74% possession at Cardiff

[Revan]

Let's all get carried away and go nuts after this display. Not only we played better than we have done in a while, scored 5 in the league for the first time since SAF left, shown that we can press, but we also managed to have the ball for 74% of the time, which I think might be a record since SAF left.

Ole is a positive manager and this will have a happy ending, regardless if he gets the job full time or not. Excited to watch us play again!

 

[J_XO]

Utter domination.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

brilliant

 

[LingiBW]

+4 GD, im happy with that. Only 8points from top 4. All gaps closing

 

[Hoof the ball]

“But our CBs aren’t capable of brining the ball out of defence.”
“Lindelof, ball playing cb? Pfffft. We need Alderweiereld Beckenbaeur to justify the risk”

Yeah..... I thought so....

 

[paulscholes18]

Anyone know when the last time we had 70+% possession? Was it Midtjylland

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

“But our CBs aren’t capable of brining the ball out of defence.”
“Lindelof, ball playing cb? Pfffft. We need Alderweiereld Beckenbaeur to justify the risk”

Yeah..... I thought so....

Lindelof played a pass as good as Pogba's assist for Lingard to Rashford. The guy can play.

 

[MadDogg]

Anyone know when the last time we had 70+% possession?

I'm guessing it would have been during LVG's time.

 

[Nick7]

LVG had a lot of possession in his game, but we never played like this under him.

 

[GhastlyHun]

The players must have been so afraid. Because who has the ball has the fear, right?

 

[Damien]

Anyone know when the last time we had 70+% possession? Was it Midtjylland

3:2 win against Newcastle in October.

 

[justboy68]

Purposeful possession too which is the key thing. Possession gained by a high workrate off the ball, rather than the kind gained by just faffing about at the halfway line.

 

[Nick7]

Purposeful possession too which is the key thing. Possession gained by a high workrate off the ball, rather than the kind gained by just faffing about at the halfway line.

That's the most important thing. We didn't just hold onto the ball for the sake of holding on to the ball.

 

[kouroux]

That's the most important thing. We didn't just hold onto the ball for the sake of holding on to the ball.

And we do know a lot about pointless possession as LVG showed us

 

[Jed I. Knight]

“But our CBs aren’t capable of brining the ball out of defence.”
“Lindelof, ball playing cb? Pfffft. We need Alderweiereld Beckenbaeur to justify the risk”

Yeah..... I thought so....

It's absolutely insane how the time under Mourinho has managed to skew the general perception of the players currently at the club.

Give this squad a season under a competent manager, perhaps with one or two key additions, we'll be right back in the mix. I'm confident of it.

As for the possession stats, wow! That said, we played with such tempo and intensity for the most part of the game that you sorta don't even notice that we're in charge of the ball. Unlike the days under LVG!

 

[Hoof the ball]

It's absolutely insane how the time under Mourinho has managed to skew the general perception of the players currently at the club.

Give this squad a season under a competent manager, perhaps with one or two key additions, we'll be right back in the mix. I'm confident of it.

As for the possession stats, wow! That said, we played with such tempo and intensity for the most part of the game that you sorta don't even notice that we're in charge of the ball. Unlike the days under LVG!

That was because we won the ball back quickly. Losing the ball to Cardiff makes you think we had less possession, overall, however, if you consider how well the press worked, or how well we got to 2nd balls, it all adds up!

Whatever is said, there's never an excuse to not be able to play expansive and offensive football, even without world class CB's. In fact, often playing high and pressing limits their exposure.

 

[fallengt]

Can't wait for someone to ask Neville if he still thinks it wasn't manager's fault that players didn't perform.

 

[Dion]

3:2 win against Newcastle in October.

We need to make teams play the way Newcastle did protecting a 2-0 lead right from the off, basically.

 

[jeff_goldblum]

We need to make teams play the way Newcastle did protecting a 2-0 lead right from the off, basically.

Definitely, a key thing Fergie's great United teams had (and which City, despite today's result, have now), is that fear factor which meant many opposing teams went into games believing that a 0-0 draw was the best possible outcome. They didn't come to Old Trafford with the intention of putting us under pressure, good teams came to get a point and weaker teams came with the intention of getting out without being humilated.

The fear factor went under Moyes through pure ineptitude. Since then it's been a combination of poor management and a simple lack of attacking intent. LVG and Mourinho both came to the club with the intention of making us difficult to beat instead of frightening to face.

 

[Eric's Seagull]

Definitely, a key thing Fergie's great United teams had (and which City, despite today's result, have now), is that fear factor which meant many opposing teams went into games believing that a 0-0 draw was the best possible outcome. They didn't come to Old Trafford with the intention of putting us under pressure, good teams came to get a point and weaker teams came with the intention of getting out without being humilated.

Exactly what I have been telling people for years. Old Trafford needs to become our fortress again

 

[Robbo's Shoulder]

It wasn't just the possession, it was the use of it what impressed

 

[deafepl]

Exactly what I have been telling people for years. Old Trafford needs to become our fortress again

If we destroy Huddersfield convincingly again with over 5+, it would send a warning sign to all team who were expecting to visit us without putting pressure on them.

