Slow out of the blocks

[Pogue Mahone]

Here’s a staggering stat. We’ve played 27 league games. In 21 of them we’ve either been level or behind at half time.

WTF? Is this as unusual as it sounds? Are any other clubs this poor in the opening period?

 

[GledTheRed]

Here’s a staggering stat. We’ve played 27 league games. In 21 of them we’ve either been level or behind at half time.

WTF? Is this as unusual as it sounds? Are any other clubs this poor in the opening period?

It's actually laughable how bad we start games, it's like it's some kind of piss take.

 

[OneUnited24]

Pretty pathetic isn’t it. Just shows we are set up wrong from the start then have to change it.

 

[dwd]

I’ve said before we start everything poorly. Games, seasons, halves. It is clearly a focus issue and that rests squarely on the coaching staff as much as the players. Neville did an interesting video on it on the Webby & o’neill channel recently.

 

[iluvoursolskjær]

It's pretty standard for us to start playing once we are a goal behind and it's been like that for years.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Okay fair, that is a pretty bad one. I wonder why.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Thing is, we're all just used to it now... To the point where if we actually start a game well, everyone is actively surprised by it.

 

[Skills]

Its a tactic. Get the other team to relax and then pounce.

 

[Idxomer]

It's been noticeable for ages, I made a thread about it earlier this season.

We even start the 2nd half slowly these days. Against Chelsea, after 15 minutes, the possession was like 86 - 14 for them.

Today it was 65 - 35 for Palace in the 1st 10 minutes of the 2nd half.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

We need some ventolin and redbulls.

 

[Machine Elements]

It means that we're not on the front foot and proactive enough. It's like we don't want to play football but have to be on the pitch and we'll start doing someting with urgency only after conceding. It's nothing new either.

 

[BusbyMalone]

The thing is with that stat as well, is that it plays into the "United way" narrative (coming from behind, etc.) that Ole himself likes to perpetuate, so it's almost seen as a positive both by him and his most fervent fans. It's worrying because we seemingly haven't worked on it that much, considering it happens on the regular. It just solidifies the view that Ole and this team are very reactive.

 

[Crustanoid]

PEDs. We need PEDs. And COVID suspensions at critical times in the season to give us a rest when every other team in the division is knackered so we can then steamroll them all

 

[Eyepopper]

To be fair, anyone would probably need a few minutes to wake up if they'd sat through a last minute team talk from Harry Maguire before taking the field.

 

[Ludens the Red]

Thing is, we're all just used to it now... To the point where if we start a game well everyone is actively surprised by it.

This. I didn’t even notice it today

 

[Stack]

I wonder if the warm up needs adjusting. I coached a team a few years ago and my warmups were set up around some of my ideas of playing, largely designed to get the first touch and passing up to speed before kick off. We were slow starting a lot of games and I asked the players about the warmups. They told me the warm ups were good for training but the thing they wanted most from the warmup (apart from the stretching) was a hard blow out so they werent waiting for a second wind to kick in after lick off. They wanted a more physical based warm up. I changed the warm up to match their feed back and from then on slow starts werent a thing. Now Im not saying Im right here but just wondering if the coaching staff are trying different things to affect the slow start issue.

 

[passing-wind]

Poor preparation, concentration and a few things that is the responsibility of the coaches, manager and players. I will reiterate the same point that this team along with Ole having no identity means we just drift through games. Neville made a good point about the team sleepwalking and having done it over a period of time.

I think that's what's beginning to happen is the unveiling of the ceiling of Solskjaer's management.

 

[stw2022]

Its a tactic. Get the other team to relax and then pounce.

Maybe you're being sarcastic, but I genuinely think it is. For me it plays into this myth that under Ferguson we were just comeback monkeys and that all we have to do is wait and eventually we'll come good...because we're Manchester United. When you look at how awfully we're coached (see other thread) in preparation for games and the fact absolutely nothing happens aside from like-for-like subs that are nearly painfully obviously pre-planned (see other thread) it's difficult to conclude otherwise.

Ole may me a nice guy but we're down the rabbit hole now of trying to do nothing but emulate the "United way", which seems to be to expect that we're due a late goal.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

That's a pretty damning statistic

 

[roonster09]

We are so bad it's funny. We don't start the game well, when pressed we struggle to hold the possession, some of our players struggle to even do the basics right.

Have said it few times, Ole has done as much as he can/could. We should move on next season with new manager who will make us take the next step.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

We have a pair of starting CBs about as fast as Samuel Jackson in Captain Marvel, a pair of fullbacks hardly renown for their attacking prowess, a double pivot who can’t pass forward to save their lives in our default starting XI, that’s 6 out of 10 outfield players geared towards sitting back, absorbing pressure and spoil the game. Why are the fans now acting surprised that we start game slowly? It’s deliberate.