[amolbhatia50k]

Abysmal performance. Jose needs to get his act together. That was simply not a performance fit for this club.

Also, where was Martial?! Is he again pissed off at him?

 

[VP]

Away team shows up, gets extremely lucky and somehow hold on: we had plenty of these results under SAF and in isolation this result wouldn't really matter. But put in the context of the last few years of stagnant football, it's all bit depressing really.

Feels like we're under one of those sports curses - no matter what we do, it'll never work.

 

[Irrational.]

Christ, just looked at the stats for the game, Burnley has 3 shots.

Only two of those on target as well. They got incredibly lucky and then defended and time wasted like their lives depended on it.

Play that game 10 times and we win 2-0 or 2-1 9 times.

Same with the Leicester game. How many times do you see us missing three tap-in chances in the same game? Actually forget that question.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

We seriously lack top quality players in attack. I wonder where would we be had we actually got Perisic in the summer.

Winning the title no doubt in a lot of people's imaginations.

 

[Cassady]

That doesn't sound right?

If a player is injured and not when a team is just time wasting .

 

[jesskan60]

No one make runs, our attacking front is too static, i don't mind Lukaku staying in the box since we had fullbacks who can cross but he was so poor in the air today.
Referee forgot he had a red card in the pocket, what a bunch of fannies those Burnley players.

Chelsea start to really breathe down our neck

 

[TRD]

All those comments and not a word about Burnley and how they played. Did you notice there was two teams on the pitch or do you just take notes on United players?

Burnley played exactly like a weak team should play. They took advantage of our mistake and scored twice and put all men behind the ball. It was duty of our players to break that defense. And why should I talk about Burnley when I follow United?

 

[Bohman]

Rojo gave away the first goal sitting down watching and Young the second with a dumb challange when we should be in control (5 defenders against 2 attackers).

We created some preassure at least but I still miss the fighters who never stop running and usually won us games like this.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Pretty bad when your two best players are Ashley Young and Lingard.

A sign of how we played. Dinosaur football.

 

[Jazz]

Abysmal performance. Jose needs to get his act together. That was simply not a performance fit for this club.

Also, where was Martial?! Is he again pissed off at him?

Seems Martial is injured. Would be weird if he were pissed at him..

 

[AlwaysRed66]

Subbing Ibrahimovic was certainly something Mourinho wouldn't have done last season, however bad he played, as he was one of the untouchables, with Pogba. I thinking his substitution at H/T shows his new position at the club. Pogba, Matic & Lukaku on the other hand, are the current untouchables. The loyalty to certain players used to be his strong point at previous clubs, but now shows more of a weakness.

Funny, how at the end of last season Rojo & Herrara were two of the poster boys by many, but now most want them gone, whilst Lindgard & Jones are seen as first teamers. Both are liabilities with their dark arts tactics, & average to boot.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

If a player is injured and not when a team is just time wasting .

I've seen Referees pointing at their watches when players waste time taking goal kicks and other set pieces, surely that means they're indicating that time will be added on?

 

[bdspeedy]

Woodward needs to get off his loathsome spotty behind and make some impactful signings.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Seems Martial is injured. Would be weird if he were pissed at him..

Any source for his injury? The miss aside, he looked great in his last game and is having a very good season. Weird that he was not utilised for this one. Injury makes sense.

 

[Acquire Me]

Totally agree but the issue is that Mourinho is supposed to make one mean defensive unit (which he hasn't) and is not that much of an attacking football guru. I wonder which attacking player we can sign that will solve our issues in attack since we absolutely fail in attacking as a team?

Ronaldo would help. Both a goalscorer and a leader. He is not the answer now anyways, but we need a player who scores and set up others to score. That player need to be a leader as well. Bale (without injury problems) or Hazard would be the right fit.

 

[ants7]

Not yet a big fan of Lingard but if he keeps this up, I can see it changing. Well in, lad.

Our final third is absolute shambles. You don't need to look any further to see the difference between us and City. No creativity nor ideas other than just pump the ball in to the box and I'm afraid we've seen this all with Dave the Lad before. Our defence is not the worst and neither is midfield but as soon as the goal is looming, panicking starts and the list of ideas grows thin if not non-existent.

Also, Matic will probably get my vote for the United's signing of the season. Talking about reliability.

 

[Berba's_Flick]

The team has found its level. Held to a draw at home against a team placed 6th. Exactly where we should be and where we will finish come the end of the season. I am not someone who does knee jerk reactions. Half way through the season and our weaknesses are there for all to see. Our main striker is a donkey wearing boots at best. None of our wide players can cross. Basically means that we are screwed. What our board does with this transfer window will dictate where we finish the season. We need wide players who can deliver the final ball. This would also mean that Rashford and Martial can then be used as strikers and not be so reliant on Lukaku. We need atleast one midfielder who will compliment Pogba and Matic. We really aren't too far off but if Mourinho and the board do not address this at the earliest things will get messy

 

[Offside]

Worse referee I’ve ever seen.

