PL W FA Premier League

Manchester United 2:0 Leicester City

Post-match discussion


Sat, 26 August 2017

TehRed

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Also, yes this did at times feel very much like a performance straight out of last season or the LVG era, where we dominate and create very little and end up dropping points. However, we won the game. That's a clear sign of progression for us, to be in that position when it seems like "one of those days" again, and yet we walk away with the three points. Progression in that regard doesn't only have to look like a million clear cut chances and a 4-0 win. That kind of thing can come in time, but for now, we evidently have progressed by finding a way to win.
 

MadMike

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1) Dominated the whole game. The only bad thing was we should have scored atleast one goal before halftime, then we would have battered them.
2) Defence along with Matic have been immense in these last 3 games.
3) The Rashford and Martial problem is a great one to have.
4) Pogba should be less selfish and pass to others in the final third.
5) Our fullbacks need to be upgraded. They had so much space and neither did anything from it. Valencia should play the ball faster and learn to cross properly.

Overall another comfortable game. We look like a proper Mourinho team. If we lead by 1-0, it's very hard for the other team to come back.
Agree with pretty much everything, though Pogba trying shots when their defence is packed is not a problem imo. He's a good shooter nearly scored couple of times.

If this team had 2 great fullbacks it'd be amazing. Hope Shaw get his act together. With Valencia being 32yo and the similarly aged Young as back-up (and on the final year of his contract) we are due a new RB pretty soon.
 

togg

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Shaken, and very stirred......
Agree with pretty much everything, though Pogba trying shots when their defence is packed is not a problem imo. He's a good shooter nearly scored couple of times.

If this team had 2 great fullbacks it'd be amazing. Hope Shaw get his act together. With Valencia being 32yo and the similarly aged Young as back-up (and on the final year of his contract) we are due a new RB pretty soon.
Apparently he was pretty hopeless in the U23 match last night.....
 

I_live_cement

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Our best performance of the season.

Jose is creating a defensive monster, we controlled the game from start to finish and limited a team that scored 3 away against Arsenal to a couple of half chances.

I'm very pleased.
 

Sandikan

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Good performance, could have been however many goals ahead, but didn't happen. Thoughts inevitably turns to last year where that was a theme, but we overcame it.First test of the season successfully seen off.

Good little battle with Martial and Rashford. Taking it in turns to play well and not score, then the other comes on and does score.

Shame Lukaku missed the pen, would have been ideal for his numbers to go up, but we got away with it, and how glorious was Lingard crossing to Fellaini to seal it!! The drones wouldn't have known how to deal with that one.
 

togg

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Mourinho's whole demeanour has changed this season. You can tell he feels much more in control - hence his subs have been working so well. He really knows his team now.
 

hn4manunited

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Happy with the win. Powerful and solid performance. Players looked confident and persistent. Jose looks confident and has a clear and present mind to be very astute in making adjustments during the game and affecting the result with his substitutions.

I think one of the commentator said it best. Over the past several years, when are scoreless, we don't comfortable or look likely to score, when we score one, we don't look comfortable or likely to keep that lead. This season so far, we look comfortable and likely to score and when we score, we look comfortable and likely to either hold or score more.

Only negatives were missed penalty (should have been retaken) and the fact that we still don't have good crossers of the ball:)

Obviously, it's early in the season and while there are no easy teams in the PL, we really haven't played anyone of significance.
 

032Devil

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What's going to happen when Rojo comes back and Lindelof becomes good?
Rojo and Bailly were a good combo too. Lots of options. Wouldn't mind us trying 3 centre-backs with an extra man further upfield.
 

Reynoldo

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Good performance, could have been however many goals ahead, but didn't happen. Thoughts inevitably turns to last year where that was a theme, but we overcame it.First test of the season successfully seen off.

Good little battle with Martial and Rashford. Taking it in turns to play well and not score, then the other comes on and does score.

Shame Lukaku missed the pen, would have been ideal for his numbers to go up, but we got away with it, and how glorious was Lingard crossing to Fellaini to seal it!! The drones wouldn't have known how to deal with that one.
Its a really good situation to have though, when they replace one another anyway I mean, as it must be a nightmare for the fullback to have to switch tactics trying to contain the other after the change, almost unfair really :devil:
 

MadMike

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Apparently he was pretty hopeless in the U23 match last night.....
I watched the first half. He didn't really look that bothered. He didn't stand out at all. Young (who also played) looked far more involved and like a first teamer who's playing with the kids, he was positive. Shaw, not so much.
 

hn4manunited

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Mourinho's whole demeanour has changed this season. You can tell he feels much more in control - hence his subs have been working so well. He really knows his team now.
Totally agree. He looks comfortable in what adjustments he's making and feels confident what those changes will likely yield. Much more in control.
 

Android1974

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I watched the first half. He didn't really look that bothered. He didn't stand out at all. Young (who also played) looked far more involved and like a first teamer who's playing with the kids, he was positive. Shaw, not so much.
Young didn't play the last game, just Shaw. Seems Young is in better shape.
 

Sandikan

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Our best performance of the season.

Jose is creating a defensive monster, we controlled the game from start to finish and limited a team that scored 3 away against Arsenal to a couple of half chances.

I'm very pleased.
Apart from that switch off in the last min where they missed a tap in from the 6yard box, it was pretty solid.
 

carlosp

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Rojo and Bailly were a good combo too. Lots of options. Wouldn't mind us trying 3 centre-backs with an extra man further upfield.
Rojo can also play LB so

Rojo Jones Bailly Valencia/Darmian

I see people harping about Blind. I thought he did really good tonight although the only thing counting against him is no shots at goal. He gave us crosses and defended and went up the wing very well.
 

