We were a ticking time bomb

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Last night was coming. You can’t challenge for a title by edging 50-50 games time & time again. We haven’t played well for ages yet were just about doing enough with individual brilliance from Rashford & Pogba getting winning goals. It’s not sustainable. On another day Bailly doesn’t make that block & Villa equalise, same for Burnley who missed chances, same for Fulham, on another day that deflection off Bailly goes in. We were never going to be able to keep it up, if you want to win a title you need to be convincing. We were edging wins but we were failing the eye test badly.

 

[Zoo]

Thanks for sharing

 

[VeevaVee]

Liverpool did it a lot last year, but yeah, this was definitely coming. We don't have the drive Liverpool had.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

We've won many titles by grinding out results back to back. Admittedly this should have been a game that we should have thrashed them in but we were poor.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Thanks for sharing

It’s a United message board. Isn’t that the point? If you disagree why not offer a counter viewpoint? Rather than a sarcastic comment?

 

[saivet]

I agree that it was coming, while recent results have been good, a lot of the performances haven't been. I'm still hopeful that the inconsistencies with the other teams around us continue and we can still challenge for the title though. Problem is City are playing very good football of late, but they may go back to their early season form.

 

[Siorac]

Liverpool did it a lot last year, but yeah, this was definitely coming. We don't have the drive Liverpool had.

But, and I can't stress this enough, Liverpool won 18 games by more than one goal last season. We're currently at... four. And one of those four games was 1-1 until the 86th minute. So while Liverpool did indeed win a lot of close games, it's not even close to what we're doing this season. They had a LOT of confident wins.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Liverpool did it a lot last year, but yeah, this was definitely coming. We don't have the drive Liverpool had.

They won convincingly far more regularly than we do to be fair. How many games have we won this season that were comfortable for the majority of the game? I can only think of Leeds. Everton was by 2 goals but certainly wasn’t comfortable. Newcastle only got comfortable in the 85th minute. Every win seemingly has been a drag.

 

[cyberman]

And these 50/50 games were?

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Sheffield played a blinder in defense, our collective unit including the goalkeeper had one hell of a let down while we were down to the third choice center back. It happens more than once in a long season, let alone when games are coming at you thick and fast in a squeezed schedule. Forget and move on.

 

[RainyDays_10]

Liverpool fan here. This is an overreaction. Countless games are decided on a one goal margin. The scenarios you've referred to in your OP, i.e. how on another day, Fulham would score via the Bailly deflection, or Villa score in the last minute, etc, happened with Liverpool throughout our entire League winning campaign. Yes, we had drive, but we also had a vast number of games that were decided on the smallest of margins. Surely you recall the games where the opposition keeper seemed to throw it in the net? Or the opposition striker seemed to bottle a late chance to equalise? It happens. As much as last night's result pleased me, in reality, it was a fairly lucky win for Sheffield United, due to the fact that they scored a goal that was disallowed for you (both should have been disallowed if we're judging by the VVD/DDG incident last season) and the fact they scored from a pretty unlucky deflection. You did play pretty poorly, though, imo. I will grant you that.

 

[youngrell]

We haven't been dominant in every game, but there's hardly any that we won where we didn't deserve to. Probably only Brighton.

 

[Ajr]

City will have a stupid loss in them soon too its not just us, pool already have

 

[SAFMUTD]

I agree, most of us see this one coming. We rely on such stretch margins to get the victories that it was just a matter of time until we fell short.

The problem is some people actually believe we could win the title this way, yeah I mean its not impossible but it's highly unlikely to get to 90+points that way.

For all season, besides the Leeds game there's not been one single game where I have felt we will win win ease. All games, no matter how poor the opposition, had been a fight with tooth and nails. Sweat until the last minute and get the result. I mean I'm all in for the effort, but being real that's not nearly enough to challenge Liverpool and City. Yeah they may slip from time to time but they hammer most teams with ease, we are not even close to that level of performance.

 

[hubbuh]

Sheffield played a blinder in defense, our collective unit including the goalkeeper had one hell of a let down while we were down to the third choice center back. It happens more than once in a long season, let alone when games are coming at you thick and fast in a squeezed schedule. Forget and move on.

I really hate the idea that a 38-year-old Phil Jagielka was able to shut down Man Utd at Old Trafford. Sheffield Utd had 8 or 9 players missing, they couldn't even make a full bench! There are certain patterns going on that means we shouldn't just right off last night as a freak result. We conceded first yet again, we conceded from a corner yet again, we looked impotent and disinterested going forward yet again, we weren't able to control the game for any significant period of time yet again, we were relying on a moment of individual brilliance to win us the game yet again. These are seriously concerning issues that have been bubbling under the surface and finally bit us on the arse last night.

