[Red_Aaron]

Enjoying Amrabat being all over the place, demanding the ball, playing it forward, tracking back.

Palace might well be the easiest game he'll ever play for us but still, nice to see a proper midfielder actually playing the position properly

 

[narnar]

Good half, dominated and it has been enjoyable to watch. Mount and Amrabat the stand out performers so far but everyone has been decent at the least.

 

[Frank Grimes]

WE'RE GOING TO WIN THE LEAGUE (cup) (again).

 

[Poborsky's hair]

Best performance this season easily. Typically it’s in a league cup game.

how is this the best performance, it's one of the most boring game, we've been in control but really we had a single chance and one corner which wouldn't be converted 19/20 times. Could have easily been 0:0. Slightly better team, who can press and we are fecked.

Can't believe this is entertaining for anyone. Why are players instructed to shit their pants being over the line and play the back to centrebacks? I guess this is the Ten Haag ball.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Not the best of halves it was. Not the worst

It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times.

 

[TheLittleOne]

The passing is still way off but great first half. Loved the fighting spirit of the whole team. First impression of Amrabat exactly the kind of player we needed. Keeps it simple but very reliable.

 

[Ubik]

Can't imagine Palace will be this passive at the weekend, but that's the most comfortable half I've had watching us in ages.

 

[redom]

Enjoyable half. Amrabat has caused them issues with his positioning, understandably so as he's just popped up anywhere and everywhere, midfield has had plenty of energy and kept things ticking over well. Pellistri has got into some really nice positions but been a bit wasteful, and Garnacho hasn't been as involved as you'd want but took his goal well. Hopefully we keep this up and maybe be a bit more clinical in the second half.

 

[UnitedSofa]

I hope Pelli has a better 2nd half. Got high hopes for him, still think that there’s a player there somewhere

 

[saik]

MEN…

Onana

Could have played in his slippers. 6

Dalot

One of his best halves all year. 8

Varane

Easy half. 7

Maguire

Good interception at 0-0. 7

Amrabat

Impressive half out of position. 7

Casemiro

Fine header and authoritative in midfield. 8

Mount

Excellent. 8

Pellistri

Working hard but could be more composed on the ball. 6

Mejbri

Similar to Pellistri. 6

Garnacho

Clinical goal. 7

Martial

Offered little. 5

My ratings as well except I'd bump up Amarbat to a 8. He has been excellent. And, as they said, Martial appeared to offer very little and Pellistri could do much more with the positions he has been taking.

But, a very good half so far. Not sure if that means Palace were awful because thats the most control we had in a match in a long time.

 

[zaafi]

Is this what following a good team is like? So much control. It's stress-free.

We're gonna be bad next half right? Cause we can't have nice things?

Nope, it's because we're going to field our two other players, where one has a selfish approach to the game and the other isn't looking to build attacks, but do it on his own, no matter the cost.

 

[Marcelinho87]

Mount, Amrabat and Casemiro midfield 3 meaning Bruno right wing is the way to go for me I think.

 

[UnitedSofa]

Can't imagine Palace will be this passive at the weekend, but that's the most comfortable half I've had watching us in ages.

Watch us lose 1-0 and be brought back down to reality

 

[GMoore23]

No surprise Casemiro and Mount look much better tonight with Amrabat providing a layer of protection and physicality in the middle previously not there this season.

I'm not a great fan of Bruno so this would probably be my preferred midfield 3.
Amrabat looks an intelligent player and could be a good cdm replacement for Cas in a year or two

 

[ArjenIsM3]

The best half this team has had in a very, very, very long time. Everyone has been good, bar Pellistri, who has been terrible.

Hannibal on a yellow is not ideal. Which means the stage is set for one Donny van de Beek.

Gore could play too though I suppose Donny is the obvious choice

 

[Infestissumam]

Dalot, Mount and Amrabat were all excellent. A Casemiro-Amrabat-Mount midfield with Bruno on the right should be a no-brainer going forward.

 

[James35]

Palace been awful mind. Will be a different game on weekend, much more competitive.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Amrabat changes this side drastically. Puts less pressure on Case and can just dictate from deep.

Also I'd be lying if I said it wasn't refreshing watching a team of players actually looking to play football with each other instead of just Bruno punting it and Rashford/Antony having a million shots constantly. Also noticeable how much more athletic this XI is.

 

[MackRobinson]

Great idea. Exactly what I'll be doing.

Made some coffee after seeing this.

 

[Gordon S]

So, playing players that actually runs results in us playing quicker and more agressive…?? Who the feck knew??

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Dalot, Mount and Amrabat were all excellent. A Casemiro-Amrabat-Mount midfield with Bruno on the right should be a no-brainer going forward.

Bruno on the right ruins that.