SwansonsTache

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Mourinho said in the post match interview that Lukaku asked the designated penalty taker if he could take the penalty, who is our designated taker?
 

Sandikan

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[QUOTE="Lucky McLuckerson, post: 21401781, member: 106294"

Man Utd 1:0 Leicester (Rashford 70')


[/QUOTE]

That's how I remembered it live! Yet looking at my foot mob app, it seemed to think Blind took the corner, and Pogba flicked on!
Couldn't be more wrong!
 

Mindhunter

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Excellent win today and very important three points. This gives us a perfect record and consolidates our position at the top of the league before the break next week.

These are the types of games we drew last season so extremely happy that we have become clinical in closing such games out and getting the win.

Leicester has definitely done their homework and closed down the centre of the pitch by standing off the ball and playing extremely narrow. That gave us plenty of space in the wings but neither Valencia nor Blind could deliver dangerous balls from out wide. We only looked threatening when the ball was played to feet. This tactic now will definitely be used as a blueprint by others clubs and can be a potential weakness for us if we don't get a wide attacking player before the window closes next week.

PS: No idea how De Gea kept that out from such a distance. Mind-blowing stuff.
 

MadMike

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Rojo can also play LB so

Rojo Jones Bailly Valencia/Darmian

I see people harping about Blind. I thought he did really good tonight although the only thing counting against him is no shots at goal. He gave us crosses and defended and went up the wing very well.
Rojo has shown many times to be absolutely hapless at LB. No intention at all to go forward and positionally out of place. Bad both as a defender and as an outlet from there.

Completely different (and much better) player when he plays at CB though.
 

Sandikan

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We are RB and RW away from being very serious team. LB as well, depending on how Shaw looks after he returns but it looks like everyone is happy with his effort in training at the moment.
So just the 3 players still needed then :lol:
 

krazyrobus

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Can Lukaku never take penalties again, holy shit that was a terrible one. Mata or Pogba please.

Tough team to break them down, we had some breaks, like Fellaini's offside goal then some non-breaks like Mata's non-offside goal. Mkhi is still infuriating, all this talent and football acumen but doesn't put it together into a consistent coherent performance.
 

Catt

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Missed both goals but so happy. Really thought we were in for a draw.
 

el3mel

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What the team missing now is good 2 full backs. Next season we should concentrate on renewing the full backs area on both sides + Griezmann and we'll be set to reach advanced stages in CL hopefully.

However our current team can still win the EPL if we kept this consistency. We also looks quite dangerous from set pieces this season and that's a mark for any title contender team. We just can't do anything in Europe with such full backs sadly.
 

marlowe78

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I predicted 2-1 to us, so pleased to have a clean sheet. Don't know what we were doing for that last-minute chance that De Gea saved but IIRC it was their only real opportunity.

I'm pretty certain this would've been a 0-0 draw or a loss last season. The difference this year is that our bench is delivering and our quality is finding a way to win games. And we've also had some luck - Schmeichel wasn't far from saving Rashford's goal. That's also something we didn't have in similar games then.

Martial I thought put in a good 1st half. He seemed to fade from the game but he was a menace earlier on and played an excellent ball to Pogba that he should've scored with. Mkhitaryan didn't look at the races today and frankly, there have been stretches of the first 3 games where he's looked kind of listless. He seems to perk up when everyone around him is starting to get space to play in, which I think has helped to pad his record so far this year. I rate him highly, but he needs to put in a full 90.

Lukaku was awful. I don't expect the guy to score every time he touches the ball but how many times in the game did he lose the ball in his feet? He also kept holding the ball too long when he could've shot and I don't understand why he took the penalty - his penalty record has never been good and it gave me flashbacks of the FA Cup semi from a couple of seasons ago. It may be true that Schmeichel false-started but I don't think Lukaku took it particularly well.

Defence, I have no complaints about. Vardy was never a threat in the game and we did well to contain Gray after he came on. Everyone in the backline knew their job. Matic very good again, as was Fellaini.

So we're at an interesting point now. We won our first 3 matches last season when the international break came and then we had the City defeat...
 

SwSw

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Our fullbacks needs to be much more productive if we are going to break down teams who are going to be compact in such manner. Spaces are found on the flanks but our delivery from out wide has been pretty awful.

Jose must be really short on options on LB since Blind is still playing despite his horrible deliveries from out wide and corners.
 

Player Ratings

6.9 Total Average Rating

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Compiled from 703 ratings.

Score Predictions

939,12,26
  • Man Utd win
  • Leicester win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 28% Man Utd 3:1 Leicester
  • 20% Man Utd 3:0 Leicester
  • 18% Man Utd 2:0 Leicester
  • 14% Man Utd 2:1 Leicester
  • 10% Man Utd 4:0 Leicester
  • 2% Man Utd 5:0 Leicester
  • 2% Man Utd 4:1 Leicester
  • 2% Man Utd 3:2 Leicester
  • 1% Man Utd 1:0 Leicester
  • 1% Man Utd 1:1 Leicester
  • 1% Man Utd 2:2 Leicester
  • 1% Man Utd 0:0 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 4:2 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 1:2 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 5:1 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 1:3 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 0:1 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 4:5 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 0:2 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 3:3 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 5:2 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 0:4 Leicester
  • 0% Man Utd 2:3 Leicester
Compiled from 977 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Leicester
Possession
69% 31%
Shots
22 11
Shots on Target
7 4
Corners
9 3
Fouls
8 7

Referee

Michael Oliver