[RedCurry]

Let's just please switch Alexis and Martial. Then stop playing that chipped pass straight to Lloris.

 

[Bobski]

At best, this will be a 2-2 draw.

Phil Jones is the blame for this. Nobody else.

The midfield is to blame, you could drive the QE2 through that area, defenders have been poor but they have been totally exposed.

 

[The Firestarter]

Can we buy a new team before midnight? I am sure Ed is on it.

That spending would be insane.

 

[Sp00ks11]

Pogba missing again as usual against the big teams. Not surprised at all by the score, I’m one of the few who didn’t get excited by signing Sanchez seeing as we have 2 failed wingers as fullbacks and a big useless lump up front.

BigdaftGorby in the Sanchez thread:

"I was 43 yesterday...I feckin love Disney land and Christmas so I’m sure as dammit going to act like a kid when we sign one of the worlds premier players. "

 

[Bastian]

Not that surprised. Predicted this 2-1 to Spurs. They've been below par of late and sure as hell need to start this run of very tough games with a good performance. We're complacent and should be approaching this as a must not lose game, of course trying to win.

Would have liked to see 3 midfielders from the start.

Hope to see a committed performance in that 2nd half.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

Huh. So playing two in the middle against Spurs away from home probably wasn't the best idea?

Odd.

 

[ivaldo]

We will see second half if Herrera comes on. So far Spurs are killing us with simple balls so it's not just about our midfield. I know I was the one that mentioned in the first place but Spurs are just passing straight through us.

They are. We have an extra man in midfield then Matic doesn't have to be picking you a player, much like Dier, and can instead protect the back four. Free Matic up and half of those passes through to Kane won't stick. They're easy balls because they have time and the space to play them into.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

We should be playing with a left footed cb on the left. Lvg was on point sometimes. Rojo would have cleared that instead of scoring og

 

[Prodigy24]

Was really optimistic and looking forward to the game today but that shit start, and the performance that followed has really destroyed everything. Thing is, Spurs were looking dodgy defensively and we can't take advantage of it because our defence is even worse. Can't wait til Bailly is back, the guy has more balls than Jones and Smalling put together.

Pogba has done feck all, just jogging around like if we are the team that's 2-0 up. Matic has been all over the place. Nobody bothers to run and press. Wow haven't seen us this bad since Chelsea away last season.

Hope Jose is tearing them a new one right now.

 

[Redlyn]

He pretty much picked the team we all wanted. Not his fault all the players chose today to shit the bed.

No mate there were a lot of people stressing the need for 3 CMs. With Matic and Pogba one is slow the other barely defends, behind 4 attackers. Away from home at top 6. Fecking bollocks.

 

[Moved To Differently]

Lingard off.

Lingards' been alot more involved than Martial whose only contribution was that good dribble and wayward shot on his left (Edit - Oh, and that shot that forced the corner). Lingard needs to stay on because he's crucial in helping us carry the ball forward from the midfield since we just don't have the midfielders to pass it forward right now.

Our problem this game so far has been the #9s and the lack of balance. Even when Kane isn't getting good opportunities he's still working hard for the team, tracking back, earning fouls, making runs and holding up the ball whereas Lukaku's done nothing but stand in offside positions and complain when he doesn't get the ball.

There's a real lack of balance right now though, we're getting over-run in the midfield, whenever we have the ball in that area it looks difficult for us to play it forward and the result is Matic giving it away several times. Either Pogba needs to be closer to him or one of Sanchez, Martial or Lingard needs to come deeper to pick the ball up.

It's promising signs though, some of our football in the first 10-15 mins was as intricate and well-worked as I've seen for a long while and their goals were the product of poor officiating and a poor defensive mistake. We should improve in the second half.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Decent game TBH, we defo Eriksen when he's not on the pitch.

 

[DocRockter]

Very deep chance we lose the title tonight.. WBA doing nothing, we need three to win..

Pogba and Matic, Smalling the worst tonight.. need a big 2nd from everyone, Mata <-> someone from the start

 

[GloryHunter07]

Agree. There's something still in this game for us if we force it.

Need more from Lukaku and Alexi

 

[sun_tzu]

C'mon lads... it's only tottenham

 

[tomaldinho1]

Eriksen is so good

....when he has time

Pogba is also good with time but they are absolutely swamping him. Need to pull our fingers out of our collective a holes

 

[Striker10]

sometimes you watch games and you can see the ball not running for you. Obviously their first goal shouldn't have stood. We just have to try to win the second half. Our passing has been very poor.

 

[3KDré]

Just don’t understand how we can have great performances in a 4-3-3 yet never try it against a big team where it is actually useful. Don’t blame pogba at all right now he’s getting no cover and matic is suffering from this too. Jones is the real problem today though

 

[Snow]

That was atrocious. Midfield has been anonymous. Matic has been poor for the better part of two months. Pogba plain cannot play in a midfield 2. Martial been more or less invisible. Fullbacks poor. Just bleh.

Pogba hasn't been in a midfield two. I don't know what the formation was, none of the 3 seemed to have a clue what they were doing.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Of course, but that midfield getting overrun is the reason why spurs are creating so many chances, including the one causing OG

Really. lets see the HT summary of ALL THOSE CHANCES!

