[RedNed77]

Paul Merson on The Debate on sky after the game “Liverpool... Tottenham, they’re not even in the same league as Manchester United. United are a massive club, there’s no way they should be 20 points behind city, who excuse me for saying are a small club”

 

[RedDevil@84]

How the feck are we second?

18 clean sheets. Our team was concerned about conceding goals. Others weren't

 

[TheReligion]

There is feck all to play for, everyone in United doesn't want to get a red, or an injury. Yeah Jose says we want to finish 2nd, but everyone wants to play in the final. We are coasting in the PL, because like I said, there is feck all to play for. I'm amazed a lot of you are holding us over a barrel over this tbh.

Agreed. The games are totally deadwood for us. The meltdowns here are childish.

 

[Robertd0803]

That will do. Similar to a lot of performances last season once we prioritised the Europa League.

To put things in perspective last time we played those Travellers away from home we made a balls of it and missed out on the Champions League. This time we finish second without breaking a sweat. Theres a clear improvement there obviously at least.

Anyway time to make Sunday all about Carrick and the kids hopefully.

 

[Woeisme]

What the feck were those subs about?

running down the clock

 

[The_Order]

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[R'hllor]

2 more games they said, then it hit me, will be watching Serbia on WC... God have mercy

 

[Nate Dogg]

He runs around a lot. Seriously - I know it sounds like an insult, but his movement and overall workrate are actually pretty good. Has the tendency to put in decent(ish) performances in big games, too. Essentially, he's our new Ji-sung Park.

He shouldn't really be starting though - hopefully the right wing gets sorted in the summer.

He does run around alot but with minimum impact, i would rather have Mata who can create something atleast.

 

[groovyalbert]

I seem to recall us starting preseason a few days (even up to a week) earlier than some of our rivals, and obviously had a very productive time training in world-class facilities in the US. I think that largely accounts for our flying start. From September onwards, we've generally just been 'fine'.

Completely agree with this. We were visibly fitter than our rivals in the first few weeks of the season, a reason behind all our goals seeming to come so late on in games. Once they caught up, we really have struggled. Take out the first month or so of the season and you can probably count the good performances on one hand.

 

[Roboc7]

But that's Mourinho's career in a nutshell. And you can hardly blame for doing so again with us, given that such an approach has won him countless titles. The more pressing question is why isn't it working here?

No I don’t blame him he is doing what Mourinho does. He doesn’t have the quality of players to make his style work or the coaching skills to make this group of players better.

Unless he has a perfect transfer window this summer the chances of getting near city next season or pretty minimal.

 

[TheReligion]

We've been like this for most of the season.

Eh? I think you are crazy.

How on earth are we second (comfortably) if we've been like this all season? Wake up lad. Switch on.

 

[Marcky411]

That was poor.

Mourinho looked completely uninterested in winning the match which I don't understand. We should be looking at building a momentum for the final not the opposite. There was no reason to remove Lingard if you're putting Rashford in. It didn't change anything and we looked as poor in the attack before it because we lost any link with the midfield. Keeping the 2 subs for the added time to waste time.

I know Mourinho is very happy and doesn't give a feck about that but that was pretty poor mentality from him and his players today. WHU were there for the taking.

Noble is a cnut and disgrace.

Jose only cares about stats, so that in years to come he can point back at this period as a success and the stats will back him. That is why he is so determined to end second while it makes no difference in the scope of things. We get to play CL, nothing more, 3 or 4 gets you the same.

 

[Paxi]

I don't doubt you can, but we have played great in some games too and I bet you can name them too?

Yeah, at the start of the season we played good to sometimes very good football -- until the Liverpool game. After that game it was like it all went to shit. Since the turn of the year I can't remember a performance I enjoyed except, perhaps, against Spurs in the Cup. Everything else has came in drips and drabs. It's unacceptable football and sometimes downright cowardly football. With a special mention to the Sevilla tie.
Honestly - I cannot wait until Mourinho leaves. I'll be overjoyed.

 

[newsdevil]

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[Kearnkoff69]

Again I think this is more to do with players not being arsed because there is nothing to play for and saving themselves for the FA cup final. You do also remember Fergie losing the league on the final day to relegation fodder don't you? I think his comment was "If they played like this all season, then they wouldn't be in the position"

I remember it, alright. I just don't buy the "they players aren't arsed because they're saving themselves" argument. The final is 9 days away, and there's no better way to stay sharp and on form than playing an actual game. There were also some players out there who aren't necessarily "going to make it" based on how Jose's treated their playing time this season. You'd think that a) against a pretty bad West Ham team the players would actually loosen up and play better on the attacking end because there was less pressure to get a result, and b) the players who should be fighting for their careers here would have given it a right go. We got neither today.

 

[Marcky411]

No fringe young players to blame tonight. Jose will be furious

 

[J-Stander]

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If there was someone better available I’d take them. Jose you’re letting me down fella.

 

[Paxi]

Eh? I think you are crazy.

How on earth are we second (comfortably) if we've been like this all season? Wake up lad. Switch on.

There isn't a correlation between being second and playing good football. We grinded out results throughout the season. Lost pathetic points to 3 teams that went down and to the 3 newly promoted teams. We have been shocking at times. A lot of the time. It's a fecking miracle we're second.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

How the feck are we second?

