[POF]

Very enjoyable win. It was a really powerful performance. The team controlled the game from start to finish and apart from a couple of scrambles, West Ham never looked any kind of threat.

But, I'm not quite as positive as everyone else here. My biggest worry with this United team is the inability to break down a defence sitting deep. Even though West Ham defended in numbers, the first 2 goals were scored on the counter attack and from a set piece. There weren't a lot of other chances created until West Ham started chasing the game.

The other big worry for me is Pogba. I an amazed at how many here have singled him out as one of the better players in the game. His insistence on taking the difficult option is extremely frustrating.

Why roll Valencia in round the back when you can turn into 3 players and fall flat on your face? Why play a simple pass to Mkhitaryan who could play Rashford through when you can try an impossible outside of the foot pass to Rashford instead.

He is one of the most talented players I have seen in a United shirt but if he wants to become the leader of this United side his decision making has to be much better.

Otherwise, it was a fantastic performance. Lukaku finished 2 difficult chances really well, Matic was superb, Rashford really dangerous and Mkhitaryan/Mata added real creativity. I was delighted for Martial too. He'll probably play off the bench for a few games but if he continues to perform like that it won't be long before he gets in the side.

 

[SapperBRed75]

Yea you are right in as much as our 2 fullbacks are our weakest positions and while there is cover its not of the quality we all probably would hope. I know you didn't mention Tony V but if he needs a rest or is injured we lack the quality or confidence in the replacements. Hopefully Shaw can up his output this season and Lindeloff is a lot sharper at right back then he has been so far if its lindeloff he sees as right back cover.

I am anticipating a rejuvenated Shaw being a revelation at LB. He has had a lot of growing up to do and understands now what the manager expects - there is a reason we fought off Chelsea for him and paid what we did. Fitter, rehabilitated, and with a touch less princess about him, he will terrorise going forward and is a better defender than Rose for my money.

 

[SapperBRed75]

Very enjoyable win. It was a really powerful performance. The team controlled the game from start to finish and apart from a couple of scrambles, West Ham never looked any kind of threat.

But, I'm not quite as positive as everyone else here. My biggest worry with this United team is the inability to break down a defence sitting deep. Even though West Ham defended in numbers, the first 2 goals were scored on the counter attack and from a set piece. There weren't a lot of other chances created until West Ham started chasing the game.

The other big worry for me is Pogba. I an amazed at how many here have singled him out as one of the better players in the game. His insistence on taking the difficult option is extremely frustrating.

Why roll Valencia in round the back when you can turn into 3 players and fall flat on your face? Why play a simple pass to Mkhitaryan who could play Rashford through when you can try an impossible outside of the foot pass to Rashford instead.

He is one of the most talented players I have seen in a United shirt but if he wants to become the leader of this United side his decision making has to be much better.

Otherwise, it was a fantastic performance. Lukaku finished 2 difficult chances really well, Matic was superb, Rashford really dangerous and Mkhitaryan/Mata added real creativity. I was delighted for Martial too. He'll probably play off the bench for a few games but if he continues to perform like that it won't be long before he gets in the side.

I agree that he's not the finished article, and his decision making can be underwhelming. I think executing the simple, safer things impeccably and sprinkling a little stardust occasionally (a la Matic yesterday), is not what he thinks he's there for. A bit of ostentatious skill is great for wider confidence, as long as it comes off more often than not - are we not entertained? I expect Pogba to keep selecting the difficult option, particularly with the added insurance Matic provides us.

 

[noodlehair]

It looked a bit dodgy for the first 10 minutes when we seemed intent on breaking some kind of record for most throw ins conceded in a single game, but as soon as we settled down there was very little to complain about (although, I'm going to anyway).

- The game itself seemed to pan out exactly the same as so many games last season. The difference was we wouldn't have scored that first goal last year. No one would have made the run Lukaku did (or they would have but much slower), and Rashford's ball would have just run through to the keeper...or more likely he'd have had to try and take the defence on himself and ended up running into them and losing the ball.

