was grabbing Smalling's shirt as well as being fouled himself.

could just as easily be a freekick, terry has his arm around Rojos neck

 

[Ace of Spades]

Mata and Fellaini are doing well, but both of them are pushing forward a lot and at times are even ahead of RVP. It would be better to sub one of them for Herrera, who will give more energy in the middle. That space that they leave behind at times could be dangerous if they start targetting it.