[Maticmaker]

My match verdict was that City's 'pass, move and probe' style ensured we ran out of legs.

I don't think the third goal was justified, but tiredness and new entrants to the fray, did for us on that one.

For a glorious first half our team played well, very well, not only did they thwart City, but they earned and then rode the luck that had generated. ,
Two stand out moments for me were, of course Rashford's 'blaster' of a goal and will never forget the look or Haarland's face when he put it over the bar from almost standing on the goal line.

We've a lot of catching up to do, Foden's goals were excellent. Pity he was born in Stockport, had to have been a 'blue' from birth

 

[Desert Eagle]

I think the main difference is that Liverpool and especially City back in those years knew their place and had a clear identity. They were plucky underdogs and there was no stigma those days to going out and making it a pure fight. They were made up largely of British players and it was fair game in the eyes of the general public that thay will do anything to make it difficult for the mighty Manchester United.

We are in some form of identity crisis nowadays. Our level on the pitch is between 4th and 7th but we are treatd off the pitch as a top 3 side. Playing ultra defensive and physical tactics is very much criticzed these days and is seen as not befitting a big club. Majority of players playing today grew up in this culture where the best teams are dominant and pro active. We end up being clearly not good enough to compete but also not culturally or mentally equipped to play like plucky underdogs. Not to mention that the levels of ball control and speed the likes of City are reaching are just bonkers, no one has ever monopolised the ball in the PL the way they do. It makes underdog tactics back in the day extremely limited.

They also had pride and they knew it was their cup final. Our lads might say all the right stuff but on the pitch they are weak and cowardly. As soon as they go down, heads drop and barring a few outliers, they crumble. It's all about the character of the team. Those liverpool and city teams could be shit all year but against us they would give their best effort.

 

[BelfastRed2021]

Anyone who can take any sort of positive out of that display needs their heads examined that was apalling pass after pass misplaced people not able to control the ball players running into players playing like we where aldershot town for the money spent and the club we are this is nowhere near good enough smaller teams have come and have gave themselves a good account of themselves. We still had several internationals in this squad there is no technical ability in this team and anytime we get the ball they get flustered Rashford apart from his goal looked like a sunday league player i cant find any positives from this match other than city where wasteful and 6-2 would have been a fair reflection.

 

[justsomebloke]

Anyone who can take any sort of positive out of that display needs their heads examined that was apalling pass after pass misplaced people not able to control the ball players running into players playing like we where aldershot town for the money spent and the club we are this is nowhere near good enough smaller teams have come and have gave themselves a good account of themselves. We still had several internationals in this squad there is no technical ability in this team and anytime we get the ball they get flustered Rashford apart from his goal looked like a sunday league player i cant find any positives from this match other than city where wasteful and 6-2 would have been a fair reflection.

To document and quantify the obvious:

22 touches, of whom 9 in the attacking 1/3 and 1 in the PA.
8 completed passes (12 attempted)
4 loose balls recovered
2 shots
2 clearances
1 interception
1 progressive carry
0 key passes, passes into the attacking 1/3, passes into the PA, progressive passes, attampted take-ons, attempted tackles, blocks, aerial duels or fouls drawn.

 

[Zed 101]

hardly a surprise, gulf in coaching and tactics is immense, yes they have a better squad but there are teams circling relegation that have given them closer games, I hope ETH is able to change, but I suspect on the evidence of this season it won't happen, I hope INEOS are planning his replacement so they can be brought in soon enough to be ready for the summer window

 

[Betson]

Better than expected. I saw people predicting 4-0, 5-0 7-1 and the like. I guess these people are the same as those that end up talking about the "laughable" performance today.

Losing by 2 goals or more away to City is probably something that all fans except Liverpool fans will manage to accept. Also... United has Shaw, Maguire, Martinez, AWB out along with Højlund. These are all either starters or 2nd choices.

All in all, 3-1 is quite the result.

Should we have an open top bus to celebrate this remarkable achievement ?

 

[Andy_Cole]

Pathetic match. Scored due to a wonder goal. Worst football United have played in my lifetime. Not just this game but an analysis of the season.