- One of the things my Chelsea mates said to me about Mourinho is that his weakness was inconsistency with signings (some good, some bad)...which is weird because he's made 7 signings for us so far. Last year three of the four were an obvious and immediate improvement, and Mhikitaryan also in time turned out to be the same. This year again with Matic and Lukaku, it looks straight away like an obvious improvement, and at the very worst they are options that our squad and team lacked last year. When you sign 6 or 7 players who all improve your team, you're already half way there really. With Jose it feels like he's buying missing pieces to a jigsaw. Where as under LVG it was more like he was playing scrabble by just picking out random letters and hoping he could make a word with them.

- I liked the fact that when you looked at the starting 11 yesterday, it just looked like a good solid team. Last year we'd name a team that looked strong but had areas that might as well have had a big "weak link here" sign above them, or where you could see our game plan breaking down. Yesterday on paper it looked strong in every area, and functional in every area. You had to nit pick at it rather than seeing fundamental flaws.

- Daley Blind looks like he's been living in a cave all summer and was only dragged out of the cave 5 minutes before the game kicked off. Both his appearance and performance were suggestive of this. Either that or Jose told him to sleep in a dustbin and then to boot the ball at the nearest West Ham player's stomach every time he got it.

- Phil Jones had one really good challenge in the first half where he sprinted about 40 metres across the pitch to take out the ball and other player before either could progress. The only issue was that the player in question was Paul Pogba. In the second half he did a really tight marking job from a corner, grappling the other player to the floor so neither of them could get near the ball...the other player being Paul Pogba.

- Pogba is so much better when he cuts the crap out of his game that it just makes it all the more baffling that the crap keeps creeping back in. Yesterday everything he did had a purpose and was based on what the team needed him to do, and not only did he look really good, but it looked like it was all fairly easy for him. Then at the end he got his 30 yard glory goal anyway.

Bailly - He is excellent and insane and I love him.

- I can't remember us ever having a team as powerful/strong physically as this one. So many of our players are fecking huge, and fast too. I like the idea of being a horrible team to play against before you even get to worrying about whether we're any good at football....well, as long as we are actually quite good at playing football...but yesterday was certainly encouraging.

- West Ham were a bit rubbish. When Hernandez is trying to be the playmaker to set up chances for himself, you know it isn't good.

- Martin Atkinson seemed to book Bailly because he was unable to differentiate between persistent fouling by Bailly, and fouls committed by other black players in the United team who look nothing like Bailly.

- Does Mark Noble actually do anything during a football game other than try to cheat? ...and he's not even particularly good at that.

 

[Prodigal7]

Did he actually say that? What a Ihni binni dimi diniwiny anitaime.

Yep.

 

[Klopp_De_Klown]

I suspect Herrera will come in for Mata and Pogba will be pushed up to AM.

Well i hope you are right but i fear not.

MY first choice XI would be(currently)
.............. DDG
TonyV Bailly Jones Darmian
............. Matic
.... Herrera ...... Pogs
Rash .................. TonyM
........... Lukaku

But I worry we might not see this often enough... Of course it could be Herrera Matic holding and Pogs at the base of the diamond up front.

 

[meninred]

i believe one of the key decisions Mouriniho made was playing Mkhitaryan instead of Herera in midfield. As good player as Herera is ,he is more of a central midfielder like Pogba. So it is like playing in two players for one position. Mkhitaryan is more agile and creative - can possibly fill the the number
10 or the attacking midfield place.We don't have many mobile creative players apart from him and possibly mata.

 

[Android1974]

i believe one of the key decisions Mouriniho made was playing Mkhitaryan instead of Herera in midfield. As good player as Herera is ,he is more of a central midfielder like Pogba. So it is like playing in two players for one position. Mkhitaryan is more agile and creative - can possibly fill the the number
10 or the attacking midfield place.We don't have many mobile creative players apart from him and possibly mata.

