Preseason Tour Game 5: Man Utd v Real Madrid (ICC, Wednesday 1st August 01:05 BST)

[Loublaze]

We don’t play football. We just wait for the opposition to make a mistake and try and seize on it. We don’t try and take the initiative at all. Ever.

His ghost writer wrote that Mourinho views having possession as being undesirable because it’s dangerous. He’d rather the other team had the ball, and to wait for them to make a mistake. Joke of a manager.

it's depressing really. There's no joy in watching this shite

 

[AltiUn]

What was the score tonight?

 

[Red4Ever]

Championes

 

[Red4Ever]

What was the score tonight?

We won 2–1

Champagne football

 

[Richter]

I have now seen it all we park the bus in a friendly against a Real B team... I'm not even happy we won.

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

What was the score tonight?

We won Champions of Europe, 2-1.
So, we are better then Liverpool.

 

[bosnian_red]

Ay we won a game!

On the performance... started well, got a 2-0 lead and then stopped playing and the 60 minutes after were absolutely trash. Or went deep and went for standard Mourinho. Absolutely hate that we do that in the normal season let alone in a pre season friendly. Happens every time too.

 

[svastian99]

What was the score tonight?

Sanchez - Herrera - Benzemá

2 -1

 

[AltiUn]

We won 2–1

Champagne football

Thanks mare, how did we play?

 

[el3mel]

That was a very terrible second half. Looked like we stopped playing for some reason and let Madrid youngsters have a nice training session. Ultimately I think Madrid youngsters are the ones benefited the most from this, having a good training session against a team much fitter and has more senior players than them.

First half was good but it's not much asking this United side to play a consistent good 90 minutes.

 

[Red4Ever]

Thanks mare, how did we play?

The usual

Some nice moves in the first half but just sat back mostly

We gave the ball away for fun

But it’s a b team mostly good run out

 

[DatIrishFella]

Ay we won a game!

On the performance... started well, got a 2-0 lead and then stopped playing and the 60 minutes after were absolutely trash. Or went deep and went for standard Mourinho. Absolutely hate that we do that in the normal season let alone in a pre season friendly. Happens every time too.

This is why United won't win the top honours under Mourinho.

Some folks in here are saying that "it's just preseason",yet, we've been playing this way for years. It's not going to change come the start of the PL & CL. It's going to be the same tripe, every week.

 

[ash_86]

We ran out of steam second half understandably. Good to see Sanchez, Mata having a good game. Bailly needs to communicate with DDG better

 

[Redplane]

Thanks mare, how did we play?

We absolutely demolished those amateurs. A walk in the park. Easy peasy. Madrid who? Steamrolled em. Like a bunch of angels floated across the field and played heavenly footie. It was beautiful.

Haha yeah right. That was still a bit shite but we won so yay.

 

[bosnian_red]

We ran out of steam second half understandably. Good to see Sanchez, Mata having a good game. Bailly needs to communicate with DDG better

It's not running out of steam, it happened right after the 2nd goal and happens all the time. Off the top of my head happened 2 games in a row last season vs Watford and Arsenal after a 2 goal lead (3 for Watford). Proceeded to sit back and invite pressure and conceded chance after chance.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Two interesting halves.

First half

Pressed Madrid high
Good exchanges
Created chances.

Second half

Deep
Narrow
Tried to counter

Not sure if this was meant by Mourinho, and that he wanted to see two sides to our game, or the fact that we had a lot of tired legs in the second half.

Either way, I felt we were a bit better defensively than we have been in previous games. Madrid did create a few chances, but we weren't all over the place like we were against Liverpool, for example. I think that was definitely in Jose's mind.

We've had two games in a 433 and three games in a 352. Overall, we've probably looked better using a 352 and it's likely that we'll go into the start of the season with it.

Think when we have all of our players back it will look encouraging.

 

[Sb_16]

I don't get the logic behind his decision making. The simplest one I can think of is that he cares about the result above everything and I mean everything else.

 

[ash_86]

It's not running out of steam, it happened right after the 2nd goal and happens all the time. Off the top of my head happened 2 games in a row last season vs Watford and Arsenal after a 2 goal lead (3 for Watford). Proceeded to sit back and invite pressure and conceded chance after chance.

