[11101]

Around the 20 minute mark I was wondering why McTominay wasn't in the squad tonight, then i noticed his shirt number. He's been totally anonymous.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

Christ Richard Keys has put on a bit of timber! Looks like the penguin.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Think our set-up is too dependent on countering, which won't happen as much at home. It's not really worth having Greenwood on if we're not doing that.

 

[Untd55]

Fred is playing too deep. Matic for McTominay; switch Matic to the deepest position. If we are still struggling to create any chances, bring on Van De Beek. It will leave us more open but we might be able to something else.

Arsenal are pressing much better than Leipzig.

 

[Maureen-yo]

I think we need someone to link the play, Pogba is playing like the pitch topped with cement

He's probably the only player that's had a decent pass completion % in that midfield so far. McT is causing the issues, time to bring vdb in leave one DM, take the game higher up the pitch.

 

[Scorpy]

Wasted half with the wrong formation. Hopefully things are changed early on in the second half as at the moment Arsenal seem far likelier to score than us.

 

[RUCK4444]

Partey has been alright but I don’t think he’s been as amazing as the commentators are making it out to be..

I think Arsenal have been basic, we’ve just been fecking shocking. I mean we can’t put two passes together without giving the ball away.

 

[Random Task]

All 4 midfielders playing poor and the diamond highlights how bad our fullbacks are on the ball.

Are we even playing a diamond? We may have started off the game that way, but the last 15 minutes of that half saw Mct and Fred playing alongside one another at DM.

It looks more like a 4-2-2-2 for me, and a disjointed one at that.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

We shit the bed anytime a team presses us, not good enough. We must have passed the ball straight to them about 20 times in the 1st half, really sloppy. We have step it up 2nd half need to keep the ball better and start winning those 2nd balls, no excuse not to considering we’ve 4 midfielders on the pitch.

 

[Tom Cato]

Not able to watch this today. Is Ole being labeled incompetent again? How are the boys playing?

 

[tjb]

Honeslt, blame Mctominay and Fred all you want, but their role is defensive. The real issue here is Pogba. He's supposed to be helping them build out from the back as that is where we struggle. Even his press from the left side has been poor.He's just been a passanger. Bruno shouldnt be coming deep to help out the defence in this formation, that should have been Pogba.

 

[Adam-Utd]

We are the worst pressing team in the league

We get close, but then stand off

I think we realise if they get behind our midfield then the defence will be retreating and they’ll just have an easy run straight to the goal. We don’t pretty properly and do it half assed, it’s really pointless.

 

[drunkmonkmeth]

I liked what I'd seen of the diamond until now, it gets key players in to their best position and theory gives an opportunity to put more creative players in the side than the 4-2-3-1 (where the Fred and McTominay axis is so safe and so limited), but it really hasn't worked today. Telles for Shaw in the coming games will be an improvement but we just aren't having enough of the ball and certainly high up the field, I'm not sure if a chance in midfield might help that to some extent.

It's disappointing that giving up most of the territory and the ball and looking to counter is our approach to every game against a half decent side now but it's been the case for more than 4 years.

Shaw has prob been our best player

 

[NJM78]

Think our set-up is too dependent on countering, which won't happen as much at home. It's not really worth having Greenwood on if we're not doing that.

Our one trick pony tactic.

 

[passing-wind]

We’re playing a diamond today?

Yes clearly the team shape is a 41212 Mctomminay has been useless hence nothings come from it, this narrow way of playing will not work against every opposition because we lack width.

 

[Deery]

Disagree. Look at his zoning and marking of the runners. He's been almost flawless.

He’s been alright hasn’t had much to do mind

 

[tippex]

Cavani for Pogba and Matic for Fred

4-3-3 for me

There is no way Mctominey can stay on the pitch silly playing fred where we are he’s wasted there

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

We are the worst pressing team in the league

We get close, but then stand off

Literally annoying to watch.

We just made it so easy for them to build up from the back.

Either commit fully or just back off even more.

This half press nonsense is stupid.

 

[Lennon7]

Pogba off for Cavani at half time I think. Front 3 with Bruno - McT - Fred. If the latter two in that midfield 3 are still not doing it in the second half then off for VdB. Would be very open in midfield then though.

 

[Machine Elements]

We're the ultimate underdog team no matter where or who we're playing against. Set up to quick counters only. Van Gaal was right. We only know how to counter attack.

