Different game with 1-0 to United at half time.

[MikeKing]

Not even in a perfect world. Just in a league where referees have a moderate grasp on the game. The push on De Gea. How can a keeper protect himself when his feet is off the ground and a player nowhere near playing the ball just pushes him in the back so he goes flying. De Gea at the least would have been in position to get a hand in front of the goal blocking the header with his hand. He wouldn't have caught it, but that push is a clear and obvious foul on any goalkeeper in the league. Why is these decisions clear cut for large parts of the season except for a few games a season at key moments for United where a lot is made of how weak De Gea is. It happened against Bournemouth last year I think it was, where he was attacked and nothing was given.

The Maguire "foul" and disallowed goal. Why did the ref rush to blow so quickly once stood there watching the ball towards the open goal? Isn't this a clear and obvious refereeing mistake to blow that early when he knows VAR is there? Shouldn't VAR intervene when referees makes a clear and obvious mistake like blowing the whistle before a perfectly good goal crosses the line? Shouldn't they be able to say, hey ref made a mistake as it wasn't a foul and the ball had gone in. Why not?

Up until their goal and our disallowed goal we played with a lot of pace in our play. Obviously that isn't going to last 90 minutes but once you score and own 85% of the ball, either the game opens up or you control the match. If teams can just crowd the area and push goalkeepers over to get the ball over the line, you should do the same. You can't win by playing football, you have to do the exact same thing but I assure you if we did something like that the other way we would not get it. In fact this game is proof of exactly that. It's like the situation against Leicester a few years ago where Vardy fouled Rafael and dived into him and nobody talks about the injustice or the lack of coherency in refereeing decisions, it's all about shitting on United. I'm not buying it this time. I refuse to do so. The game should have been 1-0 by half time. In the words of the great Walt Jr.. This is bullshit!

 

[Pexbo]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

 

[Bubz27]

City have had 2 big decisions go their way at big moments in the last week.
Maguire's disallowed goal could've cost us.
Fred could've had a pen and that could've cost us.
Martial's disallowed goal today has cost us.

 

[VidaRed]

I agree the ref bottled it. But even then would have only drawn.

There's no excuses for being shite. We lost not because of the ref but because we were shite.

 

[MikeKing]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

Football is all about margins. Every team rely on margins every game. Most games don't end up 6-0, but if we had scored the first goal like we actually did, the game would have changed and at that point Sheffield couldn't get out of their own half. Sorry, I don't buy that excuse.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

The first goal going for you can certainly be key, and when two decisions like those go against you of course you'll feel bitterly disappointed. Would the game have been different had SU had to seek an equaliser? Possibly, but the state of our general play and defending was too far below par for me to worry about it.

EDIT: If we're talking about fine margins we should also concede we've snuck by on a few Rizla papers this season. We were unlucky tonight but we were also utterly rotten too, so it's not one I feel too badly about losing out on all-told.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

Harsh but fair.

We were wank. Sheffield thoroughly deserved all three points.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

Yeah, erm, what Pex said.

 

[Judas]

We should have won the game 2-0 at least, there's no need for excuses, if you want to win a league title, you need to comfortably win some games, games like today, shouldn't be such a ball ache. We just make everything hard work.

 

[Siorac]

It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

Exactly this. In a title decider at the Etihad or Anfield I'd be spitting blood because of those decisions but this was a team that got 5 points in 19 games and never scored more than one goal in any given game. Except against us, obviously.

 

[el3mel]

We were actually sleeping from the first minute and were just jogging around the pitch. I don't think we were playing with pace or well at it.

In fact I thought the goal came at the right moment to wake us up and force us to put some effort into it.

All I got from the team up till their goal is we approached this as if it's dead certain we're winning and it's just a matter of it. Got punished.

 

[croadyman]

Not even in a perfect world. Just in a league where referees have a moderate grasp on the game. The push on De Gea. How can a keeper protect himself when his feet is off the ground and a player nowhere near playing the ball just pushes him in the back so he goes flying. De Gea at the least would have been in position to get a hand in front of the goal blocking the header with his hand. He wouldn't have caught it, but that push is a clear and obvious foul on any goalkeeper in the league. Why is these decisions clear cut for large parts of the season except for a few games a season at key moments for United where a lot is made of how weak De Gea is. It happened against Bournemouth last year I think it was, where he was attacked and nothing was given.

The Maguire "foul" and disallowed goal. Why did the ref rush to blow so quickly once stood there watching the ball towards the open goal? Isn't this a clear and obvious refereeing mistake to blow that early when he knows VAR is there? Shouldn't VAR intervene when referees makes a clear and obvious mistake like blowing the whistle before a perfectly good goal crosses the line? Shouldn't they be able to say, hey ref made a mistake as it wasn't a foul and the ball had gone in. Why not?

