[Overhaul FC]

Why did he take Lindelof off? Was he injured or did he really just want to put Evans on?

 

[Kopral Jono]

We were about 2 inches away from winning it.

Absolutely. The barest of margins. We were actually quite comfortable in the second half and apart from that Saka chance they didn't do much, while we also managed to create a few decent openings of our own.

If we had won that game (and on another day we would have) stuff like 'Ten Hag masterclass' would have been thrown around left and right.

 

[Lee565]

You won't get me wasting time watching an away game again this season against an decent side, god our football has been atrocious for over decade now by constantly playing like the inferior side to the "big" sides

 

[Chairman Steve]

Amrabat would have been PERFECT for this match but c’est la vie.

I‘d say that was a pretty even game. Once Hojlund gets up to speed I think it’ll be a much more effective attack. Martial was fecking gash for 60 mins and we may as well have played with 10 men.

And it goes without saying our fecking injury list hurt us. No Shaw or Varane for defence. Martinez having to go off. No Mount or McTominay for midfield. Barely match fit Hojlund coming on.

Probably the best we’ve played so far this season but we lost.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

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[groovyalbert]

How fecking spawny are Arsenal though?! Absolutely fecking detest them

If they're lucky, they'll fluke their way to another groundbreaking trophyless season

 

[Swearing Budgie]

Arsenal give me the vibes of some cringe college football team. Some cringe mascots and a shite team song would top it all off. They'll win nothing again this year. Neither will we probably looking at City.

We were a few inches from a brilliant away result and played decent considering all of the injuries we have.

They will finish above us this year.

 

[DavelinaJolie]

What is the worst thing could happen to our defence this season? To have varane and lisandro injured early... and thats exactly what happens after only 4 games

Depending on Varane to stay fit is not very sensible imo. We needed a younger back up replace him, probably as soon as next season.

 

[mu4c_20le]

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[TomSkalle]

Unlucky.
Felt we had surprisingly good control.
Offside on Garnacho and Evans deflection are marginal.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

that’s the thing about him, so much of what he does is hard to notice but for me, he was fantastic for them today

Clams, why you gotta do me dirty like that?! You’re supposed to say: brilliant observation, Wingy! I thought we had an agreement.

 

[Winrar]

Football is cruel, that’s all I’ll say.

That said, Hojlund had a promising debut.

 

[NK86]

I think what you're saying here would apply to the first half. I thought we were shite overall, and didn't get our foot on the ball and couldn't string two passes together.
But I thought we played well in the second half and was finishing the game quite strong. They were extremely fortunate. That was not a 3-1 game. No chance. One of the tightest offside calls you'll see, and a deflected goal for them. And we finished the game with Johnny Evans and Harry-fecking-Maguire as our CB pairing.

We're getting ravaged by injuries.

I agree injuries are hampering us but the first half was not because of injuries. Moreover it's not like our first 11 were setting the world alight with their amazing football. My biggest gripe is we have no semblance of control any match, no matter who we play. I can understand the loss considering they took the lead at the very end but it's not like they were not controlling the game till then. They didn't have too many chances but barring the last 20 mins we were barely pushing them either. Rasmus coming in would be huge I feel, but we have to start controlling the tempo a lot better if we intend to improve our play and our performances and results.

 

[André Dominguez]

Last season we could at least score goals. This season we are worst as a team. If things keep going this way, ETH won't be here on Christmas.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

VAR robbery. No corner. Blatant foul on Evans

 

[Rednotdead]

2-0 defeat to Spurs, 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.

And some people think we’re not a poor team. We have NO midfield at all.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Antony was a good outlet down the right when they pressed harder and he drew fouls and kept possession well. He is also pressing very effectively and winning the ball a lot, not just today but so far this season. I think Hojlund will enjoy playing with him.

He tracked back twice and made 2 key interceptions.

Calling him a passenger is disingenuous.

Not only disingenuous but also flat out wrong.

 

[red.knight]

Is it safe to assume we are already out of the Premier League title race?

 

[Trophy Room]

Garnacho’s finish was ace but if it stood it would have been a real smash n grab. Arsenal were the better side throughout and played much more positive football.


We padded the possession stats by dangerously twatting around with it at the back.

Gutting but a fair result.

Wish we would practice some sort of attacking patterns at Carrington.

I disagree, I think we were the better side in the second half up until that goal.

 

[Red_Aaron]

I'm fecking gutted
Moreso than any game in a long while, absolutely gutted

How does Rice get that much time to take the the ball and hit it in the box where we've everyone back and it's the last minutes? For all the good we did today that goal again is indicative of the lax nature of this squad. They switch off all the fckin time and get punished over and over

 

[MDFC Manager]

Last season we could at least score goals. This season we are worst as a team. If things keep going this way, ETH won't be here on Christmas.

Uhh no we couldn't.

 

[Acole9]

The international break may have come at a good time with the worries defensively.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

He had a good game today

He didn't, his level is so low that a 5/10 looks good.

 

[TwoSheds]

Some crap defending, particularly from Wan Bissaka unfortunately, but also some good signs. Hojlund can hold up the ball and link play

We weren't clinical enough though again, hopefully it will come.

 

[Kopral Jono]

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Wrong on the Garnacho shout but absolutely correct on the other two. I had completely forgot about the Hojlund incident.

 

[Ludens the Red]

We weren’t as bad as I thought we’d be. But we were always going to lose that game heading into injury time. It was the same as last season going into injury time. Arsenals pressure intensified, we got more and more panicky on the ball and invited touches and shots in the box which inevitably leads to a goal. It’s not bad luck it’s just percentages.