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Stop. Playing. 4-2-3-1. It. Does. Not. Work. Pogba. Can't. Play. In. It.

Even worse, Pogba SHOULDN'T play in it. Like using a Ferrari to pull a plough.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

£150 million for Pogba and Lukaku and they go missing in yet another big games. Jones and Smalling are a car crash. Does anyone know why Shaw got dropped for Young? He has been unreal this season. What the hell was Young doing for that second goal?!

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

poor in defense really. Also not sharp going forward. Tactically we are not great either.

 

[Raees]

Brainless at the back, overran in midfield, and our most in form attacker playing in a position he has never done well in. you just know Mourinho's answer to this will be to take Martial off, put his beloved fecking tree on and start hoofing it longer.

That's what worries me. Result like this and Martial on the bench for months.

 

[Ramshock]

Outclassed in every facet of the game, We are still miles away from being title winners unfortunately.

 

[Irish Jet]

Well that sucked.

We were always going to get dominated in midfield. These two just can't work together in a big away game but hardly any use tightening things up now. May as well lose by 4.

Sanchez has been good. There's been some good approach play but the end product has been dire. We've looked dejected since the own goal though and it seems a matter of time before Spurs get a third.

Jones is having about as bad a game as you'll ever see - Everything that comes near him is disastrous. Matic hasn't been much better but is getting overrun, Pogba doesn't look like he's playing a fixed position and is a liability.

We're not fixing this. I'd consider Fellaini for Lingard and any human being for Jones but this game was gone after 11 seconds.

 

[nutmegrush]

Who would you put on?

Spurs are striding past him, he’s offered nothing defensively.

In possesion he simply lays it off to the person next to him and doesn’t bother to make a run past the spud marking him to advance the play, and so the person receiving the ball just gets shut down or gives it back to him.

I’d put out a Herrera Pogba Fellaini midfield with Martial Lukaku Lingard ahead of them

 

[minoo-utd]

Poor half. Smalling and Jones not up to the standards of such games. Slow midfield with Matic and Pogba were almost lost, we can't build up from the back.
Jose unfortunately has to make a change I assume Fellaini for Lingard.

 

[TheNewEra]

Getting battered, can't even retain the ball.

 

[Baby Groot]

Eriksen is so good

Wanted him in United shirt for long time.

 

[Cutch]

At best, this will be a 2-2 draw.

Phil Jones is the blame for this. Nobody else.

What a ridiculous post. If you think Phil Jones is all that is wrong with that then you’re absolutely clueless

 

[Judas]

It was a naive and weird lineup, we need more control in the middle, and that won't happen against a team like Spurs with Matic and Pogba.

 

[Revan]

Forget the formation, a lot of players have not come to the party. Jones, Smalling, Young, Matic, Pogba, Valencia. Lukaku has hardly had the ball so I will spare him.

That is hardly a surprise, to be fair. Maybe certain players should not play that much.

In Pogba's case, there seem to be a somewhat mental barrier that turns a borderline world class player into a Sunday league player more often than now when we play good teams.

 

[ivaldo]

@RedRom this is why it was sensible to drop Lingard and play Herrera in midfield, despite Lingards form.

 

[#07]

Errors on the field, errors on the bench.

Mourinho can be angry but this is partly his fault. Shaw is a more natural left back than Young, he dropped him. Pogba’s unreliable in a two, he goes with that against one if the best midfield’s in England. Martial is devastating on the left, Alexis played three years on the right for Barca, Lingard played on the right last Friday. Who does Mou play on the right? Martial.

Very strange.

 

[Ainu]

Since the second goal this has been a pathetic, spineless performance. Our players have visibly given up. It's been a sobering half in every possible regard, from our mentality to our positional discipline to our techincal ability to our tactical setup. If Mourinho persists with this dreadful idea that Matic - Pogba - Lingard is a functional midfield you have to question his sanity.

 

[walkinhop]

Everyone saying it's the players' fault need to re-think their knowledge of tactics. This is a prime example of footballers looking really bad because of bad tactics.

 

[PoTMS]

HT ratings

De Gea 3
Valencia 5
Jones 2
Smalling 2
Young 2
Matic 4
Pogba 3
Lingard 4
Sanchez 5
Lukaku 4
Martial 5

 

[Phil]

The line-up Redcafe wanted in big games they now moan about

 

[Im red2]

We were the better team until the second goal, but the game has got scrappy since then. One thing that stands out is Kane is so much a better centre forward than Lukaku.

Lukaku has been crap and offered zilch. Pogba looks like he is contemplating either his next hairstyle or dance. Jones looking out of his depth for some reason.

 

[Turnip]

Where do the rules stand with forfeiting a game at half time? Are they as strict as the rules about starting in your own half?

Swap Sanchez and Martial. Get young and Jones off. Go 433 and let Pogba do what he's good at. All seem like really simple and obvious things. If they sit back we're screwed, we can't break down relegation fodder, luckily they're naive and will be desperate for Kane's 100th, so nicking a couple isn't beyond us. All we need is Jose to let us attack.