[Tom Van Persie]

I was doing something while watching the game, but while I am sure we will be strongly criticised for not winning 5-0, it looked to me like their keeper had a worldie and we created several chances.

We were playing Rochdale.

 

[Enigma_87]

We nearly went out to a pub side, seriously? Football probably isn't even their main income. It's either laugh or cry right now and I'm choosing to >. Their lesbian looking fullback who scored the equaliser was having a right laugh down our left side. What a JOKE!

Technically we didn't. I'd wait to get paired with one in the FA cup. Would be a great game.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Isn't this pretty standard for a league cup game?

Yeah I guess. My point was mainly about the ones who went though, feel bad for them sitting through such dross.

 

[LJJT]

We got through, let’s forget it and move on. Had plenty of games like this down the years even in the glory years. We are one game away from taking some of these chances and given some one a good beating, let’s hope it’s this coming Monday,

 

[Chaky_Best]

Honestly our squad is good enough to get top 4, we'd need 5 new players to have a squad good enough to challenge the top 2. The squad lacks firepower for sure but I believe that's just because our style of play doesn't create enough space or opportunities for attacking players to thrive.

We need one left back
2 new midfielders
one right winger
one number 9

 

[JB7]

We nearly went out to a pub side, seriously? Football probably isn't even their main income. It's either laugh or cry right now and I'm choosing to >. Their lesbian looking fullback who scored the equaliser was having a right laugh down our left side. What a JOKE!

The fecking ignorance is strong with this one.

 

[Ventura]

Let's not be over-dramatic about this win. We played youngsters and backups in a number of positions, and some of our starters are known to be mediocre anyway, and it's not uncommon that big teams lose to smaller teams in these cups, which we didn't, but a couple of PL sides did. Didn't we get smashed 4-0 to MK Dons a few years back? Now that was an embarrassment, but progressing on penalties from this game isn't.

 

[singhters]

They were beaten by citys u21 side 2-0, peterborough spanked them 6-0, hyde beat them 3-0, are you telling me utd's youngsters who have a multi million pound academy with all the facilities and hi tech equipment they train with are unable to beat rochdale comfortably in 90 mins.

 

[Ace of Spades]

It was a decent win, disjointed but we should have finished off some of the chances. We need to improve our finishing, we don't create a lot, so when chances come we really do not have the luxury of wasting them.

 

[haram]

This might sound odd, but one of the biggest issues for me last night wasn't what was going on on the pitch. It was the matchgoing fans. Rather than trying to get the team going, they seemed to just be cycling through our repertoire of songs. Whenever we needed a goal in the old days we used to get behind the lads and gee them up. We don't seem to do that anymore and seem far too focused on having a good day out and getting over the latest song about X player.

Im sorry but its a wet midweek game against fecking Rochdale and the team did their best to suck the life out of Old Trafford. The fans do not deserve any blame.

 

[Jeffthered]

We got through, let’s forget it and move on. Had plenty of games like this down the years even in the glory years. We are one game away from taking some of these chances and given some one a good beating, let’s hope it’s this coming Monday,

Posts like this concern me, as it highlights how low our expectations are.

If we are playing well, settled, with a consistent, competitive team, reflecting a club with such stature, history, pedigree and resources, then we can all accept such performances.

But this, unfortunately, is symptomatic of how we are playing, week in, week out.

Just painful to watch.

 

[haram]

We nearly went out to a pub side, seriously? Football probably isn't even their main income. It's either laugh or cry right now and I'm choosing to >. Their lesbian looking fullback who scored the equaliser was having a right laugh down our left side. What a JOKE!

Lad is 16 . Literally conceded to a kid.

 

[Devil may care]

I agree with this.

In many ways this was worse than the 4-0 drubbing by a progressive MKDons in 2014.

The reason I say this is that that 2014 team picked by LVG I believe was an experimental one, he made 10 changes from the previous game consisting of only 1 regular first teamer (DDG) a bunch of youth team players, and a number of out of favour first teamers.

Most of the out of favour players knew the writing was on the wall on their Utd careers and didn’t put the effort in as they should.

LVG said after the match he saw some “good” things from the game.Namely he knew who he was going to get rid of.

After that defeat players who played in that match (and Subs) such as Welbeck, Kagawa, Anderson, Hernandez & Zaha were sold or loaned out before the end of that transfer window. Others such as Evans, Wilson & McNair left a little later.

So in a strange way you could see such an away result taking place in 2014.

