[Utdstar01]

4-5-1/4-3-3 should've been used. Personally I'd have started with schneiderlin-pogba-Herrera in a midfield 3. Martial-LW, Rashford -RW with Zlatan up top.

We made the right sub with Rashford and Martial coming on but the latter too late. However, we should've put Marcus up through the Centre with Zlatan in behind and took Rooney off. The chance Wayne had near the end where he almost got onto that through ball, his lack of pace let him down and either Martial or Rashford if playing central would've gotten a shot off no doubt.

 

[JeffBoomTetris]

What was that last 15-20 mins . LVG esque - long ball and that too shit ones . We had good players on ball and should have the tried the ground passing

Yes, we have those players. But you also need movement to receive good passes. Our movement wasn't exactly poor. However those smaller yet quicker City players absolutely bullied us on the ground. And with Fernando and Zabaleta they had effectively shut up shop

 

[jem]

Our boys took a hell of a beating.

I only saw the second half, but I thought we looked the better team. I'm guessing the substitutions made a big difference.

 

[Tribec]

After the shambolic first half and having nightmares about a result similar to that other game, we clawed our way back into it some how. City deserved the win, yes Clattenburg possibly cost us, Bravo could have, should have seen a red card for that tackle, but we got away with one as well, but not quite as bad as that.

The thing that got me in that first half wasn't how City bossed it, there didn't seem to be any passion among our team, we were at home, in a derby and it was if no one cared one bit. I can handle being out played and losing, but if we don't show the fight and the passion in this game we've no hope for the any other game. That being said the goal sparked us some what, and while we had half chances to pull it back, that was it half chances.

I hadn't changed my line up selection, but else where yesterday I suggested Lingard for Mata, but it just didn't work. Lingard being stuck out wide isn't the thing to do, he's at his most effective when he's allowed to drift in, when he's allowed to switch sides and attack, today he was just stuck on the wing and very ineffective. It didn't help being his first game back since being injured and Miki I'm guessing was a gamble like Lingard that didn't pay off. With them two not performing others needed to stand up and unfortunately it didn't happen, Pogba and Zlatan were not with it again, neither really performed against Hull, and today was a continuation. I thought that Valencia did really well today, stuck to his task, especially after being targeted in the opening salvo, he didn't lose the battle and pushed forward, more than Shaw and either of City's full backs. For me he was our MOTM, I see that Herrera is getting the cafe vote, and he certainly helped in the second half, but for total graft over craft today Valencia took it.

 

[Freak]

Jose just criticised some of his players forr being below the level in the first half. And he's right

 

[#07]

Our biggest problem was the fear in the team. We should have started with a 4-3-3 and we should be playing a 4-3-3 every game. That being said, even playing 4-2-3-1 we should have done better.

We played frightened first half, City played confident. Our players were stepping over the ball when they should have controlled it, hitting passes into touch, running down cul-de-sacs. Even Zlatan, yes he scored the goal, but when he got the knock down from Jesse he should've buried that chance not passed it to Stones. Too much anxiousness.

A lot of players let themselves down today. It says a lot that Herrera was our best midfielder, especially given what we've spent on our midfield lately. The first half wide players. Daley Blind...A lot of players will want to forget what they did today.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Don't I! No but it's true. Wenger, Martinez, Pellegrini and even Fergie in those famed games against the best European teams show that you can't just decide to attack and it will work. There is a reason Pep was sought after by virtually everyone. He can get his teams to play front foot football and still look totally in charge. That's the most difficult thing to do in the game. There was the argument before that even he could only do that because he had the best teams. It's too early to say but he is showing that it was not as simple as that.

Yeah you're right, just keep the paddles away from me. @Rooney in Paris is probably interested though.

 

[Litch]

The crap I'm hearing about Pogba, wasn't great but Messi or CR won't be in that side at mo. We need to decide our best positions for our players, too many number 10's. Big decisions need to be made about Rooney we need a world class player that takes up his positions....

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Jose is apparently the master planner. How he failed to come up with a plan for KDB is a bit mystifying.

Or with City's pressing. Or with their numbers up the pitch crowding the midfield. Or with his team selection. Awful showing by Jose, today.

 

[The red panther]

Starting with Lingard and Mkhitaryan was the wrong decision. I still don't get Jose reasoning because both players haven't been involved much in the first team recently, both came off injurries and neither of them have been in good form. It was an outright weird decision and cost us the first half.

The 2 goals obviously came from the brilliance of KDB but also came from very poor defending of Blind. He has been good this season but today he was just outright bad, especially first half and both goals really his fault.

