[FrankDrebin]

Mentality midgets.

 

[FrankDrebin]

I knew we'd lose when this started happening. Looking at you Bailly, you fecking clown

What a guy.

 

[RoyH1]

Or Madrid or Barcelona, or Juventus or Bayern.

According to our resident experts in the CAF, all those clubs are also rans that will never regain their previous glory and are bound to fail under the might and glory of the all powerful Premier League.

 

[2 man midfield]

The flag went up didn't it?

That's what the Irish commentary team said.

Possibly, on BT we never even saw a replay

 

[FrankDrebin]

The flag went up after the fact on the Rashford 1v1 chance.

 

[2 man midfield]

I knew we'd lose when this started happening. Looking at you Bailly, you fecking clown

When your back 4 is already shaky as feck, and you need a calming presence, turning to Eric Bailly should be punishable by mandatory sectioning under the mental health act.

 

[Wilt]

I knew we'd lose when this started happening. Looking at you Bailly, you fecking clown

Ffs

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The flag went up didn't it?

That's what the Irish commentary team said.

I looked for the flag on the replay but couldn’t see it. Bruno was definitely offside though.

 

[2 man midfield]

Imagine having 11 penalties taken against you and not getting near any of them? By the law of averages you could stand still for all of them and at least 2 would hit you.

You could say the same for their keeper as well tbf, he only really got near the Luke Shaw one. Just 21 really good penalties, so I’m not even sure subbing Henderson on would’ve helped even if it was worth a go.
Either way the focus shouldn’t be on the shootout as you’re in the lap of the gods at that point, the focus should be on why we couldn’t dispatch the 7th best team in La Liga over 120 minutes. Did we even create a chance other than Cavani’s goal?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I knew we'd lose when this started happening. Looking at you Bailly, you fecking clown

Impressive that you called that in advance.

 

[Ixion]

I definitely saw a replay where you see the linesman put up his flag after Rashford's miss.

 

[Yorkeontop]

One of those when our lack of coaching hurt us.

 

[JG3001]

Baffled that some people here say that there was next to no option to bring on from the bench. Telles/Amad/VDB could have all been brought on for Rashford who was doing next to nothing. They could not have done any worse. Matic for McTominay (my man of the match) to bring in fresh legs. I don't buy this "nothing to bring on from the bench" view at all.

Its a lazy excuse by the sycophants, always an excuse when the team bottle it when it counts. We were playing for penalties from the 80th minute. Rashford was non existent, literally any other player could have done more of a job. Subbing him for DVB or Fred and pushing Pogba up would have been the sensible choice. To not make a change for 100 minutes when you’re team are knackered from 70mina onward is just baffling. Ole simply a deer in headlights. Can’t affect a game unless the opposing team play gung ho football.

 

[Ixion]

Imagine in 99 if Sir Alex hadn't brought on Teddy and Ole because he had started with his best players and didn't want to change them.

 

[kerryman]

Ole showing his limitations today.

Love him, wouldn't change him yet, but don't expect us to win anything with him. He just doesn't have "it".

His game management hurt us.

Why keep him if you don't expect us to win anything with him? I agree he doesn't have 'it'. He has limitations and I think he has taken us as far as he can. I really can't see us progressing further under him. His in-game management is poor, he has shown this many times. I don't think he is ruthless enough and doesn't seem able to make big calls. He relies too often on moments of brilliance to get us through games rather than seeming to have a tactical plan. I like the guy but the team is a reflection of him, no killer instinct.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Plus note, being in pot B looks like you'll miss a lot of the bigger clubs in the UCL group stage next season than being in pot A

Yeah, one consolation is we won't be getting PSG yet again or Juventus. Knowing us we will get Villareal.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

A lot of rubbish is talked about with coaching on here. None of us have any idea how good or bad it is.

If it isn't coaching then the fact we cannot defend properly or beat teams who defend for their lives it is one hell of a rebuild.