Up until their goal and our disallowed goal we played with a lot of pace in our play. Obviously that isn't going to last 90 minutes but once you score and own 85% of the ball, either the game opens up or you control the match. If teams can just crowd the area and push goalkeepers over to get the ball over the line, you should do the same. You can't win by playing football, you have to do the exact same thing but I assure you if we did something like that the other way we would not get it. In fact this game is proof of exactly that. It's like the situation against Leicester a few years ago where Vardy fouled Rafael and dived into him and nobody talks about the injustice or the lack of coherency in refereeing decisions, it's all about shitting on United. I'm not buying it this time. I refuse to do so. The game should have been 1-0 by half time. In the words of the great Walt Jr.. This is bullshit!

It's frustrating these decisions went against us but quite frankly we got what we deserved for that diabolical showing

 

[Lash]

The first goal going for you can certainly be key, and when two decisions like those go against you of course you'll feel bitterly disappointed. Would the game have been different had SU had to seek an equaliser? Possibly, but the state of our general play and defending was too far below par for me to worry about it.

Spot on really.

Decisions went against us, but I wouldn't like that to be an excuse for the hot steaming pile of shit we were served up as a performance.

 

[MikeKing]

The first goal going for you can certainly be key, and when two decisions like those go against you of course you'll feel bitterly disappointed. Would the game have been different had SU had to seek an equaliser? Possibly, but the state of our general play and defending was too far below par for me to worry about it.

Our defending and lapse of concentration was horrible. It's thin margins though if that deflection don't hit the bar. They barely had any shots on goal. No question about the terrible defending at that one moment, but the way we owned the game comes at a cost and the lack of energy towards the end is pretty normal in these types of games. Especially when that much goes against you and at the same time every decision feeds the feeling of the opposition who believes they can get away with anything.

 

[pascell]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

I completely agree that we shouldn't be in the position for the refs/VAR to have a severe impact on the outcome on the game. Its the same as people moaning about Ole having to make subs, the starting XI we had out should've had enough to threaten bottom of the league more than we did.

The fact that Sheff Utd have only scored 2 goals in a game twice and both have been against us, show what our biggest problem is in this team.

 

[BEST No7]

Dont agree on your point on De Gea tbh, he barely touched him and he simply has to do better than that. But yes it changed the game...gave them confidence. We weren't great at all tonight. But if like u say were one up at half time we never lose that game.

 

[Random Task]

If we need favourable refereeing decisions to beat one of the weakest PL sides in history, Sheffield United, then we're in serious trouble.

The ref was a tit though, it has to be said.

 

[el3mel]

Beside it doesn't really excuse the shit show we saw in their second goal. One of the stupidest goal I have seen from us in recent memory, yes dumber than Demba Ba goal in the game against the Turkish side in CL.

We equalized with about 30 minutes to go. Everything was set for you to win not by 2-1 but even 3 or 4. Too much time left.

But then went on and literally decided to gift them the win with such shambolic defensive organization we did. We evacuated a free space for them to keep on shooting, lose the ball, shoot again, lose it, shoot it, for 3 fecking times in a row while the defense are just watching this space and doing nothing to cover it.

No the ref wasn't the problem.

 

[Bojan11]

5 points in 19 games before they played us...

The referee screwed up. What’s more damning is their goalkeeper had a free day today and he’s the worst GK in the league. We did not get anywhere near testing him.

 

[TMDaines]

Football is all about margins. Every team rely on margins every game. Most games don't end up 6-0, but if we had scored the first goal like we actually did, the game would have changed and at that point Sheffield couldn't get out of their own half. Sorry, I don't buy that excuse.

Nope. This is why City were always massive favs for the league over us. They will put at least a third of their remaining games beyond doubt by giving virtually nothing away and racking up several expected goals. United haven’t done this all season. Let things be close and we will get teams Burnley’d at least a couple of times.

 

[MikeKing]

All I got from the team up till their goal is we approached this as if it's dead certain we're winning and it's just a matter of it. Got punished.

This doesn't make sense to me. We had a patient approach and owned the ball because of it and waited on our chances. We actually won this game is what I'm saying. I'm not pissed of that we didn't win this game 4-0, I'm pissed of we should have won the game 2-1 and lost 1-2 with one disallowed goal for us and a wrongly given goal for them. I'd happily take a hard earned 2-1 with a controlled performance. Once they get the free goal and disallowed our goal they counted their blessing and had no reason to leave their box. Different game if we lead 1-0 as we should have.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Our defending and lapse of concentration was horrible. It's thin margins though if that deflection don't hit the bar. They barely had any shots on goal. No question about the terrible defending at that one moment, but the way we owned the game comes at a cost and the lack of energy towards the end is pretty normal in these types of games. Especially when that much goes against you and at the same time every decision feeds the feeling of the opposition who believes they can get away with anything.