What’s the excuse for the team last night that is the question.

You mean the performance or the selection?

 

[sunama]

We are one game away from taking some of these chances and given some one a good beating, let’s hope it’s this coming Monday,

Either you have not seen us play this season, or you are a WUM. I won't bother explaining why because it's so obvious.

 

[TRUERED89]

The fecking ignorance is strong with this one.

Have I offended you calling the mighty Rochdale a pub side? I've got lots of family in Rochdale trust me its a pub team …

 

[sunama]

Posts like this concern me, as it highlights how low our expectations are.

I think that the low expectations are down to Ole being in charge. Very few fans want to kick up a fuss, given that Ole is a nice guy, a club legend and the manager is usually the one who gets the criticism, when results are poor.

Whatever the case, it is very evident that we are struggling to score and keep clean sheets. For me, the worst part is the inability to score goals. The reason why Jose was axed was mainly down to playing style (parking the bus against lesser teams). Ole seems to have abandoned the style of play which he used in his first 3 months and has adopted Jose's tactics.

I am not sure if Ole is aware that if this continues he will be fired.

 

[Sandikan]

It was a decent win, disjointed but we should have finished off some of the chances. We need to improve our finishing, we don't create a lot, so when chances come we really do not have the luxury of wasting them.

It wasn't in any shape or form a "decent" win.
But I agree with the rest of your post, although I'd stress the chances we created weren't exactly plentiful - but enough to comfortably see a 2-0, 3-0 on another day.

 

[TRUERED89]

I think that the low expectations are down to Ole being in charge. Very few fans want to kick up a fuss, given that Ole is a nice guy, a club legend and the manager is usually the one who gets the criticism, when results are poor.

Whatever the case, it is very evident that we are struggling to score and keep clean sheets. For me, the worst part is the inability to score goals. The reason why Jose was axed was mainly down to playing style (parking the bus against lesser teams). Ole seems to have abandoned the style of play which he used in his first 3 months and has adopted Jose's tactics.

I am not sure if Ole is aware that if this continues he will be fired.

Unless we drop into the bottom 3, Ed's made it clear from the club statement released, that Ole is going nowhere no matter how garbage we are.

 

[devilish]

AWB hasn't played a senior international to my knowledge and I don't think Pereira has either, but that's by the by, Emile Heskey got 60+ caps and he was crap. As for Greenwood being the second coming, in the eyes of some sure, to me he's a very talented 17 year old but you can't discount the fact he's only 17, and Axel has only played second tier football, and both Greenwood and Axel were good anyway.

Look, you know I'm not a sentimentalist with football mate, I already said I never would have given Ole the job as I would have waited until the end of the season and as we saw in that last 15 games he's looking out of his depth.

To me right now we are miles off having a squad that can do anything and I don't trust the board of the club to get the players we need nor am I convinced a lot of them would even want to come at this point given how the vibe is surrounding the club.

So I think we need to stay the course for this season, keep playing the young players and see if we can get them to gel, if not then get rid of Ole at the end of the season, as I don't see us finishing higher than 6th no matter who is manager.



Why?

While I do agree that our club lack leadership and talent at all levels surely we bought agree that there is enough talent to comfortably beat rochdale and Astana. Ole is part of the problem but he is a problem

 

[TRUERED89]

We nearly went out to a pub side, seriously? Football probably isn't even their main income. It's either laugh or cry right now and I'm choosing to >. Their lesbian looking fullback who scored the equaliser was having a right laugh down our left side. What a JOKE!

I'd like to also add, Peterborough smashed these lot 6-0, and Man City U21's smashed them 5-0 and we were at fecking OT.

 

[Sandikan]

I'd like to also add, Peterborough smashed these lot 6-0, and Man City U21's smashed them 5-0 and we were at fecking OT.

Man City U21s beat them 2-0.

 

[TRUERED89]

Man City U21s beat them 2-0.

Okay fair enough, doesn't alleviate the embarrassment any less.

 

[Sandikan]

Okay fair enough, doesn't alleviate the embarrassment any less.

You're striving to paint a picture of them not only being league 1, but being whipping boys. When they've only had 1 proper smashing this season, which can happen to a lot of teams.

Not sure,as presumably a United fan why you're trying to make it even more of a joke then we all know it was anyway?

 

[JB7]

Have I offended you calling the mighty Rochdale a pub side? I've got lots of family in Rochdale trust me its a pub team …

As someone who watches a team 3 leagues below them on Saturdays United aren't playing I can definitely 100% assure you Rochdale aren't a pub team, they're professional footballers doing pretty well for themselves. Hell you've got teams at my teams level that are professional.

