[The Dane]

Any other team than a Burnley team struggling to get back in to form after a long Corona break would have destroyed us the way we played today.
McT played really well. Good for him and the team, and shows that he has what it takes to be a valuable squad player at United or a starter for any club outside of top 6.
Maguire needs to be stripped of the captaincy. Does he tick any of the boxes for a great inspirational leader ? Hopefully without that burden he can lift his game to something that resembles PL standard.

 

[berbasloth4]

probably gonna take a little flack for this. I know its only burnley but the fluidity and the interchanging between our front 4 was brilliant just died out a bit towards the end.

If Bruno had played we cant do that. He is a little one dimensional. Could he possibly be the problem?

 

[justsomebloke]

We're still not pressing as a team or showing more solidity at the back. A bit concerning but also understandable given how little time Ralf has had with the squad. Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

McSauce was MOTM, I liked Shaw and Sancho/Greenwood played well...

Low points were AWB and Maguire - 130mm British pounds for them two has to the worst piece of business we've done ever.

I didn't think AWB was that bad. Maguire not good, but at least he was better than Bailly.

 

[justsomebloke]

probably gonna take a little flack for this. I know its only burnley but the fluidity and the interchanging between our front 4 was brilliant just died out a bit towards the end.

If Bruno had played we cant do that. He is a little one dimensional. Could he possibly be the problem?

What, Bruno can't do fluidity and interchanging?

 

[Plant0x84]

probably gonna take a little flack for this. I know its only burnley but the fluidity and the interchanging between our front 4 was brilliant just died out a bit towards the end.

If Bruno had played we cant do that. He is a little one dimensional. Could he possibly be the problem?

No, he couldn’t. Have you seen his assist stats in his time here? Next stupid question….

 

[berbasloth4]

What, Bruno can't do fluidity and interchanging?

bruno is basically just a 10. bruno struggles when he has to go wide or be vocal point up top.

 

[Devil may care]

A bit better in attack and 3 points, but there's still zero sense of style in how we play.

 

[alexthelion]

Must have been watching a differenty game than most of you.

Thought that was the best performance post Ole, created quite a few chances and looked a much better balanced side playing 442, the width added a lot. Shaw and AWB better than Telles and Dalot (although Dalot did fairly well playing in front of AWB for a few minutes). Good first half, comfortable in the second.

Don't get the hate for Maguire and AWB, thought they were fine apart from a couple of instances. Still, the CAF has to have its scapegoats I suppose.

 

[justsomebloke]

This felt a lot like a lot of games last season - clearly the better team, scored some goals, still some things to address. Right now, it's the defence that still looks wobbly. it was good to see some coherence and end product up front again, it's been a while.

 

[Red Royal]

Small signs of improvement.

 

[justsomebloke]

bruno is basically just a 10. bruno struggles when he has to go wide or be vocal point up top.

That's mental. If anything, his ability to float around and create dangerous plays from the flank is a pronounced forte of his. And he scores goals at the rate you'd expect from a top striker, which says it all concerning his ability to be the focal point up top.

 

[RuudTom83]

3 wins and 1 draw

It is going to take time but getting the players to block out the constant negativity from pundits and social media would be a bonus.

Slow progress…on to the next match!

 

[Damon1559]

3 Points, slight improvements in a few positions compared to the previous game. Hopefully we can keep improving moving forward. It seems some on here are in contest to see who can be the most negative after each game. We won!

 

[Wumminator]

I enjoyed that match. Good way to end the year.

 

[Teja]

We're still not pressing as a team or showing more solidity at the back. A bit concerning but also understandable given how little time Ralf has had with the squad. Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

Only caught bits of today's game but I think the pressing from set play type situations has improved quite a bit .. teams are just going long from GKs for instance and not attempting to play it out at all which says something.

Then there's the actual defensive transitions when things are more dynamic and not as simple as pressuring a GK and we're still a work in progress there, not cutting off all options sometimes etc. but I see a significant improvement there as well.

I see the plan and believe fully in what Rangnick's doing. The only thing I worry about is his people skills and having the players play for him. Shouldn't be a problem for 6mo but anything longer I have my doubts.

 

[berbasloth4]

That's mental. If anything, his ability to float around and create dangerous plays from the flank is a pronounced forte of his. And he scores goals at the rate you'd expect from a top striker, which says it all concerning his ability to be the focal point up top.

if he is anywhere else bar playing as 10 our balance goes out the window. Those four in any of the front four positions the balance is still there, there is still a structure and a shape

 

[Scholsey2004]

probably gonna take a little flack for this. I know its only burnley but the fluidity and the interchanging between our front 4 was brilliant just died out a bit towards the end.

If Bruno had played we cant do that. He is a little one dimensional. Could he possibly be the problem?

I think his strength is basically as a single creative focal point. I dont think he looks to give and go with short balls in the build up which really undermines the usefulness of a player like Sancho, for instance.

Edit; to elaborate on that a bit, i think when Bruno gets the ball he looks to release the forward runner, whereas Sancho wants to carry it up the pitch into the final third first. Obviously Sancho's skill set is entirely bypwssed by Bruno's when they play alomgside each other.

 

[justsomebloke]

if he is anywhere else bar playing as 10 our balance goes out the window. Those four in any of the front four positions the balance is still there, there is still a structure and a shape

Well, maybe it takes more than a single game against Burnley before you can start assuming Bruno has shortcomings in areas of the game where he has massively excelled for almost two years.

 

[McTerminator]

You all laughed at him, but the mcterminator is laughing now

 

[The Irish Connection]

Great game from Mctominay, but we need a midfielder or two still.
There was definitely a glimmer of something in the first half.
Lets keep it going.

