Fear factor was back

Strelok

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The time wasting was ridiculous.
But it's nice to see isn't it. Especially after seeing the likes of Brighton, Burnley etc. came to OT and played like they're United and we were them under Mourinho. How low we were back then.

It's early days but a good sign imo.
 

kafta

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Don’t think we can say it’s back, but a couple of more games like yesterday and it will be. If we can start beating the low block teams and taking our chances, it’s going to be quite the season.
 

justsomebloke

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When you see our squad, it will incredibly asinine for any club not to fear us. Only PSg can make a claim that they have a better 11. However, it might effect the way we love to play with the counter.
We do not have the best XI in the PL, in my view. No need to overdo it.
 

justsomebloke

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Our attacking line-up might bring some fear into teams but I think Newcastle would've been afraid of anyone today since they had already conceded 8 goals in their first 3 games, so they would've had a defence first mentality no matter who they played.
I disagree. They don't usually play that way against most teams. They're often rather game.
 

Crustanoid

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Read Jonathan Wilson’s latest brainless rant in the guardian. It tells you all you need to know about how desperate the ABU are at the moment.

They won’t even enable comments in fear of Billy Brainless getting taken to task
 

diarm

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Read Jonathan Wilson’s latest brainless rant in the guardian. It tells you all you need to know about how desperate the ABU are at the moment.

They won’t even enable comments in fear of Billy Brainless getting taken to task
Don't read it. Don't click on it.

These cretins only have a living because we click on their bullshit in outrage in our thousands and in doing so, pay for their complete lack of talent.
 

justsomebloke

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I've seen all manner of teams do exactly what Newcastle did today...in fact it's been one of the major criticisms of Ole's teams...not breaking that kind of team down at home.

So I'm somewhat confused in a way.
Except we do break that kind of team down. Not as consistently as City, but more consistently than Tuchel Chelsea or (20-21) Liverpool.
 

justsomebloke

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Read Jonathan Wilson’s latest brainless rant in the guardian. It tells you all you need to know about how desperate the ABU are at the moment.

They won’t even enable comments in fear of Billy Brainless getting taken to task
It's unbelievable. The only thing resembling an argument in it is this:

But United’s problem last season was not scoring goals. They were the second-highest scorers in the Premier League and somehow went out of the Champions League despite getting 15 in the group. Their problem was the clunkiness of the midfield, the lack of coherence that meant they could be thwarted by solid if unspectacular teams – Crystal Palace, West Brom, Sheffield United, Villarreal …

True, we were thwarted by these teams. In the PL we dropped 12 points against lower-half teams - 5 against Crystal Palace, 2 against Fulham, 2 against West Brom, 3 against Sheffield United.

However. Liverpool dropped a whopping 22 points against lower-half teams. Chelsea in their 19 games under Tuchel dropped 9 (2 against Brighton, 3 against West Brom, 2 against Southampton and 2 against Wolves), which- pro-rates across a whole season to 18 points dropped.

So in point of fact, Tuchels Chelsea and Klopps Liverpool seem to have had a much bigger problem with being thwarted by solid but unspectacular teams than United did.

Then you can point out Liverpools injury trouble last year. Which is perfectly relevant. But so is the fact that Klopps vaunted structure and clear patterns of play did not help Liverpool to beat lower-half teams when they were missing key players.

All of which as far as I can see leaves Wilson with no point at all, unless he is prepared to accept the problem he is pointing out at United was even less solved by Klopp and Tuchel than it was by Solskjær, and that this puts rather a dent in his theory that what he considers a coherent system of play allows good teams to prevail against mediocre ones with greater regularity. It didn't, last season. Which, of course, he won't. The bullshitter.
 
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Lentwood

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What gives you that idea? This current team has winners, actual winners dotted around all over the pitch. DDG, Varane, Pogba, Robaldo, Matic.

Couple that with the quality and class of players like Maguire, Bruno and Shaw. Shaw especially has grown into some player. DDG seems to have found his old form also. This is, or has the potential to be one of our best teams in a very long time.
It certainly has tonnes of potential, I definitely agree with that.

Personally though, I don't like the balance of the two XIs we have put out in the last two games.

Wolves broke on us 5/6 times and should have probably won the game. Newcastle are a poor side but they wasted two good chances to square the ball for tap-ins and also scored a goal on the break.

Sometimes, winning football matches means including players and a structure who make the collective greater than the sum of its parts. Pogba and Fernandes with two attacking wingers and Ronaldo/Cavani sounds incredibly exciting but is it the best way of winning football matches? I'm not sure.

We go to West Ham next week. This will be a good benchmark. They are a good side and the crowd will be well up for it. If we can win that game and control the match (to a degree), i'll think maybe, maybe we can win a major trophy this season.
 

golden_blunder

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You could see the fear in the eyes of the defenders when Ronaldo got the ball. Reputation as much as skill will do some damage even if it’s just opening up space for others
 

mariachi-19

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It certainly has tonnes of potential, I definitely agree with that.

