[Devil may care]

Sorry to see we've kept the Rawkish thread title, the penalty decision was terrible and he was a homer today but we lost because at 3-2 we lost our composure and have a shitty back 4 that looked clueless.

Pluses today for me were Di Maria again and Falcao gaining some sharpness. Herrera was solid I thought, he has a tough role in games like that as our diamond is a little lopsided. Rooney was hit and miss for me, shouting at everyone doesn't make a captain necessarily but he showed some fight which we lacked from others like the invisible RvP.

 

[sport2793]

Stuff I noticed.

• Falcao/RVP partnership. Two world class players no doubt, but I don't think they should play together in games like today. They both like to lead the line and play off the shoulder of the last defender. When both of them are trying to play this roll they just get in the way of each other.

You do realize that Falcao assisted RVP's goal right? It's not Cole and Yorke because there is no chemistry there which is why it is understandable to question RVP and Rooney's partnership considering the time they have been together. Too early on Falcao and RVP though.

 

[spontaneus1]

Biggest idiot i ever seen. My new hate player.
I dont care if he had an "amazing journey" and played non league football some years ago. A diving, ugly idiot.

Next to De laet.

 

[senorgregster]

There's only so many poor ref decisions you can overcome. This game was littered with them throughout and all against us. Bizarre performance by him which will as always be forgotten. Still well done to Leicester for being up for it and taking their chances. Looking at the match day thread and ratings I find it strange that DeGea and Blackett are getting so much stick. Blackett was the best in the back line today bar one error in judgement right after being fouled. DeGea had little to no chance with any goal. Evans was shocking again up until he was injured. He worries me the most.

 

[SharkyMcShark]

There was a point where Rafael chested the ball down to Herrera in the box when it was 3-3 and despite not having a Leicester player anywhere near him he panicked and hoofed it. That was the point when I knew we were fecked basically.

No composure.

 

[RedSRM]

I thought Leicester were fantastic today, they kept pushing us through the game and in the end it feels like they wanted it more.

Also, I think some players were surprised by their aggression.

Rojo was pretty poor in defence and naïve in attack.

Van Persie link-up play was absolutely terrible, like he did one thing right in the whole game. Rooney was quite good playing deeper, better than I thought. Falcao had some moments but clearly we are yet to see the best of him.

Anyway, we should not be playing 3 strikers against any opposition in the EPL. Not sure Mata is the answer either.

We were too offensive in this game at times.

Unfortunately I feel that there is some favouritism for RVP from Van Gaal. Can't seem him being dropped anytime soon. He'll want to use Falcao and won't exclude Rooney after making him captain. So wouldn't be surprised to see those 3 in the lineup again.

 

[kouroux]

There was a point where Rafael chested the ball down to Herrera in the box when it was 3-3 and despite not having a Leicester player anywhere near him he panicked and hoofed it. That was the point when I knew we were fecked basically.

No composure.

Exactly, there was no one around him, no pressure. Didn't understand why he did that.

 

[Twigg]

Has van Gaal's interview been on?

 

[JakeC]

You do realize that Falcao assisted RVP's goal right? It's not Cole and Yorke because there is no chemistry there which is why it is understandable to question RVP and Rooney's partnership considering the time they have been together. Too early on Falcao and RVP though.

Yep, it was one of the moments when Falcao found himself out wide. (we didn't do that enough)

 

[Yorkeontop]

Freaky game. We obviously have defensive issues. No structure really. The worrying thing was that nearly all of Leicester goals came as a result of good old "hustle and bustle". If thats all it takes to unlock us in the EPL,we are in for an odious season.

 

[LondonRed]

For me the main culprit is Daley Blind, invisible today and didn't give the back four sufficient protection. He needed to add some composure into the game and slow it down for us - he did nothing of the sort.

Blackett totally lost the plot second half, but he is a young kid and has been playing out of his skin before that half - now needs to be taken out of the firing line and worked on. Rafael was targeted time and time again for bad decisions - fecking joke.

