Same here. Night all.
Manchester United vs Real Madrid (Thu 27th July, 01:30 UK time)
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
I would say the big positive is that we're now trying to play the way Ten Hag originally wanted United to play like. Now the team just needs to get better at it, and we need 2 signings (striker+midfield) to get us going.
Pretty poor game from both sides. We were good defensively in the first half, and good offensively in the second (probably just because Bruno moved in to the middle), I think if Bruno played the whole game in midfield we win this.
EtH has to stop with Bruno on the wing.
Also, Onana has already transformed how we can play.
EtH has to stop with Bruno on the wing.
Also, Onana has already transformed how we can play.
This place sucks. De Gea was rubbish and we got rid of him but what do we do next, remind ourselves of what he was good at so we can criticise who replaced him. Almost like we never wanted De Gea to leave.
Would you have preferred to go into the season with a new striker in and Henderson/Heaton as our first choice keeper then?
Schmeichal saves that.
Heaton would be a disaster in goal for a whole season. We would struggle to finish top 6.
Game could have gone either way.
They scored their first from an offside goal while United were down to 10. Then their second while we were disorganised after being up the pitch looking for an equaliser.
I thought we played well overall, apart from the midfield in the first half.
A few meh individual performances, but nothing worth moaning about.
They scored their first from an offside goal while United were down to 10. Then their second while we were disorganised after being up the pitch looking for an equaliser.
I thought we played well overall, apart from the midfield in the first half.
A few meh individual performances, but nothing worth moaning about.
We look a long way from competing at the top table as we are so toothless in attack. Will a 20 year old striker change all that? We need 3 or 4 others to step up. I know its only pre season and we beat Arsenal, but we dont seem to have any nous or quickness in our transition attack, comparing when RM had their first 11 on in the first half to ours.
Decent performance, more than held our own against Madrid throughout the game, but stil need that cutting edge up front.
Heaton wouldn't allow Ten Hag to play the way he envisions United playing. His tactics will be a big reason why we will start to play better. Onana was crucial for that. So no, Heaton would not have done fine in goal if the above would no longer be possible.
I'm not sure we can play well with Casemiro and Eriksen in the same midfield. I swear both get a little slower and less agile every month. Casemiro looks like he did at the end of the season and that was just not very sharp. I'm worried.
- Bellingham was the best player on the pitch.
- I know Antony does not produce much, however, we just are more fun to watch when he is on the left.
- It's possible Sancho could be a good striker. Possible....
- When AWB is playing most teams leave him open and want us to pass to him. That says a whole bunch.
This match showed we are still a notch or two below the best.
- Bellingham was the best player on the pitch.
- I know Antony does not produce much, however, we just are more fun to watch when he is on the left.
- It's possible Sancho could be a good striker. Possible....
- When AWB is playing most teams leave him open and want us to pass to him. That says a whole bunch.
This match showed we are still a notch or two below the best.
Rashford must be slightly worried about Garnacho deep down, think he will definitely end up a better left side option in the near future.
Eriksen is such a luxury player now though, like Juan Mata became. No pace, no strength - can’t be used against top opposition anymore so hopefully Mount who I assumed has been brought in to replace him will get up to speed asap.
At the end of the day, friendly or not we have just played the second best team in the world and that’s the level we aspire to be at once again. It’s never happening without a CF mind, not in a million years.
All in all hopefully Mainoo not injured too bad and we get the new players in soon, this team is still miles behind City and not really ahead of our top 4 competitors so a difficult season ahead for sure. Our biggest issue is scoring and thus far I don’t see that changing and even if we bring in Hojlund, he’ll need to have an amazing debut season to change it.
Disappointing night, but still only pre season even if our glaring competitive issues are still glaring issues in friendlies.
Eriksen is such a luxury player now though, like Juan Mata became. No pace, no strength - can’t be used against top opposition anymore so hopefully Mount who I assumed has been brought in to replace him will get up to speed asap.
At the end of the day, friendly or not we have just played the second best team in the world and that’s the level we aspire to be at once again. It’s never happening without a CF mind, not in a million years.
All in all hopefully Mainoo not injured too bad and we get the new players in soon, this team is still miles behind City and not really ahead of our top 4 competitors so a difficult season ahead for sure. Our biggest issue is scoring and thus far I don’t see that changing and even if we bring in Hojlund, he’ll need to have an amazing debut season to change it.
