[TMDaines]

Another disappointing day.

Mkhi is obviously most of note. He was just an absolute passenger here. I’d be interested to know whether the manager is happy with his work, whether he is delivering to his instruction. Today he just dawdled forward when we had the ball and dawdled back when we didn’t. You compare what Hazard offered Chelsea to what Mkhi offered us. It was absolutely pathetic. There was no sense in him being a creator, a runner with the ball, a fulcrum between the holding midfielders and the attack, or even a hard-working pressing midfielder. We may have well played with 10 men. I was delighted when we signed him, but now I’ve never been more disappointed with a signing – and that is saying something considering how Di Maria and Falcao were here.

Lukaku looked hungry early on but again disappointed. I’ve said from that start that I remain unconvinced. I just don’t see him as our main goalscorer for next five or six seasons and winning multiple titles and plenty of cups in that time. He looks as if he would be excellent in a team with a deep defensive line, so when he receives the ball he has space to move into and the strength to shrug defenders off. He lacks any sort of offering in a congested final third. I thought we learnt years ago that even with a goalscorer of Ruud’s quality, that just scoring goals is not enough.

No Mata on the bench surely shows that his career here is over for all intents and purposes. I don’t agree with how Mourinho uses several members of the squad, but you may as well move him on and get someone else in.

Mourinho really disappointed when we went behind. We just threw more and more men forward even when the problem was clearly in controlling the midfield. What’s the point in having McTominay on the bench if you are not going to use him when the game needs him? He’s not done much to massively wow me, but he’s been tidy enough.

This season has shown the importance of taking the cups seriously. We can still have a great season, even though winning the league is increasingly a long shot: probably a 1-in-20.

 

[crossy1686]

Why has his hamstring taken 8 weeks? Are we not overpampering this lad? What the heck? Even the frail Ryan Giggs comes back in 2-3 weeks after a hamstring.

Pretty sure if Pogba was anywhere near fit we'd of thrown him in before now. Giggs always had a hamstring 'injury' before the international break. That's why it only lasted two weeks.

 

[wolvored]

This. I hope we get relegated, just so the moaning shitcnuts we have (well, on the Caf anyway) for "fans" can finally do what they really want and go support City's blood money assembled band of mercenaries. The median mental age here must be about 12.

On this game though, well, the first half was entertaining and even and either side could've scored. After the beak we inexplicably stopped playing and let Chelsea have the ball. Got what we deserved in the end to be honest. Still, the international break is coming at a good time for us. Time to regroup, hopefully get a couple of key players fit and really go at it in two weeks time. Still plenty of highs and lows to come before the season is over, get behind the team and maybe we'll get back to our early season form.

Did you just watch the game? We are getting further and further behind City playing poor football, and you and others like you with the rose coloured specs on cant see any wrong. The bit about the early form I agree with may happen with Pogba back as he is the driving force from midfield, but it will be too late by then

 

[JB08]

Might be 2nd but in reality a long, long way off being anywhere good enough to win the League.

Mouirinho is strangling United.

What do you mean, 'strangling United'?

I'm hardly a Mourinho apologist but the fact there has been such an uproar on here over a 1-0 loss away to Chelsea is utterly baffling, in my opinion.

 

[M4YON]

That big red bus was missing, it must be injured...

Why change your approach in such a big game? Yeah it was refreshing to see a change in approach but at what cost?

We tried parking it last year and they beat us 4-0, we neded the win.

 

[Joseunited]

A few people were like you in the "is a draw a good result" thread, and I simply didn't get it.
There was nothing in the slightest to suggest we'd beat them.

We never do at their place, we've been appalling attacking wise since Liverpool away, Pogba's still out, and Chelsea were always going to turn up after such an embarrassment midweek.
I didn't understand how anyone could think we were going to win. Hope, yes, we all do every game, but think it for sure? Why?!

They were rubbish in midweek, have been bang average over the last 4/5 games and there was every chance we could have gone there and turn them over, if we had gone there to get a result, but his attitude was to not get beat.