 

[Rajma]

The players must have been so afraid. Because who has the ball has the fear, right?

 

[Eric's Seagull]

If we destroy Huddersfield convincingly again with over 5+, it would send a warning sign to all team who were expecting to visit us without putting pressure on them.

I was hoping for 5+ against Huddersfield. Take the form into the Bournemouth game, get another win at home (also) and build from there and show everyone Old Trafford is the place to leave with damage limitation to the opposing teams and not them expecting they can turn up and boss us about.

 

[Canagel]

We have kept plenty of clean sheets in the past but DDG had to work. Today he was a virtual bystander. I didn't notice him until 70 minutes or so into the 2nd half.
keeping possession is not just for attack it's also important to take pressure of the defence. We did it very well

 

[Green_Red]

The running too, first time we out ran the opposition this season.

I just had to remind my mate that Martial has a clause in his contract for Balon D'Or win. Hard to believe how far off that he looked in Jose rigid system. Honestly can't wait to see Sanchez and Lakaku in an attacking team like this.

 

[HisDudeness]

LVG had a lot of possession in his game, but we never played like this under him.

because possession was important to him. there's a different between keeping the ball and having the ball to try and do something with it

passing just has to be a little bit crisper. tactics exposed the wide areas well a few times but passing just wasn't quite crisp enough. that is where where city and liverpool excel

but the passing will get shaper the more they get used to this system. they've been that used to anti football

 

[roonster09]

Possession, intensity in the game, so much off the ball movement already. Looks very promising

 

[ErranMorad]

Cardiff pretty much sat back and allowed us to keep possession. More than the possession, it' what we did with it which was the more exciting part for me. The passing was less ponderous and quick. The off the ball movement was fantastic; even the much maligned Martial was buzzing around. There was intensity to win the ball up field and play the game in the midfield & attack rather than sit back and put our defense under pressure. Like all good teams we defended from the front. Had been dying to see that from Manchester United for years. There were a lot of good things in that game to be excited about.

However, I still found a few issues that we need to deal with it. Despite all the possession we looked devoid of creativity at times. Felt like we were missing a Silva or Eriksen type player to stitch it all together. I don't know if that kind of player is available in January or if Mata can step up, but that needs to be taken care of moving forward. Also, due to the new manager bounce and a lot of positivity after Jose's dull regime, there was a lot of intensity in our game which Cardiff had trouble with and forced them into mistakes. Going forward it would be interesting to see if we can maintain the same intensity on a consistent basis. I think we have a big squad to do it for the rest of the season, I am not sold on their mentality, yet.

 

[Norris]

Best 70+% possession game I have seen us play..

 

[Wb12345]

Let's not get carried away, Watford beat them just last week with 71% possession

 

[norm87cro]

Never understood the fans ranting about "United's" way or stuff like that. There are still games we are going to be more pragmatic but yeah not against teams like Cardiff, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace or West Ham for that matter. So a positive attitude but an assesment of the opposition as well as Ole said in his first interview

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Let's not get carried away, Watford beat them just last week with 71% possession

To hear commentators patting us on the back for playing attacking football, and been good to watch, just shows how long this crap has been going on, we have had 4-5 years of football stolen from us, and yesterday was at least a sign we might finally get back on track, so getting carried away is allowed for while now.

 

[Red_Orchestra]

It was the pressing and possession that did it but playing higher up the pitch was what really counted. It still feels very strange to me how the center backs and wing backs were all higher up the pitch, it's actually quite releaving to see.

 

[Adisa]

We only had high possession stats under Mourinho when we were chasing games.

 

[lysglimt]

Lindelof played a pass as good as Pogba's assist for Lingard to Rashford. The guy can play.

If Rashford had played that ball back to VNL - that might have been one hell of a goal. I can understand why he didn't though

 

[r3idy]

Never understood the fans ranting about "United's" way or stuff like that. There are still games we are going to be more pragmatic but yeah not against teams like Cardiff, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace or West Ham for that matter. So a positive attitude but an assesment of the opposition as well as Ole said in his first interview

Disagree on the 'Utd Way'. There are expectations on how the team should play like at any of the global big clubs, that's in part what gives them their alure and identity. Yes there will be sterner opposition in the coming weeks and months but let's not lose sight that under Moyes, LVG or Mourhinio we have come to places like this and either lost or drew more importantly making very few chances along the way.

 

[adam118]

We only had high possession stats under Mourinho when we were chasing games.

I'm sure we had decent possession against Fulham too

 

[Adisa]

Average of 70% possession in the four games.
I know some say possession is meaningless but I'm enjoying us not allowing the other team keep the ball for long periods and waiting for them to approach our half.

 

[breakout67]

Possession is meaningless, it's as if some of you erased LVG from your minds. Even if you did, you could have just looked at the first half to see how meaningless it is. Newcastle almost matched us going forward with a third of the possession.