 

[RedRJ]

With the benefit of hindsight and having calmed down a bit…………

I’m choosing to ignore the pens, which are always a lottery, but we’re generally high quality; however, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a keeper, at any level, who looks less likely to save a pen than DDG. He was pretty much just falling over by the end.

However, we should have buried Villareal in 90 mins, irrespective of their negative tactics; City, Liverpool and Chelsea would have. We’ve been struggling against low block teams for years and seem no closer to figuring them out. I think that part of our problem is that everything is geared around Bruno and if he’s not performing then we don’t perform. Speaking of which, there seems to be a worrying trend of Bruno not delivering in the biggest matches, so he needs to raise his game I feel.

As many other people have said, Ole’s in game management is terrible and some of his substitutions seemed baffling. I couldn’t believe that he took Greenwood off and left Rashford on; speaking of Rashford, I can’t think of a worse performance from a supposed top player……he was absolutely awful from the first minute. And don’t give me bs about Ole not trusting his subs because Lee Grant would have offered more than Rashford did last night.

I’ve been up and down with Ole all season but had generally got to a place where I could see progress and with some good business over summer, felt like we could make a real challenge; but now I’m not so sure…..

As for the players, clearly several from the bench and the established players that didn’t make the bench need to be moved on. Beyond those:

- We need to decide who our keeper is and sell the other; personally I don’t think either of them is quite good enough.
- full backs are fine with both having kicked-on this year (although AWB needs to kick-on again).
- CB is a problem: Bailly terrifies me, Axel and VL not quite good enough for a top team.
- Pogba is clearly a good player but doesn’t do enough to influence games; I’d sell him if there is a buyer out there.
- Bruno is great but needs to do more in big games and we need to find an alternative system that reduces our reliance on him when he isn’t playing well.
- Rashford needs to be benched because he isn’t good enough - whether that’s a fitness issue I don’t know, but I refuse to believe that we don’t have better options available to us (Martial and Diallo to name two (and I realise Martial has also had a poor season)).
- James is never going to be a top player - sell.

Bit of a pointless rant, but I’m hoping that writing it down will let me get on with my day .

 

[Wilt]

Imagine in 99 if Sir Alex hadn't brought on Teddy and Ole because he had started with his best players and didn't want to change them.

Good point

 

[Asger]

One of those when our lack of coaching hurt us.

Lack of quality players as well. Rashford must be the most overrated English player in the history. I liked him when he came through but he has not improved in anything since then.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

With the benefit of hindsight and having calmed down a bit…………

I’m choosing to ignore the pens, which are always a lottery, but we’re generally high quality; however, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a keeper, at any level, who looks less likely to save a pen than DDG. He was pretty much just falling over by the end.

However, we should have buried Villareal in 90 mins, irrespective of their negative tactics; City, Liverpool and Chelsea would have. We’ve been struggling against low block teams for years and seem no closer to figuring them out. I think that part of our problem is that everything is geared around Bruno and if he’s not performing then we don’t perform. Speaking of which, there seems to be a worrying trend of Bruno not delivering in the biggest matches, so he needs to raise his game I feel.

As many other people have said, Ole’s in game management is terrible and some of his substitutions seemed baffling. I couldn’t believe that he took Greenwood off and left Rashford on; speaking of Rashford, I can’t think of a worse performance from a supposed top player……he was absolutely awful from the first minute. And don’t give me bs about Ole not trusting his subs because Lee Grant would have offered more than Rashford did last night.

I’ve been up and down with Ole all season but had generally got to a place where I could see progress and with some good business over summer, felt like we could make a real challenge; but now I’m not so sure…..

As for the players, clearly several from the bench and the established players that didn’t make the bench need to be moved on. Beyond those:

- We need to decide who our keeper is and sell the other; personally I don’t think either of them is quite good enough.
- full backs are fine with both having kicked-on this year (although AWB needs to kick-on again).
- CB is a problem: Bailly terrifies me, Axel and VL not quite good enough for a top team.
- Pogba is clearly a good player but doesn’t do enough to influence games; I’d sell him if there is a buyer out there.
- Bruno is great but needs to do more in big games and we need to find an alternative system that reduces our reliance on him when he isn’t playing well.
- Rashford needs to be benched because he isn’t good enough - whether that’s a fitness issue I don’t know, but I refuse to believe that we don’t have better options available to us (Martial and Diallo to name two (and I realise Martial has also had a poor season)).
- James is never going to be a top player - sell.