Disappointing night, but still only pre season even if our glaring competitive issues are still glaring issues in friendlies.
Because strikers don't score goals from thin air. Teams need to create chances for strikers to capitalize. You watched this game with Eriksen being slow and labored in midfield and you think bringing in a new midfielder first was the wrong idea?
You put a striker in that first half, what does he even do when Real have total control of the game and can't even fashion half chances.
Pre season or not.
This is the quality we are going to face in the champions league. Doubtful if we will make it past the group or the second round.
We do not have the elite mentality or the game to face these big giants. We used to be one of them and now we are at least a couple of tiers below.
Ten Hag really had his hands full.
This is the quality we are going to face in the champions league. Doubtful if we will make it past the group or the second round.
We do not have the elite mentality or the game to face these big giants. We used to be one of them and now we are at least a couple of tiers below.
Ten Hag really had his hands full.
Pretty clear that Hojlund won't be enough, we need two strikers. Unless the club has the balls to ignore the noise and bring Greenwood back.
We're going to struggle to score this season. I don't know where the goals are coming from. We don't generate enough chances and the few we make we don't take advantage of.
Eriksen's level is lower half of the table these days. That's fine for a backup option, but we can't rely on him as anything more than that.
The weird thing is that EtH hasn't even tried Mount in his position.
Decent run out. The result comes from things we already know: Casemiro needs a while to get going, Eriksen probably doesn't have the legs anymore, Brandon Williams isn't a Premier League quality football player, we don't have a striker.
Already love what Onana brings to us, and it'll be so much better when he and the defenders are used to each others games. Him, Martinez, Varane and Shaw should be able to make an opposition press look daft most times they try it.
Really hope Mainoo is alright and is fit enough to have a chance at forcing himself into the first team picture in the few friendlies we have left.
Already love what Onana brings to us, and it'll be so much better when he and the defenders are used to each others games. Him, Martinez, Varane and Shaw should be able to make an opposition press look daft most times they try it.
Really hope Mainoo is alright and is fit enough to have a chance at forcing himself into the first team picture in the few friendlies we have left.
I'm not sure Dalot is good enough to be a backup player. He has his moments but usually he is clearly the weakest link in the team.
Bruno and Sancho had awful games. Rest was what we've come to expect. Thought AWB overall was our best performer. Antony and Garnacho looks fresh. They look about the same level as far as wingers go. Exited to see who's going to put up the best numbers.
Bruno and Sancho had awful games. Rest was what we've come to expect. Thought AWB overall was our best performer. Antony and Garnacho looks fresh. They look about the same level as far as wingers go. Exited to see who's going to put up the best numbers.
This post is beyond ridiculous.
I am sure after this performance (and our struggles last season), ETH will be pushing for it even harder.
Onana - 8 - class. Stopping crosses, quality on the ball, some very good saves, could do nothing on the goals
Wan Bissaka - 6 - some very good touches, he's pretty press resistant but also lack of awareness when team plays offside, horrendous in terms of actually building up play and linking up to progress the ball forward.
Varane - 6 - did alright, but struggles on the ball.
Martinez - 6 - quality on the ball, not the best night defensively.
Shaw - 8 - world class footballer
Casemiro - 6 - some very good moments, some sloppy passes. He'll be fine.
Eriksen - 4 - looked like a retiree against their midfield, couldn't not get up to pace
Mount - 5 - did ok off the ball, struggled a bit on it, missed a sitter
Bruno - 4 - had a shocker today, nothing came off
Garnacho - 7 - lone bright spark in attack, great dribbling, some very good shots. Probably should've scored the one chance early on
Rashford - 4 - tough to play against rudiger and Alaba, but they dominated him
Dalot - 6 - I like him more than Wan Bissaka and he helps our build up more
Maguire - 7 - done for pace once but he's had a strong pre season
Lindelof - 6 - fine
Williams - 10 - just battered into everybody. Footballing wise probably a 5.
McTominay - 6 - some very good pieces of play combined with his usual of not knowing when to pass the ball and where to pass it.
Donny - 5 - didn't do much
Sancho - 5 - a couple of good pieces of play but his passing was well off it
Pellistri - 6 - destroyed camavinga on the one move. Didn't do much else
Wan Bissaka - 6 - some very good touches, he's pretty press resistant but also lack of awareness when team plays offside, horrendous in terms of actually building up play and linking up to progress the ball forward.