I get you on this, but in this game we've got the equaliser with plenty of time left and still contrived to throw it down the toilet. I just think there's times where you say 'not only did we miss out on a few 50/50s here and there, but we were fecking woeful' and ultimately we'll need to concentrate on the (many) things we can improve on over calls, margins and rubs of the green.

 

[MikeKing]

Nope. This is why City were always massive favs for the league over us. They will put at least a third of their remaining games beyond doubt by giving virtually nothing away and racking up several expected goals. United haven’t done this all season. Let things be close and we will get teams Burnley’d at least a couple of times.

It's not completely true. City is the only team though that comes close to winning that many games so convincingly and they have 700m running around on the pitch with probably the most renowned manager still going and even they lose games like this, even with decisions going for them. Sport in general is totally about decisions and margins.

 

[MikeKing]

I get you on this, but in this game we've got the equaliser with plenty of time left and still contrived to throw it down the toilet. I just think there's times where you say 'not only did we miss out on a few 50/50s here and there, but were fecking woeful' and ultimately we'll need to concentrate on the (many) things we can improve on over calls, margins and rubs of the green.

I'm really disinterested in bashing our club. I know we're not quite there yet, but I think the league should resemble something fair. If decisions are correct, then it's not about margins anymore. Not only for United but everyone, at the moment it isn't anything to me. It's just a clusterfeck narrative ridden media circus. You literally have random changes in the rules during the season with different outcomes for different teams, and not even applying those rules for certain matches. Different rules completely like this clear cut rule about pushing a goalkeeper in his back. I've not seen that since last time it happened on De Gea. What the feck is that? And to blow his whistle for that right after? How exactly is that even possible?

 

[el3mel]

This doesn't make sense to me. We had a patient approach and owned the ball because of it and waited on our chances. We actually won this game is what I'm saying. I'm not pissed of that we didn't win this game 4-0, I'm pissed of we should have won the game 2-1 and lost 1-2 with one disallowed goal for us and a wrongly given goal for them. I'd happily take a hard earned 2-1 with a controlled performance. Once they get the free goal and disallowed our goal they counted their blessing and had no reason to leave their box. Different game if we lead 1-0 as we should have.

Having a patient approach isn't a good approach against the worst team in the league. We shouldn't be waiting on our chances against such team.

Beside, I don't really believe this is true, because this isn't really the first time I saw United in the last few years playing so arrogantly against trash teams at home and getting punished. We have been doing this a lot in the last 4 or 5 years. We turn into some games thinking we're going to win regardless of our efforts on the pitch.

Yes, the ref did mistakes, and yes the disallowed goal should have stood, but we had far more than enough time to win this easily and we just decided to not bother.

 

[Borys]

Up until their goal and our disallowed goal we played with a lot of pace in our play. Obviously that isn't going to last 90 minutes but once you score and own 85% of the ball, either the game opens up or you control the match.

Firstly, this is not true. We didn't play with a lot of pace, we didn't create chances.

Secondly, we keep the ball only when opposition wants us to have it. If we scored the first goal Sheffield would attack us more intensely and I'm not sure we wouldn't concede considering how poor/passive we were defensively today.

The way we've played recently ("unconvincing" would be my description), it had to happen at some point. Even a draw against Sheffield is shit result and we deserved nothing more, referees mistakes or not.

 

[Random Task]

It's not completely true. City is the only team though that comes close to winning that many games so convincingly and they have 700m running around on the pitch with probably the most renowned manager still going and even they lose games like this, even with decisions going for them. Sport in general is totally about decisions and margins.

It often comes down to fine margins when two evenly matched teams are pitted against one another, sure, but that doesn't apply when top and bottom square off.

We shouldn't be relying on the ref at all in games such as this one. We lost because we offered up lethargic, predictable and ultimately ineffective football for a whole 90 minutes.

 

[Wumminator]

There have been three massive decisions in the last three matches that have gone against us.

Our closest rivals for the title have had two massive decisions, including one that has literally resulted in a law change.

Obviously this is wank.

 

[El Zoido]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

Easy to say this but every team has to fight through a game you’d normally expect them to win. Even City and Liverpool in recent years have, on occasion, barely got over the line against teams you’d have expected them to crush. City might have dropped points against Villa the other week had they not got a dodgy decision in their favour. Since Klopp complained we’ve had nothing from VAR, it’s irritating how clearly this has worked.

 

[Lentwood]

You are right but the general attitude of the team meant they got what they deserved tonight.

I’m 50:50 on whether it was a foul on De Gea but I’m 100% sure it wasn’t a foul by Maguire. That being said, even when we equalised in the second half, the players showed no fight, no urgency - it was as if they thought “job done, these will capitulate now”

 

[TheRedHearted]

I appreciate you’ve gone to some effort to post a few paragraphs but it’s still a few paragraphs on my aunties testicles. It’s Sheffield United, we should never have been relying on these margins.