2nd half was better, think we should have had a penalty and Zlatan had a couple of good chances to equalise but all in all not enough.

Pogba also did nothing today, very disappointing.

Best United player was Rooney, which says it all how poor the team actually was.

Disappointing thing about this all is that City were actually there for the taking with their vulnerable defence and clumsy goalkeeper. If we had played some actual football at times we could have easily scored a couple against them and got something out this.

 

[Red Dreams]

Pogba needs to improve his positional game drastically. Once he does that he should be at the top fo the game.

Pogba passed the ball to Mihi who screwed it up. He passed to Ibra when he should have taken the shot himself. Think when we have fully fit players around us we will do it.

Second half he just faded.

We got our tactics wrong first half the bald cnut got it right...simple.

 

[Mourinhonista]

Starting with Mikhi and Lingard cost us the match more than even the tactics.

Rashford for Lindgard. Herrera for Mikhi and we would have won the match.

Both of them looked good to me in the last match. I for one and others thought it wouldn't be that bad of an idea to start the match with them. Sure with hindsight it's a different thing and of course congrats that you called it.

City knew how to prevent crosses, didn't see enough play go through the middle of the park. Sometimes, i was under the impression that the boys needed too much time on the ball, but City did well, i must say.

 

[Vaibhav Raj]

One thing I have always disliked about Mourinho is his urge to show too much respect to opposition. He did when we were managed by LvG and he had a far superior side at Chelsea, a side that could have steamrolled the United of then. Instead, he goes too defensive, allows United buckets of possession in all fixtures, allows RvP to score and equalizer in a match they should have 2-0 or 3-0. Even in the game Hazard scored (and they won), there were moments when an LvG managed United could have easily taken the lead. But luckily United were just not as lethal under LvG as City are with their world class players.

United's display in the second half showed that we could have done much better than letting them pin us down and unlike majority of the posters here I do not blame any player at all. Being a football player myself I know what happens to you mentally when you try and play on the counter and try to absorb pressure. Your legs freeze, you get too pedestrian, you become so defensive minded you forget to even play a proper pass, you get agitated, tired and that's what happened to United in first half. It could have turned out to be a drubbing had we not had the Ibrahimovic equalizer just at the right time.

To end my rant I would like to say this result means feck all and Mourinho may well lead United to the title even if we lose the return leg at Etihad. But I wish we don't play absorb pressure and counter football against City. They have too much movement and passing quality. It didn't work against Barcelona with Real. It won't work against City, although the results may not be as devastating since City are not Barcelona. We could have actually won had we tried from the get go. (Where is LvGs possession, sideways passing, stretch the opposition football when you actually need it!!!!)

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Some good points here. I believe (and hope) JM will be more progressive in these big games once fitness levels are 100% and the team is at full cohension, as opposed to playing post internationals, with at least 2 players not physically ready, against the world's best manager at organising a synchronised defence and attack in record time.

I'll be honest, I saw a bit of this against Southampton as well. Pogba's glorious display hid it well, but we actually sat back in that game. I mean, come on, Southampton at home, Jose. This is United.

 

[Viral United]

Individual mistake cost us today,
Ibra should had score for chance he had,
In first half it look like we are not ready for this game.

 

[Fully Fledged]

We got bossed in the first 35-40 minutes it could have been a lot worse than 2-0.
Our midfield was awful they overran us all over the pitch. Blind was the worst player on the pitch for me, Culpable for both the goals we conceded and Bailly had to cover for him all match.

Ibra's goal was sublime how he not only got that on target but in the small gap that existed was crazy.

We looked a lot better when Rashford and Herrera came on but how much of that was down to City letting us play while the protected the lead we will never know.

Rashford was unlucky that his shot touched Ibra on the way in, it would have been a great goal.

Should have had a pen for Brava's 2 footed challenge on Rooney but them's the breaks.

 

[Ramshock]

uh oh, old Jose making excuses about refs, not enamoured with that really but yes Bravo should have been off. Otamendi wasnt intentional though

 

[El Zoido]

Fecking hell they played well but it wasn't some amazing transcendal football. We got our tactics wrong and many of our players were off the pace, sure they gave us a football lesson for most of the first half but some of the hyperbole flying around is embarrassing.

 

[FreakyJim]

You'd have to be a moron not to have seen what will happen with that midfield. I don't understand why Mourinho thinks Fellaini can hold it all together. He's a mediocre DM, and against good sides - a terrible one. Reminded me of Moyes' first derby when he played Fellaini there and we we're destroyed.