Any United fan coming out of that game finding positives other than ‘Hoijlund isn’t Martial’ is off their head. The lack of guile, quality in possession, final third etc is staggeringly bad.
You cannot be like this against good sides. If you are the end result is one draw from 11 games and a mountain of goals conceded.

 

[mitchmouse]

turned it off the moment rice's shot went in, how on earth did they score a third

everyone up field and evans and maguire at CB

 

[GaryLifo]

So many people in match day thread predicting a loss then delighted to be proved right. Sitting at home hoping Arsenal would score no doubt so they could jump on and say told you so. Pathetic.

We were much better today than we have been. Still quite a way to go. Hojlund will give us much more up too. Excited to see it. Could see glimpses today.

Sat off way too much towards the end but it’s not as shocking a performance as some people are trying to make out.

Agreed. Good post.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Is it safe to assume we are already out of the Premier League title race?

We were never in it.

 

[Gordon Godot]

2-0 defeat to Spurs, 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.

And some people think we’re not a poor team. We have NO midfield at all.

While we had more possession at times it seemed Arsenal didnt care as they didnt think we could hurt them. We are terrible at building momentum in the last third. We are also so lightweight defensively in midfield. Just a mess

 

[Irwin99]

Well there was some good and bad in that one but ultimately i can't see either of these teams getting near City. The difference is Arsenal are meant to be much further along than we are so make of that what you will.

Positives:

• passing from the back- Onana is the big difference although i'm not sure if we might have made a trade for someone who is excellent with his feet but not a great shot stopper
• Eriksen proved there's a very useful player still there. Personally was my MOTM
• Rashford is frustrating as hell but he's a player that can get a goal out of nothing.
• Antony was really good, especially defensively.
• Dalot played well
• Team showed fight and spirit and could have won the game if not for a marginal offside

Negatives:

• Martial offered very little
• We ended the match with Leicester City's centre backs
• The link between midfield and attack wasn't quick or effective enough for a 'transition team'
• As good as AWB was with some of his tackles and defensive headers it hinders us to play lightning fast transitions with a player that often needs 4 touches of the ball to set himself up. It's not going to improve and i don't think people are seeing this.
• We're going to finish the season with a poor goal difference yet again. There's not enough goals in the team and the defence isn't strong enough
• We're reliant already on Holjund and how quickly he settles as being key to our season.

 

[Trophy Room]

Is it safe to assume we are already out of the Premier League title race?

We have been an irrelevent club in terms of title races for over a decade - we won't win one for at least another decade - history give us an indication of that.

 

[spiriticon]

We played better than at Spurs but at no point was I ever convinced we would win. Even had Garnacho scored, I don't believe Maguire and Lindelof or Evans would have held out.

Losing these big games are in our DNA currently.

 

[MDFC Manager]

How does Rice get that much time to take the the ball and hit it in the box where we've everyone back and it's the last minutes?

By his teammate fouling our man who was supposed to cover him

 

[André Dominguez]

Uhh no we couldn't.

Maybe I got carried on
Weighorst apart, we created a good amount of chances at least.

 

[black country red]

Point fingers all we want but because of the parasites we have got to bring on a player whose confidence is absolutely shattered and a player who was deemed past it by a relegated side

 

[FreakyJim]

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Good, this needs to be said.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I know people are gonna crucify that performance especially after that scoreline, but I thought we gave Arsenal a proper game. We lost by a deflection off of our 5th choice CB and didn't win because of a marginal offside. Arsenal are better than us in possession, but our gameplan was solid and on another day it works.

If Martinez is out for any length of time, we're screwed. I think it's time for Casemiro or McT in defense as Lindelof and Maguire just bring the worst out of each other. I'm dreading the game against Brighton already.

I'll end it on a positive note, Hojlund looks great. I know he didn't get a real chance at goal, but his physical presence showed what we've been missing. Lovely flick for the Garnacho goal too. Gonna leave the Caf for a few days, don't need the reactionary threads alongside the usual media narrative.

I was away from the matchday thread today and thought we did ok. Poor in the opening quarter, basically hoping for a 0-0 at very best, but we improved as it went on to the point where we could have won it and are gutted to lose it in added time.

The disappointing things are conceding 40 seconds or so after going ahead in the first half, ending a game in 2023 with that Frankenstein's monster of a defence and losing via a late kick in the teeth. Only the first of those reflects truly badly on the team for me, the other two are down to the cnut owners and lady luck taking a piss on our head, respectively.

Stewing over that defeat and 11th place over the international break will be tough but overall I'm encouraged by the performance; we've executed a game plan away at a top team pretty bloody well, and could have gone away with something but for late agony. The worry with the opening two games was how clueless and uncommitted we looked in our general play, I saw vast improvements in those areas today so am happy to take the positives.

 

[IrishMcD]

Is it safe to assume we are already out of the Premier League title race?

Never in it. Shocking squad depth, too many of the wasters who have let us down previously still at the club and starting matches, and in my opinion a pathetic transfer window that solved very little and just added more of the same

 

[mitchmouse]

Wrong on the Garnacho shout but absolutely correct on the other two. I had completely forgot about the Hojlund incident.

not seen more than one angle with the offside and no lines. for such a close call, you'd expect a longer look. I think he may be right - he's definitely right about the foul on evans. not so sure abuot the rasmus penalty