Bit of a pointless rant, but I’m hoping that writing it down will let me get on with my day .

Agree about Bruno. If you talk the talk lad, you have to walk the walk.

 

[Pavl3n]

Imagine in 99 if Sir Alex hadn't brought on Teddy and Ole because he had started with his best players and didn't want to change them.

Good point. However who could you have brought on that could've had the same influence Old and Teddy had?
Donny? Amad? Mata?

I was watching and thinking who could we bring. No one from the bench gave me confidence they would make a difference.

 

[Oldyella]

Possibly, on BT we never even saw a replay

It did yeah, could just see it in the corner of the replay on my Irish stream.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Lack of quality players as well. Rashford must be the most overrated English player in the history. I liked him when he came through but he has not improved in anything since then.

The guy had a bad game, he's carrying an injury that needs surgery.

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[Ronaldo's ego]

The only positive is that everyone held their nerve in the shootout.

 

[simplyared]

McT our best player by a mile. Too many of our key players: Rashford, Bruno, Pogba and our keeper all underperforming. Criminal in such a big game! Bailly is a disaster going to happen. De Gea cannot save penalties! We've seen it before. Down to fear I believe. Seeing a player 12 yards out with a free shot at goal puts the shits up him. I'm convinced!
So many feeble attempts to make a save. Going on his history in that dept OGS should have thrown Henderson in before the final whistle. Obviously he didn't have the balls to make that decision.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Won't blame Utd, Emery sucks the life out of a football match he's like a footballing dracula. Also looks the part.

Too right. Worst team we’ve played all season and I’m including Sheff Utd and West Brom in that who actually attacked and probed us.

 

[groovyalbert]

Why keep him if you don't expect us to win anything with him? I agree he doesn't have 'it'. He has limitations and I think he has taken us as far as he can. I really can't see us progressing further under him. His in-game management is poor, he has shown this many times. I don't think he is ruthless enough and doesn't seem able to make big calls. He relies too often on moments of brilliance to get us through games rather than seeming to have a tactical plan. I like the guy but the team is a reflection of him, no killer instinct.

Because I honestly don't expect much more from those who are currently available. There are only three managers I'd bite your hand off for in place of Ole, all 3 are at our biggest rivals (City, Pool, Chelsea). I also really doubt we're in a place financially to accommodate for a new manager/squad overhaul. Because we don't have a DoF, we have to rebuild in the image of the managers that come here. It's why we ended up in such a mess in the seasons following Fergie.

I just don't think it's worth the risk in getting rid of Ole right now. He's doing a lot right, but has way too low a ceiling for Utd ultimately. I do think he'll leave us in a better place when he does move on, however. Be that next season or the following one. I doubt he'll stick around much longer than that. As has been said previously, I think he'd be better off operating as a DoF as he simply doesn't offer us enough in regards to coaching/game management.

 

[crossy1686]

You could say the same for their keeper as well tbf, he only really got near the Luke Shaw one. Just 21 really good penalties, so I’m not even sure subbing Henderson on would’ve helped even if it was worth a go.
Either way the focus shouldn’t be on the shootout as you’re in the lap of the gods at that point, the focus should be on why we couldn’t dispatch the 7th best team in La Liga over 120 minutes. Did we even create a chance other than Cavani’s goal?

I agree, we could but their GK was their second choice GK in the squad, ours is the highest paid Spanish/GK in the world so I expect a bit more from old' Dave.

And I totally agree, we should have been at least 2-1 up in the second half, I'm still not sure how were didn't get a second. Despite Rashford, Bruno and Pogba not turning up.

