[NewGlory]

Really loved quality of execution in two aspects of the game:

1. Build-ups from the back (including De Gea's ball-playing and distributions)
2. Complete control of the midfield

These two things may have been one of the best by United, in any game this season. Granted it was against Nottingham Forrest and there were subpar performances in some other areas (e.g. finishing and passing near opposition box), but still very impressed.

Great result, of course.

 

[Bondi77]

We seem to do well when the season ends in a 3.

1963 - FA Cup
1983 - FA Cup
1993 - Premier League
2003 - Premier League
2013 - Premier League
2023 - ?

Glad you omitted 1973

 

[Bondi77]

I wonder how Goldbridge is processing this? Must be confusing.

Who gives a feck about that clown!

 

[Nicoseth]

I wonder how Goldbridge is processing this? Must be confusing.

That old chestnut...yawn.

 

[Nicoseth]

An efficient win - not at our best but job done. Essentially booked our place in the final. Definitely time to rest a few against Reading - Bruno, Eriksen, Rashford.

 

[Alek M]

In the first 20 min we should have been 3-0 up.

Anthony was disappointing. Pelistri could have scored a couple. Hope he gets some more play time.

Weggy was decent

 

[zenith]

0-3 basically puts us in the final, with the second leg coming up at OT. With the Reading game coming up, I hope this win gets the squad some much needed rest. Especially bruno and rashford

 

[croadyman]

3-0. Job done. Can't see us letting them score three times or more at Old Trafford. Exactly what you want. Especially with the number of fixtures we have. The cushion allows us to heavily rotate over the next week.

Yeah definitely need to do that when we have Palace and Leeds back to back soon followed by first leg in Nou Camp 4 days later

 

[Savlehest]

Not the best quality for a game. Both teams where sloppy and the midfield was yet again exposed. That said, finally crucial in front of the goal and got a perfect result. Wembley is secured!

Cant believe Forest played so defensively and yet had so much space between the lines. This won’t be that easy against Newcastle in the final.

 

[TwoSheds]

Who?

Wrestler from the 90s I think.

 

[sglowrider]

Wrestler from the 90s I think.

 

[Hughes35]

Thought we were excellent in spells, good in other and poor in some.

Great 3-0 win though, can't ask for more than that.

The final is basically in the bag. We can rest a few players in the next two games now which gives us a great platform for the Palace and Leeds games.

 

[TheReligion]

In the first 20 min we should have been 3-0 up.

Anthony was disappointing. Pelistri could have scored a couple. Hope he gets some more play time.

Weggy was decent

Most thought that was Antony’s best and most threatening game so I think you’ll find yourself in a tiny minority here.

 

[Telsim]

Forest will have nightmares about us. Battered them twice 3:0 within a month. And there's more to come. Hopefully we give them a proper welcome at home.

 

[TheReligion]

Can’t say I really understand the little moans and whinging.

United pretty much controlled the game aside from a short period in the first half where we gave up a chance or two.

Nottm Forest (0.73) 0-3 (1.98) Man Utd xG

A 0-3 cruise against a team that’s not lost at home since September (and beaten Spurs, Liverpool and drawn with Chelsea) is pretty good going. We even managed to rest a few of our first team like Shaw and Varane.

The expectation here is crazy when you think back to where we were 12 months ago.

 

[Real Name]

Can’t say I really understand the little moans and whinging.

United pretty much controlled the game aside from a short period in the first half where we gave up a chance or two.

Nottm Forest (0.73) 0-3 (1.98) Man Utd xG

A 0-3 cruise against a team that’s not lost at home since September (and beaten Spurs, Liverpool and drawn with Chelsea) is pretty good going. We even managed to rest a few of our first team like Shaw and Varane.

The expectation here is crazy when you think back to where we were 12 months ago.

Comfortable win in which we never went from a 2nd gear. Yet its called poor from some.

 

[MacarisSocks]

Who gives a feck about that clown!

