EL W Europa League Group L

Manchester United 1:0 FC Astana

Post-match discussion


Thu, 19 September 2019

RedNed77

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Well it already is, isn't it? Our manager sings his praises every chance he gets. The belief in all of football, from people who know a thing or two is that he's very very talented.
Maybe so. But he’s 17 and he looks it. Personally, I don’t think he’s ready to be front and centre as a wonderkid. But, I don’t know him, so take that for what it’s worth.
 

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A prime Dennis Irwin would have got about 5 assists tonight, and probably scored a free kick too
 

Mickeza

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:houllier: Fred and Matic were decent, especially Fred. Matic had a few wobbles and Fred lost possession twice but not in dangerous areas. You sure you watched the game?
It isn’t about losing possession - they move the ball too slowly and rarely between the lines, it’s usually the easy pass out to the fullback. Matic regularly takes about 4 touches before he even looks up to pass the ball. Our central midfield are a big reason as to why we struggle to break down low blocks. It isn’t just Fred and Matic in fairness, Pogba takes too long on the ball too.
 

always_hoping

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A win is a win and as a reminder for United's first home group game in 2016/17 (the season United won the Europa league) it was also 1-0 v the might of Zorya Luhansk.

Should have led that game 2 or 3-0 at half time. 2nd half as much wasn't created but thankfully a goal was scored and what a fine goal it was for Greenwood.

I thought Dalot,Tuanzebe,Rojo,Gomes,Fred had decent games while Chong struggled and Matic,Jones were as the are players, poor.

We move onto West Ham next a very tricky game and i'll be more than happy if United win their 3rd game in a row 1-0.
 

bescobarrada

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Partido de hoy Today's game showed that Rashford can not with the weight of the Man Utd forward, it is necessary to hire a 9 of pure area.
 

Mockney

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Mason scoring the winner at the Stretty was pretty much the perfect end game result..

However, practically it was a pretty poor performance against a made up PES European fodder team, at home, where we created next to no clear chances in the 2nd half and needed a 17 year old to bail us out...

There’s undoubted value in patience, transition, etc... but also valid concern in the continuing lack of any discernible style or identity
 
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AndyMUFC

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Wasn't the best and a reminder that the Europa League is meh, although we should have scored early on to make it more comfortable but a win is a win. Great for Greenwood to get his goal, he's the one you expect will make it.
 

manunited1919

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Happy with the result, the first half was really good, second half not so much.

Was it Johan Cruff that said "You play football with your head, and your legs are there to help you"? Rashford really needs to start thinking more, his decision making is starting to worry me.
Wow, good thing you noticed it.
 

GwilDor

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Happy to see many posters showing patience with our you gsters tonight.

As expected, but it was pretty much a one way street tonight, even with 6 >21 players starting the game.
Tuanzebe hardly put a foot wrong and showed himself as a certain cb sub, able to challenge Lindelöf? Mom for me
Dalot has a shady first game after injury. I have relatively high hopes for him as an attacking wing-back or a defensive winger(like valencia). Hope this was just a wake up call for him.
Chong, probably struggled the most of the youngsters. Is yet to impress me, looks a bit lanky? I’m notgiving up on him yet.
Gomes: getting good vibes from his movement and centre of gravity, but was a bit too early into the 16m tonight, needs alesson from Scholes on that. First match, no doubt he’ll get up to speed even if he’s not ready to start PL yet.
Greenwood: can hardly complain when ge’s match-winner can you? Surely has a bit to go, but a hopefully does him a world of good!

Beside the youngest, i think Rashy needs special mention. Everyone is negative because of his end product. No praise for his ability to get to the chances. Imagine when he just gets the finishing together. I still believe!
 

Tom Cato

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It must be noted that we have hit the post three times, and Rashford wasted a few great chances. So the scoreline is flattering for Astana
The fact that this doesnt even register with a lot of people is too frustrating to deal with.

We've won twice in a row now, and there is SO MUCH complaining.
 

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Happy to see many posters showing patience with our you gsters tonight.

As expected, but it was pretty much a one way street tonight, even with 6 >21 players starting the game.
Tuanzebe hardly put a foot wrong and showed himself as a certain cb sub, able to challenge
Lindelöf? Mom for me
Dalot has a shady first game after injury. I have relatively high hopes for him as an attacking wing-back or a defensive winger(like valencia). Hope this was just a wake up call for him.
Chong, probably struggled the most of the youngsters. Is yet to impress me, looks a bit lanky? I’m notgiving up on him yet.
Gomes: getting good vibes from his movement and centre of gravity, but was a bit too early into the 16m tonight, needs alesson from Scholes on that. First match, no doubt he’ll get up to speed even if he’s not ready to start PL yet.
Greenwood: can hardly complain when ge’s match-winner can you? Surely has a bit to go, but a hopefully does him a world of good!

