[moodyred]

I understand many feel that the first 70 min was awful. As a game plan, it would have worked to get us across the line. The goal they scored came from a Maguire mistake and we could have scored twice. So I feel it wasn't as terrible as how some of you felt.

The last 20 min I fully agree was sweet! However, i am also mindful that Athletic was starting to take more risks. Amad and Mount showed us what we can be if they have stayed fit. I feel that Shaw has lost some speed.

Nervous about Spurs. All would come to nothing if we don't win it in the end. Come on devils, it's time to bare your teeth and give hell to your opponent.

 

[Fearthegrimp]

Result over 2 legs flattered us massively, it was way closer than the 7-1 aggregate score suggests.

First leg we controlled for about 70 mins, aided by the sending off. Second leg they controlled for about 70 mins and we were really under the cosh until we scored and their heads dropped.

But it's the result that matters.

Hoping we play on the front foot in Bilbao.

 

[Glorio]

I understand many feel that the first 70 min was awful. As a game plan, it would have worked to get us across the line. The goal they scored came from a Maguire mistake and we could have scored twice. So I feel it wasn't as terrible as how some of you felt.

The last 20 min I fully agree was sweet! However, i am also mindful that Athletic was starting to take more risks. Amad and Mount showed us what we can be if they have stayed fit. I feel that Shaw has lost some speed.

Nervous about Spurs. All would come to nothing if we don't win it in the end. Come on devil's, it's time to bare your teeth and give hell to your opponent.

I think it was more about being scared not to hurt himself

 

[Tincanalley]

Hi.

An Athletic club supporter here.

Just want to say Congrats. You've better in two matches and you deserve the final game.

Just want to wish you all the best and hoping you'll beat the Spurs.

If there us anything I can help you with in your next visit to Bilbao for EL final game just let me know.

Your team and supporters are magnificent. I always have a great time anytime I’m in the Basque Country. Manager seems a great guy. Good luck with everything, and thanks for posting. Respect from Ireland

 

[Tincanalley]

Yeah i think some people have this some misconception about their own club. We are not like Barca who suffocated teams for whole 90 mins totally controlling the game, that is not our football, never was and never will. We are a club who values creativity, a boldness to make decision, and that boldness often come with price that is losing the ball and give opposition chance against us.

Great post. I think I’ve finally got to the point where the negatives and trolls are nearly all on ignore, so it’s much better in here. Lately I’ve been un-ignoring people, some are being more supportive and constructive and fun to read

 

[Zed 101]

I wrote pre match that if we scored they would fold, if they scored we would collapse, and whilst we did not collapse score wise, that is kind of what happened, this team is so lacking in self belief and confidence, the players just do not trust themselves or each other, sometimes they rally in one off games like against Lyon, because well why not, but in the league we just wilt, last night because we had a lead to protect we were too afraid to play.

I think this is a massive hangover from ETHs era, we were so poor in midfield in particular, hopefully Ruben can do something this summer to give them some more belief in themselves, a new less fumbly GK would be a massive start, the team having no faith in Onana has such a massive impact, eradicating that will make such a difference.

Not that I rate us, I think we have a lot of mediocrity in our squad but I think that Bilbao were massively over rated too, we played through their defence multiple times, before the red card and before they went gung ho.... and we cannot score! Garna should have had 3 over the 2 legs.

That said am buzzing, Mount showing skills that we don't otherwise possess and Amad just devastating, both need to be fit for the final, and more importantly next season, thought Mainoo looked good too, don't know what's going on with Ugarte seems to be going through a patch of very poor form, which we cannot afford for the player next to Case to have.

 

[mctrials23]

Result over 2 legs flattered us massively, it was way closer than the 7-1 aggregate score suggests.

First leg we controlled for about 70 mins, aided by the sending off. Second leg they controlled for about 70 mins and we were really under the cosh until we scored and their heads dropped.

But it's the result that matters.

Hoping we play on the front foot in Bilbao.

It didn't flatter us massively at all. Bilbao rarely looked like causing us any issues over the two legs. Even when we were "under the cosh" last night they created almost nothing, Onana should have saved their goal (who dives with both hands like that) and we should have scored a couple if our forward line wasn't completely devoid of quality (awful final balls, awful finishing etc).

I didn't think for a second that we were going to have any issues last night. Even after their goal. As soon as we put some quality on against a tired Bilbao we absolutely put them to the sword.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Hi.