Most comfortable defence I’ve ever seen.

We have to go and buy attacking players. We don’t have anyone to unlock the defence. Mkhitaryan was doing it earlier in the season but what on earth has happened to him? Where was Martial today?

Jose just doesn’t have a clue what he is doing in attack. Not seen us so clueless going forward in a while. It was exposed badly against Leicester when we were 4 on 1 regularly and always made the wrong decision.

We have started to let goals in so now we have started to drop points. Getting very worrying.

It’s a must that we buy players in January otherwise we could end up with a massive fight for Europe.

 

[marlowe78]

"It's all about results."

Well, how they lookin' this month?

We've been playing like shit for several weeks now and the results are catching up to the form. A blind man would know what's coming in playing Ibra, Lukaku, and Mata in the same team - congestion, lack of movement, slowness. Rooney was smoked out of the team yet Jose still looks dead-set on playing a team of overloaded lorry trucks and a snail that can't get out of each other's way. Lingard has been superb lately, yet puts him on the bench.

I think we were partly hung over from the Leicester result. It's hard to tell at this point if the team's belief in Jose took a denting in that because I think he handled those closing minutes very poorly.

One thing I've noticed is that Jose seems to be poor at filling gaps when players aren't available. When Pogba was out, we pretty much had to bypass the midfield until he came back, there wasn't any real attempt to have Herrera take over the role temporarily. While Fellaini is out, we can't defend set pieces or aerial balls into our box properly.

Some real shit performances from the players as well, though. Pogba and Lukaku are clearly not worth the advertised price. Both are ripoffs and flatter to deceive. They just bully weaker opposition (and frequently suck against them). In Pogba's case, we've won games without him and had crap games with him. He is clearly talented but I don't rate him as the game-breaker that so many people think of him as. Lukaku is just crud, honestly. Gets touted for his size and can't even field set pieces correctly. I posted a while back that we should try to sign Vardy and people like me got ridiculed.

I'm trying not to be knee jerk but over the last few weeks, I really think that Jose has taken this team as far as he can go with it. I don't see any real progression in how we play, I think the improved league position has more to do with the bringing in of players and the hot form we had to start the season. This is starting to look a lot like LVG's second season, the saving grace for Jose is that he hasn't dealt with the same amount of injuries.

 

[Liver_bird]

It's not even that bad a result for you guys.

 

[DatIrishFella]

Why cant we start off playing high press/quick attacking football instead of leaving it last fecking minute?

Annoys the absolute feck outta me.

 

[Foxbatt]

I think it was Lukaku again for the first goal. He missed his header. We are not playing as a team. That is the problem. Everyone is on the back foot. I do not know what goes on the training ground as to our attacking play.

 

[Green_Red]

Burnley played exactly like a weak team should play. They took advantage of our mistake and scored twice and put all men behind the ball. It was duty of our players to break that defense. And why should I talk about Burnley when I follow United?

Because they played a defensive game. Closed Pogba out of the game when they could by using two players on him, forcing Matic to come forward and try to creat things. They came out and closed us down with pressure, cutting off passes and channels. They kept a tight defensive line between their defence and midfield making it really difficult to play through the middle so we had to resort to crosses and balls over the top when they eventually did come up the pitch out of their own half. They played without a striker for large parts of the game. Their keeper had a great game. Thats why. It was a game betqeen United and Burnley, you cant talk about the game without talking about Burnley. You probably didnt see any of that, you just think we didnt score a million goals so our players must be shit. Football is about tactics and Burnley played the snatch and grab to perfection today.

 

[Vanrouge]

Because we were playing with an intensity and continued to chase the game. Every ball was chased hard, we just lacked knowledge in front of their box.

We actually went two down and got a draw. You think because we didn't win that equals gutless, which is bollocks! Say we scored the winner, would be gutless then?

btw, if we were lucky, then what were Burnley? They had about 2 chances did they not?

I agree with this. I've seen Burnley have far more of the ball and look more dangerous against other top teams this season. They scored on a scrambled set piece and ninety-nine times out of a hundred they weren't scoring from that free kick. We weren't amazing, but we weren't terrible either. We absolutely dominated them for most of the match. And far from being lucky, I thought we were unlucky in some key moments (the ball spinning up off the keeper's face and hitting the bar not once but twice!).

 

[Kostur]

Abysmal performance. Jose needs to get his act together. That was simply not a performance fit for this club.

Also, where was Martial?! Is he again pissed off at him?

Injured, knee problem after the LC match apparently.

 

[jackofalltrades]

Total lack of consistency of both the team as a whole and the individuals.

Surely the only trophy we're in for now is the FA Cup ?

 

[Al-T]

I saw Burnley at Brighton just over a week ago and they were fortunate to get a point. Never in a month if Sundays thought they would present us with any challenge whatsoever.

Christmas jumpers off the pitch, presents on it. Shocking pish.

 

[JG3001]

Disagree. We were stupid giving away 2 setpieces that's all. We controlled the whole game apart from that.