Beside the youngest, i think Rashy needs special mention. Everyone is negative because of his end product. No praise for his ability to get to the chances. Imagine when he just gets the finishing together. I still believe!
I know Lindelof has a lot of big fans on here, but giving him MotM for tonight is taking it a bit too far.

Only in the top 5 performers on in the night for me.
 

John Blund

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Ok game. Great goal.

If Chong is brilliant in training, I'm worried about our defense.
 

Sparky_Hughes

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Lots of whining, but these games are always a potential banana skin, even under saf, remember York city? We got the win, blooded some of the kids and got some fitness work for some of the fringe players, not a bad night at all.
 

cyberman

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unfair to expect a made up team full of youngsters to have any kind of fluency going forward just yet. if the right players get the right experience and we win then i am more than happy.
Tonight has shown why posters should calm down with the cowardly posts when Ole doesn't start with Gomes etc against quality mid fields in England. These players really need to mature first
 

OldPop

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Rashford, Chong and Jones were not good, but Rojo, Tuanzebe and Greenwood showed that they both can and wanted to play. Romero reliable as usual. Rashford's bad form is worrying, hope it soon gets better.

After all, many good things. Important players got to rest before West Ham, more youngsters in the squad got to play, Ole made good decisions and we won. But hard to be happy when, despite all our chances, we can't score more goals, it's quite worrying.
 

davidmichael

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Rashford is very wasteful and I think going forward he should play as left sided attack permanently, I think Greenwood is better through the middle especially seeing as he can go either way and with either foot whilst Chong is so left footed he’d be far better on the right.

Gomes was good but isn’t the answer to all our prayers right now as some believe, he’s still very lightweight and gets eased off the ball often. Matic is still as mobile as a fecking traffic cone but Fred looked busy and full of energy, I'd like to see Fred alongside McTominay going forward.

Defensively we wasn’t troubled although Jones made their forwards look far better than they are but then at least he didn’t get injured doing so, Tuanzebe looked good apart from a few misplaced passes. I’m not sure what to make of Dalot as I thought he was meant to be great going forward and terrible defensively but he was awful going forward, Rojo is Rojo and I’ll leave it at that.
 

Mockney

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We seem to have perfected the aesthetic of “always playing like we’re 4-0 up” regardless of the actual score, or relative importance.
 
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Scholsey2004

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Was excited that the youngsters would play and hope they get more games despite this being a real borefest. Good goal for greenwood, other than that not much quality on show. Was hoping Gomes would step up but not yet. Hopefully he'll get more games in the Europa to find his feet.
 

VeevaVee

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Liked the look of the youngsters but at the same time, it was a typical United performance, second string or not. The better team but don't do anywhere near enough of what matters most, and it could have cost us as they had a few semi-chances.
 

VeevaVee

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Lots of whining, but these games are always a potential banana skin, even under saf, remember York city? We got the win, blooded some of the kids and got some fitness work for some of the fringe players, not a bad night at all.
It's different when it's a once in a blue moon thing.
 

Lebowski

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I thought it was dire.

Sideways passing with no invention and no movement to get through the low block. We looked unable to quicken the pace and go through the gears which is nothing new, but particularly disappointing given the standard of the opposition.

Similarly the kids didn't really grab the opportunity. Chong looked Bebe-esque at times, Gomes looked hardworking and tidy in possession but not much more, and Greenwood took his goal well but aside from that was pretty anonymous. When you consider some people are hailing this crop as the next class of 92 and we are an injury or suspension away from most of them being in the first team this season, I was expecting more when they're given the chance to make an impact against a dogshit Kazak team.

A functioning midfield and attack would rack up a cricket score against this side, I can't remember many worse teams coming to Old Trafford in the last decade.

We still look like the players have met each other for the first time in the car park at the stadium, and even as defensive as Astana were, we still looked so shaky whenever they ventured forward and but for a moment of class by Greenwood, plus them making the wrong decision on the break and they might have snatched an embarrassing draw/win.

Still, a win and some good minutes for the youngsters. Maybe I'm still grumpy because I couldn't sell my ticket.

The other positive was the red army singing section. Credit to the club and the fans involved with putting that together this season. It needs to be bigger and the acoustics need sorting, but it was nice to hear a continuously noisy section going through our long songbook during an utterly forgettable midweek distraction.
 

Rozay

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Think Owen was spot on in his analysis, and he echos something a view I’ve shared a lot. There are ‘good young players’ and then there are ‘Manchester United players’. For me, Greenwood is the only clear one of those talents I’ve seen since Rashford, and I think Gomes could be in that bracket too. When I’ve been ‘critical’ of the likes of Scott McTominay on here, I mean what Owen was saying. ‘Good player, will have a good career’, but not the level you would be looking at for a United player. The jury is out on most of them, but Mason and Angel have the right level of talent.
 

