[Angelinho]

Much more positive intent tonight, but too often lacking in quality in the final third. However, we got the all important victory, which leaves us handily placed in the group.

 

[World Game]

5 clean sheets in a row.....

4* in a row but 5 from the last 6 games. Oh Baby

 

[Riz]

You're forgetting the 1-1 v CSKA between Everton and City.

Ah of course, done my best to erase that game from my memory...

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

We lost to PSV.

didn't psv beat us?

Yes, but we drew in Moscow. No other team in the group has gotten anything in an away game.

I probably didn't word it very well.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Better performance and good result.
Lingard a bit wasteful in first half but overall MOM
Martial offside too often, maybe a bit of tiredness and why he was taken off
LvG had some bottle to take Martial off if it had gone wrong.
Comfortable defensively except for DDG/Smalling's save/clearance

 

[Revan]

We are the only team in the group to avoid defeat in an away game so far. That draw in Moscow doesn't seem as bad as we made it out to be. Home form is so crucial in the group stages. Beating PSV will cement it. Going to Germany needing something is a dangerous position to be in.

We lost against PSV away.

 

[Bestie07]

Four clean sheets in a row. Haven't conceded from open play in six matches now, not once since the opening twenty minutes against Arsenal.

 

[VanGaalEra]

I thought we were good tonight, played well, attacked and created a lot more.

One step away from qualification now, happy.

Lingaard my MOTM because he kept going, he kept running at them and it paid off.

Great save from DDG, Young slipping on the line gave me a heart attack for a split second and then the beast cleaned it up!

Carrick was good tonight and happy for Wayne.

 

[Getsme]

Glass half full for you eh?
The lack of goals / shots is well documented. Gone quiet is the way we havent conceded so its nice to have a positive after a win like that.

It is, was only joking.

 

[Walrus]

I think that 433 team would get found out very quickly. It was essentially us hitting it up to Fellaini who would isolate either the RB or RCB, him chesting it down to a team mate and then the team mate crossing it in or using the space that Fellaini had made.

Perhaps, but I would expect a manager of the calibre of LVG to come up with better than what is currently on show.

 

[shabadu84]

Still a worrying lack of change against the same old gameplan. Teams sit back in big numbers and we do little different. That can't continue because the word is out that that's how to deal with us. Stop the cautious, boring stuff please for the love of all that is holy! Build off today and keep the attacks coming.

Still, that result is massive - a single goal that could completely change our CL campaign.

 

[JustAFan]

We are the only team in the group to avoid defeat in an away game so far. That draw in Moscow doesn't seem as bad as we made it out to be. Home form is so crucial in the group stages. Beating PSV will cement it. Going to Germany needing something is a dangerous position to be in.

Nice tag lind

 

[bubbles_]

Did anyone else have Iain Dowie on commentary?

He was calling Doumbia "Doubia" for most of the game. Someone must have told him he was saying it wrong, then when he nearly scored he had the gall to say "Doumbia would've scored there if he was fully fit!"

You've never heard of him, you bald twat.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

We lost against PSV away.

Yeah, I worded it terribly. I meant we are the only team to get anything from an away game, the draw in Moscow. The other 3 sides have lost their away games so far.

 

[Irrational.]

Much happier tonight with the performance.

CSKA came to park the bus, had no intention of coming forward, only to hit us with the sucker punch.

Let's qualify for the next stage by thumping PSV and get revenge for Shaw. I'm still mad about that game.

 

[Winrar]

Yes, but we drew in Moscow. No other team in the group has gotten anything in an away game.

I probably didn't word it very well.

see what you're saying now

 

[Sylar]

It is, was only joking.

Ahh, hard to tell on internet without smileys :P

 

[Jazz]

Much happier tonight with the performance.

CSKA came to park the bus, had no intention of coming forward, only to hit us with the sucker punch.

Let's qualify for the next stage by thumping PSV and get revenge for Shaw. I'm still mad about that game.

Absolutely this. I'm still seething!

 

[FreakyJim]

Memphis though, how dreadful is he looking? What happened to the guy?

