[Cooksen]

If he had a peak Van Nistlerooy or a 28 year old C.Ronaldo we would be fighting for the league.

Our finishing has let us down too many times this season

 

[marukomu]

Right. All you miserable feckers, sod off. Season finished my arse.
We have a cup semi this week, and we are just a few points behind 4th. Stoke is never an easy place for anyone to go to, and we drew. The last three games there have been a draw and two defeats.

 

[RedTillI'mDead]

The psychology of the point and Wazzas record is important. Whilst we haven't gained any momentum a loss might have been damaging.

We clearly deserved to win though. Stoke offered nothing. A bad day of luck, but better finishing and luck wouldn't have come into it.

The clear pen scratches off against one of more fortunate referring decisions from this year.

Zlatan is a concern. When he is not in form he really offers very little. Today was very poor, can't help but think he was trying to make up for Matas OG by trying to set him up when he was in a perfect position to shoot and score. A lack of ruthlessness.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Thanks for the free-kick Joe Allen..... you lanky haired, ex LFC, scruffy gypsy

 

[Festive Sandvich]

Feels like groundhog day, did easily enough to win another game but somehow failed. The performance was decent in the main.

Just seen Rooney is topping the MoM poll, yes he scored, yes he beat SBC's record, but his performance was dreadful.

 

[The Hungry Surgeon]

Nice to get the record breaking goal for Rooney at the end and get the draw but we really needed the win here.

It seems over the past 3-4 years whenever we have an opportunity to capitalize on a rivals unexpectedly dropping points we find a way to feck it up for ourselves.

So frustrating.

 

[Garethw]

Is Ibra not allowed to be subbed?

 

[Feed Me]

Rubbish result that sums up our season.

Our attacking players need to seriously buck their ideas up.

 

[Oscie]

I thought we were excellent. Should have finished better but utterly dominated the game.

 

[Jacky Quacky]

Hate this shitty kit, swear we haven't won in it.

Please Mourinho just go for a settled front three. Martial Ibrahimvic and Mkhitaryan. It's not that hard for Christ sake!

Carrick has to play, no matter what.

Get Rojo in quick!!

 

[Stactix]

Think bringing on Lingard was a mistake, Carrick should of started or been subbed on 100%.

But this team just can't shoot for shit, its a serious issue.

Clattenburg being a twat as usual.

 

[Zexstream]

Cant say it was a great game, i feel we should have won. But credit where credit is due, great goal from Rooney and well done to the team to keep pressing for the goal.

A point is a point and could make all the difference at the end of the season.

 

[Theatre of Screams]

A lot of the players simply did not turn up today.

Mata, own goal aside was awful. So was Zlatan. Wasn't impressed with Zlatan against Pool (goal aside) and wasn't again today. Poor decision making, constantly being caught offside.

Jose dropped a major bollock today. I'm interested to hear his reasoning for playing Fellaini over Carrick.

It can't have been to give Carrick a rest, he only played 45 minutes during the game on Sunday. If it's to combat Stokes aerial presence, then 1) Carrick, at 6'2 is hardly a midget and 2) Why play someone like Mata if you're so concerned about the aerial threat in the first place.

This game was calling out for Carrick and Martial, why was the latter not even on the bench?

 

[Ban]

We didnt lose, thats good but should have won really. Had more than enough chances. Cant believe people are shitting on Mata, a guy who actually score more often than not.

 

[Badunk]

I take a long term view. I thought we'd get back into it and I never had that confidence under the previous two managers. I thought we battered them and they were just interested in parking the bus. I'd be concerned if we weren't dominant in these types of fixtures, and, as Alan Shearer always says, you worry if you're not creating chances.

Obviously, points dropped, but I'm happy with the direction the team is going in.

 

[m1y2]

I just have extreme hate for Stoke, that cnut of a player Adam and those average palyer like Whelan Pieters etc. incl Crouch, always find a way to stay in the PL...