We played 4-2-3-1, not 4-3-3 where Mkhitaryan never plays in midfield.

 

[barmyarmy]

Well i hope you are right but i fear not.

MY first choice XI would be(currently)
.............. DDG
TonyV Bailly Jones Darmian
............. Matic
.... Herrera ...... Pogs
Rash .................. TonyM
........... Lukaku

But I worry we might not see this often enough... Of course it could be Herrera Matic holding and Pogs at the base of the diamond up front.

We have so many options this season I think We can go in 2 or 3 different formations depending our match tactics

 

[Crackers]

It looked a bit dodgy for the first 10 minutes when we seemed intent on breaking some kind of record for most throw ins conceded in a single game, but as soon as we settled down there was very little to complain about (although, I'm going to anyway).

- The game itself seemed to pan out exactly the same as so many games last season. The difference was we wouldn't have scored that first goal last year. No one would have made the run Lukaku did (or they would have but much slower), and Rashford's ball would have just run through to the keeper...or more likely he'd have had to try and take the defence on himself and ended up running into them and losing the ball.

- One of the things my Chelsea mates said to me about Mourinho is that his weakness was inconsistency with signings (some good, some bad)...which is weird because he's made 7 signings for us so far. Last year three of the four were an obvious and immediate improvement, and Mhikitaryan also in time turned out to be the same. This year again with Matic and Lukaku, it looks straight away like an obvious improvement, and at the very worst they are options that our squad and team lacked last year. When you sign 6 or 7 players who all improve your team, you're already half way there really. With Jose it feels like he's buying missing pieces to a jigsaw. Where as under LVG it was more like he was playing scrabble by just picking out random letters and hoping he could make a word with them.

- I liked the fact that when you looked at the starting 11 yesterday, it just looked like a good solid team. Last year we'd name a team that looked strong but had areas that might as well have had a big "weak link here" sign above them, or where you could see our game plan breaking down. Yesterday on paper it looked strong in every area, and functional in every area. You had to nit pick at it rather than seeing fundamental flaws.

- Daley Blind looks like he's been living in a cave all summer and was only dragged out of the cave 5 minutes before the game kicked off. Both his appearance and performance were suggestive of this. Either that or Jose told him to sleep in a dustbin and then to boot the ball at the nearest West Ham player's stomach every time he got it.

- Phil Jones had one really good challenge in the first half where he sprinted about 40 metres across the pitch to take out the ball and other player before either could progress. The only issue was that the player in question was Paul Pogba. In the second half he did a really tight marking job from a corner, grappling the other player to the floor so neither of them could get near the ball...the other player being Paul Pogba.

- Pogba is so much better when he cuts the crap out of his game that it just makes it all the more baffling that the crap keeps creeping back in. Yesterday everything he did had a purpose and was based on what the team needed him to do, and not only did he look really good, but it looked like it was all fairly easy for him. Then at the end he got his 30 yard glory goal anyway.

Bailly - He is excellent and insane and I love him.

- I can't remember us ever having a team as powerful/strong physically as this one. So many of our players are fecking huge, and fast too. I like the idea of being a horrible team to play against before you even get to worrying about whether we're any good at football....well, as long as we are actually quite good at playing football...but yesterday was certainly encouraging.

- West Ham were a bit rubbish. When Hernandez is trying to be the playmaker to set up chances for himself, you know it isn't good.

- Martin Atkinson seemed to book Bailly because he was unable to differentiate between persistent fouling by Bailly, and fouls committed by other black players in the United team who look nothing like Bailly.

- Does Mark Noble actually do anything during a football game other than try to cheat? ...and he's not even particularly good at that.

Bravo

 

[POF]

I agree that he's not the finished article, and his decision making can be underwhelming. I think executing the simple, safer things impeccably and sprinkling a little stardust occasionally (a la Matic yesterday), is not what he thinks he's there for. A bit of ostentatious skill is great for wider confidence, as long as it comes off more often than not - are we not entertained? I expect Pogba to keep selecting the difficult option, particularly with the added insurance Matic provides us.

