Positivity warning – Next eight games

[Feed Me]

Right fellow Caftards, there’s enough misery in the world without us adding to it, so let’s take a look at where we are at – with some positive framing.

We will leave this game week second or third, six points off Man City – on the assumption they win their game in hand. We would have unquestionably taken being in touch after 21 matches at the start of the season.

Is the team perfect? Clearly not. But there’s good evidence that we’ve built a more robust squad, both when you look at injuries sustained and general togetherness.

We are going through a ropey spell, but even that has to be placed into context – in the last five, draws against Liverpool and Arsenal away are decent enough, and the frustration is that we should have won which probably on some level indicates our progress. Yes, the Sheff U defeat was poor, but we beat Fulham and also progressed in the FA Cup. In previous times, a poor run would have resulted in multiple defeats and a general feeling of everything completely going to pot – there’s no real feeling of farce this time round.

Our next eight matches, taking us through to the end of Feb:

Soton - W
Everton - W
West Ham (FAC) - W
West Brom - W
Real Sociedad (EL) - D
Newcastle - W
Real Sociedad (EL) - W
Chelsea - D

Progress in the cups, 13 points from 15 in the league, with both City and Pool having some testing fixtures and resumption of the CL.

What say ye, Caftards?

 

[norm87cro]

I will be honest with you. I just saw the 5 prem games and Chelsea are very much beatable.

 

[meamth]

Right fellow Caftards, there’s enough misery in the world without us adding to it, so let’s take a look at where we are at – with some positive framing.

We will leave this game week second or third, six points off Man City – on the assumption they win their game in hand. We would have unquestionably taken being in touch after 21 matches at the start of the season.

Is the team perfect? Clearly not. But there’s good evidence that we’ve built a more robust squad, both when you look at injuries sustained and general togetherness.

We are going through a ropey spell, but even that has to be placed into context – in the last five, draws against Liverpool and Arsenal away are decent enough, and the frustration is that we should have won which probably on some level indicates our progress. Yes, the Sheff U defeat was poor, but we beat Fulham and also progressed in the FA Cup. In previous times, a poor run would have resulted in multiple defeats and a general feeling of everything completely going to pot – there’s no real feeling of farce this time round.

Our next eight matches, taking us through to the end of Feb:

Soton - W
Everton - W
West Ham (FAC) - W
West Brom - W
Real Sociedad (EL) - D
Newcastle - W
Real Sociedad (EL) - W
Chelsea - D

Progress in the cups, 16 points from 18 in the league, with both City and Pool having some testing fixtures and resumption of the CL.

What say ye, Caftards?

I'd take that. For sure.

 

[DickDastardly]

On paper, sure.

In reality....who the feck knows?!
5 days ago we conceded 2 goals to the poorest team in the league.

I, personally, do not expect as many points as you do.
Here is to hoping.

 

[Feed Me]

On paper, sure.

In reality....who the feck knows?!
5 days ago we conceded 2 goals to the poorest team in the league.

I, personally, do not expect as many points as you do.
Here is to hoping.

Where do you think the banana skins and dropped points are?

I think Everton and Chelsea look the most likely games to balls up.

Saints are in a wretched run of form, Newcastle and Albion are bottom five (yes, I know Sheff U are too, but generally we dispose of these teams well).

Even Everton, we have had their number this season.

All of this is obviously predicated on us being able to find some attacking spark – I would field Rashford-Cavani-Greenwood as much as possible up front, as it’s the best balanced attacking trio we currently have.

 

[King7Eric]

People need to stop getting carried away in either direction. There are gonna be many more swings in this season. Looking at our next 4 league games and City's next 4, I wouldn't be surprised if we are back above them by the end of this run of games.

 

[Feed Me]

People need to stop getting carried away in either direction. There are gonna be many more swings in this season. Looking at our next 4 league games and City's next 4, I wouldn't be surprised if we are back above them by the end of this run of games.

So do you agree with me that we are about to go on a winning run again?