 

[SAFMUTD]

We haven't been dominant in every game, but there's hardly any that we won where we didn't deserve to. Probably only Brighton.

Many games where we could have draw and no one would have blinked. Such as Villa, Wolves, Burnley, Fulham, etc xGs is there for the telling.

 

[TheGame]

Those games you included in your ifs and buts have included chances that our strikers should have finished but didn't. We've worked hard to win those matches, perhaps harder than we need to against weaker teams but we've won none the less. Yesterday was a poor result and performance. We need to show a reaction in the next game.

 

[youngrell]

I agree, most of us see this one coming. We rely on such stretch margins to get the victories that it was just a matter of time until we fell short.

The problem is some people actually believe we could win the title this way, yeah I mean its not impossible but it's highly unlikely to get to 90+points that way.

For all season, besides the Leeds game there's not been one single game where I have felt we will win win ease. All games, no matter how poor the opposition, had been a fight with tooth and nails. Sweat until the last minute and get the result. I mean I'm all in for the effort, but being real that's not nearly enough to challenge Liverpool and City. Yeah they may slip from time to time but they hammer most teams with ease, we are not even close to that level of performance.

You'd swear City and Liverpool are swatting aside every other team while playing in 3rd gear.

Truth is, both those teams rely on a high intensity game. City's intensity was down early in the season, which was reflected in their results, and Liverpool's is down now.

 

[youngrell]

Many games where we could have draw and no one would have blinked. Such as Villa, Wolves, Burnley, Fulham, etc xGs is there for the telling.

Wouldn't you agree that we were the better team/more likely to win in all of them, though?

And none of those teams have a reputation for being easy to beat.

 

[Thaumaste]

We haven't been dominant in every game, but there's hardly any that we won where we didn't deserve to. Probably only Brighton.

I think this is key. Totally agree. Our results are less good than our general performances in most instances because our forwards are really struggling to convert chances. If we were clinical, our results would look a lot more similar to Liverpool's of last year (not that we're as good as them because I don't think we are).

 

[Siorac]

We haven't been dominant in every game, but there's hardly any that we won where we didn't deserve to. Probably only Brighton.

'Deserve' is always a tricky thing because it's subjective but had West Ham scored three in the first half we couldn't have complained. Had Villa equalised at Old Trafford - remember the last-second Bailly block? -, it would have been a fair-ish draw. We created feck all against Wolves so without a lucky deflection a 0-0 would have been a fair reflection on the game. You can say we deserved these wins for a myriad of reasons, sure, but the point is that had they ended in draws or in the case of West Ham, defeat, you could have hardly called either one some grave injustice.

And West Brom can feel somewhat hard done by the two penalty decisions at Old Trafford.

 

[Siorac]

I think this is key. Totally agree. Our results are less good than our general performances in most instances because our forwards are really struggling to convert chances. If we were clinical, our results would look a lot more similar to Liverpool's of last year (not that we're as good as them because I don't think we are).

Our results are much better than our general performances, come on now.

 

[Bobcat]

We were due a slip up at some point, but its not like we have lucked our way to it either. Yes, some of those wins were hard fought, but having one or two top teams sleepwalking their way to wins is not really the norm in the PL

And i dont get this "individual brilliance" argument either. Rashford and Bruno has hardly been stellar the last couple of months, so its not like they are carrying the team on their shoulders at the moment

 

[bsCallout]

I agree, most of us see this one coming. We rely on such stretch margins to get the victories that it was just a matter of time until we fell short.

The problem is some people actually believe we could win the title this way, yeah I mean its not impossible but it's highly unlikely to get to 90+points that way.

For all season, besides the Leeds game there's not been one single game where I have felt we will win win ease. All games, no matter how poor the opposition, had been a fight with tooth and nails. Sweat until the last minute and get the result. I mean I'm all in for the effort, but being real that's not nearly enough to challenge Liverpool and City. Yeah they may slip from time to time but they hammer most teams with ease, we are not even close to that level of performance.

We think we can win the league this way because we don't need 90 points this year.

 

[BusbyMalone]

I said exactly the same thing in the pre-match buildup. I've been waiting for this for a while. Not wanting it to come, obviously, but expecting it. What we were doing was not sustainable. We've managed to eke out wins against some of the teams we've played over the past few weeks, and we deserve credit for being resilient, but you can't keep it going like we have. I think most people knew that it wasn't sustainable.

I just hope this isn't the start of a bad run.

 

[SAFMUTD]

We think we can win the league this way because we don't need 90 points this year.

How many do you think we'll need to win it and do you think we can make it?

City started awful but they're on a run. Not just getting results but performing and they will only get better once KDB and Aguero return.

