[Bobski]

Boring team, boring match, boring competition.

 

[wolvored]

Thought we had gone back in time to VG. Way too slow in the build up. No real creativity. Good goal by Greenwood. Would like to see him and Gomes given a chance with the first team.

 

[RedTiger]

If we had a bit more composure in their box I'm sure the opinions would be different tonight. All in all it was a decent showing aside from the lack of pressing intent in attack.

 

[AJ10]

Should have been 3 or 4 but can't finish, at least we created chances.

 

[Davs]

Rojobona.

 

[SteveJ]

Man Utd 1:0 FC Astana - Greenwood (73')

Robin van Greenwood!

 

[afrocentricity]

Missed it, don't know who's summary to believe... Either way we won

 

[Pexbo]

The lack of movement upfront, apart from Gomes, stood out.

It was far too direct, the runs were all in straight lines at 100mph. There’s just no guile in our front line.

 

[Andycoleno9]

We dominated, we won and played with kids. That is on one side all great. But we are scoring one goal per game. No more no less. It is starting to be a big problem

 

[Ban]

Kids got a run out. Good game by Rojo, great goal by Mason. Never expected a great game it was a scrambled team in which younguns got invaluable experience.

 

[soralapio]

Turns out that even some nobody team from Azerbaijan is above Matic's level, as he was utterly garbage once again. Couldn't even place simple passes, and completely lost his head defensively more than a few times.

But I'm sure that won't stop him from talking shit about not getting picked enough.

 

[BaneIsPain]

Good goal by greenwood, Gomes has nice touch and Chong has a bad day.

Keep playing youth, this type of game will help them in long run

Highlight of the day: Rojo’s rabona

 

[Tincanalley]

Not too bad, I suppose ... the kids are alright. Most interesting aspect of the evening was the crazy project that was the oppo team; built of oil in the steppe. But United were the earnest, tiresome, Ole United. Never good enough to win anything, but full of endeavor. Smiling but direly lacking a sense of humour. Goal was well taken. Rashford is capable of driving me daft.

 

[redom]

Glad we got the win and the youngsters got game time, they'll learn from games like that and be better for it. Not surprised the performance was disjointed and lacking a cutting edge considering the lack of game time amongst them, play the likes of Gomes more and he'll hit his stride, I've got no worries about that.

 

[Still ill]

Poor stuff. Kids looked like kids bar Greenwood's excellent goal. Don't get the gnashing of teeth over Gomes sub. Disappointed with the spaces he took up. Clever player but didn't show it tonight. As has been said, everything went wrong for Chong. Not the first time we've said that. Axel looked like a man who's had actual football. But look, they need minutes, they got them, we needed a result, brought on some experience, got the goal. No complaints with the subs. For the rest, Matic was good tonight and needed to be. Another chance missed for Fred. Too much bitching as per about Rashford. Worked hard, looked likely, finished poorly. We'll take it and move on.

 

[TheGame]

Solid win. Had about 75% possession and were always comfortable. Should have won by 4 or 5. Made it more difficult than it needed to be. Vital first minutes of the season for many players. As usual the match thread fans ruin it for everyone with their incessant knee jerkism and mouth frothing.

This. Always tricky when a team parks the bus and with 9 changes including some very young players. Useful experience for them, Fred with match fitness, clean sheet and three points. Onto the next one.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Happy with the result, the first half was really good, second half not so much.

Was it Johan Cruff that said "You play football with your head, and your legs are there to help you"? Rashford really needs to start thinking more, his decision making is starting to worry me.

 

[Judas]

Rojo is perfect for this competition, the bloke is just fun to watch. More likely to assist a goal or score one than Shaw too, to be honest. Can't defend for shit though.

 

[CallyRed]

Nodded off.

 

[Ban]

Good game by Fred too.

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

With that many changes to the first team and a lot of youngsters playing (good on Ole), we did alright. We have lost many such matches over the years. Rashford really needs to improve. Was it just me or did Rojo look good tonight?

 

[iammemphis]

Well what a load of shit that was. A reality check for some of those players. Please Greenwood scored but i think he’ll be disappointed with his over all contribution, something to build on though. Rashford needs a serious look at himself and his end product.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Turns out that even some nobody team from Azerbaijan is above Matic's level, as he was utterly garbage once again. Couldn't even place simple passes, and completely lost his head defensively more than a few times.

But I'm sure that won't stop him from talking shit about not getting picked enough.

He hit 120 passes at a 93% passing accuracy

 

[LoneStar]

Started off really well, but then tapered off. Chong was very poor. Rashford needs to be less selfish outside the box and more lethal inside.

Great debut goal for Mason, wonderfully taken. Both the fullbacks were good as well.

Thank God Astana were shite, any decent team would have scored 1/2 goals with the chances they had. Overall an okay game, but it's 3 points.