Falcao.. needs to work on fitness, his pace is there but needs to get more involved. RVP was decent today.

Invisible? Get a grip dude

 

[bleedred]

I agree with so much of what you wrote. I do believe Blackett is an outstanding prospect, despite his mistakes. I want him in the side, next to more experienced players who can support him and guide him. I wonder if we lacked some defensive cover from midfield on the goals today.

I agree again, we are not as bad as the scoreline today, we both know that's true. Margins are getting finer every day in this league, and winning is about more than talent. Mentality, composure, ability to shrug off bad decisions are the sort of traits that make champions, and the sort of stuff we are lacking.

Confidence will bring all of them. We are a new team and a winning momentum will do the team a world of good. That's why I am still not worried (though I am raging at the loss). It will get better. I said after the QPR game don't read too much into the result, I am saying the same again. We deserved a lot better than this.

This place becomes a hyperbole most of the times. We win one game, we are world beaters and we lose the next one and suddenly we are back to Shite again.

 

[Bloxy]

Oh fecking dear, racist abuse from our fans against Balotelli on twitter when he made a joke about the result.

It's bad that we lose 5-3 but to be completely classless wankers about it is just pathetic.

what was said?

 

[Sheikhy]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

says the team that got done by West Ham yesterday. Pathetic jibe really. Its funny how Dzeko did the same thing and they went on to lose 1-0 vs stoke.

 

[Irrational.]

We fell apart mentally after the Rafa/ Vardy incident - so I am discounting everything following their penalty.

Before that, we were very good in attack. Falcao was unlucky not to score which would've put the tie to bed. Although I was disputing it earlier, it's a shame Mata didn't start. Rooney was tosh as a #10.

I'm gutted like most of you, but I've seen enough in these last couple of games to reassure me that we'll put the fear of God into opposition defences, once our front line starts to click. We looked like scoring every time ADM got the ball.

Finally, Clattenburg is a headline-grabbing cnut. Why are refs never held accountable for poor decisions? Neither of their first two goals should've been allowed, and I'm starting to buy into Platini's 'challenge' system more and more.

 

[Tompo]

Exactly, there was no one around him, no pressure. Didn't understand why he did that.

Did he not do it twice in a row?

Anyway I also seemed to notice on at least one goal, Rooney was the only person killing himself to get back...

 

[Cristiano Jonaldo]

- Our defenders are shit.
- Clattenberg made one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.
- Vardy is a colossal cnut.

Sums it up nicely. I'm livid at our defence today, although in fairness none of them are world class or belong in the first 11 of one of the biggest clubs in world football. So I'm not sure what LVG can do with them since they are just clearly lacking in ability?

Rojo had a good game at CB against QPR though but was shocking at left back today. We can't properly judge his ability until the end of the season though. I think he can go either way.

 

[Bloxy]

I'm so fecked off.

I'm fecked of with Clattenburg - that decision was a complete and utter joke, and done soley to create some sort of controversy. There is no way, in hell, anyone watching that would a) not give a foul or b) give a penalty, it's a complete joke.

I'm fecked off with our team for going to complete shit after the above decision. Where's the composure? We lost any semblance of a football team after that decision... complete panic stations, and we paid heavily for it.

I'm fecked of with our defence... why is Rojo playing a tight pass to Mata then charging up the field when he's only one of two men back? What the hell is Smalling playing at in general? Why is seemingly no one helping Blackett? Which leads him to do daft things like lunge in for a clear red, or stand in possibly the most pointless defensive position I've ever seen for their 4th? It's like a bunch of idiots have got together and nobodies doing anything to help them actually defend.

I'm fecked off with Rooney, for ranting and raving instead of helping our team calm down. Also, he was pretty shit.

I'm fecked off with RVP - he's meant to be our star man, and yet he is completely anonymous... feck, he can even score a goal and he's still crap afterwards.

