[Castia]

They’re the perfect counter to our style of play, we struggle when teams sit back.

It feels like they’re pushing us out wide and are clearly confident of defending our crosses.

Massive second half this.

 

[VivaRonaldo85]

Width, pace, movement, whipped in crosses. These are things that will create something. If we keep up the current tactics in the second half, we’re done against the deepest of blocks.

 

[Globule]

Ten minutes and Dan James on. No idea if it'll work but if he can run at them and get them turning, could break their shape, give some room for Bruno, etc

There's no room to run into. James wouldn't help if the game stays the same.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Incredibly predictable first half.

We've started slow as usual. Villareal well trained under bloody Emery and were always going to be tough to break down and Moreno was always likely to sneak a goal - and we were always likely to concede from a set piece.

Was fearing, and expecting, this. That's why I said before the game I wish we had a game changer on the bench to bring on and help us, as usual, improve in the 2nd half.

Villareal will play exactly the same in the 2nd half - their predictable game plan is working perfectly. We have to improve big style. But it's going to be tough against a packed, organised, competent defence.

 

[GoldanoGraham]

Shoot

 

[Beachryan]

What's so weird about us that between Pogba, Rashford and Fernandes we should have some real threat from distance. But we're not even trying. I know it's congested in there, but we need a bit of luck imo.

Does feel like playing Burnley though.

 

[Dinghy]

Everything breaks down with Rashford once we finally manage to move the ball to our forwards. Shit tempo on the ball at the back, Bailly leaving all responsibility to Lindelof to make the forward passes all the fecking time. Villarreal started the timewasting in the first minute. This second half is going to be pure torture.

 

[tomaldinho1]

let's hope you're right...

Believe

 

[Withnail]

On what planet was that the problem?

It's the way we implemented it. They're doing analysis on Virgin. The fecked it up and let your man in.

 

[Hughie77]

Have to run at them with the ball the passing around them is not working, there like that Turkish side we played in cl, not moving from the centre of the goals , it's a 5-4 -1 ,there playing , big 2nd half needed and Bruno not in the game , equalise and we win this game .

 

[tjb]

It’s always the same story. Weak defending by Lindelof putting the team under pressure.

I don't understand how people don't see how important this is. In games in which we have the ability to completely dominate, Lindelof provides the opposition a source of hope with his inability to deal with duels. Whether it be one on one or aerial, Lindelof presents an outlet.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Rashford's been horrendous. Greenwood our best player so far easily.

That sequence which lead to their free kick was fecking horrendous, Pogba hammering it off their player trying to play a crossfield ball instead of just progressing it normally. Don't even want to think about Lindelof for the goal the lad is a fecking joke.

Villareal are genuinely so shite, their entire gameplan has been set pieces and timewasting since the first minute and we've played right into their hands. Very difficult to get back into it unless we win a pen or something.

 

[fergies coat]

We just need players that run at them and are prepared to take them on. Greenwood is the only one doing this.

 

[calodo2003]

that was my first thought - I want to see it from behind the goal

Looked an odd trajectory & a bit slow, not a normal touch. But he should have gotten a hand on it.

 

[Sandikan]

Played right into their game plan of stealing a goal and then sitting back.

Last 5 were promising, Rashy and Greenwood showing what it needs to break them down.

 

[Heinzesight]

We will come back and score a few but that first half was pathetic in all areas.

 

[lex talionis]

Victor should be forced to watch himself concede shit goals on free kicks every day until the new season begins.

 

[RedIan]

VillaR look super solid and organised. Exactly the type of team we struggle against.
No surprise to concede from a Set piece With our piss weak defence.

Rashford been so disappointing So far. His pace and green wood on the right are the keys to unlocking the defence but they have to beat the last man.

need to be braver second half And make the final ball pay

 

[Crustanoid]

They’re 7th in the Spaniels league ffs we should be anhialating them ffs. Absolute fecking travesty. We need to sack absolutely everyone and get a whole new team. Utter utter utter utter utter utter utter utter utter utter bollox

 

[joedirt87]

looked a little better the last 10 minutes or so. get a goal early in the 2nd and they can turn it around.

 

[Jack-C20]

Scholes believes so, so do I!