Personally though, I don't like the balance of the two XIs we have put out in the last two games.

Wolves broke on us 5/6 times and should have probably won the game. Newcastle are a poor side but they wasted two good chances to square the ball for tap-ins and also scored a goal on the break.

Sometimes, winning football matches means including players and a structure who make the collective greater than the sum of its parts. Pogba and Fernandes with two attacking wingers and Ronaldo/Cavani sounds incredibly exciting but is it the best way of winning football matches? I'm not sure.

We go to West Ham next week. This will be a good benchmark. They are a good side and the crowd will be well up for it. If we can win that game and control the match (to a degree), i'll think maybe, maybe we can win a major trophy this season.
We are also playing with a third choice defensive midfielder with as much mobility as a super tanker and Fred had a mare against Wolves.

Also, the Premier League is not 15 years ago. Even the shittest teams have a handful of decent players who can hurt you if given the chance. Years and years ago it use to be 1 player in the crap teams but now there is that much money, decent players are playing for lesser clubs. Its why the premier league is so much stronger than any other league.
 

mariachi-19

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You could see the fear in the eyes of the defenders when Ronaldo got the ball. Reputation as much as skill will do some damage even if it’s just opening up space for others
It is no different from 12 years ago.

What surprised me was the sheer pace he had for his second goal. He still has that explosive run in him that leaves defenders for dead. It is that which makes him impressive because you lose speed the older you get. That is what looking after your body the way he does gets you. The bloke practically has the body of a 29-30 year old RVP
 

evil_geko

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Read Jonathan Wilson’s latest brainless rant in the guardian. It tells you all you need to know about how desperate the ABU are at the moment.

They won’t even enable comments in fear of Billy Brainless getting taken to task
Brainless or not, I agree with him that I would rather have strengthen midfield than bring back 36yo Ronaldo. Ronaldo wont mask midfield problems.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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Brainless or not, I agree with him that I would rather have strengthen midfield than bring back 36yo Ronaldo. Ronaldo wont mask midfield problems.
There was no midfielder available comparable to bringing in Ronaldo.

It's a pointless stance to even take.
 

crossy1686

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Said it in the match day thread but the fear factor was back before Ronaldo.

Ive heard rival fans calling us ‘inevitable’ due to the fact we always seem to score at some point. They’re already scared of us and don’t want to play us.

People were scared before but now Ronaldo’s back the fear factor is more akin to smashing down the door with an axe and shouting “Here’s Ronnie!”.
 

evil_geko

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You're deflecting.

There was no midfielder available comparable to match Ronaldo's likely impact.

If you think there was, name them.
What deflecting? We already had pretty good attack with Cavani being in great form, midfield was/is the biggest weakness, getting overrun game after game there, even in this Newcastle game at times in first half. You strengthen your weakest positions, it's not rocket science, and like I said, there are tons of options that would strengthen us there, not world class options, but good enough to strengthen us. I wont name anyone because there are too many to name. Also, we have scouts for a reason.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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What deflecting? We already had pretty good attack with Cavani being in great form, midfield was/is the biggest weakness, getting overrun game after game there, even in this Newcastle game at times in first half. You strengthen your weakest positions, it's not rocket science, and like I said, there are tons of options that would strengthen us there, not world class options, but good enough to strengthen us. I wont name anyone because there are too many to name. Also, we have scouts for a reason.
You keep missing the point. Would you have rather signed Saul or Ronaldo? We were never going to go in for Rice this window after the outlay on Sancho and Varane. Yes, you strength your weakest position. However, when a world class player becomes available, you go get them. You were probably beating the same drum in 2012-2013 on signing RVP over a central midfielder then.

And I always thought we needed another goal-scorer in the team. We only scored 73 goals last season. We haven't hit over 80 since SAF retired. We signed one of the best goal-scorers of all time.
 

dal

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—————————Ronaldo—————
Rashford————Bruno———Sancho
—————-Fred——Mctominay———

That’s how we should lineup against any of the top 6.

Pogba or Greenwood potentially starting on the wings depending on form.

But the potential below subs to change the game is exciting

VDB, Pogba, Cavani, Greenwood.

Obviously Martial needs to be sold.

10 mins to go


Rashford——Ronaldo—Cavani—-Greenwood
———————-Bruno———————Sancho—-
Shaw—————————-Pogba————————
———Maguire————Varane—halfway line—-


—————————De Gea—————18 yard line

—————————-goal line——————————-
 
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Volumiza

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It certainly has tonnes of potential, I definitely agree with that.

Personally though, I don't like the balance of the two XIs we have put out in the last two games.

