[DomesticTadpole]

This is Ole’s United. Better than the last guy, better than it's been since SAF, but the team is missing the last 5% that's needed to turn it into serial winners and I don't think Ole can give it to us. Leicester are a good team with a rest behind them, but beating good teams under those conditions is what you need to be the best. Under Ole we won't be the best, we'll be near the head of the chasing pack. That's an improvement, but eventually something will have to give if we want to be at the top.

That probably sums it up. He was a caretaker, a stop gap in a club run by people who cannot see that it is all he is.

 

[Rustyspider13]

Terrible. Leicester used their rest well, pressed us high and won very second ball. But they didn't create anything, we just gave them the ball and decided not to mark people. Fred was abysmal, Matic was pathetic, McT managed to concede in a sub appearance.

I normally don't comment on the Ole in/out stuff. But I'll say this, the way every Ole topic is being bumped and new topics are being created, is extremely disappointing. Individual mistakes cost us that game, no manager can help that.

Fred doesn't have a good first touch or composure in the ball, Matic doesn't have the legs, VdB doesn't make forward creative passes and Martial doesn't make runs. Rashford, Pogba, Cavani are injured/unfit and Bruno and Shaw are running on fumes. Ole thought he could pick a team that wouldn't totally collapse so he could bring Bruno on to win it if needed. These players can't even keep it level. Putting it all on Ole will suit the Ole outers fine, but the players have to take responsibility.

If you want to blame someone, blame the owners in charge who didn't buy ONE starting XI player for the team where every other top team bought multiple. We simply do not have the squad to challenge on multiple fronts, especially this season. The quality isn't there. But my points will fall on deaf ears I'm sure.

 

[MonkeysMagic]

It really saddens me that the ambitions of the club owners are so limited that the current management is seen to be acceptable.

As a club we simply lack the thinking, coaching, ambitions and aspirations to be an elite club again. When owners, and unfortunately some fans, accept mediocrity as an excuse for 'progress' the writing really is on the wall. Rewarding that mediocrity happens time and again at our club and no doubt Ole will be happily taking his contract extension but no amount of 'progress' is going to improve him beyond an average coach.

 

[el3mel]

It's a curse, the one time we got a nice semi final draw, we don't even reach it.

Nice one, United. At least we're doing new things instead of repetition now.

 

[Ralph1386]

Management not making a sub at halftime was the worst decision of the game

Reminds me of our CL exit against PSG

 

[mitchmouse]

So he needs to spend around 200m to get the team he wants. In a covid hit summer transfer window, good luck with that mate. Also if any team with a top coach challenges us for players they might not think Ole is the best option for their career. I am sure City were pulling our leg over Fred. We got taken for a ride there, there are better footballers on the beaches in Brazil.

Ole couldn't tempt Halaand last time so how will he now? Turns out the gay know more about football than just scoring goals for Dortmund

 

[CM]

The draw was done about 2 minutes before the players went back out

 

[laughtersassassin]

Reminds me of our CL exit against PSG

Ole has a pattern. That pattern is bottling cup games.

 

[RashyForPM]

They wouldn't have had a clue. We could have been 3-1 down before the draw was made ffs

Good point. Forget these random logistics. We were just shit today.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

I expect a lot of knee jerk reactions to that. Tired, rotated squad. We just played Thursday. International break at the right time. Leicester were great. Our squad depth isn’t there yet, and you can see why Ole hesitates to rotate beyond his core 13-14 players.

Oh well. Move on. We still have 2nd to play for, and the EL, which we have a real chance of winning. Got to pick your head up and go on, and come back stronger.

The EL won’t be some sort of walkover. I’m sure we will do Leicester at home in the League but we need our core players back and fit. Whatever criticism we level at Rashford, he terrorises Leicester every time. Shaw needs to be on the left and we need a proper CF so Cavani it is.

 

[HailtotheKing]

Leicester had a week to prepare whilst we barely had 2 days

The difference today was energy levels nothing else (despite the predictable histrionics of the usual morons on this site) we were slow in possession, weak in the tackle and almost every pass was off target.
Tired, lethargic, sluggish call it what you want, Leicester were able to run all over us.

Oles options to freshen the side was 3 players coming off injuries plus telles and matic. Maybe he could've started cavani but he too was recently injured. We should've been smarter of course, dug in used our experience to make it a scrappy game and concentrate on denying them space but we took them on instead and let's be honest if we had played negatively he'd have only got hammered by the usual fans

I'm as frustrated as anyone to go out the cup but this is a result of competing on multiple fronts made worse by the covid enforced attempts to squeeze an entire season in to an even shorter amount of time

Totally agree with all of this. Fred was having a really terrible game though. Not sure if VDB was finished but I'd have preferred to keep him on in place of Fred, to keep some creativity in the middle. Also, not sure why Shaw didn't start. Bruno has been pretty bad recently but Shaw has been vital. Leicester just had more energy though. And that's not really surprising is it? Gutted that the draw opened up for us and we threw it away. But when you throw away 2 goals, what do you expect? And this is not the first time we've fired the ball into Fred and his mistouch has cost us a goal. When will we learn?