 

[dum propp victor]

This was such an uninspiring and average performance against probably the weakest team in the competition. Reminded me Moyes days tbh. Even under him we played quite decent football with very good results in Europe (both Leverkusen games, Shakhtar etc.) We should be battering these kind of teams especially at OT. Van Gaal or Mourinho would have criticised all day with a performance like that. Let's face it: Ole is not good enough to be a Man Utd manager and gonna make it here.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Lads, it's Astana.

We made 9 changes.

 

[Dec9003]

Good win that.
Made a good amount of chances, played the kids, had a lot of the ball.
All the kids are a work in progress, but an opportunity to play in Europe against a bunch of men will do wonders for them.
Pretty happy with Fred and Rojo too, looked alright.

 

[vidic blood & sand]

Fred and Matic

When Pogba leaves next season we need three new midfielders.

 

[Kurton]

Crap match. Another 1-0 and an individual brilliance goal to save our asses, this time against mighty Astana. We seriously need some coaching in this team, they look like 11 strangers. Ole is not providing platform for the players to perform. They are better than this.

 

[Nick7]

Poor stuff. Kids looked like kids bar Greenwood's excellent goal. Don't get the gnashing of teeth over Gomes sub. Disappointed with the spaces he took up. Clever player but didn't show it tonight. As has been said, everything went wrong for Chong. Not the first time we've said that. Axel looked like a man who's had actual football. But look, they need minutes, they got them, we needed a result, brought on some experience, got the goal. No complaints with the subs. For the rest, Matic was good tonight and needed to be. Another chance missed for Fred. Too much bitching as per about Rashford. Worked hard, looked likely, finished poorly. We'll take it and move on.

Definitely. They were good for being kids all making their first starts, but I don’t really think they’re ready to start every game like some people on here. I would like to see them get more and more involved as times goes by but they aren’t ready to be starters yet.

 

[nikineil]

Yes Daddy

What is with this? I think I missed something!

 

[ArjenIsM3]

Proved our inability to work our way through a low block is more of a tactical issue than a personnel thing.

How's that?

 

[AJ10]

Started off really well, but then tapered off. Chong was very poor. Rashford needs to be less selfish outside the box and more lethal inside.

Great debut goal for Mason, wonderfully taken. Both the fullbacks were good as well.

Thank God Astana were shite, any decent team would have scored 1/2 goals with the chances they had. Overall an okay game, but it's 3 points.

They had 1 good chance after jones fecked up.... and we should have been 3 up by then.

 

[Tom Cato]

This match was just complete domination from start to finish. 8 shots on goal, 10 outside of goal. Just a one way street all match from what is essentially our 2nd team. Aka. the kids and frequent reserves.

Marcus Rashford SHOULD have scored twice. Phil jones and Ashley Young with the collosal defensive blunders separately the last 10 minutes that let Astana smell blood.

Chong had a struggling game, nothing really worked for him. Not a disaster but a lot of poor plays. Gomes was alright, a few good involvements, periods of anonymity. I'm seeing a good player there but he definitely needs time. He belongs in the U23's with EL and the cup as his playwindow this year.

 

[Eric7C]

Losing patience with Rashford. He lacks game intelligence and doesn't look up often to see if teammates are in a better position.

There was a phase at the end where United were breaking and a simple square pass to Mata would have totally opened Astana up, but Rashford just kept running with his head down and then lost the ball. This is typical of him; he would not be a starter in a title winning United team.

And what's worse - Ole and the coaches are doing nothing to improve this part of his game.

 

[Tincanalley]

Well done Greenwood.

I think Gomes is the most ready of the three for PL football and Tuanzebe shoud start with Maguire.
Poor Chong.

God yes Chong - what do the backroom boys see in him. He was in a defender’s pocket all evening

 

[FreakyJim]

Thing with the youngsters is - they're not just there to pick the odd league cup game or europa league shit team game. They are the squad, they'll play a lot when inevitable injuries pile up.

And they're far from ready.

 

[berbatrick]

It was far too direct, the runs were all in straight lines at 100mph. There’s just no guile in our front line.

Whenever someone had the ball, there was never an obvious pass to progress the move forward, sometimes there wasn't even a fullback/winger available.

 

[Random Task]

We made 9 changes.

We missed as many chances.

Rashford's finishing leaves much to be desired.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

First half should have buried them with the chances we had and quite enjoyable even though playing against a park the bus Astana, second half tailed off and last 5 or 10 minutes looked like we doing our best to concede a goal.

Greenwood, Gomes, Rojo and Tuanzebe the pick. Give Greenwood MoM for his winning and first senior goal.
Really disappointed with Chong, first start may have got to him.

 

[Judas]

I'm actually surprised we've seen as much as we have from Chong in the first team compared to Gomes, the latter looks far more ready for this level, and he's still a bit off himself.