I agree with you in theory and have no issue with him trying to be creative. The issue isn't that he tries to choose a difficult option that might create a chance as opposed to keeping possession.

My issue is that he chooses a ridiculously low percentage play when a simple pass is a far more dangerous option.

 

[Klopp_De_Klown]

I am anticipating a rejuvenated Shaw being a revelation at LB. He has had a lot of growing up to do and understands now what the manager expects - there is a reason we fought off Chelsea for him and paid what we did. Fitter, rehabilitated, and with a touch less princess about him, he will terrorise going forward and is a better defender than Rose for my money.

Yea he's been a bit stop start since joining and with a run a games he should be by far our best option. Pitty he didn't get a preseson

 

[Irrational.]

It looked a bit dodgy for the first 10 minutes when we seemed intent on breaking some kind of record for most throw ins conceded in a single game, but as soon as we settled down there was very little to complain about (although, I'm going to anyway).

- The game itself seemed to pan out exactly the same as so many games last season. The difference was we wouldn't have scored that first goal last year. No one would have made the run Lukaku did (or they would have but much slower), and Rashford's ball would have just run through to the keeper...or more likely he'd have had to try and take the defence on himself and ended up running into them and losing the ball.

- One of the things my Chelsea mates said to me about Mourinho is that his weakness was inconsistency with signings (some good, some bad)...which is weird because he's made 7 signings for us so far. Last year three of the four were an obvious and immediate improvement, and Mhikitaryan also in time turned out to be the same. This year again with Matic and Lukaku, it looks straight away like an obvious improvement, and at the very worst they are options that our squad and team lacked last year. When you sign 6 or 7 players who all improve your team, you're already half way there really. With Jose it feels like he's buying missing pieces to a jigsaw. Where as under LVG it was more like he was playing scrabble by just picking out random letters and hoping he could make a word with them.

- I liked the fact that when you looked at the starting 11 yesterday, it just looked like a good solid team. Last year we'd name a team that looked strong but had areas that might as well have had a big "weak link here" sign above them, or where you could see our game plan breaking down. Yesterday on paper it looked strong in every area, and functional in every area. You had to nit pick at it rather than seeing fundamental flaws.

- Daley Blind looks like he's been living in a cave all summer and was only dragged out of the cave 5 minutes before the game kicked off. Both his appearance and performance were suggestive of this. Either that or Jose told him to sleep in a dustbin and then to boot the ball at the nearest West Ham player's stomach every time he got it.

- Phil Jones had one really good challenge in the first half where he sprinted about 40 metres across the pitch to take out the ball and other player before either could progress. The only issue was that the player in question was Paul Pogba. In the second half he did a really tight marking job from a corner, grappling the other player to the floor so neither of them could get near the ball...the other player being Paul Pogba.

- Pogba is so much better when he cuts the crap out of his game that it just makes it all the more baffling that the crap keeps creeping back in. Yesterday everything he did had a purpose and was based on what the team needed him to do, and not only did he look really good, but it looked like it was all fairly easy for him. Then at the end he got his 30 yard glory goal anyway.

Bailly - He is excellent and insane and I love him.

- I can't remember us ever having a team as powerful/strong physically as this one. So many of our players are fecking huge, and fast too. I like the idea of being a horrible team to play against before you even get to worrying about whether we're any good at football....well, as long as we are actually quite good at playing football...but yesterday was certainly encouraging.

- West Ham were a bit rubbish. When Hernandez is trying to be the playmaker to set up chances for himself, you know it isn't good.

- Martin Atkinson seemed to book Bailly because he was unable to differentiate between persistent fouling by Bailly, and fouls committed by other black players in the United team who look nothing like Bailly.

- Does Mark Noble actually do anything during a football game other than try to cheat? ...and he's not even particularly good at that.

Spot on.