No idea!

I think next season is going to be a very very cruel one for us.

 

[Marcky411]

2nd confirmed. I sincerely hope it’s significantly better to watch next season....

It won't be, Jose has been producing this for 2 years, what makes you think it is going to change no matter who we bring in this summer. We can but hope but I doubt it.

 

[CallyRed]

Did we win nil nil?

 

[el3mel]

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"Big point" I don't love this mentality, but as much as I trust Mourinho, he's responsible for this way of thinking today.

 

[Summit]

Yeah, at the start of the season we played good to sometimes very good football -- until the Liverpool game. After that game it was like it all went to shit. Since the turn of the year I can't remember a performance I enjoyed except, perhaps, against Spurs in the Cup. Everything else has came in drips and drabs. It's unacceptable football and sometimes downright cowardly football. With a special mention to the Sevilla tie.
Honestly - I cannot wait until Mourinho leaves. I'll be overjoyed.

Which brings back to my point. You said we have played like that all season, I disagreed and now you say since the turn of the year. So what I was saying wasn't totally untrue was it?

 

[Luffy]

Noble clearly wanted a Snogba.

 

[RedDevil@84]

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Nostradamus

 

[Paxi]

Which brings back to my point. You said we have played like that all season, I disagreed and now you say since the turn of the year. So what I was saying wasn't totally untrue was it?

Well I may have exaggerated. But overall our style of football for the most part have been a major concern, for me personally.

 

[Silas]

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What the feck? Is this real?

 

[Jacko21]

No I don’t blame him he is doing what Mourinho does. He doesn’t have the quality of players to make his style work or the coaching skills to make this group of players better.

Unless he has a perfect transfer window this summer the chances of getting near city next season or pretty minimal.

I agree.

 

[Cee90]

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What a quote. Telling the players they are going to lose.

I think I know where he is coming from and he is looking to get a (positive) reaction from the players, but it can easily work against him.

 

[daveskimufc]

Why do they all keep coming to feet. So frustrating

 

[Jim Beam]

Dead rubber or not, the amount of time players are just standing still or when they eventually decide to run and end up in each other way was far too familiar.

 

[extincti fugax hominum]

How the feck is that shower of shite any better than Van Gaal's boring football ? I know it was too slow and sluggish but at least we had some characteristics to our game like having the ball, passing it better etc. We have none of that now and i don't even think our defence is any better than we had under LVG too. The biggest reason why we have the second best defence in the league is because we have the best keeper in the world, it's as simple as that really (we had joint best defence in LVG's second season too).

I always defended Mourinho and his pragmatic approach to the game but he is really taking it to unprecedented levels in the last couple of years. We should put teams like West Ham to sword and play a much much better brand of football with our resources. The man is as stubborn as it gets though and refusing to change while the game is changing fast but he is really preparing his grave if he thinks we are better without Martial, Rashford etc. while begging the likes of Fellaini to stay (it's really getting on my nerves). Sort this shit out or be ready to be fired. And i said it in another thread before; if he is fired again after Real and Chelsea, he will be the new Capello.

 

[Basa1987]

There was at least a pattern/approach to Van Gaal. This is just meh.

He is draining all the excitement out of watching United play. Zero attacking coherence.

 

[Marcky411]

He isn't mate. He's fulfilled his KPIs and, besides, who else is there?

But hopefully he'll have been kicked out by this time next year.

I really hope sooner but the board won't do it, e.g. LvG they let him carry on to the end. Although he did win the FA cup for them. Sad to think that LvG 2nd season he lost 4th place by only goal difference but did win the FA and still got sacked. Jose could end up only ending with second place and keep his job playing no better football than what we did under LvG.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

He told the players they'd lose vs Brighton

He's insufferable.

He always distances him from the team when it goes wrong. It's absurd.

 

[TheReligion]

There isn't a correlation between being second and playing good football. We grinded out results throughout the season. Lost pathetic points to 3 teams that went down and to the 3 newly promoted teams. We have been shocking at times. A lot of the time. It's a fecking miracle we're second.

We have been shocking at times yes but you said "all season". That's just not true hence getting called on it.

Everyone's got concerns about the consistency/mentality/tactics but let's not make things up to fit.

 

[Luke1995]

This is the most boring game I've ever seen.

Did you see the Olympiacos 2014 Away one ?

 

[LordSpud]

I know the League (2nd place) was all but confirmed but these past few performances really have me concerned for the Final and going into next season.

That stat about points dropped to the bottom 7 is especially damning...

 

[PoTMS]

Yes, we got second place, but it has papered over a lot of the cracks. Liverpool and City are definitely the teams to best next season. We're going to need to improve a lot in order to get to the required standard.

 

[acnumber9]

There was at least a pattern/approach to Van Gaal. This is just meh.

He is draining all the excitement out of watching United play. Zero attacking coherence.

What approach was that? Passing it about around the defence for 70 minutes and then throwing Fellaini up front when he realises it’s getting us nowhere. Let’s ignore all tangible facts that we’re better now and pretend there was a worthwhile pattern under Van Gaal.