[legball]

I agree with this and think we absolutely have some quality in this team. Obvious Rooney's done and Fellaini needs to be moved on.
We need to shift some players yet but much of the work is to coach the players and get them mentally fit.

Yes, for me that's what it comes down to, coaching. You look at Liverpool & Spurs especially, man for man, they're not better at all, but as a unit, they're streets ahead, work so much better.

 

[Robbie Boy]

OK

You proved me right against that utter dross he was up against today. Good lad magic Mike.

Edit: Why the actual feck would you move posts from two totally unrelated threads. I'm convinced you're about 6 by your posting style. Ignore list I think.

 

[endless_wheelies]

Overall they have far better players and had got to sit on their arses watching us run ragged for two matches.

Wasn't to be entirely unexpected.

 

[Crossie]

It's a bit different though. Mourinho has actually spent 25 odd million on a highly proven star from Bundesliga. It's not like he's called him back from a loan to assess him. It's really thick to spend good money on an established player only to chuck him out like some worthless youth player you didn't fancy weeks later.

No doubt about the differences! But the whole sequence 'I want this player who rocked the Bundesliga, he's gonna play a big role' and pretty soon the very player finds himself mainly either on the bench or not even there is reminiscent to KdB.

I still don't buy it but in Germany even before Mourinho dropped Mkhitaryan some media folks speculated that United agreed to a Mkhitaryan move to ensure the signings of other Raiola players.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

No doubt about the differences! But the whole sequence 'I want this player who rocked the Bundesliga, he's gonna play a big role' and pretty soon the very player finds himself mainly either on the bench or not even there is reminiscent to KdB.

I still don't buy it but in Germany even before Mourinho dropped Mkhitaryan some media folks speculated that United agreed to a Mkhitaryan move to ensure the signings of other Raiola players.

So now we have a pretty decent player who isn't playing and the other two who are not performing but are playing?

 

[Crossie]

So now we have a pretty decent player who isn't playing and the other two who are not performing but are playing?

Seems as if that's the case, yes. I have to admit that Mkhitaryan failed miserably in our cup final when it came to the pen shout out and he cowardly didn't take one. So Mourinho isn't totally off when he judges Mkhitaryan not to be a player for the biggest moments of pressure. But he could have played against Fener, I think.

 

[redspoony]

Just dreadful. No fight, no clue, no passion and no skill.

There is so much wrong at the moment it is hard to know where to begin.

Jose is paying the price of three seasons of mismanagement of the team and has got a team full of players he really doesn't want. They are not adaptable and not up to the job. Yes, he paid big money for players but the core of the team is just rotten. I have faith in Jose and I'm sure he will turn it around, but its going to take some canny management to do so.

We have a group of players that we will be able to move on, but we'll lose a wedge of cash by doing so. Even if we move on 8 players, do we bring in 8 to replace them and wait for them to gel?

The manager is in an almost impossible position.

 

[what a mess]

That was painful to watch, never really recovered after the first goal.

It is also obvious that if you play one up front, you need someone with pace. Zlatan does not offer this and now he is not scoring either. Time to try Martial or Rashford up top.
Also disappointed with Blind, usually a very dependable player but was all over the place today.

This job is very different to what Mourinho has had to at his previous clubs, hopefully he has realised this already.

It needs to be Zlatan with Rashford and Martial behind him using pace and feeding off his physical presence .We are leaving him completely isolated upfront which is a complete of a phenomenal striker and playing Rashford as a wing back is a waste of time and energy .
If that is the system he wants then please play Young instead of Rashford because at least he can play that role .
We've played 3 top teams so far ......
Hammered by Chelsea
Played off the park by City
And dour against Liverpool

The system of playing wide forwards as wingbacks is not working it leaves us with no attacking menace even when a counter attack was on today Rashford was in the fullback position !!

Play Rashford in his best position or he will just fade away

 

[kouroux]

I'd like to understand the logic behind handicaping ourselves from the start with the inclusion of Fellaini.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Seems as if that's the case, yes. I have to admit that Mkhitaryan failed miserably in our cup final when it came to the pen shout out and he cowardly didn't take one. So Mourinho isn't totally off when he judges Mkhitaryan not to be a player for the biggest moments of pressure. But he could have played against Fener, I think.

That was a hell of a lot of money to pay as a sweetner to get the other two? All we need is someone who is good when things are going well, but can bottle it as well. We have one or two of them already.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

rubbish day at the office

 

[Crossie]

That was a hell of a lot of money to pay as a sweetner to get the other two? All we need is someone who is good when things are going well, but can bottle it as well. We have one or two of them already.

In fairness, Mkhitaryan carried our team last season in important matches in the league, in the DFB Cup and in the EL - just not in all of them. Nobody else in our team did either so you won't hear me complaining about Mkhi.
The only exception is his utterly cowardly behavior in the pen shoot out. He passed the pressure on to defenders with known poor shooting skills (!) who, surprise, did not score. That's really low and totally unacceptable of a player who wants to compete with the best, hence I understand why Mourinho hesitates to play him against Pool or Chelsea.

