good test this. Some of the uglier parts of our game such as Fred pondering on the ball and the passive, slow nature of our defenders is starting to show. Up to our team now to continue with what ETH has been teaching. Do we keep our heads and continue the game plan or do we fold and revert to zombie football?
Manchester United 2:2 Steven Gerrard's Villa (Sat 23rd July, 10:45 UK time)
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Yeah have to say. He's been rubbish.
Slippy Me desperately looking for his football boots on the bench. Perfect conditions for him to be out there on the pitch.
He's useless.
Fred and Donny off please, neither come come out for the second half.
Donny 
Love the mud Olympics.
Playing with 10 men was grand in the first half when Villa were asleep. But they've woken up now so can we ditch Donny for preferably Garner but otherwise absolutely anyone else.
We look nervous about the conditions and are being quite passive at the moment.
It is, but look at the lack of effort with which Shaw runs back, and then arrives a second after he's taken the shot. If he'd actually bothered to sprint back he would've been there once Bailey turned inside to take the shot and we'd have said "nicely done by Lindelöf to slow him down until he's being helped out".
Funny that you’re showing knowing nothing too, but with a high and mighty attitude.
The fact is Lindelof backed off too far. He would have been wrong to dive in but he was also wrong to stand so far off and give him all the time in the world.
Surely Savage or Iqbal can come on and do a better job than Van de Beek.
Bailey is a bit lively
what is this pitch
Shaw did well to stop that overlap pass
What a fecking save
I really like Sancho but one thing I will say is that guy is so afraid of a tackle.
Pulls out of every 50 50
Pulls out of every 50 50
We look terrible this half.
Horrible camera work jesus
Fred is hopeless.
Donny probably isn't good enough. But neither is anyone else we have in midfield
Martial has pressed more and tackled better in the midfield than donny....MARTIAL
All Villa so far in this half
We've reverted to our old selves here at the moment.
Bailey received the ball just inside the United half and by the time he took the shot, Lindelof was in our penalty area! Far too passive, you can't just allow a forward to run 40 yards, cut-inside a take a shot. Should have engaged 15/20 yards from our box and forced him to go wide...it's simple stuff really
Our touch has been terrible this second half. Ball is just bouncing off our players.
Donny has assumed the Pogba role it seems.
The players aren't able to control the ball.
Bailly has had us on toast. bite
I'd Imagine Martinez going for the tackle there. He gets the ball, great. He doesn't and Bailey goes past him, he's through on goal
Martial has pressed more and tackled better in the midfield than donny....MARTIAL
Not surprised by that. DvB has just been floating around since the starr
Don't disrespect Pogba like that.
He knows he's talking bullshit but some people just can't help but defend their countryman. If that was Maguire we wouldnt hear the end of it for a month
Both teams should have refused to come out for the second half. How can you prepare for top level football on a surface like that. Serious injury risk also.
I could not give a feck how Madrid fans treat their players...they booed Bale which shows what fecking morons they are!
I've never seen a midfielder have such little impact on a game of football than van de Beek regularly does, just a waste of money that signing was.Martial has pressed more and tackled better in the midfield than donny....MARTIAL
Are we seriously giving reviews for preseason? Just relax guys, ETH will only take the players out if they are starting to show fatigue.
Nearly a 2nd OG by Villa there
Great low cross by Sancho
Great low cross by Sancho
The job of a centre-back is to stop the opponent from entering dangerous positions. I have seen my share of top CBs over the years and they would rather take the initiative to stop the opponent with a tackle rather than hope for someone to help at all, especially when that help is as slow as Maguire.