 

[Ballache]

I haven't celebrated like this in a long time. Actually I haven't celebrated because we haven't scored but still fuxk it I'm just happy we won.

 

[Natener]

Great team effort. It's one of those games where the result and performance even don't show how much energy the players showed in the game.

 

[Adzzz]

Very abrupt end to the coverage, LVG told to start again and then the t.v. show went off.

 

[Irrational.]

Absolutely this. I'm still seething!

I hope Moreno gets booed until his ears bleed.

 

[Moonred]

Showed much more intent even though we lacked cutting edge. Would have been a travesty if we didn't win today, thankfully we did.

 

[rockerlad]

Best performance in ages. Not LVG's fault our players
Missed all those chances

 

[sammsky1]

I think LVG did everything very well today. Sent out a team everyone was happy with and the team started with purpose. Its not his fault they then faded towards end of 1st half. The team made this victory hard work, not the manager. At some point, they have to take responsibility.

Overall, Mata was wasteful, Martial quiet, Lingard erratic and BFS unbeastly. But the back 4, especially Smalling & Young had great games, Carrick probed and cajoled and DDG showed his genuine world class skills when required.

Ive been as fierce a critic of Rooney as anyone on here, starting several threads questioning his role in the team, but tonight he did well. Not the sensational player we all crave, but we had not scored for 3.5 games and he scored the winner and won us the game. Am delighted for him and hope he propels him into a sustained period of good form.

Last, credit to LVG. Despite the opinions of the OT faithful, he made the right decision to take off Martial instead of Lingard, who provided the match winning assist for Rooney's goal. Whether his doubters like it or not, he is delivering everything that is expected of him. Would I prefer exciting enterprise and a defeat or pragmatic football with a win? Well I have to stay up as Im in Asia, it's nearly 5am but I'll sleep content and happy and be in a good mood in the morning. In out current state of transition, win ugly and Im more than happy.

 

[Jazz]

I hope Moreno gets booed until his ears bleed.

That would be more than he deserves the utter cnut!

 

[nistleloy]

Decent performance against a team set up to park the bus.

Rooney's goal is a positive, he may gain some confidence and start contributing more productively. If he is undroppable then at least let's hope he scores.

Smalling is a beast and is becoming a top class defender. We don't look vulnerable at the back and it's a positive to build on.

Top of the group. We scored a goal. I hope this blip is now over and we put together better attacking displays.

 

[Organic Potatoes]

Cheers:

• The black armbands in salute to the Russian air disaster. My heart and a drink to them.
• DDG and Smalling bailing us out yet again
• Top of the group

Jeers:

• Harsh criticism from some quarters in here. I think Rojo is a valuable asset even if his crossing can be shite, especially if we're going to play Blind as CB.
• Us seeming to give every team their defensive performance of the year
• US announcers not able to get Memphis' name right. It's bad enough half of them say 'Rocko.'

 

[sammsky1]

Good win in the end. The supporters pissed me off, poor form from them all game. Should be ashamed of themselves. 1 win from our next 2 and we're through.

Rooney put in his best performance in ages. Still loads of room for improvement, but there was a clear lack of confidence from almost everyone on the pitch. Lingard did well with the assist but he ruined a lot before that. Still visibly just a youngster. We need to do better in attack though. And get Young on the wing, not at fullback.

So its alright for us to bitch and moan online with insults and slurs, but you're not allowed to do so in the stadium?! Humbug!

I don't normally participate in match threads as it disturbs my concentration on the game, but I bet all the money in my pockets that RedCafe reacted exactly as OT when Martial was taken off!

 

[Jonnymufc]

70% possession and we scored one goal from a header. That's not a good performance at home in my book. If it was away then you wouldn't see me complaining.

I can sort of see your point but the reality is the performance (maybe not the result) was very good. MUCH better than recently. You may not think it was vintage but was it really a 'shit' performance?

 

[Jazz]

I think LVG did everything very well today. Sent out a team everyone was happy with and the team started with purpose. Its not his fault they then faded towards end of 1st half. The team made this victory hard work, not the manager. At some point, they have to take responsibility.