 

[No11]

The headlines would be flying if Mou didn’t shake hands with Conte..but Conte doesn’t and nobody mentions it

Conte is as big a dick as Mourinho.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Started brightly enough - reasonable first half.
Second half we came out half asleep, numerous individual mistakes and 2nd to the ball.
Having 3 central defenders and not one of them was near Morata when he scored.

Strikers got little service. Chelsea just lost 3-0 to Roma , why don't we attack them. Forget the 3 at the back and why not play Rashford, Martial, Lukaku plus Mkhi or Mata to give them service or Pogba when he returns. We're too passive in big games.

So still only 1 win at the Bridge in 16 - nothing changes - I'll ignore all the 12yo schoolgirl crybaby comments though.

Still plenty to play for, just attack City when they come to OT.

 

[flappyjay]

Why the feck did we waste money on another cb. That money combined with what we were prepared to spend on Perisic should have gotten us a player to pull the strings even wwhen Pogba isn't around. Now all we could do is hoof to Rom and Fella

 

[redIndianDevil]

A few people were like you in the "is a draw a good result" thread, and I simply didn't get it.
There was nothing in the slightest to suggest we'd beat them.

We never do at their place, we've been appalling attacking wise since Liverpool away, Pogba's still out, and Chelsea were always going to turn up after such an embarrassment midweek.
I didn't understand how anyone could think we were going to win. Hope, yes, we all do every game, but think it for sure? Why?!

There is a middle ground you know. No one asks us to blow them away. Is it so wrong to wish that we are half competent?

 

[AngliaRed]

Im more confident thinking of the defensive partnership Bailey and Rojo will hopefully form. Smalling and/jones will always give 100% but lack the class and composure of rojo.

 

[prtk0811]

Worst time for the international break.

My November destroyed.

 

[PK007]

Biggest problem for me is that 'feeling' that I get about this current United team. Its never a 'we're as good if not better that this lot' (Chelsea/Liverpool/City/Arsenal/Spurs) as it was under Fergie where you went into a match knowing it was 50/50 but you could win because you were good enough.
No, now its 'we might wing this one but I know we could easily lose it', a feeling that I know deep down were papering over the cracks. That when other big teams play us they seem to psychologically beat us before we step onto the pitch. I just dont have a good trust feeling about United at the moment (and havent for a few seasons)

As i said in another post our problem is that technically you could argue that we havent actually bought anyone to improve the team. We bought players to replace outgoing players...Matic for Carrick...Lukaku for Ibra...etc we never started with a solid team and then went right, in comes another striker..in comes another world class midfielder...in come another world class winger. We just bought like for like.

City went out and spent £250m on a defence alone and wether you agree with that or not the point still stands that they 'added' rather than simply replaced or swapped like we did.

For me we are a long way from being a side where i look at the first eleven and still get excited looking at the subs bench. I dont even get excited looking at the first 11 these days. Its mediocre across the board. Ive been saying for 5-6 years now we need a completely new midfield. And i mean a break the bank midfield.

But what guts me the most is this. We are United. One of if not the biggest club in the world. Why arent we competing like the biggest club in the world? Teams arent frightened of us anymore. Weve gone from being the Mike Tyson everyone feared before stepping into the ring to the Mike Tyson after he lost to Buster Douglas. No one was scared of him ever again after that and i fear weve become that.

I'll make a prediction now that everyone will hate (myself included) but we ought to get prepared for a City Treble winning year. Because the way they are playing they are more than capable of doing it and no one (excpet maybe PSG) will stop them. We certainly wont. We are simply too average.

 

[crossy1686]

Is anyone else numb? Thought I’d be fuming but I just feel nothing. We’re turning into the sort of clubs we used to mock.

I'm fuming at Chelsea and their fecking joke of a club. Everyone pretending their midweek no show at Roma didn't happen, fecking shithouse of a club only turn up because Mourinho was on the bench. Twats.

