[Silverman]

I hope we never play on a Thursday again.

 

[kouroux]

I hope we never play on a Thursday again.

I couldn't agree any more. This schedule has fecked me up for months

 

[StBruno]

Delighted we are through - think of the teams all over Europe who would love to be in our shoes tonight - at the end of the day it’s about winning something

 

[United492]

We don't have a second gear. its either go full pelt or be really shit.

Big reason why we keep going behind in games too..
Big problem.. but other than that.. finals.. great..

That is 2 gears to be fair

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Absolutely delighted to be in a European final.

It wasn't a great result or performance. And although that wasn't the important thing tonight - we got through and got to rest some players while doing it - I do worry that it's reflective of how the other three games in our crazy schedule may go over the next week.

The other couple of times that have been referenced when, under Fergie, we had similarly mad spells, we seemed to mostly get draws and defeats. And if we try to shuffle our pack throughout the 4 games, then I can see similarly disjointed performances and it making the difference between some close wins and narrow defeats.

Ideally, we'd focus on picking our strongest teams for two of them, and huge changes for the other, rather than go half and half for all three. However, the obvious one to make big changes for would be the middle game which, based on the table, is our biggest direct rival for 2nd spot and so the very one we shouldn't throw (although I know the argument for it is to screw Liverpool for top 4).

 

[city-puma]

Pogba was awful to play as one of midfield two if the opponents press high. I don’t know why not to start Matic in this game.

 

[charlenefan]

don't know how to upload the image but their winner really does look offside

 

[Foxbatt]

I enjoyed the match very much. Only because we had such a big lead and Bailly was pure comedy. You never knew what he was going to do next.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

Piss poor defensive performance from our lot tonight. Pogba anonymous and provided no cover, we can't play him in DM anymore, his skills just don't suit that role. Let's hope we perform better in the final, they deserve a bollocking for that.

And on a night like this, Pogba's energy is sorely lacking to handle that type of role.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

I enjoyed the match very much. Only because we had such a big lead and Bailly was pure comedy. You never knew what he was going to do next.

I truly have no idea why we signed him up again. I know Tuanzabe is young but can't he do a job when needed? Do we all forgot how he played vs PSG in the 1st leg? I know he het gets hurt, but Bailly is pretty crocked too.

 

[Dargonk]

Poor performance, where DDG bailed us out far to often, but at the end of the day we are through to the final.

 

[cyril C]

I truly have no idea why we signed him up again. I know Tuanzabe is young but can't he do a job when needed? Do we all forgot how he played vs PSG in the 1st leg? I know he het gets hurt, but Bailly is pretty crocked too.

Don't you know this is called a new contract syndrome. Every time when a player get a new contract, he goes to a diving platform. Rooney, Jones, Rojo, Matic, DDG, and Jones again, just to remind everyone.

 

[cyril C]

Only conclusion is, the bit part players VDB included, really let themselves down, comparing with Aguero...

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

don't know how to upload the image but their winner really does look offside

Joined: 2005

 

[Number32]

don't know how to upload the image but their winner really does look offside

Yeah, he was miles offside. I'm still baffling why there is no a single media was talking about this.

 

[Bondi77]

Apart from De Gea and two great goals by Ed we were bloody awful!

 

[lex talionis]

We went into the second leg believing we had a 6-2 lead. It’s a good thing we actually did.

 

[hobbers]

De Gea made 8 top drawer saves and at least half of them go in on any other night. Absolutely vile defensive performance.

Shows why Pogba shouldn't ever play in a deeper role. Why we need to bring in a proper quality holding midfielder to replace Fred (and/or McTominay). Why Bailly isn't worth the new contract. Why Telles hasn't gotten a sniff of football the last few months (and the same goes for VdB). And why Williams doesn't have a long term future here.

 

[Isotope]

don't know how to upload the image but their winner really does look offside

Just drag or upload to this

https://imgbb.com/

 

[Marcus]

We are through to the finals with no suspensions and rested some players with a ridiculous schedule upcoming. Job done. No complaints.

 

[Bondi77]

We are through to the finals with no suspensions and rested some players with a ridiculous schedule upcoming. Job done. No complaints.

If I never watched the game and just go by results I would think the same.

 

[charlenefan]

Joined: 2005

It used to be easy but I don't think this site allows https images? And every site is https now :/

 

[Berbasbullet]

Yeah, he was miles offside. I'm still baffling why there is no a single media was talking about this.

Is matic not keeping him on?

 

[mitchmouse]

So we finally play well in a first half... only to be pretty damn poor in the second! If we could actually go for 90 minutes we might be quite a good side

I didn't think we were ever in great danger and have no idea how we contrived to let in three goals (no doubt in my mind their winner was offside, thought it a full-speed first time round and still believe it now. VAR seemed to take an age with our goals, even the second one where I was more offside than Cavani, yet we don't see any hint of it being used for their third.

Seriously, we seemed in control for the first 45 mins even given DDG's excellent stops (in truth he knew very little about two or three of them and got lucky but a save is a save; he was totally lost at one cross when Miki flew in and just missed it) but then went into hibernation in the second half. Need to play well in both halves if we are to win this and challenge for the title next season.

Obvious positives were Cavani (he is a joy to watch, I'd love to at a game and just watch him: bring back "player cam" Sky!!), DDG's best game in about two years, and Pogba controlling things.

I don't know enough to predict the final but we can be pretty sure of Ole's team if their are no injuries...

 

[stevoc]

I don't understand why anyone was worried. Cavani's 2nd sealed the deal.