Overall, Mata was wasteful, Martial quiet, Lingard erratic and BFS unbeastly. But the back 4, especially Smalling & Young had great games, Carrick probed and cajoled and DDG showed his genuine world class skills when required.

Ive been as fierce a critic of Rooney as anyone on here, starting several threads questioning his role in the team, but tonight he did well. Not the sensational player we all crave, but we had not scored for 3.5 games and he scored the winner and won us the game. Am delighted for him and hope he propels him into a sustained period of good form.

Last, credit to LVG. Despite the opinions of the OT faithful, he made the right decision to take off Martial instead of Lingard, who provided the match winning assist for Rooney's goal. Whether his doubters like it or not, he is delivering everything that is expected of him. Would I prefer exciting enterprise and a defeat or pragmatic football with a win? Well I have to stay up as Im in Asia, it's nearly 5am but I'll sleep content and happy and be in a good mood in the morning. In out current state of transition,win ugly and Im more than happy.

Same here. I'll worry about style later - winning breeds confidence. What the players need to do is go on the pitch with a sense of urgency. The manager makes his mistakes but the players need to also take some responsibility out there on the pitch. You are paid well, playing for Man Utd, seen by millions around the world, count your lucky stars and play with passion - that's all I ask. Oh, and finish your chances and get us the much needed points.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

After all that fuss about how much better we played, watching the highlights of City's first 10 minutes makes us look like we were asleep tonight!

 

[simonhch]

Scintillating stuff.

 

[Tincanalley]

Highlights on TV 3 Ireland now. Smalling ducked out of Rooney free kick in the first half ... some kind of training ground routine. Lingaard had quite a few opportunities, looks like

 

[sunama]

I thought our attack was far far better.
I noticed fewer side/back passes.
Whenever we had the ball in the final third of the pitch, the focus was to pass forward.
Good stuff.
We were weak at finishing BUT, I cant complain. We got the win and we attacked.
For now at least, this'll do for me.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Hate highlights when they don't tell you what point in the game it is!

 

[Kag]

Won well in spite of a shite support and an opposition with no interest in playing a game of football. It would fit the narrative to suggest that we were negative, or even defensive, but we did well given the circumstances of the match.

There is only so much a team can do when the opposition show zero interest in winning the game. But we probed Moscow, we did create clear chances and on a different night (perhaps one where the players could play with a shred of backing from the support) we bag one or two more.

As always, not perfect, not scintillating, but there's only so much I can whinge when the manager does get the right result.

 

[sunama]

After all that fuss about how much better we played, watching the highlights of City's first 10 minutes makes us look like we were asleep tonight!

You have to remember CSKA, played for a 0-0. Had they played more openly (like in the Man City game), the penalty area would not have been so crowded.
As ridiculous as it sounds, CSKA parked the bus.

 

[steve zizou]

70% possession and we scored one goal from a header. That's not a good performance at home in my book. If it was away then you wouldn't see me complaining.

the bar for what's an acceptable performance seems to shift per game. Headed goals do not count anymore apparently. I get your point though, I only accept left footed volleys into the top corner as real goals.

 

[bosnian_red]

So its alright for us to bitch and moan online with insults and slurs, but you're not allowed to do so in the stadium?! Humbug!

I don't normally participate in match threads as it disturbs my concentration on the game, but I bet all the money in my pockets that RedCafe reacted exactly as OT when Martial was taken off!

The difference is bitching and moaning online does nothing, but doing it in the stands is only negative for the team. The players need the fans' full support always, not getting on their backs during the game. It only makes them more nervous and there is less belief/desire in the team.

Also it's not just about the Martial sub. But everything from start to finish. Just constant groans, not much singing or proper supporting from them, ironic cheers, saying attack attack attack before the game even started which was clearly against Van Gaal. Just expect more from the fans.

 

[slir32]

Poor first half better second half. See what happens when the team moves the ball around a bit quicker we find some spaces still much more room for improvement.