Yep but Pool lost to Burnley and such is the premier league. 78 percent possession at the half and it was clearly what Sheffield set up to do. For some reason our right sided attack don’t hit the touch line and instead always moved inward.
We needed to buy this window not stay stagnant

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I'm really disinterested in bashing our club. I know we're not quite there yet, but I think the league should be as fair. Not only for United but everyone, at the moment it isn't. You literally have random changes in the rules during the season with different outcomes for different teams. Different rules completely like this clear cut rule about pushing a goalkeeper in his back. I've not seen that since last time it happened on De Gea. What the feck is that?

Now that is annoying. Margins are at the heart of sport but when they're being moved around by dickheads week-to-week, not to mention in the same game in this case, it's ridiculous I agree.

 

[Fluctuation0161]

I agree the ref bottled it. But even then would have only drawn.

There's no excuses for being shite. We lost not because of the ref but because we were shite.

The decisions by the ref allowed Sheffield to park the bus and gave them focus. It played into their hands.

I agree though, we were shite. That second goal was a joke. I think the players went into this game expecting an easy win.

 

[MikeKing]

Having a patient approach isn't a good approach against the worst team in the league. We shouldn't be waiting on our chances against such team.

Beside, I don't really believe this is true, because this isn't really the first time I saw United in the last few years playing so arrogantly against trash teams at home and getting punished. We have been doing this a lot in the last 4 or 5 years. We turn into some games thinking we're going to win regardless of our efforts on the pitch.

Yes, the ref did mistakes, and yes the disallowed goal should have stood, but we had far more than enough time to win this easily and we just decided to not bother.

I'm not excusing what you are pointing out though. I'm just not that interested in it. As you say, we've seen this before. However, this season I feel we've got a level of energy in us to see out games once we get ahead against the smaller teams. We've been successful in our patient approach, I thought Pogba was great the first half. Sheffield couldn't handle him or get the ball. 1-0 as it should have been and yeah, I wouldn't be mad. Even if we lost after that, I would have taken it because really I know that can happen. Thats what it is. However, this wasn't it for me. Completely ridiculous match deciding decisions. twice. unexplainable. You'll also see how nothing will be made of this. Which is annoying.

 

[SAFMUTD]

If that decisions were made against a top 4-0 opponent I would agree. But we were playing against freaking Sheffield at Old Trafford.

They had 1 win, 3 draws and 16 freaking loses until today. No excuse we should have won that one.

 

[The Firestarter]

And we were pissing ourselves at RAWK the other day...

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Op, I get the gist and you're right, it could have been different. But as others have said, we were shite so who knows if the end result would have been different.

The only issue I think needs looking at is Walton on BT telling us VAR reviewed the push on De Gea because the ref blew the whistle after the ball went in. But couldn't review Maguire's push because the ref blew before the ball went in.

If linesmen are told to hold their flags for obvious offsides then refs should be told to hold their whistles too.

It's one thing refs getting decisions wrong and VAR getting them wrong but to remove even the ability to review it, is stupid.

And not surprising given how the PL has used VAR to date.

 

[Mindhunter]

Sorry didn't read the whole piece but I believe that you are unhappy about refereeing decisions. It's pointless arguing about things that aren't under our control. The things in are control are things we were really poor at today. There is no way to hide the fact.

A different decision by the referee may have gotten us 1 or 3 points today but that doesn't change the fact that we need to improve.

 

[eire-red]

Feck that, we should be tearing SHU a new one with the quality we have on the pitch, not benoaning some dodgy decisions that could or could not have gone against against SHU with a grand total of 5 points before tonight.

Usually after results like this, we're so pissed because we let the opposition dictate the game.
In actual fact, SHU were shocking, barely managed to string two passes together, and scored a soft goal from a corner, and that second goal I don't even know where to begin.

I thought Ba's goal for Istanbul would be the worst I'd see for a long time, but feck me our defending for Burke's goal is inexcusable. Once again, we see that we've been figured out when we play the front three of Rashford, Martial and Greenwood. It also doesn't help when you're sole striker doesn't get in the box.

We need a natural winger on the right, because having only Rashford capable of beating a players isn't good enough. Also, when is the last time we had a good crosser, or consistently got to the byline? All these flaws rear their ugly head when we play against a deep back 5.

 

[noodlehair]

Fine margins are only really worth worrying about when you can get the basic stuff right that makes big differences.

For example leaving a striker on the pitch for 90 minutes who has not even attempted to do anything, and who also hasn't attempted to do anything in their previous 4-5 appearances.

Or picking a midfield two that hasn't worked for years and that you already know isn't going to work, and then again not changing it for the entire game even when it clearly isn't working.