- Note to Ole: don't play Telles and Williams in the same match
- I wish we had a 26 year old Matic, we would be so good
- Why does Cavani have a band aid on his face? Must be a really bad zit.
- Worse game by Shaw in a long time but who cares
- Greenwood was pretty sloppy
- DDG was very good and lucky
- Too bad our unbeaten away streak is over

Job done and on to a FINAL!

That's just in the league. We lost to Leicester in the cup a few weeks ago.

 

[Crimson King]

De Gea made 8 top drawer saves and at least half of them go in on any other night. Absolutely vile defensive performance.

Shows why Pogba shouldn't ever play in a deeper role. Why we need to bring in a proper quality holding midfielder to replace Fred (and/or McTominay). Why Bailly isn't worth the new contract. Why Telles hasn't gotten a sniff of football the last few months (and the same goes for VdB). And why Williams doesn't have a long term future here.

Pogba looked so slow last night...I don't want to make excuses for him, but maybe fasting was affecting his energy levels? He looked so off the pace, they were just bursting past him constantly, and he offered very little cover to the backline. It also didn't help that Maguire had one of those games where he didn't seem to know where he was half the time either...

I don't like Pogba in the deep role at all. We've seen this season that he's far more effective when he's one of the first lines of defence, rather than the last.

 

[cyberman]

Yeah, he was miles offside. I'm still baffling why there is no a single media was talking about this.

Camera angle. If you can picture the camera panning around you can envision the line straightening up.
Edit use the box to keep a line straight from Matics foot down and youll see he is on. Close though

 

[stevoc]

I hope we never play on a Thursday again.

We play next Thursday.

 

[Yakuza_devils]

The question is who scouted DVB. He is not even a squad player. He is rarely being used even though we have so many games this entire season. Square pegs in a round holes again. I swear we have so many such players after SAF retire.

 

[stevoc]

Camera angle. If you can picture the camera panning around you can envision the line straightening up.
Edit use the box to keep a line straight from Matics foot down and youll see he is on. Close though

Yeah looks like Matic's foot is playing him on.

 

[Ayoba]

I didnt see any of the players celebrating? Seemed a little flat at FT.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I didnt see any of the players celebrating? Seemed a little flat at FT.

Think they know it means nothing unless they win it. Win the final and then they can celebrate.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

I didnt see any of the players celebrating? Seemed a little flat at FT.

Why would you celebrate a loss? Plus it means feck all really until you win the trophy.
A huge monkey off Ole’s back though and they should have the belief that it’s there for them if they perform. Arsenal should have won in all honesty but the tactics/ formation and tinkering played right into Villarreal’s hands. Arsenal beat themselves

 

[SATA]

Villarreal players were celebrating and jumping around like mad like they have won the thing. Can’t really fault them as they hung on with a quite heroic away performance

 

[Berbasbullet]

Villarreal players were celebrating and jumping around like mad like they have won the thing. Can’t really fault them as they hung on with a quite heroic away performance

Hopefully that was their final and they find it hard to get up for the real one.

 

[Maticmaker]

Ole's broken the semi final 'hoodoo' at last. Well done Ole and the lads!

"Footballs a funny old game" someone once said. Last night I was expecting Roma to come at us, because they had no where else to go, coming in 0-4 down. Expected us to raid on the break, but for the game to be stifled and low key. It was however the opposite, lots of 'oohs and arhs' at both ends and a good watch.

There was a bit of a 'wobble' in the second half and for a few minutes in each half David DeGea was playing Roma on his own; but he is a crack 'shot-stopper' and if there was any doubt it was removed last night... he saved with almost every part of his body at one time or another.

Why Ole still thinks Paul Pogba can play in a mid-field two and take up anything other than routine defense duties at opposition set pieces, I can't figure. Pogba's style of play means he is going to lose almost as many balls 'faffing' about as he does executing brilliant ones... so not a midfield defender, Ole!!!

Cavani has still got it, hope he stays a bit longer.

 

[Number32]

Is matic not keeping him on?

Camera angle. If you can picture the camera panning around you can envision the line straightening up.
Edit use the box to keep a line straight from Matics foot down and youll see he is on. Close though

At least there was a VAR check like they did to Cavani's goal.

Yeah looks like Matic's foot is playing him on.

This line doesn't looks parallel with the box or the grass, but it might be the linesman's POV.
VAR was drawing our close offside's call before this.

 

[Dante]

At least there was a VAR check like they did to Cavani's goal.

This line doesn't looks parallel with the box or the grass, but it might be the linesman's POV.
VAR was drawing our close offside's call before this.

Here's an unedited image:

Spoiler

And my attempt at some lines:

Spoiler

I think he was quite comfortably onside.

 

[Lux Thunder]

I player who I was impressed by was Ebrima Darboe - very skilled and composed for a 19 year old and made very few mistakes in a high stake game like this. Was constantly looking to get the ball forward and was in the right positions more often than not. Anyone who watches Serie A know what he's like in their league and cup matches?

Was impressed by him, too !
As soon as he steps on the pitch he manages to bypass our press with a very good body position and close control to dribble past it. I've might be mistaken, but this was his European senior debut, with only a few minutes in his both league and senior debut against Sampdoria this Sunday. And he certainly didn't look impressed at all !

Shame, but always had the feeling that Italians aren't keen to give young players much time, and having Roma appointed Mourinho as their next manager will not help his progress either.

 

[USREDEVIL]

VDB was anonymous. I know he needs game time and all that but he was often not in a good position to receive a pass. I don't know about him.