Considering the millions of people worldwide who play football they're still in the top 1% so not too bad at their craft are they

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Okay fair enough, doesn't alleviate the embarrassment any less.

Tuanzebe: 21
AWB: 21
Dan James: 21
Chong: 19
Williams: 19
Greenwood: 17
Jlingz: 12

I'm not saying it was any less embarrassing, I'm saying some context is needed.

 

[TRUERED89]

Tuanzebe: 21
AWB: 21
Dan James: 21
Chong: 19
Williams: 19
Greenwood: 17
Jlingz: 12

I'm not saying it was any less embarrassing, I'm saying some context is needed.

Pogba, Lingard, Fred, Perreira, Jones, AWB, all these guys are experienced bar maybe AWB but he's been around the block he's seen a few things, still appalling..

 

[TRUERED89]

You're striving to paint a picture of them not only being league 1, but being whipping boys. When they've only had 1 proper smashing this season, which can happen to a lot of teams.

Not sure,as presumably a United fan why you're trying to make it even more of a joke then we all know it was anyway?

Peterborough smashed them 6-0, and we looked lost playing them at Old Trafford with half the team being seasoned pro's (albeit some not wanted). Thought I'd point that out. Maybe I shouldn't make the embarrassment worse but its just unreal what's been happening since the season began.

 

[TRUERED89]

As someone who watches a team 3 leagues below them on Saturdays United aren't playing I can definitely 100% assure you Rochdale aren't a pub team, they're professional footballers doing pretty well for themselves. Hell you've got teams at my teams level that are professional.

Considering the millions of people worldwide who play football they're still in the top 1% so not too bad at their craft are they

Does that really excuse Man United at OT for making Rochdale look like a seasoned PL team that were unlucky to not come away with a point (if it wasn't a cup tie)!?

 

[Sandikan]

Peterborough smashed them 6-0, and we looked lost playing them at Old Trafford with half the team being seasoned pro's (albeit some not wanted). Thought I'd point that out. Maybe I shouldn't make the embarrassment worse but its just unreal what's been happening since the season began.

In fairness we should easily have been 2 or 3 up, but when it's not going your way, what happened last night happens!
The only surprise being that we got away with it on pens!

 

[Catt]

I am not sure if Ole is aware that if this continues he will be fired.

Of course he is. He may not have the quality required but he's not stupid.

 

[JB7]

Does that really excuse Man United at OT for making Rochdale look like a seasoned PL team that were unlucky to not come away with a point (if it wasn't a cup tie)!?

I didn't say it did mate, United should be putting 4 or 5 past them. We looked like we'd never watched them play and let them do whatever they wanted - very very poor from us.

I just took issue with the pub team comment, that's all.

 

[TRUERED89]

In fairness we should easily have been 2 or 3 up, but when it's not going your way, what happened last night happens!
The only surprise being that we got away with it on pens!

That's what makes it worse, we don't create chances and when we do magically create sitters they're bloody missed everytime, Pogba's header in particular. But have you forgotten the biggest miss of the game was by Rochdale!!! How they didn't score 2 is amazing. He was literally 1 inch away from the goal line and he scuffed it which allowed AWB to clear it off the line..

 

[Bouncer001]

First half, we had Pereira on the right, Chong on the left and Lingard in the middle. I would love to understand Ole's thinking behind this. Lingard has one main strength, his acceleration is pretty good and his best form has always been on the right, he is right wing out and out. What purpose does he serve in that role? Maybe to utilise his pace on the counter... the problem is you can't counter from a high line as there is no space to run into when teams sit deep. The best player we have in that position for that role is Mata, why not use him?

Second half, looked more like a traditional 442 from the Fergie days, good support from the full backs and had a bit more success. Generally looked a better structure. Slight problem though, Greenwood and Lingard were acting essentially as your two forwards. Box was very compact in order to find space for low crosses (neither player is great at finding space in the box either) so your left with high balls and no aerial presence (selling Lukaku was a shocking decision). Crosses to players with an average height of players at 5"9 against 6"+ centre backs........

Whilst I like Ole in many ways I find him tactically poor. He has made some terrible decisions. Often tactical choices/player section do not seem to match the overall strategy for games. Last night was really really disappointing.

 

[Maticmaker]

Trying to take the positives from last night!

