Is drawing against Stoke going to cost us the league?

[The holy trinity 68]

To the people saying this was the first real test and we failed. Please remember that Chelsea lost to Burnley, Arsenal got thumped by Liverpool. Liverpool got thumped by City. City drew with Everton and struggled to beat Bournemouth. Spurs drew with Burnley.

Other teams that will be hoping to challenge for the league have already had tests and failed them also. We are not the only team that have dropped points.

 

[United22]

We are unlikely to win the league in all honesty.

To simply properly challenge will be a great season. 80 plus points would be a massive step in the right direction.

However that level of patience and self awareness is in short supply with most of our fans.

Exactly... We didn't even come in the top 4 last season

 

[K2K]

Exactly... We didn't even come in the top 4 last season

Finished in the top 4 once in 4 years. Haven't made it to 75 points once in that period.

Yet it will be cries 'We spent 800m since then, we should be challenging' completely ignoring any context.

Even when Fergie won the title with us the first time, he had made gradual steps with heartbreak the previous season. We havent even got to that stage yet.

 

[Catt]

Does this mean I have to buy yet another pair of shoes to fill the void left by us drawing?

 

[Catt]

I think this draw is going to send us down

I said before we will crash out of the CL and win the EL again, just about avoiding relegation in the end.

 

[spwd]

Next year lads not lasses, next year.

 

[donkeyfish]

I hope this draw costs us the league. It would be a blessing in disguise.

 

[::sonny::]

It's too long the matter

City are too strong, they have unlimited funds with state aid

The league was closed before it started

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Drawing and losing games is inevitable. So long as this isnt the first game in another streak of draws then we should be challenging.

If we carry on this performance level against Everton and Southampton then we will have another top 4 battle on our hands.

Not really. If Southampton and everton defend competently like stoke then we will need to be clinical. If we break the deadlock first and are able to draw them out then we can finish them on the break. I saw very little difference between our performance today before we scored and performance before we scored in our previous games - except perhaps stoke defended that little bit better because they're the best defensive unit we have met yet

 

[King.of.Red]

we're still on the top, draw is better than lose

at least this weekend, still a bit happy seeing liverpool conceded FIVE Goals.

 

[Jacky Quacky]

Sometimes this happens. Look at Real Madrid today, drew against Levante and Valencia. Stoke are a decent side lets admit and were well up for it, BUT..

I hated how we changed formation when the previous formation was doing so well, kinda pointless.

The defenders decided to turn shit today, maybe it was the international break but Bailly probably played his worst game for the club. Jones and Darmian were bad also.

However if it wasnt for Jones falling on his fecking arse we would be 2 points clear. The attack did their job, it was the defence that was crap.

 

[meninred]

big teams dont usually beat stoke at their home.

 

[Bubz27]

Looking at November fixtures, this was the one where we'd drop points. As long as we live up to expectations for the rest of the games, we'll be in great shape come October.

 

[breakout67]

Not really. If Southampton and everton defend competently like stoke then we will need to be clinical. If we break the deadlock first and are able to draw them out then we can finish them on the break. I saw very little difference between our performance today before we scored and performance before we scored in our previous games - except perhaps stoke defended that little bit better because they're the best defensive unit we have met yet

Im not sure if you could have gotten the flow of the game more wrong if you tried. We scored while we were behind and level; both situations where stoke had no inclination to commit numbers forward. Stoke tried to defend the lead and it didnt matter, because we pushed numbers forward and scored. We lost two points because we could not answer Stoke when they attacked us, which is the complete opposite of the 3 previous games.

Our CBs had poor positioning in key moments, Matic and Pogba each had brainfarts where they passed to an opposition player while under no pressure. The Manager said that the performance levels were much lower than the 3 previous games. You are simply wrong.

 

[Miscemayl]

Yes, City will win all their remaining games (with draws against us) and beat up on goal difference even if we also do the same.

If only we won at Stoke...

 

[SAFicus]

No you daft cnuts. We are still top of it.

Love it. I was seriously worried that this was a genuine thread!

 

[tentan]

We dropped points against a side who always seem to do well against the big teams, especially at home. We're not even favourites for the league anyway.

 

[Oakie]

I thought stoke played quite well from the second half(i fell asleep ) they were very direct alot of pace along with tricky quick footed players.

This is not the old stoke this team can defend and counter hard i see them turning a few over this year they will tire later we just had to get them after a 2 week training break for them.

Still top still unbeaten still with the best GD!

This season is going to be one hell of a ride so best get ur butt plugs out as Man Utd never do it the easy way.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Im not sure if you could have gotten the flow of the game more wrong if you tried. We scored while we were behind and level; both situations where stoke had no inclination to commit numbers forward. Stoke tried to defend the lead and it didnt matter, because we pushed numbers forward and scored. We lost two points because we could not answer Stoke when they attacked us, which is the complete opposite of the 3 previous games.

Our CBs had poor positioning in key moments, Matic and Pogba each had brainfarts where they passed to an opposition player while under no pressure. The Manager said that the performance levels were much lower than the 3 previous games. You are simply wrong.