Goldbridge, the 'Wealthy' clown?

 

[TheReligion]

Comfortable win in which we never went from a 2nd gear. Yet its called poor from some.

Ten Hag mentioned we need to not give up any chances and cited the brief first half spell. He also said the overall performance and control in the second was very good (it was).

The Caf has so many over dramatic posters.

 

[Real Name]

Ten Hag mentioned we need to not give up any chances and cited the brief first half spell. He also said the overall performance and control in the second was very good (it was).

The Caf has so many over dramatic posters.

Yeah, there was a short spell in the 1st half when we lost control a bit and they were on our back but nothing special in the grand scheme of things really.

 

[RedfromIreland]

Second half was as good as we’ve been all season regarding controlling the game.
Three nil away to a premiership team is impressive.

 

[MancFanFromManc]

Really happy with last nights win. After we lost to City (sorry to mention that!) we win the next 9, the last being the derby win (happy to mention that!!), but then we draw and lose so it was really important we got back into the winning habit last night

 

[captaincantona]

Didn’t think we were great with the ball last night…a lot of loose passages of play…dwelling on the ball or choosing the wrong option or bad touches. The commentators mentioned the pitch being a bit cut up so maybe that played its part. Forest had too much of a threat.

Big difference was that we ran out 3-0 winners and could have scored more.Our bad games are now significantly better than our bad performances in the past. We are organised and carry a threat.

All in all very happy and now we can rest players for a week.

 

[footballbite]

Bitter

I see nothing but bitterness in you.

Weird - no bitterness, I wanted Utd to win rather than Forest.

I just thought Forest played right in to Utd's hands in playing a fairly open game and not pressing Utd well enough, while attempting to go toe-to-toe with them but with much less quality. This might have been encouraged by them being at home in a cup game, but ultimately they were foolish and paid the price.

Sure it was a professional performance from Utd, but in the context of the season they won't have many easier games.

 

[IRN-BRUno]

Ideal start to quieten the crowd and then the 2nd just before the break made the 2nd half a lot easier. Should now be able to give a few more key players a rest next week.

Martinez, Rashford and Weghorst all excellent, nice for Wout to get off the mark and a great finish too.

 

[TheReligion]

Weird - no bitterness, I wanted Utd to win rather than Forest.

I just thought Forest played right in to Utd's hands in playing a fairly open game and not pressing Utd well enough, while attempting to go toe-to-toe with them but with much less quality. This might have been encouraged by them being at home in a cup game, but ultimately they were foolish and paid the price.

Sure it was a professional performance from Utd, but in the context of the season they won't have many easier games.

What team do you support then? You didn’t fill out the box

 

[Glorio]

Alternative Opinion: Once Lingard came on for Forest, ETH finally felt comfortable enough to bring on Pellistri (who looked defensively suspect)

 

[Maticmaker]

From the KO result not really in doubt and especially after Rashfords 'storming of the Bastille' type run to goal after 5 minutes.
Apart from some 'slip-shod work' in the period first half when Forest thought they had equalised, we controlled the vast majority of the game.
Thought Casemiro was a little below par (for his standard), but of no real concern and even Antony got involved more; once even going past his defender on the outside, but still using only his left foot on the ball to get past, still it might be a turning point for him.

And the 'big lad' netted his first for us, I liked the moment of 'congrats' from team mates, (most of whom only came up to his arm pits)... looked like a dad surrounded by his kids, when he comes home with the ice-cream
Well done Wout.

 

[MrSingh2002]

Did anyone else notice Fred playing predominantly with his right foot during the Forest game?

That was impressive. I couldn't believe it was Fred...

 

[Adebisi's Hat]

its just so enjoyable watching the team again in and it being a relaxing watch, not the on the edge or over the edge stuff from the last few seasons. ETH has brought a great level of control back to the team where we expect to get a result, i was not even feeling lousy after the Arsenal game.

 

[Glorio]

Can I just say that Forest have some really dangerous, tricky, quick forward players.

