[Lennon7]

True, but what is McTominay's role if Matic is the player to play deep ? He rarely play's a ball forward and get's away with poor perfomances more because we are terrified to be critical on younger players, as far as I am concerned if you are on that pitch you have an equal amount of responbility.

I don’t really rate McTominay, but I think he’s there to just do a job. Keep it tidy, don’t make mistakes, offer a bit of help to Matic in defence or Pogba going forward.

However Pogba’s role is supposed to be to change games by playing that killer pass or taking on his man. He’s categorically failed at that today.

 

[Feed Me]

what the hell happened to Pogba

He’s a complete waste of space at the moment. Him and Sanchez are frankly laughable. The guys that are supposed to drag us out of a hole in situations like this.

 

[bazalini]

Shocking. Ranks up there as the worst performance I've seen from a united team since Fergie left

 

[Hamadovich86]

I dont understand why we're not going wide more often, the middle is so congested that its too difficult to weave through. How many times were Young and Valencia completely unmarked in wide areas?

Our midfield started terribly, all three have lost the ball in the middle creating more pressure on the defense. Dreadful first half, hopefully things change in the second.

 

[Kag]

This is every week now. Van Gaal football without the possession.

I'd be interested in seeing our shots on goal/chances created numbers for the past couple of months. We're relentlessly abysmal at the moment.

 

[SirAnderson]

Nah, just go YOLO, Rashford for McTominay, Lingard back to cm.
Can't get any worse, can it?

It could. With so little composure in the middle, just putting lingard in there, it may just get worse. But yeah, not sure whats best, time for Mourinho to make his money.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Alexis's passing has been poor, bad decision making all around from him. We've lost the midfield battle as well. Townsend running rings around Ashley Young.

 

[Dobba]

Forget Beckham having a cut, half of this team should consider themselves lucky if they come out for the second half, without the boot half way through their skull.

 

[Josep Dowling]

Pogba honestly seems hell-bent on losing the ball at every opportunity. Running with it too long or trying ridiculous long passes. It's like watching Rooney at his worst.

That’s just his game, nothing has changed for 2 seasons on that front.

 

[Lentwood]

No plan going forward. 4 players swarming the ball like 9yos on a playground

 

[el3mel]

Absolutely terrible. Shocking, shocking performance from Matic, Pogba, Lingard, Sanchez, Young. Feck me so many terrible performances I can't count everyone. Terrible passing and unable to control the ball. How the feck such professional footballers can do all these crimes in a single half ?

They need some slaughtering in HT.

 

[Adisa]

We are losing to a relegation candidate with an injury ravaged squad.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Can someone fill me in on what's so special about McTominay?

He's not awful by any means, certainly not the source of our problems tonight. But he's such an average, forgettable player. I seriously don't see what he offers to our midfield. He's young and he's English, that's about it, really.

In theory, he plays beside Matic to maintain balance while Pogba moves forward. He's there to keep the ball moving and protect the back four. A midfielder, basically.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

45mins of being out-classed, out-fought and out-thought by an injury depleted Crystal Palace team, lingering in the relegation zone, managed by Roy Hodgson.

Let that sink in, Jose. Unforgivable first half, disgusting performance.

Unless we come out fast and grab a quick equaliser, we're losing this 1-0. The longer the second half goes on in the same tempo, the less likely we'll be to score.

 

[rockerlad]

what the hell happened to Pogba

He's been like this for months.

 

[Sandikan]

What's the hate with Crystal Palace and Young?

Did he go down easy and get one of their men a red and get a pen a few years back?

 

[Vanya]

shocking football. Really is.

instead of spreading out, stretching the palace defence and giving each other more space ALL the attackers are gathered right next to each other. Such a foolish strategy that Mourinho just refuses to let go of.

Where are the players making runs from behind the full backs into the box??? why are the wide forwards playing like no. 10s ?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

So.. sack Jose Mourinho, hire Samoan Elsa.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

20:48KEY EVENT
Half time ratings
De Gea - Helpless for the goal. 5

Valencia - Ropy at both ends. 4

Smalling - Looks scared of Benteke. 3

Lindelof -Turned his back for the goal. Looks frightened. 3

Young - Could have tracked Townsend for the goal. 4

Pogba - Embarrassing and egregious. 2

McTominay - Forlorn and vexing teammates. 3

Matic - A nondescript half. 5

Sanchez - United’s best player. 6

Lingard - Lively but lacking support. 5

Lukaku - Working hard but blunt. 5

 

[SirAnderson]

Only good thing from this so far is that I got 11/11 in my lineup prediction. So sad...