It could be another long, long season.

yeah, but how do you really feel?

 

[FC Ronaldo]

1 positive we can draw from this is that there is absolutely no doubt that this will be a culture shock to all of our signings...

How a lead can slip in the blink of an eye in this division.
How physical and aggressive teams can be.
How nothing can be taken for granted (referee decisions included).

It's better to learn this lesson early in the season than toward the business end of things. The result is in the record books now. There's no changing it now, time to suffer, heal the wounds, adapt and fight back.

 

[JackXX]

I thought we played well for most of the game to be honest. We just can't let decisions like Clattenburg's change the game so dramatically but at the moment it's not surprising. In a years time it doesn't happen IMO we just showed our inexperience and lack of composure. Also didn't help that Di Maria & Falcao came off when they did because both subs had v little impact whereas these two, Di Maria in particular were the main threat.

I was disappointed with Rooney & Van Persie today I felt RVP apart from his goal needed to get more involved and Rooney didn't make the most of his possession on many occasions. The problem with him when he plays behind the strikers he does get into his mode where he tries to do everything and ends up doing nothing that great.

That being said the referee has cost us the game and if he gives the blatant foul or he books the Leicester player for diving we probably go on and win 4 or 5-1 and we are having another conversation. This is football!

 

[siw2007]

Clattenburg is a pillock!! The thing that made that decision harder to take was that it was two very quick successive calls that were both poor and against us. Our heads obviously were not right after. We don't seem to have the characters we used to have and am not surprised that some of them couldn't rise up above the situation.

Thought over the course of the game, we didn't play that badly and were convincingly better than they were up until the penalty call so it was very disappointing how we played in the last 20min.

 

[Siorac]

Any team would have lost to Leicester + Clattenburg today. Unless they could score six or seven.

 

[Raees]

Invisible? Get a grip dude

I'm very calm - a lot of positives to take out the performance. It is just I had my initial doubts about Blind before we signed him as our first choice defensive midfielder especially away from home. I hope today was a one off but I feel we need him more as a backup rather than a starter but obviously we don't have such a luxury at the moment. Dominating possession, he'll be fine or even if we sit back and play defensively against a top side. It is these frantic encounters where there is alot of space... he'll get found out as happened today. If we want to play attacking football away from home, we need a stronger DM in my opinion to hold the fort.

 

[finneh]

Sometimes you have to make defensive decisions as a manager. They are gifted a penalty, the momentum is with them, the crowd are roaring and the referee is blatantly giving them absolutely every decision going.

Mourinho brings on Shaw for RVP and tells the team to drop deep and hit them on the counter. We win the game 3-2 or 4-2 or worst case draw 3-3.

Van Gaal needs to wise up to this League. Clattenberg was truly awful though, a performance worthy of a few months in the lower leagues, however the papers will spin it as a true underdog story which will divert attention from it.

 

[Chorley1974]

The ref was the catalyst in some respects for what was a very poor display.

 

[bleedred]

We fell apart mentally after the Rafa/ Vardy incident - so I am discounting everything following their penalty.

Before that, we were very good in attack. Falcao was unlucky not to score which would've put the tie to bed. Although I was disputing it earlier, it's a shame Mata didn't start. Rooney was tosh as a #10.

I'm gutted like most of you, but I've seen enough in these last couple of games to reassure me that we'll put the fear of God into opposition defences, once our front line starts to click. We looked like scoring every time ADM got the ball.

Finally, Clattenburg is a headline-grabbing cnut. Why are refs never held accountable for poor decisions? Neither of their first two goals should've been allowed, and I'm starting to buy into Platini's 'challenge' system more and more.

Thank Feck, I am not alone. The decision completely changed our view of the game. If the game had finished then, our views would have been totally different. Everything that had happened before the incident is easily forgotten now..

I am just hoping it evens out through the season, we have had terrible luck with decisions in the past five games, wait till we get one lucky decision and all the ABU bandwagon will start about us buying refs...