In terms of creativity, though, I still think that he's above most of your current players and contrary to Pogba or Zlatan, Mkhi is working his socks off and very critical of his own performance. No idea why Mourinho didn't play him more often before the injury or not more afterwards.

 

[noodlehair]

- Can anyone explain to me what Blind was doing on the fourth goal? Forget the first one, which was his fault but at least also required De Gea to have some kind of meltdown. Just watch the fourth one and keep an eye on him. WHAT is he doing? The goal happens entirely because of him. He does this sort of thing all the time to the point he's just a liability against any team with decent players and any clue tactically. It is like he has no brain funcitonality beyond that of a pet dog. He'll just chase after whatever object is nearest to him. Then when the object is gone or stops running he stands there looking confused. He ran off up the pitch so far he literally disappeared off the screen. He was playing at centreback annd he disappeared off the screen running AWAY from our goal, while the opposition team was kicking the ball into it.

- WHY did Mourinho move Blind to centreback and Rojo to full back when Bailly was injured? When these two players were signed Rojo was a centreback and Blind was a leftback/midfielder, both looked competent in these roles and the ONLY reason their roles changed round is literally because LVG woke up one morning and decided Blind was a centreback now. So now it has to stay that way forever, regardless of it meaning that both play like clowns? Just because LVG decided it?

- Can someone also explain to me what Fellaini's role was today? He spent the first half stood on the right wing doing feck all of use to anyone. He was literally just there, doing nothing. What was he doing there? How did he think he was going to effect the game from this position? Was he trying to counter the aerial threat of the linesman? I don't get it...so either he was told to play there, or because we conceded a goal after 1 minute he (or someone) thought it was ok to just completely abandon his midfield position and the entire team's set up/shape? How were we expecting to win the game from a goal down by having our holding midfielder stand on the right wing doing nothing? WHY did it take until half time for this to be sorted out? It was obvious it needed sorting out after LESS than 10 minutes. Just tell him to get a fecking grip and do his job or sub him off.

- I would like to see one of those video compilations of all touches of the ball Zlatan has had in his last 5 games. If you dressed Fellaini up as a pirate, stuck Zlatan's shirt on him and played him up front, no one would tell the difference. Sorry but if you make a deal out of dropping your captain because he isn't playing well enough, you can't keep picking someone who's playing consistently worse just because THEY think they're the bollocks. He also seemed to think losing 4-0 was funny or something to joke about after the game...but because he's Zlatan it's ok? It isn't. He's a cock and his performances are a million fecking miles from good enough. Rashford looked very good as a striker last season and now is being shoved out to the wing where he's ineffective to incorporate someone who goes entire games doing feck all. Not happy at all.

- We've played Pogba in this advanced midfield role people bang on about us needing to use him in 4 times now, and he's been shite each time, and whoever's played in midfield as a result of moving him has allso looked shite. What is the benefit of doing this again?


Pathetic performance really. Herrera can hold his head up and Valencia was ok, and maybe Bailly or Mata when he came on, but the rest were between poor and completely pathetic. It doesn't matter if we had a game in the week, or if Chelsea have good players. There's ways to be beaten and that wasn't it. That was an embarassment. We lost the game after 30 seconds because we went to pieces based on one goal, which was our own doing in the first place.

 

[RedStarUnited]

Seriously the defending for the last 2 goals is comical. No one wanted to put a foot iN.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

In fairness, Mkhitaryan carried our team last season in important matches in the league, in the DFB Cup and in the EL - just not in all of them. Nobody else in our team did either so you won't hear me complaining about Mkhi.
The only exception is his utterly cowardly behavior in the pen shoot out. He passed the pressure on to defenders with known poor shooting skills (!) who, surprise, did not score. That's really low and totally unacceptable of a player who wants to compete with the best, hence I understand why Mourinho hesitates to play him against Pool or Chelsea.

In terms of creativity, though, I still think that he's above most of your current players and contrary to Pogba or Zlatan, Mkhi is working his socks off and very critical of his own performance. No idea why Mourinho didn't play him more often before the injury or not more afterwards.

I hope he gets a chance, that is the only way he will play himself into form.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I am finally going to root out all the players not good enough to start regularly for Manchester Utd, bear with me.

Blind
Smalling
Rojo
Fellaini
Young
Lingard
Rooney
Schneiderlin
Depay
Darmian
Jones

That is nearly half our squad.

 

[Catt]

I'd like to understand the logic behind handicaping ourselves from the start with the inclusion of Fellaini.

First LvG and now Mourinho. He's a last resort that looks ok when we win a few matches, but overall he's just not a good enough footballer to be relied upon.