I was really impressed. They pressed brilliantly too and caused Casemiro all sorts of problems

 

[Hughie77]

Good solid win, realy sloppy at times through 1st half bar for VAR it could have become tricky, 2nd goal was settler, 2nd half Forest huffed and puffed a bit, Martinez and Lindelof were very good at the back in 2nd half realy comfy.

A few changes on Sat night needed now. Garnacho to start Sancho 60mins if he's ready Mctom will do in there for this game as well, Maguire to start for me ,Reading like a long ball.

 

[Volumiza]

I was not even feeling lousy after the Arsenal game.

I think this shows how far we’ve progressed dude. Same. Results aside, the football has been so much better to watch and you just know there is more improvement on the way which is a really exciting prospect.

Losing to a better side isn’t so hard to swallow when we’re beating teams we all know we should theoretically be beating. We’ll repay Arteta and get Arsenal next time

 

[RedfromIreland]

It’s got so bad at times that I’m thinking during matches, if someone makes a slip, what’ll the usual suspects on Redcafe be writing in the match day thread.

 

[Moriarty]

Who?

I know. I'm ashamed to say I know the name.

 

[mitchmouse]

Only saw highlights but we looked pretty much in control for the whole game except for the moment our defence opened up like Nigel Farage's gob and gave them the chance to equalise. bit lucky to get the offside because it didn't look like we were playing for it.

The goals were well made and well taken although I don't think Hennessey exactly covered himself in glory - left quite a wide gap at his near post for the first and pushed the ball back into a dangerous area for the second. That said, we took the chances which is all that really matters.

I hope ETH gives some fringe players some playing time in the second leg and some others against Reading. Rest half the squad in one game and the other half in the other, maybe. We have to have every one available for the Barca games - to me, those two legs could make or break our season

 

[Alek M]

Let’s not get carried away. For 20 min in second half we almost conceded on several chances. At 1-1 this is a different game.

Antony was poor no matter how you slice it. Missed a sitter, bad shots, bad passes.

 

[tjb]

I don't know why people keep using the term sloppy.

We dominated Nottingham Forrest and looked to be in a completely different league without exerting too much energy.

We got very comfortable and relaxed. The spaces they had opened up because our midfielder knew they didn't have to cover as much ground as they usually do, which is why it seemed open at times. Despite this, we had full control of the game from minute 1 to 90.
It's a cup game, we didn't need to go full tilt or do anything extra after we went 2-0 up.

As a further note, the attacks on Antony are getting a bit much and I don't think our fans have realized how media coerced it is. The minute he did that spin, he's been targeted by commentators. Yes, he's not been brilliant, but there seems to be a genuine dislike of him that I can't seem to figure out. He's a hard worker, who's scored some goals, but is having issues adapting to the space creation elements of the league. Yet even our own fans and former players don't seem to have time for him

 

[Bondi77]

Goldbridge, the 'Wealthy' clown?

Wealth funded by clowns

 

[Bondi77]

Only saw highlights but we looked pretty much in control for the whole game except for the moment our defence opened up like Nigel Farage's gob and gave them the chance to equalise. bit lucky to get the offside because it didn't look like we were playing for it.

The goals were well made and well taken although I don't think Hennessey exactly covered himself in glory - left quite a wide gap at his near post for the first and pushed the ball back into a dangerous area for the second. That said, we took the chances which is all that really matters.

I hope ETH gives some fringe players some playing time in the second leg and some others against Reading. Rest half the squad in one game and the other half in the other, maybe. We have to have every one available for the Barca games - to me, those two legs could make or break our season

Why?
They will be heavily favoured to win and we have had to play a lot of games and could do without these two.

 

[croadyman]

Decent performance, good result.

There's no way Forest win by 3+ at OT so we can rest the entire first XI for that game, keeping some on the bench for insurance. Wembley awaits.

Think we might start strong again but then make big changes at half time and around hour mark