 

[El-Manos]

Starting with Lingard and Mkhitaryan was the wrong decision. I still don't get Jose reasoning because both players haven't been involved much in the first team recently, both came off injurries and neither of them have been in good form. It was an outright weird decision and cost us the first half.

The 2 goals obviously came from the brilliance of KDB but also came from very poor defending of Blind. He has been good this season but today he was just outright bad, especially first half and both goals really his fault.

2nd half was better, think we should have had a penalty and Zlatan had a couple of good chances to equalise but all in all not enough.

Pogba also did nothing today, very disappointing.

Best United player was Rooney, which says it all how poor the team actually was.

Disappointing thing about this all is that City were actually there for the taking with their vulnerable defence and clumsy goalkeeper. If we had played some actual football at times we could have easily scored a couple against them and got something out this.

Shaw and Herrera say hello.

 

[Freak]

Jose's post match interview was interesting. He basically criticised some players for being below par. Thing is..he's right.

 

[CS@SG]

What was that last 15-20 mins . LVG esque - long ball and that too shit ones . We had good players on ball and should have the tried the ground passing

Serious? Blaming that old man again?

Before the game people were talking about how physically dominant we are how much taller we are than man c and wanna bully them. U sure throwing in long balls, crosses is not want Jose wanted?

 

[Irrational.]

They're showing highlights of the Bravo challenge on Rooney and it's unanimous - it should've been a pen and sending off. Clattenburg bottled it.

 

[CS@SG]

Jose's post match interview was interesting. He basically criticised some players for being below par. Thing is..he's right.

How about himself?

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Blind's mistakes and Mikhitaryan, Rooney and Lingard's awful first half performances cost us the game

 

[Dumbat12]

They're showing highlights of the Bravo challenge on Rooney and it's unanimous - it should've been a pen and sending off. Clattenburg bottled it.

Twattenburg robbed us again. Nothing new.

 

[NinjaFletch]

How about himself?

To be fair to him he did say he got it wrong and would do it differently.

 

[BlueCelery]

How about himself?

#MourinhoOut already?

 

[Red Dreams]

Both of them looked good to me in the last match. I for one and others thought it wouldn't be that bad of an idea to start the match with them. Sure with hindsight it's a different thing and of course congrats that you called it.

City knew how to prevent crosses, didn't see enough play go through the middle of the park. Sometimes, i was under the impression that the boys needed too much time on the ball, but City did well, i must say.

Lingard had not played for so long. Mikhi..fitness? If he had said he was fully fit when he was not shame on him.

Other than that we gave them too much time on the ball first half. You should never not challenge their defenders/goalie who is quite shit...yes yes...we should have got that penalty.

The second goal was laughable. Blind showed no positional sense.

idiot.

 

[The Brown Bull]

Well beaten by a better team.City were sharper from the off and but for a howler from their keeper would have won comfortably.
KdB was really good for them.Pep has made an obvious improvement.
I thought we were flat and off the pace from the start, maybe the International break had something to do with it.
I 'll give us credit for trying hard and making a game of it but not much else.
Nothing DDG could have done about the goals, his long ball to Herrera in the 2nd half was probably the pass of the game.
I thought Valencia was the pick of our defenders but his crossing left a bit to be desired.
Pogba tried to do too much, he will have better days.
Fellaini tried hard but he looks slow and cumbersome against good players.
Lingard was off the pace, shouldn't have started.
Mkhitaryan should not have been subbed.Unlucky.
Rooney should have been subbed and should be dropped.
Zlatan took his goal well but otherwise was poor.
Rashford was unlucky, should be starting.
Herrera was an improvement, great cross from DDG's long pass.
Martial is clearly lacking in form and confidence.A test of Jose's skills to get him back to form.
Early days but advantage City.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Blind's mistakes and Mikhitaryan, Rooney and Lingard's awful first half performances cost us the game

Agree, though what about Mourinho's tactics in the first half?

 

[Kush]

One of the rare occasions when I feel the the brunt of the defeat deserves to be on the chin of the manager. I saw two teams today with two managers considered the best of their generation, and really with not much between the two teams on paper.

However, one played the other off the park, had imagination, had adventure, had intelligence and looked genuinely like they had a plan. The other seem to be ad-hoc, conservative, a tad brainless and frankly, even a bit archaic in their set up. Pep's team came and played quality football and swamped us with their pressing and Mourinho really didn't have an answer.