We didn't deserve anything today, Jose shat his pants before the game and put in Fellaini to match their physics and height but why? It's clear that it's really important to control the game away from home especially against such team but we decide to eliminate their strengths.. that's not how you create chances

We were always going to play better in the second half but only after Fellaini left we started to see our midfield work again. Of course we should have played better even with Fellaini on but we just don't click as a team with him...

Pogba, Rashford, Lingard, Mata had good chances to score today, Stoke didn't have a single a single fecking chance today and got away with one point, so frustrating, it was just one of those days on a cold night at Stoke.

 

[leontas]

Such a frustrating game. Stoke came out of the gates with hunger and passion, that our players failed to match. Their pressing led to so many errors from our team and the own goal was just an unlucky way to cap off our dreadful start to the game. Then they sat back and we just couldn't convert any of the chances we had in the first half. Poor finishing is costing us so many points this season.

We played terribly in the second half though. For all our missed chances in the first half, we can have no complaints about the second half - we just didn't create anything. We missed Carrick's calming presence in midfield today. We were so static and narrow in attack and we lacked any real quality on the width for decent service to Zlatan. We really need more movement in the final third to cause opposition problems.

Congrats to Wazza for his record-breaking goal. Shame it wasn't the winner.

 

[redNATION]

Well said.

Bunch of moaning sods in here as usual.

We are a million times better than we were last year. Rome wasn't built in half a season.

But for £500m spent, and a manager being paid £12m a year, you'd expect better than this. Rome wont be built at all if we consistently miss out on Champions League football.

 

[Ban]

Also Fellaini starting isnt to blame for this result.

 

[Oscie]

Absolutely staggered with suggestions we played poorly.

 

[aikay]

You'd think a group of footballers that earn a zillion bucks will actually bother to learn how to finish.

Our finishing has been abysmal this season and that's why we are not in the top four or closer to Chelsea.

 

[Ixion]

We didn't create that many good chances really given we had all the posession. There was the Mata one but other than that the keeper didn't make many (any?) good saves.

 

[adamwest]

Gained a point on Pool but could have been 3. Not looking terrible being 4 points off of them they're definitely catchable. Guess we're hoping Spurs do City?

 

[2 man midfield]

It was a lot more than just a smile if I can recall correctly.

Nope.

1-1 Rooney

 

[OneUnited24]

If a game could sum up our season it was this one. Granted we've had more games where we've been dominate and still only drawn, this one highlighted our inability to put the ball in the net

 

[Ramshock]

I hate playing against Stoke, we never get it easy against them

 

[Triple.Threat]

I can't fault Jose there, Mata had a mare today, a point is better than losing, i know it was a very winnable game but lets move on.

 

[RedNed77]

• Great goal by Rooney.
• On the plus side we're a point closer to the scousers and 1 closer to City or Spurs. Or we at least haven't lost any ground on them in the worst case scenario.
• We played well (apart from the finishing)

 

[Dec9003]

If you take away the context a point away at Stoke isn't really the end of the world. I think we did well enough to get the point, we have to get to a point though where we can't keep saying we were unlucky for missing all these chances, if it comes to the end of the season and it doesn't get better then I like to think Jose would be ruthless and shift some of the players that even I like.
I think bringing Rooney and Rashford on changed the game for us for sure, adding another proper attacker into the lineup fills a lot of the empty space wasted by having three midfielders, and Rashford got a lot of joy out on the left, I think he's definitely improving as far as being a winger goes.
Im not sure who we play next, but I'd like to see a 4-4-1-1 similar to today with Martial and Mkhy out wide, it might not work but it was a lot of fun to watch at the end there and at this point we've not got a lot to lose.

 

[RedTillI'mDead]

Either Martial or Rashford should have started and this could have been a completely different game.

Agreed with this. When I saw the team and Fellaini starting the balance felt wrong.

