[walkinhop]

Things I have noticed this half.

Young is pretty good but better on the left

Mata good few runs but less involved than the other flank

Carrick is running more than usual. I guess the rest gave him some more energy.

Martial seems frustrated a little

Rooney is not good enough anymore BUT today he looks better because of the team

Lingard shows his potential. Great build-up but lacking the quality final balls

Overall, we look much better because of 1 reason only. We move the ball faster, from defense to attack.

 

[bosnian_red]

Scoreline deceptive.

This is a million miles from our other 0-0s.

Would've been nice to see what Memphis could've done with some of the balls that have fallen Lingard's way.

Or Pereira/Herrera/Martial. Lingard has wasted a lot just by having a heavy touch really

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Scoreline deceptive.

This is a million miles from our other 0-0s.

Would've been nice to see what Memphis could've done with some of the balls that have fallen Lingard's way.

He'd have made the goalie work

 

[Organic Potatoes]

Need Herrera on. But we will probably get Fellaini first.

 

[Gopher Brown]

Well, I'm not asleep, but could be better.

 

[JPRouve]

The level of knee-jerkism is high.

 

[moses]

You can't all be watching the same game as each other.

 

[#07]

To think there was a time when we complained about the way United played under Fergie. I remember being irate watching United lose away at Norwich in 2012/13 and thinking the standard of football was abysmal. Maybe its hindsight but I think we looked more dangerous in that game than we have tonight.

We have actually had some decent half chances, but there's been no conviction behind anything hit at the CSKA net. I've not believed we'd score and the players who have had chances haven't looked like they believed they score. There's no spark in this team, no life. Its literally all on Martial.

On the plus side Rooney's been a lot better than in recent games. On the negative side everyone else has looked worse. Even Smalling's made some dodgy back headers. There's just no self-belief in this side.

 

[Natener]

And Lingard couldn't do anything with the space he was given, as I assumed.

It's insane how much attention Martial receives from the defense, yet we still can't capitalize on it.

To be fair to Rooney, he's kept and distributed the ball well in this half. Lingard needs to compose himself a bit. But overall, we're looking sharp and I'm confident the goal/s will come.

 

[RedSky]

Oh and been impressed with Young.

 

[VanGaalyTime]

Would love to see Depay come on for Mata at half-time. We need some pace from the right to go with the pace down the left. That way, the CSKA players can't just sit in the middle - they'd have to spread.

 

[Donut]

Rooney's been our best player so far, and Lingard the worst (although he does bring some pace and urgency, but his final ball is horrific).

 

[Kill 'em all]

We need some Memphis magic!

 

[Charlie Foley]

John Hartson being pretty positive. Nice to see Saha on Setanta too.

 

[kouroux]

Really impressed by Young. What a cross that was for Rojo.

 

[FlapR]

This first half has been miles better than anything we've seen in a long time in terms of attacking. Hopefully keep it up and more in the second half.

 

[sunama]

I'm watching highlights from the other CL games.
I am getting very jealous watching other teams score goals.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Thanks. Hopefully we make the good play into a goal then.

Tbh it went a little flat last 10 mins but we are definitely Much improved and yes just missing a goal hopefully it'll come early second half

 

[Scorpy]

Don't see the point in having both Bastian and Carrick on the pitch then the opposition has parked three buses. Bring Herrera on for Carrick for more drive.

I think we've been good so far. We're constantly attacking and had decent chances to score, but Lingard and Rojo have been making the wrong choices more often than not. If Rojo knew how to cross, we'd have scored in the first half. Lingard needs to sort his shooting out as well.

 

[dichinero]

You can't all be watching the same game as each other.

Does a FIFA 16 simulation count?

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

I thought the first 20 minutes was good but by the end of the half it was flat and similar to the last few weeks. Overall an improvement but we still don't create enough, and on the rare occasions we do fashion a chance the final ball or the shot is fecking woeful.

Very frustrating.

 

[Drifter]

I'm watching highlights from the other CL games.
I am getting very jealous watching other teams score goals.

Well don't watch them then.

 

[saivet]

The intent has been better but still not really creating much

 

[Amar__]

At least we are direct and our play isn't boring. We actually look like we want to score a goal, which itself is big improvement.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Scoreline deceptive.

This is a million miles from our other 0-0s.

Would've been nice to see what Memphis could've done with some of the balls that have fallen Lingard's way.

It has been better. We have had more chances in the first half than we had in the whole match Saturday.

 

[bosnian_red]

Carricks best game for us this season by a distance as well. Controlling the game and showing his good passing forward as well.

 

[Trizy]

Rooney is actually playing well, whats going on?

On a more serious note it wasn't a bad half but could've been better deliveries. Jesse off for Memphis for me and Carrick off for Morgan.

 

[Garethw]

Lingard is the only player running at people and he's the furthest up the pitch. Quit the bashing!

At least he is having a go. He may not make it here in the long run, but the boy can't be faulted for effort.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Really impressed by Young. What a cross that was for Rojo.

Has Young missed his calling playing all those years as a winger?

 

[christinaa]

Dear LVG

Well done - you finally realized that our line-up up front should be Martial and Rooney just behind him.

Way to go!

 

[FreakyJim]

That's just not true at all for today

You got me. I am lying.

 

[Mutter Merkel]

Players are a little too anxious.

Yes. We played well in that half but lacked the composure to pick the right ball; I'd like to see us pulling a few more balls back to the edge of the area for a shot on goal.

 

[hobbers]

Rooney has been fine. Lingard has energy but has snatched at the ball every single time. Martial is being doubled up on and Mata isn't getting involved enough.

That right flank should be doing all the creating, and did produce the best moment, but almost everything else has come through Lingard and Rojo, who cant cross for shit tonight.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

We've been good this half Just lacked composure and confidence in front of goal.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Rooney is actually playing well, whats going on?

On a more serious note it wasn't a bad half but could've been better deliveries. Jesse off for Memphis for me and Carrick off for Morgan.

That's going to be a tough one

 

[Massive Spanner]

If I wasn't watching the game and just reading this thread, I'd think we were simultaneously playing great and playing awful, and Rooney was somehow both our worst and best player.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Rooney is actually playing well, whats going on?

On a more serious note it wasn't a bad half but could've been better deliveries. Jesse off for Memphis for me and Carrick off for Morgan.

Morgan isn't there, personal issue.

 

[Michael T]

Memphis for Lingard perhaps...

 

[The Firestarter]

Any criticism should go directly to the front 6. LVG has sent out the best team available with the right tactics.

Our front 4 though have not been slick enough in movement and our finishing has been poor.

Rooney the best player in our team so far has done well but BFS, Carrick and Lingard have been average, Mata and Martial wasteful.

At some point the players have to take full responsibility

Jesus...

 

[Livewire1974]

And why did we loan Januzaj again ?

He likes to take a chance and beat a defender. Not allowed under the philosophy.