The most important was for our young players who as I suspect Ole now sees as 'the future' (Rashford and Lingard look out, you are now the people filling the shirts but for how much longer?). For those youngsters in particular it was a big lesson of learning that first thing you have to do is turn up with as much enthusiasm/will to win as your opponent no matter what their ranking is to yours. Skill, talent etc will not on its own guarantee you a win. Rochdale played out of their skin, their players will be telling their grandchildren all about last night. We were all together too timid and unadventurous in the first half (with seven shots but only one on target) many times we were second to the ball in one-to-ones, although we did at times do some effective 'herd type' pressing.

Romero proved for me that should De Gea decide to go we have someone who we can rely on to hold the fort.

Mason will, and should be challenging Marcus for the lead striker spot, he takes up much better positions in the penalty box looking to sniff out chances, something Marcus doesn't really do effectively!

Axel looked solid in the heart of defence, hopefully he will be the one to put pressure on Maguire and Lindelöf!

Aaron continues to look good, especially in recovery!

Daniel James is going to be of more importance once we figure out who needs to play with him, and can take advantage of his speed

Fred's recovery seems to be progressing although hard to tell against such opposition.

Not a great day at the office, but hopefully we learned a thing or two!

 

[Devil may care]

While I do agree that our club lack leadership and talent at all levels surely we bought agree that there is enough talent to comfortably beat rochdale and Astana. Ole is part of the problem but he is a problem

On paper yes, we shouldn't have any trouble beating those teams, but as we know football isn't played on paper, those teams came to Old Trafford with nothing to lose and to experience the big stage, conversely we are under huge pressure, not just from the media but the fanbase, a lot have already turned on Ole and the atmosphere at Old Trafford is nervy and tense, then you add to that we are relying on a 17 year old striker and a 21 year old winger who has only played championship football until this season, and I think you see a bigger picture of why we look so poor. That said Ole looks like he's wilting under the pressure to me, he wont go public but I wouldn't be shocked if he walked before Christmas.

 

[Wolf8312]

In a really deranged way for much too long.

Haha well that gave me a chuckle anyway!

 

[Harry190]

No leaders in this team. Everyone hides. No one runs into space. They don't support each other. They want the ball played to feet and choose the safest option by passing the ball back. This is not Manchester United.

 

[Gator Nate]

No leaders in this team. Everyone hides. No one runs into space. They don't support each other. They want the ball played to feet and choose the safest option by passing the ball back. This is not Manchester United.

These two go hand in hand and are my biggest criticism of the team right now. Their off-the-ball movement is terrible. DJ is better than the rest, and Mason looks pretty aware. That goal of Mason's last night was great, took it on his right foot, let the defender bite and go just past, flip it to his left foot and bang it in. But look also at his positioning. They got the ball into the box (something they aren't doing enough of) and passed it over to him, where he was already in scoring position. We're not seeing enough of them driving into the box. If the opponent have five guys in the penalty area, we should be driving to get five in as well. Crowd it and score in the confusion. Not enough driving in, too much waiting for a space that's not going to create itself. Other teams know this and park the bus against us and it works. We can't score because we're shooting through too many defenders from way outside.

 

[FootyGirl88]

No leaders in this team. Everyone hides. No one runs into space. They don't support each other. They want the ball played to feet and choose the safest option by passing the ball back. This is not Manchester United.

All down to coaching tbh

 

[devilish]

On paper yes, we shouldn't have any trouble beating those teams, but as we know football isn't played on paper, those teams came to Old Trafford with nothing to lose and to experience the big stage, conversely we are under huge pressure, not just from the media but the fanbase, a lot have already turned on Ole and the atmosphere at Old Trafford is nervy and tense, then you add to that we are relying on a 17 year old striker and a 21 year old winger who has only played championship football until this season, and I think you see a bigger picture of why we look so poor. That said Ole looks like he's wilting under the pressure to me, he wont go public but I wouldn't be shocked if he walked before Christmas.

Look mate I think we need a major rebuild ie a 7 new players per summer for 2 seasons rebuild. However let's be honest we should dominate this crap. The results are nowhere acceptable and Ole is part of the problem

Ole had the opportunity to assess the squad and bring in true meritocracy. Instead he stuck to people like Carrick and went all guns blazing against players like Lukaku while concurrently giving Jones 5 year contracts. By doing so he proved to be no different to Moyes, Mourinho and LVG. He's putting his philosophy ahead to what is good for the club. With the only difference that the latter were real managers. He isn't and his tactics shows that