[Wheato]

If AWB can't take on, beat or go past a Luton town full-back, then I have concerns for him this season. We are constantly passing it out wide to full-backs who don't take anyone on. They run, stop, then play it backwards. If you don't have the guts to take these lot on, then we need some new wingers.

 

[manunited1919]

So if we win this 0-1, the headline should be The Winning Ugly, The Mark of Champions.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

I'm relieved we're ahead, and I think the players are too. The lack of anything going on on either flank is a real bind for us. No proper combinations between fullback and midfielder, certainly no overlapping runs nor anyone willing to take a man on. Williams nor Lingard look keen to even use their left foot to try a dribble so that negates any threat down that wing when either of them have the ball at their feet. Lingard looked visibly frustrated when he was forced to again play the ball backwards towards the end of the half.

The move involving Williams, Lingard, vdB and Mata's decent shot was encouraging, and to be fair I'd say all those players have shown flashes here and there, but it's not particularly cohesive in attack and we look a bit shaky at the back too. Hopefully we smarten the performance up and get another goal or two in the second half.

 

[Redplane]

It looks like a pre season game
We are so not match fit
Mata and Matic were blowing at the end of that half
How can we look so in fit compared to Man City yesterday

That d be on the coaching staff and not Woody one would think.

 

[sunama]

Fair play to lingard his approach and attitude have been bob on - at least he looks like he’s arsed unlike his Instagram mate Paul on Saturday

Lingard always tries hard. He is naturally fit and can run forever.
The problem is that he can't create/score goals.
When Bruno was purchased and replaced Lingard the difference was night and day and we had a massive turn around.
Lingard is basically doing what we know he can and he does it very well against Championship (or lower) teams.

 

[Dve]

I expect more from the second half. Lingard has been lively, while Fred and Matic look a bit low on energy. VDB good at finding room for himself, but a bit to desire in his one touch passes that does not always find a teammate. Another unimpressive performance by Ighalo so far. I hope to see Greenwood up front after the break.

 

[stu_1992]

Pretty poor so far. Was hoping to see a bit more from Van De Beek but he hasn't been too involved. Hoping for an improved performance in the second half, however I may be clutching at straws. At least we're ahead. Decent penalty by Mata and decent move by Williams to win it.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Ighalo needs to play with another forward. He can do the sole role to a point but he's much more effective with a partner.

 

[Ali Dia]

The way we play overloading into the box, trying to walk it in, is conductive to our getting lots of penos. It’s not really always a good thing. We look short of ideas and we just overload again and again in a disorganised and low risk way.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

If AWB can't take on, beat or go past a Luton town full-back, then I have concerns for him this season. We are constantly passing it out wide to full-backs who don't take anyone on. They run, stop, then play it backwards. If you don't have the guts to take these lot on, then we need some new wingers.

We're maybe the only team in the world who expect our full-backs to take on players constantly 1vs1.

This even goes back to the Mourinho days where Young or Valencia were expected to beat a player while others stood around.

 

[Alemar]

Williams has been awful for the first 40 minutes, but then made a very good low cross and earned a penalty.

 

[oreon]

There's nothing to blame today in terms of tactics or play style..etc. It's that most of our squad options are simply not good enough even against dross they manage to make it always a struggle. Has been like that for about a year now.

This is ridiculous. Everything is always judged relative to something else. Talent wise this team is good enough to easily beat a championship team. You can't use talent as an excuse every time this team underperforms against lower sides. Now, if you want to say fitness, lack of preseason training or tactics, sure you are justified.

We are not playing Barcelona here. If we are playing top side and we outperformed, then it's legitimate to bring up talent into the equation. But not valid when playing a championship team. We don't need Messi to dominate Luton

 

[manunited1919]

If AWB can't take on, beat or go past a Luton town full-back, then I have concerns for him this season. We are constantly passing it out wide to full-backs who don't take anyone on. They run, stop, then play it backwards. If you don't have the guts to take these lot on, then we need some new wingers.

We need new fullbacks indeed.

 

[LJJT]

AWB seen next to nothing of the ball, he’s either invisible or even his own team mates Know how bad he is with it

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

We build our success on getting pens. Can't break anyone down without.

Penalties are literally the result of breaking down a defence.

 

[sammsky1]

It looks like a pre season game
We are so not match fit
Mata and Matic were blowing at the end of that half
How can we look so in fit compared to Man City yesterday

this has all been discussed to death.

 

[Dans]

I think I'll fall sleep before the end of this match.

 

[Silas]

He often drifts across the pitch like that. Don’t know if you remember Januzaj’s goal vs Villa in the second day of the 2015/16 season but it came from Mata moving over the right. It can open up angles for us but we also lose a lot of width on the right at times.

Yeah I totally get that he can help pick locks with his 1-2's and vision, but the bolded issue is seriously exacerbated when our RB is AWB.

 

[Fooza]

I work hard all week but usually look forward to the midweek footy. I genuinely don't consider this worthy of staying up. Rather get to bed and have an early one. Hope we don't bore the CL to death.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

It looks like a pre season game
We are so not match fit
Mata and Matic were blowing at the end of that half
How can we look so in fit compared to Man City yesterday

Not enough drugs and doping.