 

[squidoo]

Take Pogba off and put Roy Keane on

 

[BlahRules]

Reminded me of Nasri dodging THAT freekick.

I was hoping he would be the next Vidic.

We would always have defensive problem till we get the defenders who has balls.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Cmon cafe, what I would do for a spoiler right now, give me a sign of something good that I am 2 minutes behind of.

forget the 2 mins go and either put the kettle on are get another can from the fridge.

 

[padr81]

You'll still win. Palace will buckle. Too many if your players missing simple passes. If you tighten up a small bit you'll grab a couple.

 

[Shark]

We'll win it in the second half

Great to know

 

[gavdim2002]

Zlatan is slowing us down; Mata has got no pace, Carrick is past it; Pogba need to play on the left; we need 3 man in midfield etc.

 

[Ødegaard]

You shouldn't defend close to a speedy player who has the ball.

Benteke isn't that rapid, not compared to Smalling.

 

[Bobski]

We keep having these threads about giving Pogba his ideal position. How do you build a team around a player who comes out and plays like that, how could a manager make that decision? Grow up Paul, move beyond being this pretty decoration, stop listening to the excuse makers and become a serious player.

 

[Backrow Singer]

What the hell is wrong with them? Everything they’ve done is flat, poor movement, second to every loose ball. Sanchez looks totally lifeless, Pogba looks afraid to run at players which is his main strength. We don’t look close to breaking them down and whenever we get between the lines we turn possession over.

I look at the players out there and they are much better than they are showing at the minute.

 

[Rado_N]

You'd be telling that bitch on the bus to put some headphones on wouldn't you.

 

[Jacko21]

Pogba looks like he has his bag packed for sunny destination. Doesn't even compete for 50-50 balls. Game is just passing him by.

He switched off after we were beaten by City. Soon as the title race was over, he and the rest of them, downed tools.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Never enjoy watching us away from home. Either we score in the first half in which we defend for the rest of the game or they score, in which we struggle to score ourselves.

Pogba having an absolute mare as well.

 

[The Firestarter]

Shocking. Ranks up there as the worst performance I've seen from a united team since Fergie left

Sadly some will believe you mean it.

 

[Grylte]

It could. With so little composure in the middle, just putting lingard in there, it may just get worse. But yeah, not sure whats best, time for Mourinho to make his money.

If there's one thing Lingard offers, it's hard work, and alot of running. Think that might be what we need in the middle.

 

[groovyalbert]

Glad Chelsea dropped points this weekend. If this stays as it is, it would have seriously damaged last weeks good result.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Can someone fill me in on what's so special about McTominay?

He's not awful by any means, certainly not the source of our problems tonight. But he's such an average, forgettable player. I seriously don't see what he offers to our midfield. He's young and he's English, that's about it, really.

It's the United way of always having a mediocre player from our academy being given a lot of playing time (see Gibson, Cleverley, Lingard before this season etc.) so that we fans always have someone to moan about. Maybe it's his height? I bet Southgate is crying in his sleep.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Our away form is so lovely.

 

[RedElf]

Jose needs to fire these players up or the season is going to melt away fast.

 

[Summit]

Very poor half. They're packing the box and playing narrow yet we seem unwilling to go wide.

Big improvement needed if we want to go on and win.

Not true, the problem is when Valencia has a bit of decent space and the pass is on, Sanchez and Pogba seem to think it is better to blast it out for a throw.

 

[Son Of Sam]

Chris Smalling decided to escort Benteke into his own box....instead of shepherding him to the goal-line. If Bailly is fit, why is this good-for-nothing plodder starting for Man Utd?

I have seen more intelligent donkeys at Chester Zoo.

 

[Berbaclass]

So disappointing to just constantly see this type of stuff week after week.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Does it look like they’re giving it everything out there? Not for me.

It's a poor 45 mins of football. Why all the dramatic posts?

 

[Wal2Fra]

Sanchez, Pogba, Matic & Young all shocking.

Have we ever given the ball away so many times in a half before?

I appreciate the league title is over but if we continue like this, the Scousers will open a gap on us by end of next week!