An Athletic club supporter here.

Just want to say Congrats. You've better in two matches and you deserve the final game.

Just want to wish you all the best and hoping you'll beat the Spurs.

If there us anything I can help you with in your next visit to Bilbao for EL final game just let me know.

Good man! Your fans were great, thank you for the kind words!

 

[Tincanalley]

I wrote pre match that if we scored they would fold, if they scored we would collapse, a we had a lead to protect we were too afraid to play …

I think this is a massive hangover from ETHs era, we were so poor in midfield in particular,

Well you wrote wrong, then. ETH is gone.
I agree re Onana, though.

Not that I rate us, I think we have a lot of mediocrity in our squad.

That said am buzzing, Mount showing skills that we don't otherwise possess and Amad just devastating, both need to be fit for the final, and more importantly next season, thought Mainoo looked good too, don't know what's going on with Ugarte seems to be going through a patch of very poor form, which we cannot afford for the player next to Case to have.

Right. I don’t know what teams you rate? PSG? Shaw was great. Ugarte was alright, but all made a lot of mistakes. I’m hoping we see growth from Garnacho through nights like last night. It was like the keeper won their psychological battle.

 

[Dudu]

How good is this

 

[Andrei Kanspellthis]

Amad makes this team tick. He was the difference.

Pleased for Mount, though. Took both goals really well.

Should we be playing Mount and Diallo either side of Hojland from now on? I think Garnacho too profligate recently, and maybe Bruno deeper ahead of Casemiro

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Hi.

An Athletic club supporter here.

Just want to say Congrats. You've better in two matches and you deserve the final game.

Just want to wish you all the best and hoping you'll beat the Spurs.

If there us anything I can help you with in your next visit to Bilbao for EL final game just let me know.

Make sure you get that CL spot. I will be rooting for you. Your fans were a credit to you. Despite the result I hope they all had a great time. They will be welcomed in Manchester anytime.

 

[Badunk]

Should we be playing Mount and Diallo either side of Hojland from now on? I think Garnacho too profligate recently, and maybe Bruno deeper ahead of Casemiro

I prefer Bruno deeper, yeah. I'd also be inclined to play Casemiro further forward, maybe as a false 9: he's got great ability in the air, can handle himself physically, and can thread a great through ball. I wouldn't start Hojlund at all. His movement is atrocious. Obi should start. And, yeah, Amad and Mount bombing forward, with Garnacho as an impact sub.

 

[Maticmaker]

The game had three stages, first half we were mainly in control but missed some good chances and fell foul of a great shot from them; first 25 mins of second half they controlled the game, last 20 mins were ours... and some!

Some great performances, really pleased for Mount.
Some lovely passing and move action once that second goal went in... the difference it makes when you play without fear.

Hope that is repeated in the final.

 

[El-Manos]

Was always going to be a tough game, they are 4th for a reason. Handled the 2 legs well though all things considered.
Deservedly reached the final.

 

[matherto]

The game had three stages, first half we were mainly in control but missed some good chances and fell foul of a great shot from them; first 25 mins of second half they controlled the game, last 20 mins were ours... and some!

Some great performances, really pleased for Mount.
Some lovely passing and move action once that second goal went in... the difference it makes when you play without fear.

Hope that is repeated in the final.

I don’t think we were in control at all in the first half. We got progressively worse from minute 1 to whenever they came on. We created some chances but didn’t have a shot on target for 70 minutes

We only started playing properly when the subs came on.

 

[Ágætis Byrjun]

Was scared at half-time as my post-Fergie stress disorder kicked in

Now I'm drunk on love

So good!

 

[IRN-BRUno]

Awful for 70 minutes, superb for 20. Don't think it ever got a point where qualifying looked in doubt though, it was more an increase in frustration at how sloppy they were.

Mount rightly getting the focus for his goals but Amad was also excellent, it's crucial that we have him ready to start for the final.

 

[croadyman]

Awful for 70 minutes, superb for 20. Don't think it ever got a point where qualifying looked in doubt though, it was more an increase in frustration at how sloppy they were.

Mount rightly getting the focus for his goals but Amad was also excellent, it's crucial that we have him ready to start for the final.

Yeah couldn't have put it better myself

 

[The holy trinity 68]

I think he has to be benched. Bring him on to make an impact if we are chasing the game.

But Dorgu has been shocking.