 

[Galactic]

Pogba not effective in a 2-man CM, what a surprise

 

[devilish]

Tbf it's not like we are getting shredded through the midfield, McFred wouldn't have stopped that goal and we've had twice the possession they have. Our inability to defend set pieces with any confidence is growing really fecking old though, agreed.

Pogba is a liability in defending. He admits that himself.

 

[M Bison]

If you can't understand the role of coaching staff to fire up the team for big games.....

Ffs, this nonsense again...

How do you know they’re not motivated?

Should players need motivating for a cup final?

If you’ve played any level of football, even 5 a side, those should be easy answers.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

It's a good thing player threads are locked during matches - I would have loved to rage in the Lindelof, Bailly and De Gea threads.

 

[Rustyspider13]

That was all of our flaws on display. It's so frustrating seeing the same mistakes from the same players over and over again. DDG and Pogba hitting Villareal players with their passes and then Lindelof just allowing the finish. I just can't.

It was always going to be hard creating chances against 10 men behind the ball but still thought we could've done more. Numerous times our players have had a heavy touch or runs not being seen by the players, it's like we're allergic to long passes. Mason is the only one who looks to be in form. I don't even know what can be changed. Only hope is that we've better second half this season. Praying that the lads pull it off one more time.

 

[saivet]

It's all a bit slow from us, but I'm still confident we can turn this around. The first half was the story of our season, let's produce one of our typical 2nd half come backs!

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Time for Bruno to step up hopefully and the rest to follow.

 

[eltigreFalcao]

It's just a pity all our underlying problems coming to the fore at the worst possible time. Awful set piece defending, no tempo in midfield, lack of movement in attack. And Shaw has gone back to his crap form recently.

This is it, precisely. It is plain to see what are our deficiencies as they have been showing in plain sight since the honeymoon was over. Poor creating chances, nevermind taking them, poor on the ball, always, always giving the most time on the ball to the worse ball playing players. Individual issues never overcame such as Pogba sucumbing to pressure, Rashford running into nothing paths, Lindelof being weak on set pieces, AWB not being able to cross, De Gea poor with his long balls. The only thing we're missing is an oposition goal scored from a cross that was found on the right side, with AWB and Bailly in no mans land.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Rashford's been horrendous. Greenwood our best player so far easily.

That sequence which lead to their free kick was fecking horrendous, Pogba hammering it off their player trying to play a crossfield ball instead of just progressing it normally. Don't even want to think about Lindelof for the goal the lad is a fecking joke.

Villareal are genuinely so shite, their entire gameplan has been set pieces and timewasting since the first minute and we've played right into their hands. Very difficult to get back into it unless we win a pen or something.

This. And even if we get one, its not enough because Villareal are playing for penalties.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

It's done.

 

[laughtersassassin]

This team just doesn't seem to be the winning kind. When we get near a trophy we bottle it.

4 or 5 years without one. We simply have to do better it's not good enough.

 

[Brownie85]

Victor should be forced to watch himself concede shit goals on free kicks every day until the new season begins.

Not sure it'd make much of a difference to be honest. Regardless of how bad he is, he's still a starter, and he still gets paid week to week. Win or lose, i truly don't think he's that bothered in all fairness

 

[el3mel]

Fecking please, one more second half comeback.

 

[Adnan]

Villareal have decided they're gonna low block it to victory, with the aid of a set piece. Mason and Pogba have been good but we need to take advantage of the space afforded to us by the opposition. It might be worth bringing Amad on against such a low block.

 

[slored1]

It's a good thing player threads are locked during matches - I would have loved to rage in the Lindelof, Bailly and De Gea threads.

What did Bailly do wrong?

 

[croadyman]

United come out guns a firing. This Villarreal team are wilting.

Feel sick comparing us to them but need a similar half time team talk to what City had in Paris when they looked well off it

 

[ColvaleGoa]

That one Rashford run and Greenwood going past their left back shows we need to target their left back area...Run at them hopefully we will break them down.

Surely they can't defend for next 45 minutes like they did against Arsenal. We definitely have better quality than Arsenal

 

[mitchmouse]

Once again Pogba failing to dominate against an ordinary side, Bruno quiet yet again - not sure we've got anything on the bench that can change things

 

[Drifter]

Inventive free kick