Wolves broke on us 5/6 times and should have probably won the game. Newcastle are a poor side but they wasted two good chances to square the ball for tap-ins and also scored a goal on the break.

Sometimes, winning football matches means including players and a structure who make the collective greater than the sum of its parts. Pogba and Fernandes with two attacking wingers and Ronaldo/Cavani sounds incredibly exciting but is it the best way of winning football matches? I'm not sure.

We go to West Ham next week. This will be a good benchmark. They are a good side and the crowd will be well up for it. If we can win that game and control the match (to a degree), i'll think maybe, maybe we can win a major trophy this season.
When Sancho, Greenwood, Bruno, Ronaldo and Pogba all click while sitting in front of Maguire and Varane, we’ll be lethal. That is some team. Matic will need replacing next window no doubt but he can do a job and really, I would not be changing yesterday’s team next match.
 

Denis79

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We are maybe only one or two players away from having one of the best first eleven in the world. I'm very excited about this season, now it's down to Ole to bring the best out of this team.
 

Borys

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Meh, pressing is our kryptonite and everybody knows it. Ronaldo up front doesn't change much if we can't create a chance for him, even if he scores every 2nd shot.

I don't expect teams to sit back like Newcastle did.

But it's nice to have a few forwards in good form. Bruno, Greenwood and Ronaldo have 9 goals already so it's covering our midfield issues. But no worries, just need to slide through it until McTominay is back and Fred remembers how to play football.
 

The_Order

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We'll get ground down by teams like Liverpool and Chelsea, we're too open.

I still think we are well capable of having a good season but I don't see us winning the league until we can completely control a game.

At the moment, I feel like we're a bit like a heavyweight with a massive punch but a weak chin
Excellent analogy.
 

Fitchett

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Yesterday felt, for the first time since Fergie retired, that the fear factor was back. That's definitely worth a few extra points over a season. Newcastle's keeper had three outrageous pieces of time wasting in the first 15 minutes. It was poetic justice that he spilled Greenwood's shot in the added time for time wasting for our first goal. Newcastle players were shit scared of diving in on Ronaldo for fear of being shown up by a piece of magic or conceding a penalty. Also, by two or three of them trying to close Ronaldo down, that opens up space for our other players and Ronaldo is good enough to pass the ball to one of them quickly.

We are on our way back, the ABU'S know it and they don't like it :lol::lol::lol::lol:
 

The_Midfielder

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Brainless or not, I agree with him that I would rather have strengthen midfield than bring back 36yo Ronaldo. Ronaldo wont mask midfield problems.
Who would be scoring goals if we got a midfielder instead of Ronaldo.. Our top scorer last season was a midfielder.. We needed a striker as much as we needed a midfielder.
I do not think we can get away playing with a CDM with the less amount of defensive work our midfielders too. We have to play a midfield of 2.
 

DRJosh

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You could see the fear in the eyes of the defenders when Ronaldo got the ball. Reputation as much as skill will do some damage even if it’s just opening up space for others
Agreed. I think Ronaldo will be a wonderful decoy to open up low-block teams.
 

EtH

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After watching the Newcastle match again I cannot wait for McTominay to get back fit. With the weapons we now have upfront, I think he and Pogba could work well together against most teams. Really excited to see us just have a go at teams and hope to see a few vintage batterings this season. Fear factor indeed.
 

WR10

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But it's nice to see isn't it. Especially after seeing the likes of Brighton, Burnley etc. came to OT and played like they're United and we were them under Mourinho. How low we were back then.

It's early days but a good sign imo.
That is exactly it. The disrespect we've had over the past few years looked firmly wiped in the Newcastle game
 

Mickson

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Who would be scoring goals if we got a midfielder instead of Ronaldo.. Our top scorer last season was a midfielder.. We needed a striker as much as we needed a midfielder.
I do not think we can get away playing with a CDM with the less amount of defensive work our midfielders too. We have to play a midfield of 2.
We were second-highest scorers last season. Who cares if we had a (brilliant) midfielder as top scorer? Didn't City have fecking Gundogan as top scorer? Our problem is, just like he said, our midfield, and as long as our midfield is weak, that will affect our ability to create chances which we already have seen this season and pretty much every season under Ole.
 

Dominos

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I wish Villa got the memo about fear factor. Maybe they wouldn't have come to our turf and played us off the park.
 

RUCK4444

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I love how pressing high and making it difficult for us is ‘playing us off the park.’

We had chances, wasted them. Villa played well, credit where it’s due, they did the same at Stamford Bridge and didn’t quite get the result there.

Midfield showed where we all know where lacking today.
 

croadyman

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I wish Villa got the memo about fear factor. Maybe they wouldn't have come to our turf and played us off the park.
Yeah there is no fear factor towards Ole from the players and opposition players/managers are relishing facing us