 

[Cpt Negative]

The game had three stages, first half we were mainly in control but missed some good chances and fell foul of a great shot from them; first 25 mins of second half they controlled the game, last 20 mins were ours... and some!

Some great performances, really pleased for Mount.
Some lovely passing and move action once that second goal went in... the difference it makes when you play without fear.

Hope that is repeated in the final.

Anyone else thinks Onana should have saved it? Looked like he got two hands to it

 

[Ronaldo's Love Child]

Anyone else thinks Onana should have saved it? Looked like he got two hands to it

Actually yes-thought the same thing when I watched it on replay.

If he tried to save it with one hand his body position would have reached further and actually would have been the natural movement to make for most GK'ers.

He worries me.

 

[Oscar Bonavena]

Dunno, Amad was clearly checking his phone after the Hojlund goal.

But my point is more around the general hysteria around the squad after every wrong thing that happens. There's very little nuance in opinion, people are either heroes or trash depending on the last thing they did. It's just not redcafe, twitter is even worse.

If I was a professional footballer getting paid tens or hundreds of thousands a week to play for Man United, I wouldn't give a f**k what someone on social media said. I wouldn't even be reading it.

If they're letting shit like that affect their performance, they're in the wrong business!

My advice to any United player who's too fragile to get criticism on social media: "play f**king better, then!"

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

The last 20 min I fully agree was sweet! However, i am also mindful that Athletic was starting to take more risks.

That's the thing though, that was our game plan, and it worked! The aim was clearly to let Bilbao have the ball and try and keep things tight, and then pick them off on the counter. For the most part that worked - they scored an absolute worldy, but even then we had more clear cut chances. Although we'd conceded one in the first half it wasn't really enough to warrant changing the plan at the start of the second half, and understandably that meant that Bilbao again had a lot more of the ball, but I don't think we ever looked in serious trouble. As soon as our first goal went in we were able to turn the screw. I thought, contrary to many, that it was a really good performance given the slightly strange circumstances - going into the second leg with 3-0 lead was a lovely problem to have, but it was a bit of a head-mangler. Sitting back and picking the opposition off on the counter was exactly the right plan.

 

[Look-a-Hill]

If I was a professional footballer getting paid tens or hundreds of thousands a week to play for Man United, I wouldn't give a f**k what someone on social media said. I wouldn't even be reading it.

If they're letting shit like that affect their performance, they're in the wrong business!

My advice to any United player who's too fragile to get criticism on social media: "play f**king better, then!"

I'm not saying it's right, and I don't think half the squad have the right character for this club. But to say they don't care what is said about them is untrue when there's evidence of Garnacho, Rashford and Maguire all responding to the criticism at times the last couple of seasons.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

If I was a professional footballer getting paid tens or hundreds of thousands a week to play for Man United, I wouldn't give a f**k what someone on social media said. I wouldn't even be reading it.

If they're letting shit like that affect their performance, they're in the wrong business!

My advice to any United player who's too fragile to get criticism on social media: "play f**king better, then!"

That phone Amad was holding was one given to them by a fan, he was looking for the camera and then did a selfie and phone was given back to the fan.

 

[trevor newnham]

That phone Amad was holding was one given to them by a fan, he was looking for the camera and then did a selfie and phone was given back to the fan.

Absolutely. Sometimes I despair on here. There are people who post on here just looking to trash our players, and that's all they seem to be interested in

 

[Berbasbullet]

That phone Amad was holding was one given to them by a fan, he was looking for the camera and then did a selfie and phone was given back to the fan.

I think it was one of our photographers, I found the video on Reddit.

Not that it matters, was a cool little celebration.

 

[cyril C]

The last 25 minutes of football since the triple subs is about as good as anything I've seen from us since Fergie's retirement.

I would put it the other way round. he 1st 70 min was a typical MU performance since Fergi's retirement. Nervy, half-hearted defending, half-hearted attacking. Only the last 20min or so that we know what to do, with a purpose, played as a team

 

[Tincanalley]

Absolutely. Sometimes I despair on here. There are people who post on here just looking to trash our players, and that's all they seem to be interested in

Sometimes?

 

[0le]

Watched the game in Brussels in my hotel room (it was randomly on free TV) and when that first goal went in I thought….here we go…

The last 20 mins were great. Amad changed the game. He has that X-factor with the end product to match.

And that ref pissed me right off.