 

[Lennon7]

Something I've only just really noticed now, but what's with the larger concourse openings in the corners of the first tier? They're about 3 times the size of the normal stairs entrances around the ground.

 

[Jacko21]

Something I've only just really noticed now, but what's with the larger concourse openings in the corners of the first tier? They're about 3 times the size of the normal stairs entrances around the ground.

Part of the the new accessibility plans at OT, no?

Hence the reduced attendance.

 

[Lennon7]

Part of the the new accessibility plans at OT, no?

Hence the reduced attendance.

Ah right, didn't notice any wheelchair users around there though? Or is it still under construction?

 

[Jacko21]

Ah right, didn't notice any wheelchair users around there though? Or is it still under construction?

Still under construction, will be completed over the course of this and next season I believe. Will reduce the capacity to 73,300.

 

[Lennon7]

Still under construction, will be completed over the course of this and next season I believe. Will reduce the capacity to 73,300.

Ah right, fair enough. Must've missed this. Would be great if they could extent out the south stand to further increase the general capacity too.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

I can't remember the last time i enjoyed watching man united play so much, was probably around 2009.

lets hope this is a sign Mourinho will atcually start playing the exciting football we've been craving, i would like nothing more then to be wrong about him.

 

[Lentwood]

Just checked out a few stats.

Last year we had 68% possession, 17 shots and 8 on target. We drew the game 1-1.

This season we had 55% possession, 21 shots and 5 on target. We won 4-0.

You can view this post as positive or negative. What I intend to highlight is that we shouldn't fall for the lazy narrative the media tries to sell us.

We are exciting, positive and full of flair all of a sudden whereas last year we played long ball from a back 6 up to a lone frontman?

Load of rubbish. Nothing has changed apart from we have a couple of better players!

If we get better results its for this reason and not because Jose has in some way changed our/his approach

 

[BluesJr]

I've watched the highlights 6 or 7 times now. Just so good to see us put a team to the sword finally with some great attacking play, aggression and flair. The more I watch it the more I absolutely love that Pogba goal. The passing build up, the beautiful little ball Martial slid inside to him before a perfect first touch from Pogba, setting himself up brilliantly for a controlled effort beyond Hart. Delicious.

 

[DoubleRevv]

I'm going to be a bit more realist and be more like mourinho.

I think the team played well but not to the wank worthy standards everyone is saying in this thread. I can still see the same issues that plagued us last season in the game today and that was

1) movement off the ball severely lacking in the front third

2) our striker dropping deep and not staying on the shoulder looking to make runs( did a few times but more played deep). You could see sometimes when mata or miki looked forward there was no one to thread a through ball to.

3) our forward players not attacking enough. Too many times miki/mata just back passed instead of trying to turn and drive/pass forward. IMO matic was far more positive in his play than them. This is a big worry. If a DM can do it then our attacking players should be able to.

4) slow build up from the back and waiting for the opponent defence to regroup (usually they can just walk back, that's how slow it can be)


Having said that, the 2 goals really helped us where last season we would have just drawn. The last 2 goals only happened because of the 2 goals before it. With some skill from martial/pogba.

Anyway, great game. Hoping we thrash more teams in the future

I beg to differ. De Gea varied his distribution - even using throws and he created 1 or 2 counter attacking situations.

Last season, a number of us complained that we don't score counter attacking goals (a thread was created about that), then we do so yesterday and a new complaint is that we might depend on counter attacks.

It was a great performance. Even opposition fans were getting wet.

I have not seen so many positive comments about a United team since SAF retired, smart fans will help the team leverage such a performance by getting it into the psyche of opposition fans that we are back to being the best and we should be feared.

 

[Mihai]

Also, welcome back home Joe Hart

 

[ike]

- One of the things my Chelsea mates said to me about Mourinho is that his weakness was inconsistency with signings (some good, some bad)...which is weird because he's made 7 signings for us so far. Last year three of the four were an obvious and immediate improvement, and Mhikitaryan also in time turned out to be the same. This year again with Matic and Lukaku, it looks straight away like an obvious improvement, and at the very worst they are options that our squad and team lacked last year. When you sign 6 or 7 players who all improve your team, you're already half way there really. With Jose it feels like he's buying missing pieces to a jigsaw. Where as under LVG it was more like he was playing scrabble by just picking out random letters and hoping he could make a word with them.