 

[IrishMcD]

Amazing how much better we look don’t have a player running the ball into defenders and refusing to track back.
Also think we play better football without Bruno, despite his ability to pull out worldie moments.

 

[Withnail]

how is this the best performance

Did you watch any of the other games?

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Enjoyable first half. Palace look utter dreadful while we look full of energy and, dare I say it, with cohesion.

 

[Cantona in disguise]

Amrabat showing off a decent range of passing and a good engine. Mount looks sharp considering he's been out.

Nice to see us managing a game rather than giving the ball away.

 

[Wheato]

Makes me angry that we messed around all summer in not signing Amrabat sooner. And if we'd had him for pre-season, we would be in a much better position in the league now. Look at those goals that Brighton scored. They wouldn't have happened with Amrabat in the team. A proper box to box midfielder who can tackle, press, track runners, progress the ball, break the lines.

Casemiro seems to have got his mojo back. Takes him about 6 games to get up to speed.

 

[Red_Aaron]

Ayew possibly our best player - no matter how many times we drop the ball over his head into the right channel he's absolutely refusing to track back!

 

[Zlatans Knee]

I reckon it will be Rashford (not allowed to drop him) for Garnacho, Bruno (not allowed to drop him) for Hannibal and Hojlund for Martial at the weekend. Same team otherwise.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

I'm confused. Are we playing with Amrabat and Casemiro deep in midfield, and Mount and Hannibal ahead of them? So who is playing left back? Garnacho?

Yes, Palace are shite tonight but we're playing with a lot of fluidity and it's great to see. We're all over them.

 

[Remember the geese]

This has been a genuine team performance. No individualism, just everything working as clockwork. Refreshing.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Yet he cant escape criticism in this topic.... People made their mind up that he is lazy and crap. Not that he is amazing today but he also isnt bad.

Hasn't really had much to do, Palace are packing the middle so much that this has had to be a game on the flanks so far (which we are doing well)

 

[BorisManUtd]

Good half.

Don't know if he'll make it at United but what I like about Pellistri is the way he carries the ball and takes on opposition players. It's refreshing after watching Antony in that position all the time.

Martial's been decent imo but you don't expect him to get a G/A these days anymore. Hopefully Hojlund will get 20-30 minutes.

 

[jesperjaap]

Lets not kid ourselves that this Palace side without a couple of big players is weak. We are getting all the time in the world on the ball and they ar struggling to string anything together. A good pressing side woldnt allow Amrabat the luxury and freedon of space he is getting.

But you can only play what is in front of you and what is pleasing is to actually see a proper more organised looking press when we havent got the ball and some proper actual movement when we do have the ball.

Mount and Hannibal have both played it very simple and within themselves but think they have both been really good both when we are with and without the ball linking up simple play from the back to progress the ball and pressing up high without it.

Only concerns with Hannibal so far this season watching him is he doesnt seem to hold back when he s o a booking and when chasing back he does seem to lack that burst of pace over 5yards, but that is just me being critical of a player I really like.

Pellestri done ok but looks a little like he is trying too hard with a heavy first touch and over thinking things.

Been an easy half bt definately a positive one. Amrabat has been excellent but it is th eperfect game for him

 

[evil_geko]

How much did Palace rotate btw? I don't know their team well.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

There u go. We can play well without Bruno.

 

[48 hours]

It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times.

We could have a 1000 journalists at 1000 typewriters and they still wouldn’t be able to write anything better

 

[IrishRedDevil]

I'm confused. Are we playing with Amrabat and Casemiro deep in midfield, and Mount and Hannibal ahead of them? So who is playing left back? Garnacho?

Yes, Palace are shite tonight but we're playing with a lot of fluidity and it's great to see. We're all over them.

Amrabat is playing LB, CM and RW.

 

[Hughes35]

Hope Pellistri and Dalot start on the right this weekend.

 

[Jeffthered]

We do. We retain the ball a lot better with Martial in there.

Here we go..... 300 games+ and counting. And 'we look better with Anthony Martial'.

Pool have Salah. Citeh have Haaland. Spurs have Son. But we've got Martial eh.

 

[bosnian_red]

Amrabat changes this side drastically. Puts less pressure on Case and can just dictate from deep.

Also I'd be lying if I said it wasn't refreshing watching a team of players actually looking to play football with each other instead of just Bruno punting it and Rashford/Antony having a million shots constantly. Also noticeable how much more athletic this XI is.

Yeah. Amrabat with his energy off the ball and ability to show for the ball constantly (most touches today and most passes), and know how and where to pass it just for us to keep possession is huge. Will be a life saver for casemiro and get his level back up to world class without a doubt. Especially as Eriksen is the other extreme end of lack of work rate. Also, some might not like it but amrabat just won't be someone who creates or scores. It's not his role, we have enough other guys who will force shots or creative passes. He's a nice contrast where he'll just keep the ball for us and let us build. Much needed.