Might have happened before but today it was the fitness issue. Clearly Jose wanted to give many of our players 90mins and when their kids came out in the second half they were fresh against our tired legs. But i see what you're saying. We need to stop being complacent after going up.

 

[mav_9me]

Might have happened before but today it was the fitness issue. Clearly Jose wanted to give many of our players 90mins and when their kids came out in the second half they were fresh against our tired legs. But i see what you're saying. We need to stop being complacent after going up.

It's not complacency. In fact it's the opposite. It's cowardice.

 

[ash_86]

It's not complacency. In fact it's the opposite. It's cowardice.

Not exactly, else we'd not have gone and scored in the first place.

 

[mav_9me]

Not exactly, else we'd not have gone and scored in the first place.

The sitting back and defending the lead is cowardice.

When we are up by one goal the focus is on not conceding, which would normally be fine except we make it into an attack vs defense drill. That complete abandonment of normal attacking is cowardice of the highest order imo.

You always see that element of cowardice in our game. How often last season did you see us kick everything up a notch once we conceded, that's cuz at that point you have nothing to lose. Whereas when it's 0-0 it's cagey cuz we are afraid of conceding.

 

[ash_86]

The sitting back and defending the lead is cowardice.

When we are up by one goal the focus is on not conceding, which would normally be fine except we make it into an attack vs defense drill. That complete abandonment of normal attacking is cowardice of the highest order imo.

You always see that element of cowardice in our game. How often last season did you see us kick everything up a notch once we conceded, that's cuz at that point you have nothing to lose. Whereas when it's 0-0 it's cagey cuz we are afraid of conceding.

I see what you're saying. Yeah , Jose plays the margins all the time. It's his way of grinding out results. Doing minimum required to win matches.

 

[Class of 63]

Mourinho needlessly flogging the senior players yet again, it's almost like he doesn't care....

But on a positive note, Fred without really doing a lot looks a player, always thought he was a leftie but looked equally comfortable using either foot which is rare, he's mobile, has a turn of pace, brave and industrious, can see him soon becoming a fans favourite.

 

[Twisted_Woody]

We won?

And we are still whining? Because of what?

 

[Woziak]

First Half

Probably the best we've played on tour, good press, clever movement and could have really gone 3-0 up with another Herrera Opportunity, Darmian and Bailly at fault for goal but neverless encouraging.

Second Half

We looked tired, with the exception of Alexis and Ander. We were playing mostly Madrids under 21 side until last 20 minutes when Isco, Kroos, Nacho, Ascensio came on. The second half did however highlight our current problem even with a counter attacking 352 formation. We constantly give the ball back to the opposition and invite pressure because Bailly and Fosu Mensah both panic and in all honesty are really not much better than Smalling on the ball if at all. The key transfer is a ball playing Centre Back who can also wins aerial duels and leads the Defence. A Spine of De GEA, Auderweireld, Matic, Pogba and Lukaku is as good as anything in the premier league!

Pluses from a very difficult Tour

Very encouraged by Andreas Pereira in the number 6 role and a great Free Kick
Alexis looks very Sharp 2 goals on tour
Ander Hererra looks back to his tigerish self from two seasons ago
FRED got some minutes and looks mobile, nimble and creative but will need time
Mata is much more effective centrally but is now a bench player
Taith Chong will need a year or 2 but has real ability and potential to fill the right wing role for the club

Honest Negatives without going over the top!

Luke Shaw is a million miles away from being what he was 3 years ago before the double leg break, positionally he is a liability but he is ok going forward so currently a dilemma for the club and still needs more match fitness and sharpness
Even with Mata 5'8 and Sanchez 5'7 when the Defence wins the ball, if they can't pass through the thirds they look to recycle aimlessly with long high balls. (This maybe why Jose is so obsessed about a ball playing physical Centre Back!)
Darmian just doesn't want to be at the club, so let's sell him and probably play Jessy Lingard at right wing back for the first couple of games.

I think due to personel, we will play this formation against Leicester with one new CB signing ;
D De Gea
E Bailly New CB hopefully (T Auderweireld) C Smalling

J Lingard A Pereira L Shaw
A Herrera S McTominay
M Rashford A Sanchez
Jose will leave Fred, & Mata on the bench for the pace of Rashford and the height of McTominay?