 

[Cessna]

Should we have an open top bus to celebrate this remarkable achievement ?

Not really. But if you look at the predictions (8% had 3-1 - the overweight was on a worse scoreline), and the team sheets then perhaps it's possible to find some positives. Not saying you have to look for positives, but "could have been worse" helps some times.

 

[Betson]

Not really. But if you look at the predictions (8% had 3-1 - the overweight was on a worse scoreline), and the team sheets then perhaps it's possible to find some positives. Not saying you have to look for positives, but "could have been worse" helps some times.

You are talking as we are some League 2 team going to play a premier league team. The standards we are setting ourselves are abyssal. Most teams in the league will go to City and put up a much better performance than we have.

United supporters used too talk about the glory days as days we won titles or CL , these days it seems the good days are the days we don't hammered by City or Liverpool or any other top 9 club.

 

[Alemar]

Amrabat and Forson were absolutely terrible yesterday.

 

[JediSith]

Amrabat and Forson were absolutely terrible yesterday.

I thought it was unfair/naive to bring on Amrabat a CM, probably the most important position vs City. 1) he hasn’t played near enough any matches and 2) he came at stage where we had pretty much lost our shape and city had completely taken over.

Doesn’t excuse the mistake. But if he started I think he would have offered more than McTominay because Amrabat usually grows into matches.

 

[Partridge]

I hope this isn't the game where french slaphead Zidane is given admiring glances. He'd fold like a shit poker player.

 

[Gator Nate]

Thought ten Hag got the tactics correct, he just didn't have the bench to maintain it. Same tactics with Hojlund (instead of McT, though I'd really rather replace Rashford), Licha, and Shaw and we win that game. Our counter was mostly impotent.

 

[redmanx]

Was there any doubt? We capitulate at the slightest amount of pressure and to beat City you need to keep them on the backfoot for the full 90 minutes. Our season is a write off anyways.

I'd rather City get the 3 points to take the title away from Liverpool. I hate the thought of the filthy scousers taking it again.

Unfortunately it looks highly likely that either Liverpool or City will complete the treble this season as I cant see anybody else winning anything. 1999 is looking a long, long way away now and our fabulous achievement then is starting to look pretty common place.

 

[Mullet_Man]

Amrabat and Forson were absolutely terrible yesterday.

Did Forson even get a touch? Amrabat fecked up big time.

 

[Red in STL]

Thought ten Hag got the tactics correct, he just didn't have the bench to maintain it. Same tactics with Hojlund (instead of McT, though I'd really rather replace Rashford), Licha, and Shaw and we win that game. Our counter was mostly impotent.

Just Hojlund could have been the difference I reckon, his ability to fight/hold up the ball, our counters were mostly impotent n part because City knew that was our only option, Hojlund gives us 2 options and such City would have to have taken that in to account

 

[lex talionis]

Thought ten Hag got the tactics correct, he just didn't have the bench to maintain it. Same tactics with Hojlund (instead of McT, though I'd really rather replace Rashford), Licha, and Shaw and we win that game. Our counter was mostly impotent.

Agreed. There’s no doubt City deserved its victory but with a bit more clinical touch by Rashford we could have fukked their heads by going up 0-3 in the first 25 minutes. But that clinical touch wasn’t there, City dusted themselves off and finished us professionally without do much as a moment’s doubt even after they went down 0-1 early in the match.

 

[Bobby Funk G]

The main takeaway from this game is that Rashford is world class.

 

[Hughie77]

Chelsea, who are largely worse than us, got a draw at the Etihad a couple of weeks ago.

Yep because in that Game they couldn't hit a bar door, otherwise it would have been a loss to Chelsea.

 

[sunama]

A famous loss. Well done to the lads for their effort

Yep.
Let's move on.
We'll play them next year at least twice and we'll hand them 6 points.

The margin of defeat against MCFC is measured by:
1, lost by one goal - it was close
2, lost by two goals - but they went easy on us
3, lost by many goals and it should've been more - but they went easy on us.

At what point will we have the ability to go toe to toe with them for 3 points.