Glad to know my opinion is simply wrong, always good to be schooled by a red caf genius

 

[RedFish]

No you daft cnuts. We are still top of it.

Admirable attempt , but it won't stop the doommongerers! Liverpool though, they're fecked because that's one of my happy places as sad as that might be

 

[red_devil83]

Why is thread still open?

 

[RoadTrip]

We go again.

 

[Hawks2008]

Mourinho shoulda started with with an extra creator, he gave stoke too much respect with that midfield 3.

 

[babyelephant]

It is too early to tell. Thinking about losing the league at week4 is ridiculous. A fan is always a fan. I will remain hopeful and BELIEVE

 

[TheTunnel68]

I would have gladly swapped the Europa league win, for a victory at the Britannia , gutted

 

[Rory 7]

Home draws could cost us the league. Yesterday's point at Stoke may well win us the league.

 

[Ephrem]

People needs to understand that Stoke away is not an easy fixture for any team. They have a really good defense and a proper counter attack. Stoke will fight hard at their home with any team.

Watford and Stoke. The two teams I personally fear the most outside top 6. Can bet that they ar going to surprise many people here

 

[Kapardin]

I don't look at the table until we are atleast 12-15 games past, myself.

Stoke beat Arsenal as well (I know, its' Arsenal, but still...). Its not a cakewalk and a point is an okay result.

 

[TheRedHearted]

The problem isn't the dropped points but the game: it was a bit like last season. The confidence that there is a significant improvement from last season is premature.

The first three games? Well, the opposition was poor/average. United have had the easiest fixtures so far. All other contenders have played 2 from top 7, United none.

Last season we wouldn't have came back from behind twice.

 

[Treble]

Last season we wouldn't have came back from behind twice.

It was 2:1 United when Stoke scored their second goal.

 

[buckooo1978]

the positives for me;

we scored two against a defensive side despite playing poorly

we only drew due to uncharacteristic mistakes

we will be fine

 

[Wal2Fra]

Jesus fecking Christ, the state of this place. We're only 4 games into the season.

What do you mean only 4 games in? Didn't you know Liverpool won the league 2 weeks ago!?

 

[Treble]

the positives for me;

we scored two against a defensive side despite playing poorly

we only drew due to uncharacteristic mistakes

we will be fine

We were OK but the positivies sound a bit forced. Stoke were without their leader in defence and captain. They were anything but good in defence, IMO. Zouma almost decided the game for us.

The sample of games is too small to say whether those defensive mistakes are characteristic or not.

No reason for pessimism. Just too early for conclusions. The other top teams have problems too. With Hazard back Chelsea will probably be the team to beat.

 

[Ban]

We scored 2 ffs. In the same game last year we'd do well to score one.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

What a bloody silly thread. A couple of errors in defence cost us. It happens to everyone. We are four games in and our season is over. Pleeeeease.

 

[Kevin]

These type of topics and alot of subsequent responses are so cringe. They usually go like this: OP is bored and decides he needs to score cheap popularity points in the cheapest manner pssible. 50% of the einsteins on the caf jump on the lazy hook with the cheapest bait possible and indulge by backslapping and butt pinching the Top Red style opening post with green smileys and "nice one" "haha" "amazing joke you joke expert you".

Personally, I have never ever wanted to be part of these simplistic macho gatherings that are so transparent to a self respecting and reasonably smart individual. Even if I share the opinion. Have some self worth.

 

[Ventura]

It's over. We should withdraw from the rest of the season and go on a season-long training camp in the Himalayas to improve physically and technically and prepare for next season.

 

[The Brown Bull]

Finished in the top 4 once in 4 years. Haven't made it to 75 points once in that period.

Yet it will be cries 'We spent 800m since then, we should be challenging' completely ignoring any context.

Even when Fergie won the title with us the first time, he had made gradual steps with heartbreak the previous season. We havent even got to that stage yet.

Sorry Mate but you are far too sensible to be posting here.

 

[Moonred]

These type of topics and alot of subsequent responses are so cringe. They usually go like this: OP is bored and decides he needs to score cheap popularity points in the cheapest manner pssible. 50% of the einsteins on the caf jump on the lazy hook with the cheapest bait possible and indulge by backslapping and butt pinching the Top Red style opening post with green smileys and "nice one" "haha" "amazing joke you joke expert you".

Personally, I have never ever wanted to be part of these simplistic macho gatherings that are so transparent to a self respecting and reasonably smart individual. Even if I share the opinion. Have some self worth.

Have to agree with Professor here.

 

[All 3 United]

OP - Obviously not.

However this game exposed that we are still way to narrow. Our full back positions are terrible. Everything had to go down the right yesterday (although ironically the second goal came from some decent play from Darmian on the left - probably due to the space afforded us on that side).

The problem with Valencia is he cannot cross a decent ball.

Until we address the issues with our fullbacks we're not going to be serious contenders. Unless Shaw comes back with the performances we all know he has the capability of delivering but even then we still need a quality right back.

Last season we were too narrow. This hasn't changed.