What control did we have, possession ala Van Gaal?

Burnley defence and keeper looked comfortable for a lot of that game dealing with crosses. Ball just fell favourably in the end for Lingard at the edge of the box, great finish still btw.

Manager shares responsibility along with the players (certain players definitely have to take blame also). CB is an issue atm as no one is trustworthy to hold down the spot, so he can be partially forgiven there for playing Rojo.

Lingard in form of his life though, kept off the bench for an unfit Zlatan at number 10, stifling all attack through the middle was obvious.

Unless he’s doing it of his own free will, for Christ sake keep Lukaku away from our box, he’s a striker for starters, and should only be coming back to defend a lead in the dying stages of the game.

That first half the team was set up wrong and most here knew that before the game started.

 

[Esquire]

Amazing how quickly I've gone from liking everyone in the squad, bar Lingard, to hating everyone in the squad, bar Lingard.

Man you beat me to the punch saying that!!!

 

[Tincanalley]

Hi everyone, hope Xmas went well. Good game. Delighted we didn't get beat here, to be honest. The ref was disgusting. Would have loved to have beaten him and Burnley. Burnley are excellent these days, I guess it was a fair result. We had quite a few good performances today, and the goal from the freekick they got was unstoppable. Not as riddled with daft bad choices as the last game, but Rashford really does need a brain transplant. Well done Juan Mata and Jesse. Young was MOTM. Pogba played well too. I was furious after the last match, not so this time. They did try. This is in a quiet way turning into a decent United team.

 

[It's B Rubble]

You wonder where that fight was the previous month. We came back which is a huge positive, but our set piece defending is a worry. A tall team, totally inept at defending balls into the box, its the twilight zone. We pinned them back like City usually does to all their oponents, which tells me we do know how to attack. Mourinho would rather prefer a low scoring clean sheet, than a free-flowing game; when the clean sheet is gone, he lets the boys play. He's not confident in his players to allow them this freedom, astonishing since hes had 3 windows.

 

[Freak]

There needs to be something done about time wasting. It is just getting ridiculous now.

 

[minoo-utd]

When we scored our first the only player who kept running was Lingard, none of the others tried to do something unusual always play it safe, Pogba was walking, Lukaku was always second to the defenders, I really don't know where that fighting spirit gone, is it gone with SAF and will never come back? Yes we know City will win the league but us fighting again for top 4 is just disappointing like we never progressed and another season gone bad, what we need exactly become hard to find, we still have an awful lot to do still IMO. Don't know who to blame, the board? The manager? Players? Don't know any more.

 

[lococol]

Downhill since Jose flirted with PSG in my opinion. Also I don't think it matters who we bring in, the lack of creativity and rot goes deep than the surface. We have had so many good strikers and wingers come here then play worse, leave then play better all under 3 different managers. I genuinely think some people think they have made it once they sign for united and drop down a gear (I dont know why because we are not even a powerhouse any more). Let's be honest, We all know we are not champion material. Even a lot of the 4-0 games early on could have gone either way for the first 70/80 mins. When we win people big us up like we are amazing. we are very lucky to be second and I dont think we will be there for much longer. As you were boys, settling for draws again like last season.

 

[minoo-utd]

There needs to be something done about time wasting. It is just getting ridiculous now.

City would get like 7 8 minutes today.

 

[Jazz]

Ronaldo would help. Both a goalscorer and a leader. He is not the answer now anyways, but we need a player who scores and set up others to score. That player need to be a leader as well. Bale (without injury problems) or Hazard would be the right fit.

Bale is absolutely no leader. Hazard is prone to petulance. Neither are leaders. I am sure there are better people out there. I hope we stop getting flashy players, and only those with a backbone who won't let their heads go down after the 1st setback.

And Jose also needs an attacking coach on his team. It's a big weakness of his that is easily rectified with the right personnel. I feel it doesn't matter how many attackers we buy, we'll always have the same problem if we don't provide the right environment for them to be a cohesive unit.

 

[worcesterred]

It's not even that bad a result for you guys.

Reported. cnut.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

First half was dire, no movement - only Mata and Shaw performed well enough before half-time.
Gave away two silly free-kicks and we now seem incapable of defending them.
Zlatan was poor, will he recover properly from his injury? Rojo was poor.
Rashford still out of form. Matic below par again

We were much better in the second half with more movement and passing after the substitutions. Lingard did well, best when he doesn't have to think.

Martial was missed , hope the injury to his knee is not serious.

 

[bond19821982]

Well there's got to be someone else out there... sure we could get someone if only Jose would make that decision. He badly needs a fresh pair of eyes imho.

Yesh - I know what you meant

 

[Android1974]

Rojo starting was the omen of the disaster to come. And he was personally responsible for the first goal.

 

[Freak]

Rojo starting was the omen of the disaster to come. And he was personally responsible for the first goal.

Lukaku was responsible. Simple clearing header that he fecked up.