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This place has become a hyperbole! Raving about Rojo and Axel, Defense was good but opposition had a non existent attack! the defense and GK could have played a game of cards and still had a clean sheet. At the same time being harsh on Gomes and Chong, first game starting in their united career playing against a very resolute , physically strong and experienced set of players.
 

Nr.7

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I like Dalot. He has his share of bad moments, but I think there’s actually a good right winger there.
 

AJ10

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I thought it was dire.

Sideways passing with no invention and no movement to get through the low block. We looked unable to quicken the pace and go through the gears which is nothing new, but particularly disappointing given the standard of the opposition.

Similarly the kids didn't really grab the opportunity. Chong looked Bebe-esque at times, Gomes looked hardworking and tidy in possession but not much more, and Greenwood took his goal well but aside from that was pretty anonymous. When you consider some people are hailing this crop as the next class of 92 and we are an injury or suspension away from most of them being in the first team this season, I was expecting more when they're given the chance to make an impact against a dogshit Kazak team.

A functioning midfield and attack would rack up a cricket score against this side, I can't remember many worse teams coming to Old Trafford in the last decade.


We still look like the players have met each other for the first time in the car park at the stadium, and even as defensive as Astana were, we still looked so shaky whenever they ventured forward and but for a moment of class by Greenwood, plus them making the wrong decision on the break and they might have snatched an embarrassing draw/win.

Still, a win and some good minutes for the youngsters. Maybe I'm still grumpy because I couldn't sell my ticket.

The other positive was the red army singing section. Credit to the club and the fans involved with putting that together this season. It needs to be bigger and the acoustics need sorting, but it was nice to hear a continuously noisy section going through our long songbook during an utterly forgettable midweek distraction.
If that functioning midfield and attack couldn't score in a brothel then what? Its not like we didn't create chances.

Pretty sure these lot haven't played with each other.
 

cyberman

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Think Owen was spot on in his analysis, and he echos something a view I’ve shared a lot. There are ‘good young players’ and then there are ‘Manchester United players’. For me, Greenwood is the only clear one of those talents I’ve seen since Rashford, and I think Gomes could be in that bracket too. When I’ve been ‘critical’ of the likes of Scott McTominay on here, I mean what Owen was saying. ‘Good player, will have a good career’, but not the level you would be looking at for a United player. The jury is out on most of them, but Mason and Angel have the right level of talent.
Michael Owen in talking shit shocker. We've had many an academy recruit make up the backup of a squad throughout the years.
What we need to do is stop romanticing the United youth player and take the practical approach to development. Criticing players because they're not as good as Giggs at 18 is decking ludicrous
 

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I thought Gomes did quite well today. Did not look physically overmatched and won three free kicks. He had some nice passing which resulted in some chances. His first four corners were to dangerous areas. I wish he would have moved more and come deeper to receive the ball because once he got it in those areas, we tended to have nice attacking moves.

Greenwood’s goal was completely his and his alone. He disappeared for long stretches and needs to work himself into the buildup more. Also needs to gain strength so he can more easily deal with defenders on his back. Not as pacey as I thought.

Chong was pretty dire. It confirms my own suspicions from preseason the last two years. His touch is poor, he can’t run at defenders and delivers a poor ball in. Probably needs to go out on loan.

Tuanzebe was solid. Sometimes caught too high up the pitch. Was kind of at fault for the breakaway they had in the first half. We would have been punished if we had been playing a better side.
 

Rozay

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Michael Owen in talking shit shocker. We've had many an academy recruit make up the backup of a squad throughout the years.
What we need to do is stop romanticing the United youth player and take the practical approach to development. Criticing players because they're not as good as Giggs at 18 is decking ludicrous
If they are not in the calibre of Ryan Giggs they can probably be drawn from a hat then. Or just give every youth player a chance.

And some youth end up as squad players, but all of them have had a fair chance and hope of being a first XI player when they first started out. The likes of O’Shea and Brown has brilliant early seasons that promised a future as fixtures in the XI, however, they ended up as squad players. However, we never developed average talent with the view to them becoming squad players in the long term under Fergie. Even Greenwood may end up a squad player, just as Giggs could have done, but they are being given the chance on the basis of looking like ‘Manchester United players’ as kids.
 

GwilDor

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Michael Owen in talking shit shocker. We've had many an academy recruit make up the backup of a squad throughout the years.
What we need to do is stop romanticing the United youth player and take the practical approach to development. Criticing players because they're not as good as Giggs at 18 is decking ludicrous
Exactly. If McTominay was to become a Fletcher-type player i’d be really happy. Every team needs those players, and right now we need them more than ever!
 