 

[DickDastardly]

Where do you think the banana skins and dropped points are?

I think Everton and Chelsea look the most likely games to balls up.

Saints are in a wretched run of form, Newcastle and Albion are bottom five (yes, I know Sheff U are too, but generally we dispose of these teams well).

Even Everton, we have had their number this season.

All of this is obviously predicated on us being able to find some attacking spark – I would field Rashford-Cavani-Greenwood as much as possible up front, as it’s the best balanced attacking trio we currently have.

Not trying to be negative, but, i can't see us winning easily any of this games.

We haven't really won an easy game this season, except for Leeds, and that's because they were really open to it.

If we finally dispose a team with ease, i'm gonna start sharing your positivity.

Control the game from start to finish.

 

[Feed Me]

Not trying to be negative, but, i can't see us winning easily any of this games.

We haven't really won an easy game this season, except for Leeds, and that's because they were really open to it.

If we finally dispose a team with ease, i'm gonna start sharing your positivity.

Control the game from start to finish.

I do wish we could control games with a bit more ease too. But I think this strange season has resulted in a levelling out effect across the league. I would say we had fairly good control of the Arsenal game yesterday tbh, barring a ropey spell at the beginning of the second half. Our attack isn’t firing, we struggle to put in daylight when it comes to our score lines and that makes games feel closer than perhaps they should be.

 

[DickDastardly]

I do wish we could control games with a bit more ease too. But I think this strange season has resulted in a levelling out effect across the league. I would say we had fairly good control of the Arsenal game yesterday tbh, barring a ropey spell at the beginning of the second half. Our attack isn’t firing, we struggle to put in daylight when it comes to our score lines and that makes games feel closer than perhaps they should be.

I agree, we had a good game yesterday.

If our front 3 (and that's without Martial!) start putting in those chances, then yes, i believe we could be within touching distance.

That however, is something which is not guaranteed.

 

[Feed Me]

I agree, we had a good game yesterday.

If our front 3 (and that's without Martial!) start putting in those chances, then yes, i believe we could be within touching distance.

That however, is something which is not guaranteed.

I think Ole needs to stop picking imbalanced teams - Rashford on the right is a waste. Play Edi consistently through the middle, Rashford on the left dovetails well with Pogba and Shaw. On the right, Greenwood isn’t in brilliant form but we don’t have many other options. Why not be a gambler and give Amad a cameo?

I would also make a slight tweak in midfield and ditch the double pivot - have Fred or Matic hold, depending on the opposition (Matic against a low block) - and then Pogba and McTom as two 8s.

 

[buckooo1978]

feck knows

We could win, lose or draw any of those fixtures and therein lies the problem

I've never known a United team who build momentum with so many wins from behind just to throw it away with limp, spiritless, spineless displays....

Forget status I'd be picking the hungrier players, the players who will play if they life depends on it. Play a natural right sided player too please. Diallo can't be far away.

 

[G-MUFC]

We'll go on another decent run again soon, after we drop further away from the top and the pressure then becomes a lot lower. We'll then choke again when the pressure is put back on us. This team cannot handle real pressure and expectation. This team will never get close to winning the PL or CL unfortunately which is the level that 'the biggest club in the world' should be at.

This team failed to capitalise on a very depleted Liverpool and Arsenal side. If Liverpool played us with their full team and we had two midfielders at CB they would ruthlessly destroy us.

 

[Feed Me]

We'll go on another decent run again soon, after we drop further away from the top and the pressure then becomes a lot lower. We'll then choke again when the pressure is put back on us. This team cannot handle real pressure and expectation. This team will never get close to winning the PL or CL unfortunately which is the level that 'the biggest club in the world' should be at.

This team failed to capitalise on a very depleted Liverpool and Arsenal side. If Liverpool played us with their full team and we had two midfielders at CB they would ruthlessly destroy us.

I saw Keane and Carragher were saying similar yesterday, a little unfairly in my mind.

Is it not just a case that this is where this team is at in its development? You don’t become a battle hardened winning machine over night.