 

[mitchmouse]

It really saddens me that the ambitions of the club owners are so limited that the current management is seen to be acceptable.

As a club we simply lack the thinking, coaching, ambitions and aspirations to be an elite club again. When owners, and unfortunately some fans, accept mediocrity as an excuse for 'progress' the writing really is on the wall. Rewarding that mediocrity happens time and again at our club and no doubt Ole will be happily taking his contract extension but no amount of 'progress' is going to improve him beyond an average coach.

Been saying this for some time now

 

[Chairman Steve]

Not an excuse imo, a Man United team should be able to perform twice a week.

What we saw today was shambles.

I'd agree with you if we had just gone out to a mid-table team like that, but Leicester are still an excellent team. They're 1 point below us in the league and have quality players.

This week, we've played West Ham, AC Milan and now Leicester. All teams vying for Champions League places in the middle of March. I don't think even our best of teams like 1999 or 2008 could have realistically won all three of those games (and even maintain looking like a quality team in all of them) and if they did, there would have been some huge slice of luck in helping to achieve that.

 

[Judas]

Will people please, at least for the rest of this season, finally stop crying for VDB to play? He's still not in sync with this team whatsoever. Slows us down, constantly playing it safe and backwards. He right now simply doesn't fit in this side at all.

 

[mattunited1978]

Dosnt get much worse than that, looked like a bunch of shite pub players having a kick about

 

[Counterfactual]

Leicester simply had more energy than us and were first to everything. We lost every 50-50 contest. We're just knackered, which does not bode well... especially as Ole tried to freshen things up!

 

[Andersonson]

Cannot fault the manager or the players. Played every 3 and 4 days and that shows.

Leicester had a week to prepare for this game, we blarely had any rest between the travel and the game, thats also a factor people need to understand. The statistic of an away game after a CL/EL away game is pretty telling about how difficult it is.

Leicester isnt a weak side at all. They've had a pretty good season and a full week of rest. Thats the difference today.

Blaming the manager for everything is just bizarre and lack of reality and understanding.

 

[paulscholes18]

Reminds me of our CL exit against PSG

And both matches it was Fred that needed to be subbed, he’s not learning from past errors

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Ole couldn't tempt Halaand last time so how will he now? Turns out the gay know more about football than just scoring goals for Dortmund

I don’t know what his sexuality has to do with it.

 

[charlenefan]

They wouldn't have had a clue what the draw was

they don't sit and watch TV at half time

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Terrible. Leicester used their rest well, pressed us high and won very second ball. But they didn't create anything, we just gave them the ball and decided not to mark people. Fred was abysmal, Matic was pathetic, McT managed to concede in a sub appearance.

I normally don't comment on the Ole in/out stuff. But I'll say this, the way every Ole topic is being bumped and new topics are being created, is extremely disappointing. Individual mistakes cost us that game, no manager can help that.

Fred doesn't have a good first touch or composure in the ball, Matic doesn't have the legs, VdB doesn't make forward creative passes and Martial doesn't make runs. Rashford, Pogba, Cavani are injured/unfit and Bruno and Shaw are running on fumes. Ole thought he could pick a team that wouldn't totally collapse so he could bring Bruno on to win it if needed. These players can't even keep it level. Putting it all on Ole will suit the Ole outers fine, but the players have to take responsibility.

If you want to blame someone, blame the owners in charge who didn't buy ONE starting XI player for the team where every other top team bought multiple. We simply do not have the squad to challenge on multiple fronts, especially this season. The quality isn't there. But my points will fall on deaf ears I'm sure.

The manager can help it when he choses Fred and Matic, he chose them. While he is here the same mistakes will be made over and over again. Yes the players have to take responsibility, but Ole and his coaches are responsible for preparation and tactics. I hope we do win the EL, but I am not sure Ole couldn't come up with some amazing new way to mess it up. Also the summer will be interesting. Martial, Matic, Fred have to go and just hope the few decent players we have don't ask to leave as well.

 

[VidaRed]

That was probably the most frustrating thing- drawing one of City/Chelsea in the semi finals and then playing one of them in the final would be a tough couple of games to win a trophy. Getting the draw we got was a much safer route.

Europa League is still very winnable though.

We'll take grenada for granted and make things difficult for ourselves. Just wait and watch.

Whenever we are playing against a weaker opposition, the onus is on us to take the game to them and smash them. This creates pressure on and some of our players crumble under pressure. Alternatively, if were playing against a much stronger opposition the pressure if entirely off us and thats why we perform better. It was never tactics or strategy, it is psychological.

 

[HailtotheKing]

I predicted in the matchday thread that if we drew City, then we'd end up winning the game and drawing Soton would mean we'd lose the game.