 

[Danny1982]

Clattenburg.

Easily worst decision this season, And I'm not talking about not sending De Laet off.

 

[littlepeasoup]

Rojo had a good game at CB against QPR though but was shocking at left back today. We can't properly judge his ability until the end of the season though. I think he can go either way.

He played left back against QPR. He didn't look anywhere near as dynamic going forward today.

 

[roykeane19]

When you mix the defence we showed today, with an absolutely horrible ref, you are doomed to loose.

I cant belive we lost after being 3-1 up.

Just seen an opta stat, saying it was the first time in our 853 run in the PL, that we lost a game we were 2 goals up

Unbelievable, how we`re breaking every record in the book

 

[Ace of Spades]

The ref was terrible, and only two of the goals were legitimate. The first had went over the line for a goal kick, and the two penalties should not have been given. De leat should have seen red as well.

That being said, our players to take the blame as well. As soon as the second goal was scored, the players lost composure altogether.

It did not help that the one who seemed to be losing it the most was our captain, who should have tried to calm things down instead of flying off the handle. It was ridiculous.

Our attacking play was great, but we need to find a good defensive line up now. Shaw at LB, Rojo and Jones at CB and Rafael at RB should be our best pairing out of this lot imo.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Shocking decision by the ref. Fecking shit. How he can give one foul and not another baffles me. Totally changed the game. That said, we should have stayed composed when they equalised, but the crowd give Leicester that push, which resulted in them scoring another two. Awful refereeing, though. Big decisions like that, that can feck us up. And people say big decisions only go to the 'big' teams. BS!

says the team that got done by West Ham yesterday. Pathetic jibe really. Its funny how Dzeko did the same thing and they went on to lose 1-0 vs stoke.

What you have to realise, City and Liverpool are nothing teams. When they lose, no one gives a feck because they're small clubs. When we lose, on the other hand, it's massive news, and cnuts like those can't wait to say something because we're Man United.

 

[Jerch]

Well head in the water for a minute to cool a little.

Our attack looks terific. We could scored one or two more. Saying that RVP needs to be dropped. Rooney and Falcao and Mata behind the two will be the starting lineup i think.

We were in control of the game 2/3 of the game and could be 3 up if RVP would control Di Maria pass. We have quality at our disposal and i think this will show during the season andd i am confident that we will be in top 4 by the end of the season.

But our way of attacking makes us vulnerable at the back. We are risking a lot and Leicester had benefited from that as much as they could. 2 goals and their penalties come from taking the ball from us and attack quickly.

LVG said it takes time and i can see it why. The philosophy is what you lot wanted. Play with the ball and attack. Controling the games, attack through the middle and all that and not sitting deep. But it needs time for the players to get used to that. We also had 6 players (Blackett, Rojo, Blind, Di Maria, Herrera and Falcao) in the team which weren't there or in the first team last season. SIX. And when the you have so much changes in the team it takes time.

And penalty mistake. Yes it killed us but we were still one up. No excuses on that. We should still control the game scored one more and not fade away.

 

[bishblaize]

Well, I won't jerk my knee, others seem quite able.

This match didn't really tell us anything we don't know. Going forward we look really good. Measured but potent, I was actually disappointed to only score 3. We weren't even reaching top gear going forward but we still created plenty. Lovely movement from players off the ball and up until the penalty we were controlling the game. 3 goals should win you a game, we can hardly ask for more from them.

At the back, awful. Our first choice defenders probably aren't good enough anyway, but we're even denied those. Blackett had a meltdown, Evans goes off injured, Smalling didn't look fit and both our full backs were poor. Hopefully we'll see Shaw next week, who always struck me as a very solid defender. Not sure what we can do about right back though.

We're going to see a lot of this in the coming season. Not conceding 5 necessarily (hopefully anyway), but simply finding that no matter how good our attack is we're going to keep dropping points while we have this defence. Nothing we can do about it now, and probably not much in January. Just have to make the most of what we have and hope our strikers can save us.