 

[Mainoldo]

That’s title contending form. So we all know it’s not going to happen.

 

[Feed Me]

That’s title contending form. So we all know it’s not going to happen.

But we are literally in second and in manageable distance of the leader...

 

[LuisNaniencia]

In a weird way we look more likely to beat teams who try to play football like Southampton and Everton than the relegation scrappers.

 

[Mainoldo]

But we are literally in second and in manageable distance of the leader...

Cool. We’ll see end of Feb.

I could say we are second with the worse defence in the top 11. But obviously I’d be lacking context.

 

[G-MUFC]

I saw Keane and Carragher were saying similar yesterday, a little unfairly in my mind.

Is it not just a case that this is where this team is at in its development? You don’t become a battle hardened winning machine over night.

We've been saying for a long time now "we're building for next season" whenever we have a poor run of results. We'll say the same next season too when City or Liverpool are walking the league. It's such a poor attitude for the supposedly worlds biggest football club to have.

If we want to develop into a team that win's the league and champions league we need to start winning these type of games or at least putting in a positive performance. We've looked genuinely scared of going forward against all top six teams this season in the league.

But we are literally in second and in manageable distance of the leader...

West Ham, Aston Villa and Everton can say the same! They won't win the title and neither will we.

 

[King7Eric]

So do you agree with me that we are about to go on a winning run again?

I think so. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if we are top come the end of February.

 

[Feed Me]

Cool. We’ll see end of Feb.

I could say we are second with the worse defence in the top 11. But obviously I’d be lacking context.

I’m not going to argue with you about the defensive record. 27 goals is a poor GA tally. But I find that we tend to concede our goals in dramatic gluts. In recent times, we have kept clean sheets against Wolves, Burnley, Liverpool and Arsenal for example. We need to cut out silly individual errors and always look better with a consistent selection at the back. No coincidence in my mind that the Sheff U farce coincided with Axel and Telles starting.

 

[Feed Me]

In a weird way we look more likely to beat teams who try to play football like Southampton and Everton than the relegation scrappers.

Yep, but most teams will struggle against unambitious low block teams. City really toiled against Sheff U yesterday for example.

 

[Kazi]

Let’s just focus on winning one match for now.

 

[Feed Me]

We've been saying for a long time now "we're building for next season" whenever we have a poor run of results. We'll say the same next season too when City or Liverpool are walking the league. It's such a poor attitude for the supposedly worlds biggest football club to have.

If we want to develop into a team that win's the league and champions league we need to start winning these type of games or at least putting in a positive performance. We've looked genuinely scared of going forward against all top six teams this season in the league.



West Ham, Aston Villa and Everton can say the same! They won't win the title and neither will we.

We have a great deal more points on the board than West Ham, AV and Everton. I would rather have points in the bag than games in hand - this season especially.

I know what you mean about the “jam tomorrow” mentality, but closing the gap and growing a winning mentality is an organic process, and we are unquestionably better off than 12 months ago.

 

[Feed Me]

I think so. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if we are top come the end of February.

My man!

 

[Counterfactual]

But we are literally in second and in manageable distance of the leader...

I'd give us more hope of staying in touch if City weren't on this run...

Unlike our successful run, that's just 3 goals conceded in 12 games while scoring 31.

Let's be honest, our results never looked like that. Our biggest winning sequence was 4.

 

[Mainoldo]

I’m not going to argue with you about the defensive record. 27 goals is a poor GA tally. But I find that we tend to concede our goals in dramatic gluts. In recent times, we have kept clean sheets against Wolves, Burnley, Liverpool and Arsenal for example. We need to cut out silly individual errors and always look better with a consistent selection at the back. No coincidence in my mind that the Sheff U farce coincided with Axel and Telles starting.

You say that but let’s be honest we don’t concede when we decide a point is good enough. All those teams you mentioned we tactically set up to stop them playing. So really we could just do that until the end of the season but we won’t score any goals unless it’s a moment of magic on the cuff. I don’t believe we will do this so the defence will be a problem until the end of the season. Until we play City again obviously and shut up shop.

