[wolvored]

I think that might have been the best and most positive looking lineup I've seen Manchester United field in a long, long time. That is a fun team.
Now keep it like this against other opponents too.

If we get a proper DM with experience, (Partey would have been my choice) we wouldnt have to keep playing 2 players to cover 1 role, allowing VDB to play with Bruno. Look how much better we were in that first half. Istanbul didnt know what hit them. I would also play Tuanzebe instead of Maguire or Lindelof. For me Maguire is regressing.

 

[L11]

That lad that used to play for the Pool, the bitey one.

Poor Kevin Nolan

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I'm glad we stepped off in the second half. Given how easily we tire as a team, we really needed the subs and the lowering of intensity.

Let's hope we have enough left for Southampton.

Great show by Cavani, telles, bruno and vdb

I think lowering the intensity is fine... would have been more then happy to just see us pass it around and not really bother the scorers, but we lost control of the game a bit and our play just became a bit sloppy/half-arsed which I think is a fine thing to critique.

3 subs at one didn't help of course - hardly ever does.

 

[simplyared]

We controlled the game, apart from a spell late in the 2nd half. Obviously the tight schedule forcing our manager to make changes. Would have liked to see VDB in a more attacking roll, apart from that no critism regarding the players. Even James impressed! Fred ran all over the place as usual and put in a usual Fred performance, although still not convincing imo. Looks like we've got squad depth when you can bring on a diamond (Mason). It's poetry in motion when he gets the ball!

 

[Tibs]

So much better!

So glad Ole finally dropped one of the DMs....and it really highlights how bad his decision has been to not play Donny properly before. Hopefully we stick with this formation and line up against Southampton, if Pogba is fit, he can start on the bench and come on for Bruno at HT.

Although the opposition (don't know their name) got more into it into the second half, we stuck at it, and as the 4th goal showed, at those times we need to hit teams on the counter more to pin them back.

If we are scoring 3+ a game, and we will once Cavani and Martial get on it, we're gonna start enjoying us play a lot more

 

[sammsky1]

 

[sammsky1]

 

[sammsky1]

 

[Bilbo]

Would have liked to see VDB in a more attacking roll

I was actually really pleased to see him used as a 6 last night. Thats where the questions most need to be answered. Bruno is virtually undroppable at the moment, so if we are going to find a place in the team for him its going to be a number 6. I'd like to see him perform there against better opposition before getting carried away, but last night was very encouraging. For me its less about his ability to play there and more about what it does for the overall balance of the team

 

[Maticmaker]

Overall an exciting game to watch, we had our weaknesses at times, just after they scored we started to wobble a bit, but with Fernandez on the pitch we have always a chance. Obviously Bruno's first goal was a screamer, very similar to many a Scholes effort in the past, but his second one cheered me the most because it was another goal for him as a midfielder coming late into the box, picking up on a mistake by the keeper, caused by Cavani, who also impressed.

What an enigma Fred is, he runs his heart out, makes some good blocks and plays some good passes, but then a yard or so outside the box does a stupid tackle from behind on a big lump like Ba and gives away the free kick that led to their goal. Although nothing like him in terms of physic, skills or style, Fred's propensity to give away free kicks or to lose the ball in dangerous positions, reminds me very much of Fellaini.

With this performance and this result, plus news that maybe, just maybe, we can return to watching live from the terraces, sent me to bed happy last night!

 

[FrankDrebin]

Can see that Visca gaining some interest in January.

 

[sammsky1]

I think lowering the intensity is fine... would have been more then happy to just see us pass it around and not really bother the scorers, but we lost control of the game a bit and our play just became a bit sloppy/half-arsed which I think is a fine thing to critique.

3 subs at one didn't help of course - hardly ever does.

These guys are champions in Turkey, and had many experienced pro's with PL experience. We should be beating them, and we did, but they were always going to have some quality and be dangerous for brief periods.

Its just extremely annoying they played at the top of their game in their home game and we had such an off day.

Still, I enjoy the tension of games that have knock out potential, so will look forward to PSG and RBL games.