But I'm going to say one game too many and trying to be too clever with rotation as the reasons why we're out. Big nose Brenny had a nice week off to prepare for us while we were in the San Siro grinding it out against the 2nd best team in Italy

Exactly, a game too far. Think Fred should've been replaced though. He was having an absolute mare in all aspects. Hate the way Ole, only see VDB as a Bruno replacement when I'm sure he could play CM.

 

[passing-wind]

Who has a better cup record than Ole? We consistently win cup games!

What does the club / Ole have to show for it ?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Ole couldn't tempt Halaand last time so how will he now? Turns out the gay know more about football than just scoring goals for Dortmund

Our media keep linking him to City, but Haaland also linked with Real. I think he wants to become a world superstar, so Madrid would be the perfect setting.

 

[VidaRed]

They wouldn't have had a clue what the draw was

they don't sit and watch TV at half time

Im sure one person from the supporting staff must have known. It only takes a min on the phone to know the fixtures.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

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[DomesticTadpole]

We were crap and deserve to be out but lucky we got Granada? Guessing we were lucky to get Sociedad and Milan too. We played poorly today but don't make it seem we are a bad team.

We could have won the EL last season. We should actually have still been in the CL when we only needed a point to go through.

 

[hubbuh]

I really, really wanted to reach the final of the FA Cup and give a proper account ourselves. I couldn't give a toss about the Europa League or playing Granada, to be honest. The FA Cup was our last big chance at a big, illustrious trophy and we completely fluffed it. This one really fecking stings.

 

[charlenefan]

Im sure one person from the supporting staff must have known. It only takes a min on the phone to know the fixtures.

and even if they did you think the priority is to announce it to the entire locker room?

 

[Inigo Montoya]

We got beat by a weaker team that are frankly much better coached than us.

Shit happens losing a one of game against weaker teams is just football. Not really a one off these days though is it?

The usual 'good' supporters out bashing all our players to defend their manager though and making excuses like good little boys.

They weren’t weak mate. I’d say put Barnes and Maddison back in that side and it might have given us more openings.

They are better coached because tema
Like Leicester have low expectations and can afford to take chances. They were comfortably beaten by Brighton but people don’t sing Potter’s praises. With his resources he’a easily a better coach

 

[TheBreadTruck]

Knew it was going to be horrific today, didn't foresee Fred going out and doing that though. The inability to play basic football, across the whole team, sometimes is such a huge worry.

Not sure if I'm just jaded, but I've felt the refereeing in our last 5 or 6 games has been really harsh in 50/50's for us. I know these things balance out, but I feel like we're coming off a lot worse in these marginal calls at the moment which is momentum breaking.

Can we please, please invest in some throw-in coaching? If I was an opposing manager I'd just tell my team to hoof it upfield out of play and we'd get possession back 7/10 in the attacking third after the throw.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

I really, really wanted to reach the final of the FA Cup and give a proper account ourselves. I couldn't give a toss about the Europa League or playing Granada, to be honest. The FA Cup was our last big chance at a big, illustrious trophy and we completely fluffed it. This one really fecking stings.

A domestic up is more illustrious than the EL? Ok

 

[hubbuh]

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I'm sorry but the Europa League is the least sexy cup. I couldn't care less about fecking Granada. Absolutely gutting this one.

 

[hubbuh]

A domestic up is more illustrious than the EL? Ok

What, the FA Cup? It's hardly the Johnstone's Paint Trophy is it. Of course it's more illustrious than the Europa League

 

[Hoof the ball]

Fatigue?

Telles, Matic, Martial, van de Beek came into this game with no minutes played on Thursday.
Pogba with only 45 minutes on Thursday.

Of those who played on Thursday Fernandes, McTominay, and Shaw also only played 26 minutes. Cavani also was completely fresh.

The players who played back-to-back 90 minutes was Fred, AWB, Maguire, Lindelof and Greenwood.

It's a partially fatigued team, but there was significant rotation today to play well and play hard versus Leicester.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Will people please, at least for the rest of this season, finally stop crying for VDB to play? He's still not in sync with this team whatsoever. Slows us down, constantly playing it safe and backwards. He right now simply doesn't fit in this side at all.

Not sure I like much about this side after today.

 

[talking robot]

Might not be the worst thing in the world to have been knocked out of the FA cup. Will probably increase the odds of winning the Europa League and finishing 2nd in the league as we won't be stretched so thin during the run-in. Honestly if you had told me prior to the Man City game that'd we'd win vs. City, win vs. west ham, and go through against Milan but lose to Leicester, I would definitely have taken that.

 

[VidaRed]

and even if they did you think the priority is to announce it to the entire locker room?

Its not a priority but it could have been whispered to the manager atleast when they were in the dugout in the second half or when they were coming out for the second half.

 

[cyberman]

What does the club / Ole have to show for it ?

It shows it isnt easy.