 

[Feed Me]

I'd give us more hope of staying in touch if City weren't on this run...

Unlike our successful run, that's just 3 goals conceded in 12 games while scoring 31.

Let's be honest, our results never looked like that. Our biggest winning sequence was 4.

So that’s an 8 match winning sequence in the league. I bet our best run wasn’t far off that. They’re in the driving seat, I’m not disputing that, but they also have some taxing fixtures coming up. Plenty to play for, but we need to sort ourselves out and get back onto a winning run. Lest we forget that we’ve only lost something like 1 in 14 in the league.

 

[Judas]

Nothing surprises me with this team. I doubt we'd lose them all, more likely to win them all, but a proper mixture of the two would be my safest bet.

The home games I worry most about, I could totally see us losing to Newcastle for example, it screams stinker.

 

[Counterfactual]

So that’s an 8 match winning sequence in the league. I bet our best run wasn’t far off that.

Four straight league wins is our best this season.

 

[Judge Red]

City’s league fixtures for February are:

Burnley (a)
Liverpool (h)
Spurs (a)
Arsenal (a)
West Ham (h)

15 points from that would be outstanding. Then their first match of March is against us. So even though we’ve already messed it up, winning the next two games and seeing what happens between City and Liverpool is essential. Anything else and we’re out of the conversation and in the middle of another disastrous run.

 

[Feed Me]

Four straight league wins is our best this season.

Sure, but I’m sure we’ve done something like 6 wins and 2 draws in 8.

 

[Denis' cuff]

I'd give us more hope of staying in touch if City weren't on this run...

Unlike our successful run, that's just 3 goals conceded in 12 games while scoring 31.

Let's be honest, our results never looked like that. Our biggest winning sequence was 4.

Look at the opposition in most of those

 

[Feed Me]

City’s league fixtures for February are:

Burnley (a)
Liverpool (h)
Spurs (a)
Arsenal (a)
West Ham (h)

15 points from that would be outstanding. Then their first match of March is against us. So even though we’ve already messed it up, winning the next two games and seeing what happens between City and Liverpool is essential. Anything else and we’re out of the conversation and in the middle of another disastrous run.

People won’t want to hear it but City have essentially won winnable games of late - and all credit to them for that, but those forthcoming fixtures you’ve listed will be a big old acid test, especially when you factor in the return of CL football.

As you say though, we need to do our own job and that means getting wins on the board in the next four league matches. We’ve had a lull but I would not say our form is dreadful.

 

[Okey]

I'm on this boat with the OP. Citeh are gonna drop points in February. Up to us to cash in and return to form. I'm looking at you misfiring strikers.

 

[Feed Me]

I'm on this boat with the OP. Citeh are gonna drop points in February. Up to us to cash in and return to form. I'm looking at you misfiring strikers.

To my mind, it’s all on the strikers now. I’m not sure what we can do to get them into form though. One thing is for sure – we need Cavani consistently at the apex, and then Rashford or Martial on the left - they shouldn’t feature anywhere else in the team in my mind. I’d give Diallo a whirl. It’s the sort of gamble SAF would have taken to change the dynamic a bit.

 

[Feed Me]

From Barney Ronay in The Guardian:

Elsewhere Marcus Rashford has one goal in nine games, Anthony Martial one in 11, Mason Greenwood one in 13.

The forwards are absolutely killing us.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Is it weird that I am more confident for Chelsea away than I am for Southampton at home.

 

[Feed Me]

Is it weird that I am more confident for Chelsea away than I am for Southampton at home.

Totally normal with this United team.

Thing is, we are historically poor at SB and you’d expect them to be in good rhythm under Tuchel in a month’s time.

 

[Siorac]

From Barney Ronay in The Guardian:


The forwards are absolutely killing us.

Yet you ask which games we see as potential banana skins in this next run. The answer is obviously all of them: if your attackers can't score, it's extremely difficult to win games.