 

[KomodoBadger]

We were always going to lose, we have an awful record against Chelsea

 

[Sandikan]

Why the feck did we waste money on another cb. That money combined with what we were prepared to spend on Perisic should have gotten us a player to pull the strings even wwhen Pogba isn't around. Now all we could do is hoof to Rom and Fella

Lindelof was a very strange buy. Doesn't look like he can head it for one ever so slight issue. Might be able to mask that if we consistently play 3.
Fort 30 or so million it looks a ridiculous buy.

 

[LARulz]

I think Lingard getting out paced by the ref at the end summed it all up for me. Useless

 

[RedDevil@84]

Games like these makes me wonder if our team has a whole deficiency in quality or is it more problem of team unable to execute an attack.
Though tactics are down to manager, we seemed to still have a problem creating chances even half chances

 

[JinnerJamie]

We tried parking it last year and they beat us 4-0, we neded the win.

We're better than last season.

 

[Catt]

Looking forward to Pulis interview

 

[Eli Zee]

I didn't mention Herrera..... or say he's my preference over Hazard?

But, if both available, I'd want neither.

Yeah I know I’m just going off you saying wouldn’t want him on my team because the diving at the slightest touch, which basically describes hererra to a t. But if we’re gonna have someone doing it surely you’d rather hazard than hererra , right?

 

[Sandikan]

Conte is as big a dick as Mourinho.

Certainly bigger with that ridiculous hairdo, and gesticulations on the sideline.
An absolute bell who i'll be delighted to see get sacked/walk out soon. Though this puts that off a bit.

 

[crossy1686]

Can't fecking wait until we play these twats at Old Trafford.

 

[iportman]

Complete,utter f'in embarrassment,so much shit in this squad its unreal. Most football intelligence lacking set of center backs you will ever find

It is not just the centre backs , this club still has many players who are not good enough even for the squad . Any team that is dependant on the brainless Jones and smalling as defenders certainly is not going to win a league title. 4 players who started for utd today should not be in the team or on the bench next year when they play at Chelsea ,

 

[Sly]

José Pulisinho sry

 

[redshaw]

Fellaini did well to create chances, shame he didn't come on earlier. Might not be the football we want to see but its better than doing nothing.

A mix of Pogba and Fellaini can produce different things, without them we look quite poor and really just holding on. Lukaku is not getting enough touches in games now with these gone.

We look like top 4 material. An injury or two shows up our strange collection of players, they're just too limited or lacking in quality to step up for a title challenge. it's been like this for 4-5 years now.

Mkhitaryan is a Jose buy but doesn't look up for the hustle in the premier league. Reminds me when Moyes bought Mata hoping to add creativity. Miki needs a full team to work around him. I'm sure he'll shine again when we get a full team back.

 

[Sandikan]

Worst time for the international break.

My November destroyed.

I'd say this is an ideal time! We're in crap form, look no sort of attacking threat, and hopefully we'll come back stronger.
Unlike last time, where we signed off in good form.

 

[Son Of Sam]

Jose schooled AGAIN by a pro active manager, everyone could see it needed changing from 3 to 4 at the back with an etc midfielder needed cause we were run ragged in the mid , getting tired of this shitshow every time we play a big team , and before we mention spurs , the did have Kane missing , we look bereft of ideas and after all the money’s spent Ashley Young is our best left sided option

Schooled again?
Didn’t Conte lose last season at OT with Chelsea not recording a single shot on target?

There you go again talking as if a gerbil crawled up your rectum. I understand you are pissed but don’t say stupid things while you are angry.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Yeah I know I’m just going off you saying wouldn’t want him on my team because the diving at the slightest touch, which basically describes hererra to a t. But if we’re gonna have someone doing it surely you’d rather hazard than hererra , right?

No, neither.... as I said.

Comment on the match.

 

[Bobski]

If you judge teams by how they respond to adversity that was a painful last 30 mins. Depressing how reliant on long ball tactics this team are, hoof and hope for the breaks. Midfield imploded, Matic looked laboured all day, pace of the game was too much for him, perhaps worn out by overuse. Herrera was dire.

