I think we will fare well against Spurs, at least in terms of playing as one top team with another. People underestimate momentum and confidence in football. Right now we are riding on a wave of momentum and confidence. I see us taking the game to Spurs. Whether or not our quality will be good enough to see us through is a different subject. But a win for us or a draw will not surprise me at all. Whatever the case, this will be a good test.
What happens when we come up against decent opposition? | Errr
- Thread starter Sassy Colin
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
At least now no team is going to play us and think this is easy. They have seen the way we play now and know that we will attack them and our attack is good enough to score against any team. I hope Ole starts with Martial, Rashford and Sanchez with the midfield picking itself and Lindelof and who else to partner him.
Or play Fellaini up front and did what Jose did to Ajax and by pass their midfield. I would like to see Ole do that against a big club just to see whether we can beat them playing that way.
Or play Fellaini up front and did what Jose did to Ajax and by pass their midfield. I would like to see Ole do that against a big club just to see whether we can beat them playing that way.
He will be. Son leaves for the Asian Cup after the match.
Hopefully so. Open games suits Spurs well, in contrast to when teams try and park the bus.
We've got a lot to learn about Ole, such as how he'll set up tactically in a game like Spurs and how he/ we would respond to a defeat. I think we were almost guaranteed a bounce when Jose left, so the next couple of weeks will provide some answers to whether he really is a candidate for the job.
Actually competing and playing like big team is more important to me than the result itself. For three years we've played like a small team and that gets you nowhere regardless of the result on the day. Hoping to nick a goal from set piece or get lucky from opponent mistake is not sustainable and too limited of a game plan. There is no shame in losing but not in the way we rolled over at Anfield for example or Etihad. The bar is not really that high for OGS. He just has to show us that we can attack in proper way and ask questions of any team . To give us belief for the future that we can maybe do something when the stakes are really high.
Last edited:
Also Mike Phelan will have lost of experience in these kinds of games so his input would be crucial too.
Positivity is good.At least we are scoring goals and have a chance.Yes, no doubt, that's the only thing we can be absolutely sure of when we meet the better teams. But if we win or lose it's not as easy to know for sure anymore. It shouldn't do that, but it actually feels very positive!
One thing is for sure is that we will play 6-3-1 with our left and right forwards playing as second fullbacks allowing the opposition to play us out of the park and hoping to get a fortuitous goal by virtue of an opposition mistake.
Recon we will either lose, draw, or win.
I’m not sure they just hammered a team 7-0.
We haven't won away to Spurs since Fergie. It's been a difficult place for us to get wins but I'm hopeful for the first time. We have the momentum and everything you can hope for is happening. I fact us nicking it by a goal. Spurs has a better squad and a much more balanced and solid XI so they'd be favorites. Especially considering the sloppiness of our defense. We have as many clean sheets as Huddersfield.
The real acid test to gauge our progress since Mourinho will be this weekend against Spurs. I fancy our chances but more likely than not will be a draw.
We are going to win against spurs. 3-2. We will get a red card towards the end but will hang on to the lead.
(spurs - united)
1-0
1-1
2-1 (HT)
2-2
2-3 (FT)
(spurs - united)
1-0
1-1
2-1 (HT)
2-2
2-3 (FT)
I think we'll likely lose, but at least we'll have a go. Which is refreshing.
Do you regularly win the lottery?
I thought Mourinho would steady the ship, win some silverware, and generally make us a competitive team again, and I still hoped he could do this until, by October it was clear we were going backwards again. His failure to get the best from the players he had, the stubborn refusal to listen to what most supporters were saying, and most pundits, the constant rows and the overall feeling of unease and resentment he created was choking the life out of the club I love. Ole has been like a breath of fresh air, a storm actually, blowing away all the bitterness, resentment and apathy. We still have a long way to go, we need replacements for those who, though good, are simply not good enough, but its a start, a very good start, and, just as Mourinho deserved our patience, until, as it always does it seems, he exhausted it, Ole does too, and when he suffers his first set back, as he will, we must all get behind him, because, unlike Mourinho, Ole is Manchester United to the core and has utter belief in the Manchester United way of playing and its history. I was wrong about Mourinho, but not about Ole!
Considering we drew 5, lost 5 and won 7 in 17 games, I would put a draw/loss more likely or just as likely with Jose still in charge. Not sure where this Jose would've won these games comes from, especially with who we lost and drawn with and our -1 goal difference which is now plus 11.
And it was getting worse with Jose by the month. He would've had Herrera and McTom as central defence for a 4-0 tonking with the goal assist goal scoring virus on the bench.
And it was getting worse with Jose by the month. He would've had Herrera and McTom as central defence for a 4-0 tonking with the goal assist goal scoring virus on the bench.