 

[OleTheGreat]

I think Martial Cavani Rashford front 3 worked very well with Bruno behind them. Fred had a decent but VDB had an excellent game. Second half was ridiculous though. Ole made changes and we lost our shape completely. At one point in the second, we looked our worst but that's all for good considering our first half was very good. Good goals and points much required. Need one more good game to get through the group. I hope it happens the very next game.

 

[Craig Ward]

Like most, enjoyed the first half and not so much the 2nd.

Donny was immense, as was Fred and Fernandes. There's no reason to not play that way with McTominey being a backup. Pogba is done for me,, we always look worse collectively when he plays.

Not many highlighting how good Telles was. He was awesome. Proper attacking width and a great delivery. Giving us that natural line hugging width was so good to see. I'm a big Shaw fan but he doesnt look half as threatening as Telles.

Cavani too - done all the dog work and you can tell instantly his movement is top draw. Such a better all round CF than Martial. Martial himself looked good on the left to be fair.

No performance is perfect and we still have flaws. But playing attacking football suits us and we should do it more. We have an abundance of talent in this team.

My biggest gripe was we didnt score more - and we won 4-1. Great performance

 

[RedDevil@84]

We regularly make the mistake of giving obscene wages to underserved players. Now giving a raise to someone well deserved is a mistake too. Especially when there are so many underserved players still around. What would he think? what would the other players think?

No one would/should think anything. No player who wants to come in to the team should be expecting a raise less than 1 year into a 4 plus 1 year contract. It is way too early. It doesn't matter if other players are on better wages.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Ole gets enough stick for not making changes earlier enough

Haha I know, wild

 

[Strelok]

No one would/should think anything. No player who wants to come in to the team should be expecting a raise less than 1 year into a 4 plus 1 year contract. It is way too early. It doesn't matter if other players are on better wages.

Agreed.

But imo shouldn't be later than the end of this season, of course if he'd still deserve it by then.

 

[90 + 5min]

Only 5 pages?

We must have won.

Brilliant!

That shows something about our fans, if not everything.

 

[MyBloodIsRed]

Loved loved loved putting a match to bed by half time. Allowed us to breathe and make some subs to help rotate too. Miss games like this against lower Euro competition that we'd glide past in the old days without much sweat.

Great to see Donny get a run out and Cavani too. Bruno's rocket was such a beautiful goal. So many times the ball gets knocked out on a corner and no one is waiting like that. Also, Martial was really great on the wing.

 

[NewGlory]

Cavani did more pressing in this match than Martial did in his entire United career.

Cavani was fantastic and a total delight to watch. I hope he continues to play like this and we see him a lot. He could have the same impact on our team as Ibra in his first year with us, and finishing second in EPL this year would feel wonderful…

 

[MattofManchester]

I fell asleep 10 minutes before the game from sheer exhaustion and woke up an hour after it.

Any honest opinions on the performance?

 

[mattsville]

Great result obviously, some of short range interplay in the early part of the 1st was brilliant to watch with DVB and Bruno, it was nice to see us start a game in earnest and with some nice adventurous play not the very linear approach that we can often operate in. Still think we need to produce a big performance between the last 2 fixtures in the group to get through, though we are certainly capable of doing that. I was very impressed with Cavani's work rate and general technique, when we string it together it is great to watch and very hard to stop, just need to get the consistency.

 

[lex talionis]

Vastly improved team performance. Donny started. Not a coincidence.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I fell asleep 10 minutes before the game from sheer exhaustion and woke up an hour after it.

Any honest opinions on the performance?

We played great almost one touch football for some time in first half. Then got 3 goals and then relaxed a bit. Ole eventually rested the lot and brought out others. Lindelof injured his back and went off and later our defenders tried their best to get them back into the game, but they could score only 1. Then we did ok to see off the rest of the time.
Tuanzebe managed to pick his 3rd yellow and would not play PSG game. So we are fecked, because it is unlikely Lindelof will be back. Even if he comes back, it will rather a rushed/forced bringing back which will be hugely risky.