 

[crossy1686]

Impressive that you called that in advance.

He's just fecking nuts isn't he? The only thing that's predictable about him in his unpredictability is that when the ball is at a perfectly good headable height, he'll attempt a bicycle kick.

 

[crossy1686]

When your back 4 is already shaky as feck, and you need a calming presence, turning to Eric Bailly should be punishable by mandatory sectioning under the mental health act.

I mean, what's going through his head there?

"This balls coming at my head, better try and overhead kick it and get it cleared from danger"

It's like he doesn't trust any part of his body above his hips.

 

[Dobba]

Imagine in 99 if Sir Alex hadn't brought on Teddy and Ole because he had started with his best players and didn't want to change them.

Who are the Teddy and Ole on our bench?

 

[sincher]

Telles would have been a good shout for a Rashford sub, but yeah, in general, you look at our bench and don't see a gamechanger at all - and Rashford was no doubt kept on partly with penalties in mind, though really the failure was within the 90. Martial if he were fit I guess. I felt like a good change would actually have been Bruno off for Van de Beek, but brave I guess to take off the player who so often turns the game, and the skipper on the night.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

You could say the same for their keeper as well tbf, he only really got near the Luke Shaw one. Just 21 really good penalties, so I’m not even sure subbing Henderson on would’ve helped even if it was worth a go.
Either way the focus shouldn’t be on the shootout as you’re in the lap of the gods at that point, the focus should be on why we couldn’t dispatch the 7th best team in La Liga over 120 minutes. Did we even create a chance other than Cavani’s goal?

We did. Cavani’s header from Shaw’s cross. Pogba’s header from the same source. Cavani not sorting his feet out in time to convert Bruno’s cross-shot.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Telles would have been a good shout for a Rashford sub, but yeah, in general, you look at our bench and don't see a gamechanger at all - and Rashford was no doubt kept on partly with penalties in mind, though really the failure was within the 90. Martial if he were fit I guess. I felt like a good change would actually have been Bruno off for Van de Beek, but brave I guess to take off the player who so often turns the game, and the skipper on the night.

I’d have replaced Pogba with VdB (or Matic, or even Mata). Like you say, Bruno is always capable of creating something out of nothing. Last night Pogba seemed to be more likely to create nothing out of something.

 

[DomM]

Mctomminay, great game, Cavani, good, outworked every other player, Rashford atrocious, everyone else meh..

 

[crossy1686]

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[Maticmaker]

'United's nightmare in Gdansk'

What a really poor show, only McTominay and Cavani came out with any credit for at least looking like they wanted to win.
Perhaps the whole team had been listening to Scholes comments that "United are so much better than Villarreal,...shouldn't be a problem"
Well there was, a problem, the Villarreal 'yellow wall' held firm, it wasn't even troubled for half the match, even with our five best front players on the pitch. Oh for a Darren Fletcher or J S Park, or even a Jesse Lingard to run into, or get at ,the wall and make trouble, to sow confusion, even without the ball, so that our so called better front players could find some space, with the ball!

To be honest this is a problem we have faced all season, against massed de fences, especially those trained and disciplined like Emery's troops were last night then we struggle; usually late in a game when their discipline fades with tiredness we get some chances. Emery had done his homework on us and his strategy worked magnificently. Scholes was right Villarreal should not have had a chance, but our 'big game. players went AWOL!
However once the final whistle for 90 mins went you could see in the faces of the Villarreal players, they knew they could now win this!

Never mind taking a penalty, when did De Gea last save one?

 

[manc exile]

Has Bruno ever performed in a big game for us?

 

[Alek M]

That's because it shouldn't have got to the stage where it was 11 to 10 pks.

Ole isn't a proactive manager. I'd struggle to argue he's a reactive manager either.

He just does.. nothing. 115 minutes to make your second substitution was diabolical game management. The game could have and should have been won long before the pens, but he doesn't have the nous to make the tactical or personnel changes.

Who would you have substituted and when?