[rpitchfo]

Why aren't we creating chances? Why don't we look like scoring. This has been the case ALL season. The same type of performances time and time again. We don't seem to be changing anything.

 

[stu_1992]

Not great all round. Seemed like Stoke wanted to make it that sort of scrappy game and we fell for it and followed suit. Disappointing result. Fell sorry for Young. Evans continues to scare the shite of me when he's on the pitch.

 

[Leg-End]

Yeovil will give us a decent game if we play anything like that.

I wish we would just ditch the 3-5-2 for a spell away from home, its clearly not working as a creating option.

 

[::sonny::]

Terrible game, absurde subs.

It's a miracle that 3rd place on the table.

 

[J-Stander]

Tough conditions but some of the football we played was shocking. Baffling subs again as well. We just never look like scoring late anymore.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

No midfield.

What midfield is he going to play against Yeovil? I presume Herrera will get another runout, but who else? Adnan was awful, who else can he put in there without it being the U-21 side?

 

[Clas Sified]

Actually, just realised no one can leapfrog us today. I thought S'oton had only been 1 point behind. Sure it's not ideal to have a one point gap should the arse or S'oton win, but it's still not the worst situation to be in.

 

[Deleted member 78215]

Relatively, the point is alright. But my Lord, what an absolutely dreadful performance.

Rooney was hideous. Evans a calamity. Jones rash.

I just can't believe how poor our passing is, considering LvG repeatedly espouses his belief in intelligent passing and clever movement. Sure, we may have 70% possession, but our productivity is terrible. The problem is, apart from Di Maria, who are we waiting for now? Will his return really improve us that much?

Our best performances have come when we've not played 352, but that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

Also, the Januzaj sub was a terrible decision. The guy's not played in weeks, then gets thrown into that hideous cauldron.

Ah well.

 

[Nate Dogg]

I'm not sure the double training sessions are working, our defence is disorganised, midfield non existent and we are not creating any chances; surely a recipe for disaster.

I'm having serious concerns about Lvg and his ability to improve this team.

 

[Browniee]

Shit shit shit

That is all

 

[Rado_N]

Seriously, how is it possible that the players can be out there in those conditions and even after 80 minutes haven't figured out that lofted floating crosses won't work?

I'm genuinely baffled by it.

 

[drdoityourself]

This formation offers us nothing as our two forwards have to have the pace to run into the space behind the fullbacks. They don't.

As good as Carrick is at controlling tempo when we need things to slow down, he never seems to be able to bring urgency in our game.

There is just no pace in our team, and this 5-3-2 has to stop.

 

[Moonred]

A good point. Play was rubbish mostly. Come back Di Maria and inject that one thing that we are missing every match, Pace. Without an outlet, our counter attacking is non existent. Stoke away is tough, not a bad result when we are aiming for top 4.

 

[Bojan11]

Actually, just realised no one can leapfrog us today. I thought S'oton had only been 1 point behind. Sure it's not ideal to have a one point gap should the arse or S'oton win, but it's still not the worst situation to be in.

Praying for a draw.

 

[Kant-ona]

We should not focus on this "unbeaten"-saga. It detracts from the fact that we show some very poor performances these days. And that our defense looks like a slapstick improvisation theatre in many situations.

My conclusion of the match: Can't wait to have Blind back in the squad.

 

[poisson]

Terrible game, absurde subs.

It's a miracle that 3rd place on the table.

wont be in 3rd much longer - arsenal if they win will be 1 point behind us, liverpool will be 6 if they win.

 

[Nick 0208 Ldn]

Stoke were the better team in both halves and can feel unfortunate not have come away with three points.

LVG's decision making handicapped the team today; both the XI/tactics in the first half to the substitutions in the second were flawed.

And whilst a cruel blow to Young given his form, we might finally see the back of that acursed 3-5-2.

 

[Cooksen]

• 3-5-2 did not work at all today.
• We need blind to help out Carrick and the defenders passing the ball out.
• Falcao was good
• Smalling was good
• Januzaj is not a wingback and will never be one
• Stop crossing the ball.

 

[charleysurf]

The difference between the way we play of late and how we did against hull is nuts.

Yes, because Stoke away in a gale is just like Hull at home

Herrera did feck all to improve us, so there goes that excuse.

 

[Red Comet]

That wasn't Football.

It was football. American football.

 

[kouroux]

Seriously, how is it possible that the players can be out there in those conditions and even after 80 minutes haven't figured out that lofted floating crosses won't work?

I'm genuinely baffled by it.

They're not clever enough to change and adapt their game. We have many players who aren't very bright.

 

[2 man midfield]

That took endurance from me to watch it, must have been a bitch to play in.

 

[dirkey]

Tough conditions out there for them. Looks like Falcao's extended run in the team caught up with him, can't explain him being taken off and Mata staying on otherwise. Mata again sticking with his pretty poor away form. Need reinforcements at the back, every single one of our defenders scares me.

 

[Nate Dogg]

Forgot to mention if this isn't anti football then not sure what is!