Varane - 6 - did alright, but struggles on the ball.
Martinez - 6 - quality on the ball, not the best night defensively.
Shaw - 8 - world class footballer
Casemiro - 6 - some very good moments, some sloppy passes. He'll be fine.
Eriksen - 4 - looked like a retiree against their midfield, couldn't not get up to pace
Mount - 5 - did ok off the ball, struggled a bit on it, missed a sitter
Bruno - 4 - had a shocker today, nothing came off
Garnacho - 7 - lone bright spark in attack, great dribbling, some very good shots. Probably should've scored the one chance early on
Rashford - 4 - tough to play against rudiger and Alaba, but they dominated him
Dalot - 6 - I like him more than Wan Bissaka and he helps our build up more
Maguire - 7 - done for pace once but he's had a strong pre season
Lindelof - 6 - fine
Williams - 10 - just battered into everybody. Footballing wise probably a 5.
McTominay - 6 - some very good pieces of play combined with his usual of not knowing when to pass the ball and where to pass it.
Donny - 5 - didn't do much
Sancho - 5 - a couple of good pieces of play but his passing was well off it
Pellistri - 6 - destroyed camavinga on the one move. Didn't do much else
Why? If the 55m was really the difference between getting Kane, I would even extend DeGea for another year.This post is beyond ridiculous.
Pros:
• Our midfield looked fabulous on the counter, pace and chance creation were both there.
• We looked to maintain a pacy game, something we've definitely struggled with previously.
• Not every game is going to offer the atmosphere of a 3am friendly exhibition staged twelve or so hours after we got slapped by a League 2 side brought to you by TikTok™️
Cons:
• The midfield becomes butter when a counter fails, it can't maintain a shape, and suffers from direct assault.
• Defence is still clearly an issue, it was non existent.
• If we were any worse finishing, we'd have to give the whole team little blue pills.
• Our midfield looked fabulous on the counter, pace and chance creation were both there.
• We looked to maintain a pacy game, something we've definitely struggled with previously.
• Not every game is going to offer the atmosphere of a 3am friendly exhibition staged twelve or so hours after we got slapped by a League 2 side brought to you by TikTok™️
Cons:
• The midfield becomes butter when a counter fails, it can't maintain a shape, and suffers from direct assault.
• Defence is still clearly an issue, it was non existent.
• If we were any worse finishing, we'd have to give the whole team little blue pills.
TBH the expectation I had before that match was for Real Madrid to have a handful of more shots on goal and on target than United and for them to boss possession and be a lot more accurate than United in their passing.
The match stats
Shots at goal - 15 each
on target shots - 5 each
Possession 53% to 47% in favour of United
Total passes 575 to 510 in favour of United
Passing accuracy United 89% and Madrid 87%
Those stats points to positive signs in what was a decent work out.
The match stats
Shots at goal - 15 each
on target shots - 5 each
Possession 53% to 47% in favour of United
Total passes 575 to 510 in favour of United
Passing accuracy United 89% and Madrid 87%
Those stats points to positive signs in what was a decent work out.
“Heaton”
Christ you aren’t serious. Also we tried to go for Kane at the start of the window and got told to feck off.
Thought we were the better team. Desperately needing a number 9. Had the better chances dominated play. Still pre-season so that cutting edge and sharpness is not there yet. Very promising
This is mostly agreeable except Shaw. He had a bad first half imo with a few lazy passes and playing our players hospital balls. No way an 8 compared to everyone else as he was definitely not head and shoulders above anyone.
You’re worried after a couple pre season friendlies that casemiro isn’t looking sharp?
feck no. De Gea has been well below a top 6 standard for 5 years. His GK stats last year
Onana’s:
No comparison.
i think we're looking pretty good, looking fit and sharp
just need that striker in asap
just need that striker in asap
Nothing wrong with this. He remains a club asset awaiting for god knows what reason despite the law clearance.
The club has to make a stand now and FAST (given the dire situation of our forward play).
Sell him or use him.
The dilly dallying is sickening.
Play Bruno through the middle in the first half and we would have scored at least one or more.
WOW you don't waste any time
Red Ty!
Many positives to take from that, but we really do need a top striker.