Great post! Agree with all of it especially the analogy bit.

 

[Kag]

We were good yesterday. We're not going to lose many games.

However, and I'll take the flak, the first thirty was still fairly poor in an attacking sense. We had moments, but not much in the way of concrete chances, which is still in line with much of what I've seen in 2017. Lukaku's goal settled us, and he's going to be a huge asset.

So, while I'm thrilled with the start we've made, I'm not making any bold claims about what we can and will do this season. A frustrating 1-1 draw to somebody shite is probably right around the corner.

 

[Loublaze]

Very enjoyable win. It was a really powerful performance. The team controlled the game from start to finish and apart from a couple of scrambles, West Ham never looked any kind of threat.

But, I'm not quite as positive as everyone else here. My biggest worry with this United team is the inability to break down a defence sitting deep. Even though West Ham defended in numbers, the first 2 goals were scored on the counter attack and from a set piece. There weren't a lot of other chances created until West Ham started chasing the game.

The other big worry for me is Pogba. I an amazed at how many here have singled him out as one of the better players in the game. His insistence on taking the difficult option is extremely frustrating.

Why roll Valencia in round the back when you can turn into 3 players and fall flat on your face? Why play a simple pass to Mkhitaryan who could play Rashford through when you can try an impossible outside of the foot pass to Rashford instead.

He is one of the most talented players I have seen in a United shirt but if he wants to become the leader of this United side his decision making has to be much better.

Otherwise, it was a fantastic performance. Lukaku finished 2 difficult chances really well, Matic was superb, Rashford really dangerous and Mkhitaryan/Mata added real creativity. I was delighted for Martial too. He'll probably play off the bench for a few games but if he continues to perform like that it won't be long before he gets in the side.

Dear lord you must find something to worry about in anything

 

[Still ill]

It looked a bit dodgy for the first 10 minutes when we seemed intent on breaking some kind of record for most throw ins conceded in a single game, but as soon as we settled down there was very little to complain about (although, I'm going to anyway).

- The game itself seemed to pan out exactly the same as so many games last season. The difference was we wouldn't have scored that first goal last year. No one would have made the run Lukaku did (or they would have but much slower), and Rashford's ball would have just run through to the keeper...or more likely he'd have had to try and take the defence on himself and ended up running into them and losing the ball.

- One of the things my Chelsea mates said to me about Mourinho is that his weakness was inconsistency with signings (some good, some bad)...which is weird because he's made 7 signings for us so far. Last year three of the four were an obvious and immediate improvement, and Mhikitaryan also in time turned out to be the same. This year again with Matic and Lukaku, it looks straight away like an obvious improvement, and at the very worst they are options that our squad and team lacked last year. When you sign 6 or 7 players who all improve your team, you're already half way there really. With Jose it feels like he's buying missing pieces to a jigsaw. Where as under LVG it was more like he was playing scrabble by just picking out random letters and hoping he could make a word with them.

- I liked the fact that when you looked at the starting 11 yesterday, it just looked like a good solid team. Last year we'd name a team that looked strong but had areas that might as well have had a big "weak link here" sign above them, or where you could see our game plan breaking down. Yesterday on paper it looked strong in every area, and functional in every area. You had to nit pick at it rather than seeing fundamental flaws.

- Daley Blind looks like he's been living in a cave all summer and was only dragged out of the cave 5 minutes before the game kicked off. Both his appearance and performance were suggestive of this. Either that or Jose told him to sleep in a dustbin and then to boot the ball at the nearest West Ham player's stomach every time he got it.