 

[Catt]

Overall they have far better players and had got to sit on their arses watching us run ragged for two matches.

Wasn't to be entirely unexpected.

They have far better players?

 

[Asger]

Our wingers this season, Martial, Lingard, Young and Rashford have been so poor... It's time to give Memphis and Mkhi a run of games!!

 

[Asger]

They have far better players?

They have atleast better striker and wingers.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I'd like to understand the logic behind handicaping ourselves from the start with the inclusion of Fellaini.

Fellaini is always the scapegoat but Blind and Smalling are also not good enough for Manchester Utd.

 

[kouroux]

Fellaini is always the scapegoat but Blind and Smalling are also not good enough for Manchester Utd.

I didn't scapegoat Fellaini for the defeat, just don't understand his point as a player. I can more or less what Blind and Smalling are supposed to do but Fellaini ? Still a mystery

 

[Frank Grimes]

Our wingers this season, Martial, Lingard, Young and Rashford have been so poor... It's time to give Memphis and Mkhi a run of games!!

Martial being dropped has been a disastrous decision imo. Mata has been unlucky too. Our 2 most creative forwards being dropped does not reflect well on Mourinho.

 

[Crossie]

I hope he gets a chance, that is the only way he will play himself into form.

Agree but whether Mourinho does, too, only time will tell ...

 

[togg]

The thing is, Mou just has to work with what he's got until next summer, try to make them tick, try to make a team of them. United have never really bought in January. Good players aren't available and any other players that are being peddled are hugely overpriced. Nothing much is going to happen in January (maybe a backup defender or something...but nothing much more).

I have to admit his face looked almost scared in his immediate post interviews. He looked kind of shocked. I'd really l love to know what he is really thinking. Also, it's not just about him. He works with some really top and experienced coaches who have all been winners. They are really going to have to dig deep here.

 

[SkeppyRed]

Second best all over the pitch.

The fact we played twice since Chelsea last played can't be ignored however.

 

[Reggie74]

Woeful result and to get done 4-0 shows there's still a long road ahead.

 

[Ban]

Some will say he should do the walk and do the talk or whatever and they'd be right but at least it's good to hear I guess.

 

[Crossie]

The thing is, Mou just has to work with what he's got until next summer, try to make them tick, try to make a team of them.

He used to be good at building teams with his us-against-them approach. I fear that this doesn't work with players younger than Zlatan.

 

[Acole9]

I knew it was going to be a tough game but I never expected that, pathetic and embarrassing to watch. The defending was a joke and the lack of protection from our midfield was even worse. There's a lot of players in this squad who are nowhere near good enough to play for us.

 

[Tosicsleftpeg]

Looked miles behind them today and that's partly down to tiredness but also some looked miles off the pace like Smalling and Blind plus Zlatan and a few others as well!

Things need to improve and we have to use the squad now. Its still early days yet but we need to show more.

 

[bucky]

I felt like Moyes was appointed by Ferguson and needed time. When it was obvious he wasn't up to it, I thought it was purely on him.

I though LVG improved us slowly. Last season was poor at times, but to sack him like we did annoyed me.

Mourinho I have always been apathetic about. Never really liked him. Thought he was the antithesis of what I like in football and Manchester United. However I could see that if he could bring us to the top,
I'd put up with that. At the moment I've got a manager I don't like, buying players who I didn't want who aren't impressing and were going backwards.

Out of curiousity, who did you want us to sign?

 

[Ixion]

I'd like to understand the logic behind handicaping ourselves from the start with the inclusion of Fellaini.

Playing for a 0-0. Unfortunately as soon as they score the match is done.

 

[AXVnee7]

The Chelsea players even long before this game talked about how they have a point to prove to Mourinho. They were mentally up for this game. Our players crumbled under the pressure.

 

[paulscholes18]

This team has 0 comeback ability, the match was over after 30 seconds

 

[kouroux]

Playing for a 0-0. Unfortunately as soon as they score the match is done.

Mourinho will always be this cautious man in big games.

 

[endless_wheelies]

They have far better players?

They have atleast better striker and wingers.

We only really have Pogba and De Gea that might get into their team.

 

[Sarni]

Current fears are about our current manager. Started when we got rid of LVG.

Don't see how anyone could want another season of van Gaal. We had maybe three or four games last season that weren't absolute shit on stick football to watch.

 

[AndyMUFC]

Absolutely horrific display defensively, couldn't believe we were that bad. Smalling and Blind were a joke, Herrera and Fellaini were woeful, Pogba was yet again anonymousand Zlatan missed any chance that came his way for about the fifth match running.

Top four is gonna be a big ask at this rate. The buck obviously stops with Mourinho but most of these players have proved time and time again now that they're not good enough.

 

[Rams]

Didn't watch the game, but considering this was United's 3rd game in 7 days against Chelsea's 1st the result isn't that surprising. Not that we're a particularly good side mind.