 

[BootsyCollins]

Just seen an opta stat, saying it was the first time in our 853 run in the PL, that we lost a game we were 2 goals up

Unbelievable, how we`re breaking every record in the book

It really is unbelievable.
The pen was soft to say the least, but when you are 3-1 up, away from home especially, you close the got damn shop!

 

[TheGame]

Well, I won't jerk my knee, others seem quite able.

This match didn't really tell us anything we don't know. Going forward we look really good. Measured but potent, I was actually disappointed to only score 3. We weren't even reaching top gear going forward but we still created plenty. Lovely movement from players off the ball and up until the penalty we were controlling the game. 3 goals should win you a game, we can hardly ask for more from them.

At the back, awful. Our first choice defenders probably aren't good enough anyway, but we're even denied those. Blackett had a meltdown, Evans goes off injured, Smalling didn't look fit and both our full backs were poor. Hopefully we'll see Shaw next week, who always struck me as a very solid defender. Not sure what we can do about right back though.

We're going to see a lot of this in the coming season. Not conceding 5 necessarily (hopefully anyway), but simply finding that no matter how good our attack is we're going to keep dropping points while we have this defence. Nothing we can do about it now, and probably not much in January. Just have to make the most of what we have and hope our strikers can save us.

The defending is poor but the manner of total capitulation is worse, how can a team totally collapse like that?

 

[DocRockter]

We aren't ready for referee hand the other team the match yet.. Now that the old guard is no longer there we need to simply strike the opposition down until Carrick is back..

 

[Raw]

what was said?

Generally calling him a monkey.

 

[Vooon]

This match just shows we badly need a new quality CB. Three guys made of glass and an inexperienced 20 year old who isn't quite up for it, will not make it easy for us this season. Rojo looks promising, but had a pretty bad day at the job and needs more time. Another quality addition to the midfield would also be welcomed.

I also think Mata should be played instead of Rooney in the number ten role, he just seems way more suited for sneaking around in tight spaces and is better at picking out passes. His runs into the box from deep also seems better. Even though he scored today, RvP is far from his best form, he had very little constructive going on besides his goal. He seemed to stop the flow of our attacking play when he got the ball.

The ref certainly didn't help either. feck him, and that dirty mohawk, he reminded me of Bellamy.

 

[Jonno]

It genuinely seemed like Clattenberg enjoyed giving the first penalty. If he gave the penalty then anybody could see he should have given the blatant foul on Rafael.

The players lost all shape and the Leicester fans and players sucked the equaliser into the net from Cambiasso. Blackett is a really good young defender but he made a mistake diving in.

I don't understand how people are slating the forward line selection or slating LVG? We scored 3 good goals and Falcao hit the bar. What did Mata do when he came off the bench? He got pushed off the ball in the build up to one of their goals.

I'm not worried at all.

 

[Jev]

Blind looked very good and composed last week when we were bossing but looked shell-shocked today with the tempo and the pressure. Didn't assert himself at all.

Rojo looks suspect, I must say. Everyone is allowed a bad game but he made such basic errors that it's hard to see him as the man to fix our defence once he gets to play CB.

Rafa will get some unwarranted stick but he had a good game and did nothing wrong for that insult of a penalty.

Falcao showed glimpses of his quality but is far off his best. RvP improved a bit but still doesn't deserve to start over Mata at the moment.

Di Maria makes the rest of our team look completely ordinary.

And LVG has disappointed me so far, sadly. There's a lot of potential in our attack but we'll have to score an absurd amount of goals with such a bad defence.

 

[Bloxy]

There was a point where Rafael chested the ball down to Herrera in the box when it was 3-3 and despite not having a Leicester player anywhere near him he panicked and hoofed it. That was the point when I knew we were fecked basically.

No composure.

you're joking right?