- Phil Jones had one really good challenge in the first half where he sprinted about 40 metres across the pitch to take out the ball and other player before either could progress. The only issue was that the player in question was Paul Pogba. In the second half he did a really tight marking job from a corner, grappling the other player to the floor so neither of them could get near the ball...the other player being Paul Pogba.

- Pogba is so much better when he cuts the crap out of his game that it just makes it all the more baffling that the crap keeps creeping back in. Yesterday everything he did had a purpose and was based on what the team needed him to do, and not only did he look really good, but it looked like it was all fairly easy for him. Then at the end he got his 30 yard glory goal anyway.

Bailly - He is excellent and insane and I love him.

- I can't remember us ever having a team as powerful/strong physically as this one. So many of our players are fecking huge, and fast too. I like the idea of being a horrible team to play against before you even get to worrying about whether we're any good at football....well, as long as we are actually quite good at playing football...but yesterday was certainly encouraging.

- West Ham were a bit rubbish. When Hernandez is trying to be the playmaker to set up chances for himself, you know it isn't good.

- Martin Atkinson seemed to book Bailly because he was unable to differentiate between persistent fouling by Bailly, and fouls committed by other black players in the United team who look nothing like Bailly.

- Does Mark Noble actually do anything during a football game other than try to cheat? ...and he's not even particularly good at that.

Ha. Very good, Noodles.

 

[Brightonian]

"Until we scored our goals we weren't converting our chances into goals, and the two goals we converted which then enabled us to turn two further chances into goals later on just masks that problem."

 

[All 3 United]

We have a fantastic squad with an even better manager. Things are looking back to 'normal'

We're back !

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Dear lord you must find something to worry about in anything

He's not wrong though.

 

[NinjaFletch]

It looked a bit dodgy for the first 10 minutes when we seemed intent on breaking some kind of record for most throw ins conceded in a single game, but as soon as we settled down there was very little to complain about (although, I'm going to anyway).

- The game itself seemed to pan out exactly the same as so many games last season. The difference was we wouldn't have scored that first goal last year. No one would have made the run Lukaku did (or they would have but much slower), and Rashford's ball would have just run through to the keeper...or more likely he'd have had to try and take the defence on himself and ended up running into them and losing the ball.

- One of the things my Chelsea mates said to me about Mourinho is that his weakness was inconsistency with signings (some good, some bad)...which is weird because he's made 7 signings for us so far. Last year three of the four were an obvious and immediate improvement, and Mhikitaryan also in time turned out to be the same. This year again with Matic and Lukaku, it looks straight away like an obvious improvement, and at the very worst they are options that our squad and team lacked last year. When you sign 6 or 7 players who all improve your team, you're already half way there really. With Jose it feels like he's buying missing pieces to a jigsaw. Where as under LVG it was more like he was playing scrabble by just picking out random letters and hoping he could make a word with them.

- I liked the fact that when you looked at the starting 11 yesterday, it just looked like a good solid team. Last year we'd name a team that looked strong but had areas that might as well have had a big "weak link here" sign above them, or where you could see our game plan breaking down. Yesterday on paper it looked strong in every area, and functional in every area. You had to nit pick at it rather than seeing fundamental flaws.

- Daley Blind looks like he's been living in a cave all summer and was only dragged out of the cave 5 minutes before the game kicked off. Both his appearance and performance were suggestive of this. Either that or Jose told him to sleep in a dustbin and then to boot the ball at the nearest West Ham player's stomach every time he got it.

- Phil Jones had one really good challenge in the first half where he sprinted about 40 metres across the pitch to take out the ball and other player before either could progress. The only issue was that the player in question was Paul Pogba. In the second half he did a really tight marking job from a corner, grappling the other player to the floor so neither of them could get near the ball...the other player being Paul Pogba.

- Pogba is so much better when he cuts the crap out of his game that it just makes it all the more baffling that the crap keeps creeping back in. Yesterday everything he did had a purpose and was based on what the team needed him to do, and not only did he look really good, but it looked like it was all fairly easy for him. Then at the end he got his 30 yard glory goal anyway.