Also, what on earth was up with how defensive we were in the first half? It's a trend with Mourinho in big games these days. We need to grow a pair. You can't spend 150 million and play football like that. Poor.

I agree for the most part especially about Mourinho's trend for setting up negatively in big games but tell me how else we could've coped apart from sitting deep, winning the air duels and counter? At least that was the plan but our players couldn't put into action. Pep's team are horrible to play against, with how they press in numbers and their quality on the ball can make any team look 2nd rate. Just remember Rome and Wembley, playing against teams who press has been our achilles heel for sometime now.

I could fault Jose for not putting another body in midfield so as to stop Silva and KDB from playing so freely but our players really let us down. There was no aggression in our play, we are a big physical side why were their midgets able to contest so many aerial duels? Nevermind win the 1st ball as well as 2nd ball. Players just couldn't string few passes in a row without giving away possession that's why they starting hoofing it up to Ibra and Fellaini.

 

[Magnus]

feck off fellaini. Start Rashford and Martial. Tony on the left and Rash on the right. And tell Pogba to fecking pass the ball. It's not fecking hard. We will NEVER win fecking shite as long as Fellaini is playing in midfield

 

[Godfather]

The first half we were schooled. Much down to Mou though. Starting Lingard and Rooney again. Our tactics were wrong as well. Second half was better a tad. Dissapointing. They look just better atm.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Our biggest problem was the fear in the team. We should have started with a 4-3-3 and we should be playing a 4-3-3 every game. That being said, even playing 4-2-3-1 we should have done better.

We played frightened first half, City played confident. Our players were stepping over the ball when they should have controlled it, hitting passes into touch, running down cul-de-sacs. Even Zlatan, yes he scored the goal, but when he got the knock down from Jesse he should've buried that chance not passed it to Stones. Too much anxiousness.

A lot of players let themselves down today. It says a lot that Herrera was our best midfielder, especially given what we've spent on our midfield lately. The first half wide players. Daley Blind...A lot of players will want to forget what they did today.

This a 100 percent. People are saying we got it tactically wrong in the first half. Thats only part of it. We should have played a 4-3-3 like you say, yes, but in the first half City wanted it more. They had a more will within them. I mean Jesse Lingarrd couldn't even control the ball is so shitting it.

 

[Freak]

How about himself?

He did mention that it's his fault as he's the manager but he made it known that some players let themselves and the team down.

 

[Adisa]

Mourinho takes blame for the defeat. Line up and tactics were off in the first half.

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

Hopefully today will be the end of the Pogba - Fellaini experiment. Paul needs to be allowed to focus more on going forward, not having to cover Fellaini (who wasn't bad today) and protecting the midfield. I'd love to see the energy of Ander Herrera alongside Paul but that would leave us a little bit to exposed to surely a Schneiderlin - Pogba duo is the answer?

 

[CS@SG]

Unlike the previous 3 matches where the defense was compact, fullbacks were close to cb, this match the fullbacks were basically following their wingers, leaving huge space behind them.

 

[sammsky1]

Zlatan, Pogba, Blind, Mhiki and Lingard were all well below par today and that's what cost us the game.

When half the team deliver sub standard performances, you have no chance.

Lingard and Mkhitaryan did not get into the game and Pogba lacked positional discipline for the first 30 minutes. That allowed City to impose themselves and as bossed us into complete submission. De Bryne in particular profited from our inertia as he created havoc in our back lines. It was no surprise at all that we were 0-2 down after 30 minutes and De Bryne was at the heart of a complete team performance.

Through some luck, we found an unexpected weakness which was Bravo's inexperience of high and physical aerial football, Ibrahimovic's exhibits some flawless technique and we are 1-2 and back in the game. It was undeserved and against the run of play but our team railed before half time and created more chances.

Annoyingly Ibrahimovic suddenly lost his precision and missed several chances before and after half time that Id expect him to convert. It was unacceptable for a man of his talents. The referee also got 2 massive calls wrong: Bravo should have gotten a straight red card and we should have had a penalty for that as well as the Otamendi handball. And so went our chance to get something out of a game we did not deserve to profit from.

In hindsight, Mourinho got his selection and tactics wrong, but he was also let down by Lingard, Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Ibrahimovic and referee Clattenberg. But ultimately Guardiola has gotten his team very quickly drilled in his ways, City thoroughly deserved to win the game, De Bryne was mesmerisingly brilliant.

 

[manutd619]

Clattenburg was turd

Bravo gets away with studs up lunge on Rooney