It's time now to get behind the team and I think we will be good enough to beat Leicester by a couple of goals and get some momentum until Lukaku, Pogba, Feillani and all the others return. Can see us playing 352 a lot more through this season and trying to pick teams off then close the game down.

 

[keener]

We pressed the ball mostly in the first half and our midfielders pressured Madrid into giving the ball back. Fred, Herrera and Sanchez were good IMO. Fred came off and we stepped back into defending the last half hour. We have enough horses to play well once our reinforcements show up. I see this as a positive. Pereira wasn't great tonight. I do love that he flies to the ball and closes down space but too many times he fouled or let the Madrid player get past him. Increasingly I'm not loving the lumbering Matic in this holding role and think we need fast legs in this position... like a poor man's Kante... OR go buy Kante.

Shaw and Darmian looked poor IMO and those are important positions to play attacking football. Valencia and Young there will be more than serviceable for most EPL games but aren't world class...

Mata is good playing with 4 midfielders behind him as he can be free to create for a striker. BUT if we employ a 442, it'll be Sanchez and Lukaku up front which is fine with me.... Lingard fits more in this formation than Rashford so I worry about Marcus. BUT really I think this game was more of a hodge podge of Jose trying to get his best lineup available onto the pitch.

 

[Class of 63]

First Half

Probably the best we've played on tour, good press, clever movement and could have really gone 3-0 up with another Herrera Opportunity, Darmian and Bailly at fault for goal but neverless encouraging.

Second Half

We looked tired, with the exception of Alexis and Ander. We were playing mostly Madrids under 21 side until last 20 minutes when Isco, Kroos, Nacho, Ascensio came on. The second half did however highlight our current problem even with a counter attacking 352 formation. We constantly give the ball back to the opposition and invite pressure because Bailly and Fosu Mensah both panic and in all honesty are really not much better than Smalling on the ball if at all. The key transfer is a ball playing Centre Back who can also wins aerial duels and leads the Defence. A Spine of De GEA, Auderweireld, Matic, Pogba and Lukaku is as good as anything in the premier league!

Pluses from a very difficult Tour

Very encouraged by Andreas Pereira in the number 6 role and a great Free Kick
Alexis looks very Sharp 2 goals on tour
Ander Hererra looks back to his tigerish self from two seasons ago
FRED got some minutes and looks mobile, nimble and creative but will need time
Mata is much more effective centrally but is now a bench player
Taith Chong will need a year or 2 but has real ability and potential to fill the right wing role for the club

Honest Negatives without going over the top!

Luke Shaw is a million miles away from being what he was 3 years ago before the double leg break, positionally he is a liability but he is ok going forward so currently a dilemma for the club and still needs more match fitness and sharpness
Even with Mata 5'8 and Sanchez 5'7 when the Defence wins the ball, if they can't pass through the thirds they look to recycle aimlessly with long high balls. (This maybe why Jose is so obsessed about a ball playing physical Centre Back!)
Darmian just doesn't want to be at the club, so let's sell him and probably play Jessy Lingard at right wing back for the first couple of games.

I think due to personel, we will play this formation against Leicester with one new CB signing ;
D De Gea
E Bailly New CB hopefully (T Auderweireld) C Smalling

J Lingard A Pereira L Shaw
A Herrera S McTominay
M Rashford A Sanchez
Jose will leave Fred, & Mata on the bench for the pace of Rashford and the height of McTominay?

It's time now to get behind the team and I think we will be good enough to beat Leicester by a couple of goals and get some momentum until Lukaku, Pogba, Feillani and all the others return. Can see us playing 352 a lot more through this season and trying to pick teams off then close the game down.

Interesting summary, but a bit harsh on Darmian, if he didn't want to be there he could have thrown a strop and refused to go whilst his future was sorted out, or just feigned injury and not gone on the tour, but he did, and he was professional throughout putting everything into the training sessions, encouraging the kids at every opportunity and played as many minutes on the tour as anybody else.

 

[lysglimt]

A much better performance than previously. In the first half we looked sharp in attack - in the second half we looked concentrated when defending. Granted this was a Real side who probably are 1.5-2 weeks behind us in preparations but we had a lot of fatigue which probably made up for that. Sanchez yet again our best player - and if he continues this form into the new season, we will be ok.