 

[worcesterred]

In any other season a draw at Stoke is annoying but acceptable but we had to win today as we're in a position whereby we can not drop points at all. However, I'm pleased to have scored yet another late goal, and who knows, that goal may prove crucial at the end of the season.

 

[Florida Man]

Bittersweet. Happy for Rooney to get the record and especially with a crucial free kick like that. We play so sloppy though.

 

[lawliet354]

Don't understand why of all the games available, he chose Stoke away to start Mata, it's just another baffling decision by the manager

 

[AXVnee7]

We don't help ourselves by conceding first. It just gave Stoke a license to sit back and defend their lead. But FFS some of the chances we miss, it's just unbelievable. Mata miss was horrendous.

 

[worldinmotion66]

Can blame the finishing, of course, but I feel Mourinho made far too many mistakes today.

I was shocked to see Carrick on the bench but the inclusion of Fellaini can easily be justified. To start Mata at the Britannia is criminal in my opinion, and it cost us today. Then to replace Fellaini and our best player in Mkhitaryan was also foolish. We lost a lot of momentum at that point in the game, and I think Mourinho was a bit too eager to make changes.

We played some decent football and dominated the game. Unlucky. Poor finishing. Poor management. Wonderful way to break such a monumental record.

 

[2 man midfield]

Unbeaten run goes on, we rescue a point and i'm happy for Rooney. Other than that i can't wait to dump this game from my memory.

 

[mazhar13]

I knew we were going to draw this match 1-1 from the very beginning. We were never likely to score goals given our form in front of goal, and defensively, whilst we were solid, Hughes' teams have a knack of stepping up against us (wonder why he doesn't do this against any other side ). Their goal was extremely lucky in the end even though Mata really struggled to keep tabs on Pieters.

I just wonder why Mourinho set us up like Stoke were playing against Liverpool at Anfield. Their team was set up to have a go at us. Hughes always sets up his teams to have a go at us. Never have I seen him set up a side that will play on the back foot against us. Their piss-poor midfielders Whelan and Adam didn't do well enough to allow for it (which is why we dominated the match and kept them pegged back), but whenever they had the chance, they always tried to play football and attack us.

Another thing that surprised me is how we went with both Mkhitaryan and Mata on the wide areas resulting in 0 width in our side. We were really struggling to open them up save for some good bits of play from Mkhitaryan and Pogba until Rashford came on and provided that width.

All in all, it was a very frustrating match, so much so that I threatened to hurt my parents because of it.

 

[Monte Clift]

Ahhh so frustrating!!!!! Liverpools loss also proves how crap our performance and result was at OT too.

Mourinho really fecked up today. Iba looked exhausted Rashford should have started, Pog should have been dropped, Carrick should have started. He had one bad half and gets dropped??? Statistically if he plays 90mins we win.

Pogba was a waste of space and needs to be dropped if not playing well like any other player. Fellaini (who I don't think should wear red) was way way better today but Mourinho doesn't wanna upset Pog and create a media story that he's playing shit. You have to say it's completely pathetic that Stoke can sit behind the ball for 90 mins and concede only one through a worldy strike. Finishing was utterly appalling.

If Rashfird and Lingard started in wings we would have won.

We are going to struggle to get in top 4 at this rate.

 

[Randall Flagg]

But for £500m spent, and a manager being paid £12m a year, you'd expect better than this. Rome wont be built at all if we consistently miss out on Champions League football.

As someone said in this thread. The damage was done in September and October and now every dropped point feels worse

 

[Rhyme Animal]

We end up dominating almost every game, we create enough no. of chances to score at least 2. So it is really frustrating to drop so many points to draws. Pogba again had a frustrating game. I couldn't understand why he was not using Rashford and preferred to drive ahead himself through a wall.

Thank you, this is what I'm on about.

As I said in previous post, he's got a 'superstar complex' - always dithering and trying to do the spectacular, but rarely actually pulling it off.

You can't have a flair player like that in the middle of the park, it softens the team's core I think.