 

[Stack]

Why aren't we creating chances? Why don't we look like scoring. This has been the case ALL season. The same type of performances time and time again. We don't seem to be changing anything.

3rd equal best goals scored and goal difference but we arent creating chances all season??????

 

[FujiVice]

The hyperbole is tear enducing on here recently. We haven't lost in months, which is a vast, vast improvement on last April. I'm moderately happy with the draw, considering how we performed. A point is way more than what we deserved with the injuries we have and how we performed.

 

[bishblaize]

Happy with that. Really tough game, 'orrible awkward opponents, dreadful conditions. One point acceptable in such circumstances, especially with three winnable games to come.

 

[Rafabio]

To the slow, static, zombie passing thread!

Or has that been renamed to the "patient buildup" thread?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Maybe LvG has a point about fatigue over this period. Our results have been quite poor and performances havent been to what we expect.

Oh and Januzaj needs to go out on loan ASAP

This is more or less the side that from last season, they managed to play over Christmas before. LvG has given some of them the perfect excuse. For a manager who is so meticulous then that isn't great.

 

[bishblaize]

3rd equal best goals scored and goal difference but we arent creating chances all season??????

Quite.

 

[WyoManU]

More of the same. I cannot think of a single save that Begovic actually had to make. We are slow, have no creativity and are only capable of passing it around in the back. Nobody can take a player on and create anything. We lack physicality. we lack concentration and intelligence. Our defense always looks like conceding and we are shockingly injury prone. We were very fortunate to get a draw. Stoke should've been given a penalty and certainly created the better chances. I don't think we are getting better at all. More than halfway through this season, and yes I think we are better than last year but not by much and that is after spending a truckload of cash. Smalling was probably our best player. Apart from that I can't think of anyone who did much of anything to applaud.

Happy that Falcao got his poachers goal, but apart from that he still looks awful. His first touch is abysmal. Not worth the money we are paying him. His time is running out. I won't bemoan RVP any more, as I have to do it after every match, but for me he is just past it and does nothing to help develop our attacks. Our passing going forward into the final third was just so poor as to be laughable.

'The philosophy' is turning into our new 'Chosen One' banner now...

 

[Moriarty]

Any news yet on Shaw and Young?

 

[Dylan94]

Had we not drawn against Villa and Spurs this would have been a good result. 6 points from a potential 12 is just not good enough unfortunately. Only upside is Falcao now showing why we payed for him...well, you know what I mean.

 

[ravi2]

We barely need speed in this side....a winger who can penetrate and get service to rvp and falcao.
The 352 is not impressive and I don't understand why young wasn't moved to LWB and let januzaj to to the rm.

Sign a winger and a cb in January.

 

[Spoony]

Awful stuff. Towards the end I didn't give a stuff whether we'd win, lose or draw.

 

[Red Comet]

I'm having serious concerns about Lvg and his ability to improve this team.

What he did so far isn't a vast improvement from last year? Feck me we must be in 6th or something.

 

[Get In Scholesy]

I knew we'd be in for a rough game, but feck me, I never thought it would be that bad. We played right into Stoke's hands throughout the match. They aren't that intelligent of a football team, minimal off the ball movement and passing would be enough to create space for one of our strikes to pounce. But we kept playing the predictable pass and random ball over the top.

Frustrating.

 

[RORY65]

The difference between the way we play of late and how we did against hull is nuts.

We had loads of possession today but it was just aimless fecking around again. I have no idea why Van Gaal keeps talking about this incredible Hull game, it was several games ago now at home to a team in appalling form. Even then we struggled to create chances.

Every pundit talks about the defence, which obviously is the area with the worst players, but we also play with no actual midfield and don't create much at all. I think we'll make top 4 because we should improve and simply we have better attacking players than some of the other sides but this team is still a load of work and several players from being genuine contenders.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Relatively, the point is alright. But my Lord, what an absolutely dreadful performance.

Rooney was hideous. Evans a calamity. Jones rash.

I just can't believe how poor our passing is, considering LvG repeatedly espouses his belief in intelligent passing and clever movement. Sure, we may have 70% possession, but our productivity is terrible. The problem is, apart from Di Maria, who are we waiting for now? Will his return really improve us that much?

Our best performances have come when we've not played 352, but that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

Also, the Januzaj sub was a terrible decision. The guy's not played in weeks, then gets thrown into that hideous cauldron.

Ah well.

The sooner Di Maria is fit and Herrera is match fit, then hopefully we will produce more chances.

 

[Godfather]

No pace and no one able to take on players. Arnautovic was awesome.

 

[OneUnited24]

This is more or less the side that from last season, they managed to play over Christmas before. LvG has given some of them the perfect excuse. For a manager who is so meticulous then that isn't great.

But if you look at how many of our players have played in every game over this period (which we've had to given the injuries to players) you can argue most are just shattered

 

[2 man midfield]

As bad as we played, this was just the straw that broke the camels back. A point away at Stoke isn't necessarily a bad thing, but Villa and Spurs we should have done better at.