The good news is that Leicester probably have bigger problems than us going into the new season. Mahrez is sold, Evans probably will miss the game at Old Traford and if Puel decides to start with Maguire and Vardy - they will not be at full match fitness as they are yet to return to training. So arguably 4 of their best players might miss or start on the bench against United.

 

[Sassy Colin]

I have now seen it all we park the bus in a friendly against a Real B team... I'm not even happy we won.

Just came in to see comments like this.

Seriously mate, go find another team to support.

 

[trafford1980]

We won?

And we are still whining? Because of what?

Because the result means nothing. We fluked it against their B team whilst Liverpool outplayed their A-listers just back in May, only to lose because of some serious foul play on Ramos's part and twice-in-a-lifetime pair of howlers from Karius. The Liverpool result earlier this week is the true reflection of where we're at. Of course a United teamsheet featuring nailed-on starters like Darmian, Herrera, Fosu-Mensah, McTominay and Shaw should dispose of Madrid's kids. Fred already looks over-priced (He's not worth anywhere near 70 mill,) whilst the much cheaper Jorginho is bossin' grounds around Australia and Naby Keita is Kante 2.0, but better. I can't help but envy how Klopp and Liverpool are going about their business. We're either relying on sh#t kids or are going to overpay for the likes of Tobey Maguire ( who was playing with Hull in the championship a year back!) whilst they've picked up the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Van Dijk. At this stage I wish Ed would just sign Ivan Rebitic and be done with it.

Not serious, popping my white text cherry. Is this how it's done?

 

[K2K]

We always beat Real and Barca in preseason for some reason.

 

[K2K]

without Ronaldo to save them this season, Real fans must be very worried.

They have Modric who is the best midfielder in the world.

People are grossly underestimating this Madrid side .

They were never a one man team .

 

[izec]

Ceballos and Isco will be like transformed under Lopetegui. The issue with Real is scoring goals, on the ball they are superb throughout the squad

 

[Joeace2020]

Because the result means nothing. We fluked it against their B team whilst Liverpool outplayed their A-listers just back in May, only to lose because of some serious foul play on Ramos's part and twice-in-a-lifetime pair of howlers from Karius. The Liverpool result earlier this week is the true reflection of where we're at. Of course a United teamsheet featuring nailed-on starters like Darmian, Herrera, Fosu-Mensah, McTominay and Shaw should dispose of Madrid's kids. Fred already looks over-priced (He's not worth anywhere near 70 mill,) whilst the much cheaper Jorginho is bossin' grounds around Australia and Naby Keita is Kante 2.0, but better. I can't help but envy how Klopp and Liverpool are going about their business. We're either relying on sh#t kids or are going to overpay for the likes of Tobey Maguire ( who was playing with Hull in the championship a year back!) whilst they've picked up the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Van Dijk. At this stage I wish Ed would just sign Ivan Rebitic and be done with it.

Not serious, popping my white text cherry. Is this how it's done?

Full post, white text

 

[unplayable]

We always beat Real and Barca in preseason for some reason.

The reason being that they just start their pre season while we are close to the start of the league.

 

[Red_Ramirez]

We seriously miss a Keane, Scholes , Carrick.

A midfielder who can control a midfield and help keep things in midfield ticking over by good ball retention with a range of passes.

We dont have anyone in the squad who can do this

 

[99withaflake]

The reason being that they just start their pre season while we are close to the start of the league.

It's never good practice if one of you is starting when the other is ready to finish...

...as my wife tells me

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

We seriously miss a Keane, Scholes , Carrick.

A midfielder who can control a midfield and help keep things in midfield ticking over by good ball retention with a range of passes.

We dont have anyone in the squad who can do this

That's Pogba.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Just came in to see comments like this.

Seriously mate, go find another team to support.

Don't like the criticism? Go and find another forum to post in.

 

[99withaflake]

I have now seen it all we park the bus in a friendly against a Real B team... I'm not even happy we won.

Just came in to see comments like this.

Seriously mate, go find another team to support.

I don't think @Richter was being serious. It was a pre-season friendly. I personally detected high levels of sarcasm.