They say if I gamble then I will lose my powers
I hate this argument, all rival fans are saying it. We could be top of the league by 10 points and still lose to Spurs, they are a good team and at home. Losing to them means nothing in terms of progress or how well Ole is doing.
Can’t be any worse than last season what was it like opening minute of the game ?
Can I have Saturday's Lotto number's please?
Spot on.
Also worth mentioning that yes, we've had an easy run of games but it was at a time of year when games come thick and fast and it's very unusual to maintain a 100% record. Let's not forget that our top four rivals dropped points against teams like Crystal Palace, Leicester, Wolves, Southampton and Brighton over the same period of time.
Well to answer the thread title I guess we will find out on sunday. Personally I think the game against Spurs could go any way. Either they will win comfortably or it will be an even game. I don't see us coming out from this as winners but I won't rule it out completely. Hopefully though we will see the same attacking approach we have had during the previous 4 games. I would hate it if we were set up more defensively.
I say....Yessss.....we go for it!
Be interesting. At least now, we seem to have that we can score against anyone mentality back, and we can as we have the attacking talent to do so. Defensively we know we are we not where we need to be, I can see goals in this at either end. I hope we go at them right from the off. I don't mind losing if we give it a go, the roll over and die attitude we showed v them and Juve at home was sickening. I could see us getting a score draw.
I'm going for a 4-3 win, with exciting end-to-end footy. Hopefully Tottenham can get a suspension or two against Chelsea tomorrow while we're off preparing in Dubai.
Tough game, might as see how we do and try and go toe to toe with spurs. If we let the front 3 and pogba have freedom no reason why we cant score goals. That said it is likely we will concede. Draw wouldn't be a bad result. Hopefully martial, rashford and jessie up top as dont think lukaku is ready for this one.
To be fair, I think most sensible posters and pundits are more focused on the performance (and tactical performance) than solely the result.
Of course anyone can lose to Spurs - but then, anyone can beat them, as has happened 5 times this season, and as was shown by Wolves just 1 game ago...
But to go there and be outplayed and for Ole to be out-thought by Pochettino is what people will be watching for, and rightly so.
Ole is now being talked about seriously as the next full-time Utd manager - I myself am starting to lean toward him getting the job - and he now has had time with the squad, has an incredible run of form, and we're not going to Citeh, or Liverpool, it's Tottenham ffs.
We should be able to turn up and give a good account of ourselves - failure to do that, and quite rightly it will reflect on him getting the manager's job full-time.
He doesn't have the managerial credibility to be given the job without showing he can mix it up with the best managers in the PL.
For what it's worth, I think we can win the game.
Lads, its Tottenham.
Now that we have shorts back I’m confident he’ll be drilling that into them.
Pogba Matic Herrera a shoe in to start, 433, licence for Pogba to get forward, Martial Rashford Lingard just at the back, I think he will go with Shaw and Young as his full backs, Lindelof and (can't believe I am saying this) but hopefully Smalling is fit as Jones is just a disaster waiting to happen.
I think we will be disciplined to start with, don't concede early nothing stupid and defo go for them and attack, not as gung ho as we have been but we will go at them and attack. If we get beat we get beat, no shame in losing to Spurs but if we do get beat, we will go down fighting and giving everything, all we can ask for! Bring it on, can't wait!
I think we will be disciplined to start with, don't concede early nothing stupid and defo go for them and attack, not as gung ho as we have been but we will go at them and attack. If we get beat we get beat, no shame in losing to Spurs but if we do get beat, we will go down fighting and giving everything, all we can ask for! Bring it on, can't wait!
I would not put it past Solskjaer to spring a few surprises on Poch. He will have a double motivation, the second being to embarrass potential long-term managerial competition. Maybe by loaning Fellaini's hairdo to Jones? It's a bit wasted on Chong to be fair.
Well not really because you could just as easily say Manchester United could have beaten Cardiff, Huddersfield, Reading, Newcastle and Bournemouth with Neil Warnock or Tony Pulis in charge, doesn't mean they are the right man for the job
If we're not going to judge Ole by our performances and results in the 'big' games, then what are we supposed to judge him by? Because being likeable in press conferences isn't enough to land the job full-time!
If getting the full time United job is based on big game results Pochettino shouldn't be considered either.
It's not about the result, but more the performance. Even Jose could have struggled past that lot.
Honestly I think we can get a result against Spurs, the issue I'm most worried about is their CB's ability to pick a long pass for their forwards running in behind. Our defense is set up pretty high up the pitch and considering Jones/Lindelof have a serious lack of pace and speed it could prove to be very costly to us.
We share the same fear. I was really hoping Smalling would be back in time because he has the extra pace to recover ball from a high line and he's without doubt the best player in the air.
Why are we building this spurs game up to be the litmus test of any good team? If we win pundits will just turn to the next big game against the top 2...where in reality the only true test of a PL team lies. Win or lose this weekend doesn't make us a very good team or even close.