 

[Tarrou]

Thought we were crap but 3 points is 3 points

the midfield was pretty shite even with McT having a stormer

 

[Frank Grimes]

Decent first half and good to get the 3 points. Still no closer to knowing what we really are though. Anyway with no time on the training ground at the moment the results are our primary concern. Bigger test awaits Monday night and only a win will do.

 

[Mickeza]

Well, maybe it takes more than a single game against Burnley before you can start assuming Bruno has shortcomings in areas of the game where he has massively excelled for almost two years.

We’ve all seen enough of Bruno and Ronaldo together both for club and country to surely see there’s a tactical issue playing both?

 

[justsomebloke]

We’ve all seen enough of Bruno and Ronaldo together both for club and country to surely see there’s a tactical issue playing both?

That's something different than Bruno not being able to interchange or be the focal point up top.

 

[Superden]

I think dalot and awb would offer us more solidity and also some crossing from the right which we sorely need. Keep sancho on the left and 2 out the 3 of greenwood cavani and Ronnie in the middle, with rash an alternative on the left which he much prefers. And then we start the hunt for a decent right winger again....

 

[berbasloth4]

Well, maybe it takes more than a single game against Burnley before you can start assuming Bruno has shortcomings in areas of the game where he has massively excelled for almost two years.

if anything it could a positive just gives us many options without having to depend on him i suppose.

I also thought with Matic playing he passed forward alot more than we do when he is playing just a pity father time is catching him

 

[bosskeano]

brilliant first half...second half wasn't as good but that is partially b/c Burnley didn't play as wide open as they did in the first half.

all this talk about why there was no pressing.....simple for me, you can't press in a 2 man midfield with Matic AND having 3 games in 7 days you can't really expect them to run and press for 90 straight minutes

 

[Bondi77]

No improvement on performance really but McTom and Shaw were good but Burnley were unbelievably shite but still made our CBs look second rate
Ronnie, Cavani and Sancho...dearie dearie me!

 

[Mickeza]

That's something different than Bruno not being able to interchange or be the focal point up top.

Oh I agree he can be those things - not in this formation with Ronaldo though. We have a Bruno and Ronaldo issue. And in 3 weeks we’ll have a Bruno, Pogba and Ronaldo issue.

 

[TwoSheds]

Must have been watching a differenty game than most of you.

Thought that was the best performance post Ole, created quite a few chances and looked a much better balanced side playing 442, the width added a lot. Shaw and AWB better than Telles and Dalot (although Dalot did fairly well playing in front of AWB for a few minutes). Good first half, comfortable in the second.

Don't get the hate for Maguire and AWB, thought they were fine apart from a couple of instances. Still, the CAF has to have its scapegoats I suppose.

Best performance post Ole?! it wasn't even the best performance post Carrick.

Not bad though, certainly a lot better than the previous one.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Very pleased for McTominay to get the plaudits he deserved today.
Rangnick's influence is starting to bear fruit.
Maguire is pure comedy.
Shaw did very well in his return. The difference between him and Telles is huge. It shows how an elite player can transform a side.

 

[Nicoseth]

No improvement on performance really but McTom and Shaw were good but Burnley were unbelievably shite but still made our CBs look second rate
Ronnie, Cavani and Sancho...dearie dearie me!

Sancho? Really? Thought he did alright. Maguire and AWB were shocking.

 

[Nicoseth]

Think we were better but still a lot of work to do, obviously. Positives - Matic and McTominay, and Sancho had some great moments. Poor performers were Maguire, Ronaldo and AWB. AWB is honestly playing at championship level right now. Some of the decision making from him and Maguire was truly abysmal.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Just realized that with Bruno out, VDB should have been played, since he was ostensibly Bruno's understudy. I'd say that's probably it for the VDB experiment, and I wish him luck at his new club in January.

Glad Rashford was rested/benched. Sancho had some good passages but also some infuriating ones. Often he would get the ball in their half with only his man to beat and then have the length of the pitch to run into - but he wouldn't try it. He'd check back and play the ball inside. I don't know why Sancho doesn't just run at defenders.

 

[acnumber9]

I suggest you go watch Burnley from now on then pal

If United’s squad cost what Burnley’s did I would probably understand it. Top Red points for you.

 

[Tincanalley]

3 points, but that was poor. Far too many players either struggling in this system or aren't good enough.

Maguire and awb need to both see the bench.

I thought AWB played really well?

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Sancho? Really? Thought he did alright. Maguire and AWB were shocking.

I'd take any CB pairing over Maguire in the side, whether that's Bailly and Varane, or Lindelof and Varane, or LIndelof and Bailly, maybe even Jones in there too. Maguire has gone from dodgy to plain hilarious.

 

[Tincanalley]

Was really impressed with Greenwood's all around contribution. The McTominay / Matic combination (which worked well) really drives home the need for a proper holding midfielder. With a younger version of Matic, we could really get the best out of McTominay. Maguire looks like he needs to be dropped. VDB looks like he's gonna leave. If he's not getting game time in a match like this, his future has to lie elsewhere.

Worrying for Fred but good points

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

He certainly needs to be in a different position than in the two behind the striker. His style is to pass long killer balls to the forwards, bypassing anyone between, which was good playing counterattacking Oleball but just doesnt work if you want to play higher up the pitch. I thought Sancho and Greenwood played between the lines far more and linked things up and without being especially great today gave us a much better shape to our play today.

Yeah the shape was much better but we do need to get Bruno in there somewhere for me and with the 10’s playing much more as wingers today Bruno is wasted there so up front next to Ronnie could work.

 

[Scholsey2004]

Yeah the shape was much better but we do need to get Bruno in there somewhere for me and with the 10’s playing much more as wingers today Bruno is wasted there so up front next to Ronnie could work.

I wasnt sure if we could play him as one of the Pivots but that might be a frustrating role for him and he's pretty irrascible at the best of times.