AFC NimbleThumb

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Think Owen was spot on in his analysis, and he echos something a view I’ve shared a lot. There are ‘good young players’ and then there are ‘Manchester United players’. For me, Greenwood is the only clear one of those talents I’ve seen since Rashford, and I think Gomes could be in that bracket too. When I’ve been ‘critical’ of the likes of Scott McTominay on here, I mean what Owen was saying. ‘Good player, will have a good career’, but not the level you would be looking at for a United player. The jury is out on most of them, but Mason and Angel have the right level of talent.
If Owen said this then I’m shocked but I pretty much agree.

We currently have good young players, Andreas stands out as a glaring one for me, that would be nowhere near a ‘top’ squad let alone side.
 

cyberman

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If they are not in the calibre of Ryan Giggs they can probably be drawn from a hat then. Or just give every youth player a chance.

And some youth end up as squad players, but all of them have had a fair chance and hope of being a first XI player when they first started out. The likes of O’Shea and Brown has brilliant early seasons that promised a future as fixtures in the XI, however, they ended up as squad players. However, we never developed average talent with the view to them becoming squad players in the long term under Fergie. Even Greenwood may end up a squad player, just as Giggs could have done, but they are being given the chance on the basis of looking like ‘Manchester United players’ as kids.
But Mason / Angel and Chong have about 10 more combined United appearances than I do?
You named O Shea and Brown but where does Richardson or Eagles or Welbeck, Rossi, Evans fit into your fantasy? Fletcher was a point of mockery for years before he turned the corner. fecking Cleverley.. We had P Neville as a left back and a converted midfielder. Hi Ben Foster nice to meet you again..
Its just nonsense, if we followed your train of thought we would have had about 10 academy graduates in the history of our club.
 

Pogue Mahone

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It’s actually kind of impressive, when you think about it. Six years. Four different managers. Hundreds of millions of pounds invested in the squad. Yet somehow we’ve manager to be utterly consistent. Consistently shit. Shit in the exact same way. Amazing really.
 

Rozay

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But Mason / Angel and Chong have about 10 more combined United appearances than I do?
You named O Shea and Brown but where does Richardson or Eagles or Welbeck, Rossi, Evans fit into your fantasy? Fletcher was a point of mockery for years before he turned the corner. fecking Cleverley.. We had P Neville as a left back and a converted midfielder. Hi Ben Foster nice to meet you again..
Its just nonsense, if we followed your train of thought we would have had about 10 academy graduates in the history of our club.
Don’t think you’re getting what I’m saying.

‘Fantasy?’ You are using players who were sold for not developing into the ‘Manchester United players’ it was hoped they would be in order to contradict me? Fletcher? Who we had tried to play in the first team from aged 15?

No player was brought into the first team and given regular games who did not have the talent to make it. Naturally, many have fallen short of expectations and ended up as squad players. Others have left. However, ALL were brought through in the hope of being able to make it in the first team. If McTominay ends up as a squad player, he will not have fallen short of expectation. He’d have done well, when considering the player he was in the academy. We never used to bother with such.

And Ben Foster was signed for like £6m in his 20s so tell him I said ‘hi’ too.

As I said, even Greenwood or Gomes may not make it here, but at least we can all see why we tried. I think we have a tendency on this forum at any given time to think about 6 of our future first XI are in the academy. We need to keep the standards at the very top. We can keep celebrating having ‘8 academy players in a match day squad’, but then it’s a match day squad that we can barely trust to beat anybody on most weeks.
 

Man of the Match

Mason Greenwood image Mason Greenwood 47% of 499 votes

Runners-up

Player Ratings

5.8 Total Average Rating

Highest Rated Player

Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 364 ratings.

Score Predictions

498,8,7
  • Man Utd win
  • Astana win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 36% Man Utd 3:0 Astana
  • 26% Man Utd 2:0 Astana
  • 13% Man Utd 4:0 Astana
  • 6% Man Utd 5:0 Astana
  • 6% Man Utd 3:1 Astana
  • 4% Man Utd 2:1 Astana
  • 4% Man Utd 1:0 Astana
  • 1% Man Utd 0:0 Astana
  • 1% Man Utd 4:1 Astana
  • 1% Man Utd 0:1 Astana
  • 1% Man Utd 5:1 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 3:2 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 0:5 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 1:1 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 1:3 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 0:3 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 2:2 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 5:4 Astana
  • 0% Man Utd 1:2 Astana
Compiled from 513 predictions.
Show more results Score Predictions League Table

Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Astana
Possession
75% 25%
Shots
20 3
Shots on Target
7 0
Corners
13 1
Fouls
8 10

Referee

Francois Letexier