 

[Sandikan]

Fellaini did well to create chances, shame he didn't come on earlier. Might not be the football we want to see but its better than doing nothing.

A mix of Pogba and Fellaini can produce different things, without them we look quite poor and really just holding on. Lukaku is not getting enough touches in games now with these gone.

We look like top 4 material. An injury or two shows up our strange collection of players, they're just too limited or lacking in quality to step up for a title challenge. it's been like this for 4-5 years now.

Mkhitaryan is a Jose buy but doesn't look up for the hustle in the premier league. Reminds me when Moyes bought Mata hoping to add creativity. Miki needs a full team to work around him. I'm sure he'll shine again when we get a full team back.

Pogba coming back, and Mhky starting nominally wide right should help, with Fellaini in the centre.

He seems to be too easily taken out by other teams when purely central.

 

[prtk0811]

I'd say this is an ideal time! We're in crap form, look no sort of attacking threat, and hopefully we'll come back stronger.
Unlike last time, where we signed off in good form.

I mean for myself and my peace.

 

[Catt]

Certainly bigger with that ridiculous hairdo, and gesticulations on the sideline.
An absolute bell who i'll be delighted to see get sacked/walk out soon. Though this puts that off a bit.

It's inevitable at Chelsea.

 

[OneUnited24]

What do you mean, 'strangling United'?

I'm hardly a Mourinho apologist but the fact there has been such an uproar on here over a 1-0 loss away to Chelsea is utterly baffling, in my opinion.

People are just looking to vent because City look all encompassing this season.

What they forget is Pep had a good spine to the team to work with, whereas Jose had Rooney starting week in week out...

 

[Coxy]

not good enough. City will walk it

get pochettino's number on speed dial

Who said he’d come mate? I’d rather manage his squad than yours.

(But agree with your sentiment)

 

[prtk0811]

We need strenthening in January on the wing or attacking midfeild.

 

[JG3001]

You win some, you lose some. We are always shit at Stamford Bridge. Always.
Still early November, Pogba will surely come back for the next game and Ibra isn't far off. Things will get better.
I still have faith for the title, if we lose against City then, for me, it's over.
Keep the faith.

I still have faith for the title, if we lose against City, then, for me, it's over.

Lol, save yourself the agony now and accept its a top 4 battle. This team isn't good enough to win the title. I know our record at Stamford Bridhe is abysmal, but we're still carrying far too many average players to mount a challenge.

Even if Mou finishes top 4 and has a good cup run, I think fans will lose patience with him over the course of this season because of our negative play, and he will get sacked next year.

Shame, but it's a genuine possibility. I like Mou, but I think he was brought in at the wrong time, should have been when Ferguson retired, it's been said a billion times, but that one moment picking Moyes has really f***ed us over for the last 4.5 years now.

 

[Jim Beam]

About 6 years ago people were moaning that we had Valencia and Young as our wingers.
It's hilarious in a way that they're still being depended on to be the wide threat!

Valencia can't cross and has regressed in attacking sense. The other is probably the best crosser in our team (which also says something) but is inverted winger and will always try to put the ball on his preferred foot, so it's much easier to close him down. Especially, in such tight games like this one.

Not pointing the blame on them as I just don't think they have the ability to perform at the highest level in such formation.

Off to a beer...

 

[Catt]

Normally hate these international breaks but this one comes at the right time I think. Hopefully we smash N'castle in two weeks time and get some comfidence back.

 

[reelworld]

Pissed off at the lack of effort in the second half tbh. I could sense a goal coming the minute we started to lose the 50-50 balls.
Defending was atrocious before the goal came.
They just lost a game and their old boss is coming to town. It's fecking obvious they want it more. Don't think we need that many signing like the lot of you wanted, but Jose needs to figure out how handle big matches properly. Players with form as shite as Mkhitaryan should never start a game like this.