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

I have problems if a game is on Amazon Prime it goes off all the time.

Don't know about it, never saw game on Amazon, but took 7 days free trial to watch Jose or nothing, thinking about watching Pep or Money..
Btw, I saw iiiiiiiit...
You clicked post reply too soon! Your turn today, tomorrow I will do it again.

 

[Hoof the ball]

People blaming the lack of quality are insane. We're playing Luton. It's Luton. Any excuse other than actually looking at the coaching quality.

Because Mata, Lingard, Ighalo shouldn't be enough to break down a Championship side?

These players, flawed that they are are EASILY enough to get a good performance. It's coaching.

 

[3KDré]

We need new fullbacks indeed.

Would have liked to see Laird today. I get AWB needs fitness but when he plays behind Mata his weaknesses are made worse because he can't take initiative himself.

 

[AndyMUFC]

Too slow and too narrow but got aucky penalty. Hopefully can put them to the sword second half.

 

[sammsky1]

Williams has been awful for the first 40 minutes, but then made a very good low cross and earned a penalty.

nonsense. He was pretty good all half and ended very strongly

 

[He'sRaldo]

Expected performance, really. Nothing surprising so far.

Seen far too many of these slogs to expect anything different.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Don't know about it, never saw game on Amazon, but took 7 days free trial to watch Jose or nothing, thinking about watching Pep or Money..
Btw, I saw iiiiiiiit...
You clicked post reply too soon! Your turn today, tomorrow I will do it again.

I know I was typing desperately hoping you didn't.

 

[FrankDrebin]

We need new fullbacks indeed.

Yep. Williams cuts inside because he's right footed and AWB is just ,well, pragmatic. We need more risks in that department.

 

[3KDré]

People blaming the lack of quality are insane. We're playing Luton. It's Luton. Any excuse other than actually looking at the coaching quality.

Because Mata, Lingard, Ighalo shouldn't be enough to break down a Championship side?

These players, flawed that they are are EASILY enough to get a good performance. It's coaching.

People are too attached to Ole to say it. If you say anything about his average coaching , you're a shit supporter.

 

[keithsingleton]

We look awful and looking like not many goals in this match. No width, no pace and playing like a championship side. Why the feck doesn't Ole get off his arse and give the players a wake up call.

 

[manunited1919]

Fair play to lingard his approach and attitude have been bob on - at least he looks like he’s arsed unlike his Instagram mate Paul on Saturday

TBD Paul had COVID just a few days ago. He shouldn’t have started.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

We need to be working on our triangles in practice. Players receiving the ball should have two options immediately available or showing to them, yet we often spray the ball out wide or up front and the receiving player is left alone 1 v 1. You can break a team down without any flair dribblers if you have an advanced understanding of passing, moving, and space on the pitch. We have none of those things.

While I agree, you need a functional XI for that, with structure, tempo and width.

We have 2 CAMs in the wide positions, a defensive RB on the right and a raw RB on the left. Both Lingard and Mata like drifting inwards, cannot cross, dribble or take a defender on. So they'll look for passing options. Neither Williams nor AWB are making wide runs and the rare moment they do, they can't cross and pass it back again. Ighalo has been poor with his movement and link up play, and VDB is too crowded out.

We're back to a familiar problem of playing square pegs in round holes.

 

[elnorte]

Are being just being realistic when they are praising that first half performance?

 

[onemanarmy]

TBD Paul had COVID just a few days ago. He shouldn’t have started.

True, should have played Donny, he was bought for exactly that reason. Bruno or Paul not ready -> Donny.

 

[Alemar]

nonsense. He was pretty good all half and ended very strongly

Williams was very good all half? He couldn’t do absolutely anything against their defenders while having a lot of the ball (we only attack down the left today). In the last 5 minutes - fair enough

 

[Foxbatt]

Why are we obsessed with the over lapping? If we had good coaching the midfield should be able to break down. Why DVB is struggling is because there is no movement of our players into open space. Tactically he played with much better tactics and coaching.
Mata moving about is not creating any space.

 

[Mailo]

TBD Paul had COVID just a few days ago. He shouldn’t have started.

I agree. I have a player on my team who've just had COVID, and he's completely drained of energy.

 

[FrankDrebin]

While I agree, you need a functional XI for that, with structure, tempo and width.

We have 2 CAMs in the wide positions, a defensive RB on the right and a raw RB on the left. Both Lingard and Mata like drifting inwards, cannot cross, dribble or take a defender on. So they'll look for passing options. Neither Williams nor AWB are making wide runs and the rare moment they do, they can't cross and pass it back again. Ighalo has been poor with his movement and link up play, and VDB is too crowded out.

We're back to a familiar problem of playing square pegs in round holes.

Indeed.

 

[onemanarmy]

Any people who can lipread, can tell what Ole was saying to Carrick?

 

[JPB]

Penalty United