 

[Judas]

Greenwood showing he's still a very young inexperienced player. He's struggled, I'd probably get Cavani on for him pretty sharpish.

 

[croadyman]

Who are those impostors playing for us in the champions league

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Very poor half, but if we're taking positives I think Arteta will be rueing those missed chances while we will feel lucky to be 0-0. Put that half to bed, make a change to the formation and/personnel if needed and take the game to them in the second half.

 

[RedSky]

Pace and accuracy from out ball work is very poor. Shape of our midfield doesn’t help it appears

Yep, very little options when our players get the ball remotely near the half way line and Arsenal press so quickly that our player either needs to turn and run with the ball or play it off quickly. But given Arsenal are marking out the easier passes it leads to our players either giving the ball away with a lazy pass or trying something more difficult and still giving it away. The shape is the issue, Arsenal have setup well to counter it and are pressing very well. Either way, they'll tire in the 2nd half and we won't come out that poor so I feel like it was a missed opportunity for Arsenal that half.

 

[Renegade]

What about the fact we've no wingers?

Greenwood and Rashford put up good numbers out wide last season. Let’s not pretend they’re not wide players.

 

[M16Red]

Currently, it's 5 vs 4 in midfield in favor for Arsenal and it show we are getting nowhere without playing a long ball and their three CBs so far have a pretty good grip on our two strikers.

Consider changing to a 352 in the second half as well by brining telles for Fred who is going to get sent off if he keeps playing like that and go with

de Gea
Lindelöf -- Maguire -- Shaw
AWB --------------- McTom -------------- Telles
Bruno --------- Pogba
Rashford -- Greenwood

​

Yes, no one would go near Telles with Covid

 

[OneUnited24]

We’re playing a diamond today?

It’s looked like a 433 to me. One thing I have to say is I don’t like Fred as a DMF. Nor do I like mctom right of midfield.

sigh we really need to win today to start climbing the table but it doesn’t look like it

 

[Tarrou]

we'd better make a change at HT as this clearly isn't working

 

[Andersonson]

Shaw is being left alone with two players quite often. Pogba needs to be more in his correct position and back up Shaw.

Fred and McTom too narrow

 

[Berbasbullet]

Not able to watch this today. Is Ole being labeled incompetent again? How are the boys playing?

We’ve been awful, honestly.

 

[Revan]

McT has been useless, and AWB as usual, quite bad at anything that does not involve tackling. Lindelof good until he fecked up and we almost conceded. Pogba and Bruno need to do more.

 

[glazed]

I think Arsenal have been basic, we’ve just been fecking shocking. I mean we can’t put two passes together without giving the ball away.

That's because of their high press.

 

[groovyalbert]

Great chance for Cavani and VDB to really announce themselves this half.

 

[Micky Targaryen]

Partey is a steal for Arsenal. Has been excellent - would have been excellent for us.

First time watching Partey and he looks great. It also helps his cause that our midfield is making him shine like a feckin diamond. Nevertheless would’ve loved him in our squad.

 

[dal]

I think we just need to change the formation and either put pogba up to or on the right.

4231 and we will have a lot more space to play suddenly.

 

[Drainy]

There is no way Mctominey can stay on the pitch silly playing fred where we are he’s wasted there

Fred is on a tightrope for a red.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

They had the cross across the face of goal that aubameyang just missed.

The shot by Willian that hit the bar

The totally free header inside the 6 yard box.

The one where Lindelof just got a touch before lacazette could shoot.

We've had that one Greenwood shot from a tight angle.

We're lucky it's 0-0

 

[Igor Drefljak]

Literally annoying to watch.

We just made it so easy for them to build up from the back.

Either commit fully or just back off even more.

This half press nonsense is stupid.

I'd rather have you in the Fifa thread than in here !

But I agree. The half press just leaves gaps in the midfield, where we're getting dominated. Either commit to the press, or stand off and wait for mistakes. So weird

 

[arnie_ni]

Given they need to rely on recovery pace and fouling, I would say they are not good enough off the ball either.

They generally are and thats why the get picked, but when teams press high, maguire, lindeloff, fred and mct cant slide a pass through them to the front players.

Maguire is comfortable on the ball, he isnt good on it imo.

 

[Sara125]

In the Leipzig game they were pressing exactly how Arsenal are and we managed to turn it around in the second half. Here’s hoping we see a repeat...