Bailly - He is excellent and insane and I love him.

- I can't remember us ever having a team as powerful/strong physically as this one. So many of our players are fecking huge, and fast too. I like the idea of being a horrible team to play against before you even get to worrying about whether we're any good at football....well, as long as we are actually quite good at playing football...but yesterday was certainly encouraging.

- West Ham were a bit rubbish. When Hernandez is trying to be the playmaker to set up chances for himself, you know it isn't good.

- Martin Atkinson seemed to book Bailly because he was unable to differentiate between persistent fouling by Bailly, and fouls committed by other black players in the United team who look nothing like Bailly.

- Does Mark Noble actually do anything during a football game other than try to cheat? ...and he's not even particularly good at that.

Yeah this was really annoying. Getting booked for persistent fouling on your first foul is quite something.

 

[NotQuiteManc]

It was only one game, of course, but what a game that was!

I don't really care too much of any stats nowadays and the only stats I care about is how many goals we scored, and did we win, lose, or draw. Other stat might be goals conceded but I won't look into it too much as we have been pretty strong defensively even since LvG, just that we didn't perform as well when attacking and scoring goals.

 

[Jeffthered]

Good start. Underlined the strength of the squad with Martial coming on late to score. Martial looked really annoyed about things both when he came on, and even after he scored... well, that's competition for you. He is good enough, just has to think about how to apply himself within a new, far more competitive management / team structure. I do not want him to leave, he has to fight and further prove himself. He has much potential, so we will see. Glad to see different players scoring, love the clean sheet. It was very much a home game team-sheet, one holding midfielder, with five attacking minded players. Mata, Mikha, Lindgaard, Martial.. those four for me, will dictate our season, because the rest, more or less, are fine. Those four are there to make a difference, and we will need all of them.

 

[IslandRed]

keep

 

[SwSw]

Do not think Mata and Mkhi should be playing at the same time. Congested center and they seem to be getting in each other's ways most of the time. I'm still hoping we get Perisic for greater team balance and width.

 

[el3mel]

Do not think Mata and Mkhi should be playing at the same time. Congested center and they seem to be getting in each other's ways most of the time. I'm still hoping we get Perisic for greater team balance and width.

On the contrary, I think both joining the midfield gives the opponent problems on whom to deal with and gives us more options for passing and creating chances.

 

[marlowe78]

I have to say that on a surprise level, it ranked pretty close to when we outmatched Chelsea at home last season. Obviously this was a much weaker opponent but I was expecting a 1 or 2-nil or another frustrating draw. The way we came to dominate in the 2nd half, for me, was completely unexpected. The difference being that we didn't close up shop like we would in these kinds of games last season, Jose just let the attack keep rolling.

Even though Rashford missed a couple of solid chances, I think this was still his best game for us in terms of how he influenced the overall play. He completely ran the West Ham defenders ragged and looked so dangerous on the wing. It's unfortunate that the one shot hit off the post but he at least got an assist on Lukaku's goal. Lukaku is an absolute beast in the penalty area, he should do well for us.

Matic, I am so glad to have him in the team. He's a player I specifically wanted, a feeling I don't have very often. With him and a settled back line (outside of Lindelof LOL), Pogba and Mkhitaryan should be given more leeway to make plays in different areas of the pitch. We were pretty good with Carrick playing as our holding MF, but he's been replaced by a younger, stronger fellow from the PL champions. I think he'll be worth every penny.

The only poor performance IMO was Blind. His positioning was just not very good and it was sad seeing Arnautovic bully him like that.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Great 15 minute cut down of the match that NBC are doing on their channel. In high definition and shows a lot of important parts of the match instead of 3 minute highlights

 

[Tincanalley]

Great 15 minute cut down of the match that NBC are doing on their channel. In high definition and shows a lot of important parts of the match instead of 3 minute highlights

Drat, can't see it in Ireland.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Drat, can't see it in Ireland.

Sorry mate