 

[Thaumaste]

Our results are much better than our general performances, come on now.

I mean, I'm open to saying I might be totally deluded, but I genuinely don't think so.

 

[SAFMUTD]

Wouldn't you agree that we were the better team/more likely to win in all of them, though?

And none of those teams have a reputation for being easy to beat.

I agree we have better chances of winning than them, but could have easily drawn as well. Its not a knockout cup, its the league and performing that way means we'll eventually draw against them which ultimately will end with falling short for the title.

 

[Siorac]

We think we can win the league this way because we don't need 90 points this year.

Not a given, considering City's current form. They got 41 points in their first 19 games, and that's with a really poor start. I don't think it's beyond them to win 15 or 16 of the next 19 now that they seem to have got themselves together and have the momentum.

They won't have to though, hard to see anyone else getting over 80.

 

[youngrell]

'Deserve' is always a tricky thing because it's subjective but had West Ham scored three in the first half we couldn't have complained. Had Villa equalised at Old Trafford - remember the last-second Bailly block? -, it would have been a fair-ish draw. We created feck all against Wolves so without a lucky deflection a 0-0 would have been a fair reflection on the game. You can say we deserved these wins for a myriad of reasons, sure, but the point is that had they ended in draws or in the case of West Ham, defeat, you could have hardly called either one some grave injustice.

And West Brom can feel somewhat hard done by the two penalty decisions at Old Trafford.

We were the better team, so yes we probably deserved to win them. First half was atrocious vs West Ham, but we blitzed them second half. Wolves was a tough slog (when hasn't it been), but that's because that is exactly what they set out to do. They got what they deserved after being so negative.

These are all ifs and buts. If you have a slender lead, you can expect a late push from the opponents so there will be shaky moments.

 

[bsCallout]

How many do you think we'll need to win it and do you think we can make it?

City started awful but they're on a run. Not just getting results but performing and they will only get better once KDB and Aguero return.

85 Max. Whilst City might play better with their returns(even though KDB has played), you could also say we will play better once our forwards pick up a bit of good form.

 

[bsCallout]

Not a given, considering City's current form. They got 41 points in their first 19 games, and that's with a really poor start. I don't think it's beyond them to win 15 or 16 of the next 19 now that they seem to have got themselves together and have the momentum.

They won't have to though, hard to see anyone else getting over 80.

It's easy to claim a team currently showing some good form will keep it up.

 

[youngrell]

I agree we have better chances of winning than them, but could have easily drawn as well. Its not a knockout cup, its the league and performing that way means we'll eventually draw against them which ultimately will end with falling short for the title.

We seem to be a team that often plays to the opponents level, that is a risky way of playing and I agree we can be caught out doing so. I just don't think last night was one of those games. We simply didn't deserve victory last night because we didn't put in the necessary work.

We will have games where the quality is bad, like last night, but other times desire and work rate can see you through. Last night we had neither. SU had zero quality, they just won through effort.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

OP is correct. Title is a bit sensational but the point is true.

 

[Siorac]

If you have a slender lead, you can expect a late push from the opponents so there will be shaky moments.

But this is exactly the point of the thread. When every game is a slog and we always have to either hang on for dear life or throw the kitchen sink at the opponent in the final minutes, there will be shaky moments and there will be points dropped even in games where we can otherwise say that we've been the better team.

 

[SAFMUTD]

85 Max. Whilst City might play better with their returns(even though KDB has played), you could also say we will play better once our forwards pick up a bit of good form.

I don't think City will slow down, I can easily see them winning 15 out of their last 19 games. They're on the way to reach 84 points but it's unlikely they'll repeat their shaky start. So it wouldn't surprise me at all that they reach 90 points.

But for the sake of it let's say 85 points is enough, do you think with our current performances we will reach 85 points?

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Boom Sheff, Sheff Sheff U... Tick Tick Tick Tick Boom

It's pretty mad that we are/were top of the league and yet we've only really won one Premier League game this season totally comfortably case in point, only once in the Prem this season have we entered the last 15 minutes of a game more then a goal up (That comfortable game vs. Leeds).

 

[Siorac]

It's easy to claim a team currently showing some good form will keep it up.

Yeah, they might slow down with other commitments kicking in, no doubt. It's not a guarantee though.

But as I said it doesn't really matter because we'll be below 80 anyway. We don't have to worry about City, it's the likes of Leicester and Spurs that we should look at.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Bar the very start of the season not many games have been 5050. We have looked good value for most wins. More so than Liverpool last season I think.

I think people had formed their narrative from the first few words games but since then we have been routinely missing great chances and making some games look tight

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Lots of posters here that I haven't seen in a couple of months by the way haha